So this is a series of interconnecting one-shots set in the years following the end of the Giant War and focusing mainly on the relationship between Percy and Annabeth, with hints of other pairings as well. This assumes that everyone survived the war and that no new major threats have shown up yet.
Most parts will be in canonical order, but there will be a few that are not.
Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did own PJO, I do not.
Setting - Montauk, two years after the end of the Giant War
Percy:
Two years after the end of the war against Gaea and the giants, I managed to convince Annabeth to take a week's vacation out to Montauk with me, to the cabin on the beach that my mother and I had always rented. It was a nice opportunity, just the two of us out there, a relatively desolate beach, with almost no chance of any surprise monster attacks. It was the perfect opportunity for the two of us to finally have a chance to say the things that we needed to say to each other, but we could otherwise never find the time to. To discuss those things that were not urgent enough to even consider discussing while fighting for our lives at the same time. And for me to reveal something that I had kept to myself for almost a month now, something I was initially saving for our 3 year anniversary, but had recently decided that I wanted to say during our weeks' vacation. "Percy? Are you alright?"
Annabeth's voice broke me from my thoughts. I looked up, meeting my girlfriend's perfect grey eyes. "I've never been better, Annabeth. Why do you ask?" I queried.
"You're just very quiet. It's unusual, even after what happened during the war" she responded.
I smiled at her. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about how far our friendship has developed since we first met. And also thinking about just how incredibly amazing these past seven years have been".
She laughed, her laughter a clear, pure, sound that reminded me of just how deeply in love with her I actually was, as well as just how lucky I was that she had chosen me to be her boyfriend. I would have gladly given up everything that I owned in order to be able to hear that laugh every day for the rest of my life. Although of course, she had no idea about that just yet. "Without a doubt the best years of my life" she replied.
I smiled at her, pulling her closer. The two of us were sitting at the top of one of the sand dunes outside the small cabin, watching the sun as it sank below the horizon. In a way, it reminded me of my last visit to Mount Olympus, almost a week ago.
-6 days ago-
I stood at the entrance to the throne room at the top of Mount Olympus, almost too nervous to enter. I had to get Athena's permission to do something I had been hoping to do for some time now, and… well, I had the feeling she wasn't going to approve of it. Especially not given her history of fierce rivalry with my father, and the fact that she had an obvious dislike for me (even if said dislike had lessened due to the fact that I refused to abandon Annabeth when she was about to fall into Tartarus). But… both of my parents, and Annabeth's father, already knew, and approved of what I wanted to do. So why shouldn't Athena? I was distracted by the sound of someone approaching. "Mr. Jackson".
I recognized the voice instantly, though I refused to show her how much her presence scared me. I bowed quickly, before meeting the grey eyes of the goddess of wisdom, who also just so happened to be the mother of my girlfriend. "Lady Athena. I actually came here hoping to speak with you about Annabeth" I replied as calmly as possible.
"Oh? Remember what I said to you when the two of you started dating, Jackson. If you did anything to hurt my daughter, you have no idea how badly I will make you suffer…"
I blinked. "My lady, please listen to me. I would never, ever, do anything to hurt her. I love her far too much to do something so stupid. I consider myself extremely lucky just to have even met anyone as amazing as her, and the luckiest person in the world that she would ever consider choosing someone like me to be her boyfriend. In fact, with your permission, I would like to ask her to marry me"
"Why would I want to give you, a son of Poseidon, permission to marry my daughter?" she snapped.
"With respect, Lady Athena, I know you want Annabeth to be happy. I also want her to be happy, and, if you give me permission to make her my wife, I swear on the River Styx that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make her the happiest that I can possibly make her."
The ghost of a satisfied smile flickered across Athena's face as she listened to what I had to say, and I could swear she nodded warmly at me after I showed no hesitation whatsoever in swearing on the River Styx. Though maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part. "I see. Take good care of my daughter, Percy Jackson. Because if you don't…"
She deliberately left the threat unfinished. Both of us knew what she would do to me if I hurt Annabeth. And I was glad that I had no intention of ever, ever, doing so.
"Thank you, Lady Athena"
Bowing once more, I turned and started to walk away, though it wasn't more than a few seconds before she spoke again. "Mr. Jackson?"
I paused, turning to look at the goddess once more. "Yes, my lady?"
This time she actually did smile at me. "I expect grandchildren. And, naturally, to be invited to the wedding…"
Before I had a chance to respond, she was gone. I smiled slightly to myself. What the heck was I so nervous for…?
-Present day-
I could feel the box in my pocket digging into my leg, and I knew that now was the perfect time to say what I wanted to say. "Annabeth, I think there's something I need to tell you" I said softly.
She raised an eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing. "Do you remember two weeks ago, when Grover and myself went to San Francisco because Chiron asked us to escort a couple of potential campers back? And 6 days ago, how I was late for our dinner and claimed that I was 'studying'? Well, those weren't exactly the truth…" I told her.
She made as if to stand up, but I put my hand on her shoulder. "Hang on. Please, let me explain"
She glared at me. I knew I had to say what I was going to say quickly, before she did something we'd both regret (like breaking my arm, for one). "Fine. I'm listening. This had better be good, Percy…"
"Three weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to be more than just your boyfriend. Two weeks ago, Chiron did ask Grover and I to go to San Francisco to bring back two potential campers, but the real reason I went was because I had to visit your father. There was something I wanted to do, but I thought it best to get his permission first. And I was late for dinner 6 days ago because I had to pay a visit to Olympus. I had to speak to your mother. After all, I didn't want to risk her incinerating me for what I'm about to do".
Her mouth dropped open. She'd probably already realized what I was going to ask her, but there was a certain thrill in surprising her like this. It felt so good when it worked. Slowly and carefully, I reached into my pocket and withdrew the box, holding it in front of me. "Annabeth, I've been lucky enough to have known you for seven years, and even luckier to have been your boyfriend for as long as I have. But… If you'll have me, then I'd like to be more than that. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. To wake up next to you every day, to fall asleep next to you every night. To show you every single day how much you really mean to me and how lucky I am to even have someone as amazing as you in my life, and to tell you every day of your life that I love you more than life itself. You are mine, and I am yours, and I want to make sure that the entire world knows it"
I flicked the lid of the box back, revealing a slender white ring. A heart-shaped diamond was embedded in the top, and there were four small diamonds on either side. "Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?"
"Yes! Yes, of course I will!"
I slid the ring onto her slender finger, and smiled as she held it up to the fading light, admiring the way the diamonds sparkled in the last rays of the sun. "I love you, Annabeth Chase. More than you will ever know".
She leaned in, kissing me passionately as the sun finally set below the horizon, leaving the two of us sitting side by side on the dune in semi-darkness. When she finally pulled away, her lips lingered by my ear for a few seconds. "I love you too, Percy Jackson. I always will. Now, how about we go and… celebrate… our engagement?"
I laughed as I stood and helped my new fiancée to her feet. "Lead the way!"
As we ran side by side down the dune to the cabin, I couldn't help but reflect on the promise that I made to Athena nearly a week earlier. The promise that I had made to spend every day making her daughter the happiest that I could. The promise that, I knew, was my oath to keep…
There you go, I hope you liked it.