i wrote this for tumblr prom bc i went with my best friend 3

Annabeth tilts her head to the side, watching as Piper chases Percy around the empty field. The buzzing sound of cicadas fill the air and fireflies twinkle in the night sky, shining with the stars. She can hear their laughter as Piper finally manages to catch Percy and tackle him - revenge for "accidentally" spilling his punch on her - and they tumble to the ground.

She can't stop the smile that spreads across her lips, even as she crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow, trying to look stern.

"Are you two done, yet?" she asks, resigned to the fact that her boyfriend was not coming back to dance with her.

Piper shakes her head, grinning like a lunatic, "Nope! Not until I finish my revenge!"

Percy looks at her outraged "Finish, what do you mean -," but he's cut off as she dumps the rest of the punch bowl on him.

Annabeth sighs, rolling her eyes as Piper stumbles away, laughing breathlessly, and Percy goes after her. She continues watching them for a minute, unable to decide between feeling exasperated, bewildered, and amused before she hears Jason sigh next to her.

"I thought I was supposed to be with Piper," he says, but he's grinning, too. Watching them is infectious, and Annabeth can already feel a laugh bubbling up in her throat.

"And I thought I was gonna be with Percy, but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen anytime soon,"

It was a stupid thing they decided to do since all four of them had missed their eleventh year of school, what with saving the world again and whatnot. Everything had been so busy lately - construction on Olympus and Camp Half-Blood, making amends with Camp Jupiter, making sure all the kids got claimed - that there hadn't been time to attend any school events. This had, inevitably, included prom, and Piper had insisted that that wasn't allowed. Percy - quick to back her up - had had the oh so brilliant idea of having their own prom. Something small, just the four of them, even if just to get their minds off things for a night.

Jason and Annabeth had both been reluctant - not that it hadn't sounded fun, Annabeth had thought begrudgingly because it had; but it had also sounded completely ridiculous. They didn't have a location, and they were usually more people to go to these, plus proms and school dances had never been Annabeth's thing anyway, so why do it? But Percy and Piper had practically begged to do it, and Jason, although hesitantly, had pointed out that it had been a while since they had just spent time together, and who was she to decline?

What she hadn't anticipated, though, was that Percy and Piper would go all out. Not in the sense that high schools did - with renting gymnasiums, and buying expensive suites - but in the sense that was way too much for a grand total of four people. Piper had dragged Annabeth to the nearest mall, and wouldn't let her leave until she picked out a dress, and she had somehow gotten Percy to agree to wear a suit and convince Jason to as well. To say she had been surprised was an understatement. But she had, for some reason, resignedly allowed Percy and Piper to take her and Jason to the location, even though their whispers and sniggers from the front seats of the cars had been suspicious.

They had driven about an hour out, to the, quite literally, the middle of an empty field, just as it had turned ten. Percy had opened all the car doors and turned the radio up to some cheesy 80s station, and Piper had unfolded a little table to put punch and chips on, while Jason and Annabeth exchanged weary looks.

When they had finished, Annabeth had been surprisingly impressed. It had been simple, but something about was so. . .pleasant that she was glad she had said yes - no matter how reluctantly she had done so.

"I saved some punch," Jason says, holding out a cup, "Before, y'know," he gestures to their so's, "they got a hold of it,"

She snorts, and accepts the drink, "Thanks,"

"No problem,"

Piper squeals as Percy lifts her up from behind and tosses her on the ground and Jason exhales, "I can't believe they left us like this,"

"I know," Annabeth sighs, and watches the two critically, "I was really hoping for that dance, too,"

Jason coughs a little awkwardly, and she looks over at him as he shrugs, ". . . I'll be right back," he says, and she raises both eyebrows before shaking her head again.

All alone, and she was supposed to be dancing. Damn.

She drains the rest of her punch and just as she's about to go get her a bag of chips, the station in the car changes. An old Ed Sheeran crackles over the speakers. She can't pinpoint which one, exactly, she thinks to herself disappointedly - she's supposed to know these things, after all, him and Taylor are her jams - but it's one of his soft, slower ones.

"Miss. Chase," She hears, and she turns around to see Jason bowing formerly, one hand behind his back, and one hand in front of him, offered toward her, "May I have this dance?"

She stifles her laughter, but sets her cup at her feet and takes his hand, and he stands and puts his other hand on her shoulder. She flashes him a grin as she does the same, and he chuckles.

"They're gonna be so jealous," he says, and Annabeth looks up to see Piper and Percy gaping at them.

She sticks her tongue out at them, "Yup. But it's their loss,"

"They know it too, look at them," Jason sniggers and Annabeth takes another glance at them. They've taken to dancing with each other, glaring at Annabeth and Jason every once in a while. Annabeth laughs at the affronted expression the two wear and rests her head on Jason's shoulder.

She lets out a little hum, letting him take the lead, "We should do this more often,"

"Yeah," he exhales, "It's nice,"

Their swaying slows as the song comes to a stop and Annabeth is about to thank Jason for the dance but, before she can, Percy and Piper tackle them to the ground.

"What is wrong with you two!" Annabeth shrieks, trying to be mad, but finds herself being unable to do anything but laugh, even as Percy smothers her with his punch-soaked jacket.

"Sorry!" Piper yells, breathlessly, and Jason shakes his head.

"No, you're not,"

"Nah, you're right," Piper grins, and stands up, brushing off her dress and offering her hand to Jason, who takes it, "Dance with me?"

"I never thought you'd ask," he says, and Annabeth turns to Percy, giving him a look. He grins, eyes twinkling, and stands.

"Come one, wise girl," he smiles, holding out his hands, and she takes it, returning the smile.

After all, the slow songs were still playing, and Percy still owed her a dance.