Percy leaned over the railing of the Argo II, the sea below glistening in pinks and golds as the sun rose in the east.
Just hours before, he'd had a dream telling him that Annabeth wasn't who he was meant to be with. That everything - saving Olympus, going to Camp Jupiter, Tartarus - was done for nothing, something that wouldn't last.
Seconds after her explanation, Annabeth had broken down, and began screaming at Leo and cursing up at the night sky, until Percy had dragged her into her room and made sure she fell asleep.
Annabeth had never been as broken as he had seen her then, even in Tartarus, when she kept him alive, and he kept her alive. They could rely on each other, because they were certain of their love. Even then, she always seemed stronger than him, like she could never break, at least, not like that.
But then, some god had to come in and screw everything up, -as usual- and give Percy all these conflicting thoughts that made him feel like he had done everything for a lie.
Percy hated Aphrodite. He hated the god or goddess that made him feel like this, he hated the gods for their quarrels and ridiculous disagreements that always got them stuck in the middle. But, mostly he hated himself for letting the gods do to this to him.
"Hey, Seaweed Brain," a voice quavered.
Percy jumped. To his left stood Annabeth, clutching the same railing, staring into the dawn with him.
"Hey," he answered, leaning back against the railing. "You doing okay?"
She released a heavy sigh. "Better. I'm sorry for kicking you."
"I'm sorry for locking you in your room," he replied.
"It's alright," She said, smiling. "Thank you for unlocking it."
"Anytime."
He looked at the daughter of Athena. Her hair, usually pulled back into a ponytail, was braided down her left shoulder.
"You- you braided your hair." Percy observed.
Annabeth looked at the braid. "Yeah. I thought I'd try it. I'm not sure how I like it."
"It looks nice."
"You think so?" she asked, tugging at the end.
"Yeah." he told her honestly.
In the distance, a couple of islands came into focus.
"Percy?"
"Yeah?"
"I did some thinking while I was in my room."
"You're always thinking."
"Percy, really. We need to discuss this."
He sighed, and turned to meet her eyes. "You're right."
Annabeth's light grey eyes searched his green ones. "I don't want to lose you."
"I don't want to lose you either." he confessed. "Whatever they showed us might just be a trick, or even an actual dream, I guess."
Annabeth shook her head. "I already thought of that. Why would they show Piper and Jason, Hazel and Frank each other, and not us? And even Leo said he saw someone who he's in love with. Why are we the only ones that didn't see each other? It doesn't make sense unless they were showing us the truth. And why would just tricking us make any sense, unless they were tricking all of us... Or, for all we know it may be something from Tartarus... I mean-" she sighed, trying to collect her thoughts. "It is completely possible that they are tricking us, so, why don't we pretend like this never happened?
"But," Percy said, "What's the point if we know we'll never end up together?"
"That's just it Percy we don't know that. It could be an enormous practical joke or a monster or a million other possibilities, but what's the point of speculating if we just don't know, and we never really will, no matter how long we dwell on it?"
"And anyway, if everything we saw is true, are we going to let ourselves be controlled by a god? If we break up now, we'll always blame that god. If we stay together, despite what they told us, even if we eventually break up, then it won't matter what they told us, because it will be our choice, not some god's. And we will choose for ourselves if we don't belong together."
Percy took a second to process everything she just said. "What about the person we saw in our visions?" He finally asked.
Annabeth pursed her lips together. "Are you in love with whomever you saw?"
An image of Nico shoving Percy away came to his mind. "No."
"Neither am I. I'm in love with you, Percy, and if I somehow fall in love with someone else someday, I have to stop loving you like I do now. And currently I don't see that happening."
Percy smiled. "I love you too, Annabeth."
They kissed, wrapping their arms around each other to make sure they were real. They pulled away to stare into the other's eyes.
"So, do you agree?" She asked.
"Completely. Just-" he said, looking down. "Annabeth, if - if - we break up, once we get over all the shit, can we still be friends?"
"Of course, Seaweed Brain! After all, someone has be there to save your butt!" she crossed her arms over her chest proudly.
"I can save my own butt just fine, thanks!"
"Whatever you say, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth laughed.
"Hey! Do you want me to go back to calling you 'Wise Girl?'" Percy threatened.
"Only if you want me to kick your butt again!" she threatened right back.
"We were twelve! I could SO take you now!"
"Want to put your money where your big mouth is?" Anna grinned, rolling up her sleeves.
"Oh, it is on!"