Time for Percy and Annabeth's wedding! I don't do wedding scenes very often, so please, please, please tell me if I did a good job!
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Never have, never will.
Setting - 8 months after 'My Oath To Keep'.
-Percy Jackson-
There were two hours until Annabeth and I would be finally getting married, something the two of us had been eagerly preparing for over the past year. And instead of celebrating the fact that we would be promising to spend the rest of our lives together today, I was instead pacing nervously back and forth in my cabin. "What if she decides she can't go through with it? What if she suddenly realizes that Athena is right, and that I'll never be worthy of her, no matter how hard I try? What if…"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? Are you really that dense that you wouldn't see that she's as infatuated with you as you are with her? Percy, nothing's going to stop her from going through with this. You know that, so it's about time you act like you do. Calm the hell down!"
I whirled to face him. "How can you be so sure? You don't know what she's thinking, Jason! None of us do!"
"I don't need to. I know you. And I know her. And that's all I need to know to be able to tell you that she will not change her mind about going through with this. So just stop freaking out, finish getting ready, and then get out there and marry her".
"You've been spending far too much time with Piper, Jason…"
Nico spoke softly, but suddenly, as he appeared next to Jason, causing both Frank and Leo to jump in surprise. Jason rolled his eyes, and I simply chuckled. "I'm glad you could make it, man".
"You really think that I'd miss a chance to see you make a fool of yourself in front of over a hundred campers?" the son of Hades chuckled.
I glared at him, pretending to be hurt by his suggestion that I'd even think of messing up the one day I'd been looking forward to more than anything else. The truth was, I'd honestly come to appreciate Nico's (sometimes odd) sense of humour over the past few years, even after he told me about his crush on me (which he did a few weeks after the Giant War ended), something I still thought showed that he was a hell of a lot braver than most of the other people that I knew. In fact, the fact that he had actually felt comfortable enough around me that he had the confidence to share his secret with me… well, we'd pretty much become closer than ever. That also happened to be part of the reason I had asked him to be my best man. "No point in getting married if my best man's not here" I shrugged.
Nico nodded, and gestured towards the small door that led into the other room (after the Giant War ended, Chiron and Mr. D had, after being informed of what Annabeth and I went through in Tartarus, allowed us to sleep in the same cabin on the condition that we added an extra room, and of course both Tyson and Leo were more than happy to help). "Now, you go and finish getting ready. I'll take care of things out here".
I nodded and headed into the other room. The last thing that I heard before the door closed behind me was Nico asking "Alright, has anyone seen the rings?"
~Roughly one hour, 58 minutes, and 35 seconds later~
It was official. I hated ties. Even if it was on my wedding day, I couldn't stand them. And I especially hated bow ties. "I swear I feel like I'm being strangled by my own clothing" I muttered.
I shot a side glance at Nico, who looked just as uncomfortable as I did. He stood beside me, just to my right (as Annabeth would, naturally, be standing to the left of me) and both of us were standing in front of Chiron in the middle of the amphitheatre. I honestly thought it was a bit of a strange place for a wedding to be held, but it had seemed to be the most suitable place in camp, (Camp Half-blood being where we would be holding the wedding in the first place, as per the first decision that Annabeth and I had actually made regarding our wedding). "30 seconds to go" Nico whispered.
I nodded, before my attention was captured by a collective gasp from the campers who sat in the rows behind us. Turning, my mouth dropped open as I saw the woman in the white dress slowly making her way towards us on her father's arm. She was… Unspeakably gorgeous. Her hair was tied back, with a single strand falling loose to brush against each of her cheeks. She wore little makeup, from what I could see, what little she did wear being enough to highlight her already-gorgeous features. Her dress clung tightly to her body in a shape that reminded me of a champagne flute, accentuating her slender figure, though it was wider around her lower legs. Her camp necklace rested around her neck, the red coral pendant I had given her when we first started dating resting at its base. She was smiling widely, showing perfectly straight white teeth, as both she and her father finally reached us. Her father nodded to me. "Take care of her".
"I intend to".
Her stormy grey eyes met my green ones as we stood facing each other, and it was like nothing else in the universe mattered. I was only dimly aware of Chiron speaking in the background, asking the gods present to give their blessings to the marriage (all of whom, amazingly enough, actually did so). Then, as he fell silent, Annabeth started speaking, and it was as if she was all I could hear. "Percy, when we first met I could barely stand to be around you. I hated you. You were so obtuse, so frustrating, that I don't know how I managed to keep myself from killing you. On our quest to recover Zeus's Master Bolt before the summer solstice, I got to see the real you. Loyal and strong-willed, you know how to have fun though you can be deadly serious when you need to be. You'll do anything to help those you love, and you have a strong sense of right and wrong which shows in every choice that you make. Over the course of our first quest, Percy, you became my best friend… I first realized that my feelings towards you ran deeper than just friendship when we were 13 years old. Remember the quest to free Artemis? When I saw you at the top of Mount Othrys, I could feel my heart skip a beat. I was relieved beyond words that you were actually there, that you hadn't given up on me".
She paused to take a breath, and I mouthed the words "I will never give up on you, Annabeth. Ever"
Smiling, she resumed speaking. "When we kissed for the first time when we were 14, it felt like electricity flowing through my body. I felt truly alive for the first time in years. I knew then that I had fallen in love with you. When you came back after spending two weeks on Calypso's island, I just… I was so jealous. I couldn't stand the fact that you had spent even two weeks there, even though you had still chosen to leave. During the Battle of Manhattan, I couldn't help but marvel at how naturally you seemed to step into the role of leader. We lost a lot of great fighters that year. But we made it through, stronger, and that's all that really matters. When you turned down immortality, godhood, for me, and we finally started the relationship that's resulted in us being where we are now, I realized just how truly happy I really was. Not even the Giant War, or Tartarus, could break our bond. Everything we did, Percy, has resulted in us becoming stronger and more capable versions of the people we were years ago, and our experiences yet to come will result in us becoming stronger and more capable still in the future. I have loved you for five years, I love you now, and I will love you for as long as we live".
I was dimly aware of Chiron's eyes on me as Annabeth finished her vows. Licking my suddenly dry lips, nervous, I started speaking. "When we first met, 7 years ago, I thought you were an insufferable know-it-all. Sure, I thought you were cute, but you were still the most infuriating person I'd ever met. You kept me at arm's length, no matter what I did. When we were looking for the Master Bolt, I realized that your cold, callous, attitude was a result of your past. You'd been abandoned, hurt, by so many people that you put up walls around your heart to stop yourself from getting hurt again. Over time, our relationship turned from acquaintances, to best friends, eventually to dating, and then to where we are now, and there is no-one I'd rather be standing here with today than you. I love you, Annabeth Chase, and that will never change".
Chiron asked about the rings, and I felt Nico press something into my hand, as Piper, who was standing beside Annabeth, pressed something into my almost-wife's hand. "Annabeth Chase, you are my best friend. I love you with all my heart and stand here before all of our friends and family, sharing the happiest day of my life. I want nothing more than to share my future with you – my triumphs and my challenges, my joys and my sorrows. Together, I know we can accomplish the life we both dream of living".
I slid the slender golden ring onto her finger. Looking me right in the eyes, she spoke tenderly, though loudly enough that all could hear. "Percy Jackson, you are my best friend. I love you with all my heart and stand here before all of our friends and family, sharing the happiest day of my life. I want nothing more than to share my future with you – my triumphs and my challenges, my joys and my sorrows. Together, I know we can accomplish the life we both dream of living".
She slid the larger of the two bands onto my finger, and our fingers interlocked. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride".
I smiled at my fiancée… my wife… one last time, noting the tears of happiness sparkling in her grey eyes, before pressing my lips against hers, sealing our future together with our first kiss as husband and wife.
There we go. Don't forget to Review!
