Mortals Meet Percabeth

Dreams Part 2

"I need to talk to you."

Percy stared at his girlfriend. "You go first," both said in unison. "Wait, no I wanna go first!"

Annabeth facepalmed, taking a deep breath. "Fine. I'll go first. I... I got into Cornell University."

Percy's face brightened as he stared at his girlfriend. "Wise Girl, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you!"

The moment he saw Annabeth not celebrating, he frowned. "Why aren't you happy, Wise Girl? This is the opportunity of your lifetime!"

Annabeth shrugged half-heartedly. "Even if it is the opportunity of my lifetime, I'll leave so much behind."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked, taking her hands into his.

"Gods, Percy! What do you think? I'm leaving NYU behind! Heck, I'm literally moving to Ithaca! I'll be miles away from you constantly, and I'm not staying with you like I promised. I'm not staying with any of you like I promised!" Annabeth exploded.

"Annabeth..." Percy breathed. "Annabeth, you know it'll be okay, right? You own a car, you own legs, you own drachmas... For the gods' sake, Wise Girl! You can't give up Cornell because you don't wanna leave us behind. You aren't leaving us! You never are!"

"Even if that's the case..." she trailed off, staring at her reflection in the pool.

Tears were staring to brim in her eyes, a few drops falling into the water.

"What's wrong?" Percy wrapped her in an embrace and she began to cry into his warm embrace. "I'm gonna miss you, Seaweed Brain!"

Percy wrapped her in even tighter, letting her tears soak his shirt, which he hadn't taken off when he jumped in the pool. She pulled away, staring into his eyes.

"That's not it, is it?" he asked, seeing right through her. "There's something else you're not telling me."

Annabeth threw his arms off her. "Forget it, Seaweed Brain. I've shown enough weakness to you already."

"No," Percy said, grabbing her arm. "You're showing me strength, Wise Girl. Only a strong person can put away their pride to cry like that in front of me."

She sighed, sitting down on the bleachers. "I dunno... It's just... Percy, I'm not gonna fit in!"

"What makes you say that?"

"We're demigods, Percy! We never fit in, no matter how hard we try! Having you, having my friends... That makes it all okay. I at least have someone. But when I go to Cornell, you guys are all gonna be out of college! What am I gonna do then? Just sit around and watch as people stare?" Annabeth sniffled. "It'll be torture!"

Percy's eyes softened with sympathy. "And do you think that after graduate school, you'll remember them? No. They can remember you, but that just means you did a hella good job becoming who you're gonna be. You go there for your architectural empire. Not for your fun. Cornell will build you up, Annabeth. And I'll be waiting for you. Always."

Annabeth sighed, curling into him. "Now tell me, you idiot."

He chuckled at her humor before he turned serious again. "I... Wise Girl... I got an offer from the Honolulu Marine Life Company. They want to partner me up with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines so I can make my cruise line in a partnership with the Royal Caribbean."

Annabeth's eyes widened. "That's great, Seaweed Brain! It's all you've ever dreamed of!"

Percy felt his heart sink at her excitement. "I have to have qualifications."

"What?" Annabeth asked, her smile fading as confusion took over.

"On top of four years studying marine biology in college, I need to take another course as credit, so I can be legally allowed to partner with them as a marine biologist."

"So... another course in NYU?"

"No," Percy said as he winced. "No..."

"Where?"

"I'll be out at sea exploring the oceans around the world, Annabeth."

Her eyes widened. "For how long?"

"A year."

"WHAT?!"

Percy sank to the bleachers, burying his head in his hands. He knew it. It would break her heart and now she was going to get mad and start crying and she'd hate him forever and Aphrodite would kill him and Athena would blast him straight out of the pool the next time she saw him--

"Percy, you're shaking." Annabeth stared at her boyfriend with concern before clearing her throat, pulling him into a hug. "Percy, you went eight months without me--"

"But I had amnesia, Annabeth. I didn't remember. I didn't think about anything fun that had happened. I remember now, Wise Girl. And I'm not volunteering to have my brain wiped again, but it won't be easy. Annabeth... what about us?"

"Percy, you have to go. This is the opportunity of your lifetime--"

"Same with you."

Both stared into each others eyes and a mutual agreement spread across the gray and sea-green irises.

"I'll go to Cornell..." Annabeth spoke, shaking.

"And I'll... I'll say yes to that course," Percy whispered.

"Seaweed Brain..." Annabeth threw herself at him, shaking with sobs.

"Wise Girl..." Percy croaked as he held her on the floor near the pool, tears leaking out of his eyes.

___

"...and graduating from NYU has been probably one of the most exciting things in my life. No seriously, it is. I don't even have a phone!" Percy joked and the graduating class laughed. "But I don't think it's the most exciting thing to come. No offense, but right now, this is the most exciting thing. Annabeth. Come on stage."

Annabeth hesitantly came up on the stage. Without warning, Percy knelt and pulled out his ring. Gasps emerged through the crowd and Annabeth's hands flew to her mouth.

"Hey, baby. Wanna give me a smoosh?" Percy smirked.

"YES!" Annabeth threw herself at him, giving him a long, soft, sweet kiss. "But... never call me 'baby' again."

___

Annabeth sat in front of the airport gate, checking off the list Percy needed. "You all good?"

"Yup!" Percy chirped before his eyes got watery.

"Don't cry, Percy..." Annabeth whispered. "Because when you cry, I cry..."

"Remember," Percy choked through his tears. "Remember that we're still connected. You are my fiancé and you're still my fiancé even if we're miles and miles away."

"Percy..." Annabeth flung herself at him, hugging him tight.

"Last call! Last call!"

Percy got his luggage and gave her one last kiss. "Bye, Wise Girl."

"Bye, Seaweed Brain."

He entered the plane, only looking back once. He grinned goofily before blowing a kiss. Annabeth laughed, pretending to catch it as the entrance closed. She wiped tears away from her eyes. She'd see him in a year. They were just following their dreams after all.