•as the world caves in•

•happy endings•

During dinner, I was able to sit with all my friends without any weird looks, we had forgotten our normal dinner seating chart, and I hoped it would be forgotten forever. I had gotten up at one point to run to the kitchen and Percy was alone, looking at the water.

I slid in next to him and handed him my poorly made cupcake. "Happy birthday, Seaweed Brain."

Percy frowned and then it left and was replaced with a smile as he took it, single candle lit. "Did you make this yourself?"

"The recipe was from Tyson, but otherwise yeah. Chiron is mad though, I almost burned down the kitchen in my first batch. That was the best from my second batch."

He laughed. "I've always gotten this stuff from my mom, but I like getting it from you."

My cheeks turned red. "Make a wish."

He sat for a moment before blowing out the candle and splitting the cupcake with me.

"You saved the world," I said and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"We saved the world."

"And Rachel is the Oracle, so she can't date anybody."

"You don't sound upset."

"I don't care."

"Uh-huh."

"You got something you wanna say?"

"You'd probably kick my butt."

"You know I'd kick your butt."

He thought for a moment. "When I was at the River Styx, being invulnerable, Nico said I had on one thing that made me anchored to the world, that wanted me to stay mortal. And then on Olympus when they wanted to make me a god..."

"Oh you so wanted to."

"Maybe a little. But I didn't, because I thought, I was thinking..."

"Anyone in particular?" I asked, a smile on my lips.

"You're laughing at me."

"I am not!"

"You're not making this easy."

I removed my head from his shoulder and held his face. "Come on, say it."

He sighed. "Coriane, you are what I saw when I came out of the Styx, it was you, you made me mortal. And when I was thinking about becoming a god, I knew I would lose you and I knew I didn't want to be immortal. Cor, you are what makes me feel alive, without you, I wouldn't even be here."

I smiled and kissed him, not one of the quick ones I'd give him during the war when he would ask for good luck, but one of the ones I gave him I thought he was going to die.

"It's about time!" Clarisse shouted and I turned to see the whole camp behind us, grinning. "I think they need to cool off!"

"The lake?" Annabeth suggested.

I glared at Annabeth, but I laughed as Percy and I got lifted up, still close enough to hold hands.

And when we got dumped in the water, Percy just formed an air bubble around us and grinned at me before kissing me again.

And again.

And some more.

And it was basically the longest I had stayed underwater and it was for the best reason.

•.•.•.•

Summer session had ran up until the day before the first day of school. It had been the best summer ever and Percy and I definitely broke some rules that I think Chiron decided to turn a blind eye to.

The new cabins were being built, new campers kept popping up, and it was expected we'd have twice as many campers next year.

The bead was the Empire State Building with every name of those who had died, and I recognized Silena right away.

The next morning I stood with Percy at the top of Half-Blood Hill. We said bye to Rachel, who I could now stand, especially since Percy and I were official now.

Annabeth couldn't attend Goode High with us, but she was going to a boarding school nearby to be with us and to watch over Olympus.

I held Percy's hand as we waited for his mom to pick us up, we'd be spending our last day free of school with each other and she had offered to host until my parents decided it was early enough for me to not convince them for a sleepover and come get me.

No time would ever be enough for me to have with Percy, but I might be able to start with the rest of our lives.

As Sally pulled up I grinned at him. "Race you to the road?"

I didn't let him answer as I ran down to her and Percy ran after and although he could've beat me, I think he let me win.