Chapter Text
The sun filtered through the ancient trees of the Camp Half-Blood woods, casting dappled golden light across the clearing Percy had chosen. It was a perfect spot—secluded enough for privacy, close enough to camp that they could still hear the distant sounds of laughter and training, but far enough that it felt like their own little world.
At nineteen, Percy and Annabeth had been dating for years now, and moments like this still made Percy’s heart race like it was their first date.
He’d spent the morning preparing everything. A thick blue blanket was spread over the soft grass. There was a basket packed with all her favorites: strawberries, fresh sandwiches from the dining pavilion (extra blue cookies, obviously), chilled nectar, and even a couple of contraband cans of soda he’d sweet-talked from the Hermes cabin.
Percy stood waiting as Annabeth approached through the trees, her blonde curls bouncing with each step, gray eyes lighting up when she saw him.
“Seaweed Brain,” she called, a smile tugging at her lips. “You really went all out, didn’t you?”
Percy grinned, that signature troublemaker smile that still made her knees a little weak after all this time. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms immediately, hands settling on her waist as he pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. “Only the best for my favorite architect. Come on, Wise Girl. Sit with me. I’ve been planning this for days.”
Annabeth laughed softly as he guided her down onto the blanket. She kicked off her shoes and stretched out her long legs, leaning back on her elbows. Percy dropped down beside her, close enough that their thighs brushed. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her—the way the sunlight caught in her hair, the confident curve of her smile, the way her camp t-shirt hugged her body just right.
“You’re staring,” she teased, reaching over to poke his chest. “Can you blame me?” Percy replied, voice low and warm. He caught her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles one by one. “You look incredible today. Actually, you look incredible every day, but today? I’m pretty sure the gods are jealous. How did I get so lucky?”
Annabeth rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed pink. “Flattery won’t get you everywhere, Jackson.”
“Oh, I think it might,” he shot back with a wink. He rolled onto his side, propping his head on one hand so he could look at her properly. “Remember that first picnic we tried? Back when we were still pretending we weren’t totally into each other? I brought those soggy sandwiches and you complained the whole time about my lack of planning.”
She laughed, the sound bright and familiar. “They were soggy! And you spilled nectar all over the blanket. But yeah… I still loved it. Even then.”
Percy’s green eyes softened. He reached out and tucked a curl behind her ear, letting his fingers linger on her cheek. “We’ve come a long way, huh? From fighting monsters and each other to… this. Years together, Wise Girl. And I still get butterflies every time you walk into a room.” “Percy…” Annabeth’s voice was softer now. She turned her head and kissed his palm. “You’re being extra smooth today. What’s the occasion?”
He grinned, unrepentant. “The occasion is you. Us. I wanted to remind you how crazy I am about you.” He sat up and started unpacking the basket with dramatic flair, holding up items one by one.
“Strawberries for my sweet girl… sandwiches because you need fuel for that brilliant brain of yours… and blue cookies because I’m still the best boyfriend ever.” Annabeth sat up too, scooting closer until their shoulders touched. “You are pretty great,” she admitted, stealing a cookie and taking a bite. “Mmm. Perfect as always. But seriously, what’s with all the charm offensive? You’ve been texting me flirty stuff all week.” Percy leaned in, voice dropping to that husky tone he knew drove her wild. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you, Annabeth. The way you smile when you’re solving some impossible puzzle. The way you fight—like a goddess on the battlefield. The way you look at me when we’re alone… like I’m the only guy in the world.” His hand slid to her thigh, squeezing gently. “I’m completely gone for you. Have been since we were twelve, really. It just took me a while to admit it.”
She shivered slightly under his touch, but played it cool, popping another strawberry into her mouth. “Keep talking like that and I might start believing you’re getting romantic in your old age.” “Old age? We’re nineteen, babe. Prime of life.” Percy moved the basket aside and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her from behind so her back rested against his chest. He nuzzled into her neck, pressing soft, teasing kisses along her skin. “And I plan on spending every year making you feel like the most wanted girl in both worlds.”
Annabeth tilted her head to give him better access, a soft sigh escaping her. “You’re really laying it on thick today, Seaweed Brain. I like it.” “Good,” he murmured against her ear, voice vibrating. “Because I mean every word. You’re brilliant, Annabeth. Strong. Beautiful. The way your mind works? It’s the sexiest thing about you. But don’t get me wrong—your body drives me crazy too.” His hands roamed slowly over her sides, not quite pushing but definitely exploring. “These legs… these hips… the way you fit against me perfectly. I could hold you like this forever.”
They spent the next hour like that—talking, laughing, feeding each other bites of food between flirty confessions. Percy kept the dialogue flowing, relentless in his affection. “Remember when we first kissed?” he asked, feeding her a strawberry and then kissing the juice from her lips. “I thought my heart was going to explode. Still feels like that every time. “You were so nervous,” Annabeth teased, turning in his arms to face him. Their noses brushed. “All confident hero on the outside, but blushing like crazy.” “Only for you.” Percy cupped her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks. “You know you’re it for me, right? No one else. Just you. I’d fight a hundred Titans, dive into Tartarus again—anything—if it meant keeping you.”
Annabeth’s eyes shone. She kissed him deeply, hands tangling in his messy black hair. When they broke apart, she was breathing a little faster. “I love you, Percy. So much.” “I love you more,” he countered immediately, grinning. “Fight me on it. You know I’ll win”. They wrestled playfully on the blanket for a few minutes, laughter echoing through the trees. Percy let her pin him down, mostly because he loved the feeling of her straddling his waist. His hands settled on her hips, squeezing.
“See? Even when you’re winning, you look perfect,” he said, voice turning husky again. “I could stay right here under you for hours. Days. Forever.”
Annabeth leaned down, hair forming a curtain around them. “You’re impossible.” “Impossible to resist?” he quipped, rolling his hips up just enough to make her gasp. “That’s the plan.”
The sun climbed higher as they talked more—about future plans, college ideas in the mortal world, silly what-ifs about their demigod lives. Percy never stopped the flirty commentary. “You know what I love most?” he said during a lull, tracing patterns on her arm. “How you challenge me. You make me better. Smarter. Braver. And then you look at me with those gray eyes and I forget how to speak sometimes.” “Liar,” she laughed. “You never shut up”. “Only because I have the best girlfriend in the world to talk to”. He pulled her down for another kiss, slower this time, deeper. His hands slid under the hem of her shirt, palms warm against her back. “Annabeth… you have no idea what you do to me. Every day. Every night.”
They ate more, shared stories, and traded more compliments. Percy was in full charm mode—flirty lines mixed with sincere ones that made her melt.
“You’re my anchor, Wise Girl. In every storm. And looking at you now, with the sun in your hair… I just want to memorise this moment.”
By the time the food was mostly gone and the sun started to dip a little lower, the air between them had grown thick with tension. Percy sat up, pulling her into his lap fully so she was straddling him. His hands rested on her thighs, thumbs stroking in slow circles.
“Annabeth,” he said softly, green eyes intense. “I brought you out here for the picnic… but I’ve been thinking about this all week. Us. Alone. No monsters, no quests, no interruptions”. She raised an eyebrow, but her breathing had quickened. “Oh? And what exactly have you been thinking about, Seaweed Brain?”
Percy’s smile turned wicked, but loving. He leaned in close, lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “How much I want to lay you down on this blanket… kiss every inch of you… and show you exactly how crazy I am about you. How badly I need you right now. I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel every single day.”
He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, voice low and full of promise. “What do you say, Wise Girl? Ready to make this picnic one we’ll never forget?”
Annabeth’s answer came in the form of a heated kiss, her fingers tightening in his shirt. The woods around them felt even more private now, the perfect setting for whatever came next.