Annabeth has a blanket draped over her head. Percy holds a blue pillow close to his chest.

They're standing inside Annabeth's room.

Both kids are panting heavily, heaving large gulps of air to recover their breathing. At the age of ten, it isn't that weird to find two children trying all their might to playfully strangle each other. No, they aren't playing tag. They just invented a new game where Annabeth takes the role of a wicked witch and Percy, a brave but naïve knight.

Taking two cautious steps forward, Annabeth keeps her grey eyes locked in with Percy's sea green ones.

"I'm going to take you down, Wicked Witch," Percy declares, holding the pillow tighter in mock stance.

Annabeth smirks at him, changing into attack position. "Now, now. We all know that isn't true Seawe—I mean Naïve Knight."

She advances two strides while Percy steps back.

Silence ensues and Annabeth dashes to Percy, yanks his pillow expertly and tickles him until he flops down her bed, helplessly.

"No, Annabeth, please—No!" He lets out a girly scream that sends an eerie shrilling vibration on Annabeth's ears. She just continues poking his sides, giggling.

"Stop. Annabeth, please!" his voice pleads.

There's a smug look on her face that says otherwise but her innocent voice tells a different story. "Say the magic line, Percy."

The poor kid sighs in defeat, knowing that begging will not work on his so-called bestfriend. He scoffs, a little breathless. "Okay. Fine. A-Annabeth," he stutters, and he sees Annabeth's expression that clearly tells him to go on (the humiliation part it is) but there's also that affection that sends warmth on his chest.

"A-Annabeth, b-beat me in the Witch and Knight game—"he pauses, "again."

Annabeth flashes him a mocking grin, much to his annoyance. "And?"

"For the bazzilionth time," Percy finishes. He lets out a huff, because the humiliation part is over.

Annabeth finally releases him and stands up, straightening her shirt in the process. Percy scoots over to give her space as she places herself beside him.

"I'm cool," she states, looking over to Percy who is obviously scowling.

"Nah. You just got lucky," Percy retorts, shoving the blue pillow in her direction.

She rolls her eyes and nudges him. "Luck doesn't bring you bazillion wins, Percy."

He exhales, sea green eyes flitting over to her. "Oh well. You're Wise Girl, anyway."

"I know. I know." She chuckles lightly.

They sit in a comfortable silence, thinking of new ways to spend their time together. Percy thinks of eating, but his Mom is still busy to bake some blue cookies for him and Annabeth. Which kind of reminds him of the pack of Fruity Loops he keeps in his bag.

He instantly stands up and reaches for his knapsack perched on top of Annabeth's study table. His hands delve inside and produces a bag of Fruity Loops.

"What's that?" Annabeth asks, her curiosity increases as she stares at the mystery pack.

Percy laughs, much to Annabeth's dismay. He knows how she hated not knowing. "Fruity Loops. Mom bought it for me. It tastes good, actually. Want to try some?"

Annabeth glares at him. She then fishes out three loops; red, yellow and pink. She scrunches her nose in disgust. "Isn't there a grey colored one?"

Percy chokes on his loop and looks incredulously at her. "Grey loop? Is there even a grey colored fruit?"

She scoffs. "Oh well. Never mind."

She swallows the rainbow food down to her throat. They aren't as bad as they look. They're sweet actually. Maybe she should stop judging foods by the way they look. Her biased taste buds scream yellow because it tastes like lemon. And she loves lemon.

"I like the yellow one," Annabeth decides.

Percy hums in response before passing her more yellow colored loops.

They stay like that for a couple of minutes, quietly munching on Fruity Loops. Annabeth enjoys his presence more than anyone else. The truth is, she's never been comfortable with other kids aside from this dork she refers to as her bestfriend. Percy knows her in more ways than one, and she does so with him.

"Annabeth," she hears Percy mutter. She turns so she could look at him, fully.

"Yeah?"

Percy blinks at her, then buries his face on the pillow. "Let's get married."

"What?"

He pushes the pillow away and shifts his body to look at her. "It's a game from what other kids say. All we do is act out the persons in the wedding. And Piper says she plays it with Jason, so I thought . . . we could also."

Annabeth thinks about it for a moment and nods her head slowly. She's never played it before but it sounds cool. "O-kay. But, I have a condition."

Percy beams at her. "What?"

She smirks and throws him her blanket. It lands with a thump on his face. "I get to be the groom."

Percy flails his arms wildly, a frown sculpted on his face. "That's unfair! That should be me. Only boys are allowed to be the grooms!"

Annabeth chucks her tongue at him. "But, you're girly."

"Hey! I am not!" Percy argues. He tries to catch Annabeth but he ends up stumbling on the floor. He gives up.

They play the whole wedding thing, starting from the proposal. Annabeth acts as the groom because she wants to. Percy takes the role of the bride because Annabeth wants him to and he can't argue with her anyway.

"Will you marry me?" she asks, feigning a deep, manly voice. She doesn't get on one knee since Annabeth thinks it's humiliating. There's a blue fruity loop on her palm.

Percy fakes astonishment. He looks ridiculous with a blanket over his head and a red smudge lipstick. But, he's a bride. He needs to look girly.

"Wow! Yes, yes! I'll marry you!" he exclaims, as he tries a womanly voice, but it comes out as a hoarse, strangled noise.

He takes the blue fruity loop from Annabeth's hand and slips it in his left pinky. He eats it right after.

When the wedding ends, they exchange another set of loop rings and Annabeth places a kiss on his cheek. Percy blushes.

"Annabeth?" he asks, once the fake ceremony is over. "Can I eat my ring now?"

"Shut up." Annabeth whacks him with a pillow.

Percy tickles her instead.

. . .

Annabeth has a blanket draped over her head. Percy holds a pillow close to his chest.

They're sitting on Annabeth's couch because she's in need for a Super Bestfriend Depression Kit right now.

Annabeth sobs on his shoulder, quietly, fisting on his shirt in an attempt to pull him closer. His breath hovers in her ear as Percy whispers sweet nothings, encasing her tighter in his arms.

"Stupid. Stupid," she mumbles on his shirt. "I'm so stupid."

Percy feels a little colder, as her tears seep through the material of his shirt, the wet clothing foreign to his skin. He doesn't mind though. And even if Annabeth cries in all of his shirts, he'd still gladly offer himself.

"No, Annabeth. You're not stupid," he says, patting her head in an effort to remove the thought.

"I am! I am!" she shouts, her voice hoarse and shrill and broken. She furiously pounds her fists at him, and Percy just draws her closer. He'll admit it hurts, Annabeth had taken a few judo lessons with him that he knows she throws punches like a guy. But the pain he feels is nothing compared to her, her heart shrinking and splinting and cracking.

"I should have known, Percy! I missed all the hints on those times. I feel so utterly idiotic and useless. Stupid! Stupid!" Annabeth yells. She cries again, his heart breaking little by little everytime her body shakes with sobs.

"It's not your fault, Annabeth. He's a douchebag for cheating on you. He should have known better," he mutters, trying to counterattack the insults she directs to herself. Percy rubs her back until the tension on her body eases.

He keeps her in his arms for a while, the two of them alone in their thoughts until Annabeth's breathing becomes even, his shoulder being her pillow. He pulls the blanket over them, tucks her in and presses play on the remote, humming some childish tune till he too, drifts off to sleep.

. . .

The steady thumping rhythm of Percy's heart rouses Annabeth from his shoulder. She blinks around and sees his sleeping face illuminated by the light from the TV. She considers waking him up for some company, but she suddenly remembers how much trouble she caused him, so she decided to watch the sleeping guy instead.

Her mind then wanders about Percy. How he has always known her whole being. The simplicity of the things he does for her; buying her favorite food whenever he comes, giving her cups of coffee during her late night shifts or even buying her tampons when it's her time of the month, all of this he does without bothering to ask her a favor. The whole idea of Percy is always there, lingering at the edges of her cerebral cortex, but Annabeth never got to notice it until now.

She is so used in seeing the whole bestfriend thing that she didn't pay attention to the details making up the big picture. Yet, as a bestfriend. How couldn't she see it? Hadn't she known him longer than anyone else aside from his mother? Hadn't she by his side when he lost the swimming competition?

Now that Annabeth thinks of it, she feels so selfish. So stupid. How come she hadn't read between the lines? The hint had always been there. Percy has always been there.

There's a rustling on her side and she looks over to see Percy blindly reaching for her hand. He grasps it tight and all of her worries and fears loosen with the feeling. She ruffles his hair till he glances up. And somehow, the memories flood back, like loose strings pulling tight on her mind that it hurts, just to create the perfect tone for the moment. Annabeth internally chuckles at the vague flashback, for the sight of a ten-year old Percy wearing smudged red lipstick is so adorable (though most of it is actually gross). But, the innocence of the moment crashes onto her like a euphoria, spreading warmth all over her body. She remembers teasing him girly (for he knows girly stuff she wasn't even aware back then) which he poorly argues. There's also a memory of them faking a proposal and shamelessly eating their engagement rings (Fruity Loops) right after.

She keeps the recollections close to her, the emotions swell like rivers to her heart.

"Hey," she hears Percy say. He buries his head onto the crook of her neck, and Annabeth wonders whether he's smelling her or breathing her in, both of the options sounded well anyway.

"Hi," she replies, scratching mindlessly on his hair. It had always been a favorite of her to play with his hair, constantly that it became a hobby. A content sigh escapes his lips, and Annabeth knows she's done the right thing.

"Did I fell asleep?" Percy asks. She has half a mind to answer with sarcasm. The other half wins.

"Yeah. You did."

He chuckles and curls into her, their skins tingling at the contact. "You smell like the Annabeth I know."

She stops scratching his scalp, sounding amused. She doesn't know if she is to be glad or not, pondering whether the comment 'You smell like the Annabeth I know' is a compliment or not.

"What?"

"Recently, you wore sadness and desperation like a perfume, you know. But now . . . You smell like your old self. No masks, no perfume, nothing. And, you're back now in smelling like a field of lemons. I love it."

She'll admit, she's taken aback. These words calm her mind, even though they mean nothing but to tease her. The boldness and honesty of his words appeals to her, that he actually takes time to recall these small things she doesn't even consider herself, and she feels so loved.

She watches the movie and he does too, as she tugs and strokes his hair while Percy rubs soothing circles in her back.

They reach the scene where the protagonist proposes to her bestfriend and Annabeth's mind suddenly wanders to their 'what if'.

"Hey, Perce?" she voices out.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of bestfriends marrying each other?"

He's quiet for a moment, perhaps thinking (which she thinks is actually pretty hard to come by) and plays with her fingers, occasionally lacing them with his.

"That'd be cool, I guess. And cute. Some people actually believe that it's kind of endearing to have your spouse as your bestfriend before anyone else. In that way, they'll just understand each other better."

Annabeth nods, understanding his point.

"Why'd you ask that, Wise Girl? Having thoughts on marrying your bestfriend?" Percy inquires, jokingly.

She snorts. 'Thinking of doing it right now, really' she wants to say. But, that'll be way too forward.

"I think. Yeah. I might have."

Annabeth glances at her right only to find Percy's sea green eyes on her. There's a look on his eyes that seems hopeful, happy and various more. She doesn't know which one is true.

"You aren't serious, are you?" he questions, cautiously. A passive expression masks his face, but Annabeth can clearly see into that façade. She has seen almost everything about him that she's aware of the meaning behind each appearance.

"I am. I am serious," she answers, more determined. Then, she adds to lighten the mood, "Even though you'd be a horrible wife. Talk about armpit hairs and morning breath."

A chuckle bubbles up his throat and he cuddles to her closer. He presses his face to her shoulder and Annabeth instantly knows he's smiling. She is too. She is smiling so wide it's starting to hurt.

"You hate my armpit hair, really? I'd pretty myself for you then, husband. Just propose to me, properly," Percy replies, poorly mimicking a woman's voice.

Annabeth laughs but plays with him, too. "Oh yes. I gladly would honey. If I only have a ring."

"Oh silly. What are Fruity Loops for? Wait here sweetheart. I'll go get 'em."

Percy abruptly gets up and goes to his bag for some Fruity Loops. As he searches, he calls out to her. "Just wait there, my Periwinkle."

Annabeth loudly groans. "My Periwinkle? Are you kidding me, Percy?"

"No. Just go with it, Annabeth."

"Okay then, Munchkin."

Percy comes back holding a pack Fruity Loops, grinning stupidly. "Did you just say Munchkin, Wise Girl? Munchkin, really?"

Annabeth ignores his comment and grabs the pack from him, finding a blue and yellow one. Percy looks at her expectantly.

"I'm not kneeling, you idiot. Come over and sit in the couch," she orders him. He happily obliges.

When they're already comfortably sitting, Annabeth reaches for Percy's hand and encloses it with her palm. She feels the callouses on his hand, a few scars he got from saving her and she thinks she's never gonna live the same life without this guy.

"Hey," Percy says, his voice soft and like home, a familiar ringtone in her ears. A hand gently strokes her cheek and he stares at her with so much affection. "You don't have to do this, Annabeth. I know the pain from your breakup still hurts. We don't have to rush this."

"I know. I know." She nods because she understands and she's glad Percy does too. But, she isn't about to be affected by her previous relationships. She's way too focused now on Percy.

Foreheads touching and eyes closed, Annabeth whispers, "But, I want to do this now. Besides, do you want me to change my mind?"

Percy laughs nervously and he searches her eyes for a second "No. I don't want you to change your mind."

Annabeth purposely bumps her nose to his. He thinks it says 'I love you'. She smiles.

"Then, marry me."

This time, it's Percy who nudges his nose to Annabeth. She thinks it translates to 'I love you, too.' He chuckles.

"That sounds like an order, not a proposal."

She huffs impatiently and glares at him. "Do you want to marry me or not?"

"Of course. Of course." He leans in and kisses her, lips softly brushing against each other. She kisses back, her hands on his neck to pull him closer. And suddenly, everything falls into place. The way he's holding her, his mouth pressed gently to hers, the cliché factor of the moment seems incomparably wonderful. There's something about the spontaneity of the moment, the exact time is all too picture perfect until her nose knocks onto his. He smiles against her lips because it is so cute, and he shifts his head to get a better angle and there it is again. Nosebumping. She laughs and they pull back, foreheads still in contact. Their ragged breathing fills the room as they stare at each other.

Percy says after a while. "I hate your nose, really."

She laughs again. "Don't worry. My nose says the feeling is mutual."

Annabeth then takes his hand as she tries to fit the blue loop ring. It barely grazes his pinky.

"Aw. The ring doesn't fit," Annabeth observes as she examines his finger. Percy stares at her with so much adoration and wonders how she couldn't notice it.

"Annabeth?"

She looks up at him, smiling way too sweet. Percy swears they'd get ant bites later. "Yeah?"

"Remember when you asked me about grey colored loops?"

She nods, reminiscing the question.

"Well, I tried to think about it. I researched so maybe I can find you some, but . . . I found another thing. It's still a loop, but not grey. Instead, it's silver. And you can't eat it. It costs way too much for a hundred pack of Fruity Loops," he confesses as he pulls a small red velvet box from his pocket. Perched on the center of the soft material is a ring, a real silver engagement ring.

"I'm just waiting the span of my entire life for this exact moment to ask you so. I-I know I should have proposed to you first, if that's what you're thinking but you-you look so cute in the whole proposal thing that I"—his rambling is cut-off when Annabeth kisses him again, hard. Percy easily responded, with the same amount of fervor. He feels so infinite with this ephemeral moment. His thoughts can't get coherent and all he knows is he doesn't want to stop. They pull back when their oxygen supply runs out and Annabeth encases him in an almost death hug.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she questions, breathless.

"Because I love you?"

"Oh shut up you dumb dork!"

He draws her tighter and she hugs him back and maybe Percy can die happy now. (Not that he wants to)

They cherish the silence, their steady breathing and heartbeats forming music into their ears. Percy speaks after a few minutes.

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I eat my ring now?"

"Shut up." Annabeth whacks him with a pillow.

Percy just kisses her instead.

. . .

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