Chapter 39 - Destination Vacation
published: Wednesday, 23 October 2019

"Okay, if we die next week," Leo declared. "I want the world to remember how innovative we were."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she watch Leo nearly take a tumble when his foot caught on a small rock. Chairs from the dining room were stacked up in his arms as he struggled to carry them off the ship.

Her eyes lit up when she caught sight of Piper, who was leaning over the side of the ship and beckoning for Annabeth to come closer.

When Annabeth obliged, Piper explained, "I've finished doing Hazel's hair. All she needs to do is put on the dress."

Annabeth shot her a thumbs-up in return. "Good job heading up the bridal prep, Pipes. Go get ready, then bring Hazel down at 6.30 sharp."

Piper nodded in a display of understanding before she disappeared down the stairs. Annabeth turned back to her other jobs — Leo was arranging the chairs with the help of Jason, who was doubling up as Frank's one-third of best men.

Since there were so few of them even present, Hazel and Frank had decided to name all of them their best men and maids of honour — Leo had insisted on being a maid of honour as a joke, so Annabeth had been granted an official bestmanship.

It was a small, impromptu wedding, but Annabeth was quite pleased with what she'd managed to coordinate. They'd set up the wedding buffet on a picnic blanket — unconventional but cute nonetheless. Jason had found a bunch of flowers for the bridal bouquet earlier, and Percy had been frantically trying to piece together a presentable wedding suit out of the few scraps of clothes Frank had.

"Hey," someone said breathlessly from behind her. Annabeth turned around and couldn't hold in her laugh when she saw an exhausted Percy cradling Jasper in his arms, rocking him back and forth rapidly to soothe the child.

"He won't stop crying," Percy begged. "Relieve me of babysitting duty — please."

Annabeth rolled her eyes as she held out her clipboard for the exchange. As Jasper was delivered into her arms, Annabeth glared at Percy. "You are useless," she said with a tone of finality.

Percy winced apologetically. "Sorry."

"There's a list of things on there that have to be done before the wedding," Annabeth instructed carefully, slowly bouncing Jasper up and down. "They're your jobs now."

Percy visibly paled. Apparently, weddings were just as daunting as babies. Nevertheless, he gave her a mock salute and hurried off to get Frank and Jason down to set up the alter.

Annabeth spent the next half an hour sitting cross-legged on the shore, pointing out the horizon to Jasper. He giggled and fussed as she rolled around with him in the sand.

"We're gonna save the world for you," Annabeth whispered softly to him. The setting sun illuminated the clouds with streaks of orange. Both of them lay on the shore, staring up ahead. "So you don't have to do any of this when you grow up."

Jasper curled into her side, his tiny breaths puffing our and blowing up a few grains of sand each time.

"Annabeth!" It was Percy, jogging off the ship. "We're ready," he told her with a grin, beckoning her to the makeshift aisle. Annabeth kissed Jasper lightly on the top of his head before she swept him back into his arms and followed Percy.

There were four chairs set up to make an aisle in the middle, and two trees that craned are the front made up their archway.

Frank was standing under the trees with Leo and Jason at his side. He was wearing a white shirt and a blazer — probably from Jason. Annabeth glanced around at her friends; they'd all had to improvise when it came to formal wedding clothing.

She herself had borrowed a long navy blue skirt from Piper, which she'd paired with a scrappy white blouse. The skirt was a little short, and just brushed the middle of her shin, but it would have to do.

"She's coming," Leo said suddenly, pointing to the Argo II. All four of them turned in unison to see Hazel descending the ship, a bouquet of flowers grasps between her hands.

"That's your aunt Hazel," Annabeth whispered to Jasper, who was squinting as his eyes tried to adjust to the light. "Doesn't she look beautiful?"

Hazel was wearing the golden dress she'd worn to the farmer's dinner earlier that month, and her hair was sprung free of hair ties and reached just below her shoulders. Piper had twisted some flowers into a crown in her hair, but other than that, it was just Hazel's natural beauty that left them all in awe. Piper trailed behind her, wearing a purple dress that reached to her knees.

When Hazel reached the archway, everyone else took their seats, leaving Hazel, Frank and Piper at the front of the aisle.

"Dear friends," Piper started, "We're gathered here today to witness the love that binds Hazel and Frank together." Her features relaxed as a small smile spread across her face. "I've known both of you for half a decade now, and it's showed me what true love really is. As a daughter of Aphrodite, I have always been told that love means hurting your other half. You have proven that that is never the case. Through the last few years, it didn't matter what happened because what you went through, you went through together."

"The rings, please?" she asked.

Leo hurriedly passed each ring to Frank and Piper. He'd forged them overnight using spare parts from the ship.

"Please slip the ring onto your fiancé's hand," Piper instructed.

Frank's hand hovered in mid-air as he paused. "Can I say a few words before?" he requested.

Hazel looked surprised, but she nodded nonetheless.

"Hazel," Frank swallowed. "I love you. You will always come first in my heart, and I can't wait for us to embark on the rest of our lives as a married couple. When we first met, I would never have believed that we'd be a standing here today." He hesitated. "Hazel, you make me the man I always dreamed of being. You make me stronger, and you make me love you even more fiercely as every day passes. This ring symbolises my promise to love you forever, and whether or not the world ends within the next week, that promise will live on."

Annabeth felt her vision blur, and she quickly brushed the tears away from her face. Jasper looked up at her with confusion clouding his eyes. "They love each other," she explained to him, her voice barely above a whisper.

She felt someone looking at her, and glanced to her right to see Percy gazing at them with a faint smile. When their eyes met, Annabeth offered him a comforting grin.

"Do you, Hazel Levesque, take Frank Zhang to be your lawfully wedded husband under the watchful eye of Olympus?"

Hazel's face broke into a tear-filled smile. "I do."

Piper repeated the question to Frank.

"I do," Frank said with the utmost certainty and a grin.

Piper clasped her hands together and smiled. "I now pronounce you; husband and wife."

Both of them rushed forward as Frank swept Hazel into his arms. Their lips met in a passionate kiss as Frank dipped her lower, embracing each other tightly like they'd never let go.

Cheers and applause erupted from the rest of their friends.

^^^^^

The wedding dinner on the beach was the best idea ever, Hazel decided. Annabeth was a genius. They laughed and chatted like they were just normal young adults, at a normal wedding. Like the world might not end in a few days' time.

And of course, Hazel's nerves were jumpy and bubbled inside her for a whole different reason.

When the sun set and twilight draped over the island like a blanket, the demigods retired to the Argo II, shivering in the night's cold. Hazel was wearing Frank's blazer over her dress and they huddled together for warmth as they shuffled aboard the ship.

Frank presses a kiss to Hazel's cheek as they stumbled down the stairwell. When they stopped in front of Hazel's room, Frank kissed her slowly. "I love you," he whispered, his hands withdrawing from her sides. "Sleep well."

Hazel watched him retreat for a few scones before she comprehended what he was saying. "Frank!" she called, bounding up to him and grabbing his hand. "Where are you going?"

She blushed deeply once the words left her mouth. Frank's eyebrows were knitted with confusion, but as it slowly dawned on him, his eyes widened with understanding instead.

"Come here," she whispered, tip-toeing so she could press her lips to Frank's. They kissed slowly and gently as they backed up towards her room again.

Hazel's breath escaped her in a gasp as she felt her back slam into the door. Her hands grappled for Frank's hair, her eyes flickering open and close as she fumbled for the door handle behind her.

The door swung open with a loud bang and they burst through into her room, but Hazel didn't care. Her heart was still palpitating rapidly, but she wouldn't stop for anything.

Frank's arms around her fell as he stepped back and gave her questioning look. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Hazel nodded. "You?"

Frank smiled. "Yeah."

Another kiss. And this time, neither of them moved away.

^^^^^

The soft sizzling of a pan echoed through the dining room. Despite the magical plates from camp, Percy had insisted on teaching Annabeth  how to cook an omelette.

"It's not even difficult," Percy complained, watching as she grasped the handle like her life depended on it.

She shot him a glare. "I have a saucepan here and I'm not afraid to use it," she said threateningly.

It was the next morning, around 10am. Festus was at the helm above deck, steering them back to Camp Half-Blood. Percy's eyes sidled to the pictures on the walls — so close, yet so far.

"So," Annabeth started as she slid the omelette — more like scrambled eggs — onto her plate. "It's almost your birthday. You gonna do anything?"

Percy shrugged. "I mean. My one wish is to not die, but sure." He pondered thoughtfully. "Maybe laser tag."

They settled down onto the dining table. Annabeth grinned. "You know I'd destroy you at laser tag."

"Who said you were invited?"

Annabeth's mouth fell open as she smacked him in the arm. "Hey!"

Jasper was sitting in the high chair next to them, gurgling as he waited impatiently for his food.

"Sorry, I forgot about you," Annabeth apologised to the baby as some baby food appeared on the plate.

Someone came pounding down the stairs at the same time someone came up. Leo has just come from above-deck, and Jason and Piper were from below.

Leo smirked when he saw the couple. "So, I guess Hazel and Frank weren't the only ones getting at it last night."

Jason's face went redder than a tomato.

"Oh my gods, there's a baby," Piper hissed at Leo, hurrying to cover Jasper's ears. "Besides," she said, once he couldn't hear anything. "Isn't he technically proof that we smashed?"

Percy disguised a laugh as a snort as he shovelled egg into his mouth to stifle his laughter.

Jason slapped a hand to his forehead in exasperation. "Oh, come on, we're all adults."

Percy stared pointedly at his eggs. He'd never slept with anyone. He didn't know if Annabeth had. He wasn't that bothered by it, but it did bring up some awkwardness.

Hazel and Frank were the last to enter the dining room, mere moments after Jason spoke.

All eyes landed on them as they were greeted with suggestively raised eyebrows.

"Not. A. Word," Hazel said loudly.