The Ring Incident

Things had all gone as planned. He had talked to the waiter and the chef and things were gonna work out. He sat with his girlfriend and friends. His nerves were consuming him, he drummed his fingers nervously throughout the whole meal. Finally dessert came.

As planned cupcakes were ordered. The waiter set them down. And she squealed seeing the ring on top of her cupcake. She grabbed her now fiancé's face and kissed him. She grabbed the waiter in a hug and then she and the other girl ran out to call everyone and tell them the news. Leaving two guys staring at each other bewildered.

What was the problem you might ask? Well, you see the stupid waiter- Matthew - gave the cupcake with the ring to the wrong girl.

"What the..? I didn't get a ring!" Percy shouted to no one in particular his eyes following where Annabeth had gone.

"Yeah," Jason responded sourly. "I did."

"Oh gods... What do I tell her?" Percy asked his face falling into his hands. He shifted nervously in his seat.

"I don't know but, I'm going to kill our waiter... Matthew. I bet you he did it on purpose. The stupid teenager probably thought it would be funny."

"We have a bigger problem right now."

"What?"

"If I tell her, I won't live 'til morning!"

Jason nodded slowly. He couldn't deny that. Annabeth looked happy and Piper looked happy for her. He certainly felt sorry for Percy once the news broke. "You know what you have to do then right?"

Percy shook his head. "No, what?"

"Tell her fast. Before she lets anyone else know."

"I'm not trying to die Jason."

"Okay... Then you need to get Annabeth a ring."

Percy looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "W-what?"

"Get Annabeth a ring," Jason repeated. "Get her a ring and then in a couple days we can explain. In the mean time I need to figure out where to hide a certain waiter's body..."

"B-b-but..."

"They're coming."

Annabeth and Piper retuned to the table both with smiles on their faces. Annabeth kissed Percy happily and began to eat her cupcake.

"You don't know how long my cabin has had your wedding planned," Piper said.

"They planned it?" Annabeth asked.

Piper nodded as she swallowed taking a bite of her cupcake.  "From the dress to the honeymoon."

"Are they gonna pay for all of it?"

Piper laughed. "Not even close."

The girls chatted excited and Percy gave a nervous smile while Jason sent the waiter a death glare.

Finally it was time to leave. The two couples parted ways headed for their own apartments.

"I can't believe they are finally getting married!" Piper said.

Jason only nodded stiffly.

"Something wrong?"

"No. Nope. Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Yeah, that sounds convincing," Piper said with an eye roll. "Whatever just don't take it out on me like you did our waiter."

"What?"

"You didn't leave him a tip. So I did."

Jason stopped walking and turned around walking the other direction.

Piper stared after him and called. "Where are you going?"

"To have a talk with that waiter!"

"No you're not! Jason! Come back!" Piper demanded her voice heavy with charmspeak. Slowly Jason turned around and walked back to her.

~~~~

"So I assume I'm the best man?" Leo asked as Jason walked into the auto shop the following day.

"You would be if I were getting married," Jason sighed.

Leo blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Jason mumbles.

"But this is Piper. She wouldn't- couldn't have said no."

"She didn't say anything. I never proposed."

"You idiot! After all that you didn't ask her?"

"It's not my fault. It's the waiter's. He gave the ring to Annabeth! And I didn't want Percy to die so we didn't tell them."

"Idiot."

Jason shrugged. "It's not my fault. It's the waiter's... I'm gonna find him."

"That's not the best idea."

"Don't care. I'm tracking him down. First I need to figure out what time he gets off work... I'll go wait at the restaurant!" Jason decided hurrying for the door.

~~~~

After a couple days Percy decided that he'd go with Plan A. He'd simply get the ring back.

"Can I see the ring for a moment?" Percy asked Annabeth.

"Why?"

"I want to send a picture to my mom."

"Wouldn't it make more sense to take the picture while it's on my finger? Or better yet go see her?"

Percy deflated. "Nevermind..."

Plan A was a fail.

~~~~

Jason followed at a distance. The waiter was with another waiter both looked identical. But, Jason knew which one was Matthew. He was the one that looked guilty.

Matthew blinked and looked behind him and Jason's eyes dropped to his phone. His phone which had currently found his waiter's Twitter. Jason took a screen shot before going to notes.

Subject has met up with an identical unidentified person (IUP).

IUP: accomplice?

Found this on subject's Twitter.

Jason added in the screenshot he took and typed something else under it before following his suspect on.

#suspicious

~~~~

Percy decided to try Plan A once again. Or Plan A 2.0 as he liked to call it.

He decided to try to get the ring when was Annabeth was in the shower. He knew Annabeth takes it off and places it on the sink counter when she showers (he had asked the night before if she ever takes it off in preparation for this moment).

Percy waited until the shower started to quietly open the bathroom door. He spotted the ring on the counter. He reached to grab it. "Ah!" Percy jolted surprised and knocked the ring down into the sink. And down the drain.

Percy shouted swears in his head.

"Spider! Percy! Percy!!" Annabeth shouted.

Percy winced and closed the door before opening it again. "Yeah?"

"There's a spider! Destroy the monster! But don't look!"

"How do you expect me to get it then?" Percy asked focusing on the water in he sink trying to retrieve the ring.

"Do something!"

"Like...?" The water in sink rose and on top sat the ring. Percy smiled and grabbed it.

"Ah it's coming closer!" Annabeth gave up then and grabbed her towel and ran over Percy leaving the bathroom. Percy sighed and stood. He reached in the shower and grabbed the spider. Once he had it he opened the window and put it out.

"You let it live!" Annabeth shouted in horror.

"I did."

"How could- Oh my gods you're a hero! You saved my ring from the beast!"

"What?" Percy blinked as Annabeth smiled and pulled the ring out his hand and went back in the bathroom.

Plan A 2.0 was a fail. He might just have to go with Plan B after all.

Percy sighed and went to go make a rainbow.

~~~~

"You're home late."

"Hmm? Yeah I guess," Jason yawned.

"Have you been sleeping Jason?" Piper asked.

"Course. Don't worry Pipes. I've just had to a side project for work if I want to get that promotion. I sadly need to go work on it. I'll be in the office." Jason headed to the office and closed the door behind him locking it.

Once he did he pulled the pictures out of his briefcase and spread them across the desk. All of them with the waiter's face circled. Jason frowned and took a marker. He could make these pictures look even better...

~~~~

Percy and Annabeth arrived at Jason and Piper's apartment a week after their last dinner together.

"I need your guy's help," Piper said bringing them into the kitchen. "Jason has been acting really weird these past couple days. He says that it's just work stress but I woke up to hear him laughing manically about some Matthew."

"So an intervention?" Percy asked. "Not how I pictured my Saturday night..."

"Come on," Piper said. "He's been holed up in the office."

They walked to the office and Piper knocked. "Jason," she called her voice already full of charmspeak. "Unlock this door."

A few moments later the door was unlocked. The three looked at each other before heading in. Their mouths dropped at what they saw. Jason typing a way at a computer while mumbling to himself and writing on a sheet of paper. On the walls hung pictures all had a face blacked out.

"And I've stepped into a horror movie," Percy stated.

"Jason. What the **** did you do!" Piper shouted.

Jason ignored her and mumbled to himself. "Stupid teenager... I will find you..."

"Piper I think he's beyond our help," Percy pointed out.

"Who's this stupid teenager?" Annabeth asked.

"The one who ruined all my planning," Jason responded.

After a moment Percy facepalmed. "That's what this is all about? I thought you were joking!"

"What is it about?" Annabeth asked.

"Well um... Before I get into it. I'm sorry," Percy said before beginning to speak quickly. "I didn't get the ring. Jason did. He's was gonna propose to Piper. I love you but and-"

"I already know."

"I know you're probably upset- you you what? You know?" Percy asked blinking.

"Back at the restaurant when Piper and I went outside?" Annabeth started. "We realized the ring has Piper engraved on the inside band."

Percy's jaw dropped. Annabeth slid the ring off her finger and passed it to Piper who slid it on her own finger.

"I've been having heart attacks for the past week and you knew!?" Percy shouted.

"Yeah."

Piper shrugged. "We wanted to see how long it would take you guys to say  something. And Jason please stop stalking the waiter."

"What? I'm not stalking Matthew- Styx the waiter," Jason denied not taking his eyes off of the screen in front of him. "I... I just friended him on Facebook for the fun of it..."

Annabeth blinked. "You're stalking my brother?"

Jason head snapped up, eyes raw and red from staring at the computer screen for endless hours. Voice hoarse, he demanded, "He's your brother?!"

~~~~

"I'm going to the bathroom," Piper said excusing herself. She walked toward the bathroom. She spotted their waiter Matthew and changed course and headed over to him. "What was my boyfriend talking to you about?" She asked charmspeak laced her voice.

"He's gonna propose you," Matthew responded immediately. "I'm gonna put the ring in a cupcake."

"What really!" Piper gasped. She paused and she she did wheels began to turn. "You're one of Annabeth's little brothers right?"

"Yeah... And you're her friend Piper. Can we get to the point please?

"Fine. Do you like Percy?"

He shrugged. "He's cool I guess. He let me ride that flying horse once."

"Good," Piper nodded. "Don't give the ring to me. Give the ring to Annabeth."

Matthew raised and eyebrow. "What? Why?"

"Do you like money?"

"Yeah..."

"Do it and you'll get a huge tip."

"Consider it done."

~~~~

"You've been stalking my brother?" Annabeth repeated.

Jason laughed nervously and closed his laptop. "Of course not..."

Piper rolled her eyes.

"I still can't believe you put me through that torture," Percy said finally calm.

"You put yourself through it. You only needed to tell me the truth," Annabeth pointed out.

"Well..."

Piper frowned at Jason. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, but can I see the ring for a moment?" Jason asked standing.

Piper slid the ring off and handed it to him. "Why?"

Jason cleared his throat. "'Cause. I just went through a week of stalking a person to the point that I could be arrested." Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "I should at least be able to do this right." Jason got down on one knee. "Piper McLean. While our relationship started off fake, it's grown to be more real than anything else. I love you so much. To the point it's as real as the fact that I was and am willing to stalk people to make sure I can protect you even though I know you don't need it. Thank you for everything you've ever done for me over the years. I especially thank you for never becoming a Hunter. So, Piper McLean, will you marry me?"

Piper smiled. "Yes. Of course I will."

Jason smiled wide and slid the ring on her finger and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Come on Percy," Annabeth whispered to him. "It's late. Let's go home."

Percy nodded. Both said goodbye to their friends and walked out of the apartment. They walked in silence down the stairs and outside.

"I'm sorry," Percy said finally. "I should've been honest but... I dunno... You were just so happy and I didn't want to ruin it... It's not like I don't want to be engaged. I just um... I've thought about but I was scared it would ruin the way things are now and-"

Annabeth shut Percy up the easiest way she knew how (besides judo flipping him), she kissed him. "Percy, it doesn't matter. I like things as long as I am with you. I just thought the ring thing was a little funny. Maybe a bit cruel. But watching you run around and act flustered was cute. But either things are fine as is."

Percy smiled. "Does this mean I should tell Tyson to stop working on that ring?"

Annabeth blushed slightly "O-of course not Seaweed Brain! I-I mean, he's worked hard on it hasn't he? Just make it a surprise okay?"

Percy laughed. "You got it Wise Girl."