Rising Shadows

Percy couldn't express the immense relief he felt after Emily had accepted his proposal, rather well if he might add. It took all night to pry her off and convince her to go to sleep, promising he'd be back for her tomorrow. Of course, he knew she wouldn't go to bed so quickly. She was going to go tell everyone first. And so was Percy. The two people that mattered most to him besides Emily, at least.

It had been quite a while since Percy had been to The Smokes, which was the name of the poor and dangerous area he'd grown up in. Ever since he moved to the lab and Luke moved to the tavern, there wasn't much reason for him to go. However, he did visit every now and then to see the two makeshift graves lying side by side, under the shade of a large tree. He sat down on the ground across from the graves and silently thought for a little bit.

"I'm getting married, Mum," he said quietly, picking up a piece of island glass that Emily had left for her there. "I know I said I never would, but you always knew. And you always told me. And I never listened. Yet here I am. An engaged man."

He glanced over at his older brother's grave, right beside Malina.

"You'd laugh at me if you were here," he smirked. "I tried being romantic and thoughtful. I made fireflies for a soft glow in a rose garden. But at the end of the day, it did work, didn't it?"

There was an eerie silence, and Percy sighed, hanging his head. They were never going to answer, no matter how much he talked to them.

"Well," he muttered, lifting his head, "I just wanted to say I'm alright. She's taking care of me, just as much as I'm taking care of her. Even more, perhaps. And I hope you'll both be there, even if I can't see you."

Again, eerie silence. He stayed and sat a little longer before he heard someone come up behind him, turning to see Emily standing behind him, a gentle and sort of sad smile on her face. She helped him up to his feet, linking arms with him and looking up at him.

"They'll be there," she reassured him.

"I know they will," Percy nodded, smiling back at her. "My mother always said she would be. And Colt, well, he'll act like a big, strong, emotionless man, but I know that even he wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Let's go for a walk in town," Emily suggested. "You are my fiancé, after all. We can be seen together now."

Percy chuckled and led her out of The Smokes, back with where her typical crowd tended to be for a morning stroll. He noticed that she took his arm in a way that the glittering ring on her finger was obvious when people looked at them. He was glad she liked it. Little did she know, he'd spent about five hours driving the jeweler insane while looking through all the rings and desperately trying to find the perfect one. Eventually, the old jeweler had offered him a free bracelet to match the ring just so Percy would finally leave, though he didn't accept the bracelet and looked through the rings for one more hour, just to be perfectly sure.

"I was thinking lavender," Emily said, happily discussing the wedding plans she'd made overnight. "Lavender and white would look nice, don't you think? Or maybe a baby pink. Or maybe even yellow. Not sickly vomit yellow, mind you. A light, pale, happy yellow."

"Whatever you like," Percy said, confused about why colors were so important anyways.

He listened to Emily talk a little while longer as they walked, until she suddenly froze mid sentence and gasped.

"Turn around, we're going the other way," she whispered.

"What? Why?" Percy frowned.

"Ugh, too late," she groaned.

Percy followed her gaze to find that Gregory Harrington was walking towards them, with some pretty blonde redhead on his arm. He narrowed his eyes at them, eyeing the ring on Emily's finger, then looking at Percy. Percy noticed a chaperone behind Gregory and the girl, which must have been the reason why Emily smiled and politely nodded to them instead of spitting at him and walking away.

"Good morning," the girl nodded politely.

"And to you," Emily told her, though she was staring at Gregory with narrowed eyes.

Percy could feel her get a little defensive, holding a little tighter onto Percy. He pulled her slightly closer to him as well as Gregory's gaze turned to him.

"Oh, Emily, is that what I think it is?" the girl gushed, taking Emily's hand to look at the ring.

"Indeed it is," she said, looking back at Gregory. "Doesn't my fiancé have such fine taste?"

At the word "fiancé", Gregory's jaw dropped for a second in shock before he quickly snapped it shut and regained his composure.

"You were my gardener," he rudely said to Percy, narrowing his eyes. "You were a filthy gardener. And she chose you?"

"Gregory!" the chaperone scolded from where she stayed a few feet behind them.

"No, it's quite alright," Percy told her, locking eyes with Gregory. "He can say what he wants, but at the end of the day, Emily still doesn't love him. Now, if you'll excuse us."

Emily gave Gregory a smug grin as Percy led her down the street, away from them. Gregory didn't take kindly to that. He continued shouting at their backs as they walked away, much to the embarrassment of his chaperone and the girl he was with.

"You may dress like us, but you'll never be one of us."

Percy kept walking.

"You'll always be a disgusting gardener, covered in dirt and down on his knees in my presence, like he should be!"

Percy's jaw clenched, but he kept walking.

"Spawn of filthy gypsies, like your witch mother!"

Without warning, he let go of Emily and spun around, grabbing Gregory by the front of his shirt and yanking him away from the girl, who was pulled back by the shoulders so she wouldn't get caught. Gregory looked startled and Percy noticed him reach for something on the inside of his coat, but he didn't get a chance to get it before Percy's fist collided with his face with an audible crack, knocking him unconscious in one hit due to Percy's size and strength compared to him. Percy heard Emily yell his name and the girl shriek and rush over to him, patting his cheek until he groggily came to again. Gregory groaned and reached up to gingerly touch his nose, which was bleeding now.

"Mind your own damn business, you weasel," Percy growled through clenched teeth.

He turned away and grabbed Emily again, ushering her away from the scene. She seemed shocked, and they walked in silence for a little bit before she said anything.

"Percy, that was extremely out of line," she told him sternly.

"I know," he mumbled.

"I'm glad you did it," she grinned.

"Me too," Percy admitted smugly.

"But you do realize that he might try something for revenge, don't you?" she pointed out."

"Let him," Percy shrugged. "He's well aware of what happens when he tries to bother us. He quite simply can't do it."