Going Viral

Chapter 23

August 23rd

It takes almost three minutes from when she wakes up for her to open her eyes and realise she's not in her own bed. From then, it takes approximately ten seconds before she can figure out where she is. She spots the picture on the cabinet that she noticed the day before and then it adds up.

Another giveaway could be the person in bed next to her, but that clue just makes it too obvious.

She doesn't really remember all of the night before, but she does remember ordering a glass of something to help with the nerves so she figured she must have had something to drink. Thankfully a glance under the covers confirms that she is still fully dressed, though in much more suitable attire than her pink dress. The dress in question is on a hangar and hooked on the handle of Percy's closet. Annabeth knows she can be a bit of a slob when she's tipsy so she can say with confidence that that was not her doing. Was Percy really sweet enough to hang her dress up for her while she slept? Stupid question, of course he was. Now, if she wasn't wearing her dress, what was she wearing?

Another glance under the covers tells her that she's wearing one of Percy's old t-shirts. The print has faded but when she blinks the sleep out of her eyes and tries to focus, she's able to read it.

Goode High Battle of the Bands

Despite it being from Percy's high school days, the shirt is still rather big on her and so Annabeth has to check she has anything on her bottom half because she can't see any skin above her knee. Much to her own relief, she seems to have her underwear on. Always a bonus.

Percy, on the other hand, is wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Annabeth can tell from the way the bare skin of her legs intertwines with his own that he's not wearing any pyjama pants, and her palm rests on his bare chest so that rules out a t-shirt.

Allowing herself to fully inspect his face, Annabeth notices the puddle of drool building on one side of his mouth. Strangely, she finds it more endearing than disgusting. It's still disgusting, but she chooses to see it as a testament to how much she likes him. His hair is pointed in every direction imaginable, making him look like some crazy scientist and his long lashes rest on his face delicately. Percy was handsome and very attractive, but if you were able to put aside the drool, he looked downright pretty.

All her thinking must disturb his beauty sleep because he sighs a husky "G'morning," and smiles without even opening his eyes.

"Hey," She wriggles into a more comfortable position. "Did you drink last night?"

"Not a drop. You did, though. How'd you sleep?"

Annabeth giggles. "If I could remember, I'd tell you." In response, he huffs and throws an arm over her waist. "I feel refreshed, though, if that's any consolation."

When she shuffles to get out of bed, he pulls her closer and nuzzles into her hair. Percy peppers kisses over her jaw and Annabeth sighs, relaxing in his embrace. No one would blame them for having a lie-in, right?

------

Breakfast is Percy's favourite: pancakes, blueberries and enough maple syrup to drown all of Canada. She can't help but scoff at him when he eats the top pancake and pours even more syrup on the ones still on his plate but Percy insists that pancakes are porous and therefore can't drown. His face gets incredibly sticky, something she notices when he leans in to kiss her and she pushes his face away.

The news of her Waitress success sits on her tongue but she doesn't dare mention it. The contracts aren't signed yet and now she's not so sure she wants to tie herself down in New York for so long. Something that reporter said echoes in her skull.

"Are you ready for the test of separation this soon in your relationship?"

Are they? Percy will be touring the world once again and she'll stay here, but she didn't have to. Youtube was versatile, she could travel with him if she wanted to, though she wouldn't want to be seen as too overbearing and clingy. Agreeing to Waitress would give her roots here in New York and then that would be that. The pair of them would be on stage every night, miles and miles away from each other. Their relationship would be doomed the second she picked up the pen.

"Tell me what's going on in that big brain of yours." Percy purses his lips in the seat opposite her. She can tell from merely his expression that he's trying to be lighthearted but can tell that something is bothering her. When she looks away from his face instead of replying, he presses on. "Hey, Annabeth, what's wrong?"

She doesn't tell him that she got the part. She doesn't tell him that she'll have to stay here in New York to do eight shows a week. She doesn't really tell him anything. After a few brief attempts to start her sentence, Percy seems to catch on.

"This is about what Hera said, isn't it? I could tell that bothered you."

No amount of his reassurance makes her feel better though, because she knows. When he says they can visit each other, she knows that's not necessarily true. They can't meet in the middle if they both have commitments to be apart.

It wasn't that she was a clingy girlfriend or that she was under the impression she comes before his career. Of course not. They'd managed to succeed without each other so why should this be any different? Broadway was her dream, and if her relationship with Percy couldn't last the length of her short run in Waitress, then maybe it wasn't meant to be.

Or maybe it was and she would just be throwing it all away.

"Annabeth, what aren't you telling me?"

Now or never, she supposed.

"I got a part on Broadway."