howdy, it is i, publishing more stories instead of completing others. Im working on it lol
Warning, struggle snuggle ahead, dont read if you get triggers
anyway, i hope you enjoy -somerandomguy
Fights happened.
It's a normal thing for couples to have fights. No matter how stupid the cause, It just happens. The thought became a mantra as he wandered the city. Maybe the fight got a little frustrating, and maybe a little personal, but it was natural.
The bar in the corner of his eye drew his attention far longer than it usually would, and before he knew what he was doing the raucous interior washed over him. Despite a feeling of dread, he sat at the bar and requested something strong.
It was when the liquid sat before him that hesitancy kicked in fully, allowing him to only regard it in distaste. Before Gabe had 'vanished' Percy had all but sworn alcohol off, yet here he was. That promise had been made long before his life as a demigod started, Before Kronos and Tartarus and all the death that followed. Such a promise seemed almost trivial now, and whatever he got burned as it flowed down his throat.
His night followed a similar path. Hesitate, shot, repeat. It didn't have the effect he expected, something he guessed had to do with his status as a demigod, only an abundance of warmth and the slightest buzz.
It took a bribe to get the bartender to keep serving him, and twenty shots in he noticed the trio of girls sidling up around him. Their gazes were… unsettling, and made discomfort bubble in his chest. His senses snapped into place, and the bar suddenly seemed overwhelming. Beer splashing here, those guys trading what he was almost positive were drugs, the flash of bright silver that seemed unnatural in the grimy surroundings. Wait, silver?
His entire body turned from the bar, now ignoring his new company in favor of the color that he saw only for a heartbeat. Something felt off, and something dangerous usually happened when he felt it. His eyes finally found the cause, a goddess in the bar with him.
Artemis, head rolling this way and that, stumbling between tables. One glance could tell him she was past wasted, and from the looks the group of bikers she stumbled past, far from safety.
He fished some cash from his wallet and downed his last shot, despite the smug looks of the trio all attempting a conversation with him, and gave the bartender a firm nod before he strode to the goddess. His gaze sharpened to a ferocious glare when one of the bikers approached her, and cut the man off by seconds. The glare off lasted for a few seconds, before Percy pulled her away, never moving his stare until they both left the doors.
"Helloo, persheus." She was practically hanging off him as she slurred every word, "Yoo have to try thish shtuff."
"My lady, what happened? What did you drink?" His eyes scanned the street for any bystanders, but his focus felt fuzzy. He just had to get home, get somewhere safe for both of them.
"Apoll'dite an Hermesh wan' me to try thish drink," Artemis pondered her hand, as though whatever the three gave her simply vanished, "I dunno where it wen', though."
He barely withheld a sigh at her response, already imagining the fury they would be privy to by morning. He certainly would have a few words with at least Apollo, this prank didn't exactly seem safe.
Speaking of safe, where were they? He tried to ignore Artemis' slurring in favor of studying the blurring buildings around him, allowing a yawn slip past before he started forward again.
It was pure luck that the Moonlace on the fire escape caught his stare, and even more luck when he managed to get Artemis up said fire escape and into his mother's apartment. He gave her the barest of shoves towards the bed, before his drinks caught up with him.
Her hand had latched around his wrist in a steely grip that, combined with whatever he drank and her body weight, sent him upon the bed beside her. His head still swam, and he struggled to sit up until Artemis rolled onto him. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, and met her gaze. Something felt off, beyond the fact a very clearly virgin goddess was giving him weird looks and practically pinning him to the bed.
"Uhhh, Lady Artemis, wha-," Her hand clumsily pressed to his lips, and his stomach churned with building anxiety. This was not normal, not Artemis. Artemis was stoic, in the least held a heavy distrust of males, and most definitely didn't straddle demigods of any kind.
"Shhh, Pershy," Her empty hand glowed, and handcuffs replaced open air. He struggled against her hand, now holding both of his hands above his head, because what the Hades loving Fuck did they put in that drink.
For a moment, he attempted to sense any water around them. His senses, however, only fogged despite his mounting panic. When had he stopped feeling the water? It rushed through his mind in a flash, those girls. The trio of girls that were giving him funny looks had done something to that drink, he was almost positive.
"Artemis, hey, stop. What are you doing?" Her touch made the skin beneath itch, like ants crawled beneath her skin. "You are doing something very stupid right now, please stop." Above him, the goddess stared with narrowed eyes. The haze around her barely lifted, and her head dipped to level with his.
"Jus' relax, Pershy." One of her fingers lightly tapped the tip of his nose, " 'Dite always says is fun."
It had taken about six hours for his sense of water to return, and ten minutes for him to re-cloth and escape with only a hastily written apology to his mother.
Dressed in only a loose hoodie and baggy sweatpants, Percy escaped into the night with naught a purpose but escape. His head pounded, and he stumbled over his feet every other step. Despite the headache, his mind still ran full speed.
Where could he go? He wasn't stupid. Artemis was drunk, and they wouldn't blame other Olympians. Especially when he could be put in the crossfire. He absently scratched his arm, trying to ignore the feeling of bugs just beneath his skin.
He had to run. His path sharply redirected, purposeful and quick. His hand scratched his opposite arm as he walked, and his gaze never sat on one spot. The city night life was active, though dulled in the early morning hours. He easily slid around the few stumbling drunks, nabbing the occasional wallet and emptying the cash within.
Finally, he stood before his destination, after about two hours of walking. The beginnings of Eos illuminated the train station in pale orange and pink, as the station opened for business. His pace didn't slow as he breezed past each employee with help of the Mist, till he finally rested on the train.
As time passed in the station, a couple of passengers filed in and settled. It was around nine in the morning when the train began its trek east, and he barely settled into the seat.
When Apollo woke up, it was with a splitting headache and a couple girls. Now this situation was a bit familiar, except for the feeling of something gone horribly wrong. His headache lasted for barely a moment, before the last night trickled back.
In a flash, he rolled free of both girls and launched himself from the bed, clothes appearing on his form with every step. Every step followed what little he remembered of last night, until he finally broke through the door to Aphrodite's room.
Amongst the piles of men, the goddess of love laid in peaceful sleep, a peaceful sleep that would not last. The men vanished with a flick of his wrist, and he grabbed both of her shoulders to shake her awake. It didn't take long, till she woke with a grumpy face to match his own.
"Apollo, if you don't stop shaking me, I'm taking your hands," She grumbled. He shoved her back to the bed in response, looming over her.
"Where's Artemis?" He finally demanded, guilt pressing his chest in when she seemed as confused as he was.
"We brought her to the bar…" Her expression narrowed in focus, "Then Hermes got those triplets, and challenged both of us to…." She briefly scanned the room for strangers for a moment, before she matched his wide eyed stare.
"We left Artemis," She whispered, followed by Apollo's nod, "Drunk on Dionysus' strongest wine," He waved her on impatiently, "Mixed with a lust potion we stole from Hecate," He had forgot about that, and his pulse sped up that much more, "In some dingy bar in the middle of New York at night." Apollo gave a final nod.
"We're dead," She crashed back onto the bed, "Zeus is going to kill us, and trap us in Tartarus." She groaned into her hands.
"We need to find her, Aphrodite," He looked around the room, as though she may be hidden in it, "Maybe nothing happened, if we're lucky."
Both had no clue where Hermes had vanished to, and had no time to search for him. They split in the street, stretching their power to sense her amongst the skyscrapers looming above.
Hindsight's a bitch