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Of Corporate Scandals

Chapter 24. Infuriating and Insufferable

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Percy readjusted his arm around Annabeth as she dozed off, her head resting against his shoulder as their car weaved through Miami traffic.

"Where to, sir? The airport? Or your father's private jet hanger?"

Now way in hell was he getting back on a plane. One terrifying flight was enough.

"No," he decided, "Take us to the harbor."

Annabeth dreamt she was floating. She was drifting in endless dark waters as the waves rocked her violently, her body swaying back and forth through the sea. In the distance seagulls crowed, but their pestering noises sounded strangely camera clicks and flashes.

When she woke, she was still groggy, but conscious enough to know the sea and the birds were just a dream and she was safe and dry. However, the rocking was still present though her body was dry.

And she had no idea where the hell she was.

Annabeth rapidly sat up, startled and disentangled herself from the mass of blankets covering her. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust and she surveyed the space she was contained in. However, the surrounding room jogged no memories. She remembered getting into the car with Percy to go to the airport, and falling asleep.

Well, this certainly wasn't the airport.

Annabeth found herself in a small, crowded room that resembled a cross between a living room and a kitchenette. Tiny windows on the sides of the walls let in cheery, morning sunlight. Everything, including the minimal furniture seemed compacted. And why the hell was the room still rocking. She stumbled towards one of the tiny windows and peered out. Annabeth gasped.

She was in the cabin of a boat. Outside of the windows, well portholes, were miles and miles of clear blue waves without a cloud insight. Annabeth turned around and surveyed the interior of the cabin. It wasn't a large boat, but the space was decent. It had a small, modern kitchenette complete with a stove and fridge squished into a corner with a table booth. She had been sleeping on a bed bolted to the floor that was actually a reasonable size for a boat. It was small, but judging from the quality of the furniture and interior, it was a luxury vessel. Annabeth spotted a set of stairs on the other side, and, after pulling on a hoodie over her T-shirt and shorts, made her way towards it.

The smell of the salty ocean hit her first followed by the sea breeze that whipped her blonde curls in her face as she climbed up onto the deck. The sun was shining bright and the seagulls squawked and the waves crashed against the side of the boat. White, billowing sails flew above her, but they were probably for show since she could hear the gentle hum of an engine. Everything on the deck was pristine and white. She looked towards the bow.

With his billowing white shirt, dark curls, and intense gaze as he stared at the sea, Annabeth thought Percy looked like some Greek sea god that belonged on the cover of a risqué romance novel rather than on a boat with her.

"Hey," he said, spotting her.

"Hey," Annabeth walked barefoot across the smooth, white floor of the deck and wrapped her arms around him from behind. One hand left the steering wheel and entwined with hers. Annabeth rested her chin on his shoulder, "Where are we?"

Percy turned to her, his usual trouble-maker smirk replaced by a look of utter contentness that she'd only seen during pillow talk, "Welcome to the Andromeda."

"Andromeda?"

Percy nodded, "Yeah. My dad named this after a ship he took me on when I was little. It was gigantic, but it sank in an explosion or something."

"This certainly isn't the airport."

"The paparazzi were all over the palce. Andromeda was docked in Fort Lauderdale, so I figured we might as well.

Annabeth leaned over the edge and stared at the water, "I always wanted to go sailing back in San Francisco, but my dad wasn't a boat person."

Percy had turned back to the steering wheel, "I've been meaning to take you for a while back, we have a boat on Long Island, but now's better than never."

Annabeth had already started wandering around the deck, examining things and exploring. Her natural curiosity had already kicked in before he finished his sentence. Percy didn't mind.

"Where are we headed?" Annabeth said as she stared at the coast. It was a bustling port city with a flurry of boats docking in and out. It wasn't Miami.

"We're going to dock in West Palm Beach. Once we get there, we can fly back to New York from one of our private hangers."

"I thought you didn't want to fly?"

"I mean I'd love to, but I don't think you could handle a trip that long."

Annabeth shot him a look, "Hey! Yes I could."

"It would be a 14 day trip."

"Right, let's definitely fly."

Annabeth watched from her seat on the deck as Percy strode around the boat, hooking and loosening ropes and sails. They had already docked and were about to grab some lunch.

Percy grabbed a rope and grunted as he pulled it. Annabeth loved watching him. He was so at ease, she'd never seen him so happy or relaxed. She'd always thought he was a man simply made to wear a suit, but he looked more himself out here than he ever did in an office.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" Annabeth said. It actually made her a little sad Percy didn't get to be out doing what he clearly loved that often.

"Nevermind."

The sun was just beginning to make its trek across the sky to the horizon. Annabeth loved how the sunset looked here out on the ocean. Back in the city, the sunset always painted the daunting skyscrapers with fire and the sky was set aflame with hues of orange and red.

It was nothing compared to sunset on the water. Annabeth felt like she would melt into the sunset if she leaned far enough off the bow.

Annabeth stretched out across the bench that curved up the side of the yacht, resting her head on Percy's lap. He ran a hand through her curls.

"Percy?"

"Hm?"

She paused. Percy raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing.

The metaphorical gears in Annabeth's head were whirring at the speed of light as her mind processed things over and over again.

"Percy," she started again.

"Yes?"

"I—" She faltered, sitting up and turning away from him. Percy looked worried now. Annabeth let out a sigh of frustration and mumbled, quietly, "Nothing."

Percy turned her to face him holding her arm as she tried to turn away, "What is it?"

Annabeth mumbled into her arms, "It's so stupid." She focused her gaze on the water right next to the boat. The yacht sliced through the waves, cutting through the orange light on the water from the setting sun. She could feel the spray of the waves lightly across her face.

"Now you have to tell me."

Annabeth gave him a hard look, "They called me a gold digger."

"What?"

"A gold digger," she said dryly without any humor, "One who seeks relations with another purely for material gain."

"Who?" he demanded.

"The damn paparazzi."

"Annabeth," Percy squeezed her hand, at a loss for words, "I can't even begin to explain how wrong they are."

"You know that's not true, Percy, she choked out, "That's why I'm so weird about you buying me things. You know I would—I would never."

Percy gripped her face between his palms, looking her in the eyes, "I know."

Annabeth angrily brushed a tear that dared to escape the corner of her eye. Her pride was wounded.

"The press always sees the worst. We can handle this," he continued.

Annabeth sighed, closing her eyes, nodding slowly. Percy got up and walked over to the steering wheel. He gripped it tightly with both hands. She could see his knuckles grow white. "I know we're in a weird situation, but we'll just have to show them."

Annabeth looked at him from where she still sat, "What do you mean by situation?"

"This," he motioned between them, "Us."

"You mean our relationship," Annabeth crossed her arms, staring at Percy."

"Yes, of course, but that's not what it looks like to them."

"I don't care what people think of us."

"And neither do I!" Percy ran a hand through his hair, "But you gotta understand the optics, why people, why the press, is acting this way about us."

"Why are you defending them?" Annabeth said, shock apparent on her face.

"I'm not defending them! But just think about it."

"Think about what exactly."

Percy groaned, hitting the steering wheel, "Annabeth, come on,"

"Care to explain?" she said, dryly.

"Come on, are you going to make me say it?"

"Yes, I am because I honestly have no fucking idea what you're getting at."

"Annabeth, I'm the CEO and you're my assistant. And we're together. And—and like you said, they assume things. Of course they'd assume that you'd 'want' me for certain things—"

"Do you realize you sound like an asshole right now?"

"I brought you here, and I take you places because I love you, but that's probably not what it looks like to other people."

"I don't care what it looks like to other people, but the fact that you're defending what they're saying about me!"

"I'm not okay with it! And I'm not defending them."

"Then why the hell would you even validate what they're saying?"

"I'm just trying to explain where they're coming from, Annabeth. I've been in the press a lot the past year, and you don't understand—"

"Oh my god, I can't believe how condescending you're being right now," Annabeth said, her hands at her temples as she paced along the boat.

"I am not being condescending," Percy scoffed, "I've been through this before. I'm your boss, for gods' sake."

"Oh, so that's how you feel."

"It's not a feeling, it's a fact, I am your boss."

"No wonder we got caught! You're so arrogant."

"I can't believe you're doing this right now."

"I can't believe you're doing this, Percy," She jabbed him in the chest with an accusing finger; "You're unbelievable!"

"What exactly am I even doing? Some press made a statement and I was just trying to explain to you why it's valid!"

Annabeth glared at him.

Percy groaned, raking a hand through his hair, "That's not what I meant."

"You're infuriating, Percy Jackson," Annabeth stood, turning on her heels and stomping back to the galley. She needed to get away from him.

Percy stalked after her, "Well, you're insufferable!"

"I don't want to speak to you right now," Annabeth barged into the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

Percy slammed it right back open and followed her.

"I want off this stupid boat, right now!"

"Don't you dare bring my boat into this!"

A/N: (Revised May 2022) Looking back, I remember this chapter being so fun to write, but it was so difficult to edit. This is definitely where this story started to go off the rails.