My hand healed! It was just a bad burn. Anyways. Here we go again.

Chapter 9

Annabeth answered the door as if there were a fire she were trying to flee from. He'd scarcely knocked three times when she was suddenly just there and with a deep intensity in her eyes.

"Oh, I thought you were the pizza man," she muttered, the light dying in her thunderstorm gaze.

"Sorry to disappoint?" Percy stepped inside.

"No no, it's good you're here." She stopped walking and glanced back at him questioningly. "Wait, why are you here?"

Her face looked freshly scrubbed. No marks, no redness, no sign of any distress. Grunge clothes were not in sight either. She was simply in a thin white tank top, and a pair of black leggings that hugged her curves and that gave him no information on her emotional status as of that moment.

"Alison told me about the cupcakes," Percy continued as he slipped off his coat. He could see the robin blue box open on the counter with a spray of manic brown crumbs littering its circumference.

Three cupcakes left. One on its side like a fallen soldier, and one outside of the box, and one placed gently next to a single glass of water by the window. How odd.

"You came because I bought all of the cupcakes…" Annabeth put up a facade. "I mean, if you want them back, it's a bit too late for a few but-"

"Annabeth." Percy said seriously. Taking a step closer to his best friend. Locking eyes with her. "You know I know you better than that. You only eat those when you're upset."

Annabeth paused and stared at him silently for a heartbeat. Her shoulders fell in one smooth motion, and she sighed heavily in defeat while opening the cream coloured cupboard and taking out a semi empty bottle of whisky.

With grave eyes she held the bottle out to him with all the expectation that he was going to accept it.

"Drink with me."

"Why?" His hand twitched in her direction. Tempting, he thought, but I need to open the bakery.

"I'm already a bit tipsy," she confessed. "I need a drinking buddy so I don't look pathetic when the pizza man does get here. Y'know, just in case he's cute."

She thrusted the bottle in his direction again with a little more moxy. Coals burning in her stare. Annabeth did tend to be a little overconfident when drunk. Percy could see the start of that here.

But why? Why is she drinking? Reaching out, he placed his hand against hers on the bottle instead of accepting the drink. The warmth of her fingers under his made his stomach swish. Questions buried in his eyes as he probed her with his gaze.

Annabeth swallowed nervously, and for a moment Percy thought she would look away. Annabeth was never nervous. Something was definitely wrong.

"What happened" he asked solemnly.

Annabeth scoffed quietly, almost to herself. "What happened?" she took the bottle back and fled from his touch. "I got fired. I got the pink slip. I was let go. Put out to dry. Left in the sand. You get the gist."

Percy's heart thrummed against his chest. "Fired? What moron boss thought that was a good idea? How- why- what dumbass reason did they have?"

Annabeth took another large swig which twisted her face up at the burn. "OOoei that's strong." she said before turning back to Percy like an afterthought. "Apparently I'm 'too emotional' for their taste right now."

"Well of course you're emotional, you're going through a divorce!"

"I know! That's what I said! But apparently that's no reason to 'butcher my professionalism'." Annabeth mocked her boss with a throaty growling voice.

Percy balked. "Obviously your boss has never been through a divorce because no one would marry that loser!"

"See! Exactly. You get it!" Annabeth raised the bottle to him. "Now drink with me. Please. My life has gone to shit and you're all I have left."

Indecision played in Percy's mind for a few seconds. It was late, he was exhausted, and he knew even a few drinks would screw his mind in half when morning came.

But here was Annabeth, his best friend, looking for a bit of comfort in her white walled small apartment that smelled like someone else's home. After losing her job, her dream job, her last sense of stability and still facing the reality of a very bitter divorce.

For a second his mind flashed to the tickets he had tucked away in his house. Greece written on them in fine black letters. Telling her about the tickets would make her feel better. He knew it would.

But what if she doesn't want to go?

With all that was going on, with all on her mind, was this really the right time?

"One drink." Percy conceded. "But after that I really need to get home. And you better have ordered enough pizza for me too."

A grin wider than the ocean split across her beautiful face, and Percy was getting Annabeth vision all over again.

"Of course!" she said happily.

The delight in her voice, the happiness he gave her in such a simple way made the warm tingles rise to his face and flourish into an obvious blush. Turning away, he pretended to tend to the cupcake mess she'd left behind.

Just as the red started to fade from his face, Annabeth's arms snaked around from his back and squeezed him tightly. Hugging him from behind with her head on his shoulder blade.

"Thank you Seaweed Brain… again." she mumbled in his shirt. Tightening her arms around his midriff and making arcs of energy scuttle around under his skin.

"Uh huh, no problem." Percy wheezed as he tried not to appear too tense.

He had just sorted his stupid lovey dovey emotions going wild and was seconds away from turning around and embracing her back when the door bell went.

"Pizza!" Annabeth gasped excitedly and scampered to the door.

Percy took it as an opportunity to compose himself, and leaned against the counter in relief.

That's when the jumpy ping of Annabeth's iphone met his ears. Its screen lit up right under his nose on the counter between his hands. A green notification box holding a familiar name that felt sour on his tongue. He read without even thinking.

10:01 p.m Daniel Divorcer: I thought you hated me? Are you drunk?

Percy's eyebrows instantly furrowed. Picking up the phone, he read the message again as if it held any new information. All he had were suspicions. Not suspicions he liked.

Annabeth came in beside him a moment later with the greasy aroma of pizza emanating from the stained red and white box. She looked perplexed as to why he held her phone.

"Why is Daniel texting you?" Percy asked bluntly, showing her the bright screen and the little box notification.

The rosiness drained from her face and she made a grab for her device, but Percy was quicker and held it above her head. Being taller than Annabeth had always been a perk.

"Percy, give it back!" Annabeth growled.

"No." He held it higher still. "Not until you tell me why he's texting you. Did you text him first? Are you trying to start something again?"

"Percy," Annabeth whined. "Just give me my phone."

"Tell me Wise Girl."

"Fine! Yes, I did text him. Happy?"

No, the opposite of happy.

"I was just… I needed someone to talk to." She stopped jumping and crossed her arms. Looking to the floor with something like guilt.

Percy's chest felt like it was full of knots.

"You could've talked to me," he said quietly. "Why didn't you?"

"That's why I came to the bakery," Annabeth uttered. "But you weren't there and you… you haven't exactly been talking to me either."

"What?" Percy leaned down to look her in the eyes. "How? What have I not told you."

"You didn't tell me about your… about your…" She looked strained. Struggling for words. "House guest. That Micheal Jones," she finally settled.

"Micheal Jones?!" Percy snorted. "Who told you about him?"

Annabeth had never met Nico. She'd heard Percy talk about him, but she'd never be able to pick him out of a line up. It was better if Annabeth didn't know about Nico being 'Micheal Jones' for now, Percy decided. He didn't want her mixed up in his affairs.

"Alison," she said quietly. "And… I know your house has only one bedroom… so…"

"One bedroom?" Percy was confused. "That hasn't been a problem for Micheal if that's what you mean."

Nico sometimes slept on park benches. He wasn't a picky sleeper, so taking the downstairs couch had been like a pit of feathers for him.

Annabeth however might've not gotten to what he was referring to. Her face illuminated pink and she grabbed the bottle of whisky one more time as if for comfort.

"Okay… I guess that's an indirect way of saying it so I won't pry. You have your reasons."

Briskly, she frisked up a slice of pizza and walked to the living room. Percy followed with the whole box in perplexion. He didn't get why she was acting so shifty about 'Micheal Jones'. Whatever the reason was, he had other things to clear up.

"So what did you text Daniel?"

Annabeth collapsed on the couch and glowered up at him. "Nothing noteworthy." She tried playing it down.

"I still have your phone, I could just check-"

"Okay okay!" She relented. "I… I told him I missed him, okay?"

Percy's chest shriveled inwards. His lips pressed into a tight purse as he took a seat next to her. Thrums of ache coursing through his heart.

"Do you?" he asked.

"Kind of." Her answer seemed to make her feel ashamed. "I mean, I miss when him and I were good. That dizzy warmth you get from being in love and feeling secure. I miss- ugh, don't look at me like that. I do dumb things when I'm tipsy alone and miserable."

Percy set the box of pizza down on the scratched coffee table and turned her phone over in his hands thoughtfully.

"So you admit it was a mistake?"

Annabeth looked to the ceiling and nibbled her lips before nudging the bottle back over to him.

"Drink, and I'll tell you." She tempted.

He eyed the amber liquid, unsure.

"I have beer if you prefer more of a caveman taste." Annabeth grinned at him teasingly.

"Ugh, you're so funny." Percy rolled his eyes at her with endearment. He took the bottle and managed to get down an awful mouthful of the fiery substance. Triumphantly showing her his empty mouth before poking her for the present prize.

"I'm half drunk." Annabeth leaned forward to answer. "So therefore I see it as half a mistake."

"That logic is bogus," Percy snuffed. "I was scammed."

Annabeth twisted around and lay her head in his lap. Munching happily on a crust of pizza.

"Well being half drunk has its perks. I'm reasonably lucid, articulate, but I only feel half of everything. I feel half bad for texting Daniel, and I feel half miserable about being jobless, and potentially homeless in a month."

The one shot of alcohol in his system was helping him relax. Carefully, he cleared a golden curl away from her face, and smiled down at her.

Damn I love her.

"You're not going to be homeless. Not if I have anything to do with it," he informed her helpfully.

Annabeth selected another piece of pizza. "Then there's Calypso and Leo's wedding coming up in two weeks. I don't have enough money to buy them anything good. Right now I only feel half bad about that."

"It's Leo." Percy pointed out while delicately plucking the bottle of whiskey off the table. "Just like, get him a dog toy or something and he'll be entertained for hours."

He took another drink and regretted it instantly.

Annabeth chortled and sat up to take the bottle. Rinsing down another swallow with more grace then his currently shriveled face ever could've.

"And, I only feel half bad about getting you to drink with me. I truly do enjoy your company."
Percy was determined to swallow some of it without making a gremlin face, so he lifted the bottle stoically. "Cheers to that," he said seriously.

Annabeth giggled, patting his face a little sloppily. Percy had a feeling she was close to full drunk mode now instead of the half she was claiming.

"Oh!" her eyes widened. "Shark week!"

"Shark week!" Percy repeated with more excitement.

He didn't have the time to watch it at home. With Annabeth next to him, and pizza before him watching Animal Planet seemed like the perfect third thing.

Plus the booze, obviously.

"Everytime they say shark we drink!" Annabeth announced as she flicked on the old tube TV sitting on a stand across from them.

"Okay!" Percy was too excited to say no. Plus his head was a little fuzzy.

It didn't take long before everything seemed like a blur.

The hours started to melt into one another, and the concern for opening the bakery on time was replaced with laughs and tickling, and drinking every time they said shark.

.:oOo:.

Percy woke up with what felt like a rock being wedged in his brains. Groaning he shifted and tried to make out his surroundings.

Warmth. Something covering him. Something next to him. A scalding light, and a sandy dryness that coated his tongue. He swabbed it around his mouth in discomfort and managed to crack open his eyes a bit more despite the burning thrum of a deep set hangover gonging in his skull.

Annabeth's lemon smelling curls were in his face. Her back against his torso as they lay spooning on her bed. Both of his arms wound so tightly around her small waist that one of his forearms was numb. Their legs were tangled under the duvet.

Percy's panic was cut short by one thought.

Where is my shirt?

The cold morning air was brushing against his biceps and shoulders, instantly making his nape hair stand on end. Every square inch where their bodies made contact, he could feel with a giddy stir in his gut.

Pants, check.

Underwear, check

Socks, check

Shirt, not check.

Percy's sluggish brain rolled through the drill. He bit back his blush, and with bomb defuser care he unhooked himself from Annabeth and rolled out of bed. Thankful that he didn't wake her.

Spots danced in front of his burning eyes as he braved his way past the small window shedding sunlight and fell into the dark cool hall. Breathing a sigh of relief before he felt his way down the hall and shaking the prickles out of his arm. He stumbled slightly when his foot met a soft bundle on the floor.

His shirt.

Percy squinted at its navy mass with a fuzzy mind and a death wish for whoever invented liquor. With a strained sigh, he bent down and picked up his forgotten garment. Letting it hang in his fingers as he continued down the hall with growing confusion.

What happened last night?

When he finally made it to the bathroom, he gulped down handfuls of water then splashed some on his parched face. His gaze hit the mirror and his hollow expression stared back. Green eyes as empty and searching as he felt.

But something else. Something new.

A dark spot blemished his jawline. Purple and tender to the touch. Percy's eyebrows furrowed as he grazed his hand against the skin. Alarm threatening to throb his brains out when he noticed more peppered down the side of his neck and even hemming his chest.

They were kiss marks. Love bites. Mouth hugs.

Hickeys.

Percy stumbled away from the mirror. Shock echoing up and down his spine as he tried to inhale air that wouldn't come. He focused on the black and white tiles of the floor but they only seemed to give him vertigo. With a strangled noise he sunk to the edge of the tub and sat there swarming with thoughts. Rubbing his pulsing temples delicately as he tried to wrap his head around this.

What. Happened. Last. Night.

Nothing surfaced. The last thing he could remember was a narrator talking about tiger sharks, and Annabeth laughing next to him about some joke.

He couldn't even remember the joke.

Deduction told him that all they had was a heated makeout session. His clothes were still on and very unrumpled save for his shirt, and Annabeth had been fully dressed as well. On the second examination he found that his lips were swollen and his usual bedhead was three times as messy. Whatever she did to him last night, she did fervently.

Why can't I remember? Of all things to forget!

Bam

Annabeth's feet hit the floor in the bedroom, and Percy yanked on his shirt. Panic thrashing in his throat. Her footsteps marched in his direction and Percy braced for the worst.

Her anger, her disgust, her outrage. He was sure of it.

What did you do last night? You disgusting pervert! Get out! Was all he could imagine her saying to him. When she appeared in the doorway he flinched back.

For a heartbeat she stood there, seeming bewildered to see him. Percy couldn't help but cover any visible hickeys with his hand. He didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that Annabeth didn't seem to have any visible hickeys on herself.

Why is she hickeyless?!

This was beyond confusing. He thought maybe she had an explanation on hand but instead she sprinted past him and buried her head in the toilet. Wet splashes soon followed as she started vomiting half digested chunks of pizza with a lurch.

Instinctively, Percy held back her hair.

Aha, there.

A love bite stared back at him from the back of her neck. And another one on the tip of her spine. One behind her ear, and one lower down where her tank top dipped. A collection of them on either side of the curve of her neck and easily hidden by her long curls.

Percy shivered and covered his mouth to try and hide the overwhelming startlement. Stars were rocking it out in his heart as he tried to piece together the night before. His bone rattling headache wasn't helping but he knew Annabeth well enough to picture how things went.

Somehow they ended up kissing on that couch while watching sharks tear up cute seals. Annabeth, being the eternal instigator, got up to move to somewhere more comfortable than a thrift store couch.

And I followed. Percy figured as another wave of puke came out of Annabeth.

Probably barely making it down the hall from being so drunk. Annabeth determinedly staggering forward…

… as I sucked on her neck like a leech from behind and didn't care where we were.

She gets frustrated, makes him ditch the shirt. Make it to the bedroom and from then on Percy knew he was always a lips man.

So she gets hickeys on the back, I get hickeys on the front.

If only he could confirm his theory with a memory. If only he could remember dammit.

"Ugh, worst idea ever." Annabeth groaned into the porcelain bowl. "I'm so sorry Perce."

"No, no." Percy stuttered. "It's fine. Really."

Staring at her neck, he tried to imagine him doing that. Giving her those little bruises but he couldn't. It seemed like such an alien concept.

But how? He asked himself. And why? Does she remember?

What had happened on that couch that led to this? Did he say something? Did he tell her? Did she say something?

Annabeth sat back onto the cold tiled floor and groaned something incoherent. He released her hair, and the curtain of gold fell back into place hiding every little mark her skin held. Even if she looked in the single mirror she owned that sat above the sink she wouldn't see them unless she decided to examine her back.

Should I point it out? Percy blushed.

Annabeth reached up exhaustively and flushed the toilet with one hand. Gradually the putrid smell of bile and vomit started to fade. Percy sat as useless as a lawn gnome on the tub unable to say anything.

"Guess you slept on the couch huh," Annabeth said apologetically.

Percy bobbed his head in a noiseless affirmative. She obviously didn't feel him get up that morning. He didn't know why he was lying.

"What happened last night?" he asked. Fear galloping around his chest. He hoped his hand looked casual enough against his neck. For some reason he felt ashamed.

Annabeth's face scrunched into contemplation before she shrugged. "No clue, all I remember was the sharks."

Silence fell between them as the headaches drove away any loud conversation. Percy found the words of a confession bubbling to his lips but he always fell just short of saying it. Of telling her.

We did something crazy last night.

By and by Annabeth lumbered to her feet and tottered out of the bathroom and down the hall. When Percy followed her into the kitchen, she already had a bottle of Advil out and two cups of water ready. Without a word, she passed him one glass and two little pills which Percy downed gratefully.

She grimaced at the neon green numbers displayed on the microwave. 2:39 p.m. "I kept you up all night, and butchered your day at the Bakery. I'm so sorry Perce. I… I was being selfish and-"

"You lost your job, you were feeling down. Missing work for you is worth it." Percy said flatly. Trying not to linger on the up all night bit. "I just hope Alison managed on her own. I better get down there as quick as possible."

Annabeth still looked guilty as she nodded. "I'll explain it was my fault later."

"Don't you dare." Percy rolled his eyes at her. "I'm her boss. I don't need to explain anything except the basics."

"And yet you will be apologizing for this for the rest of the year and will probably give her a pay raise." Annabeth predicted.

Percy scowled as he tugged on his jacket. "It's creepy that you know me so well."

"Twenty years of studying pays off." Annabeth tapped her nose.

"Don't make me sound like a building." Percy wrinkled his face in distaste but not without a joking tone.

Annabeth smiled at him with pure content in her sparkling eyes. Her form lit by the spring sun streaming in through the kitchen window.

Percy's heart did a little spiral. An achy sigh building up in his throat. He couldn't hide this from her.

Nervously he scratched the back of his neck.

"Look Annabeth, about last night-"

"Oh the cupcakes!" Annabeth picked one up and handed it to him delicately. "I know these are your favourite and it would be a shame if I wasted them. I don't think I can stomach all three."

Percy took it without making eye contact. A deep hollowing trench emptying his insides as something seemed to click.

Oh.

He was the cupcake. Not literally but figuratively. Annabeth had spent the entire night seeking comfort. Comfort cupcakes, comfort pizza, comfort liquor. She'd gone to his bakery, she texted Daniel, she got him to stay.

It was no secret that she was reliant on physical affection. Anything that happened last night was probably started by hammered and miserable Annabeth looking for more comfort. If he brought it up, he was willing to bet she'd be very embarrassed. It would make her awkward and probably more distant.

He didn't want that. He never wanted to make her feel embarrassed.

"Thanks." Percy smiled painfully at her. "I'll… I gotta go. See ya."

"See ya."

When her door clicked behind him, he ran a hand through his upended locks and leaned against the wall. Swirls of achy feelings creeping up his lungs.

Why?