Her Cowboy

Chapter 8

When I woke up on the couch, I thought there was still thunder booming outside.

Then I realized that it was just Percy snoring on the floor.

Which each breath he took in and breathed out, it sounded like a tidal wave. When he snorted in his sleep, tossing and turning, that was the sound I had mistaken for thunder. I tried to go back to sleep, unaware of the time but wanting to close my heavy eyelids for just a little longer, but I couldn't. Not with Percy's racket.

Exhaling sharply, I reached my hand down, groping for something to throw at him. My hand closed around a narrow, hard object. I picked it up, felt the balance of it, and chucked it at Percy's head.

For the part in a movie once, I had to learn how to throw darts perfectly and with strength. Therefore, the shoe I had grabbed struck Percy's head with enough force to make it jerk to the side.

He was still for a moment, then he muttered into his pillow, "Ow."

"You're snoring. Did you know you snored?"

"No, I wasn't aware. I was never able to catch myself snoring."

I rolled my eyes as Percy flipped over, his sea-green eyes meeting mine up on the couch. His hair was even messier than normal, if that was even possible. I wanted to run my fingers through it. 

Weird thought. Cut it out. 

"What time is it?" he asked, cracking his neck.

I shrugged, burying myself farther into the pillows. "I don't know."

But it seems we didn't need to find out, for we heard a voice call down from the top of the stairs. "Percy? Annabeth? Come up, I have blue pancakes for breakfast. There's one left, so the first one up gets it, but I have another batch coming."

Percy and I froze, glancing at each other. Then, quicker than a blink of an eye, we shot out of our beds, bolting towards the stairs and pushing each other behind in our race to get the pancake. I tripped Percy, and he went down, but his hand shot out and grabbed my ankle, making me grab onto the stair railing to hold myself up.

We were both a mess of giggles and bed-heads when we reached the kitchen, still shoving each other like five-year-olds as we made our way to the coveted pancake. Poseidon had been drinking coffee, but his hand paused halfway to his mouth as he stared at his son and I raging across the kitchen like twin tornadoes.

"There's more coming," he stated. "No need to kill each other."

Percy, unfortunately, reached the single pancake first, and he held it up like it was diamond. "Yes!" he exclaimed, turning to look at me with a triumphant smile. I was holding my sides, laughing hard.

"I beat you," he teased.

"Don't count on it happening again," I countered. He laughed, dumping a gallon of syrup onto his pancake while Poseidon watched, shaking his head.

As I walked over to find a mug and pour myself a cup of coffee, Percy said, "When did you get back?"

His mouth was full of food, and I sent him a reprimanding glance as he sprayed crumbs. He smiled sheepishly as Poseidon glanced at the clock, seeing it read eight o'clock.

"I got here about seven," the older man replied, taking a sip of his beverage. "The pups are healthy, six of them. And the mother is doing well, too." Percy nodded his happiness, grinning to show syrupy teeth. I grimaced, which made Percy smile wider.

"How was your guys' sleep?" Poseidon asked.

I took a seat beside Percy at the bar counter, spinning from side to side in my swivel chair. "It was fine, except for Percy's snoring."