Pomegranates and Desire

Summer: Part Two

By the time Persephone had got to Chuck, it was noon. It took what had felt like forever for her to track him down. She had to call in several favors to find the poor boy that was nursing a hangover of some kinds on the steps at some house that he looked like he'd rather die than let others know he was there. "This summer sucks." Chuck groaned as he was hauled up to his feet by Persephone.

"Maybe if you found a better past time, it would not suck as much." She laughed loudly, throwing him into the back of her car. Brutus threw a look to the boy from the driver's seat as he shush her for being loud. Persephone crawled in beside him with a smile on her face.

"To my place." She instructed, handing Chuck a water bottle to try and help with whatever was going on with him. He took it gracefully, slumping against her as he drank some. After draining the bottle his eyes began to droop. Before any of them knew it, he was asleep.

XoxoxoX

Chuck was finally feeling himself return to normal by the time he woke from a nap he didn't even know he took. A clock by the bed in a room he didn't know said it was around five at night. With a groan, he sat up. "Where the hell am I?" He frowned as the bedroom door opened.

"Ah, hello Fishy. Was your nap enjoyable?" Persephone asked, laughter in her voice. "I don't know what you're so amused by." Chuck grumbled, running a hand over his face. She leaned over and ruffled his already messed up hair. "I have never seen it like this. It is like you're hosting an animal." She smiled, trying hard not to laugh.

He got up with a huff and straightened his clothes that had wrinkled during sleep. "Don't get use to it." He waved her off, walking into the livingroom. Persephone had already ordered takeout and had food in Styrofoam boxes scattered across the coffee table. "I figured you be hungry." She motioned to the variety of Chinese food as his stomach growled.

They ate in silence, Chuck taking everything that just happened in. He vaguely remembers calling Persephone and asking for help then her showing up. He never expected her to let him crash at her place and then feed him. He figured she'd drop him off at his home for him to take care of himself and that would be the end of it.

"Thanks." He muttered, staring at the glass of water she had given him before the start of the meal. "It is no problem Fishy. What are friends for?" Persephone asked, flashing a grin. They were friends.

Weren't they?

XoxoxoX

Chuck hadn't heard much from Perfect since he arrived home, but that wasn't out of the ordinary. It had only been a day after all. She had things to do. She didn't laze around like most well off kids their age. She had clawed her way up in society on her own, she had to make sure she stayed there somehow.

Why did it feel so weird to him then?

XoxoxoX

A frustrated sigh came from Persephone as she sat beside Brutus after a particularly draining meeting. "Next time I should make you come by yourself." She threatened, already feeling so tired when it was barely two in the afternoon. "Meetings are a small price to pay for the company to be here in America Miss." Brutus reminded her, trying to hide the grin on his face.

"I should be enjoying summer more. I am a teenager after all." She stated, trying to appeal to the side of him that wished for her to be a normal teenager. "We will see." He nodded, knowing she wouldn't really miss a meeting if she didn't have to.

Persephone checked her phone for the time and saw she had 3 missed calls. One from Dan, two from Chuck. "Huh. I wonder what Fishy wants." She asked, looking up at Brutus. "Find out later. We have one more meeting in five minutes." He patted her head as he got up and walked to the meeting room.

Hopefully it's nothing important.

XoxoxoX

Why wasn't she answering his calls? Granted, it was only two times he had tried. Chuck couldn't make himself seem clingy after all. He just never had many good friends, and he screwed up his friendship with Nate in a way. Even if they were on good terms now, it didn't mean that he would pick up his calls. Persephone was really the only person he had to talk to.

Of course he could just go find a girl for the night, but for some reason he didn't really feel like doing that. He didn't know why and it was bothering him. That's the main reason he tried to call her. He was probably sick and needed someone to come take care of him.

He had outgrown his nannies and he was home all alone. He felt funny being sick alone, that was all. It's not like every time she took care of him on some level that he felt anything. She was a good friend. She would want to help him when he's sick. She's nice like that.

It was probably something he had taken the night before he called her, he can't remember much of that night after all. The only thing he knows is that he's hot all over and can't stop thinking of someone's laughter. His mind is fuzzy and he can't quite remember who it is that's laughing in the memory that has been playing on loop in his head.

What is going on with him?

Maybe he should call his family doctor and have him make a house call. He probably should. Then again, maybe some water and sleep will do him some good. He doesn't know how much sleep he'd gotten lately but it can't have been enough with how he was feeling. Maybe he'd try to call Persephone again later.

After all, they're friends.