Going Viral

Chapter 44

March 7th

"There's a corner shop a couple blocks away, I thought we could maybe get some food there and have a picnic in the gardens of that fancy museum."

Annabeth raises an eyebrow at his suggestion, the corner of her mouth pulling upwards in an almost-smile.

"Don't look so surprised, Chase, I can be classy."

Scoffing, she loops her arm with his and tips her head so that it rests on his shoulder comfortably. Her eyes close. Percy's pretty sure that even in this dingy hotel elevator, with her on his arm, he's about as close to paradise as he thinks he could ever be.

They'd had an early start this morning, determined to make the most of their time together. (An hour or so had already been spent in bed but Percy would hardly call it wasteful - a lie-in with Annabeth is the perfect way start to a day.) By 10am, the two of them had washed and dressed for a day of adventuring together.

He knows that Annabeth isn't particularly invested in fashion and the latest styles, but the pair of them have images to uphold. For all he cared, she could walk around in a garbage bag and he would still worship the ground she walked on - and she would look like a goddess in anything, you name it - though he does appreciate what she'd packed to wear today. It's nothing particularly special; a ribbed, black crop top with wavy edges that Annabeth had called lettuce or cabbage or something and a pair of ripped, denim shorts that accentuate her long, tanned legs. After sleeping in her plaits, her hair had shaped itself accordingly and was now in tight zigzags, framing her face. Even though they both knew Annabeth had packed a jacket, she had eyed the plaid shirt that was neatly folded in his bag so intensely that he couldn't possibly deny her the opportunity to tie it around her waist to complete the look. Also he just really liked to see her in his clothes, sue him. Fortunately he hadn't planned on wearing it so he's content to throw on a simple shorts and hoodie combination and call it a day.

The small, circular light over their heads flickers tauntingly. Annabeth's grip on his arm tightens, reminding him of what she'd told him of her nightmares as a kid, alone in a dark room with hundreds of spiders. Dutifully, he mutters words of comfort and watches the numbers on the elevator descend with them. Not a moment too soon, the doors shudder open and the pair of them spill out into the lobby. He takes her hand as they leave the building in hopes that it might help calm her breathing.

Outside, the pavement shines with the rain of the early morning. The sun beats down on them, already making Percy's scalp burn with heat.

Behind the counter at the corner store is a slim looking boy with a mop of dark hair. From behind, Percy would've mistaken him for Nico a few years ago when he was still hung up over his sister and had refused to eat anything besides a few ginger biscuits and McDonald's fries to keep himself from keeling over and dying. When the boy turns to serve them, it's suddenly very clear that the hair is the only resemblance he shares with Nico. His face is sunken and his eyes seem hollow. Or rather one eye is. The other eye is hidden under an adhesive patch that resembles the kind his friend Tyson had to wear in kindergarten to strengthen his lazy eye. Percy places their handful of food on the chipped wooden counter.

"Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase?" The kid asks, his head tipping to one side. He said their names in a strange way, not the way fans would normally say their names when they got recognised on the street, but in the way that made Percy's hands feel cold and a shiver run up his spine. It was threatening, as though the boy knew exactly who they were and wanted to make it clear that it wasn't a good thing. He got the distinct impression that this kid wasn't a fan.

"That's me — us."

Their items are scanned without a rush and Percy finds himself catching Annabeth's eye. It seems they can both sense the tension.

"So," Annabeth starts, eyes squinting to read the kids name badge. "Ethan, are you a fan?"

Ethan doesn't respond, which inadvertently answers the question. Or maybe that was his intention. Either way, he rings up the total for their food and looks at them expectantly. The swipe of Percy's card as he slides in into the machine is the only noise to fill the silence. When Annabeth reaches to pick up their bag and Ethan grabs her wrist.

His eye is wild and searching her's. "Annabeth Chase." Percy watches as Annabeth pulls away, her eyebrows furrowed. "Your mother is expecting you."

She snatches her hand away from Ethan and blinks, dumbfounded.

Percy searches his brain for any knowledge he has of her mother. He's heard plenty of complaints about her, a woman that up and left Annabeth and Frederick with little warning in order to get a leg up in her education and career, but he couldn't recall much else. She had a fancy name that was similar to Annabeth's, Annaliese? Anthea? As far as he was aware, Percy knew about equal of this woman as Annabeth did, which was as good an indication of their mother-daughter relationship as any.

It takes a moment but then Annabeth seems to regain her composure. She turns to Ethan again but he's not done throwing bombshells.

"Athena wants to meet you."

Athena! Doh! Anthea was close enough.

Wait, priorities.

Annabeth was stunned into a silence, her eyes unfocused and staring off in the direction of the watermelon flavored bubblegum. Deciding to take the lead, Percy takes the bag off food from where it waits on the counter and takes hold of Annabeth's arm. When he looks back at Ethan again, the boy is holding a small grey card.

"Her number." Ethan offers.

One glance back at his girlfriends dazed face tell him that she doesn't have the headspace to make a decision just yet. Without causing a fuss, he slips the business card into his back pocket and leads her out of the corner store.