tied with a bow

chapter 7

"Why am I doing this again?" Percy asked, walking into the photography studio.

"Because Percy, my portfolio is due in 5 hours and Jason said you were free and willing." Piper said, turning the lights on.

She was clearly sick with something. Her nose was red and sniffling while her usually well maintained hair was up in a very knotted bun. When Jason had said Piper needed help with her portfolio he assumed she needed him to move a couch or carry in some large appliance into place.

"Willing? To do what?"

"Relax, you're basically just the model since Jason is busy. The concept is a man shirtless covered in lipstick kisses and how he got there. You are that man." She pointed to him, then the chair in the middle of the room.

"Ok? And you're gonna..." He started to say, skeptically.

"God no! I have a friend coming instead. Trust me you don't want me all up in your face."

He nodded in agreement with a light chuckle, taking his shirt off, feeling the silver of his chain fall cooly against his chest as he sat in the chair she'd set up. The room was cold from the lack of running heating, allowing goosebumps to pepper his skin. Piper kept running around the room, her slippers skidding against the floor. He checked his watch, waiting for the mystery girl to arrive. It'd probably be one of the sorority or sorority adjacent girls he'd seen around Jason and Piper. Her camera was swinging around her neck, as she ran back and forth to check the angles on Percy.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late I had work and this client meeting ran-"

Shit

Annabeth paused briefly when she saw him, eyes flickering with what he assumed was hatred for him before turning back to Piper. He hadn't gotten a response after their texting mishap but it wasn't like he'd texted her either. He had been hoping he would never see her in person again or she'd just confront him and beat him to a pulp or something.

"No no you're all good Annabeth. You're here and that's what matters." Piper sighed, "Let's get started."

Piper tossed Annabeth a tube of lipstick. Percy looked at her, watching her set her over the shoulder bag down by the door and walk over to the small, dusty sink with an "out of order" sign in the corner. She was wearing a white button down and black dress pants, probably for work. There was a thin, lacy, black bow tying her hair in a half-up half-down style. She was leaning down to look in the small mirror above the sink. He wanted to talk to her, maybe make some witty remark about their situation, but he could barely breathe. Although he was shirtless the room suddenly felt hot, the goosebumps on his arms gone. The air felt thick, full of tension.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Annabeth nodded, turning towards Percy. "Where do you want me?"

"Umm, first just sit on him." Piper said, wiping her nose before picking up her camera.

Remember Percy, you are an adult, act like an adult. Annabeth sat down on his lap, facing him. Well, her face was towards him. Her legs were at his right side, tightly locked together. He kept his breathing normal, not wanting to meet her eyes. Her body was rigid, touching as little of him as possible.

"Ok, so I'm gonna need you guys to loosen up. Act like you know each other.." Piper encouraged, "Annabeth, can you, like, straddle him?"

"Like this?" She asked, her right leg now against his left.

"Yes but closer," Piper criticized, wiping her nose again. "Look at him, run your hands through his hair, kiss his neck."

Annabeth scooted closer to him, her hands falling on his shoulders. He looked up, letting their eyes meet briefly as she kept readjusting. In the seconds he had managed to look at her he'd immediately noticed how angry she looked. Almost as if Piper hadn't told her she'd be spending her afternoon kissing his face. He tried to smile, to hopefully reassure her, but he could barely move. He watched as she started to roll up the sleeves on her shirt, noticing the undone top two buttons. He watched her fingers fold at the cuffs of her shirt, her well manicured dark red nails glistening as they switched to the other sleeve. His breathing hitched as she turned her head to softly lay a kiss on the side of his neck. The feeling of her breath against his skin sent a shiver through his spine. The kiss was quick and hard, letting the pigment from her lips stick to his neck. She sat back up, her hands back on his shoulders. He let his hands settle on her upper back, barely touching her. Their eyes finally met, taking in the stormy gray color of hers. They were filled with thought, watching his every move. Her eyes darted between his, her brow furrowing the more she looked. He glanced down at her deep red lips, wishing she'd kiss him for real this time.