A Favor

It's not like she asked you on a date

"I need to ask you a favor," Annabeth said, leaning against Percy's front door. She looked as good as always, her blond hair cascading in ringlets down her back, top three buttons of her white dress shirt undone. Probably just came from work.

Percy cleared his throat. "Uh, of course, Annie, what is it?"

"Don't freak out, but I need you to be my fiancé."

Percy choked. "Your what?"

Annabeth held her hands out in a placating gesture. "Hear me out. My ten year high school reunion is coming up, and well... I ran into one the girls I graduated with. She introduced me to her husband and I could tell she was judging me."

Percy ran his hands through his hair, the sweat making it stand up in spikes. Annabeth had his evening run schedule memorized and usually met him at his door. "For what, choosing to focus on your career?" he said. "That's stupid."

"I know. But anyway, I want to show her, and all of them I guess, that I can do both."

Percy frowned. "But you can do both."

"Yeah I know I can." Annabeth sighed in exasperation. "But I haven't yet. That's where you come in. You're my best friend, Percy, how hard can being my fiancé for a night be?"

Very hard, Percy thought, especially since I can't stop wishing it were real. But he smiled. "Of course, Annabeth, I would be happy to."

"Thanks," she said with a grin. Percy watched her flip her keys out and unlock her door. They'd been apartment neighbors for five years now, and while Annabeth had been confrontational at first, they'd warmed up to each other. Become best friends, even. But he'd be lying if he said he said he didn't want to be more. The word fiancé bounced around in his head as he unlocked his door. What did I just agree to?

***

"You're reading too much into this," Grover said, already on his third coffee. "I mean, it's not like she asked you on an actual date."

"Maybe. But she could have asked anyone!" Percy stabbed his pancake. "And she didn't. She didn't ask a coworker, she didn't ask Luke, she asked me. Why would she do that?"

"Because you're her friend. And you won't judge her." Grover pointed his fork at him. "That's important."

"But you don't think there's a chance? That you know, she might have feelings for me?"

"Maybe. But I wouldn't get my hopes up. That, my friend, is risky business." Grover stood and brushed the crumbs off his jacket. "I've got to get to work, but Percy? I hope this thing goes well for you."

Percy pushed back his chair. "Yeah, me too."

He watched Grover walk out the door. They met in their coffee shop most mornings before going to work, Percy to the harbor and Grover to the EPA New York office. Percy started his shift in the harbor master's office a little later in the morning, so he liked to sip his coffee and watch the morning commuters go by. He idly tapped the rim of his cup and watched a man and his daughter walk down the street. She was squeezing his hand and laughing, leaping over the cracks of the sidewalk. Her light blonde hair blew in strips across her face and she wiped them away with her palm. Percy smiled faintly. The ringing of the bell as the door opened jolted him out of his thoughts. He raised his head and suddenly she was standing there. Blonde hair tied back, her black blazer sharply pressed, gray eyes sparkling.

Annabeth grinned at him. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course!" He shook his head. "I mean of course not."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"I mean please, join me."

Annabeth sat in Grover's chair and ordered toast and a coffee. Percy knocked back the dregs in his and set the cup on the table. "How'd you find me?"

"Please. I know everything." She paused to stir in two sugar packets. Always two, Percy noted, it never mattered how big the cup was. "And also Grover told me." Annabeth had been friends with Grover longer than Percy had, they'd actually met through Annabeth at a party she'd thrown at her apartment.

"I've got a question for you," Annabeth said.

Percy quirked an eyebrow. "Really."

"Yeah. Do you have a tux?"

"A tux? For what?"

"For the reunion, seaweed brain. It's a formal event."

Percy frowned. This was getting more and more complicated. "I do have a tux."

"Ok. But is it nice? Like, was it more than twenty dollars?"

"None of your business," Percy mumbled.

"I see. Then you and I are going shopping." Percy opened his mouth to protest but Annabeth stopped him with a hand. "And don't worry, I'll pay for it." She winked at him. "Perks of being your own boss. When's your next day off?"

Percy calculated in his head. "This Thursday. I'm pretty sure."

"Ok!" said Annabeth, "this Thursday it is."