summary: morning after the masquerade. in through the door, clothes on the floor. out the window, there they go!
When sleeping in a clear spot to watch the stars, the sky was also open to the first rays of the sun to wake you up. Which would not be a problem, except that Cleo and Graves had fallen asleep (passed out mid-conversation) a mere hours earlier when Artemis and Apollo had been switching off chariot duty.
Cleo’s mouth tasted of stale alcohol, and when she pushed herself up off of Graves’s shoulder, she could feel her hair sticking up in odd directions. She wasn’t insecure about her appearance, but she was pretty sure her eye makeup was either now non-existent or on a place on her face other than her eyes, and that wasn’t the cutest of looks. Despite that, she was happy as she woke up. The bed of a truck wasn’t somewhere you wanted to sleep for more than a few hours, even if there were as many blankets as Graves kept there. As she saw him stir as well, Cleo smiled down at him. “I think... I might still be kind of drunk,” she admitted with a laugh.
Feeling Cleo stir beside him, Graves cracked one eye open, squinting up at the sky. The rosy colors of dawn had started to light up the early morning clouds, giving the world a peachy glow. He turned his head to his shoulder, stifling a yawn and shielding Cleo from his breath which probably smelled worse than a hydra's. With a groan, he pushed himself up and inched back to lean against the side of the truck and stretch his legs. Graves wiggled his fingers at Cleo, a sleepy smile on his face. "I...also think that I am...the same," he mumbled, his voice gravelly.
His hair was sticking up in every possible direction and no amount of trying to flatten it with his hand was helping. Despite his rumpled appearance, he was elated; they'd fallen asleep after a night of drinking and dancing and joking around. Graves was thankful he always left a supply of blankets and pillows in his truck but, as his stomach growled, he wished he'd thought to keep some snacks in the cab as well. "D'you wanna...get some food?" He turned to Cleo with a grin as his stomach growled again, more insistent this time.
Cleo sat up fully, drew her legs up to her chest, and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She rubbed her eye, not caring enough that her makeup was going to get messed up if it was probably already a lost cause. She giggled at his response and wiggled her fingers back at him. “Drunk or sleepy. Or both.” She wrapped the blanket around herself more, so that only her head was poking out.
She was tempted to tell him not to bother fixing his hair; that the floppy look was adorable and that she didn’t mind if it wasn’t nice anyway, but she figured that if she brought it up at all, it would just make him embarrassed. That in itself was somewhat compelling, since she’d get to see him red and mumbly, but her attention was brought elsewhere. “Yes,” her response was immediate. She needed a few things, and food was high on the list. “I need to brush my teeth first, I taste like a distillery.”
"Maybe both. Def sleepy though," he cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders back, satisfied when he heard one pop. "Gods, same. I don't remember drinkin' things that tasted this bad but I need to be minty fresh, stat." Slowly, Graves stood and climbed out of the truck, still feeling stiffness in his bones from spending the night outside. He held out his hands to help Cleo climb down. "We can stop at my cabin? I have clothes you can borrow too, so we don't show up at the diner like....this." He laughed, gesturing to his own rumpled shirt, suit jacket still tossed somewhere in the cab of the truck. "How's that sound?"
Cleo stretched as well, tossing her neck from side to side to open everything up. “Drinks hardly taste bad until the next day. We’re lucky it’s because we slept in a truck and not because we’ve thrown up.” She took his hand and hopped down, exhaling a small laugh at his state before she looked down at her own rumpled shirt and slacks. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cam,” she said, clearly amused, squeezing his hand for emphasis. “But I guess if I look that baaad...” She laughed and swung their hands for a moment. “Sure, it sounds comfy. Should I borrow a toothbrush there or scramble home at the same time?”
He squeezed her hand in return, laughing lightly as she swung them. "Not what I meant at all, y'look great, Bancroft. I just thought you might want to add another pair of my sweatpants to your collection." Graves gave her a pointed look, but smiled so it was clear that he didn't mind. "I have extras so we can just make one stop, that cool?"
Cleo laughed and pressed his hand into her cheek, then moved to start pulling him towards the cabins. “Fine, that’s cool, but only because your sweatpants are so comfy, and only only because it’s your birthday.”
As they walked, Graves threw his hand around Cleo's shoulder. "Pretty good birthday, so far." Arriving at the Hermes cabin, he poked his head inside. "Coast is clear, c'mon," he whispered over his shoulder, reaching down to find her hand and give it another squeeze, hoping to lend some much-needed luck before he darted inside.
Cleo felt almost antsy as she followed Graves to the Hermes cabin. Just something about showing up to a place, with a guy she liked, whose sisters hated her, wearing last night's clothes... She was enticed. She held back a laugh when he squeezed her hand, almost holding her breath as she followed him. Once they were safely in his room, she felt safe enough to speak again, though kept her voice at a whisper. "Do you think we'll be the first people in the diner, save the staff? Oh my gods, do you think they'll hate us?" Her stomach growled, and she realized that she didn't care.
Graves closed the door behind Cleo, leaning against the door for a moment with a trademark Hermes kid grin on his face. He nodded, before bursting into action, rifling through his drawers. "We might be but-" He stifled a laugh with the back of his hand as Cleo's stomach growled. "I don't care either. I'll tip real nice, they'll be fine with it." He tossed her a pair of grey sweatpants and pulled open his t-shirt drawer, gesturing between her and the drawer before rummaging around in his closet. Over his shoulder he said, "Pick whatever shirt you want. Hoodie or flannel?"
Cleo didn’t hesitate to start changing her pants once Graves handed her the sweatpants. “Ugh, thank you. I don’t know how I slept in slacks,” she said, as though that was the least comfortable part of sleeping in the back of a truck. She exhaled a small laugh. “Plus, otherwise they’re just waiting around until people come in.” She nodded as she made her way over to his drawer. She pulled out a gaudy shirt that looked like it was about ten years old and held it out to him. “This one right here’s a winner. Love me some hot beer and lousy food.” She grinned. “Ooo, um, hoodie, please.”
To give Cleo some privacy, Graves kept his back to her, beginning to undo the buttons on his dress shirt and tossing it in a heap on his chair before taking off his belt. It joined his rumpled shirt on the desk chair a moment later, along with his pants. He quickly hopped into the pair of sweats he'd grabbed, then fished around in his closet again for a hoodie to give to Cleo. Unsure of her state of undress, he didn't turn around, instead calling out a warning over his shoulder as he tossed her the hoodie. "Incomin'!" Still looking in the closet for something to wear, he heard her comment on the shirt she'd picked and instantly knew which one it was. "Hey! Duffy's is a Myrtle Beach staple. I'll take you sometime, you can judge for yourself."
Cleo knew it was just curtesy, but she found it sweet that Graves didn’t turn around at all. She supposed that she should give him an equal amount of privacy, and stopped herself from running her eyes down his bare back, turning away from him. She squeaked and grabbed the hoodie from the air as it landed on her, and put the shirt back in the drawer, picking out something that looked about as comfy and not nearly as sentimental. “What an offer!” She laughed as she pulled the shirt over her head and took her dress top off under it. “Bringing me to a place with terrible service and food? I’m so in.” She pulled the hoodie on, warm and enveloped in Graves’s scent— the reason why she’d chosen it. She balled her hands up around the sleeves and made a content noise. “Are you feeling sweet or savory?”
"It's a great offer!" Graves laughed loudly, "The service...is slow, but the food is delicious and they make bangin' drinks. Plus, it's walkin' distance from my house and across the street from the ocean. What's not to like about that?" He pulled a flannel out of his closet and tossed it over one shoulder, turning around at her question and walking to his dresser. Rifling through the drawer for a shirt to finish off his outfit, he glanced at Cleo. The sight of her in his sweatshirt made him smile a little crooked grin. "Definitely feelin' sweet, come on Bancroft. You already know I'm getting waffles for breakfast. How 'bout you?"
Cleo listened as Graves described the restaurant, feeling the nostalgia dripping from his words. “It does sound nice,” she agreed. “I guess I’ll tell you what I think when you bring me there.” She glanced back at him when she noticed him move, and moved closer, struck with the sudden urge to wrap her arms around him. She stopped herself, but moved behind him, and pressed her face into the flannel on his shoulder to rest there for a moment. “Oh. How can I pass up waffles? Diners are all about having an excuse to have dessert for breakfast. I can make eggs at home.”
Graves dipped his head to hide the look of excitement on his face. "You've got yourself a deal. Next time I make the trip home, you're my co-pilot." He let his head rest on Cleo's for a second before moving away to pull on the t-shirt he'd grabbed and to slip into his flannel. Patting his pockets, his eyes scanned the room for his wallet, finding it on his desk. "A waffle girl, I knew I liked you," he joked, pocketing his wallet and looking over at Cleo. He quickly rummaged through a drawer; a moment later, he looked triumphant. "Toothbrush?"
Do not press a kiss into his shoulder. Cleo squeezed her eyes shut and repressed the urge. She leaned back when he moved and smiled at him, reaching out to take his wrist with both of hers as he found his wallet. "I know you are not thinking of paying on your birthday, Cameron." She laughed, shaking her head. "I will be taking that toothbrush though, please."
His face quirked into a half-smile as Cleo's hands wrapped around his wrist, gently tugging his hand away from his wallet. Graves pressed his hand to his heart, eyes bright. "I was, only because I had planned on treatin' you. But if you insist," he smiled, letting his hand drop, before remembering that he was holding the toothbrush which he then passed to Cleo. "C'mon, let's get cleaned up and out of here. I'm starvin'."
“Of course I insist, Cam!” Cleo laughed, happy that he didn’t protest. “What kind of friend would I be letting you spend money on your birthday? Not allowed.” She shook her head, the took the toothbrush from him. Reluctantly, she dropped his wrist before poking her head out the door, then crept to the bathroom, walking on tip toes as though that might help her hide from the Hermes girls. She held her brush out for toothpaste once they were ready. “Remember when you brushed your teeth at my place? I’m glad I didn’t have to dislocate my shoulder before this.”
"I'll remember that on your birthday, Bancroft," Graves smiled at her, fluffing his hair up with his hand in an attempt to rid himself of his bedhead. He darted to the bathroom, waiting until Cleo was inside to close the door behind them, grinning at their luck. Less lucky was the sound the toothpaste made as he knocked several things over in the medicine cabinet in an attempt to grab it. "Shit," he whispered loudly, trying not to laugh. Toothpaste on both their brushes, he returned it to the cabinet and raised his eyebrows at Cleo as he started to brush his teeth. "Don't think I could forget that if I tried," he stopped brushing to admit.
Cleo wet her brush and gave him a foamy smile, doing her best not to laugh at the mess he accidentally made. “Gonna have t’shneak out th’window.” She said around the toothbrush, shaking her head at him. She spit, took a bit of extra time on her tongue, and then rinsed her mouth, flashing him a now-clean smile. “Ready for some diner coffee and waffles? I’m picking up the tab, so feel free to get a steak and a smoothie and onion rings too.” She laughed, then covered her mouth when she realized that she probably shouldn’t be making so much noise when she was in the enemy household.
Graves finished brushing his teeth and cupped some water in his hands to splash on his face. "Nothin' I haven't done before," he dried his face with a towel and returned her smile. "Coffee and waffles sounds fuckin' mint. You're already tryin' to spoil me, I won't take advantage." He moved to the window, looking over his shoulder as he popped it open. Cleo's concern with getting caught by his sisters was cute, but right now Graves felt downright invincible. He jutted a thumb at the now-open window, mischief all over his face, voice innocent when he spoke. "You said this was our way out, right?"
As she watched Graves rinse his face, Cleo realized what a good idea that would be, and followed his lead, doing the same after. She wiped her face dry with the sleeves of Graves’s hoodie and smiled at him. “Not taking advantage, just having the perfect birthday brunch.” When he motioned to the window, she laughed once more, and skipped the short way over. “I did. Normally I’d like it if there were some vines and a veranda to climb down, but I guess I won’t complain.”
"Vines?" Graves scoffed, halfway out the window already. "You don't need vines, just step on the ledge where the paint's chipped a little and climb on out, I'll catch ya, swear." He shimmied out the rest of the way and hopped to the ground, beaming up at Cleo, silhouetted inside. He held out a hand, "Do you trust me?"
Cleo pressed the sleeve into her mouth as she smiled. “Where we’re going, we don’t need vines,” she mimicked Graves in a low voice, amused and comfortable and charmed. She followed him out the window, took his hand, and looked him in the eye as she hopped down. “I do,” she admitted plainly. “Is that a bad idea?”
Graves met Cleo's gaze as she gracefully landed next to him in the grass. Sunlight caught on a curl of her hair, his eyes flickered to it. Don't tuck her hair behind her ear. He repressed the urge, looking back at her as his lips quirked up in a crooked smile. "Maybe, but don't you want to find out?"
Cleo repositioned their hands so that their fingers were interlaced, and she returned his smile back to him. "You're right. I hate spoilers."
obnoxious ship meme for wondertwins and bancroft/cam?
k o d a & c h a s e
always wins when they play Trivia Crack
hmm...koda? i think? she has a lot of random knowledge thanks to her best friend being a daughter of athena (shoutout to hazel ily)
laughs when their partner trips on something
both of them, they’re hopeless goofballs. and definitely both kinda clumsy. but they help each other up!!
would drop ice down the back of the other’s shirt as a joke
omg also both of them!! turns into a little prank war and they each try to one-up the other until someone gets sprayed with a hose i feel like.
spoils the ending of books/movies
books? koda, the little chatterbox. she just goes on and on about whatever she’s read/audiobooks she’s listened to and we all know chase can’t read so it’s not a big deal. but movies? she either asks a million questions or correctly guesses the ending and chase hits her with a pillow.
always posts a picture of the other as their MCM or WCW
koda starts #mkm (morph kid mondays) as soon as she gets back and posts pictures of her siblings asleep in random places using strange things as pillows/blankets. alternately, tuesdays become #twintuesdays and she and chase take turns sharing ridiculous photos they’ve taken of each other throughout the years. matching christmas pjs, anyone?
eats the last piece of cake in the fridge before the other can have it
it is a BATTLE fork vs knife between them for the last piece of cake. they end up splitting it afterwards.
obnoxiously celebrates Monday Punday every week
i feel like this is chase and koda’s absolutely cracking up over his jokes
makes loving hack posts on the other’s Facebook/Instagram/Tumblr/Twitter etc
both of them would do this but it’s impossible to tell if it’s a hack post bc they love each other so much that they post that shit normally
has to beat their partner in every game
omg they both try so hard to beat each other at whatever game they’re playing. they also frequently wrestle bc they’re morons like that and jesse walks in like “again?????”
keeps their partner up half the night talking about random stuff
gods, both of them. koda can talk FOREVER but i feel like when you put them together?? especially considering how long they’ve known each other? they can talk endlessly about absolutely anything, even the most random stuff
eats too much garlic and tries to kiss their partner anyway
koda is garlic queen and she’ll breathe garlic in chase’s face like the tiny heathen she is
g r a v e s & c l e o
always wins when they play Trivia Crack
hmm...cleo? graves has an approximate knowledge of many things so maybe he gets some lucky wins but i feel like cleo is victorious most of the time
laughs when their partner trips on something
cleo!! graves trips bc she says something that makes his brain melt
would drop ice down the back of the other’s shirt as a joke
sigh graves would and cleo would shriek and pout and call him “cameron”
spoils the ending of books/movies
graves just assumes she’s seen the movie he’s talking about and casually drops a mega spoiler without realizing
always posts a picture of the other as their MCM or WCW
hmm i could see them both doing this?
eats the last piece of cake in the fridge before the other can have it
graves would never, he’s learned from his sisters not to take food that doesn’t have his name on it, so it’s all for cleo
obnoxiously celebrates Monday Punday every week
cleo has some good puns tbh, i feel like it could alternate tho
makes loving hack posts on the other’s Facebook/Instagram/Tumblr/Twitter etc
lmao cleo does this!!!!
has to beat their partner in every game
sorry cleo graves is so competitive i hate him
keeps their partner up half the night talking about random stuff
i would say cleo? keepin him up to talk about the most recent rom com that made her weepy and insisting “cameron you have to watch the next one with me!”
eats too much garlic and tries to kiss their partner anyway
both!! of!! them!! but in the situation where it’s graves, he just smiles at cleo and she knows whats about to happen and laughs/shrieks as she runs away but he catches up to her and is SO GARLIC
graves buys extra fries so there’s plenty, but he also absolutely lets cleo steal his fries and pretends not to see a thing
who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple:
cleo does, most of the time and graves usually panics and stammers in response. but once, just once, he leans in as a joke, not realizing she did too and practically bolts when their lips brush accidentally
who has to bust or bail the other out of jail
surprisingly i think graves would be busting cleo out. what was she caught for? grand theft lamp
who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues
both of them try to give advice but are pros at never listening to the advice they give. as far as comforting each other, they’re both good at this. i picture them just sitting somewhere letting the other vent
who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes:
toss up, depends on the game? maybe cleo does this more but graves is not above doing this
who immediately calls dibs on the top bunks
cleo, because if graves did, she’d look at him and say “but cameron” and he’d feel awful
who starts and who wins the pillow fights:
either of them start the fight but cleo always wins (maybe graves lets her sometimes, idk you didn’t hear it from me)
who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush:
i think either of them would say this to the other’s crush. they’d be decent wingmen for each other. but also...i get the feeling cleo would say this to graves and bat her eyelashes
