We Olympians (A Percy Jackson AU) || BOOK 1

Chapter 36 || Percy

Percy's head felt like an icepick was being stabbed through it. Of course, Percy knew it'd be worse without his pills. He'd learned over the years how to handle them. Sitting down on his bed, he let out a groan. The image of Drew over Annabeth was seared into his mind, burned like the match that could cause PTSD to come up in flames.

The image was flipping to Gabe over himself. Gabe with his fist raised, Percy bloodied up. Then, it switched to Drew over Annabeth. Gabe over Percy. Drew over Annabeth... 

"STOP!" Percy suddenly screamed, terrified at the sight of that old man.

He cursed at himself. Gabe was dead and Percy still couldn't get over someone like him. How weak he was for that. Unsuitable to be a leader. Burying his head in the blankets, Percy wanted to disappear. Pulling the covers over himself, Percy tried to take a nap before dinner would start. He should've known PTSD would happen, even if it was dimmed down by his meds.

Percy was sitting on the floor, blood pulsing out of his wounds, Gabe's fist raised above Percy's bleeding head.

"If you dare tell ANYONE about this, you'll be begging on your knees for me to stop beating your mom."

"Y-Yes, sir..." Percy whimpered, his eyes already leaking tears.

He stood and began to clean up, his whole body aching like one big bruise. The idea of Sally being beaten was a crushing weight on his back that he couldn't get rid of as hard as he tried. Percy would endure thousands of beatings just to keep her safe. She was the person who raised him and he always felt like he owed her a huge debt. 

As Percy finished cleaning up the blood, he felt a harsh shove and found himself face-down on the floor. Flipping over, he saw--surprise, surprise--Gabe with a fist raised, Percy too weak to move on the floor. He was gasping for breath at this point, finding the beating was harsher than he thought. Gabe let out a maniacal laugh that was chilling to the bone. His eyes were alight with glee.

"THIS IS AMAZING!" Gabe cackled as he punched down once. Twice. Three times.

Percy didn't scream. He didn't even cry. He just bit his lip so hard until it bled. If Percy made a sound, his neighbors would hear and call the police or something. After all, it would sound like a murder scene.

"Clean it up. I've got visitors."

Gabe left the boy shivering on the floor, choking on his own blood. He couldn't even get up, let alone clean up. But he forced himself. If he didn't, worse consequences could follow. Percy thanked the LORD that he didn't have school for the next week. He was going with his mother on a camping trip far away from Gabe. After that, they were stopping for a sleepover at the aquarium.

Oh, how Percy wanted that day to come faster. But pretty soon, he was reliving the time when Gabe was over him, fist raised, his knuckles grinding dangerously. It never stopped. The punches came and came before Percy jolted awake in his bed.

He took deep breaths, looking around. The splitting headache wasn't pleasant, but he'd rather have a bad migraine than sleep with Gabe in his mind. Checking the time, he realized he had an hour until dinner. Taking a sip of water, Percy forced himself to calm down. He was safe. Gabe was dead. His mother was safe.

A groan escaped his lips as he shifted on his pillows. The image of Gabe was still burnt into his mind and that was all he saw when he closed his eyes.

"Percy?" Percy froze as he heard Annabeth's voice by his door.

He didn't respond before he heard knocking.

"Percy, it's me. Annabeth. Are you good in there?"

"Uh..." Percy looked around as if the room could give him clues. "Sup?"

The door opened and there was Annabeth, her blonde hair slightly blowing in the soft breeze from Percy's fan. She ignored his awkward remark, sitting down on his bed. Gently, her hand rested on his head, brushing a few strands of hair out of his face.

"How's your migraine?"

"I've had worse," Percy said. "It's not that bad."

That actually wasn't a lie. He didn't think this was the worst of his migraines. At. All. Percy grabbed the tiny trash can next to his bed and spewed out the contents of breakfast and lunch, it all falling in there like clumpy mush. When it was done, he took the glass of water, swished it around in his mouth, and spit it in with the barf. Putting the bucket down, he crinkled his nose at the acidic smell.

"It's almost over," he said when he felt no more vomit rising in his throat. "I'll be good for dinner in an hour. How are you liking it here? I mean... you've had a solid three months to think about that."

"It's amazing. The architecture of his house is just like the temple-style similar to the White House, and at the same time, it's also like a Greek vineyard style, and--"

"You're going too fast!" Percy laughed before he froze. He hadn't laughed like that in four years. Especially not in front of Annabeth. Wow. "Sorry, that was just... weird. I have to start getting used to that."

Annabeth chuckled slightly before leaning in and giving him a kiss on his lips. Strawberry flooded his senses and he found his lips in a smile when she pulled away.

"Seaweed Brain," she said, getting up.

"Wise Girl," Percy responded with a smirk.

"I'll see you at dinner. Piper invited me to train with her today."

"You're lucky." Percy chuckled. "At least you're not training with Clarisse. She'll pound anyone to the floor like a pancake. Except for me."

"Why does she spare you?" Annabeth asked.

"If she gets me into the infirmary she knows I'll annoy the f**k out of her for the rest of eternity."

Annabeth laughed before she left, closing the door behind her. Percy leaned back into his pillows, staring up at the ceiling. How did that wise girl change him so much?

Nope. Too much thinking for ten seconds.