Beneath the Surface (A PJO Fanfic)

Too Good of an Actor

"He got in a fight yesterday and he won't let anyone patch him up."

The words are out of his mouth before he can truly make a decision. Annabeth grumbles and turns back to examining Percy's arms. 

"Anywhere else?" she asks with a raised eyebrow. 

"Just a few bruises. No more cuts. The arsehat pulled a knife when he realized I had the upper hand." Percy says, a little smugness tinting his words. 

Jason sits back dazed. Why didn't he tell her? That was the perfect chance. And Percy. The idiot is much too good of an actor. Has he ever lied to Jason like that?

Annabeth reaches to undo the bandage, but Percy stops her. He eases her hand away from his arm and stands up, that stupid smile still plastered across his face. They watch as he makes a quick excuse before leaving. 

He's running again, Jason thinks. Like he always does. Why can't I seem to keep up?

He turns back to Annabeth and shrugs. "Crazy right?"

She gives him a pointed look. "You guys are lying."

And she too leaves, but he guesses it isn't to follow Percy. She'll let him have his space before she tries to get him to slip up. Annabeth's nice, but she's also smart and sneaky when she wants to be. She won't let this be. 

Jason sighs and slumps in his chair. Life is so complicated sometimes.

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Percy opens the door to his apartment quietly. The tv in the living room is on, but aside from that, there are no other sounds. That means Gabe is out cold on the couch and his mom is probably out with friends. He slips up the stairs and down the hall to his room quietly.  

He doesn't let his shoulders sag until the door closes behind him. He doesn't know why, but Gabe never passes the threshold into his room. It's the only safe haven in his own house. He plops down on the bed and yanks off the black hoodie. Annabeth's right, it's a rugged old thing that does nothing for his ego.

His whole right arm is bandaged roughly and so is the elbow of his left. His clothes had protected most of the rest of the body from the glass yesterday, though. His arms hurt like hell, but they'll heal. 

He hears a knock on the door but doesn't t say anything. The knocking gets louder. It's Gabe. His mom isn't as barbaric. 

"Come out brat!"

Gabe won't break down the door or come bursting in, but if Percy waits it will only be worse when he does come out. He stands and walks over to the door. He throws it open to stare right into the older man's face. Silence hangs in the air as brown eyes meet green. Then Gabe grabs his injured arm and yanks him into the hall. He spins him around and slams him against the wall.

"You're home early punk. Skipping are you?" he growls. 

"So. What do you care?" Percy says stubbornly, his jaw tightening. It's never good when he opens his mouth. Why does he have to say such stupid things?

Gabe seems to like this response. He smirks and punches Percy in the gut. Then he yanks him down and knees him. Percy groans as he is slung to the side and hits the ground.

He looks up at the menacing drunk as he pushes himself back to his feet. It's only 1:00. This is going to be a really long day. 

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(the next day: Saturday)

Jason's older sister Thalia has wanted to go to the movies with them for a long time. She smiles as she waits in front of the theater, three people approaching. Annabeth and Percy walk closely, their shoulders every once in a while touching. Jason marches ahead and is the first to reach her. He wraps her in a big hug which she returns with an elbow to the ribs.

Percy laughs. "You never change, do you Thals?"

She smirks. "Gods no. I love tormenting you, wimps."

Annabeth smiles but says nothing. Thalia goes to Clarion Ladies Academy and the two girls have only met something like twice before. Jason shoves Thalia back playfully and then ducks behind Percy, who raises his hands to say he wants no part of it.

Thalia notices with slight annoyance that Percy's movements are stiff and slow. Can't she hang out with him one time without seeing the results of some fight? Though, she has a sneaking suspicion that his problems come from home not from the streets. Percy's not exactly one to happily pick fights. They've also rarely come in contact with his family, never having been invited over and the happy couple never attend school functions.

She shakes her head and motions for them to follow, calling back something about them all being stupid and late. Jason just shakes his head. 

It a two and a half hour long movie about some spy and an attempt at world takeover. Thalia doesn't pay attention instead she flicks popcorn at the backs of random heads. When the people turn around she blames this little kid beside her. Poor kid (not really he looks like he's at least twelve and twelve-year-olds are all nightmares). He gets kicked out a third of the way through. Thalia stops after that and settles for eating everybody else's snacks. They are aware she really just came to annoy them.

It's working.

By the time the movie lets out, it's around dinnertime, so they head in the direction of the nearest pizza place. Jason suggests Thalia pays since she ate all their food at the theater. She suggests he shut up before forking over a twenty. She may not have the best manors, but she doesn't mind paying for her friends every once in a while.

They settle into a bench in the back. Thalia pushes Percy into the window seat across from Annabeth and takes the seat beside him.

Annabeth suddenly leans forward and looks right at Thalia. "Hey, did you hear about the fight Percy got in on Thursday?"

Thalia blinks at Annabeth's sudden need to address her. Percy nearly chokes on his water. "Uh no. No, I didn't."

"Oh. I thought he and Jason would have told you. His arm got tore up pretty badly after all." Annabeth is definitely up to something as her face morphs into polite confusion.

Thalia turns on Percy, her eyes narrowed. "No. I had no idea."

Percy fidgets. He's wearing his black hoodie and the sleeves are tugged down over his fingers, but still, Thalia seems to have the ability to see right through him. "Listen it's no biggie. Just a few minor scratches. That's all."

All three of them are looking at him now. Jason's face is twisted in an unreadable emotion. He looks as if he swallowed a slug. Or five. When the tension gets so thick that Percy thinks it might outweigh gravity, Jason is unsurprisingly the one to break it.

However, no one, not even Percy, is expecting what he says.

"Percy didn't get into a fight. His stepdad beats him."

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So the secret's out. How will Thalia and Annabeth react?

please comment, vote, and follow. Thank youuuu!

~Halie <3