Reading is Fundamental

X - Percy - The Step-father

Warnings: Graphic Depiction of Child Abuse, Physical and Emotional. Panic Attacks. Crass Language

The screen door opened and a young boy slipped inside. Percy watched in terror as the child walked through his old apartment. There was a sense of dread building in his stomach, choking out any rational thought.

"Hey," Annabeth whispered. She squeezed his hand.

His smaller self seemed completely unaware of the horrors he was about to experience. He took off his book bag and threw it carelessly on the couch. There was no sign of Gabe yet, but they wouldn't be watching if it was a good day.

"Mom?" Young Percy called. There was no answer so the boy let himself in her bedroom.

However, instead of the reassuring face of his mother, only Gabe Ugliano's disgusting figure met him as he turned the corner. The man was standing over her bedside table, the few things she kept inside thrown carelessly on the floor. Clasped in his greasy hands was a bottle of his mom's prescription medicine.

Oh no. Percy remembered this. He remembered it clearly.

"What are you doing?" his younger self demanded. "That's my mom's!"

Gabe smirked, leering at him. "Not anymore."

"Stop!" his younger self yelled, running forward. "She needs those!" He tried to pull the bottle away from Gabe, but his thick, stronger hands yanked it immediately out of reach.

"Get off me," the man slurred, visibly drunk.

"No!" the child insisted. He lunged again, this time shoving Gabe backwards in an attempt to reach his hand.

Battle trained Percy Jackson saw the blow coming long before it hit. Sadly, his younger self didn't have the same experience. Gabe shoved him away, making the child stumble and crash against his mother's dresser. His ribs collided directly with the edge, knocking the wind out of him. He slammed his elbow on the top in an attempt to catch himself, then lost his balance and hit the ground anyway.

Teen Percy instinctively grabbed his ribs. He could still feel the bruise.

There was a thick tension in the room. Percy tried to ignore it, but the only other thing he had to focus on was the vision.

Gabe lumbered back to the living room. After taking a few moments to catch his breath and prod the injuries, young Percy followed.

"Hey!" he yelled. "That's not yours!"

Gabe snorted, making him look even more like a pig than normal. "It is now." He held the bottle up to the light, counting the contents. "How much do you think these'll get me?"

He could see the anger in young Percy's blood turn to fear. Mom had anxiety attacks pretty often. When they got really bad, those were the only thing that could calm her down. If Gabe got away with them she wouldn't be able to get more for at least two more months. He had to get them back. He ran forward, trying to grab it. "Give it- back!" Gabe shoved him away. He turned, and Percy lunged again. This time, when he was pushed away, Percy's small fingers snagged on the cap and the plastic bottle went with him. They both looked down at it for a minute in shock. This had never happened before. When Percy finally came to his senses and sprinted away, Gabe threw a half-full bottle of beer at his head.

The bottle glanced off the side of his skull, smashing against the wall instead. But even a minor blow was more than enough to take down the scrawny ten-year-old. He collapsed on the ground, the pills cradled loosely in his right hand. Percy was still blinking away stars when Gabe descended on him again. He grabbed for the plastic bottle, growling when the child refused to let go. A beefy hand slammed his head against the cheap carpet and Percy's hand reflexively slackened.