I'm new to this so I'm sorry for bad grammar or the story line but I just wanted to write something. It does involve suicidal tendencies and attempts, mentions of self harm and abuse. A Percabeth Au and is set in Annabeth PoV. Uncle Rick owns the characters.
"Hey,"
I jumped at the sudden voice. I turned my head to look over at a boy, probably around my age, sitting on the roof next to my apartment.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," He said softly. He must've noticed my tears. I came here to be alone and I didn't really want to talk to anyone. I shrugged.
"It's ok," I whispered. He stood up slyly, climbing across the air conditioning boxes to the different complex. He sat down next to me, dangling his legs off the edge of the roof like me. He seemed so carefree, as if he didn't care about falling. Maybe he was used to it.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked with a slight New York accent. I shrugged again, glancing at him uncertainly. He looked interested. I sighed.
"Everything's going wrong," I decided to say. He bitterly smiled and nodded. "I just moved here. My dad didn't tell me until yesterday, I've moved because of my stupid stepmom, my family aren't being the nicest at the moment and it's the anniversary of my moms death. My dad acts like he's forgotten, or that he has or is ignoring it and I can't visit her grave because it's in San Francisco," I stubbornly wiped a tear, not knowing why I was telling this weird boy about my problems.
"You kind of just want to jump off," He said after a while, looking at the road below.
"It would kill you," I stated, confused.
"Not all the time, I wish it had," He muttered under his breath, so quietly I had to strain my ears. I narrowed my eyes.
"Are you alright?" I asked, shifting my body slightly so I could half face him. He looked up abruptly.
"Yes," He replied, way to quickly for it to be normal.
"You can talk about it if you want-" I was stopped by a viscous shout.
"Jackson! Come here now!" A mans voice bellowed from the apartment complex next to the one we were sitting on, I'm guessing on the fifth floor, the top, right next to mine.
His eye twitched in anger, tinged with slight fear.
"I have to go," He growled, but I knew he wasn't angry at me. I stood up with him, wondering if he was going to get hurt. "It's fine, grey eyes, I'll be fine," But it seemed like he was reassuring himself more than me. That made me even more curious.
An overweight man with three black hairs coming from his head came from the fire exit. He had a pungent odour, like onions and garlic which a tint of alcohol, which I could unmistakably smell from over here. His eyebrows were narrowed in anger and he wore a scowl on his face.
"Get here now, asshole and do what I say," He growled. "Leave that slut alone and get me some beer,"
"Excuse me!" I exclaimed. Did he just call me a slut? Jackson looked at me with warning.
"This doesn't happen often ok? Coming Gabe," He hissed, the end bit louder, and to him, climbing back over and getting a rough push down the fire exit stairs. Gabe glared at me before descending down.
I threw my alarm clock at the wall as soon as I heard it's annoying ringing. It luckily didn't leave a dent in the wall like my last room. I was remembered of the boy next door. I felt like there was something up with him and that it wasn't just a one time thing. And 'This doesn't happen often' was a clear sign it did.
I got ready slowly for my new school, taking gratitude at the early time. I had breakfast before my 'family' came downstairs, and left before I could say anything to them. I had figured out the way to get there from google but I wouldn't tell anyone that.
My home room teacher was Mr Brunner. He was lovley, a middle aged man in a wheelchair and didn't really have strict rules but got mad when he had too. I sat at the back, taking out my architecture book.
A few minutes later a tall boy with an AHS hoodie stormed in, slightly out of breath as if he had been running. His hood was pulled up, a few strands of ebony hair visible. Mr Brunner looked up and sighed.
"Late again Percy," He stated. Percy walked to the back and took the seat next to me. I only got to see his face when he asked for a pencil. He recognised me too from the looks of his shocked face. He gulped.
"Hey...?"
"Annabeth," I finished. I looked at him sceptically. I wanted to know what was up with him. "Are you alright? You know, from what your dad-"
"Stepdad," He intervened. "And I'm fine," He added bitterly, slumping back into his chair.
I was with him last period.
"I want you to partner up with the person next to you," Mr Brunner ordered. "You're to write an information page about your favourite god or goddess,"
"You can't come round mine," Percy instantly said. I nodded.
"You can come round mine," I said simply.
I walked home with him. He had already called his mom up to tell him where he was but she was working.
"I think we should do Athena," I stated, more as an order than a suggestion. Percy looked disgusted.
"No, defiantly Poseidon," I narrowed my eyes at him, ready for the challenge.
"Well we could do the story of Athens,"
"But Athena wins!" He exclaimed. I smirked.
"Exactly,"
I had finished it up for the lesson. When the week passed for hand in, Percy was already there when I came in. He had his hood up so he was unrecognisable, his desk full of scribbles.
"Hi Percy," I greeted. I had no idea why but I wanted to know Percy. I wanted to help him.
"Hi," He whispered. At least he didn't completely ignore me. He was hiding his face which was suspicious. Knowing that he was good, I 'accidentally' dropped my pencil on his side of the desk at the end of the lesson. He picked it up and gave it to me, a small smile on his face. A few moments later he realised he had revealed his face and ran out of the classroom. I followed to where he was going. This place was the back of the school gardens. Now I was worried.
"What the hell Percy!" I exclaimed, concerned. His hood had turned down from him running, revealing a fresh bruise on his left eye.
"It's not what it looks like!" He defended. "Only a bruise from skateboarding," I narrowed my eyes. The earlier night I though I heard something. I just thought it was the twins arguing.
"It's your stepdad, isn't it?" I asked quietly. He didn't reply which was a sign he didn't want to lie, so, it was true. "I don't know you that well Percy but this is wrong. You can't live in an abusive home. I'll have to call the police-"
"No Annabeth!" He interrupted. "Don't," He finished more quietly. "I'll tell you, ok? Just don't tell anyone else,"
He led me to the bleachers after school. I was told I had an intimidating gaze so I just looked at the floor when he told the story. He looked scared to tell me about his stepdad. I was patient. For once.
Percy gulped.
"When I was younger my dad left," He started. He pulled on the strings of his hoodie. "I don't really know where he is but my mom said it was true love," I swear I saw a faint smile. Then he scowled. "She met smelly Gabe, the fat one who smells of cheesy feet. My mom was too good to judge. He was nice for the first thirty seconds of knowing him," He glared at the floor. "He hits my mom and me, took all our money for gambling and beer, that now, my mom has to work 24/7," He pointed to his left eye. "He gave it to me yesterday when I called him a pig and a fat bitch," He smiled. "Worth it though. He was so pissed," Percy whispered the last bit. I was silent. I was so selfish. I thought I had it bad. I looked at him in the eye.
"You need to tell someone who can do something," He looked guilty. "You shouldn't live a life of abuse Percy. You can tell the police yourself, in your own time but I don't want to see you hurt," He blinked.
"Thanks grey eyes,"
He luckily came in the next day. He seemed nervous and fidgety.
"Can you come to the ice cream parlour after school?" He asked. I nodded.
"Yeah," I replied in wonder. I didn't have time to answer any questions because he was gone as soon as he said it.
He was standing outside as soon as I was there. I smiled at him. He was too busy with his thoughts to smile back.
"Raspberry ripple please," I told the cashier.
"Chocolate, both takeaway," Percy said, glancing at me uncertainly. Before I could get out any money, he had already paid.
"You didn't need to do that-"
"My mom brought me up right," He said with a small smile, pushing away the money I was trying to give him. We walked to the park and sat on the swings. He sighed.
"I shouldn't have told you," He confessed guiltily.
"You don't trust me, or...?" I asked with narrowed eyes. He looked shocked.
"No, no, I trust you," He replied quickly. "It's just that I'm not sure if you should know. I don't want you to get dragged into this," I smiled.
"I would've anyway. I want to make your life alright,"
I saw him at the library once. He was on the computers, researching about abuse in homes.
"I thought about it," Percy said as I sat down next to him. I nodded.
"How come you're here?" I asked. He didn't seem like the type to read which was probably why he was on the computer.
"My room is Smelly Gabes office so I couldn't really do it in secret," I nodded. I was happy he was going to do something about it. It would help him a lot. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" For someone who didn't know me, that would be a stupid question. But I let him off this time.
"Reading, revising, that sorta thing," He rolled his eyes playfully.
"You're such a wise girl," He paused and smirked. "Wise Girl," I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. I pushed his gently which was a downfall for him. I grinned.
"Seaweed!" I laughed. He went bright red and put a hand over my mouth. He accidentally had clicked off the tab, revealing another showing seaweed to buy.
"Shut up!" He whispered. He pulled his hand away, leaving my smirking face in all of its glory.
"You've got a seaweed brain," I grinned evilly. "Seaweed Brain!"
"Wise Girl,"
"Seaweed Brain,"
"Wise Girl,"
"Seaweed Brain,"
"Get out!" The librarian exclaimed. We didn't realise she was standing behind us between our little and loud feud.
"Hey, Seaweed Brain, I haven't seen you today," I said but I regretted it as soon as I said it. I hadn't seen Percy all day but after school I saw him walking home, and decided to catch up with him. We were friends after all.
He looked up and his face fell. I led him into an alleyway.
"What did he do?" I whispered. He didn't meet my eye. He had another bruise on his face, on the jaw and had a scar on his lip. "What else?" I asked.
"Nothing!" He exclaimed, putting his hands in the air. That of course, shortened his sleeves so I could see part of his arms. My eyes widened in surprise. I pulled it down and stared at him. Self harm.
"Percy!" I shouted, as he pulled away and ran through the crowds of people.
I was alone in the house when it just didn't feel right. I was worried about Percy - especially after yesterday. I climbed up onto the roof with my architecture book, the sky was always lit up. I saw Percy on my building, his arms leaning on the stone barrier, looking over the edge.
"Hey Percy," I greeted uncertainly. What was he doing? He froze at the sound of my voice.
"Oh Great," He muttered. "Just great. Annie hasto be here," I narrowed my eyes.
"What are you doing, Percy?" I asked, my lips a thin line. He turned around with a sarcastic happy smile on his face.
"Looking at the stars, that's all," He said, pointing up at the sky, hoping I looked up. I frowned, taking a few steps towards him.
"There aren't any stars. It's too bright," I explained. "Why are you lying?" I crossed my arms. Percy scowled.
"Why do you need to know grey eyes?" He asked, staring into my eyes intimidatingly.
"Because I care," He scoffed, and a psychotic grin adorned his lips.
"Where have I heard that before?!" He exclaimed. "Don't waste your words Annabeth. There's no point. You're smart," He leaned forward, his face millimetres away from mine. "Now leave me alone,"
I ignored what he said.
"I do care Percy-" I whispered gently.
"Oh, shut up," He growled. "I don't want to hear it Wise Girl, so say it to someone you really care about,"
"No," I stubbornly said back. "Why don't you believe me?"
"I don't have to believe you," He stated. "I already know, now piss off,"
"People care Percy," I told him. Of course they do.
"I don't want to live anymore!" He exclaimed.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked. He looked at his apartment. I realised. "It doesn't matter about him-"
"He hurts us Annabeth!" He confessed. "And I don't want to live with it,"
"Haven't you reported it,"
"No, and I won't,"
"What about your mom," I said. "Me," I whispered.
Percy didn't answer. Instead, he turned back around, swiftly pulling his legs over the railing so he could leave his legs dangling off the edge, overall ignoring me.
"No," I muttered in disbelief.
"Yes,"
"Don't you dare," I ordered, but he didn't care. He dropped.
I ran forward, just as quick as he had fallen. By luck or chance I was holding his hand. He slammed against the brick wall. I was straining with effort to keep him up but I wasn't going to let go anytime soon.
He looked up at me with pure anger.
"I hate you!" He shouted to me. He wriggled and struggled against my grip but I was determined to hold on, so he, wasn'tgoing anywhere. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" He repeated.
It hurt to hear it but that wasn't my priority. With all of my strength, I pulled upwards, pushing my feet against the railing. He didn't even try to help himself, he just tried to make it even more difficult for me. I pulled him up, one last time.
He was taking short breaths, still muttering, "I hate you,"
I was crying just as much as he was.
I pulled him up from the ground, leading him to my room, making sure he wouldn't go anywhere.
I lay him on my bed so he could sleep, hugging him so he couldn't leave. He leaned his head against my collar bone, still muttering. He was shaking with pain now.
I stroked his hair.
"It's going to be alright. I promise,"
He was still in my arms when I woke up. Asleep. It didn't last long though because he opened his eyes. He took one long look at me before jumping out of bed.
"I need to get back!" He exclaimed. "He's going to kill me,"
"Stay," I said. It came out before I could even think. "Please. We can get someone to do something about it and you have the proof,"
He paused hesitantly. After a while he comprehended it, nodded and climbed back under the covers. It was silent, still tense after last night. I didn't register the fact that we were in the same bed. It was natural.
"You can't act like nothing ever happened," I stated carefully. He continued to stare forward.
"I know," He confessed. We still didn't say anything. Instead, I held his hand under the covers. He looked at me. "I'm sorry," I saw a tear fall from his left eye. I pulled him into a hug.
"I'll help you. Whatever it takes,"
We made a plan.
I promised Percy I wouldn't tell his mom. Her name was Sally Jackson. She was beautiful and quite similar to Percy. She had the same smile lines and the same face of concern. It was kind of funny really. It was amazing that she wanted to be a writer.
We organised a plan to leave for a while to get some space to call the proper authorities. She had snapped after she saw what he had done too Percy. She was just still scared.
"We own a beach house, Dear," Sally said when she had stolen Gabes car. "We can stay there while we sort this out," I nodded in agreement. "But what about your parents?" She asked.
"They said I could come," I explained. "I've got my stuff with me. They said it would be nice to have a holiday by the beach," She smiled.
I was in the back with Percy who honestly looked like he was about to drop dead. He fell asleep after five minutes of being in the car since we had to go early.
"He doesn't trust many people after Gabe. He likes you, you know," Sally said after noticing he was asleep. I blushed.
"I like him too," I whispered.
I ended up falling asleep after that.
The beach house was small, like a cabin really, with two rooms, a small open plan kitchen with a couch, a bathroom, and a porch. It was theirs.
Percy looked a little happier and for some reason that made me happy.
"I need to make a phone call," Sally said as she winked and walked out of the room, leaving the two of us alone. I sat down next to him on the couch. Percy sighed.
"I'm sorry to bring you here, and involve you in..." He trailed off. I smiled gently.
"It's kind of exciting," I quickly carried on, realising my words might have a bad effect. "Not the abuse part," He chuckled quietly. "It's just that I like being here. I've wanted to go to the beach since I moved too New York,"
So much time had past since I left San Francisco.
Sally came in with a guilty look on her face.
"I called them but they haven't handled it in the way they should've. They want to document this story through the news," Oh no, I thought. "They're coming now,"
The news people actually came. They interviewed Percy.
"So," The news reporter started. "Today we are following the tragic story of the Jacksons," I cringed. "After six years of abuse, they have finally spoken out. Now, Percy," He moved the mic towards her. "What did you feel when your mother married Gabe,"
"I didn't really think much of it," He said stiffly. "Mom was too good for him, to kind to judge him. He was nice for the first 30 seconds of knowing him," The news reporter, Sam, nodded.
"What was it like when he first hit you?" That's a bit insensitive.
"It hurt," There was a short moment of silence. Sam coughed.
"What would you say to him," Percy straightened.
"There are many things I would like to say, but now, I'd like to thank Gabe for teaching me life lessons," He started with a poker face. "I know how to get beer stains out of the carpet and gamble, both valuable necessities I will take gratitude for in the future. I'd like to thank him for teaching me what is wrong and right, the right way is wrong," He added, "And the last thing I'd say to him, coming from the deepest most meaningful part of my heart is..." Sam leaned the mic towards him even more. Percy stared blankly into the camera. "Fuck you," He lifted his middle fingers towards the screen and smiled innocently.
I don't blame him.
It all worked out in the end. They got a fair bit of money from sharing their story with the news and Sally got into collage to pursue her writing career. And divorced Gabe, even met a knee guy, Paul Blofis.
"Hey, Wise Girl!" Percy called. Oh, and Percy. He's better now. His scars and bruises have healed, he's stopped with self harm and I'm as close to him as ever.
He caught up with me in the streets.
"Hi, Seaweed Brain," I greeted. We walked to the ice cream parlour, getting the usuals.
"You know Wise Girl," He said with a blush. "Should we make this a date?" I smiled, feeling my face warm.
"Definitely,"
"Oh, and Annabeth," He said after a while. I met his sea green eyes. "Thank you... for everything,"
And that, is why I love Percy Jackson.