Percy breathed out a sigh of relief as he put away the last dish, the plate clinking into place on the dish rack with the others. He didn't really mind doing the dishes, but it was pretty gross, and always stank of alcohol. Though how Gabe and his poker buddies got alcohol on the plates where the food should be was beyond him, but he didn't particularly want to think about it.
He rinsed his hands beneath the faucet, enjoying the cool feeling of water running over his hands. Then suddenly the water grew hot, and Percy yanked his hands back, startled. He frowned in mild irritation at the faucet handle, which was turned to the cold setting, then sighed. The appliances never worked like they should in their stupid apartment. He turned it off, then dried his hands on his jeans as he turned to leave the house.
"Where're you going?" Without turning around, Percy broke into a jog. He made it to the doorway, hand on the doorknob, when he heard something. The boy ducked, a beer bottle shattering on the door above him. The glass shards rained down on his dark hair as he twisted the knob, darting out onto the sidewalk. Luckily it wasn't busy - and it wasn't like Gabe was going to go to the trouble of following - so Percy looked around, trying to figure out where to go.
He dug through his pockets, coming up with six dollars in cash. Idly brushing the glass pieces out of his hair, Percy started walking down the street, figuring he could afford a snack, maybe even a sandwich when he got hungry. He passed a few grocery stores teeming with people, avoiding the crowds as best as he could. The hot air grew stifling, so he ducked into an empty alley.
Percy leaned against the bricked walls, looking up at the sky. He played with a piece of glass, balling his hand into a fist around it. He exhaled as the jagged edges cut into his skin, beads of blood dripping out through his closed fingers. Then he dropped it, wiping his palm on the inside of his dark shirt to get rid of the liquid. Green eyes stared blankly ahead for a moment.
Then he turned to walk out of the alley. At that instant something cold passed through him, causing the boy shudder violently. He spun, eyes wide with panic as he looked. It hadn't quite felt like a cold wind - though that in itself would be strange, considering it was summer in New York - but more like he'd been dunked in below-freezing water.
It vanished altogether, leaving Percy shaken by the experience. He stood quickly, bumping into someone. Percy stepped back hastily, surprised and horrified to find a person standing there. The boy standing there looks startled too, but then a smile spreads on his face. "It's fine," he told Percy.
Percy stares at the boy for a moment. Undoubtedly older than him, the stranger has blue eyes and pale skin, wearing a thick blue jacket and brown leggings that look as if they were made from leather. A mess of white hair is bright in the dark alleyway, but Percy had seen stranger - vibrant greens and reds, yellows… the list was endless. The jacket was stranger, considering the heat, but the boy is also barefoot, which is almost unheard of in a city where broken glass and hot concrete make up the ground. In addition, he held a staff that resembled a shepherd's crook carved from rough wood.
"Are you okay?" the boy asked him worriedly, and Percy realizes he had been staring too long. Blinking in surprise, Percy returns his smile hastily. He nodded in what he hoped was a reassuring way. Percy shifted his hand so that the palm faces away from the boy, hoping to avoid any questions. Percy starts to step away when the boy said suddenly, "Wait, I - er…" He falters when Percy turns back to him curiously. Finally the boy said, "I'm new to the city… do you know where there's a, um, park? I've been looking for one, and I… er…"
Percy exhaled as he eyed the boy, this time sizing the boy up. He knew when someone was lying, and the waver in the boy's voice was the clearest indicator, as was the hesitation between the stranger's words. His eyes were averted, and his fingers tapped restlessly against his staff. Of course, the boy could be just nervous, but Percy always felt it was better to be safe than sorry.
He wondered if he'd be able to reach the busy street before the boy caught up with him. The situation seemed so surreal, though - why would anyone bother to lie about something like this? Percy exhaled, gesturing for the boy to follow him. If Percy gets jumped, big deal - the worst that could happen is that he'd be killed. And if he was being honest… even if the stranger looked older than him, it's not like age always made someone stronger.
The boy followed, his footsteps light as he said cheerfully, "Thank you. My name's Jack, by the way. What's yours?" Percy bit his lip as he kept walking. The silence stretched on for a while - it wasn't exactly silence, because of the city hustle and bustle - but it was an awkward lull in the conversation. Jack said after a moment, "Well, that's fine. I'm actually really grateful you're bringing me to a park. I was getting worried there wasn't one."
He started chattering, filling the quiet between them with random thoughts and observations. After a while, Percy was walking beside him rather than leading him, listening as he guided them through the streets. Jack keeps talking animatedly, using his hands to illustrate his points at times. His staff keeps shifting positions - slung over his shoulders, in the crook of his arm, grasped in his hand.
Finally they come across the park Percy had been leading Jack to. The older boy looks at it for a moment before grinning. "Thanks," he said softly. He skipped forward, seeming to barely touch the ground as he darted into the woods, disappearing among the trees. Percy stares after him for a moment, bemused. Hesitantly he takes a step forward, wondering where Jack is going.
Instantly, a cold feeling sweeps through him - unnatural and strange, it startles him. Percy took a step back, then turned and sprinted away. He runs all the way back, slowing to a stop at the front door as he catches his breath, feeling a stitch forming in his side.
The adrenaline wears off, turning to disgust and revulsion as he eyes the building. He doesn't want to face Gabe just yet. Even though the guy is always too drunk to pay him much attention, except for the occasional demand and curse, Percy still hates their cluttered apartment, the parties that stink of cigarette smoke.
He opts to walk around the building, using his key to enter the side door. Through it are stairs, which he climbs. His footsteps echo around him in the empty space, the concrete stairs no longer quiet due to the sound of his passage. The railing is peeling beneath his hand as he walks, the greyish-green paint coming off on his palm. It is well-lit, but lonely in it's barren appearance.
Percy walks slowly, taking his time. Each landing has a door with the floor number lit up above it, but he passes them all, reaching the rooftop. It was free to the inhabitants of the apartment building, which meant there was often the occasional resident milling around. It was a peaceful place - there were a few benches, as well as a drinking fountain. Percy was surprised, though, to see a familiar shock of white hair.
Jack turns at the sound of the door opening, his eyes widening in similar surprise. After a long minute of staring at each other, Jack waves. "Hey," he said, just loud enough to be heard across the large space separating them. Percy doesn't reply, frozen to the spot. After a moment he waves back, walking forward. He sits on a bench near Jack, figuring since they weren't quite fast friends yet, he should keep from intruding on Jack's personal space.
Jack, on the other hand, seems to have no such qualms. He got up from where he was perched on the roof's edge, sitting down beside Percy. "It's nice to see you again!" he said excitedly. "I was… well…" He trails off before asking, "So you live here? That's pretty interesting - I don't, but, er, a cousin of mine does. I was visiting them, and ended up here." He laughed. "Family isn't always the kindest, you know? What about you? Oh, by the way, thanks for helping me earlier. You were a lifesaver - I'm not really a city person."
Percy blinked, taking all of it in silently. He decides he really does like Jack. Percy bites his lips before smiling. "I'm… glad I was able to help." Jack looks at him for a second before grinning. "You definitely were!" He looks up at the sky, his face growing thoughtful. "Hey, you know, I have a question." Percy looked at him curiously. "Do you believe in… I don't know… gods and spirits? Like, er, the Sandman, or… Jack Frost…" Jack keeps staring at the sky, refusing to look at Percy.
Percy thinks about it for a moment. Choosing to be honest, he shook his head. Jack glances at him before shrugging, a tired sort of grin crossing his face. "Ah, well, most people don't," he said dismissively. The older boy twirled his staff a few times, while Percy frowns slightly at the gap in the conversation.
He looked at the rooftop, wondering what they could talk about, when he realizes how long the shadows have grown. Eyes widening in panic, Percy shot up to his feet, running to the door. He wrenched it open, barreling down the stairs. Jack follows, worried, asking, "What's wrong?" He stops at the entrance, watching as Percy goes down one, two… several floors before going through one of the landing doors.
He was probably late. Percy hated Gabe, but he wasn't an idiot - Gabe gave him somewhere to live, somewhere to stay so that he wasn't in foster homes or orphanages. Did orphanages even let kids his age stay? Percy didn't know, and wasn't eager to find out. But he also knew that, despite Gabe's laziness, the guy could give him a real beating when he was mad. It wasn't as if Gabe didn't know where he slept.
Percy opened the door in a panic, too slow to dodge the object thrown at his face. Percy winced as the spoon struck his forehead. Deeply grateful it wasn't a fork or a knife - or worse - Percy bent to pick it up, straightening to check the clock. His relief grew when he realized it was only four, hours before dinner. It was, however, half an hour before Gabe's usual snack.
"You're nearly late!" Gabe grumbled drunkenly. One of his poker buddies, Eddie, looked at Percy. His expression was akin to something people felt whenever they saw a homeless person. Sympathy, followed by a complete lack of will to do anything. Percy bent his head down, hoping a show of helplessness would stave off any violence.
It did the trick. Gabe muttered something along the lines of 'do something useful, stinking brat' as he went back to his game. Percy hurried to the kitchen, opening the fridge. He knew the drill - make his stepfather dip for his chips, then get out of the way. He went as quickly as he could, turning from the fridge to put the ingredients out. He dropped them in shock.
Jack was standing right behind him, looking sheepish. Percy stared at him silently, wide-eyed, until Gabe poked his head in. "What was that?" he demanded. Percy glanced at Jack in disbelief, but the older boy put a finger to his lips. Percy bent down, collecting the fallen ingredients hastily.
Gabe left, satisfied Percy was working. The boy prepared the dip as quickly as he could, trying to ignore the strange, apparently unnoticeable, presence of Jack in the kitchen. He'd gotten good at the process - barely noticed what he was doing, busy as his mind was, whirling with curiosity and shock. Eventually he placed the dip and chips in front of Gabe before leaving the apartment, taking the emergency stairs so that he could talk to Jack alone. He turned, intending to confront the older boy - but Jack beat him to it.
"I'm a spirit," he said hastily. He spread his hand in front of him placatingly, his staff nestled in the crook of his arm. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just…" Jack hesitated, before eventually saying, "I guess I didn't know how to say it. I didn't mean for you to find out, but I was worried."
Percy bit his lip. He wanted to ask, but was worried once he did, everything would break apart. It had once before - he wasn't eager to repeat the experience. He knew he needed to though, so Percy steeled himself and asked tentatively, "Are you - are you a monster?" He immediately regretted it when hurt flashed across Jack's eyes. "No," the other boy protested. "I'm not!"
His voice raised slightly, echoing in the empty stairway. Percy flinched. "I'm… glad…" he whispered softly. "Then can… w-we…" The words got caught in his throat, but he fought to get them out. He failed. Percy looked down, shame and disappointment overwhelming him as he stepped back. "Percy?" Jack said after a moment. "Was that your dad?"
"Yeah," Percy said, even softer than before. He hung his head. "He… was." Jack sat down, cross-legged with his staff across his legs, to look up at Percy's face. "Where's your mom?" Jack asked - his voice was free of any inflections, whether it was pity or curiosity, but it wasn't flat, either. Simply free of judgement, leaving it up to Percy to decide how to answer.
Percy sat on the bottom step of the stairs, frowning. "Ah… she… it was an accident." Jack tilted his head. "A car accident?" Percy shook his head. He leaned forward, his head on his hands, elbows digging into his legs as he thought about it. "No… My mom, she… dr-drowned." He hated how he stumbled over the word. Percy scooted back, giving himself room to hug his knees on the step.
To his relief, Jack was still there. Still looking at him. "So did I," Jack said abruptly. Percy blinked. Then he asked cautiously, "Is that how you became a spirit?" Jack nodded, a slight grin crossing his face. "Yep," he said casually. He reached out a hand. "My name is Jack Frost. You're the only one who can see me, so I may as well tell you my full name. And you are?"
Percy smiled, shaking Jack's hand. "I'm Perseus Jackson. Nice to meet you."