Paul waited in the small cafe, bouncing his leg against the middle pole of the four person table, the chairs so high he couldn't touch the worn wooden floor. He gripped the coffee in his hands tightly, anxiety riddling through his bones. He was going to meet his girlfriend's son.

Sally Jackson's parents died when she was young, so if he didn't get this fourteen year old troublemaker's approval, it would be hard to date Sally and he might even have to break it off. Even though they'd only been going steady two weeks, it sure felt a lot longer. Paul rarely went on dates, and never had been in a serious relationship as this one here felt.

Percy had a record. He had been kicked out of every single school he'd been to, ever since preschool, and this last year was no acception. Though, the way Sally talked about him, you would think Percy was an honor roll student, quarterback on the football team, and world's next president.

Don't get it wrong, Paul was used to troublemakers in his classes, but this was a whole new level. Goode never allowed kids kicked from schools even on the campus without recommendation, so Paul didn't know what to expect. Maybe a ponytailed kid with three nose rings and his ears pierced several times, having illegal tattoos and Sally's brown eyes looking evil on him.

The bell chime above the door rang and he saw Percy for the first time, and did a double take, not believing the boy he saw in front of him.

He was a foot shorter than Sally, his black hair so unruly giving him an extra couple inches. His face was slightly rounded but still chiseled out. He wore a blue sweatshirt with his hands in his pockets, but strangely had on tan shorts and flip flops on his feet. His eyes crinkled slightly, obviously this boy smiled a lot, though his face at the minute was solemn.

The most startling thing about him wasn't the overly tan skin, compared to Sally's slightly tanned skin, or his black hair compared to Sally's soft brown, flowing hair. His eyes were a startling green. Sally had chocolate eyes, but this boy had the greenest eyes that seemed impossible to exist. They seemed too young for this boy, but at the same time too old for a fourteen year old, he seemed to have seen too much.

The first though that came to Paul Blofis' mind was, 'Is he adopted?'

Percy fiddled with his headphones so they were in his pocket when Sally tapped his forearm, and he just stared at Paul, his eyes calculating and judging the man.

"Hi Percy, I've heard a lot about you." Yeah, about how he was on a rampage through America. (though he was convicted innocent and attempting to escape his kidnapper).

"Great." Percy drawled. "I'm leaving now."

"Percy..." Sally warned and grabbed her son's wrist, making him sigh softly and sit down across from Paul, Sally taking a seat next to him. "Sorry about him, he recently lost a few friends at this camp he goes to, so it's causing him to behave rudely." Paul could tell from her tone of voice she was warning Percy to get his behaviour back on track.

"I'm so sorry, were they close?"

"None of your business." Percy responded quickly.

"Percy, stop being so rude. Paul, I'm so sorry about him."

"Mom, stop apologizing to him! You make it sound like I'm depressed and I don't mean to be rude, but I do!" Sally looked taken aback at her son's behavior, and Paul put his face in his hands sadly.

"Perseus Jackson, I am going to the bathroom, and if you don't pick up your behaviour by the time I get back, you will be in trouble." Sally warned and walked towards the bathrooms.

"Hey Percy, why don't you like me? You don't even know me, did I do something? I am so sorry if I did something and-" Paul was cut off when Percy dragged him off the chair and punched him in the jaw, and everyone turned and stared. For some weird reason, it seemed like at that moment the plumbing malfunctioned. All the sinks exploded and Sally came out of the bathroom soaking wet and Percy ran off from the cafe, Paul crumpled on the floor, holding his jaw. Sally raced to him quickly.

"What happened?!"

"Your son punched me, Sally. I tried giving him a chance, but... he punched me. I don't know why..." Sally nodded sadly, like she knew why.

The two of them slowly went outside and saw Percy with his back against the wall, his knees pulled to his chest and he was sobbing. Sally knelt next to him and unclenched his hands, rubbing his bleeding palms as he cried, moving herself so her son could be curled up against her. She rubbed his back and soothed him softly, seeming to know what was wrong. He caught words, like Gabe, different, safety, and smell. Paul was utterly confused.

The two sat there for at least ten minutes, Sally comforting her distressed son and Percy sobbing with his head pressed into his mother's shoulder. Paul stood back and watched, feeling bad about pegging him a troubled kid so soon. Sure, his jaw pounded where he punched him, but he could tell there was reason, logic in that crazy mind of his. It didn't make it right, but he understood it.

Finally, the boy wiped his eyes and spoke to the salt and pepper haired man.

"Paul, I'm sorry..." He looked at his mom, who nodded. "My last stepfather was just a really bad guy and we didn't know it at first, he acted all nice... I just... My mom deserves a good life, and I was worried when you seemed like too good of a guy..." Percy looked at the ground as he talked, fiddling with his jacket strings. "I shouldn't have punched you, my instincts kicked in..."

Paul clapped the boy on the shoulder softly. "Don't worry about it Percy, maybe you should go home and we can try this again?"

Percy sniffed and nodded. "That sounds great. I hope you aren't too hurt."

"Nah, I've been worse."

Percy cracked a small smile, his eyes still looking guilty.

"Paul." Sally whispered apologetically, but he put up his hand to stop her and kissed her cheek, smiling.

"Next Tuesday sound good? Maybe at home though..." Percy asked softly, looking between the two adults.

"That sounds great. See you then Percy."

Sally opened the door to the small apartment and smiled when she saw it was Paul. "Hey Paul, Percy should be out in a minute. How are you?"

Paul walked in and closed the door behind himself. "I'm great, thanks." He kissed her cheek.

Percy opened his door and his face broke out in a smile when he saw Paul. This kid seemed way too happy to be that down and depressed kid Paul had met last week. His smile was slightly sheepish, feeling bad about last week and the fact that a healing bruise lined his jaw.

"Hey Percy!" Percy came out and took an oddly blue cookie from a plate on the counter and took a bite out of it.

"Hi, want a cookie?" Percy grabbed another one and handed it to the man.

"Is it mutated?" Percy only laughed as he hesitantly took the cookie. It looked like things would go good.

If only that were true.