Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Homework?"

Percy stopped tapping the pencil and looked up from his math assignment. Paul Blofis was coming over for a sleepover and was sitting nervously on the other side of Percy. He had a black "Batman Rules" shirt (which made Percy want to laugh) and blue jeans. He seemed cool, by the way Percy got to see him but so did...

"Yeah," Percy said, any trace of a smile gone. "Homework…"

Paul looked at the kitchen cabinets, observing every curve and line. Probably intimidated by Percy. Good, Percy thought. "Do you need-?"

"No," Percy said sharply… and maybe a bit too quickly. He took a deep breath and continued slowly. "Thank you. But I can manage."

"Oh…" Paul said, looking down at the countertop "okay."

Percy looked back at the math work and started tapping the pencil in thought.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Hey, Sally!" Gabe called for the fourth time that day. Percy glared back at him from the couch. "Bring back some beer and be useful, will ya?"

"Of course, hun," Sally said with a forced smile. She went out into the hallway and closed the door behind her. Percy looked at Gabe who was laughing about something inappropriate his poker buddies just said. The worst part was, it was about his mother.

"You shouldn't talk about her like that," Percy growled. It was supposed to be for just his own ears, but Gabe heard him. He stopped laughing and turned on Percy. His eyes read that he was hitting the happy juice again already.

"Do you have the call of the house now, brain boy?" Gabe slurred. Percy blushed and looked back at his homework. "Are ya ignoring me?" Duh, Percy thought sarcastically.

"No…" He grumbled under his breath.

Percy flinched as soon as he heard the scraping of a chair. He looked up and saw all of them staggering towards him. "Don't test me, kid. You're too weak to defend yourself," Gabe slurred at him.

Percy let out a shaky breath and put down his homework. I just have to get to my room, that's all, he thought. He got up. "Go back to your Poker game, forget that I said anything."

Gabe pushed Percy away. "Trying to escape, eh?"

"Please, just leave me alone," Percy said, trying to avoid looking at his stepfather.

"Scared?" Gabe asked and threw him hard into the wall. His Poker buddies laughed and some screamed 'push him again'. "You're a coward Percy Jackson."

Percy felt grief take over him, forced the grief into anger and suppressed the anger. But he struggled to keep it down as Gabe pushed him again and his back banged on the wall. He brought his fist up and decked him in the nose. The others let out a series of 'ooo's as Percy stepped back. "I'm… I'm sorry! I-"

Gabe's intense glare made Percy shrink back into the wall. "Ya think you're tough, uh?"

"No… no, I -"

But Gabe punched Percy in the ribs, sending him hard on the floor. Gabe's friends laughed, and Gabe threw Percy to his bedroom door. He started gasping for air as the door swung open and came back and slammed him in the ribs. Tears started to burn in his eyes at the sharp pain.

"Run then, Perseus! Run," Gabe taunted.

"Paul!" Percy called, jumping up from his chair as Paul wanted to exit the kitchen. He turned around, nervous and excited. "I - I…" Percy looked back at his pencil on the table trying to find his words. Run then, Perseus! Run. "My mom…" Are ya ignoring me? "Don't… don't hurt her, okay?"

"Okay," Paul said.

"No," Percy replied. "Promise me… please."

Bring back some beer and be useful, will ya?

"I promise," Paul said, a smile on his face. "You can count on me."

Percy smiled back, "Thank you."

Paul left the room and Percy was left alone to his own thoughts. You shouldn't talk about her like that.

I promise. You can count on me.

You can review for more 'chapter-oneshots' if you like this. Sorry about Gabe by the way :)
-Aquatic Decendants