Hi, it's been a minute. This is my contribution to the Camp Half-Blood Forum. Sorry it's short, I haven't written in ages.
Prompt 4: Is that a mirror in your pocket, cause I can see myself in your pants
Rated: K+
Words: 559
Title from Queen - Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...)
"Is that a mirror in your pocket, cause I can see myself in your pants."
Percy cringed as loud chortles echoed throughout the room, the sharp, precise clap of a high-five ringing in his eardrums.
He looked up from his makeshift station in the minuscule 'kitchen', if one could even call it that, where he was helping Sally prepare dinner for the two of them.
Percy glared at the man – no, pig – that dared say that foul sentence.
Jared.
If Gabe was smelly, Jared was toxic. He would often pull these kinds of stunts on Sally and Percy, trying to gauge reactions. Good or bad, it didn't really seem to matter.
Now, when Percy says toxic, he doesn't mean he stinks. Nothing and no one could out-stink Gabe.
He had beady eyes that could see right through any façade. He was cunning, manipulative. He had this uncanny ability to wrap, misconstrue and contort any situation so that he was always, always, the victim.
He was clever, and he scared Percy more than anyone. Which is why, though he glowered, he lowered his head, aggressively chopping the carrots for their stir fry.
Jared also was rich. He leant the Jacksons some cash so they could afford this kind of meal. Well, it was mostly for snacks for Gabe's poker cronies, but Sally knew how to pull strings and spread food so thinly that she could scrape together a nice dinner for her and Percy.
Sally smiled stiffly, instantly straightening from where she had bent down to clean up the mass of beer bottles and crumpled crisps packets.
She took a couple of brisk steps past the goons when a hand snatched for her wrist. Sally turned, a short intake of breath alerting Percy of what was happening.
Jared smiled sweetly, gently caressing her forearm. She twitched uncomfortably, and Percy had had enough.
"Let go of her," Percy said, gaining the attention of the four men. When Jared's eyes locked with his, Percy instantly faltered, worried he'd said something wrong.
"Aww, and why should I do that, exactly?" He crooned, his grip still bruising. Percy stammered slightly, looking for words to say that wouldn't make either of them at the brutal end of four disgusting, yet strong, big, powerful, dominant men.
"Because – be- uh, she didn't- um," he stuttered, struggling under the intense gaze of the older man. Jared only raised his eyebrows, waiting for Percy to articulate a worthy response.
Jared 'tsked', shaking his head mockingly. He opened his mouth to respond, but Gabe slapped him on the arm.
"Hey, get your hands off my wife."
Percy closed his eyes, silently praying this would be the only time he could ever be remotely grateful for Gabe's presence.
Jared turned to Gabe, smirking.
"Or what," he challenged.
Gabe raised a fist.
"Or I'll thump ya, you hear?"
Jared released Sally, raising his hands in a motion of surrender. Sally scurried back into the kitchen.
Percy had no doubt Gabe would've followed through with his threat, and he was sure Jared knew that too. Jared may be cunning, but he had no body strength and wouldn't be able to defend himself if he wanted to.
Percy wrapped his mother in a hug, and swore to always protect her better than just now. He couldn't let anything happen to her. He just couldn't.
