Guess who's writing this story, too. Me.

TW: Hints of Gabe hurting Percy.

Annabeth sat at the swings, moving back and forth lamely as she watched her baby brothers playing in the sand. She was older than them - five whole years older, too! And yet, her father always seemed to stay with her stepmom to play with the twin boys. She hardly understood why. They were messy, and stupid, and didn't like books or anything of the like. They were also babies that cried in the night and liked their mommy more.

So it was completely lost to Annabeth as to why her father decided they were more worth his time than she was. She always strayed from her stepmother, who strayed from her. Her stepmother never raised her voice, but she never spoke kindly either. Annabeth was never nasty to her, but she never really showed any love either.

Her father always looked at her like she was a red wine stain on a white table cloth; something he didn't particularly want, but could get rid of. Come to think of it, she was exactly that. Before Susan, her dad talked of her mother like she was a goddess, but then... she left, and when she returned, she had a child for him to care for. The wine, the beauty, her mom; the tablecloth, the serenity, his life; and the stain, the nuisance, her.

She knew her daddy didn't really love her. He put up with her. He made that very clear. At first she wasn't sure, but when she saw how he looked at her stupid, messy little brothers, she learned the difference between love and annoyance, putting up with.

It was almost as if Annabeth was a guest in the Chase household, despite being the second chase in the house (she came before Susan by four whole years).

She had almost considered running, once, for her life, with her life. Because at night, she saw them, the monsters. And every night she cried, her sobs were disregarded by her parent and house guests (because she didn't think of her brothers and her step mom as family).

Percy Jackson's life wasn't anywhere near as uncomfortable, but he certainly wasn't as wealthy as the Chases.

The young lad lived with his mother and stupid, messy, smelly stepfather. A nightmare.

His life was nice when he was with his mommy, but his mommy worked so much, he spent most of his time with Smelly Gabe.

It wasn't that bad living with Gabe, he would remind himself. Even though he through bottles of bad smelling stuff at him, made him cry, and sometimes, only sometimes, made Percy hurt, he brought enough money to bring food to the table and pay the rent. He endured it for his mommy.

So he hid his bruises and wiped his tears and smiled when she came home from a long days work, and she was never too tired to return it.

So he swung back and forth next to Annabeth, and thought about nothingness, as he usually did. Percy Jackson was not a stupid boy or a simpleton, but he was no big thinker either. He thought so often, he would take every chance he could not to. Like on days that neared his birthday.

His father had left before he was born but never returned. He was rich and important and couldn't be seen with someone like his mommy. His mommy said he was kind and sweet and brave, but lost himself at sea.

Percy hated his father.

His father was a coward, who stayed with his mom for her face and left for the thing growing in her belly. If he had stayed, he would get lots of food to eat and Smelly Gabe would be ruining someone else's life.

Percy hated because of his poor lifestyle.

Annabeth was bitter, but calm because of her stiff household.

Percy hated his deceased, missing, whatever-he-was dad, without ever meeting him.

Annabeth missed her deceased, missing, whatever-she-was mom, without ever meeting her.

Percy was a simpleton in the eyes of others.

Annabeth was a genius in the eyes of others.

Percy was not what he seemed to be.

Annabeth was everything she looked to be.

The two were practically polar opposites, even swinging against synchronization.

As Percy swung forward, Annabeth swung back.

"Hello," Percy said, tying to make conversation with the blonde girl that swung beside him.

"Hi," Annabeth replied, swinging harder.

Percy swung harder with her, as the air grew tense.

"What's your name?"

"Annabeth."

"I'm Percy."

"That's nice. I didn't ask."

The words were blunt. They held no cruelty, however, as they were simply the honest thing to say. The air grew heavier still between them still, growing thicker with competition and awkwardness.

"I thought you should know, since I know yours," Percy said.

"Right. That's nice."

Percy could tell she didn't really care, so he tried some other forms of conversation. "Um, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"So am I."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You're annoying."

"I'm sorry," Percy said, and he stopped talking. He looked anywhere but her. He should have know she wouldn't want to talk to him; nobody really did.

"No... keep talking," Annabeth said.

"What? But you just said-"

"I know what I said, stupid. Just keep talking. Everything is so boring here. I hate it. Just talk," she said.

Percy felt confused, but he said, "I'm dis... disle... dislec..."

"Keep going, you're almost there."

"Dyslexic," Percy finished. "I don't know what that means, but-"

"It means you can't read. I'm dyslexic too."

"Really?"

"No, I'm lying."

"Oh," he said lamely. Percy felt embarrassed for believing her so quickly, and also disappointed. He thought someone out there could understand the feeling of being made fun of for being "diseased".

"I'm joking," Annabeth said. "I really do have dyslexia. I wasn't lying."

"Really?" Percy asked hopefully, looking at her, swinging back and forth next to him, but he couldn't see her as her face whizzed by.

"Really. I also have ADHD," she said.

"So do I!" Percy exclaimed excitedly. Maybe he and Annabeth were more alike than he thought...?

"Do you know what that means?"

Percy's ears turned pink, and he admitted sheepishly, "No..."

He swore Annabeth chuckled. "It means 'Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder'."

"Wow. What does that mean?"

"It means you can't sit still."

"Cool! I can never sit still. That's why I'm swinging," Percy said, smiling in her direction. "Hey, how do you know all this?"

"The Internet."

"Are you The Internet?" he asked in awe.

He may not have been able to see her face, but he could hear her sigh. "No. That's a stupid question."

"I always ask stupid questions," he said, shrugging.

"I could tell."

Silence fell, and they continued to swing, as per usual.

"So."

"So."

Percy noticed she had stopped swinging, and so, he stopped too.

"Why are you talking to me?" she asked, locking her gaze on his.

She had tanned skin and messy blonde curls. She had grey eyes that shone with curiosity. She wasn't that pretty, not like that other girls in the class.

But her stare sure was intimidating. So Percy replied in the best way he could; sarcastically.

"'Cause you asked me to. Duh."

She glared at him. "No, why did you start talking to me. Nobody talks to me."

Percy thought for a minute, before he said, "'Cause you looked lonely."

Annabeth's gaze widened, and she hopped off the swings. "I gotta go."

She ran before Percy could say that he had to go, too.

Even when they jumped off the swings of the park, after they were gone, the swings continued to swing back and forth in an opposite fashion.

Review I guess. More coming soon.

Did I make them too mature? I don't really know how five year olds talk. But I do know they're not bubby little shits filled with joy and blah blah. I work with little kids at school in a tutoring system, and they're the most blunt, fast-learning things I know.