Percy's POV
I had run home as quick as possible.
When I walked through the door panting and sweating I was met with Gabe and his poker buddies.
Gabe didn't even look up as he said, "Got any money, dumb ass?"
I laid the five bucks I had earned from mowing Mrs. Converts lawn Saturday in front of him. "We have an, umm, project do tomorrow so I,I-I am gonna have a friend over." I said my voice trembling in fear.
"Whatever punk. Just stay out of my way."
I nodded and ran to the kitchen. I grabbed a bag of chips hoping Gabe would wait until after Nico left to beat me for it. Also I grabbed a beer for Gabe, so maybe he would leave me alone today.
After I had brought Gabe his beer I started cleaning.
It's not that I needed to impress Nico, but I'm pretty sure blood stains would make him a little suspicious.
I had just finished cleaning the last one from my bedroom when there was a knock on the door. I opened the door to see Nico standing at the door looking awkward.
Something felt off, but I ignored it and let him in. We went to my bedroom and started our work.
We spent almost an hour arguing over who we should do. Usually when I'm around people I'm always faking it. Always hiding the scars and pain. But, it felt like I had known Nico for years.
We had finally made up our mind when Gabe yelled, "Hey, punk get in here."
I jumped up from where I was sitting on the floor. My heart started beating fast and I think I was hyperventilating a bit. Basically I was panicking.
I turned towards him and quickly said, "Stay here!"
He nodded, but looked confused. "You have to stay here okay. No matter what you have stay here." I didn't wait for his reply and ran out of my room shutting the door behind me.
I slowly walked the rest of the way to the living room.
When I got there both Gabe and his poker buddies were standing around the table. Gabe was the one who spoke, "Where's my chips you good for nothing piece of shit?"
Great. I knew that would come back to bite me in the butt.
I sighed and prepared myself for the beating that would surely come.
"I asked you a question punk."
I lowered my eyes.
Gabe took a step forward and punched me. You could here the sickening snap as my jaw broke under his hand, but I kept in my whimper hoping Nico wouldn't hear.
He pulled his fist back and again he punched me across the jaw. This time I couldn't help the pathetic sound that escaped my lips.
He punched me a third time and I collapsed to the floor.
All I could do is squeeze my eyes shut as his foot came at my head.
Gabe started kicking me over and over while his buddies joined in. Punches and kicks landed all over my body breaking countless bones.
This was one of the worst beatings I've ever took. When they finished I could hardly feel my body because I was in so much pain.
I shook and it took everything I had to stay awake. Something told me if I fell into the luxury of unconscious bliss I wouldn't come out of it.
I took a deep breath and wished I hadn't. My ribs must have been broke because that breath felt like someone drove I sword deep into my chest.
I slowly and painfully crawled to my room.
There was something I was forgetting, something important. I dragged myself to my door.
My vision was all kinds of black and grey as I reached for the handle. The outstretch of my arm was enough to send me into the darkness that had been pulling me in.
I had one last curse as I realized what I had forgotten, Nico.
Nico's POV
Percy opened the door with big eyes. He smelt a little bit like bleach, but I ignored it as he let me in.
A bunch of big disgusting men were sitting around a table playing some card game.
They had obviously been drinking a lot. The smell filled the air and glass bottles littered the floor. I really hoped that Percy didn't have to live with this every day, but something about the way he dragged me to his room in a hurry told me otherwise.
We went into his room. It was exactly how you would picture Percy's room and I could almost pretend that we were just visiting his mom after a long year at camp.
He sat criss-cross-applesauce on the bed and pulled out a blue (of course) laptop.
I sat on the bed with him and we started discussing who we were going to do.
We were fighting over who we were going to do the project on. It once again felt like nothing had changed. I missed this. Me and Percy never really hang out he's always busy with the seven.
We were laughing at gods only know what when a shout came from the main room, "Hey, punk get in here."
We had been in every position around his room from laying on the bed to hanging upside down off the edge. We were sitting in the floor and Percy jumped up with wide eyes. "Stay here,"
I was confused, but nodded my head. I planned on spying on him with shadows, but then he said, "You have to stay here okay. No matter what you have to stay here."
The pure terror in his voice kept me right where I was while he walked out the door. I swallowed hard and kept quiet as I tried to here what was going on.
I couldn't hear a thing though. The only thing I heard was a whimper that sounded like it came from Percy.
I went a while trying to hear what was going on and had finally decided to go check on Percy. As I was about to open the door there was a soft thunk on it.
Dread built in my stomach as I eased the door open.
What I saw almost made me hurl.
Laying on the floor in a pool of blood was Percy. His clothes were ripped and his skin was covered in so many cuts and bruises that you couldn't see his true skin tone. What really worried me was the blood that covered his face.
I choked out his name as I knelt down next to him. He was unconscious. I felt his head where a large bump was starting to form.
I felt the back of his head where blood was coating his hair. Another large bump was on the back of his head.
His breathing was rapid.
I picked him up and he was surprisingly light. I laid him on his bed and went into his bathroom looking for bandages.
I didn't know what happened to him, but something told me I wouldn't be happy when I found out. And I would find out.
Luckily there was a mini hospital under the sink. He had all kinds of medicine and bandages stuffed in the small cabinet.
I wanted to be happy, but this confirmed the fact that this happened a lot. I walked over to his bed.
I had a slight panic attack as I realized I could no longer hear his breathing. A stone dropped into my stomach.
I felt for a pulse, but I couldn't find it. "Oh gods Percy." I tapped the side of his cheek hoping for a response. He didn't even flinch as a smacked him a little harder. "No, no, no, no, no. Don't you do that Jackson."
So many curse words went through my mind as I picked him back up. I packed him into the bathroom and gently laid him in the tub clothes and all.
I turned the water on and prayed to anyone who could possibly be listening in on this horrible moment that water would still heal him.
I sat watching but nothing happened, "Annabeth will kill you and me if she finds out you went and died on her you stupid...Annabeth"
I ran back into Percy's bedroom and grabbed Thalia's phone.
I sent them a quick text telling them to bring nector and ambrosia.
Less than a minute later I received a text back that said they would be here soon.
I threw the phone down and ran back to Percy.
When I had finally accepted that the water wasn't doing anything I laid him out on the floor and waited for the others.
