This chapter may be short, but tis BIG. You'll see what I mean.
Theo expected his mother to be sitting on the sofa upon his late night return. He could not deny surprise when he saw Percy sat there, arms folded and the angriest Theo had ever seen him. His cocky remark died in his throat and he bowed his head. His father said nothing, letting the weight of his furious gaze bore down on his son like Atlas' imprisonment.
Patting his hands against his thighs, Theo tried to arrange his whacked and jumbled thought into something mildly coherent. He glanced through his lashes for a split second. Percy was on his feet now, hands in the pockets of his pyjama trousers.
"How's Danielle?" The icy bitternest of his tone struck Theo in the gut like a sledgehammer. He physically felt sick and woozy, unbalanced. Against his will, his feet shuffled back until his shoulder hit the door. "It's nice to know I raised you." Percy growled sarcastically. "Absolutely fantastic that I've a woman-beater for a son." He cursed in Ancient Greek. Theo flinched. "Proud, are you?" Theo offered no response. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." He ordered fiercely. It took a great effort for Theo to raise his head, some extremem internal battling to lift his eyes from the floor. To him and all his siblings, Percy had always been the happy-go-lucky, go-to and comforting parent, sneaking them treats and cracking silly Dad-jokes to make them smile when they were down. Even if it was his favourite colour, he never let his children stay blue for long. Theo had only ever known him to harden his voice and glare as a form of scolding whichever troublemaker had arisen.
But now Theo had really pushed the limits. They were vaguely aware of Smelly Gabe and how he had treated Nana Sally. They all knew how Gabe had turned out in the end, 'The Ugly Poker Player', sold as a statue, the profits used to get young Percy and his mother a decent apartment. "Danielle was here." Percy said, no warmth in his eyes. Theo pressed his back to the door. "Callum and Lilly brought her back; she caused Callum quite some trouble. I've never seen someone so hysterical." His jaw clenched. Theo still said nothing. "What," Percy spat, "were you thinking?" Theo winced so violently, he smacked his head on the door. All his confidence from earlier had disappeared, like a balloon in the wind. He should have known better; his mother was a force to be feared. You would have to have a death wis to mess with Percy. "Answer me."
"I don't know." Theo croaked, his hands trembling, his legs like packs of wet cement.
"You attacked Danielle! You could have killed her!" Theo's fingers instinctively closed around the door handle. Percy threw out his hand. Sea green power snapped into a screen over the door, a vicious tendril crackling through the handle and up Theo's arm. He recoiled sharply, tripping on his own feet and collapsing. "You are going nowhere. Is that clear?" Theo could only nod, rising no farther than on his knees. He saw his father stop before him and then Percy crouched. When Theo didn't look up, Percy gripped his chin harshly, forcing his head back. Theo tried to dislodge those bruising fingers; Percy simply held both his son's wrists in his other hand. Those sea green eyes burned deep into Theo's, making his stomach churn. It was as if his very soul was trying to escape his body. He could now sympathise with any monster caught in his father's wrath. "Danielle was out of her mind, it took well over half an hour to covince her to come in." Theo tried to pull away, but Percy was far stronger than he ever let on. "Why?" He ragefully hissed. Theo was getting pins and needles in his hands, eyes watering from his dad's godly grip. He managed the tiniest shake of his head. Disgusted, Percy shoved him away, so forcefully, Theo's back rammed into the door, stabbing pains ricocheting through his spine, rattling what felt like every bone and nerve in his body. "I don't know what's going on with you, Theo, but I am ashamed at your behaviour." Percy snarled his sentiments in the most venomous, mind-searing way possible, as though he was drawing it up from the very depths of his being; the darkest, coldest pits usually so well concealed, now lodging fire, anger and severe discontent in the eyes Theo normally sought for consolation. "From now on, you stay in your room. You will have nothing, you will see no-one and you will go nowhere. I had Leo fill in the window and your mother took everything she could." Percy scowled. "I never thought you would cause this much damage. Go upstairs and stay there." Sea green eyes raking over Theo, Percy grimaced with loathing. "I don't want to see you."