This is where it gets dark. :/ It is quite OOC, so no flames please. :3 This plot is solely for the story, I don't think any of this is true. You have been warned.
Hazel was worried. She saw Percy as her big brother from another mother. She had seen Percy at his most vulnerable, just getting out of the doors of death, for example. Escaping the mud in Alaska. Percy was very shaken from that experience. But when Percy saw that statue, he looked angry, yet fearful. She wanted to help, but she didn't know how.
Hazel was so lost in thought she didn't see the bottle until it was under her foot, causing her to fall. Frank tried to catch her, but he was to slow. She felt a small stinging in the palm of her right hand, where she tried to break the fall. Hazel exhaled, it's just a graze, she thought. The others hurried to help her up, but she signalled to them that she was fine. Everyone was exhausted. They had been walking for an hour, scraping their feet. It was seven thirty, and the sky was starting to darken. Percy sensed that everyone needed a break, so he just lead them to a bus shelter about two meters away. When they got there, Percy gripped Annabeth's hand. They had been walking in front, and for the last twenty minutes, Annabeth had been on Percy's back, too exhausted to continue. Percy cleared his throat.
"Everyone sit down. Rest up, we have about a mile to go."
The seven groaned in annoyance, but Percy raised a hand.
"I am willing to go to the Seven Eleven that was two blocks back, but I think someone should come with me. I don't know, maybe for company?" He looked at everyone hopefully, before Leo stood up.
"I'll come with you, as long as you carry me there," Leo stated with an air of authority. Percy's face split into a grin and bowed playfully.
"As you wish, Master Leo," and Percy turned and squatted, waiting for Leo to jump on. Leo shuffled to Percy and gripped his shoulders. Percy stood up, Leo flailing around, trying to find a balance on Percy's narrow frame. Percy saluted the seven, turned and disappeared into the crowd, Leo gripping on for dear life. Everyone collapsed on the shelter, too tired to do anything. No one spoke.
After five minutes, Hazel was bored, and she stood up. No one noticed, as they had dozed off. Hazel rolled her eyes. Teens, she thought. Hazel stayed around the area, just looking at the array of tall buildings. Hazel couldn't imagine living here. It was so big, and loud. Hazel was honestly glad that she would be going back to live in New Rome. She wouldn't tell Percy that, of course. Hazel knew that Percy loved his city, the lights, the noise, the crowd.
Hazel was so deep in her train of thought that she didn't notice she had wandered into a dark alley until she saw the man. The man was wearing a beanie, had a white, scraggly beard and was covered in dirt and grime. In his hand was a cigarette. A large tan-coloured trench coat hung off his thin frame. He looked Hazel straight in the eye. Alarm bells were ringing in Hazel's ears, warning her to get away. But Hazel's curiosity beat her common sense, and Hazel stayed put. The man looked at her up and down, scanning her. He looked back up to her face.
"Hm, haven't had a young one in a while," he mumbled to himself, before grinning wildly at Hazel. Hazel thought she heard her name, and she whipped around. There was nothing there. Shaking herself, she turned back to the man, squared her shoulders and stared at him. The man kept grinning, and said,
"What can I get for ya? Looks like you've never done this before. Are you doing a delivery?"
Hazel stared at him, confused.
"Um, I don't-"
"Don't know what you want? Or you don't have money?"
Hazel was miffed now. How dare he assume he was poor!
"I have money!" Hazel stated angrily, stomping her foot and crossing her arms. The man only smiled wider.
"That's fine, girlie. What will it be?"
Hazel was about to ask what 'it' was when a voice called her name. She turned around, and saw Percy walking around, looking worried. Hazel smacked herself mentally. What is wrong with her? Percy looked in the alley and saw her, and relief flooded into his face. He ran to her and wrapped her in a hug.
"Gods, Hazel. What were you thinking? Don't wander off like that!" Percy cried, hugging her tighter.
"Can't breathe, Percy!" she puffed out. Percy stepped back and looked her in the eye. The man coughed and Percy's eyes snapped up. He looked at the man, and blanched noticeably. Hazel rubbed his forearm, the one with the SPQR tattoo through his hoodie.
"Everything okay, Percy?" she asked timidly, afraid of the answer. The man chuckled. Hazel looked at the man. He was eyeing Percy in delight, as if Percy was a gift. Percy, on the other hand, was pale and looked like he had seen Gaia again. Percy gripped Hazel's hand and started to back away.
"Aw, come on now Percy! I hasn't seen you in," the man paused to count something on his fingers. "In five years! Are you back? It just so happens that-"
Percy cut off the man.
"No," Percy whispered, his voice seemingly failing him. The old man stared at him, looking upset.
"Now Percy, you were a regular! What happened? I remember when you started buying extra." And at this, the man raised his eyebrows. Percy closed his eyes, looking green. Hazel gripped his hand tighter, jolting him back to reality. She wasn't sure what was going through his mind at the moment, but Hazel was worried. Percy's face was almost unreadable. Almost. He had a very odd look on his face, almost like… temptation.
"Harry, we really must be going. It was nice seeing you but my friends need me," Percy managed to stutter. The man, Harry, just raised his eyebrows higher. So his name is Harry, Hazel thought. Whoever this Harry was, he was making Percy act peculiarly, and made hazel uneasy. Percy must have had bad experiences with this man, and the man knew it. There was a glint in Harry's eyes as he put a hand inside his large trench coat. He pulled out four packages. One filled with chunky, clear crystals, one filled with a green-brown coloured shredded plant and two filled with a white powder. Hazel looked at them, eyes wide.
"Are you doing a delivery?"
"Hm, haven't had a young one in a while,"
"Aw, come on now Percy! I haven't seen you in five years!"
"That's fine, girlie. What will it be?"
Hazel connected the pieces.
"You- you're a drug dealer?" Hazel stuttered, fear flooding through her veins. She knew what drugs looked like. They stressed it into her at Camp Jupiter, and how it messes with you, and is worse when you are a demigod. Harry grinned.
"Yup, and my lovely customer here looks like he wants to make a purchase,"
Hazel tentatively looked at Percy. His eyes were glazed over, looking at the drugs longingly. As if they were a safe haven, someplace to run to. Hazel took a step back, scared out of her wits. Apparently she forgot she was holding Percy's hand still, and he moved back with her, almost ripping their arms off simultaneously as Hazel tried to turn. This pulled Percy out of his trance. Gripping Hazel's hand tighter, he shook his head vigorously, ridding himself of all inducement to the drugs. He glared at Harry.
"No. I'm not going that way again. Later," Percy mumbled and marched out of the alley, Hazel hot on his heel.
They reached the end of the alley, where it meets the sidewalk. Percy looked at Hazel pleadingly.
"Please, do not tell anyone about what just happened."
Hazel looked at him in disgust. This person, who was honest, fun loving, go lucky and quick-witted, was doing drugs. Her brother who wasn't-technically-her-brother was lying to her. But the look in his eyes. He looked distraught, with a pale face, red eyes and worry lines in his forehead. Hazel sighed in defeat, saying "all right. But this changes everything. How long have you been doing them?" Percy looked at his feet, suddenly interested in his sneakers. He mumbled incoherently, making Hazel thwart him on the shoulder. Percy looked at her and said clearly and quietly,
"I haven't done them since I was twelve,"
Hazel shook herself, stunned.
"Percy, that's not only underage and illegal. That's dangerous! What were you thinking!"
Percy looked at her, pained.
"I wasn't! My step father tricked me into the first time, and he made me get them all the time! It was an accident and a mistake. If I could take it back, I would. Now, we have to go back to the others. Do you want me to carry you? It's still a while."
Hazel looked at him, really looked at him. Maybe, just maybe, Percy was hiding a lot more than she initially thought. But he looked so earnest, so sincere that she couldn't refuse. She got on his back, and they made their way back to the others. She was thinking about what he said, and she knew that just like ogres, Percy had layers. And she had only unravelled one.
Whew, that was intense. Like I said earlier, very OOC and nowhere near canon. This is a dark story, not much fluff going on in my twisted mind. Thanks for reading guys, gals and non-binary pals! :3