Just a head's up, I totally see the apartment as a blend of Sheldon and Leonard and Monica's apartments (Friends and Big Bang Theory), so the little hallway thing where the bedrooms are from the big bang apartment, kitchen and living room/balcony from friends. :3

When Piper awoke next to Jason, she was not expecting to be smelling something delicious. The Jackson-Blofis apartment was comfortable, cosy. It was nothing like the McLean Mansion, with cooks and cleaners ready at the go. Percy was lucky, she thought. Percy had a loving mother around him all the time, not a famous father who was never home so Jane was always there, ready to criticize at any and every moment. Tristan McLean was not the perfect father, and Piper certainly wasn't the perfect daughter. Piper sat up straight when she heard someone swear. A male. Looking over at everyone, she saw that Hazel and Percy were missing. Scrambling up, Piper turned to see Percy in the kitchen, gingerly wrapping a band aid around his index finger, a pile of fresh fruit neatly diced next to him.

Piper quietly glided over to him, smirking to herself. Percy looked up at her and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Percy asked softly, as to not disturb the others. Piper considered his question.

"In a way. Not by your cussing, but the aroma. What's cooking?"

Percy gave her a lop-sided grin.

"My specialty. Blue pancakes with fresh fruit for you healthy people," and he turned to flip a pancake that, sure enough, was blue. Bacon and eggs were sizzling in an electric frypan next to the stove. Two loaves of bread were out, sitting next to a toaster. Piper whistled lowly.

"Man, who are you feeding?"

Percy just sighed. "Seven growing teenagers, a pregnant woman and my step-father. We need all this food."

Piper thought for a moment. Judging by Percy's actions, Piper could tell that Percy really, really cared for his mom. He was a total momma's boy, Piper thought, inwardly smirking at the fact that the great Percy Jackson was so humble to his only family.

"What's your relationship with your mother?"

Percy looked surprised, as if no one ever asked about his mom. Actually, no one ever asked about his mom. Piper knew that most of the seven, especially Jason and Leo, presumed that Sally was dead. No one really expected Percy to be so devoted to his mortal parent, and so eager for her to be having a baby. Especially with someone who wasn't at all related to him. Piper knew she wouldn't be as comfortable as Percy if her dad had told her she was getting a baby sibling. Hazel came out of the bathroom a few moments later. Percy decided to answer Piper's question.

"Well, I love her, you know? She's done so much for me, and she makes the best chocolate chip cookies. When I was younger, I remember always asking about my dad. She would say that he was lost at sea. I guess, after so long, she deserves to be happy. Paul makes her happy. It was really weird at first. But whenever she talked about Paul, she gets the same expression Annabeth gets when I ask her about architecture. Her face lights up, her eyes sparkle, she smiles so wide. I guess that's why I… you know… stopped trying to dislike Paul. I mean, he was my English teacher at school, you know, so it was seriously awkward at first."

Piper did a double take. Percy's step-father was his English teacher? Gods, if she had one of her teachers date her dad, she would probably boil her cornucopia and eat it. But for her dad to marry her teacher, Piper would rather have Aphrodite's blessing again. Piper glanced at Hazel. She was inspecting her nails, as if wondering which one she would use as a weapon to kill someone. Piper, confused at Hazel's behaviour, reached out to her.

"Hazel? You okay?"

Hazel looked up, startled. She blushed, and said,

"Oh, yeah. Just lost in thought, I guess,"

Piper was genuinely troubled by her friend.

"Is everything okay with Frank?"

Hazel was just confused.

"Why would I be having problems with Frank?" she asked, bewildered at Piper's rash accusation. Piper held her hands up in a surrendering fashion. Neither of them noticed Percy reaching into a drawer and picking up a saucepan and spoon. Percy glanced at the clock. Ten thirty. Time to get up.

Inconspicuously, Percy walked past Piper and Hazel. Standing behind the couch the rest of the group were sleeping soundly on, Percy squared his shoulders and inhaled deeply. He raised the pot and spoon, and whacked the spoon violently against the pot, shouting,

"Up and at 'em! Food is ready you sloths! Get up! Get up!"

Everyone woke startled and fell of the couch. Percy cackled evilly and made his way to the kitchen, four disgruntled teens in his wake. When Paul and Sally stumbled into the room, Percy grinned and started helping himself to breakfast. Needless to say, Percy was right. They really did need all that food.

Hazel was determined to get Percy alone. She didn't understand why on earth he was so happy with Paul. Paul was Percy's step-father. Percy's step-father was the one who was so cruel to Percy all those years ago. But he seemed like a good guy. Was this an act, a façade? Was Paul, Sally and Percy hiding something from them? When it was announced that Paul and Sally were going away for the weekend, for 'quality time', Percy was once again, bantering with Paul about taking care of his mom. But Hazel could see a slight trace of worry, showing Percy was scared about his mom going away with this… this creep. When they left the apartment, Percy proposed they all stay for the weekend, then head back to camp on Monday when Percy went to school. Everyone agreed, and somehow Leo had found a guitar. It was a pale yellow and brown wooden acoustic, beaten and obviously old. Percy had grabbed it from Leo and put it in another room.

The air was filled with happy chatter, laughter and food. Percy and Piper had gone to the nearest gas station and practically bought the whole candy aisle. Skittles, chocolates, cookies, oreos, sour patch kids, twizzlers, whatever you name, they got. Smoothies were made. Food was poured into giant glass bowls.

It was roughly ten at night when the power went out. Annabeth had shrieked, but Leo quickly ignited himself for everyone. Percy grabbed Leo's arm and together they found eight candles and a menorah. Apparently, Percy was part Jewish. Because why not? Percy had explained how the Geller-Bing's across the hall were Jews, and Sally was really good friends with them, so they would celebrate Hanukkah with them and the wife's brother and his wife.

When Leo found the guitar, again, Percy had blushed. Leo started making an excessive amount of really bad noise with the guitar until Percy snatched it from him, stoking the instrument like a baby.

"What's that smell?" Frank said, the group suddenly smelling a sour kind of fragrance drifting through the apartment. Jason rolled his eyes.

"It'll be the milk. There's no power, remember?"

Everyone groaned, except for Percy. He picked up the guitar and started plucking a somehow amazing melody. He cleared his throat and when everyone was expecting a horrible voice, Percy sang clearly and melodically,

"New York City has no power,
and the milk is getting sour.
But for Frank it is not scary
'cos he stays away from dairy."

Needless to say, the whole group was gobsmacked.

"Percy? Since when can you sing and song-write?" Annabeth spluttered, obviously having no idea about this. Percy blushed. Before he could answer, all the lights flickered before turning on fully. Having been accustomed to the dim glow of the candles, all the seven cried out to the now harsh lights. Leo even decided to re-enact the wicked witch of the west, by crying out,

"I'm melting! I'm melting!"

Percy also decided to re-enact someone, falling on the floor, back arched and withering around, doing a perfect imitation of Gollum.

"It burnses! It burnses!"

Scratchy, odd voice and all. Grabbing Percy's wrist, Annabeth hauled him up. The TV flickered to life, now showing the Netflix home page.

"Ooh! Let's watch Riverdale!" Piper cried out, snatching the remote. Hazel decided it was now or never. She stood and tapped Percy on the shoulder, indicating she wanted to talk on the balcony. Percy sighed, but he stood and meekly followed her out on the balcony.

"Percy? What the Hades?" she whisper-yelled, crossing her arms. Percy hung his head, not sure where she was going with this, but he had an inkling.

"You tell me your step-father got you into drugs, and you're here bantering with him?"

Percy looked at her astonished.

"Haze, Paul only became my step-father, like, two or three years ago. I had another step-father before him," he said slowly. Hazel started to feel guilty, so she punched him in the gut. Percy winced, looking at her in fear. Hazel glared at him.

"Who was this other step-father then? Where is he? What did he do?"

Percy sat on the balcony edge, tracing an array of cracks with his index finger.

"Bad things," he whispered, his voice cracking. Hazel rubbed his hand in a soothing manner, noticing how emotional he had suddenly become.

Hazel pointed an accusational finger at him, poking him hard in the chest. "You! You are just as sick as your secrets!" she whisper-yelled. Percy only looked at the ground, guilt evident in his handsome features.

"You really want to know?" he said carefully. Hazel nodded. Percy regarded her with big green eyes.

"Okay, but you have to promise me two things. One, do not interrupt. And two, you cannot tell the others anything, or treat me any different,"

Hazel jumped up in the wide ledge, crossing her legs and facing him.

"That was three," she said, raising an eyebrow sceptically. Percy rolled his eyes and immaturely mimicked her 'that was three,' in a childish manner, sticking his tongue out with his silent word and face scrunched up, causing Hazel to giggle. She still found it amazing how someone like Percy, going through what he went through, could remain so… himself. Annabeth had certainly changed after Tartarus, distancing herself, relying on Percy a lot more and letting her emotions shine through more. But Percy seemed to have kept his personality. Hazel respected him for it.

Percy glanced behind him to make sure the others were focused on the TV before starting.

"There was a man called Gabe Ugliano. An Italian, New Jersey creep. My mom married him when I was about three. I was starting to attract monsters with my amazing scent, so she married him to 'protect' me. Not much protection, the way he treated us. He died when I was twelve though," Percy mused, absolutely no sadness or regret in his voice.

"I was twelve right? Maybe eleven, when I came home. My mom was working late at the candy store when I walked past the kitchen to my room. Gabe, my then step-father, cornered me. If there is one thing you need to know about Gabe, it was that he was disgusting.

"He smelled disgusting, he behaved disgustingly, a generally awful person. Abusive too,"

At this, Hazel gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Tears started to prickle in the corners of her eyes. Percy was… abused? Sure she knew that Leo had been hit by a foster family, but he ran away. But, Sally married this poor excuse of a man when Percy was three, and he died when Percy was twelve. That was nine years. Nine years of abuse. Leo would always complain how none of them knew how it felt to be so unwanted and unloved that people would hit him for enjoyment. And Leo used to pick on Percy, saying how he was so loved by everyone he didn't know how it felt to be unwanted. Percy had never said anything, when really, he knew more about it than Leo himself.

"You're thinking of Leo, aren't you?" Percy muttered, snapping Hazel from her daze. She nodded timidly.

"Did you know I was expelled from seven schools in seven years?" Percy asked, waiting for her reaction. Hazel stared at him disbelievingly. Percy nodded.

"I think that's the biggest difference between me and Leo. Leo would run away as soon as possible because he felt unwanted. I, I was always sent away because they didn't want me, I was too much trouble," Percy mumbled, a lone tear slowly made its way down is naturally light brown face.

"He doesn't understand. He never gave anyone a chance. I wanted people to take a chance on me. I wanted to prove I wasn't a waste of space. But all I was, was a no good, troubled ADHD kid who can't read. They didn't want that. Heck, I didn't want that."

Hazel placed her hand on top of his.

"We're all a little dyslexic, Perce," she whispered. Percy shook his head.

"I'm not a little dyslexic. I was diagnosed at four with multiple types of dyslexia. Double deficit dyslexia, surface dyslexia and dyscalculia. You guys can all read quite well. I can't at all. It's so frustrating to hear you all complain about it. You can't read small writing, oh no! I can't recognise a fucking letter sometimes! If I wasn't a demi-god, I would have had dyslexia anyway. It's just," Percy put his head in his hands for a count to ten before looking up. He smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, this isn't what we were talking about. So-"

And Percy told Hazel how Gabe had black-mailed him into getting the drugs, forced him to taking the drugs, of course leaving out the fact that Gabe had raped him.

"Then I went to camp. A lot of bad stuff happened, and I sent Medusa's head to the gods. They sent it back, and my mom used it to petrify Gabe. Sold the statue to an art museum, used the money to get her GED."

Hazel stretched her arms, rolled her neck and cracked all her stiff joints.

"I have a new respect for your mom," she said. Before actually thinking about his words.

"So that statue-"

"Yes. That was Gabe Ugliano," Percy said, scratching his neck. Hazel now knew why Percy had reacted the way he had, judging by his story. They went back inside to find the others wrapped up in one of the best TV shows ever. They sat next to their respective others, and they never talked about what happened on the balcony. Hazel kept her promise. They both knew and understood each other's privacy. Hazel understood that Percy had needed to let it all out to someone. Because lies and secrets are like cancer in the soul. They eat away what's good and leave only destruction behind. Hazel now also understood that the most charming smile can hide the deepest secret. The prettiest eyes have cried the most tears. And the kindest hearts have felt the most pain.

What did you think? I don't know whether to write another chapter or leave it here. Let me know! If you have an idea, PM me or just mention it in a review. Also, I don't know if the dyslexia thing is true. The meanings are:

Double deficit - have trouble isolating sounds. People can't quickly name letters and numbers when they see them.
Surface - hard to remember whole words by sight. Have trouble with words like weight or debt.
Dyscalculia - severe difficulty in making arithmetic calculations

Thanks for reading guys, gals and non-binary pals :3