It was roughly two am, and she was awake. Hazel was tired. But it was a kind of tired that sleep couldn't fix. No, Hazel's mind was tired. It was easy at first to keep a secret for Percy, but now she wasn't so sure. It was exhausting. She now saw Percy in a new light. She picked up things she never noticed before, like how Percy always scratched his fore-arm when he was uncomfortable, or even just bored. His right fore-arm, with his SPQR tattoo. She noticed how often Percy would go to the bathroom for long periods of time. It was silent, she had no idea what he was doing. One of the lighter things she noticed was that Percy seemed to enjoy making the others happy. Playing songs for them, some with deep meanings, others just plain ridiculous. Like his own, awesome rendition of Smelly Cat, an original by Phoebe Buffay™.

This secret was eating Hazel, making her twitchy. She became restless, needing to let someone know about this secret. It was chewing at her conscience. Hazel wasn't the best secret keeper. By the looks of it, Percy wouldn't relent into telling anyone. But, Hazel didn't swear on the River Styx to keep a secret. Getting up slowly to not disturb anyone, Hazel gently woke Annabeth. She needed a way out, and the blonde seemed like her only option.

"Hazel! It's the middle of the night? What is it?" a very disgruntled blonde huffed, as Hazel had dragged her to the bathroom. Annabeth flicked on the light, and both girls blinked quickly at the harsh lighting. Hazel sat on the ground, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, sweetie," Annabeth murmured, rushing down to wrap her arms around the crying girl. Hazel broke, and let out a sob. Annabeth just held her, as she would to a child or little sister, wrapping one arm around Hazel's shoulders, one stroking her hair. Annabeth felt her shirt getting damp, but she didn't mind. Hazel tried to stifle her sobs, and Annabeth gently pushed away, reaching up to the bathroom cupboard to get a box of tissues and drag the bin towards them. Once Hazel had blown her nose and dried her eyes, she laughed softly.

"I'm so sorry, Annabeth. I just jumped on you. Emotionally," Hazel muffled, unsure of how to start. Before Annabeth could say anything, Hazel let everything out like word vomit.

"I don't know how it happened but in the tour we had I ended up in an alley Percy found me with a drug dealer and he told me a whole bunch of really bad stuff and he made me swear not to tell anyone but not on the River Styx which is why I'm telling you because you're his girlfriend and you deserve to know and -" Hazel stopped, panting. Annabeth scrunched up her face.

"Okay, I got about fifty percent of that, thanks to Percy. What I'm getting from that is Percy told you a secret and you want to tell me?" her voice trailed off in the end, finishing the statement in a questioning voice.

Hazel was relieved. At least she wouldn't have to repeat herself again. She nodded, looking at Annabeth.

"So, are you going to tell me this secret or…" Annabeth wondered, trailing off again. Hazel laughed and nodded, repositioning her body to a more comfortable position.

"Do you know Gabe Ugliano?" Hazel queried. Annabeth nodded, a sinking feeling in her stomach. Sure, she had heard stories about Smelly Gabe, but she didn't know to an extent of what he did. And it looked like Hazel did.

"Good. Well, when Percy was younger, maybe eleven or twelve, Gabe made him pick up some drugs."

And so the conversation went on, almost identical to the one only a few hours before. Annabeth had almost the same reactions. By the end Annabeth was in tears, the water running down her face as if they were in a rush. Her eyes had gone red and this time, Hazel wrapped her in a hug. The girls sat on the cold bathroom floor for a long time. By the time they left the bathroom, it was almost six thirty. When they opened the door, Leo was on the other side. He raised an eyebrow sceptically. Both girls rolled their eyes and whacked him on the head. Leo cursed in Spanish before pushing past them, closing the door and locking them out.

Surprisingly, everyone was up. Friends was playing on the TV. Percy was up too, bopping around in the kitchen, a playlist of eighties music playing softly. Obviously everyone had only just gotten up. Frank told them how Percy had woken them all up early by sprinkling pepper on them, making them sneeze themselves awake. Although a preferred method to the previous day, no one wanted to be up at six thirty.

Annabeth padded over to the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Percy, causing him to smile softly as he continued singing Dancing in the dark and preparing breakfast.

"What's cooking?" Annabeth queried, untangling her arms from his waist and instead moving to stand next to him.

"Just whatever I could find. I have a tonne of mushrooms in that pot over there," he said distractedly, pointing a knife in the general direction of the stove. "Um, and bacon and stuff," he finished, chopping up an apple. Everything seemed okay at the moment, so she gently tugged Percy's hand.

"Percy, can I talk to you?" she murmured, leading him from the kitchen. Percy obediently followed, unsure why Annabeth seemed so… sad. They went into Percy's room, and Percy closed the door.

"What's up?" Percy asked, looking at Annabeth.

"I talked to Hazel," Annabeth began, and Percy groaned, sliding down the door. Percy put his head in his hands, trying hard to not cry. Annabeth knelt next to him.

"Percy, why didn't you tell me?" she asked gently, knowing if she got mad all hell would break loose. Percy sighed, still not looking up. Through his hands, Annabeth heard Percy whisper.

"I didn't want you to treat me differently. Hazel found out on accident, and she deserved an explanation. I'm guessing she told you everything," and Percy looked up. His eyes looked empty, broken. Almost the same as they did in Tartarus. Annabeth cupped Percy's cheek, stopping him from looking away. A tear rolled down his cheek, and she wiped it away with her thumb.

"Percy, we have known each-other for years. You can trust me. I want to know who you are, all of it. You know all of me," Annabeth mumbled, pulling him forward slightly and rested her forehead on his. Percy leaned towards her and kissed her gently. She kissed him back, letting him know that she truly cared for him. They sat there, lips gently working together for a while, being in each other's presence. It was enough.

"Percy, we're gonna need you to spill something," Piper stated, her voice hard and her expression stern.

Percy blanched, and Hazel and Annabeth exchanged looks. Had Hazel told the others already?

"Since when can you sing?" Piper gushed, her eyes sparkling and returning to her normal self. Percy heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's a long story, I don't want to bore you," Percy said, unsure of how to tell the others. Everyone protested, feeling the need to know. Percy laughed and held his hands up in defence.

"Okay, alright. My mom wanted me to learn how to sing, as it would bring a little bit of happiness to our lives. The Geller-Bings across the hall would give me singing lessons with one of their kids. The girl. We would hold concerts for our parents. I went to school, and they taught me how to play the guitar. See, boring," Percy finished, his face a deep shade of red. He ran a hand through his hair, and said, "Piper, you can sing too!"

Piper scoffed. "Please, that's charm-sing. Besides, I want to hear you sing again,"

After much protesting, Percy somehow had his hands on his old guitar. Percy thought for a while before clearing his throat, strumming the guitar and started singing. He looked at Annabeth the whole time. When the chorus came a second time, Annabeth almost burst into tears.

"Cause we a still kids but we're so in love,
fighting against all odds.
I know we'll be alright this time,
Darling just hold my hand
be my girl I'll be your man,
I see my future in your eyes

"Baby I'm
Dancing in the dark,
with you between my arms.
Barefoot on the grass,
listening to our favourite song.
When I saw you in that dress,
looking so beautiful
I don't deserve this,
You look perfect, tonight."

Percy finished the song and Annabeth threw her arms around his neck.

"I know Ed Sheeran wrote the song, but I feel like you meant it for me," Annabeth whispered against his neck. Percy smiled softly.

"I did."

Hazel was chewing her nails. She felt sick in the stomach, like her butterflies were trying to flutter up her esophagus. Leo was complaining again about how his foster parents hit him until he ran away.

"You know, I just want a little recognition, okay? These people didn't want me, so they slapped me. I ran, away from everything. None of you know what it's like! Annabeth ran away because she wanted to. Jason's mom is dead, Hazel's mom was possessed by Gaia. Piper's dad was a celebrity who ignored her," Leo said, pacing the carpet. Leo was often brash about his rants. No-one ever interrupted him, and everyone knew what was coming after. "And, of course, Fank and Percy grew up in a fucking loving environment, with their moms. All happy and care-free!"

Hazel couldn't hold it in. Her stomach felt light and empty, aside having just eaten dinner. She clapped her hands over her ears.

"Stop it Leo! You weren't the only one of us who was abused!" Hazel screeched, eyes wide with tears shining. Everyone's heads snapped in her direction, and she was half-tempted to ask if any of them got whip-lash.

"What do you mean," Frank asked in a quiet voice. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Hazel gingerly looked at Percy, who was slowly shrinking into Annabeth, who held him protectively. Hazel took a deep breath.

"Percy was abused too," she said solemnly. Leo spoke first.

"Seriously?"

Everyone looked at Percy, who had buried his face in Annabeth's shoulder.

"Percy, if you don't tell them, I will," Hazel said stoutly. Annabeth glared at her, but Hazel wouldn't back down. Not now.

Piper's eyes shifted nervously between the three. She knew Hazel was acting strange, but she didn't know she was hoarding a secret. A secret this big and dark. Of course it was eating her up.

"Hazel. Not a word," Annabeth growled, stroking Percy's hair simultaneously. Hazel gulped, guilt trickling though her veins, but relief flooding her being. Percy sat up, not wanting Annabeth to get become angry.

"I'll tell you guys, but please. I- I was a lot younger then. I hadn't known I was a demigod.

"Um, when I was about three, I started attracting monsters. As my mom is clear-sighted, she grew scared. For both of our lives. I… we needed protection. So she went into the city and met a guy who happened to smell worse than Chiron's rear end. His name was Gabe Ugliano. He was my first step-father. He was nice for about the first three seconds I met him. As soon as they were married, he turned evil. He hit my mom, he hit me. He took my moms' pay cheque. He took all of my loose change. For years. We lived in a tiny, dingy apartment, only a little way from here. Two bedrooms. We could barely afford it. My mom worked in a candy store at Grand Central Station, paid less than minimum wage. Gabe made her have a budget for her clothes. I rarely got anything, often wearing my mom's clothes. She often worked double shifts, meaning she would be home really late. That was when Gabe hit me most. My mom knew, but she couldn't do anything about it, until I was old enough to go to boarding school. When I was there, everyone hated me. My first friend was Grover, who I met when I was twelve. I was expelled from school after school, for things that I hadn't done,"

Percy started to get choked up, voice getting thick. Leo looked guilty.

"I was bullied forever. By kids and teachers. Who would like the dyslexic, ADHD delinquent who grew up in poverty? No one."
Percy raked a hand through his hair. No one spoke. No one had known Percy's life had been so hard.

"I found out I was a demigod when I was twelve. At camp-"

"Everyone liked you?" Leo said spitefully, angry that Percy had a worse life than him. A horrible reason, but Leo felt Percy out did him in everything, even growing up terribly.

Percy looked Leo in the eye.

"Everyone hated me. Luke tried to kill me, Annabeth loathed me, Clarisse used me as a punching bag. I was a scrawny, short dork who messed everything up. My mom had been kidnapped by Hades, the gods wanted me dead. I went on my first quest. Did you know, the first time I met my dad, the first thing he said to me was-"

"You are my favourite son?" Jason muttered. Percy looked hurt. He looked at his hands.

"He told me he was sorry I was born," Percy whispered, tears in his eyes. Jason and Leo immediately felt guilty. Piper almost cried. Yes, the gods were jerks, but none of them had been told that. Annabeth stood, bringing Percy with her.

"I think that's enough for tonight. We should all get some sleep. Percy and I will be in Percy's room," Annabeth claimed, leading them to the said bedroom. Piper stood and turned the lights off, enveloping the room in darkness.

So, everyone knows now that Percy was abused! No drugs tho. I tried to incorporate everyone's ideas! Please let me know if you have any other ideas!

I know half of it was OOC, but it's for the plot.

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