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When Leo whispered to him loudly, "Party at the Hermes cabin tonight," this was not what he expected.
Percy looked around him, acutely conscious of the stench of alcohol. He shifted around on his feet, painfully aware of the lack of Annabeth beside him.
The room was dimly lit, and constantly changing colour. He wondered whether the Hecate kids had used magic and put some sort of spell onto the room. He didn't really know and to be honest, didn't really care at that moment. He just wanted out of there. He felt discomfort spreading like an oil spill in the ocean
"Percy!" He heard a voice screech. "My guy, glad to see you finally came!" Leo giggled, stumbling around, red cup in hand.
"Are you drunk?" Percy felt his chest tighten, his fight or flight senses kicking in. He hated how affected he still was by alcohol.
"No, me? Never." Leo gasped dramatically, putting his hand to his mouth.
"Great. Wow." Percy grimaced, gritting his teeth together. Looking around, he realised that almost everyone in the cabin had a red plastic cup in hand. He crossed his arms as discomfort rose in him.
"Do you want a cup? I can-" Leo started, grabbing onto Percy's wrist, starting to drag him to the kitchen.
"No!" Percy bellowed, tearing his arm away. "I mean, no thank you," he muttered as curious eyes looked over their direction.
"Jesus Perce, I was just asking." Leo giggled, taking another sip of the curious mixture in his cup.
"Aren't you sixteen? You're not meant to drink, it's illegal." Percy sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall of the cabin, slowly edging towards the door.
"Didn't realise you were such a pruude," Leo whined, shifting to stand next to Percy. "c'mon, have a sip, you'll feel better!" he said, shoving the red cup into Percy's face.
Percy swore, jumped up as he felt the need to escape, and knocked the cup onto the ground, spilling it all over the ground. He felt the prickling of people looking at him, and felt murmurs rumble around him as he looked into Leo's narrowed eyes.
"Dude, what the fuck?" Leo snorted, "It just was a joke. I didn't realise you were so sensitive."
"Sorry," Percy mumbled, looking down.
"It's fine," Leo waved a hand nonchalantly. "You feeling okay?"
"It's nothing." Percy muttered.
"You're so quiet," Leo inched towards him, nudging him. "You sure? I'm drunk and dumb and I can still sense something's wrong,"
"I think I've just been looking at your face too long." Percy grinned weakly.
"Dude!" Leo guffawed, and punched Percy's shoulder.
Percy froze.
He could smell the alcohol on Leo's breath, and felt the sting on his arm and he couldn't breathe again and he was twelve again and everything just-
Percy felt the blood trickle out of his nose as he felt his head hit the kitchen counter with a 'thump'.
"Useless shit," Gabe slurred, swayed towards the kitchen counter, rolling up his sleeves. "can't even make pasta right. Why did I marry your bitch of a mother?"
Percy felt his head thump with pain, and anger. "You can't say anything about mom when all you do is gamble all her money away all day. Like honestly, get off your ass and get a job." Percy didn't know what he was saying, but he felt a faint satisfaction as he saw ugly Gabe's eyes fill with rage.
Another kick. Percy felt his stomach throb. He groaned and clutched his stomach. Gabe laughed, leaning towards Percy, so his alcohol laden breath went straight up Percy's nose. Percy gagged.
Gabe raised his hand. Percy flinched.
"Percy! I just came out looking for you,"
Percy became acutely aware that he was out of the cramped, dark cabin, and that there was a very pretty girl in front of him. "Annabeth?" Percy gaped.
He was sitting outside the cabin, his back against the brick wall, Annabeth in front of him, holding his hands.
"What happened, Leo?" Annabeth asked the curly haired boy who was standing awkwardly at the door.
"Um, well, we were just joking around and then he just..." Leo shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. "ran outside and started hyperventilating?"
"What did you say to him?" Annabeth smiled humorlessly, eyes devoid of their usual warmth.
"Nothing!" Leo protested, "I was just joking around about drinking..."
"I think Calypso was looking for you," Annabeth smiled sweetly, beckoning Leo back into the cabin. "Percy," she asked softly, "are you ok?"
"I'm...alright," he murmured, leaning his lead against the wall. "just, everyone was drinking and you know-I just..."
"Percy, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," Annabeth shuffled to sit next to her boyfriend, their shoulders brushing.
"I know," Percy muttered. "I want to." he took a breath. "You know my old stepdad, Gabe?"
"Ugly Gabe?" Percy smiled at that
"Yeah, his surname was Ugliano. Fucking Ugliano," Percy couldn't help but crack up at that, which resulted in Annabeth joining. "Anyways he drank. A lot. And he uh, he hit me. And my mom. Wasn't a very nice guy."
"Oh, Perce," Annabeth sighed. lacing their hands together. "I'm s-"
"Don't apologise. Don't feel bad for me. I just-I don't know." He leaned his head on her shoulder.
"What a dick," Annabeth scoffed, leaning her head against his. "I don't know how you didn't just kill him right there."
"I didn't. Mom turned him into a statue with Medusa's head though."
"Oh my god," Annabeth burst into laughter, "I love your mom."
"Me too," Percy grinned.
"Still don't know how you coped with him for so long."
"Me neither."
"Seaweed brain?"
"Wise girl?"
"I love you."
"Love you too."