-Several years prior-

Yancy Academy, home of kids whose parents couldn't ever bother to care about. Percy thought the school was mediocre at best, nothing ever really stood out about the school.

  But Grover Underwood did, he was kind and caring. Percy didn't know why his parents sent him to Yancy, he was responsible and had the best behavior in their class. He never asked about it either, he figured that wasn't the best question to ask. Everyone had their own circumstances.

  "I was thinking we could hang out later, maybe sneak out into the city." Grover had his rebellious streaks too, something that came unexpected.

"I've always wanted to check out the music shop," Percy grinned at the thought, but soon frowned and shook his head. "My parents won't be happy if I left."

"You mean Gabe won't be happy if you snuck out," Grover sighed, "It's alright, maybe another time." Grover leaned back in his seat, they were in the library. It was lunch, they liked to hide there from annoying girls that threw food at them.

Percy looked down at the table and grazed his hand against the small carvings that he'd put there many weeks prior. "We might be able to sneak down there later, Gabe needs me to do something downtown and there's no limit of how long I'll be out of the apartment."

Grover furrowed his brows and stared at Percy for a moment, "What does he need you to do?"

Percy shrugged, "Probably go to where he works and try and beg them to give him more paid vacation time. Who knows with him these days." Percy rubbed his eyes, something he did when he lied. Grover had picked up on that after only a week of knowing Percy, though he never realized how much Percy lied to him at the time.

Turns out that Percy lied a lot, it was something Grover never quite understood. He wanted to confront him about it, but there wasn't much to say. Percy would deny it, he already knew that.

"Percy Jackson to the main office please, Percy Jackson to the main office."

He sighed and stood up, "That'd be me, I'll see you later."

Grover nodded, watching him leave, "Call my house if you can hang out later, okay?"

"Yep," Percy sighed, closing the door behind him and crossing the hallways to the office. He opened the door and stared at his step-father, who sat in one of the office chairs with a scorn on his face.

"Come on kid, we can't be late to your dentist appointment." Ah yes, the dentist. That was a classic excuse that Gabe used, though Percy was surprised the office ladies believed it even though it was multiple times a month where this excuse would be used.

  When he opened the passenger door of Gabe's rusty car, he was met with a bag sitting there. Percy picked it up and glanced at Gabe.

  "I'll be dropping you off to where you need to go, just a simple exchange. They give you the money and you give them the bag."

Percy furrowed his brows and sat down. 

——————

  You'd wonder how Percy's luck was continuously terrible, it still surprised him. Ever since he'd left Yancy, things kept going downhill. He'd moved schools and his stepfather's drug business skyrocketed. Officers were starting to close in on the area, making Percy's job more complex.

It didn't help that Percy stood out like a sore thumb. It was mainly his eyes, he could thank his dad for that one. His black hair was alright, though usually hidden with either a beanie or a hood. Percy also usually sported a black eye, or a bruised jaw. That also stood out against his pale skin. He didn't used to be so pale, but he'd developed some deficiencies and avoided direct sunlight as much as he could.

He was guessing his appearance was why he kept seeing the same cop car wherever he went. They knew there was a kid selling drugs, one in that area. Percy was a known trouble-maker, though all his accusations had reasonable explanations. He stole from the gas station store because he hadn't eaten in days, he'd pickpocketed a wealthy man because his mom was sick and needed medicine. The police wouldn't understand that though, New York wasn't a place for sympathy.

So when he returned home from school, it made sense that he reconsidered his options upon the sight of the same cop car parked in front of his apartment. It was obvious that the officer was inside, the windows were open and that was always a habit his mother had when company was over.

So, as any dumb kid would do, he instead knocked on his neighbor's door. Hades stopped by many times throughout him living there, even trying to reach out to Percy specifically. Percy didn't understand it, but he figured he should take advantage of that connection.

  He knocked quietly on the door, he didn't want unwanted company to hear. The door opened almost immediately, Hades standing there with an uncertain gaze. He looked out and saw the police car, then grabbed Percy's shoulder and led him inside.

  "What's that about?" He shut the door behind him.

  "I don't know," Percy mumbled, "I came home and it was-"

  "Ok, let's just wait it out then. Are you hungry?" He closed his windows and locked his door. He then turned to the phone left on the counter and widened his eyes as he picked it up, "Nico, I have to go. I'll call you later, okay kid?"

  "Who was that?"

   Hades looked at Percy and sighed, "No one." He placed the phone onto its place on the wall and sat down. "You remind me of my brother."

  "Why?" Percy didn't question the strange behavior, he didn't care. He'd seen Gabe act stranger.

  Hades shrugged, "You Just do."

  "Weird," Percy sighed, "But alright."

———————————-

  Handcuffs were uncomfortable, that was all he could think about. Being in the back of a police car was very disorienting, the blue and red flashing lights making him feel like he was in an crime movie, but he was the antagonist getting arrested at the end.

  It also definitely wasn't how he'd expected his Saturday night to go, but there he was. In front of a juvenile prison where kids way tougher than him were home to. He was only 12, he should've only been worrying about middle school, not his life.

  "Get out," the officer said, tugging at him to stand up out of the car. Percy did as he was told and allowed himself to be dragged into the building. He was handed a uniform and was led to his cell. It was worse than he was expecting. The room held one stiff metal bed with a thin blanket and a small pillow, then a toilet in the corner and a small table on the other side. The walls were white and bare, he could see himself going insane after only a day.

   The next morning came quickly, almost too quickly. He'd woken up with a sore back and a lack of appetite, but he was required to eat and so he would. The other kids looked normal, some almost seeming nice. He found himself seated at a table with two others, a tall Asian boy with dark hair and a scar over his eye. The other boy was blond with a jagged scar going down from his cheek to his jaw. It seemed as though scars were a popular look.

"Fresh meat?" The blond chuckled, taking a bite out of whatever the beige slop was.

"Heard a couple buddies talking about ya, they say you got caught selling drugs?"

Percy remained quiet, sipping from the apple juice cup.

"You're so tiny, how'd you even get any?" The other boy spoke, "You don't even look like you smoke."

"I don't," he mumbled, "I only sold 'em."

They didn't talk to him after that, something that brought comfort to Percy. He was scared shitless already, he didn't need another reason to be scared.

He spent many nights there waking up with nightmares, he couldn't figure out what they were about. The other kids never really bothered him, though many fights broke out and he was able to watch. The guards on the other hand, they seemed to hate him.

———-

I'm lacking inspiration for this story :(
So this kinda sucked but it gave some background info?

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, life has been happening and I actually asked out my now girlfriend so I've been spending some time with her :)