The Bread Thief | Percabeth | Victorian Era AU

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗: 𝕲𝖔𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖕𝖘

"Where did you go last night?" Luke asks as they walk through the town. "We were supposed to meet after supper but you didn't show up."

Annabeth sighs and tries to move around in her dress. "I met with Thalia," she lies. "She needed help with her lessons."

In reality, Annabeth didn't show up because she met Percy. She and he began meeting on a regular basis behind the gentleman's club. Annabeth brought him bread and cheeses from her kitchen so he wouldn't go hungry. Last night she was supposed to meet Luke but knew there wouldn't be any repercussions if she didn't go, so she didn't.

"You are such a good friend," Luke says. "Thalia is really lucky, especially since she works at the gentleman's club."

Annabeth looks at her boyfriend. "You know about that?" she asks.

"Of course," Luke says. "She's their best worker."

Annabeth has to force herself to not gag at the thought of Luke thinking about Thalia in her lavender dress. She minds her tongue and doesn't speak for the rest of the time they are in the small town unless she is spoken to by someone.

When she finally gets home, her father is standing in the kitchen, glaring at her.

"Can I help you?" Annabeth asks. "You know if you keep scowling like that your face will get stuck like that?"

"Did you hear any town gossip while you were out?" he asks, getting straight to the point.

Annabeth sighs. "I . . . I suppose I heard some things about the Magistrates."

Her fathers scowl deepens. "Like what?"

Annabeth holds back a laugh but lets her smile dance on her lips. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she asks.

"Annabeth," her father says, trying to scare her.

"Hm?" Annabeth hums her response. "Maybe you should try using your tongue and tell me what you want to say. Men are supposed to straight forward, aren't they?"

Fredrick takes a deep breath before bracing himself on the counter. "You are so frustrating," he says. He put his face in his hands. "Why are you like this?"

Annabeth shrugs. "Because it bothers you that I am so vocal about what I think about people and you and, well, everything. I love getting under people's skin. It's so . . . satisfying."

"Just tell me what they are saying," her father demands. "Now."

Annabeth crosses her arms. "Maybe if you ask real nice, I will. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I will be disrespected."

"But that's exactly that! You are a girl! No one is going to treat you with respect! You. Are. Property!" he scolds harshly. '

Annabeth grinds her teeth. "I am not property! I am a person! You will treat me as such. Especially if you want the information that's in my head, and if you have me hung or so much as lay a hand on me, you'll never get it. People trust me and when people trust someone they tell them things." She takes a deep breath. "So technically, I have all the power here because I can't be replaced and you need me!" she yells. "I respect people who deserve respect."

"Like who?" her father tests.

"Like Percy," Annabeth replies without hesitation. "You treat him like scum when in reality he works his bosom off around here trying to please everyone."

"He is a criminal!"

"He was starving!" Annabeth yells at the top of her lungs, almost crying. "He was a starving boy trying not to die! We throw out so much food when in reality we could give it to him, and the other people who work here for that matter! You are a selfish ratbag and I'm sick of acting as I support you! I hate you! I am ashamed to be your daughter!"

"You have no right to speak to me that way," Frederick scolds. "You are my daughter. You are so goddamn frustrating! Why can't you just be normal?"

Annabeth scoffs. "You mean mindless? You mean a complete numbskull? You mean some sort of toy for her man? News flash, I will not insult my own intelligence by being like those whores at the gentleman's club whose only goal in life is to please their man."

Frederick sighs. "You are worse than a gal-boy."

Annabeth smiles. "Well the jokes on you, gal-boys are way nicer than people like you. At least they are willing to be themselves. You just put on a happy face and pretend like everything is perfect when in reality, I'm willing to bet you are falling apart on the inside, aren't you."

Frederick's jaw tightens and he grabs Annabeth's wrist. "One day you are going to learn how to behave yourself," he warns as he tries (tries) to drag Annabeth up the stairs.

She rips her arm away from him. "You are not the boss of me! You lost that right when you tried to treat me like a newspaper." Annabeth turns around and walks out of the house, ignoring her father's protests.

She walks down the street and finds her way to the town. She avoids all the men who are trying to ask her questions and stays away from the women's stares as she walks around as if she owns the village.

Annabeth swipes a slice of bread from the stand as the merchant is helping someone else and slides in between the buildings and finds herself behind the gentleman's club where she meets Percy every night. She sat on a milk crate and put her hands on her face and openly wept. She hates her life. She can't stand the fact that everyone tells her what they do, how to think, what to wear.

All she wants to do is become a fugitive with Percy and . . . live for once.