The fluidity of the sea and its people (Khr X Pjo)

chapter 1

What was I thinking?

Everything seemed to go numb as Gabe and his friends laughed and jeered at Percy who was lying on the floor, face bruised and nose bleeding.

What was I thinking?

What was the point of marrying Gabe if he could cause more damage than any monster ever could, when he could beat a child.

The world of the myths made me forget, that there are monsters who don't have claws or poison, but instead are in human skin.

What was I thinking?

Groan

Sally snapped over towards the source of the noise, who currently had a hand clamped in a death grip over his mouth, breaking Sally out of her mental haze. How long has this been going on for?

If it seemed like time froze, it quickly rushed back, as if to catch up to the time that was lost, Percy's muffled groans, the poker chips moving, the cards being shuffled, and a chair screeching against the floor.

What was I thinking?

Sally closed her eyes, for a brief moment enclosing herself from the world. She gave herself a three second before opening her eyes, wishing the truth of the matter would be different. Wishing she had noticed Gabe hurting her son before, wishing she could've been there to protect him.

I wasn't.

"Gabe" Sally stated quietly, before saying a bit louder "GABE."

"Whadaya want" he replied, not even bothering turning around.

An ambient creaking of the floors was one of the few things signifying her movements. "I appreciate being looked at, when spoken to" Sally uttered into the boisterous atmosphere, looking down at the man in front of her, as if he was nothing more than a child.

"Arghh, fine," he groaned. Her u spoken fury raged in her chest, beating away at her heart like they were drums.

How did she never notice how little he cared, how his little poker game was more important than the fact he hurt MY child.

"Hmmm, Sally? Aren't ya supposed to be at work?" Finally turning around, with a surprised expression.

Even the artic blizzards wouldn't have been able to combat her iciness.

"I thought you would be better than this," she watched as his face twisted and turned, unsure of what the conversation would lead into.

"I thought-" she lightly growled, - "no, believed, that you wouldn't go so low as to beat a child" Sally murmured, her words echoing.

Gabe's poker buddies shifted in their seats, uncomfortably watching the tension rise.

"And yet you blew all my expectations out of the waters," Sally's voice trembled, quickly rising in volume. She snapped her head and jabbed her finger against his chest, all her fury, pain, and frustrations boiling over in.

"How dare you live in my home, and eat my food, and use my money, and yet you beat my son as if he isn't a child." Sally ended with a scream, her hands now back at her sides, thoroughly shaking.

His drunken face contorted into a confused look, as if this wasn't the way he expected the conversation to go.

"I want you out" Sally straight up hissed, all while pointing at the door.

Gabe's face turned from confusion to anger, "now Sally, wait a minute-"

"OUT" she screamed.

Gabe stood up, not liking the way this conversation could turn out, "I said, now wait a minute, you can't kick me out" his whole body flushed red "I'm your husband" he yelled, as he slammed his palm against the table, the noise making Percy flinch.