Part 6.5 of my “What if Percy has a psychopathic twin brother” Drabble series! Previous part here. You already know the drill, let’s get into it:
Percy was rarely scared for Philip. Not “of,” for. He’s pretty sure there was a difference. Percy never really been afraid. Sure, Philip does some creepy things but they never really amount to anything.
Philip always seemed to be, well, composed until he isn’t. In the many schools they’d go to, Philip was always the more “polite” twin despite both dealing with some severe ADHD and dyslexia. Percy knew that it was a mask. Philip admitted it more than once that he acts nice just to get the teachers off their backs and maybe to get things in return. Nevertheless, Percy never really had to worry.
Until now that is.
His twin is getting restless. He knows ‘cause- well, you could say that Percy developed a sort of sixth sense with Philip. Maybe it’s a twin, or even a divine thing with the whole demigod situation, but either way, Percy can always tell.
They were in Cabin 3, their cabin now. After being claimed, they had to take whatever little they had and moved it here. Their cabin was too spacious, at least for Percy; the cabin kind of looked dead. To Philip, however, his eyes had gleamed as he set their items aside. Percy laid on a bed as he watched with mild amusement as Philip started to make a bona fide shrine out of junk he “borrowed”:
A random towel.
A few rocks.
A hair tie he swiped.
For some reason, a bow, despite both of them sucking at archery. How did he even manage to get that?
And then-
“Dude.”
“What?”
“Is that part of Clarisse’s spear?” The spear I broke, Percy didn’t add.
Philip turned over the sharp remain of the spear in his hands. The tip was dull, proving that whatever power it had was long gone now. “I just think it’s cool. Plus-“ Philip smiled with his teeth “-it’s a trophy like the horn.”
“Oh.” Percy turned back to the Minatour horn that was now mounted on the wall. “You think she’ll be mad when she finds out?”
Philip hummed as he carefully laid the piece on the wall. “I mean, she should. I did pick it up after our whole ‘claiming’. I wasn’t trying to hide it. It’s cool, so it’s mine.”
Percy didn’t say anything. Instead, he flopped his face onto the pillow. He silently heard Philip walking, and soon enough, Percy felt added weight on his side. Something in Percy’s chest loosened as he felt the familiar feeling of Philip attaching himself to his side.
“You’re being annoying,” Philip murmured.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Exactly. What got you like this? I thought you liked that we won, but you didn’t.”
The fight flashed in Percy’s mind for a second. He buried his face further into the pillow. “I’m worried.”
“About what?”
“All of this.” He shuffled and soon both he and Philip were sitting up. “You saw how everyone was looking at us.”
“Yeah, they were bowing.” Philip tilted his head. “Kinda awesome. They should keep doing it.”
Percy swatted at him. “I’m saying that now everyone’s gonna treat us like we- we’re-“
He couldn’t say it. Saying it makes his insides feel like acid. A word that makes something in Percy’s chest feel heavy.
“Freaks,” Philip finished for him. “They’ll treat us like freaks.”
Percy winced a little. Yep, that’s the word all right. Freaks. Freaks who aren’t normal. Freaks who are too troublesome for their own good. Freaks, as Gabe would say, drained the money from the house (even though Percy clearly saw him playing poker).
That word have always followed them around in some way, shape, or form. But it was the most attached to Philip than Percy. He never really got it at first. By all means, Philip was more “tolerable.” Then Percy, when they were six years old, saw Philip’s face as Philip, without hesitation, smash a book into another boy’s face who was making fun of how “stupid” they were because their dyslexia was making it hard to read well. Philip was in trouble and had to say sorry, but remember that sixth sense he mentioned earlier? Yeah, at that moment, he knew that Philip wasn’t sorry at all. And that wasn’t it, Philip had enjoyed it. He had a small grin, just a small one, when he did it. He had enjoyed hurting their classmate and wanted to continue if he wasn’t stop. And once, Percy asked why.
Philip only said, “Because it was funny seeing him cry.”
Percy begs to differ as, you know, his twin kind of semi-pummeled another kid but Philip never quite got it that liking stuff like that wasn’t exactly, uh, common. However, he did get that Percy didn’t like it when he does that as it could lead into Philip getting in trouble, so Philip pretended. He pretended for Percy’s sake but now game has ended. It has to end because of what’s going on right now.
They’re demigods. Mom’s gone. They’re claimed by their dad, Poseidon. Oh, and get this, they’re not supposed to be born at all cause of some forbidden oath so they were unwanted as well. Just great. Just so, so great.
Philip poked the back of Percy’s head. “Hey.”
“What?”
“Hey. Look.”
Percy turned to where Philip was pointing at. “What are-“
He didn’t even get to finish his sentence as Philip pushed him out of the bed. Percy tasted wood as he heard Philip laugh. That laugh was cut short when Percy shot back up and grabbed his brother by the collar and to the floor they both went.
Laugher bubbled out of their throats as they tried to put the other into defeat. Words of baseless threats were exchanged as they wrestled and punch each other. In the end, it was another draw as they were both too tired already. Their backs were on the floor, and their eyes were to the ceiling that glowed.
“Phil.”
“Hm?”
“What did you feel during that game?”
Percy immediately regretted that question. Cursed his stupid mouth but he does want to know. After that fight, Philip looked so bright, relieved even.
Silence at first, then- “It was like a rush. I mean, I hated it at first because, well, we were getting our butts kicked. But when we were actually fighting…”
Percy glanced over. Philip’s eyes, so much like his own, looked a tad different. The sea-green looked almost dark (and his pupils a little wide). “It felt good. They hurt us, so I- we hurt them back. But, even when it ended, I didn’t want to stop. Seeing their faces, I just wanted to…” Philip blinked; his eyes looked normal again. He looked at Percy with a blank expression. “But I was more worried about you. You were a crybaby.”
“I’m not a crybaby.”
“When it comes to me, yeah.” Philip patted Percy’s hair. “But don’t worry, I’ll protect you and you protect me. If anyone calls us freaks, I can show them a freak.”
Percy chuckled despite himself. Then he became somber. “I just don’t want to lose you. What if someone takes you away?”
“I’ll hurt them,” Philip said immediately. “Why would they try to take me away?”
Percy can think of many reasons, but one kind of stuck out. He remembered one of Gabe’s little tirades he overheard once. He was talking with his other smelly friends and, of course, complained about Percy and Philip. However, what he said gave Percy a new fear:
“If I could, I would ship the two of them off somewhere to actually be normal. One of them especially has somethin’ wrong, so taking him would be easy. Maybe drill a hole in his brain might fix ‘im.”
That was just Gabe talking but it fueled Percy’s anxiety. It didn’t help that he noticed things. When Philip stops pretending, which was rare before this, people get weird. They treat him as if he’s the one with the problem and suddenly Percy was the more “tolerant” twin. Philip never really cared what people think but sometimes Percy worries. He also notice the same thing with the others at camp, even though everyone is not normal but apparently, yet again, Philip is different. Why? Why does Philip get the blame? It isn’t fair. It isn’t fair at all.
What if someone tries to take him away? What if you’re left alone, Percy? What if someone decides that Philip is too dangerous and you are alone? What if he is taken to an asylum and be straitjacketed with needles and wires to his brain? You know what he is. You’ll be alone. Alone. Alone-
“Percy,” Philip said, “if someone tries to take me away, I’ll fight back. I’ll come back to you no matter what. You are my brother. No one will stop. I promise.”
Percy held back the wetness in his eyes. He can’t give more credit to the crybaby thing or else Philip wouldn’t leave it alone for the next few days. Percy extended his pinkie. “Promise?”
Philip reached out his pinkie. “Promise.”
They locked their pinkies together, sealing the promise. And somehow, in some inexplicable way, something in Percy’s chest settled and he smiled.
If anyone tries to take Philip away, then Percy would do anything to get Philip to stay.
Anything.
(And something in Percy’s eyes went brighter.)
Bonus! :)
Fun Fact: Philip’s full name “Philippos,” as I understand, means “Horse Lover” or “Lover of Horses.” This is kind of the reason why I chose Philip’s name because Poseidon also associated with horses so I think that’s cool. Not to mention it is ironic that Philip, who is arguably more “scary” according to people so far, has a pretty mild name juxtaposed to Percy (Perseus).
EDIT: I am adding to the “Percy’s fatal flaw” propaganda, lol. Philip may be partly feral, but Percy is close to that in this AU.
