The Demigod and The Robin

Chapter 37

————— Percy's POV: —————

"Hello Ms. Jackson." I shook the man's hand in front of me, his blonde hair shone with the light coming in from behind.

Taking another glance around the room, the place just seemed all too expensive, especially for a person like me. I carefully took a seat, an image flashing in my mind of the seat collapsing beneath my touch and instantly I tried my best to keep contact with the sleek leather chair as minimal as possible. The man in front of me looked a bit confused as to why I sat at the very edge of the chair, his hands already clamped in front of him.

"Make yourself comfortable, don't worry we're just here to talk." I nodded, though the sentiment didn't do anything to ease my anxiety. I merely scooted half an inch back into the chair, my hands placed in my lap.

I hadn't known this morning I was going to go talk to a lawyer, it just seemed to happen. I'd woken up, found Stephanie at my door, Cass about a foot behind her, the two telling me I needed to get dressed all proper and go with them. I only found out on the way to the meeting as I was strapped into the back of the car that I was being taken to a lawyers office. As far as I knew Cass and Steph were downstairs, about 20 floors downstairs to be specific and I was up here, talking to one of Bruce Wayne's lawyers that he kept on retainer. He was a pretty nice looking guy, definitely looking the part of someone who's a lawyer, his hair slicked back but not so slicked back as to see streaks where his fingers ran through his hair with gel, and his suit was perfect, not a piece of dust on it.

I was nervous for sure, I didn't know this man, and we did little in introductions. Alfred hadn't even been here to talk to me about who this guy was. I guess I was getting a little too used to their help. The thought made me feel guilty as my hands clamped onto each other tighter.

"So, I hear you're going into court against your stepfather, correct?" His voice had switched from confident to soothing and gentle, like talking to a scared animal.

I nodded, looking anywhere but at him, the topic already making me uncomfortable.

His office was filled with modern black and gold accents, books lined the bookshelves cut off only by pictures. He was a family man by the looks of it, and he seemed to love fishing which while a normal hobby by other means, gave me a queasy feeling. I had to look away from a picture of him holding up a large fish next to a small boy who looked remarkably similar to him.

"Alright, well, I want to start off with that while of course you can restrain from telling me anything, it has the potential to hurt the case. I'd like to have all the facts but I'd also like for you to be comfortable, I don't want you to push yourself too hard." I nodded, though I knew he really probably didn't care what I did, the paycheck would be enough no matter what I did. "So let's start with something simple. How did you come to meet and eventually live with your step father?" The man asked, his hand wrapping around a pen as he folded back a page in his legal pad.

I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves before starting. "My mom." My voice came out slightly shaky but I corrected it quickly, "My mom met him, the two started dating and eventually married." I paused, my eyes turning to my hands as I rubbed my thumb against my palm, pushing with more force the closer I got to any uncomfortable subject. I could hear his writing as he quickly noted everything.

"Good, good, and for how long exactly were they together?" I paused for a moment before continuing again.

"About 7 years," he nodded.

"And how old were you when he started coming around?"

"6" I replied. I knew because that birthday had been just the three of us, with mom sitting close to me and Gabe trying his best to perfect his tough guy look for the camera. I hated the way his sweaty hands had sat on my shoulders.