Working title feel free to suggest better ones.
The night would have been utterly beautiful if it hadn't been so bitterly cold. A small fire flickered in front of the two boys, er men, er, guys that tried desperately to get warm. The fire wasn't working very well, though it did illuminate the two guys faces. One was bigger, older looking-about 26- he had a tan and blond hair, a scar running down his face, without the scar he could have been handsome, with the pretty hair, nice blue eyes, and muscle-toned body. The other guy was a smaller thinner version of the first. He was clearly younger-maybe 19- but he had similar blond hair and blue eyes. He had an almost sinister look to him, although his features also held deep sadness. He had no apparent muscles and no ugly scar, but he didn't really need any scars to be unappealing, his whole self seemed strange and almost cruel. They were both shivering like crazy, wrapped up in ratty sleeping backs, incapable of getting warm with such limited resources. The younger's blue eyes flitted around for a second before focusing on the older one. Once he was sure the older guy wasn't looking he thrust his hands into the fire for a little added warmth.
It didn't take long for the older one to drag him out, his voice taking on a scolding tone.
"Octavian! You moron. Hard enough looking out for both of us without you going and burning yourself!"
"Sorry Luke..." Octavian muttered. Fortunately his hands weren't burnt too badly.
"You get to take the first watch and don't you dare do anything stupid or I will abandon you in the middle of the woods just like when I found you."
"That's super threatening." Octavian said, rolling his eyes. He knew that Luke had started seeing him as family and probably wouldn't abandon him. Probably. Maybe. Hopefully... He sat and watched out for horribly, beastly, monsters who wanted to destroy the demigod world. It seemed like they were always waiting for monsters or chasing after monsters or SOMETHING involving monsters. For being the demigod scum who had endangered both Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter they were now forced to protect those camps as well as any wandering demigod who needed protection, which meant a lot of monster fighting. Luke was a natural, but Octavian had always been better at scheming and persuading other people to do the fighting bits. He could fight and all, he just wasn't very good at it. If someone decided to attack while Luke was asleep, Octavian hoped it was a small monster.
Morning came with only a few scratches from pesky monsters. Despite the almost uneventful night, Luke was still uneasy. Of course it would be Octavian to get hurt. The kid couldn't stay out of trouble! It made Luke wish they had some ambrosia, or something. They didn't even have any bandages. The weapons they had were stolen, and they'd have to steal a lot more to survive. So much for being the good guys, when they had to rely on petty thievery just to survive a week. But they were hungry and cold, they needed to steal. They couldn't exactly get a job, not with no place to stay. Not when they moved to a new location every day. Not when they had to focus their entire lives on helping people, being the good guys and yet they stole.
They were good at stealing too. They'd go in separately, Octavian would distract the employees Luke would grab the things they needed. Octavian was good at charming people, years of using it at Senate meanings to get his way helped with that. He could charm cashiers so much that they'd give him free coupons, bundles of them. If they actually bought things the coupons would have been handy, but the used them unconventionally instead, as fire starters. Luke was good at the stealing part, he was in and out in mere minutes. He'd steal blankets and food, they were filthy but hygiene wasn't high on their list of priorities. Filthy or not, Luke could steal and Octavian could charm and nothing else really mattered. They ate well that night. The food lasted two days and for a few more days they went without. Then they'd steal again. They didn't mind stealing. It was for a good cause. They weren't going to let each other die again. Not when they were so close to actually being the heroes that they'd wanted to be in their first life.
Luke was especially careful about the not dying part. Whenever he could he took the hit, took the fall took the pain or the hunger. If he died he would be reborn. He could leave two more lives and achieve the Isles of the Blessed. Octavian wouldn't get that. Octavian hadn't last minute saved the world, even though he HAD destroyed Gaea, sort of. But even though the second Titan war had been Luke's fault he'd still gotten a chance to make things right, and though he deserved eternal punishment he wouldn't get it. The thought of losing his new family hurt, but it hurt even more to think that if Octavian didn't get his chance to be a hero he would be gone forever. Forced to suffer even though all along his intentions had been good, he'd just gone about things wrong.
But Luke didn't blame him. They'd both had miserable childhoods. Luke had had friends at Camp Half Blood, but Octavian hadn't even had that. How could he NOT end up a little evil? But Luke knew that Octavian WASN'T evil.
Hopefully Hades would realize that when Octavian's second death came around, and hopefully that wouldn't be anytime soon, because so far acts of heroism were few and far between.
I've wanted to write this for so long. I do have a plan for one of the chapters and i'm so excited.