Author's Notes: I just rattled this off while procrastinating and watching Class of the Titans, a show from my youth.
When I re-watched 'Field of Nightmares' I was really disappointed with the way they portrayed Medea and Jason, especially since they barely mentioned that Jason treated Medea pretty terribly, and though she did go crazy after and do some pretty terrible stuff (which they also glossed over, but then again, murdering one's offspring isn't very kid-friendly), the fault is, at least partially his. Also the Amazons, who weren't anymore megalomaniacal then any other character in mythology. So I'll probably write some sort rage-filled fix-it fic.
be brave, be silent; out of such patience you can hope
the child you leave behind will not lie unburied here
–Euripides, "Trojan Women"
His name is Adrian and she is in love with him. ('That's cliché Thérèse,' She can hear her sixth grade creative writing teacher tell her in a lilting French accent.)
They meet in a museum, not in the classical wing like you'd expect with they way her life is going, no, they meet in front of a seascape, all foam and rage, little boats, barely smudges of brown paint, being battered against the shores and for a second, starring into that artificial abyss, Theresa feels powerful.
'Terrible, isn't it?' He has an ironic twist to his mouth, as if challenging her to deny it.
'Beautiful, isn't it?' She has never been able to resist a challenge (Every hero has a hamartia and pride has always been her sin of choice.)
'Exquisite.' I see you, he says
'Horrible.' I see you too.
Theresa remembers sitting on her parents' bed watching her mother put on makeup.
'One day, my love, a man will take your heart, put it in a case, and never give it back.'
'Like Daddy?'
'Yes, my love, exactly like Daddy.' Althea smoothed bright red lipstick across the fresh cut in her lips and smiles.
He whispers he loves her as they make love in her dorm room and she moans so that she doesn't have to respond.
'I see you.' He tells her later, drawing lazy mazes across her skin.
'Predators can always see each other.'
Even as the others shift nervously as they run though the maze, staring nervously at the minotaurs arounds her, even as Jay yells commands to disguise how own fear, Theresa feels an incredible sense of calm. She's always been fond of mazes and this is her story.
He knits her a ridiculously long scarf in a soft fine yellow yarn for her birthday, and the colour clashes horribly with her hair and it makes Neil moan about being blinded every time she wears it and she absolutely loves it.
Jay quietly seethes but Theresa cannot find it in herself to care.
Her daddy gives her a red convertible for her seventeenth birthday and she curls her hands into fists and pretends not to notice his hand skimming along her backside.
(Later, she makes herself afraid because that's what her new teammates and guardians want, a pretty flower with a few thorns in need of protection. Only Athena curls her lip in a smirk; 'I see you', she says.)
She meets Phaedra two months into their relationship. She's the hippy little sister, seventeen, the same age as Atlanta and full of foolish idealism. Phaedra stands on her soapbox making speeches full of righteous anger and youthful folly and Theresa falls a little bit in love with her.
(She remembers a time not so long ago when she was the same.)
'That boy will do you no good, Theresa.' Athena sits a steaming cup of coffee next to Theresa's elbow as she carefully paints her lips red.
Theresa only nods because she knows how the story goes. She puts on a black coat on the way out the door.
Sometimes, when he smiles or grabs her hand, Jay makes her stomach do a funny sort of flip-flop that is oddly pleasant. Sometimes she even wants to do something about it, and in those moments she can't think of a reason not to.
She finds a million in the sorrowful rage in Meadelia's eyes.
Theresa's always been a believer in history repeating itself and heroes are not strong enough to make those sacrifices.
On their first date she wears a black and white striped dress.
'I have a terrible memory sometimes and it would do no good to send the wrong message.'
Adrian designs the first piece of her tattoo for her, a devilish looking maze that starts over her heart and slowly creeps across her body over the years, eventually covering her skin in a maze of fine lines that nobody can ever solve.
The boys whistle and gawp the first time they see it while Atlanta tells Theresa she 'didn't know you had it in you' and Theresa tries to be proud rather then offended.
'It will not end well, dearest one.' Apollo says with silvery eyes that speak of a thousand sleepless nights.
'No,' She concedes, 'It never does.'
(Theresa was always her mother's daughter)
He takes her to a A Midsummer's Night's Dream and she cries all the way through. Her yellow scarf soaks up her tears and he wraps his arm around her on the walk to her dorm.
When she gets back she throws herself into Persephone's arms and cries for fair Hippolyta.
She asks Artemis to teach her how to shoot and the goddess's golden eyes speak of too many days.
Althea leaves in her red sports car and doesn't come back (Theresa's black dress itches, though she finds she's rather fond of the red lipstick).
She leaves him waiting at a cafe, two cafe au laits and a brioche cooling in front of him.