Okay, here it is. This chapter will have, yes, J/T and A/A, don't worry. Well, it'll be a lot of J/T and some A/A, but you'd be happy to know that the next chapter will balance both of the pairings - well, sort of. This whole story was inspired by just thinking of a game called Truth or Truth in an immersion programme last time. In that variation, you have to select truth, seeing there's no other option and yes, I kinda admit I enjoyed that game and weirdly so, I haven't forgotten it yet. So I will say a muted thanks to Matt, someone who isn't even exactly my friend, who was the one who started it all with the game. Not that he'll ever come to hear of this, no, of course not. Anyway, time to continue the story!
Truth or Dare
"Anyone happen to hear of Truth or Dare before?" Theresa asked aloud questioningly, and was heartened to see looks of recognition spark the guys' faces.
"I've played it before," Archie announced a little too triumphantly, raising his index finger and grinning.
"I think we all have," Odie said, deciding not to touch his laptop for the time being. After all, Atlanta had slammed the laptop cover onto his fingers just a while ago, and a little bit of the pain still lingered. He obviously wasn't going to attempt it again; he'd learnt his lesson.
Everyone nodded at what Odie said.
"Alright, so let's roll!" Theresa grinned, a little excited to see where this game would go. If she wasn't wrong, she'd have someone at her mercy. This was the game she had been waiting for all along. She wondered if she'd face disappointment again, but she knew she had to hope. After all, the anticipation was there. All she needed was a little hope... And a little luck. Too bad it all flew to Neil.
"Who wants to start?" Atlanta began, her eyes settling on Neil again.
"Nope, nope, not me, not this time," Neil huffed, then pointed to Herry. "Let him start for once, or Odie or something."
"Um... Okay... Truth." Herry said, scratching his head ruefully.
"What's your greatest fear?" Atlanta said, just curious to know. Herry might be strong and all, but everyone has their own fears.
Herry thought for awhile. Then he grinned, a little embarrassed. "Maybe losing my teddy bear?"
"Losing your teddy bear?" Archie's eyes widened. "Isn't that a little too... I don't know, un-scary?"
"I don't think so," Atlanta mused quietly, grinning all the while. "I do remember someone told me he had a stuffed bunny at home that'll he'd actually cry if he lost...!"
Archie blushed and was about to shoot back a retort, but in the end closed his mouth. He didn't want to say something that he would regret and make him more embarrassed.
"My turn. Uhm. Truth." Odie awaited someone's question.
Archie smirked. "Who was your first love?"
"What?" Odie answered, a little shocked at the question. He had been prepared to spill secrets, say the most embarrassing thing he'd ever done, but then he hadn't been prepared for a question like that.
"Uhm... Well... It was this girl named Tessa..." Odie started, rubbing his neck a little in embarrassment.
"Did you just say Theresa?" Herry asked, having heard wrongly. His words elicited a glare from Jay.
"He said Tessa," he replied a little too sharply, looking a little defensive. Herry blinked, feeling surprised at Jay's snappishness. He wondered why.
"Uhm, yeah, I said Tessa," Odie said, holding out his hands. "Not Theresa." He was aware of how Jay was acting, and he was pretty sure it had something to do with... Well. Anyway, he made sure he wanted to make it obvious that he wasn't attempting to tread on someone's territory.
Theresa blinked as well, following the exchange with some understanding.
"Anyway. It was this girl named Tessa. She was a blonde, yeah, and she was pretty smart, and she was a..." Odie continued, trying to ease the tension that had just settled in because of Herry's mistake.
Neil effectively broke the ice. "Bimbo? Nerd?"
Odie glared at the blonde. "No! She was alright, really. Not a bimbo, not a nerd, not a goth, not an emo-kid, just... Normal. And she was pretty nice."
Neil yawned. "And let me guess, she didn't like you."
Odie gave Neil a peeved look. "Uh. Yeah. But you didn't need to be so direct about it...!"
Atlanta cut in to stop an argument from rising. Being the host sure was tiring. "Okay, enough. We only have time to go one round before we start the next game, so let's move on. Okay, I pick dare."
"Why did you pick dare, it's the hardest to think of," Archie complained, scowling.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Atlanta stuck out her tongue at him.
"Well yeah," he said, giving her an evil, dark look. "I want to think of something that's terrifyingly hard for you to do."
Atlanta was beginning to regret taking up on a dare, but she said nevertheless, "Oh yeah? I'm sure I'll be able to do it anyway."
Jay grinned. He was feeling a little naughty, but he wasn't sure he dared to. He swallowed. He wanted to get revenge on Archie so badly, and yes, see the both of his friends together, but then it wasn't advisable. Atlanta - and Archie - would have his head on a platter the next day.
Luckily, he didn't need to think far, for Theresa spoke up. "Okay, then, Lanta, I dare to kiss Archie."
There was silence for a moment. It was pretty obvious that that kind of dare had been residing in everyone's minds but nobody had dared to say it. Well, save for Theresa.
Archie gaped. Atlanta gaped, then screeched in horror, "What?!"
Theresa smiled smugly, then winked at her friend. "You said you were up for the challenge."
Atlanta's eyes widened. Was this something to do with Theresa lately asking her if she felt anything for Archie? Maybe she was trying to play matchmaker. She would have felt angry, but right now, she didn't - and she didn't even know why. She felt a little... Apprehensive. Excited. Atlanta shook her head, wondering what in the world had seized her mind. Oh, and her heart too, as well as her stomach - that light fluttery feeling that she'd felt when she encountered Pan, only this one was much, much stronger...
Atlanta gulped. I'll get over this quickly, she decided in her head.
Stalking over to stock-still and red Archie and dropping to her knees, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She then turned to Theresa imploringly.
Theresa grinned. Trying her luck, she pushed, "That isn't a proper kiss, Lannie, you know what I meant."
"What?!" Atlanta said again, feeling a little desperate, but not willing to give up the challenge. Bending down and making it quick, she actually kissed Archie on the lips. "Better now?"
Herry smiled. "Yeah, way better."
Archie, meanwhile, currently had an awe-struck expression on his face, and his eyes were somewhat dilated and unfocused. And he, the poor guy, was in heaven. Well, dreaming that he was. Jay didn't want to even think of what the residential closet poet might be thinking now. Probably some mushy poem for his red-haired friend. Jay shuddered a little.
Atlanta sat down, her head still whirling. What had just happened? And where had it all gone? It had just whizzed by so quickly, she hadn't even processed it at all. Still thinking, her face turned red when she realised the full intensity of what just happened and she bowed her head, feeling as though the whole world was staring at her. What in the world was going on with her?
"Hmm, next me. I pick truth," Neil replied, stretching and then picking up his mirror again.
Jay rolled his eyes. "What's your most embarrassing moment ever?" he asked, curious to know if model-boy over there had any embarrassing encounters before.
Neil straightened up, then said sheepishly, "Uhm, well, when I was six, this agent recognised my talent and he came to me. He asked me for my contacts and everything, and one fine day, he decided to use me for the latest magazine for kids, seeing that I was such a cute little kid. And then..."
Theresa grimaced. "Okay, okay, Neil, cut the long story short. What was so embarrassing about it?"
Neil closed his eyes and gave an aggravated sigh. "Well, during one of the photoshoots, see, I was urgent, and I couldn't wait, so... I... uhm, wet my pants."
Odie burst out laughing. "Guess that happens a lot?" he teased. (A/N: See Confession, another one of my fics.)
It was Neil's turn to glare at him. "No it does not!" he retorted, crossing his arms dramatically. "Other than that, I've got almost nothing else. Hmm, except for that Christmas when I forgot to wish for pants in the mall. And..." His face took on a pale shade, "Zeus and Jay saw it!" (A/N: See the Game Plan, one of the episodes.)
Jay grinned. "Yeah we did. Shoulda took a picture of that," he kidded. Neil's pale face made him immediately add, "Of course, I was just joking."
Archie was still dreaming and Theresa had to shout in his ear to get him to "return" to the game. "Hello? Archie? Archie! Down to earth, Archie!"
"Wha-at?" Archie said, a goofy expression still fixed on his face, and his eyes were still riveted on Atlanta.
Theresa smiled secretly, feeling pleased at her achievement. Hopefully, this would send the two lovebirds together. Now all she needed to bother with was her own lovelife, which currently wasn't yielding much harvest. Sneaking a look at Jay, she sighed, then turned back to Archie.
"Your turn."
"Oh, my turn." Archie said like a doofus. He giggled as though he was on drugs. "Ohkayyy, I pick truth."
Jay winced at Archie's silliness. Now he knew the one thing that could turn the hot-headed, headstrong warrior to mush. A fair-haired maiden's kiss. Or rather, a red-headed, similarly hot-tempered huntress' kiss.
Neil paused, then asked, "What's your deepest, darkest secret?"
Jay waited for the answer. It would probably take the form of something like this: Oh, I like Atlanta. Or something along those lines. And he could have his revenge, two times in a row! Right now, he had just gained the upper-hand again. For Archie, the kiss had reduced him to a stuttering wreck. Anyway, he didn't know why, but he felt uncharacteristically battle-inclined today, even though it was Christmas.
Archie's face darkened for a while, then he crossed his arms. "I don't have any family," he muttered darkly, lowering his face.
"Really?" Herry asked half-jokingly. After all, Archie had never mentioned this fact.
"Well yeah!" Archie replied in annoyance, looking angry. "Gee, you'd think I'd joke about something like that! Yes! I am a orphan, a self-declared orphan and a worldwide-declared orphan! Are you happy now?"
Jay's jaws dropped. He'd never expected something like that from Archie, who had always hid all his secrets away. Of the whole gang, Jay knew the least of him, and even Atlanta, he could guess, hadn't known this, for she was looking shocked and upset for Archie. Jay, feeling a little guilty for thinking about waging war against Archie in a time so serious as this, opened his mouth to speak. "Why... Why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Archie scowled. "Well... It's not something I'd like to share, is it?" He sighed and shut his eyes, probably thinking of those horrendous moments back then. "I was an orphan. I grew up in an orphanage, alone. Bullied. Hiding in a closet and writing poems. That's how I lived my life. It isn't exactly something I'd want to broadcast."
He paused and the rest waited since they could tell that something was coming next. "I've never told anyone this. I didn't want to tell you guys because I didn't want you guys to go all sympathizing on me. Oh, what with all the 'Oh dear, he's an orphan. Come on, let's rally our love and shower it on him, the poor neglected guy.' I didn't want pity nor sympathy. I don't need it."
Archie stopped again. Then he murmured in a low tone, "And I didn't have any friends. Only you guys. I don't want that to change - ever."
Again, for the second time, Jay felt struck by a sense of warmth enveloping his heart. He was well and truly touched. His friends all came from different backgrounds and all, but yet they were all so close. They were a family.
He reached over and patted Archie's back. "And that's not going to change, not if I can help it."
"Me too," Odie added.
"Me three," Herry put in.
"All of us," Theresa replied, smiling gently. "Even Neil."
"Me?" Neil squeaked.
"Yeah, you." Atlanta glared at the blonde.
Archie grinned slightly. "Yeah, I guessed you guys would say as much. You know what, you guys are good friends. The best," he admitted. "Not that you heard me say that. Okay, Theresa, you next. Which will it be, truth or dare?"
Theresa thought for awhile, then deciding against doing a dare because it would be way too risky, judging from Atlanta's evil look, she said, "Truth."
Jay figured he'd take a break and not embarrass himself here, so he just leaned back on the wall and remained silent. Hoping that he'd wouldn't be targeted, he glanced over at Archie. Archie was emotionless, probably serious from revealing his secret, but Atlanta's shining eyes said otherwise.
"Theresa, when did you have your first love?"
Theresa blinked at the question. Then she replied softly, "Two years ago."
Everyone nearly choked. After all, everyone knew that the team had come together two years ago. And in other words, that was the time Theresa had met Jay. She was openly confessing her feelings, only in a more indirect way! And the other thing was that Theresa was mighty pretty and all. Wouldn't she have dated other guys and all, and fallen in love here and there?
"Uhh. Haven't you, like, dated anyone yet?" Odie chose his words carefully.
Theresa shrugged. "Yeah, and I've had crushes before, but I found I never loved any of them." She glanced wistfully to one side. "And they never loved me back. Not that I've ever gotten any since my mum died..."
"So... You love this guy?" Archie, regaining his naughty streak, shot a look at Jay, who pretended not to notice.
"Yeah, lonerboy... I do. If only... If only he loved me back, too..." Theresa answered, her voice shaking a little. She glanced over at Jay at the same time he did, their eyes met, and then both simultaneously looked away at the same time.
There was tension in the air, and Atlanta made a move to once again dispel the heavy atmosphere.
"Theresa, I'm sure he does, only he hasn't told you yet," Atlanta said, shooting Jay a meaningful glance, of which he awkwardly met. "Um, well, Jay, you're next... What do you pick? Truth, or dare?"
"Truth," Jay responded immediately. He certainly wasn't going to put himself at risk doing a dare, seeing what they could do was terrifying.
Archie, seeing that no one had spoken up, said quietly, "I know everyone's being meaning to ask this, and Theresa has as well. For the benefit of our drama queen, I'm going to ask you. Do you love her?"
Silence, absolute silence. No one even dared to breathe. This was the silence-est the day could ever get. Even Jay himself had stopped breathing.
He didn't know what to say. He was stumped. Yes, he did. He loved her. He loved her! But he couldn't tell her, not now. Not when Cronus was still lurking around, threatening to use his love for her to his advantage. The last thing he wanted to do was start a serious relationship with her and put her life on the line. Yet she had been waiting, and he feared her patience was wearing thin. He didn't know what to do, what to say, and he didn't want the whole team to know. Yet, seeing the longing look on her face, he knew he was going to break her heart soon if he didn't. He was the last one in the round to play the Truth or Dare, and now everyone was staring at him, awaiting his response.
He swallowed, then made a decision. After what seemed like years passing, he finally said it aloud.
"Yes, I do. I love her."
Then another round of silence. Everyone blinked, trying to get it into their system that their serious, down-to-earth leader had actually just admitted what he had been hiding for two long years, not to mention say it in front of all of them. Even Odie had a hard time grasping it all.
Finally, Archie broke the silence. "Did... Did you just... Just say what I think I heard you say?" he asked in a low tone, an incredulous look gracing his face.
"Yes," Jay said quietly, yet in the same way, clearly. "I said I love her."
Avoiding her eyes, he quickly got to his feet, not sure of what to do next. "You... You guys start the next game without me first. I'll... I'll just go to the... restroom now."
He moved quickly, and Theresa watched as he walked down the hall and disappeared without another word.
--
Here it is. I hope you guys liked it, the tension, everything. The next one will be more A/A, J/T, yeah. The lot of it. Anyway, review. Did you like it? Again, I reiterate that I hoped you did, because this is the most serious tone I've ever written for, and I'm wondering how it turned out...