Disclaimer: I am not worthy to own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians franchise. That all belongs to Rick Riordan and whoever he is associated with. I am merely borrowing the characters and their personalities. I also don't own the Kuroko no Basket. I just used them as a small reference to basketball here and there. I'm just here to spread the Nicercy love. C:
A/N: I'm sorry. Je regrette. Midispiace tanto. Es tut mir leid. Perdón. Извините, что я. ごめんなさい. 미안해. Xin lôi. 很抱歉. I'm really, really sorry. . I haven't updated in a while. I lost interest along the way (wince). But, I managed to get some inspiration these days. It's been so long. My writing style may have changed. I accidentally deleted most of my writing, so I had to take this from memory. I hope it's good. Thank you guys for still sticking with me. Shoutouts to Nai Hyuku for making me want to write again. I didn't want to disappoint you, but this is the best I could do. Once again, thank you for staying with me.
Warnings: Language, Characters That are Out of Characters, Abuse of Italics, Lack of Line Breaks etc.
Status: 3 out of ?
(where is the line break?)
Paint Me a Better Tomorrow
III. Crush
verb deform, pulverize, or force inwards by compressing forcefully. noun a brief but intense infatuation for someone, especially someone unattainable or inappropriate.(again, where are you?)
There was a white building that Annabeth dared not to go these days, since it bared harsh memories that she wanted to forget. Memories of Luke, of the boy she once called - no, the boy she still called her friend. But today was different (or so, she told herself). Today, she would finally be able to open that door. Her hand strayed on the knob, hesitating to turn it. She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth. 'I can do this. I will do this.' And with that, she opened the door slowly, almost as if delaying the inevitable.
"Luke?" Annabeth called out softly, her voice lingering after the end of his name like there was more she wanted to say. She spoke so quietly that it was almost blocked out by the sounds of the video games, but he still heard nonetheless.
"Annabeth," Luke greeted back, slight irritation slipping into his tone of voice. He hated when people spoke to him like that, whether they intended it or not. It sounded like they were pitying him. And, he hated pity, especially coming from those he considered his closest friends, his family.
"What are you doing here, wise girl?" he asked, deciding to use her pet name for old times' sakes. Tearing his eyes from the video game he had been playing, he glanced over at Annabeth. The girl had her lips pressed into a thin line, expressing her worry. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He doesn't need anyone's concern or pity.
"I just wanted to visit you," came her tentative reply. "It's been a while since we've talked, Luke." 'So, it was force of habit,' he thought bitterly. 'She doesn't care.'
"It's only been a month," he noted indifferently. "It hasn't been that long."
Annabeth shrugged and studied the posters of the various video games that hung around the club room, anything to avoid looking Luke in the eye. He was paler than she remembered with dark bags under his eyes. She knew he hasn't forgotten. No one on the team had forgotten. The loss had hit them all very hard.
"It is for me," she added. "A lot has happened since then. The team has been recruiting for a while."
"What team? The basketball team?" His tone practically dripped with loathing. "I hate basketball. I'm not going back. I'm never going back."
"Two transfer students tried out for the team, Annabeth continued, like she hadn't heart what Luke said. "They might be pretty good, who knows? Percy and Leo are already enamored by them. I'm sure they'll gain a couple victories under their belt."
"Not the championship cup?" Luke asked, his tone almost mocking. His placid face had no expression, but the clenched fist on his video game controller said otherwise.
"Have you forgotten?" she replied almost rhetorically. Of course, he remembered. He would always remember. "You know why they can't win the cup. The same thing stopped you guys from winning last year - the Titans."
"No, I haven't forgotten. How could I forget?" His voice was impossibly soft. "I'll never be able to forget."
"Neither will Percy or Leo," she added with a frown. "They want revenge, Luke. They want to avenge their loss." The of you was left unsaid.
"It's just a stupid game. Why does it matter?"
"They want revenge for you!" Her voice rose considerably. "The crushing defeat did hit them hard, but they also lost you. And, they think beating the Titans will bring you back. The idiots."
"No. I - I can't go back. I'm injured for fuck's sake. I can't play basketball again. Not against a team like that. Not ever. They can't win. They have to understand that. They CAN'T win. It's no use. A hand rubbed his knee almost subconsciously, where it had been broken during the championship game, while the other was clenched in a fist, as if in pain. She laid her hand on his shoulder and he flinched, pushing her away. With a guilty expression, she pressed on, "But, they will listen to you."
"Once they set their minds onto something, they won't stop until it's done," Luke said with a sigh, once he calmed down on his own. "I'm glad their will hasn't been broken yet. They're strong."
"You're strong, too, Luke." 'Stronger than you ever know.'
"No, I'm not, Annie. Really, I'm not. Can't you see? I'm weak, pathetic. I got an injury and gave up. I gave up.. on the sport that I loved the most." He sounded so heartbroken that Annabeth had to hold back a sob. It hurt to see her friend in so much pain, but it hurt even more to see that she couldn't do a single thing to help.
"What did they do to you?"
"Kronos was my friend." Luke spat the word like it was an unruly taste in his mouth and smiled ruefully. Then, he detailed how he met him at a basketball camp during the summer and was instantly smitten. With his basketball skills, no less (and, also no more). Kronos was extremely talent at the sport, almost prodigal, but he didn't like to play. It bored him, having nothing worth of a challenge.
"Until he met you, right?" Annabeth guessed when he paused.
Luke shrugged. "You can say that," he replied, not exactly confirming, but not denying it either. "I was different from what he was used to. I immediately caught his attention with my ability to play any position. A gift from my father, a jack of all trade, master of nothing." He sneered at those words, not even bothering to mask the contempt he had for Hermes, his jerk of a father.
With a long, labored sigh, he pushed the thoughts of Hermes away and continued his story. He told Annabeth of how Kronos pursued him - in more ways than one - and how he always reject those advances. Basketball was the only thing on his mind then. 'Oh, how thing have changed,' he thought.
"We became .. acquaintances, or something close to that," he continued, "Then, camp ended and we went our separate way. Before we left, he told he was going to Tartarus Academy and planning to join the Titans. He invited me to join, too, like a fucking sidekick, but I declined. I wasn't stupid." Here, he chuckled, almost darkly. "I knew of Tartarus' reputation. So, I stupidly told him of my plans to join Elysium High and the team, the Elites.
"I didn't meet him again until the championship game last year and you know how that fucking went. I wasn't surprised to see him leading the Titans. It was almost expected of him. I told him to play fair game, even though I knew fully well that it would be anything, but fair. I knew we were going to lose the moment Kronos stepped on to the court. He knew it, too, but he still didn't hesitate to use every dirty trick in the book. They absolutely destroyed (italics) us. Kronos and his minions toyed with the whole team. He wasn't even playing seriously. They took us apart, Annie. Destroyed the individual playstyle of each player and used it against them. Everyone was riddled with injuries, but we still persevered. I had to sit out because of my knee injury. I had to watch my own team crash and burn. And, I couldn't do a single thing." He choked back a sob and shouldered on retelling the game. 'Why couldn't he see how strong he was?'
"And, you know what was the most degrading? They gave us the chance to score at the last second. A fucking buzzer beater [1], some kind of cruel mercy. And just when I thought we were going to score - maybe, soften the loss just a little - they took that away from us, too. That's what they did to me, wise girl. That's what they fucking did to me." His voice held so much repressed anger, but there was a tone of helplessness as well. He didn't waver as he told his story, but his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white.
When Annabeth had nothing to say (she shocked beyond speech), he laughed bitterly. "Now, maybe you understand why I gave up. I loved basketball, but after that, I had no will to play anymore. I failed the team, my (italics) team, as captain. I let them all down. I am not worthy to be their captain."
"No," Annabeth asserted, shaking her head. "They still think of you as their captain."
"But, I'm not him. Not anymore. I'm not Captain Castellan anymore. He disappeared. He's gone and he's never coming back. Percy and Leo want revenge for Captain Luke Castellan. I'm just Luke. I am powerless to stop them, just like you." The last statement stung, but Annabeth pushed the hurt aside. There were better things to dwell on.
"You still have to try-"
"Try?" he interrupted, his voice cold. "Maybe, they just have to learn, Annie. They have to learn that life isn't sunshine and rainbows. It will repeatedly push you down, until it seems like you can't go on anymore. Either they learn that the hard way, or they give up all on their own."
"Don't you care about them at all?" she accused, her hair whipping around wildly in her anger. "Don't they mean anything to you?" Luke was quiet, almost as if contemplated the thought. But, Annabeth already knew the answer. Of course, he cared. How could he not?
"Of course, I care," he finally replied, reminiscent of her previous thought. He sounded terribly bittersweet and it clenched at her heart. "I still care. I never stopped caring."
"But, you're leaving them to their own devices."
"I'm not the same guy I once was, Annie. I can't do the things I used to before. Hell, I can't even play one position on the court without breaking down - much less play all of them. I can barely run, as it is. It's for the best. They have to realize that their idea of revenge is futile on their own. If not, then nothing can change their mind. All we can do is hope. Hope that they won't -" Here he choked back a sob and merely let his voice trail of, but Annabeth still heard what was left unsaid. Hope that they won't become like me.
"Luke.." she called out softly, gut-wrenching sorrow filling her heart.
"Just leave, Annabeth," he pleaded, turning his chair around. "Please." Annabeth winced at the video game music piercing through the still air, but she nodded. She turned to leave. And if she saw the stray tear that streamed down his cheek, she never said a word.
. . .
"How did your day go, boys?" Sally asked, only to shake her head when she received mumbles in return. Percy and Leo were currently trying to figure out their team roster and it was going quite well, despite them having close to no experience leading a team.
"Your mother asked a question, Percy," Poseidon reminded, amused at the boys' lack of attention. Percy's head whipped around to see his parents at the door and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, mom," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was an interesting day."
"Seconded," agreed Leo.
Poseidon raised a bemused eyebrow. "Interesting? Do tell."
"There were some transfers who tried out for the team." Percy shrugged. "Nothing special." He tried to contain his blush at the thought of Nico, but failed miserably, cursing mentally at the reaction the Italian had elicited. Poseidon grew even more amused and Percy blushed harder in mortification.
"There was sure something special about Grace and di Angelo," Leo muttered. "That's for sure."
"I think Percy and Leo have a crush," Sally said in a sing-song voice.
"Wait, what?"
"Mom!"
Sally blinked. "What? Am I wrong? I've known both of you since you were in diapers. I know a crush when I see one."
"Don't deny it," Poseidon teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "And, who are the lucky boys? What are they like? Are they cute?" He chuckled heartily at the resounding cries of "Mr. J!" and "Dad". It was nice to see that they were still embarrassed about their crushes, still his boys in a sense. They only became terribly shy (even more so than before), after coming out to their parents that they were, in fact, gay and preferred men. While it was cute to see them blushing and in denial, Poseidon wanted them to be comfortable with their attraction and with telling other people about it. He just wants the best for his kids (even if Leo isn't his).
"Dad!" Percy's lip curled into a petulant pout. "That's embarrassing."
"His name is Nico di Angelo. He's Italian or something like that. Hot accent. I'd say he's pretty cute." Leo listed, smirking when Percy blushed harder after each detail.
"And, Leo's crush?"
"His name is Jason Grace. Typical blue-eyed, blonde-haired gorgeous boy that is totally Leo's type." He just grinned when the said boy glared at him and continued on. "Has a slight accent that I can't place, but it's pretty cute. He is easy on the eyes, real easy. Tall, too."
"Just be careful, okay?" Sally advised, once the details sunk in. Even though she was excited to hear the news, there was still some worry. "I don't want you two to get hurt. You only met them today. Take your time to see if they really are all they seem."
"Yes, mom." Percy sighed. "It's just a stupid crush anyways. It'll probably pass soon."
"Or, it won't," Poseidon pointed out. "You two are pretty smitten already." He chuckled when he got twin blushes in return. 'Ah, young love.'
"Enough of this crush talk," Leo averted. "I believe it's time for dinner." Sally and Poseidon opened their mouths to say something, but taking a quick glance at the clock proved Leo to be right. They fixed Leo with an eyebrow raise, but obliged with the subject change.
"Are you staying over for dinner?"
Leo nodded. "Nyssa, Jake, and Beckendorf are at the garage helping dad. I have nothing to do at home and I'd rather not cook."
"Better you not. You almost burned the house down," Percy teased with a grin.
"That was one time!" They stared at each other for a second and broke into peals of laughter. Percy's parents joined in with a smile.
"Time for dinner, I guess," Sally said, after the laughter stopped. "I can't wait to break Tyson and Triton the news. Our baby boys have a crush!"
Percy and Leo just groaned. Here we go again.
. . .
"How was your first day of school, boys?" Persephone asked. Nico and Jason barely glanced up from their homework and she rolled her eyes.
"Fine," came Nico's short reply, but the boy didn't elaborate further. Jason just shrugged and continued scribbling on his worksheet. Persephone frowned. The boys were so tight-lipped. They had never taken well to her, especially after Maria had died. 'And, it had been so long ago, too,' she thought with a sigh. 'You would think that I would start to grow on them..'
"How about you, girls?" she wondered, moving onto Hazel and Bianca. 'At least, these two like me.'
"Wonderful," Hazel replied, smiling at her step-mother. "Everyone is so nice at Elysium High. And, the teachers are great, too."
"I really like this school," Bianca said. "I already made some new friends."
Persephone smiled, happy to see that the kids were happy, but a little saddened that every passing day; the boys hated her, while the girls adored her. Was it too much to ask for all of their acceptance? "That's great. Dinner will be read in half an hour. I'll call you when it's done. And, please don't bother your father. He had a long day at the office." She gave each of the girls a kiss and the boys a gentle smile (which they pointedly ignored) and left the room, heading towards the kitchen. As soon as she left, Bianca turned to Nico and Jason with a frown.
"Why don't you two like her? She's really nice. She's trying really hard to be our step-mother," she said, glaring at them. "Why are you making this so hard?"
"Because she isn't mamma [2]," Nico replied, almost yelling back at her. "She isn't like her and she never will be."
"That's because she isn't," Hazel pointed out. "You have to face the truth one day, fratello [3]. Mamma died years ago. I know it hurts and I miss her, too, but you have to give her a chance."
"Frankly, I think she reminds me too much of Hera," Jason remarked. "Hera was like this, too, trying really hard to earn our trust, but as you can see, she revealed her true colors, once we grew to like her."
Bianca shook her head. "Not everyone is like her. Hera is Hera. She's a bitch, to be said bluntly, but Persephone isn't like that. You're judging her, before you even give her much of a chance."
"Come, Jason," Nico called. "Let's go to my room. We're not having this discussion." The two packed up their school supplies quickly and exited the room with Hazel and Bianca glaring after them.
"You can't escape the truth forever, Nico!" Hazel yelled after them. "This isn't over!" With a sign, she shared an exasperated look with Bianca and muttered, "Boys."
. . .
"Once the door to Nico's room was shut and locked for good measure, Jason dropped his books and jumped onto Nico's bed. He bounced gleefully for a few moments, before settling down, hugging a pillow to his chest.
"Can I stay over tonight?" he asked, his voice soft, contrary to his usual loud and brash volume. "I don't want to go home."
"I'll have to ask papà [4] if you can sleep over tonight," Nico replied, a little concerned. "But, I'm sure he'll let you. What's wrong? Why don't you want to go home?"
"The same reasons as always," Jason muttered, "Hera and dad are fighting again."
Nico sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. "What are they arguing about this time?" He knew first hand that Hera and Zeus had a dysfunctional relationship. It always seems to cease in the Grace household.
"Me and Thals," came the blonde's subdued reply. "Hera wants us to go to a prestigious high school, but dad didn't want us to miss the high school experience that only public schools could offer, or some shit like that. She got really pissed when he enrolled us to Elysium without her permission. 'A subpar school,' she had called it. God, I hate that woman. I don't even know why dad married her."
"But, she made you and Thalia."
Jason snorted. "The only thing she was good for; she made us. Hera just wants a perfect family, a perfect marriage, everything perfect. She doesn't even care about us. I bet she doesn't even care for dad." Nico opened his mouth to reply, but a sudden knock on the door interrupted what he was about to say.
"Nico? Jason?" they heard a distinctly familiar voice call. "Can I come in?" 'Papà.'
"Yeah, you can come in," Nico said, standing up. He walked over to the door and unlocked it with a click. It opened to reveal a tired looking Hades.
"I thought you were working or resting?" asked Nico with a frown.
Hades sighed. "Persephone and I had a talk, Nico. Your behavior is unacceptable. You do not treat your mother that way."
"Step-mother," Nico corrected. "She's not mamma."
"She's very upset, bambino," Hades said quietly. "It's been a while. Maria is a better place. Her death had hurt us all, but it's time to move on." Nico didn't reply. Instead, he just sat down by the wall, crossing his arms in a petulant manner. 'He's just like Maria,' Hades mused. 'Stubborn and childish to a fault.'
"Uncle Hades? Can I stay over tonight?" Jason asked, hoping to steer the subject off of Persephone for the moment.
Hades turned to Jason curiously. "Of course, you can, Jason, but why? Is something going at home again?"
"Dad and H – mom," he cringed at the word, "are fighting again. I don't want to stay in the house."
"What about Thalia? Where is she staying?"
"At a friend's house," Jason replied, smiling faintly at Hades' kind inquiry. Zoë Nightshade or something like that. I don't know how she managed to get Hera to even accept, but she did."
The older di Angelo nodded in understand, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Even though it was a little suspicious that she was staying at a friend's house when it was her first day of school, he trusted her. She was 17, after all. "What's the matter this time? Is it money? Does Hera not have enough for her daily shopping spree?" His tone was mocking, obviously sharing Jason's dislike for the women.
"No, not this time," Jason said, shaking his head with a sigh. "I wish it was though. She wants us to be her perfect children, which means that we have to go to a prestigious school the moment we step foot in America. But, dad wouldn't let that happen. He enrolled us at Elysium without her knowing and she got really angry."
"I told him to divorce her before you guys got older, but he never listened," Hades mumbled. "He never listens. I knew Hera was bad news right from the beginning." He left the last lingering and shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Anyways, you can stay. I'll have a talk with Zeus when I can. He needs to know of the situation."
"Thanks, Uncle Hades."
"No problem, Jason." Hades glanced at the wall clock and grinned. "No matter. It's time for dinner. And Nico, I want you to act civil around Persephone. We came to America to start anew. We came here for a change. I know you don't like her, but just give her a chance, bambino. You don't have to talk to her, but at least, try to be polite when you do."
Nico groaned, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
"That's my boy," Hades cooed teasingly. "Now, come on. You don't want to be late Persephone made your favorite, seafood spaghetti." Hades tried not to chuckle when he saw Nico perk up, almost like a kid. 'If Persephone keeps this up, maybe he'll warm up to her, after all.'
. . .
Nico sighed happily, as he leaned back against his pillows. The seafood spaghetti was, he begrudgingly admitted, quite delicious. Persephone was admittedly a pretty good cook. 'But not as good as mamma. No one is as good as mamma.'
"I'm tired," Jason drawled. "We should get to bed. It's been a long day." He yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his right hand and ruffled his hair with the other.
The Italian nodded in agreement, fending off a yawn of his own. "Yeah. But if every day was like this, I wouldn't really mind. As long as I get to see Percy."
"I wouldn't mind either," Jason agreed, "if I saw Leo every day. They are really cute and they seem like very nice people."
"Sweet and sincere, too," Nico added. He yawned and stretched his arms wide. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I want to meet Coach Nike. She seems like a nice woman."
Jason chuckled. "You want to see our fine captain, as well."
"As if you don't want to see Leo," Nico retorted.
"Touché. Now, let's go to sleep. I'm really tired." He settled into his makeshift bed on the floor and sighed happily, as he wrapped the thin covers over his frame. Nico just rolled his eyes, as he did the same in his bed.
"Night, Nico."
"Buona note [5], Jason."
. . .
"Afternoon, team," Percy greeted, bouncing a basketball distractedly. He seemed awfully spirited today, Nico noticed. He was always seen doing something for the team or trying to make sure that everything was in order. It was as if he was nervous for Coach Nike's return.
"Like, Percy said, good afternoon everyone." Leo, on the other hand, had no qualms about Nike's return. He had a certain bounce in his step that was strangely cute in Jason's eyes and he couldn't help, but stare at the adorable imp.
"Where's Coach?" the Stolls asked in unison.
Percy shifted nervously on his feet. "She's coming," he replied. "But, we have to make sure everything is perfect before she gets here." The others scrambled to clean up the equipment and tidy up the gym, but were interrupted by a warm, soothi8ng voice.
"There's no need to have everything perfect for me, Perce," she chided, clicking her tongue teasingly. "I don't need a lavish welcome. A simple 'welcome back' would suffice."
Percy broke into a gleeful grin, his nervousness forgotten. He dropped the basketball he had been dribbling and ran into Nike's open arms, hugging her tight. "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back." AS soon as those words left her lips, she was sandwiched in a giant group hug. Even Octavian joined in, albeit stiffly as first, before encircling his arms as tightly as the others. Towards the sides, Nico and Jason stood awkwardly, itching for something to do, as they watched the reunion of coach and team.
"And, who are these two?" she asked, breaking off the hug with a smile. "Two new members."
Percy nodded. "Nico di Angelo and Jason Grace, a small forward and a power forward."
"Wonderful additions to the team," Nike praised, turning to them. "It's a pleasure to have you on our team. As you probably already know, I am Coach Nike, your basketball coach. I was on a sick leave since the first week of school because of a terrible fly, but from now on, you'll be seeing more and more of me." She gave them a beam of a smile that they couldn't help, but return.
"I'm sure you'll be a great asset to our team," she added. Nico nodded and smiled. He couldn't help, but think that he wasn't the only one with assets. Percy had some nice assets, as well.
Coach Nike opened her mouth, about to say more, but the Stolls pounced on her.
"We missed you," Travis said. "Ares was no fun."
Connor nodded in agreement with a mock-pout. "He never let us get away with stealing – er, borrowing – his keys. And, he was so mean."
"They let Ares be in charge of you?" she asked incredulously, shaking her head in disbelief. "He's a football coach. That's his thing. He knows nothing about basketball. They don't know anything, do they, putting him as my substitute. Did he treat you guys right, while I was gone?"
Percy snorted. "Right? He expected us to be perfect. Didn't even like it when we allowed Nico and Jason or 'transfers' as he called them to try out for the team."
"The b-" Nike paused and smiled sheepishly, catching her mistake. "The idiot. He should have known better than that. He allows transfers, good transfers, in all the time. That guy just doesn't want guys to overshadow his stupid football team."
"Don't say that in front of him," Jason joked with a grin. He was starting to like this woman. "He'll have kittens."
Nike laughed. "Let him have kittens. They're cute. It will be a great improvement to his disposition." They all laughed, sharing their first happy moment together as a full team with their coach. But, she soon grew serious, her experience solemn with an excited gleam present in her eyes.
"That aside, we have a game coming up." That drew the team's attention.
"With who?"
She smirked. "With Good High School."
(I'm sorry)
Well, that's all I have for this chapter. Such a comeback, right? *wink wink*
Anyways, here are some terms that I have used above:
Buzzerbeater: In basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken before the game clock of a quarter expires but does not go in the basket until after the clock expires and the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that beat an end-of-quarter buzzer but are sometimes referred to shots that beat the shot clock buzzer. If a player releases the ball before the buzzer sounds, the shot still counts if it goes in even though the clock expires before the ball goes through the hoop.
Mamma: Mom in Italian
Papà: Dad in Italian
Bambino: Baby
The meanings are taken from the internet. If they are wrong, please tell me and I will fix it.
That's all for now, my duckies. I hope you enjoyed it. Review?
Until next time, FullReverse~