Disclaimer: I clearly don't own the PJaTO franchise, no matter how much I wish I did. But then, that would mean responsibilities, which I am trying to avoid, so no. I'm just hear to spread the Nicercy goodness or just slash in general. Boy's love is so underrated. It should be appreciated more.

A/N: Hellllllo! I am back with another chapter. Wasn't that fast? Well, I did have this chapter archived for a whilllle, but I never got around to it. Since it's summer, I have a lot of free time (which I should be doing my homework, but what they won't know won't hurt them), so I'm trying to update as fast as possible. I have the foundations for Chapter 5, so I'm sure it will be out before September. (hehehe, you know me, set expectations low, so there won't be any disappointment).

Warnings: Language (always, I curse like crazyy), Characters Being Out of Character (can't help it, I'm a Fanficition writer, not Rick Riordan), A Probably Terrible Description of Basketball, Child Abuse (but, it's not graphic, I'm not that kind of person, don't worry), and An Unhealthy Obsession with Luke (though, compared to some, it's not that unhealthy), Unbetaed (I used Word, does that count?), etc.

Please enjoy...

(Veni, vidi, vici)

Paint Me a Better Tomorrow

IV. It's What Friends Do

"It's what friends do for each other. We bear witness to the bad and the good of one another's lives." - Linda Steele

(Veni, vidi, vici)

"Hey, Percy. Hey, Leo," Annabeth addressed with a hesitant smile. She had been cautious in approaching the boys, waiting until everyone (Jason and Nico were particularly insistent on saying for some reason? had left.

"Hey, Annabeth," they reciprocated, sounding a little tired. Practice had been extra vigorous today, once the game against Goode had been announced, but even more so when Percy declared their lineup. Everyone had been pumped to show what they could do and ended up overworking for their efforts. Coach had a good laugh about it afterwards and said, "Boys will be boys", after they complained about how exhausted they felt.

"Tiring practice?" she inquired.

Percy nodded, suppressing a yawn. "Yeah, pretty much. Why are you still at school? You never stay this long."

"I needed to talk to you." She paused and bit her lip. "Both of you."

Leo frowned. He didn't like the sound of that. "About what?"

"It's about Luke."

Percy and Leo instantly perked up, their exhaustion forgotten. "What about Luke?"

"We were talking earlier," she began slowly. "I mentioned that you were going to talk revenge on the Titans." 'Straight to the point, Annabeth,' she thought. 'Good, keep calm and keep going.'

"And, what did he say?" Their voices were soft and lingering with a bittersweet undertone.

"He's against it. He wants you to give up," she told them, her voice going sad when she thought back to the conversation she had. "He doesn't want you to go through with it."

"Nothing is going to stop is," Leo declared. "Not even Luke, even if we are doing it for him."

"Are you listening to what you're saying? You're making no sense. Why would you do something for someone who doesn't want it?"

"It's for the best," Percy replied, his voice soft, reminiscent of Luke hours previous.

"But, you'll end up hurt. He only wants to protect you," Annabeth cried. "He said that you guys are strong and he doesn't want you to get injured, like he did. He doesn't want you to go through what he did. He doesn't want you to be broken down."

"That means Luke is still there, the old Luke," Percy decided, his voice filled with hope. "I know it's dangerous. There's a risk of us getting hurt and breaking down like he did, but we have to try. It's the least we can do for all he has done for us."

"Even if he said he failed you as a captain?"

"He will always be our Captain, wise girl," Percy said with a wistful smile. Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek, willing herself not to cry. She can't do a single thing, after all. Luke turned out to be right. 'It is up to them. Fuck.'

Leo smiled ruefully and patted her shoulder in sympathy. "I'm sorry, Annabeth, but we can't do what you want. Sometimes, a man's got to do what a man's got to do. I'm sorry, Annie." And with that, the two of them left Annabeth to her anguish, as they headed home. It had been a long day. Now, all they wanted to do was sleep and forget.

. . .

*ding dong*

"I got it!" Percy yelled. Looking at Leo, he said, "Wait here. I'm going to get the door. Don't miss me too much."

"Oh, Percy!" Leo cried mockingly. "What will I do without you?" Grinning, Percy headed towards the front door. Upon opening the door, his smiled dissipated, only to be replaced with a worried frown.

"O-Octavian?" he asked, biting his bottom lip. "What are you doing here?" The blonde looked like he had gone through hell and back. There was a darkening blue and black bruise around his left eye, while the right eye was slightly swollen around the corners, like he had been crying. The most worrying was the purpling bruise around his neck, suspiciously shaped like a hand. "Are you okay?"

Octavian shook his head. Of course, he wasn't. "Can't talk here." He glanced behind him, as if checking for someone. "Can… can I come in?"

"Please," Percy replied, a little distractedly. "Make yourself at home." He stepped aside for his teammate to walk in, noticing that the blonde was limping and favoring one leg. Octavian was also carrying a bulging duffel bag, as if he was staying somewhere overnight.

He led the other up to this room, where Leo was, and helped him get comfortable. "Would you like something to eat or drink? Maybe, an ice pack?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks, but an ice pack would be nice," replied Octavian. He saw Leo and gave him a shaky grin. "Hey, Valdez."

"Hey, Simmons. What brings you over here?" asked Leo curiously. Octavian never visited anyone's house voluntarily alone (or, injured, for that matter). He always went with someone else, usually Luke or Ethan, but never, ever alone.

"I-I need a place to stay," Octavian said, a slight tremble in his voice, which didn't go unnoticed by Percy or Leo. They shared a worried expression and frowned.

"Why? Is something going on at home?" Percy asked cautiously. He didn't want to pry too much, in case the subject was too sensitive. It probably was, nonetheless. Anyone would be apprehensive talking about home when they were abused. 'Or so, I think he is abused. I sure hope I'm wrong.'

"I can't live at that house anymore. That… that man… I can't live with him anymore. I just can't," he said, his frame shaking ever so slightly. "I can't."

"With who?" He had to ask to make sure, though he could guess just who it was.

"My dad…"

"Is he the one giving you these injuries?" Leo asked, catching on. He frowned at the realization and felt flashes of anger at the man who would do such a thing to his own child. "Was he the one who gave you the black eye?"

"And, the bruise on your neck, along with your leg injury?" Percy added quietly. "Is he?"

Octavian just nodded, not opting to reply. His face impassive on the subject, almost uncaring and indifferent, but his eyes, they were a different story. Those icy-blue eyes were now a stormy grayish blue, filled with pain and misery. The usual cocky smirk was replaced with the fervent worrying of his bottom lip. Whatever his father did, it caused enough damage to change him. Unless he was always like this and they never knew.

"Does Luke know?" Percy asked. "Does he know about all of this at all?" He knew that the two were in an on-off relationship, but it only seemed right that Luke would know about this. After all, Luke was the closest person to Octavian, regardless of their relationship status.

Once again, Octavian shook his head. "No, he doesn't. I… I never told him."

"And, why?" Leo wondered. This was getting increasingly worrying.

"I-I didn't want to bother him," the blonde replied softly. He's always busy with his club and I just remind him of basketball, so I tried to avoid contact with him."

"But, he's your boyfriend," Percy argued. "You should tell him. It doesn't matter if he's busy. I'm sure he would push away his work to listen to you."

"He's right, Octavian. You should tell something about something like this. Whether or not you tell Luke isn't as important, but you should still tell someone. Maybe, they can help."

"I-" But before Octavian could reply, the doorbell suddenly rang again.

"I wonder who that could be…" Percy wondered aloud, a little bit suspicious. "We're not expecting any guests at this hour."

"No," Octavian whispered. "There's no way. I can't be him." His eyes widened in fear, as he ran over to the window overlooking the driveway. He carefully lifted a single blind and peeked out. With a curse, he dropped to the ground, his head hanging between his knees in exasperation. "Fuck."

"Is it… is it your dad?" Leo asked tentatively. "Is he at the front door?"

Octavian could only nod miserably, holding his head in his heads. His form trembled slightly, but it was enough to make Percy and Leo scared. Never had they seen Octavian so shaken up. The blonde had always been calm and collected (also, perhaps, a little snippy) in the face of danger. It was frightening to see Octavian break down. But at least this time, there was something they could do.

"He's not going to get you," Percy declared, his eyes alit with fierce determination. "I'm not telling him get you."

"Neither will I," Leo added. "It will be over our dead bodies."

"Don't worry, Octavian," Percy assured. "You're safe her-"

But before he could say anymore, a loud banging could be heard coming from downstairs. Percy jumped at the sound and glanced over at Octavian. The blonde had definitely heard the banging and was hugging his knees to his chest with his head down. Leo was next to him, whispered, "He won't get to you, Octavian. You're safe here. Don't you worry your pretty head about it."

Octavian just shook his head dismally and an uncomfortable silence filled the air. Percy and Leo sat there, unable to do much more than provide moral support. They had never encountered such a situation with Octavian before. They didn't know what to do to comfort him. 'After all,' Percy thought grimly. 'We're not Luke, but we have to try.'

"Octavian," he addressed quietly, resting a hand on the blonde's shoulder. He frowned when his teammate flinched, but he didn't wrench his hand away. "You have to trust us. We're your teammates and your friends. We're here to help, even if there isn't much we can do."

The older boy shook his head once again. "No, you've already done enough. I don't want to bother you."

"You're not bothering us, not in the slightest," Leo countered with a shake of his head. "We want to help, Octavian. It's what friends do."

"You guys…" Octavian let his voice trail off, as he looked up from his fetal position to see Leo and Percy smiling softly at him. There was a look of pity from their eyes, which he hated, but it was overshadowed by sympathy, understanding, and protectiveness. He opened his mouth, wanting to say more, but a knock on the door interrupted him.

Poseidon opened the door and peeked inside, his lips pressed in a thin, grim line. "Boys, we need to talk."

. . .

Poseidon had them go down into the living room, where Sally was seated on the couch with a concerned expression. The four of them sat beside her with the boys wondering what the hell was going on.

Percy bit his lip. "What's the matter, dad? What do we need to talk about."

"That should be what I'm saying," Poseidon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on exactly, but it has to do with you, Octavian. Your dad was at the door, looking for you." Finally seeing the extent of the boy's injuries, he frowned and turned to Sally, who left the room, possibly getting an ice pack.

"I know," Octavian replied, his voice thankfully unwavering. "Did he say anything?"

"He was just looking for you, such a kind gentleman your father is." The sarcasm practically dripped from the whole sentence. "He had some choosy words about you and asked in a not-so-polite tone where you were."

"Don't worry," Sally assured when she got back, handing Octavian an ice pack wrapped in paper. He accepted it with a thank you and pressed it against his eye, wincing. "We didn't sell you out. He left after that, leaving us to our situation now. Tell us, Octavian, exactly how is your relationship with that man. We don't mean to pry, but this is serious."

Octavian swallowed thickly. He knew there was no getting out of it, especially when that man had specifically asked for him. He sighed and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. When he opened them, they were slightly misty and with a shaky voice, he began his tale.

"Growing up," he started, "he was the best father you could ever have. Caring, loving, fun. He never got mad when I did something wrong and he was always happy, alongside mom. But a few years back, mom… she got into an accident, a car accident. I was in the car with her at the time, but I suffered minor injuries. She… she took the brunt of the crash and it took her life." He paused for a second and swallowed, licking his suddenly dry lips. Sally handed him a glass of water and he thanked her, as he took a sip, before continuing her story.

"He wasn't the same after mom died," continued Octavian with a slight tremor in his voice, his throat feeling strangely tight." He began drinking and staying out late. There were days when he didn't come home, not that I really minded. Sometimes, he would bring random women into our house, calling them by my mom's name. It didn't get that bad until mom's third death anniversary a few months back. He… he started blaming me for the accident, saying that I should have died inside of her and…" He had to pause again, as tears threatened to fall, blurring his vision. He felt two hands, each resting on a shoulder and flinched, even though he knew that it was Leo and Percy. Octavian quickly blinked away the tears and with a grim smile, he started speaking once again.

"And, that's when he started beating me," he told them, his voice barely above a whisper. Sally gasped in horror, while Percy and Leo remained silent, their emotions in turmoil. They had already known of the beating beforehand, but the information was just sinking in.

"It was just a few incidents where he would push me or trip me, while cursing my existence, but soon after, it… it got worse. I don't understand how people can endure it for years. I only experienced it for a few months and I already feel like I can't take it anymore. There were days when I actually b-believed him, you know? I - I really did wish that I had died in mom's place, so that she could be happy with dad and I would be free of troubles forever. And, there were days when I didn't want to wake up. Just lay in bed forever, where my dreams were better than reality. But, I always woke up." He stopped to take a shaky breath and did something surprising. He smiled.

"But because of going to school and playing basketball, it helped push those thoughts away. Being a part of the team felt like being a part of the family and it made me forget, even for a little."

"The abuse must have been to a much greater extent, if you can even call him your father," Poseidon commented. Octavian just nodded in reply, as he gave them a weak grin.

"You poor dear," Sally exclaimed. "No one should have to go through anything like that. It's despicable, absolutely inhumane." She looked like she wanted to give him a hug, but refrained out of respect of his privacy and for that, he was grateful.

"Something's missing, isn't it?" Leo asked ever the observant one. "Something you aren't telling us." He eyed Octavian expectantly, as if waiting for more of what he had to say.

"You don't have to tell us," Percy said. "You have already told us enough, but I have a question."

Octavian narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What is it?"

"What led you to coming here? I know you have been living an abusive life, but I feel that you could have endured even more, before you really had enough. Did something happen?"

The blonde pursed his lips and sighed. "It's not a happy story, if you really want to know. After coming home today, I found him looking through the messages on my phone. I didn't bring it today, since it ran out of batteries yesterday and I forgot to charge it. He… h-he saw the messages I sent to Luke a while back." Here, he paused and tried to steady his breath, closing his eyes to stop the onslaught of tears. Keeping his eyes closed, he continued with a trembling voice.

"I - I never told that I was gay, since I knew it would only make the beating worse, but he found out anyways. He gave me a look of pure disgust and hatred and threw my phone straight at my face. H-he called me a disgrace and said that I dishonor my mother's memory and our family." He laughed bitterly at the memory, the vivid images flitting through his mind. "A-after that, he began hitting me, calling me names. I - I couldn't stand it anymore and I - I hit him back for the first time. I… I rendered him unconscious and ran out of the house. Then, I came here because you were the closest and t-the only people I could trust." He was on the very of breaking down, but he held on, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Does Luke know about this?" Poseidon asked quietly. "He's your boyfriend, correct? Did you tell him?"

Octavian shook his head in the negative. "I - I didn't want to bother him. I haven't been able to message him, since practice started in the summer. Before that, we have been keeping touch all through June and July, but he hasn't been the same since that game." He didn't need to explain anymore on what he meant by that game. The Jackson suffered just as much as he had and they know firsthand just what the championship game meant to them.

"Oh, you poor boy," Sally breathed with a pained expression. It was almost as if she was experiencing the pain he felt. "You… you don't have a place to stay, right? You can stay here for as long as you like. We have an extra bedroom that you can use or if you like, you can room with Percy."

"My dad, although he may not seem like it, is one of the best lawyers there is," Percy supplied. "If you want to sue that man or have a restraining order set up, he can help."

"And, you can't forget about Mrs. J or the Valdez clan either," Leo added. Octavian found it strange about Leo called his own family a clan, but he decided not to question it. "We are all here to help. All you need to do is ask."

"You guys…" Octavian was rendered speechless by the absolute kindness that had been bestowed to him. "T-thank you. I don't know what to say. You're helping someone like me, who doesn't even deserve such kindness. How can I ever repay you?"

"You deserve all the help you can get," Leo responded with a sincere smile. "No one deserves to endure everything you. You deserve every right to be happy and we're here to guarantee that you're on the right path."

"And, there's no need for repayment," Percy added. "It's what friends do. All we want to see is happy. That's all that matters."

"I… I…" Octavian couldn't form words, as tears brimmed his eyes, but he didn't care enough to stop them from streaming down his cheeks. He was too overwhelmed by emotions to stop the onslaught of tears. Percy merely smiled and opened their arms, pulling their teammate into a hug. Octavian couldn't suppress the sobs any longer and cried happily into their arms. "T-thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you."

"No need to thank us," they replied, grinning widely. "It's what friends do."

Poseidon took this moment to pull his wife aside, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'm proud of our son and of Leo, as well. They've grown to be fine boys, Sally."

"I know, Poseidon, I know, but that poor boy. Poor Octavian. No one deserves to live like that. He should have a loving family, a wonderful father. There are so many things he should have had."

"He has us now," he replied with a soft smile. "Now, let's get that extra room or bed ready for Octavian."

. . .

(Several weeks later…)

Things were starting to look up for Octavian. He was well-fed, living under a stable household, and loved. His father never once looked for him again, like he had forgotten his own kid, but Octavian could care less. The restraining order was already pending, once Poseidon pulled a few strings. And, he had the Jacksons now. That was all that mattered.

It was also time for their first game as a team. They've been practicing together for several weeks now and had managed to get along quite well, once they got it out of their heads that it wasn't a competition. The other team members didn't get along with Nico and Jason as well as Coach Nike, Percy, and Leo had anticipated. But they were able to integrate into the ranks of the Elites, once their apparent friendship with Percy and Leo wasn't seen as a threat. (Everyone was a bit over-protective of their cute captain and co-captain. It was sweet, really.)

. . .

"Today's the day," Percy announced, clad in the Elites' royal blue and silver uniform with a black 24 blazoned on his jersey. "Our first game as a team."

"Against Goode, no less," Leo added, undaunted. 'They aren't much of a threat, as far as schools go. But, we shouldn't underestimate them. They always have some trick hidden under their sleeves."

"Like, we have to worry," Octavian scoffed, smirking as he leaned casually against a locker with his arms crossed.

Percy shrugged. "We just want to be on guard. Just in case." Seeing the team's uninterested expression, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "In any case, once we're out on the court, we're there to win. I expect nothing, but 110%. And since it's our first game" - here, he smirked - "we have to make an impression."

"There's the captain we all know and love," Octavian teased. Percy just rolled his eyes, grinning.

"We go out there and we show them what it means to be an Elite," Leo said with a fierce glow, like burning embers, in his eyes. "Show them that we aren't messing around. We came to win and that's what we intend to do."

"Veni, vidi, vici," Nico quoted with a smirk.

"Indeed," Coach Nike interjected, a wide grin plastered on her face. "It's go time, boys. Time to wow the crowd." The team all turned to Percy as if waiting for his approval. He merely smirked.

"You heard the Coach. Time to wow the crowd."

. . .

"Welcome Elysium's basketball team, the Elites!" the announcer declared. To their surprise, they were greeted with a round of applause that resonated throughout the stadium. Blue and silver dominated the bleachers, overshadowing the miniscule green and white, which was strange, since it was the Elites' away game.

"Coached by Coach Nike Smith and led by Captain Percy Jackson and Co-Captain Leo Valdez." The cheers grew, until all they could hear were chants of "Elites". Everyone on the team were surprised by their reception (they didn't realize what their reputation entailed), but they all took it in a stride. After all, they were the Elites.

"Will everyone please stand for the national anthem?" asked the announcer. The whole stadium rose in compliance, placing their hands over their heart, as the first words to the Star-Spangled Banner permeated through the air.

Once the singer sang the last line, everyone was asked to be seated. The clock was set for the first quarter and the starters on both teams stepped onto the court.

They greeted each other cordially and looked to the referee, who held a ball in her hand. She stood in the middle of the center circle, motioning for a player from each team. The Elites sent Frank, who was the tallest, while Goode sent an equally tall player they didn't know. They stood on either side of the referee, crouching in preparation for a jump. Once the players were ready, the referee threw the ball into the air and blew the whistle. The game had begun.

Frank got to the ball first, his fingertips touching the ball a split second sooner than the Goode player. His palm slid up and knocked the ball into Leo's waiting hands, who dribbled towards the basket, weaving in and out of the enemy team like a stray flame. He passed the ball to Percy, who caught the ball and shot the ball into the hoop seamlessly.Swish. Three points were added to the Elites' favor and the ball changed possession. Percy smirked. Things were already going well.

The game continued in a similar fashion with both teams scoring back and forth. But, it was obvious that the Elites were pulling ahead. Between the team's fierce run and gun offense and their formidable zone defense, it was getting increasingly difficult for Goode to score or stay in possession of the ball.

With five seconds remaining on the clock, Nico and Jason were running down the court. Muscles flexing from slight exertion, they flitted in and out of the ranks of Goode, bypassing them effortlessly. 4.Nico passes the ball to Jason one last time. 3. He dribbled up to the arc and threw. 2. Time seemed to freeze when the ball sailed through the air. 1. It hit the rim, spiraling around a few times, before finally falling through the hoop. 0.

With 110-89, the Elites win. And, the crowd roars.Elites. Elites. Elites.

Veni, vidi, vici.

(I came, I saw, I conquered)

I guess I did, huh? I conquered my procrastination and brought out this chapter. Well, I hope you liked it. As much as I would love to go into detail for basketball, I am very lazy. (sorry) If there are words that are used in the previous chapters, then you can check for the meanings there. Or, simply look online. I heard the Internet is a wonderful place.

I have a tumblr if anyone wants to visit. ^-^ The blog name is notorious-asian. I reblog random shit and recently started to write a little. It's not very good (lol), but I am only beginning. It will get better (I hope).

That's all for this time. I'll see you guys soon in the next chapter. FullReverse~