Disclaimer: I do not own the PJaTO franchise. Now, that I am older I find that more responsibilities are the least I want. I just want to spread the Nicercy goodness
A/N: I lied. I am so, so sorry about my erratic update schedule. I couldn't keep up between this story and two other stories that I am currently trying to put on paper, but I finally found the time. This is the last chapter, unfortunately. (I know, I said there would be more), but I think this sums everything up. I thought I would have written more, but it seems that my mind couldn't come up with more and just decided to wrap everything up.
Holy crap, linebreaks are back! Anyways, continuing on..
Warnings: the usual, a kiss (finally!)
Paint Me a Better Tomorrow
X. The Storm Rages, but the Calm Soothes
Once they were out of earshot, Percy and Leo bombarded Octavian with questions.
"What happened to your cheek?"
"Guys-"
"Are you okay?"
"-hey, stop interru-"
"Do you need to go to the nurse?"
"-ting me-"
"Who the fuck did this to you?"
"What was Luke doing here?"
"Calm down," Luke asserted, sounding slightly exasperated. "It's just a scratch. I was careless and let Tanaka corner me, but I'm okay. I can get it bandaged when we get home."
"That bitch..." Percy growled lowly.
"Coach already took care of her," Octavian replied. "There's no need for you to step in, as well." In a smaller voice, he added, "Luke was there because he's the one who saved me. I didn't even thank him."
"He did?" Leo's tone was incredulous.
Octavian nodded in affirmation. "He did. He saved me from getting beat up." Well, even more beat up, but he wasn't going to tell them that.
"DId he say anything to you?" Percy asked. He was almost afraid to hear the answer.
"He asked why I was still at school and if I was alright," replied Octavian. "I told him that I was waiting for you, so we could go home together. I told him about my dad kicking me out and that I live with you now. Then, I asked him to go to our game." He deliberately left out the part where Luke asked if they were still together. Percy and Leo have more important things to worry about. They all do.
"What did he say to that?"
Octavian smiled wanly. "He agreed to go, but he seemed very hesitant."
"Does he know who we're against?" Leo asked with a frown.
"Yes. He still agreed to go."
Percy bit his lip worriedly. "I don't think he can take it."
"Don't worry about it." Octavian was quick to shoot the notion down. "As harsh as it sounds, that's Luke's problem. He knows what he's getting himself onto. He'll be able to handle it. Besides, we have bigger things to worry about. Like, the game."
The others noticed the immediate change in subject, but let it slide. "It's in a week."
"Do you think we can win?" Percy's voice was quiet. "We've been training hard, but I don't think it will be enough."
"Don't be so negative," Octavian soothed. "We have what it takes. We have everyone we need. We might not have Luke, but he's still going to be there. And, I think that's going to be enough motivation, right?"
Leo smiled shrewdly. "You knew, didn't you? That's why you asked?"
"I thought everyone could use a little help," Octavian said a shrug. "And, it might just help him."
"Seeing you might be all the help he needed," Percy remarked. "You're one of the things that keeps us going."
Leo slung an arm around Octavian and Percy, bringing them close. "That's right, Octavian. And, don't you forget it. Now, let's go home. Sally is waiting for us. I hear she's making seafood spaghetti."
"Yeah, let's go home." Octavian laughed, his lips curving into a smile. 'Home...'
. . .
"How are you and Nico, Percy?" Octavian asked, looking up from his homework. He glanced over at Leo, who had decided to stay over, and chuckled lowly when he saw the impish boy scowling at his textbook. "And, what about you, Leo?"
Percy shrugged. "It's going well, I guess. We're still a bit awkward with each other. It's definitely not like what it was before, but we're slowly improving." Suddenly, he blushed. "He gave me a kiss yesterday."
"Your first kiss with Nico!" Leo practically cackled. "How was it? Is he a good kisser?"
"It was only one the cheek," Percy said, a slight pout on his lips.
"You sound like you expected more," teased Octavian, chuckling when Percy stuttered incoherently. "Don't worry, you'll learn how well he kisses soon."
"Not you, too, Octavian," Percy groaned. The blonde just laughed even harder and turned to Leo, tears of mirth gathering at the corner of his eyes.
"You and Jason still going steady?"
"Yeah." The bright smile on Leo's face was enough of an answer. Octavian felt a dull ache in his chest, longing for that sense of happiness, and quickly pushed it down. There was no use in dwelling on the past. A cheek voice in his head told him that it might become his present again and he pushed that down, too. There was no need to conjure false hope.
"Did you even have your first kiss yet?" It was Percy's chance to tease.
Leo blushed. "No. Jason said he's going to go slow."
"But, you want one, don't you?" Octavian pondered slyly.
"Whose side are you on?"
He smirked. "My own. It's funny seeing you two so flustered. Chase would love this."
"She would, but we would also be able to tease her as well," Percy said with a grin. "I heard her third date with Reyna went well. They're probably going on another one this weekend."
"Took her long enough," Octavian huffed. 'Now, if I could have someone, too.'
"Can't really blame her," Leo said, shrugging. "Rejection is a difficult risk to take."
"So is losing." Octavian's clear blue eyes met with Percy's, before coming in contact with Leo's. "But, it's a risk I'm willing to take. The Titans are going down."
. . .
The members of the Elysium basketball team stood in a circle, enclosed by metal lockers on all sides with tension thick enough to be sliced clean through by a knife surrounded them. It was the day of the game against the TItans. It had to be a home game, adding to the immense pressure they were already feeling.
Percy and Leo locked eyes with each other, their anxiousness soaring through the roof. But on their faces were expressions of fierce determination, masking the trepidation they felt inside. They had to set an example for their team. To increase the morale, Percy prepared for his usual pep-talk, a last resort confidence boot. He glanced over at Octavian, who nodded encouragingly, and opened to his mouth to speak.
"Today's the d -"
"Sorry to interrupt." Coach Nike popped out from beside the lockers, an unreadable expression on her face. "There's someone here to talk to you guys. I think this will help." From behind her, Luke appeared, looking a little lost and nervous. He fidgeted under their scrutinizing, while Nike stepped aside. Lke cleared his throat, his gaze directed at the team.
"I'm here today because Octavian made me something important." He peered at Octavian and gave him a weak smile, before returning to attention back on the team. "I'm sorry. Percy, Leo, and everyone on the them, most of all, Octavian, I'm really sorry. I can't apologize enough for shutting you guys out, but I'll try to make it up. I owe it to you for helping me realize that what I'm doing is only crippling myself, You guys don't owe me anything. I just wanted to wish you luck." In a smaller voice, he added, "Can you at least promise me that you won't get hurt?"
Percy shook his head in the negative. "That's impossible, knowing the Titans."
"If we do get hurt," Leo continued, "at least we went down."
Luke winced at that, but offered them another weak smile, He turned to leave, saying that he won't disturb them any longer, but Octavian rabbed his wrist and pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you," he murmured into his shoulder. "I know how hard it is for you to do this."
The rest of the team turned away to give them a moment of privacy, as Luke wrapped him his arms tightly around Octavian. He laid his chin on top of Octavian's head snugly, taking in his familiar scent, and whispered, "Win for me."
Regretfully, he broke the hug. With misty eyes, he stroked Octavian's cheek tenderly, before letting his head drop. His eyes landed on Octavian, then Percy, Leo, and the rest of the team. In a steady voice, he said, "I know I am not your captain anymore, but this is my last words to you before the game starts. I am so proud of you. It's time for me to be someone you're proud of. I'll be cheering for you in the crowd. Good luck. And if you get hurt, I'll wait until you heal, then I'll beat your asses."
They all shared a laugh, before Luke exited the locker room. The team was left feeling satisfied and more motivated than ever. Coach Nike appeared once again, looking a little smug, and smirked. "It's showtime."
The team exited the locker room and stepped onto the court. Rows and rows of bleachers were filled to the brim. Cheers of 'Titans' or 'Tartarus' were scattered here and there, but the overwhelming majority was the cries of 'Elites' and 'Elysium' that echoed within the gymnasium.
Percy peered around the gym, catching a glimpse of a shock of blonde hair. His eyes met with blue and Luke's echoed through his mind. 'I'm proud of you.' They shared a smile, before Percy looked away. He scanned the crowd and saw Annabeth, Rachel, and Reyna holding up a banner, while Clarisse was beside them, waving a flag wildly. He grinned at their antics and turned his attention to the other side of court, where the Titans were standing.
The team alluded an intimidating aura, their gazes steely and unyielding. There was not a hint of humor in their eyes, nor was there kindness. In the center stood Kronos, a cruel smile on his lips. There was a promise in his golden eyes, a promise of hurt and loss.
"Welcome to the game," the announcer's voice broke into the noise. "Our very own Elysium Elites against the Tartarus Titans. Will everyone please stand and join us in the national anthem."
Piper stood bravely in the center of the court, a microphone in her hand. She smiled and began singing the national anthem. The lyrics flowed smoothly melodically, her beautiful voice filling the air. She ended the song with a high note spanning several measures, before she bowed. The crowd erupted into applause and the blonde blushed, as she stepped away from the spotlight.
"Thank you, Piper Mclean, for such a riveting performance," the announcer stated. "Now will everyone return their attention to the court? The very much anticipated game is about to begin."
The two teams were called to the center for a jump ball. Frank was chosen for the Elites, while Prometheus stepped forward, an air of confidence surrounding him. The tall, lanky boy with a long pony tail had a lazy smile curving his lips, as he stared down Frank.
"You should just give it up," he told him. "I see your loss coming. It's better to forfeit now. You don't want a repeat of last year, do you?"
"Shut up," Frank snarled and focused his attention on the ball the referee was holding in her hand.
Prometheus chuckled. "You'll regret it."
Frank merely ignored and watched as the ref threw the ball up into the air. He jumped and in front of him, Prometheus does the same, but Frank was a split second faster, knocking it into Percy's awaiting hands. He smirked and glanced at Prometheus, who had lost his lazy smile, and ran to defend his teammates. The game had begun.
Percy, surprisingly, scored the first point, the crowd roaring in excitement. The ball changed possession and it's now Elysium's turn to defend. The Titans were wicked fast, due to their skill, and their defense was broken in no time, but they weren't deterred. It was barely the first quarter. They still had time to catch up.
And, they did. During the second and third quarter, Elysium was able to pull ahead, even if it was just by a couple of points. Once they saw that the Elites stood a chance, the Titans resorted to using every dirty trick in the book. Typical. That brought them ahead, as the fourth quarter started.
"Foul, Elysium, number 11." All eyes turned to the referees in confusion. They all pointed to Octavian, who stared at them in confusion, then anger. His eyes sharpened as the referee explained that he had been pushing number 1 on the Titans, the member being Kronos (of course). There had been an altercation between the two, but it was merely verbal, until Kronos started pushing against Octavian, causing the other to retaliate. Apparently, the refs had only caught sight of the situation after Octavian struck.
"What the fuck?" he whispered to Percy who shrugged nonchalantly, but the way his jaw was clenched and his shoulders were set said otherwise.
"I don't know." The confusion was echoed throughout the stands. There were people booing the refs, some even outright slandering the Titans, who just stood there looking extra smug. Octavian surged up towards them, but was pulled back by Percy, who shook his head disapprovingly.
"Don't start anything. Now's not the time," he asserted, laying a hand on Octavian's shoulder and squeezed firmly. "I'm angry, too, but there's no use in lashing out. The refs have the final say in this. We can't change it. And, we don't even have slow motion cameras to capture what really happened. Just let it go." But, Octavian wasn't having it, if the fiery storm in his eyes was anything to go by. Percy sent an exasperated look to Coach Nike, who nodded, and called for a substitution.
"Number 11 for Number 13." Octavian clenched his fist as he glanced around wildly, ready to punch the first thing he saw, but his gaze was met with Luke, who smiled reassuringly, and his anger depleted. He trudged to the bench and laid a towel over his head, but not before fist bumping Grover and pushed him towards the court with a simple, "Good luck."
"Thanks," Grover murmured back, his jaw set in determination. His skills wasn't as up to par as Octavian, but he could still take up the mantle left behind. And besides, it was only until the blonde calmed down, which shouldn't take very long.
Grover let himself have a small smirk. His stamina may be formidable, but in the short window he had before Octavian was switched back in, he could definitely make a difference.
Within minutes of his substitution, the team scored a three pointer, pulling them closer to the Titans. Grover was their anchor. THe other members have become flighty and wary of the Titans, even more than before. They were scared to play aggressive, fearing that they too would be fouled unfairly. But once Grover stepped on the court, that all changed.
Leo, who had been targeted relentlessly due to his height, broke the wall of Titans guarding him and scored after point after point. He hadn't trained all year for nothing. Then, there was Percy, whose passes were damn near belligerent at the speed they were flying across the court. When the ELites were on defense, Nico and Jason were blocking any, if no all, the shots the Titans were attempting. It was their form of vengeance for unfairly fouling Octavian.
. . .
"Substitution. Number 11 for 24." Percy gave Octavian a small smile, as they clapped hands and patted each others' backs. He sat down and glanced at Coach Nike.
"Thank you," he said, squeezing his elbow gently. He was starting to feel the strain.
"No problem," she replied with a smile, as she handed him an ice pack. He took it and immediately placed it on his elbow to soothe the ache he felt, caused by exertion through passing and dribbling. "You looked like you needed a break. And, Octavian was also getting antsy in his seat."
Percy laughed and turned his attention back to the court, his eyes darted back and forth as he followed the ball. His team was doing a good job of keeping the ball out of Titan hands. They scored another point, only a two pointer this time, but it was enough to get the crowd roaring. It was also enough to keep his spirits soaring, too. Watching his team play, watching them keeping up with the Titans was a clear indicator of how far they had come. And damn, their future was definitely looking bright.
His eyes flickered from the ball to Nico, whooping excitedly when the Italian blocked yet another shot from Kronos. He could tell that it was a definite shock to the Titans' captain's system, if his clenched fists were any indication to go by. Worry bubbled up in his chest, as he noticed Kronos getting more and more heated. It reminded him of last year when Luke had been injured. It was due to Kronos getting angry. 'Fuck,' he thought. 'This isn't good. Something's going to happen. I just hope that I'm wrong.'
To his dismay, Percy was right. He could only watch in horror as Kronos charged towards Nico, the ball slapping the ground loudly with each dribble. Nico fell into position to guard and block, hut time seemed to slow as Kronos rammed straight into him, his body skidding against the court. In the collision, Percy had noticed that Kronos kicked Nico's knee, hard enough for the Italian to groan in pain. With a yell, Percy stood up from his place on the bench, but Coach Nike gripped his shoulder and shook her head. She pointed over to where Nico's prone body lay.
Percy followed her finger and felt his breath catch in his chest. Nico was struggling to stand up, refusing help from the people beside him. The Italian's eyes were focused on only him, those intense depths staring at only him. Percy gave him a soft smile and nodded in encouragement. Nico smirked and pulled his body up in a feat of strength, but the quirk of his lips faded when he staggered.
A timeout was immediately called and Nico was helped over to the bench by Jason, limping slowly with a wince of pain every now and then. He let a sigh of relief when he was set down onto the bench and with a sad smile, he admitted, "I'm not going to lie. I can't play like this. I'm really sorry guys. I will only bring you guys down if I play."
"You did your best." Nico looked up at Percy and saw that his gorgeous sea green eyes were alit with rage. All around him, the Elites were beyond infuriated, but also worried. A grim expression crossed their faces. Nico reminded them all too well of Luke, but Nico, at least, was going to continue playing basketball. "It's alright. We will take care of the rest." Percy placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed firmly in reassurance. "Don't worry about it."
"And besides," Leo said with a grin, "we're all angry as fuck. Gives all the more reason for us to get revenge."
"You've done enough already, Nikki," Jason added, his lips curving into a soft, affectionate smile. "It's time for us to finish what we've set out to do."
"Put me back in," came Percy's voice, quiet, but unwavering.
"No." Coach Nike was adamant. "You still need to ice your elbow for at least another five or ten minutes."
"There's no time," Percy argued, glancing at the clock. "There's only seven minutes left. I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse than this." There was enough time for a comeback without doing anything detrimental to his health. He promised not to do anything too strenuous and their coach softened.
"Fine," Coach Nike relented with a sigh. "But, the moment I see you in any pain, I won't hesitate to take you out. I'd rather risk losing the game than losing you."
Percy smiled gratefully and hoped that it wouldn't get to that point. He handed Nico his ice pack and pressed it to the boy's knee tenderly. Nico grabbed his hand and squeezed, pressing a gentle kiss on the knuckles before letting go. Percy blushed, but when he stepped onto the court, his eyes were steely. It was time for payback.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stared down the Titans. They were surely going to target him, but that was the plan. He was merely going to be the distraction, while the rest of the team maneuvered around aground him. It wasn't the best laid plan out there, but he knew it would do the job.
The Elites were out looking for blood. They went on the offensive, throwing caution to the wind, and managed to deter the Titans with their aggressive run and gun play. Jason and Frank were an impenetrable fortress, working like a well-oiled machine, even despite not having any experience playing with each other. Percy played defensively, evading the Titans, and passing the ball to his teammates, while Leo was the one who made all the shots. Kronos and the Titans tried upping their game, but it seemed as though they were tiring, not used to a team that could keep up. But with the onslaught of the Elites, it was a wonder that they lasted so long.
It was the last thirty seconds and Percy had the ball. They needed only two more points to win. The Titans had managed to tie the score in the last few minutes, but they still had a small window of opportunity before they had to go into overtime. Percy noticed that there was an opening for a drive down the center, but then, he saw Octavian across from him, virtually unguarded, and passed the ball to him instead. He knew that with his legs and arms as strained as they were, he wouldn't have made it in time. But, Octavian definitely would.
Octavian shot the ball into the air, his fingers and wrist arching to push the ball sailing towards the hoop. The crowd watched with bated breaths, as the basketball swirled around the rim, before landing in. 'Swish.' The Elites had won the game.
The crowd broke into chaos, cheering loudly and whistling, while the referees had the players line up to shake hands.
Percy stood in front of Kronos, smiling brightly, sunny compared to the blonde captain. Kronos glared at Percy's outstretched hand and when he caught sight of that smug smile on the boy's face, he gripped the offered hand hard, hard enough to bruise. The boy let out a pained cry, but it wasn't enough. In a fit of anger, Kronos brought his elbow down onto the boy's forehead and grinned maliciously when he fell back the moment his hand was released. His body hit the court with a resounding thud, eyes fluttering close.
And, the last thing Percy remembered was the horrified expression on Nico's face and his name on his lips.
. . .
"Nico, honey," a soft voice called out to him. A hand was shaking his shoulder and Nico groaned, trying to shrug it off. "It's time to wake up." When it was evident that the person wasn't leaving, he opened his eyes, his vision bleary and unfocused. Nico saw a woman with black hair and beautiful brown eyes, smiling tenderly at him.
"Mamma?" He yawned, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. 'This can't possibly be mamma,' he thought. 'She's dead. This has to be a dream.'
"No." A gentle hand sifted the hair out of his eyes and helped propped him up. "It's Persephone." It seemed to be an afterthought that made her add, "Your stepmother."
He felt fucking terrible at the indescribable sadness in her voice and couldn't help but think about what his sisters, Jason, and even Percy had said about giving her another chance.
After all, they were right. Even if it did hurt to admit it, maman had died a while ago. And, it was time for him to move on. And fuck was that a scary revelation.
"I brought you some takeout," Persephone continued, as if she had taken Nico's silence as an answer, and handed him a cardboard take out box and a pair of chopsticks. "I know you wouldn't like the hospital food. So, I took the liberty of ordering you some Chinese. You need the energy if you're going to stay until Percy wakes up."
Nico took the carton gingerly in his hand and held the chopsticks in the other, murmuring, "Thank you." The soft, but sincere "You're welcome," which he knew, he damn well knew, was accompanied by a smile was enough to do him in.
"Persephone?" He looked up from his chow mein and orange chicken and found himself staring into a pair of warm, caramel eyes that reminded him of maman. Those gentle, soft brown eyes were staggeringly mamma, but yet at the same time, not. They held a light that was wholly Persephone and Nico couldn't help but wished that he had been mature enough, had been able to look past his misery and past to see what that was.
"Yes, dear?" He didn't deserve the endearment.
"I-I'm sorry." Even the words sounded weak in his ears. "For everything."
"No, it's alright. You were - are, still grieving for your mom and that's acceptable."
Nico shook his head. "No, it's not an excuse, Persephone. You didn't deserve any of the attitude and hate. You didn't deserve any of it. You came into our family and tried to make us happy, tried to help us move on. You made dad, Hazel, and Bianca happy when it was one of the saddest times in their lives, while I only made your life even harder. And for that, I'm really sorry."
"W-what brought this one, Nico?" She had a hopeful expression on her face, one Nico had seen so many times before, only to see the hope dashed away by his stupidity. He wasn't going to let that happen again. Not this time.
"Hazel and Bianca have always wanted me to give you a chance," he began, biting his lip when he saw her eyes starting to cloud over, but he shouldered on. "Percy started picking up on it, too, even though he didn't know the entire story, and wanted me to be a bit nicer. I wasn't.. I didn't exactly respond well to that. Then, Jason came up to me and told me that he agreed with them and that I should change. I didn't start realizing that I should follow their advice until well... today."
"Percy's a smart boy," Persephone commented, her eyes still watery, but her smile was brighter than anything he had ever seen. "Don't let him go."
"I won't. And, I won't let you go either. I've been a shitty stepson. Don't - don't say that I wasn't because I was. And now, I'm going to make it up to you. By giving you the chance you deserve so many times over."
"Oh, Nico." Persephone pulled him into a hug and he could practically feel the love pouring from her, warmth exuding from her very essence. And from that very moment, he knew that he had done the right thing. "I'm so proud of you. Change is very hard to cope with. You had your reasons for not liking me and I understand. I'm just really glad that you're giving me a chance."
"And, I think I should start by calling you mamma." He felt a warm trickle of dampness on his hair and realized that she was crying. Nico just tightened his hold on her, feeling tears starting blurring his vision. "I think it's time I start acting like the son I'm supposed to me." They held each other for a while, trying basking in one another's presence until a groan interrupted them. Nico reluctantly broke the embrace and glanced over at Percy, berating himself for having forgotten why he was in the hospital room in the first place.
Percy tried sitting up, but flopped down spinelessly when the action caused a sharp pain to shoot through his head. "Ow."
"I'll leave you two to talk," Persephone said, squeezing Nico's shoulder affectionately. She couldn't resist the temptation to press a kiss on his forehead and was almost surprised to see him smile at the show of affection. She couldn't help the happiness that bubbled up her chest and grinned jovially as she walked over to Hades, who had been waiting at the doorway, watching the scene unfold. He took her hand in his and walked her outside, a smile on his face. His son was growing up.
"You shouldn't sit up," Nico suggested back in the room. He grabbed Percy's hand and stroked it tenderly. "It's better if you lay down."
"N-nico?" Percy turned his head to face him, blinking at the bright light. The Italian looked like a fallen angel in his eyes. "What happened?"
"We won." He paused at Percy's brilliant smile amid the pain, feeling himself grin as well. "But, Kronos got mad and he attacked you. You have a gash on your head from his elbow, but the doctor said that you'll be fine as long as you get a good night's sleep. You're also on leave from physical activity for a week."
Percy groaned, but his face showed no expression of anguish. Far from it, in fact. If anything, he looked happy. "And, you stayed?"
"Of course," Nico said as a matter of fact. He used his free hand to cup Percy's cheek, smiling soft when the boy began to blush. "I will always stay."
Percy hummed happily, leaning into Nico's touch. "So, we're good?"
"Yes, Percy," Nico murmured. He leaned in close to place a kiss on Percy's cheek, but the boy turned slightly and their lips met sweetly. Percy released a groan from the back of his throat when Nico nibbled at his bottom lip and opened his mouth, whimpering at the deft tongue that darted in. Their tongues mingled and danced in tandem, until they couldn't anymore and broke for air.
Nico took a single glance at Percy, whose supple, pink lips and delectable blush were begging for more, and did just that. He captured the boy's lips again and again, each time sweeter and tender than the last. Between every kiss, he would punctuate an apology, still feeling awful for what he had done.
"It's alright," Percy said breathlessly, once their kissing let up. His cheeks and lips were flushed a deep red, while his eyes sparkled with uncontained delight. "You don't have to apologize. It's all in the past now. And besides, you and Persephone are getting along better now right?"
"You can say that," Nico said with a grin. "You can definitely say that." The corner of his lips grew fond, as he carded his fingers through Percy's hair. "Hey, Percy?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
Percy just smiled. "You're welcome." He reached over and laced their fingers together. "Change isn't so bad, is it?"
"No." Nico shook his head. "I guess, it's not."
. . .
"I'm glad that Percy's okay," Octavian said, picking at the limp salad on his plate. The lettuce looked like it had been leafed weeks ago and left forgotten in the fridge for a while, until it was remembered today. "But, this food is disgusting."
Luke nodded in agreement, pushing his hamburger (or, what looked to be one) to the side. "I still want to check on him. I can't just take the doctor's words for it. I want to see myself that he's fine." Because I know he would do that for me was left unsaid.
"We won," Octavian exclaimed breathily when a silence over them. He still couldn't believe it. "We won. We did it, Luke. We actually defeated the Titans."
"Yeah." Luke's smile was soft, as his impossibly blue eyes met with Octavian's. they were slightly tinged with tears, but they were in no danger of falling. "You did. I'm so proud of you. You guys did what I couldn't." What I could never do, he thought. "I couldn't be prouder."
"You're still going to beat Percy's ass, aren't you?" Octavian reminded him. "He got injured."
"That he did," Luke murmured with a grin. "But, it wasn't his fault. I think I'll let him off. This time."
"This time?" Octavian's eyes widened. "Does that mean there will be a next time?"
"Of course," Luke replied smoothly. "I started on the physical therapy for my knee that I should have started a long time ago. It's time I go back into basketball, isn't it?"
Octavian stared at him, before breaking into soft peals of laughter. "I guess it is. I'm glad to have you back. I've missed you, you know? Missed your presence on the court. It wasn't the same without you."
"For what it's worth," Luke said quietly. "I missed you, too. Video games became my distraction, but I couldn't... I couldn't make myself forget. Not when I saw you in everything."
'"Was that a confession?"
"Too early for a first date?" Luke cracked weakly.
Octavian laughed heartily. "No, it isn't. I think our first date should be a clean slate, don't you think?"
"It's one hell of a date, then," Luke commented and the two of them broke into laughs. It felt familiar and oh, so right. Octavian smiled. 'We're going to be fine.'
So, that's all guys. This is the end of the line for me. Paint Me a Better Tomorrow had finally ended after a long hiatus and several small hiatuses in between. I can't thank you guys enough for sticking with me. If there are any questions, just ask. Please look out for my other works. I don't think I will be writing any more PJaTO fanfiction in the near future just because I am now immersed in a different fandom. (Avengers, Marvel, etc.) I said I would write Drarry next, but that is on hold for now.
This is FullReverse. I guess this is on the end of the line, guys. I'll see you in the next story I write. ^-^