FicWad

A/N: Hmm, I just realized I didn't put an author's note on chapter one. Duh. jennieman is just a little dumb. So yaa...Umm, I don't wanna sound rude or ungrateful or anything, but if you do review this chapter, or any more of my one shots, could you maybe actually review and not just ask me to update Mind Games or A New Twist? Because I would like actual feedback on my writing, and not just people complaining and asking me to stop writing anything besides those two stories. Nagging me to write more on them just annoys me and makes me not want to write anything, mkay? Which is what's gonna happen if people keep doing that. Sorry if that upsets some people, but that's just how I feel about the situation. I'm really way too busy with school to be writing anyways, so stopping would actually give me a lot more free time. Sorry and thanks to everyone who actually leaves a review as it's meant to be.

Locker Room Conversations

Day Five

Archie shook slightly as he tiredly blocked another of Jay's blows, swords clanging sharply as they met. His leader was, quite obviously, feeling rather frustrated. With no doubt as to why, Archie thought, glancing quickly over at Theresa. He pushed back against Jay suddenly, spinning to knock the flat of his practice sword against his neck. Jay cursed and dropped to one knee, panting. Archie snorted and dropped down beside him, also panting for breath.

"You know, you need to find a different outlet for your frustration," he groaned, rotating his shoulder, which was quite sore now. "Like Herry maybe. Or the punching bag. You're like a bloody maniac with that sword."

Jay just glared at him and rolled onto his back with a huff. Archie fell back, shaking his head as they both lay there, resting a minute. He glanced over at Jay, and gave him a slight nudge with his foot.

"Hey. Let's call it a day man. I can't take another round with you so damn pissed off," he said, slowly sitting up.

"Fine," Jay replied shortly, standing and stalking over to the sword rack. Archie sighed in exasperation and stood, glancing balefully at the girls once more. He shook his head and followed Jay into the locker room, both in desperate need of a shower. Herry smirked at Archie as Jay quickly made his way into the showers, frown set firmly on his face. Archie sighed and sat wearily on the bench, slowly and carefully removing his brace.

"Zeus I hope they go sailing this weekend," he complained mournfully. "Please, please, let them go sailing. Please Theresa, go sailing with him."

Theresa snorted in amusement at Archie's imploring tone, the poor boy oblivious to the fact that she could hear him. Odie gave him a curious look.

"Why would it matter if Theresa went sailing with him? Or at all for that matter?" he asked innocently. Archie and Herry exchanged disbelieving glances. Archie shook his head and wrapped his towel about his waist.

"Geez Odie, where have you been living for the past five months, under a rock?" he snorted, ignoring Odie's dirty look as he stood and stretched, gathering his showering items. "Theresa going sailing with Jay means Jay will get laid, which in turn, means Jay will stop being so pissy. What'd you think they did every weekend?"

"I, uh, well-not that!" Odie stammered, face flushing in embarrassment. Herry chuckled and gave him a friendly slap on the back, knocking the poor boy over. Archie snorted and headed into the shower. He sighed as the hot water hit his sweat soaked skin, relaxing his aching muscles. He hated it when Theresa got like this, cutting Jay off. Albeit, he deserved it, but not for a whole week. He hung his head with a sigh, sending a silent prayer to Aphrodite, pleading with her to somehow magically intervene, maybe cast a love spell on them. Archie slowly finished showering and carefully wandered out, mindful of his bare heel. He smirked at Odie, who was still quite red, and sighed as he heard Neil's obnoxious voice coming from the lockers.

"Yeesh, somebody's grouchy. You need to relax Jay. Or maybe just get laid," the blond boy suggested. Archie winced as he heard Neil get slammed into the lockers, not out of any concern for him. Rather, it was out of concern for his hearing, should Neil start shrieking.

"Neil, I swear, if you don't shut up, I'm going to break that perfect little nose of yours," Jay growled as Archie and Odie came around the lockers, wide smirk on Archie's face.

"Please don't. As amusing as it would be, he would complain, loudly, about it for the rest of his life," Archie snickered, opening up his locker and grabbing his brace. Jay released Neil, who scurried away in a huff, shooting them all dirty looks. Herry shook his head and glanced over at a scowling Jay.

"You know Jay, I hate to agree with Neil, but you do need to relax. You've been in a terrible mood all week long," Herry said fearlessly, not bothered in the least by the venomous glare being sent his way. Archie also decided to bravely jump in and add his own two cents.

"No, you know what you need to do Jay? You don't need to relax. You need to drag Theresa into the bedroom and just fuck her senseless, that's what you need to do. Show her who's the man in your relationship," Archie told him pointedly. Atlanta and Theresa both glared up at the vent. Jay rolled his eyes.

"Well thanks for that little gem of wisdom, caveman Archie, but that's not the problem," Jay grumbled. Archie looked at him in surprise, quickly replaced by annoyance.



"You mean you are getting sex and you're still pissed off?!" he demanded. Jay sighed and shook his head, tugging on his jeans. "So she isn't giving you sex? Which is it?"

"No, she's not! Couldn't if she wanted to anyways," Jay mumbled half heartedly. Odie glanced up at Herry in confusion while Archie had an understanding look on his face.

"Why not? Is she, um...okay?" Odie ventured carefully.

"Yeah, of course, she's fine. It's just...you know, that time," Jay told him. Odie, once again, turned red, mumbling a tiny 'Oh' before turning back to his locker. Theresa flushed and scowled up at the vent.

"Not the kind of info you share Jay," she grumbled. Atlanta gave her a sympathetic smile. Archie snorted and shook his head in exasperation.

"Geez Jay, shouldn't you be used to that by now? I mean, she gets it every month," he scowled.



"Yes, I know. A fact for which I am continuously grateful and happy," Jay said patiently in his best 'you're-an-idiot' tone.

"Ew, why? It's so gross," Neil piped up, not looking away from his mirror, effectively missing the murderous looks being sent his way. Theresa frowned and looked down at her feet. Atlanta scowled, thinking of various ways in which she was going to hurt Neil.

"Because Neil, every time she gets her period means she's not pregnant," Jay growled, feeling his eye begin to twitch. Herry looked at him sharply.

"Whoa there. Don't even tell me you guys aren't being careful, because I will beat you into a bloody pulp," he threatened menacingly, arms crossed over his chest. Jay gave hi a withering glance.



"Of course we are. But that doesn't mean accidents can't happen. Hell, I was an accident," he pointed out. Herry relaxed and gave him a smile.

"Ah, okay. Good. Really?" he asked. Theresa had to smile at his protective concern.

"Can we please get back to the topic at hand here, people?" Archie demanded. "I wanna know why the hell you're being so fucking pissy, considering I'm the one you're currently taking it out on!"

Jay sighed, shaking his head as he sat down to pull on his socks and shoes. He could feel Archie glaring at him, and the angry tension swirling in his body.



"Because she won't sleep with me, alright?" he spat, not looking away from his shoes. The boys exchanged incredulous glances.

"But, you just said..." Odie trailed off. Jay waved a hand impatiently.

"No, no, I mean, every time she has her period she refuses to share a bed with me. I get relegated back to my own bedroom," he explained, standing and grabbing his shirts off his shelf. Atlanta gave Theresa a questioning look and she nodded a bit sheepishly.

"That's what's been bothering you?! That's it? You're mad because you can't share a bed with her for a few days out of the month?! Why the hell does that bother you so much?!" Archie cried, seriously annoyed with his leader now. He jumped slightly as Jay viciously slammed his locker shut and whirled to face him.

"Because god dammit! Because I'm still fucking alive and able to share a goddamn bed with her, that's why!!" Jay shouted angrily, eyes as black as coal. Archie moved back a step, startled by this unanticipated fury and unfamiliar cussing. He reflexively glanced down at the boy's chest for a split second, eyeing the still pink scar that lay next to his heart. The locker room fell eerily silent, not even Neil daring to move. "Why should it matter if she has her period if it means I get to spend one more day waking up with her next to me?! Does she think it bothers me? Because I could care less about it. Two inches. Two damn inches to the left, and I'd be sitting with our ancestors in Elysian Fields! I just...just don't understand her sometimes."

Jay felt the anger draining out of him, and sighed in exhaustion, letting his forehead rest against the cool metal of the lockers, shoulders slumped in defeat. Archie eyed him warily, glancing at his back where a perfectly identical scar lay mirroring his front half. He remembered how he got that scar quite vividly. It all linked back to Cronus of course.

They had never thought defeating him would be easy, but they had never thought it would be so horrible either. Jay had fought Cronus while the rest had fended off all the other monsters hoping to distract Jay. Perhaps it had been horribly clichéd, or perhaps it was just a universal truth that every leader should find his defeat in his own defeat of the enemy. Time had slowed as the two fought, swords clanging off of each other, slicing neatly through skin as blood flew. Both had simultaneously turned to face each other, both stabbing the other straight through the chest.

Archie shuddered and looked away from Jay as he recalled the horrible image of Cronus's sword protruding from Jay's back, blood pouring out of his mouth and the terrible sound of Theresa screaming. Jay's own sword was buried in Cronus's chest, the evil god smirking down at the mortal in front of him. A smirk soon wiped clean as Jay kicked him back and with the last of his strength, pulled his sword free and severed Cronus's head from his body. His eyes had closed as he fell to the ground, blood everywhere, his face as pale as the moon.

Two inches. The sword had penetrated two inches away from his heart. Luck had definitely been on there side that day, and Archie didn't think he was ever so grateful for having Neil around. He felt his throat tighten and cleared it quickly, face flushing in embarrassment at feeling so emotional. He crossed his arms and stood next to Jay, back against the lockers. Jay glanced at him wearily, but Archie continued to look at the ground. Tears streamed unchecked down Theresa's face as Atlanta wrapped her arms around her, trying to give the girl some measure of comfort..

"She blamed herself for you getting hurt you know," Archie said gruffly.

"What?" Jay said incredulously, lifting his head off the locker. Archie nodded.

"Thought it was her fault you got hurt, because she didn't 'see' it coming. Said, of all the things she's seen before, you would think she would see what mattered the most. But she didn't. No warning whatsoever. Just....Man, she was a wreck that whole time you were unconscious and we didn't know if you were gonna make it. But I'll tell you one thing. If you had died...she wouldn't be here either man," Archie said, looking Jay dead in the eyes. Sombre silence filled the room as they reflected on that. Archie sighed and pushed himself off the lockers, gathering his bags. "Maybe you two should go sailing this weekend, just to talk."

The four boys quickly rounded up their belongings, leaving Jay to the empty silence stretching throughout the room. He sighed wearily and slowly slipped his shirt on.

"You know, for once I think Archie's right. You guys do need to talk, I think," Atlanta murmured, giving Theresa a gentle squeeze as the older girl wiped away her tears. She nodded silently, throat closed, tight with emotion. She sniffed and looked up, giving Atlanta a watery, forced smile.

"Yeah, we should. But, you go Lanta. Archie's probably waiting for you," Theresa whispered, voice hoarse. Atlanta frowned, concerned about leaving her alone with Jay at the moment. /Well, she'll be alone with him if they go sailing, duh Atlanta, /she thought cynically. Theresa gave her a little nudge and stood, closing her locker gently. "Go on. I'll be fine, Lanta, really."

"Okay. If you're sure..." she trailed off uncertainly. Theresa smiled and pushed her towards the door.

"Go on. Archie's gonna be frothing at the mouth, you don't hurry," she teased, earning a smile small from her concerned friend. Atlanta gave her a quick hug before disappearing out the door. Theresa sighed and sat back down on the bench, tears rising in her eyes once more. She raised her knees to her chest and lay her head against them, hair falling to enshroud her. She sat there, quietly trying to stifle the sobs that wanted to erupt from her chest, breathing deeply to keep them down. She bit her lip and hugged her knees tightly to her chest, willing the aching in her heart to go away. She jumped as a hand clamped down on her shoulder, looking up to meet Jay's dark eyes.

He sighed and sat down next to her, taking in her tearstained cheeks and red eyes. She went to turn away, but he caught her chin gently and pulled her into a kiss. Her lips trembled against his as he cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand, gently wiping away the tears. He broke the kiss and abruptly pulled her into his lap, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Theresa sighed loudly and wrapped her arms tightly around him, the feel of his chest pressed against hers easing some of the ache. Jay just smiled and held her close, stroking her back. They would talk, he knew. But for now, only silence was needed.