From gods and shadows

by ExistentialismUnderTheSky

Summary:

"Kuroko, while already having a good amount of experience with the powers he inherited from his godly parentage, was never good at the stereotypical Hades child shtick."

Kuroko Tetsuya, a long time camper of Camp Half-Blood, goes through life mostly unnoticed until a child of Poseidon finds him one night completly on accident, starting his first real frindship in eight years.

or the Percy Jackson AU of Kuroko being a lonely Hades child that i couldn't get out of my head.

SLOW UPDATES

Notes:

hi, this is going to be an ongoing series, but I honestly don't have many ideas for it and my motivation often slips
even still i will try to write as much as i can from this AU
charaters will be added as they show up in different one-shots. and the chapters aren't necessarily chronological
please enjoy!!
disclaimer: i don't own the characters

Chapter 1: the hades kid

Kuroko, while already having a good amount of experience with the powers he inherited from his godly parentage, was never good at the stereotypical Hades child shtick. 

 
 

When people thought of Hades, they saw an army of reanimated skeletons, breakable but always jig-sawed back together, and ready to pounce if needed, a second later. They imagined vast amounts of wealth of different kinds ranging from clear diamonds to metallic gold to scarlet rubies and more. They recognized a black throne covered in a dark shadow and a powerful presence.  

 
 

Kuroko was nothing like that. He was weak and small, with a height of five feet and six inches, and a weight probably tinier than it should be. He wasn’t dark or broody as most people thought all Hades kids should be. He had sky blue hair and eyes! It wasn’t a color many people associated with the name Hades.  

 
 

While his physical attributes were lacking, his godly attributes were also somewhat poor. He was never able to summon more than two to three full skeletons at a time. When he tried to make a fourth, the other three would always quiver and shake with a rattling sound, ready to fall apart at a moment's notice.  

 
 

While summoning any skeletons was great, only having two or three at a time was often hard in a combat setting. More troops were always better, unfortunately, he couldn’t make more and keeping up their shape and ability to move and fight continuously drained him fast. 

 
 

He also didn’t have much skill in the wealth department either. He could pull the occasional precious metal or stone from the earth, but he couldn’t summon a great amount. He had to be near the object of value and couldn’t bring one to the surface if it was too far down or not within a few feet of himself. He couldn’t really do anything with the gems or minerals unless it was getting them from the ground. 

 
 

His aura was also ridiculously weak for a supposed child of the big 3. Most demigods had a sense of power to them, weak or strong. Many demigods could tell if another’s godly parentage was from a minor god or one of the 12 Olympians just by looking at the aura they gave off and the way they held themself.  

 
 

However, Kuroko had basically no presence, neither weak nor strong, just nonexistent. When others saw him, he didn’t give off the idea that he was powerful. He baffled many who expected for children of Hades to exude power and expect attention through their very being, perhaps not as much as a Zeus kid demanded but almost as powerful. 

 
 

Kuroko had none of these traits. But he did have one gift from his father. He had an unbreakable connection to the shadows. The shadows had always been his friend. Because he wasn’t noticeable, he fit in with them, easily sliding into their presence and fading into their darkness. He often hid in the empty space that the shadows occupied and only came out when his input was needed.  

 

He startled many people when they forgot he was there, only for him to slip out of the darkness of a corner and give his opinion. And, although he knew he was forgettable, it always saddened him a little when somebody would tense in surprise when he made his presence known. He was very torn between being glad that he inherited some power from his father and being sad because of what it did to his presence. 

 
 

The only people who could somewhat consistently keep track of him were the other children of the big three: Aomine and Akashi.  

 
 

Aomine was the son of Poseidon, and was a powerful fighter with speed, stamina, and strength in spades and almost all liquids at his beck and call. And although Kuroko had been at Camp Half-Blood for a long time at this point, he was the first person to find him and really talk to him. They had come across each other when Kuroko was practicing in the fighting arena and had scared Aomine who had also come to practice late.  

 
 

Their friendship built from their mutual love of sword fighting at the fact that they were both children of the big three. 

 
 

Akashi came across them a few weeks later. Akashi was definitely what one would call famous at camp, as he was the child of Zeus. He commanded respect, but was also kind. He was also ridiculously powerful, like Aomine. It was said that he could control the wind and lightning, and that he was so destined for leadership that he had a mild level of control he could exert over people, though he never used it without reason.  

 
 

He and Aomine seemed the type of kids that would come from a member of the big three, not Kuroko.  

 
 

Akashi had found them practicing their sword skills, although Aomine was much better than himself. They had stopped when the door opened and watched as Akashi walked through, more regal than a teen probably should be. 

 
 

His eyes swept the room and he then said, “Why are you practicing so late, Daiki?” 

 
 

Kuroko didn’t know whether to be hurt or amused by the fact that Akashi was looking almost strait at him but still couldn’t see him.     

 
 

“We always practice late,” was Aomine's offhanded reply. 

 
 

“We?” 

 
 

“I’m surprised you didn’t see him earlier. This is Tetsu.” Aomine pointed to him, and it was like an invisibility spell was lifted. 

 
 

Suddenly, Akashi’s strong gaze was completely on him. He looked surprised, and Kuroko felt a little proud at the fact that he could hide, even without meaning to, from probably the most powerful demigod at camp. Akashi studied him for a bit with a thoughtful expression.  

 
 

Finally, he said, “Incredible, I’ve never seen you at camp before. How long have you been at Camp Half-blood, and who’s your godly parent, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

 
 

“I don’t mind. I was brought here fairly young, at eight years old, so I've been here for about seven years. My father is Hades.” 

 
 

Akashi looked even more astonished at that. 

 
 

“You’ve been here even longer than me and you’re also a child of the big three. This is truly fascinating. Camp just got a lot more interesting.”  

Chapter 2: welcome to camp

Summary:

The first demigod that Kise had ever seen was Aomine Daiki.

Notes:

omg it's finally done!!!!!!!!
this took forever. sry for the wait. i had writers block and finals and everything just built up.
but i'm back!
i hope you like it

 

The first demigod that Kise had ever seen was Aomine Daiki.

 

Kise was being chased by a maniacal cheerleader with a bronze leg, an empusa he would later know it by. It was at his final stretches to the place where the satyr said they would be safe. They were almost there. But then the monster came out of nowhere, and tackled his companion to the ground, leaving a newly discovered demigod, unarmed, and unprepared Kise to somehow hold the thing off or die.

 

He was getting ready for his imminent demise- Kise didn’t want to die, but he didn’t see how he could live- when a shadow fell over him. Kise looked up and saw a boy leap over him, who headed straight for the monster that was chasing him. Kise swore at that moment that the boy was insane. Who would willingly go directly towards a creature like that?

 

But Kise looked back to see the unknown person continuing to charge at the cheerleader. The boy made contact with the monster, but instead of dying like Kise thought anyone would, there was a clash of metal that took the place of a scream and the sight of blood. He tried to get a better look at what was happening, and finally made out that the boy was carrying a sword. A sword. Kise didn’t think that anyone in their right mind would still be fighting with a sword in this day and age, but apparently he was wrong. 

 

And somehow, the boy was actually keeping up with the attacks from the monster, parrying and jabbing in a well timed manner that looked so impressive, even Kise knew that those moves must have been advanced.  

 

Eventually, the monster went down and the unknown boy finished it off with a well placed stab to what Kise assumed was its stomach. As the creature turned into dust, the blue haired boy turned to Kise, and the serious expression he had on during the fight was replaced by a light smile.     

 

He raised his hand in a slight wave and said, “yo,” as if he hadn’t just killed a mythological creature easily with a sword that still had the said creature’s oddly colored blood on its blade. Was that blood green? It was hard for Kise to see it in the quickly diminishing sunlight.

 

For a little while, all Kise could do was stare. What was he supposed to do in a situation like this?

 

The other boy apparently took note of the fact that he wasn’t talking and so he continued, “ I’m Daiki Aomine, another demigod, like you I'm guessing.”

 

Well that sort of explained the sword in his hand, at least. And possibly his dark blue hair, although that could just be hair dye. Kise decided that it would be rude not to answer the guy, considering the fact that he had just saved his life. “I’m Ryota Kise and thanks for saving my life.”

 

“No problem. Monsters never come into camp, so the only way to get good practice with them is if you go out of the barrier.”

 

“The barrier?”

 

“Demigods attract monsters like how lights attract moths, so to keep everyone in camp safe there’s a protective barrier. I think Tetsu mentioned that it was made by Chiron, but I don’t know if I’m remembering that wrong, so don’t hold me to it.”

 

Kise gave him a confused look and said, “who’s Chiron and who’s Tetsu?” 

 

Aomine actually laughed at him for that. A full on, stomach-ache inducing laugh that lasted well into the point of making Kise feel very awkward as he stood there. Kise thought it was the tiniest bit overkill when the other boy wiped a non-existent tear from his eye. Was what he said really so funny?

 

When Aomine noticed that Kise was seriously asking, he finally stopped his fit of laughter and took pity on Kise’s uninformed self. “ I didn’t realise that you actually didn’t know. Most demigods get the rundown from the satyrs that lead them to camp. I guess your assigned satyr didn’t do a very good job, so i’ll fill you in. Chiron is an immortal centaur, ya know, half horse half human. He lives at camp and helps all the campers. Tetsu’s another demigod, you’ll meet him eventually, probably.”

 

Kise sweatdropped, “probably?”

 

“Probably. Come on, I'll lead you the rest of the way.” 

“But what about my original guide?” Kise tried to point out the satyr that they were about to leave behind, but when he looked back, the cloven companion was gone. 

 

Aomine gave him a sad look, shook his head, and pointed to a patch of dandelions that Kise didn’t remember being there before. “When satyrs die, they reincarnate into plants.” He looked at the flowers for a few moments before making his way towards the direction he came from.

 

Kise wisely decided to drop the subject and followed the other boy, taking a short moment to mourn the satyr that had gotten him this far. 

 

……….

 

Kise didn’t know when it happened but at one moment they were walking through the dense forest, and then the next he could see open fields and cabins that weren’t there before. Kids were moving to and from different buildings, chatting happily as they walked. There was a sense of calm surrounding the place that couldn’t be felt before. Kise marveled at the place as he got closer… only to run straight into Aomine’s back, who had stopped without Kise realizing.

 

While Kise rubbed his nose, Aomine explained, “We’re here. Welcome to camp half-blood. C’mon we need to get you to the Big House.” 

 

As Kise had been walking with Aomine, he had begun to learn to stop questioning everything and to just go with it, or else he’d be confused forever. The other boy may have known more about the world of demi-gods than he did, but he wasn’t all that good at explaining. 

 

They made their way through the camp, and Kise was stunned by the cabins. They were completely mismatched, each having its own aesthetic. There was a cabin with barbed wire on the roof, and there was also one that was pure silver. There was even a cabin that was completely black and had torches of green fire by the doorway. There were others too, but they were all unique.

 

Finally, they got to a blue house by the fields Kise had seen before. He now understood why it was called the “Big House”, because it was one of the biggest buildings at the camp. It looked like a house one would see in the country, made of wood panels, and complete with a door covered in a screen to keep bugs out. A door that Aomine just opened. 

 

He made a gesture, and Kise knew it meant he had to go in. He was met with the scene of a living room and a somewhat older man in a wheelchair. The older man smiled and wheeled himself towards them. 

 

“It’s nice to meet you, My name’s Chiron.” 

 

Kise looked at him in shock. Didn’t Aomine previously say that he was a centaur? Presumably-Chiron laughed slightly at his face and politely clarified, “I am actually a centaur, yes, but this wheelchair has magic in it and lets me compact my lower half.”

 

Kise just nodded his head. He had already been subjected to so much weirdness today so why not.

 

Chiron chuckled again and said, “Don’t worry, I understand that all of this is a lot to take in, but there is one more thing you should be prepared for. As you are a demi-god, you have a parent who is an actual Greek god, as such, your parent is going to soon claim you as one of theirs. Once that happens, you’ll be placed into one of the cabins, which are organized by godly parent.”

 

Chiron explained things really clearly, which Kise was extremely grateful for (Read: Aomine’s previous attempts to explain things to Kise), and turned to Aomine with a burning question in his mind. 

 

“So who’s your godly parent?”

 

“Oh, totally forget to mention that, I’m a Poseidon kid.”

 

Now Kise had studied Greek mythology in school briefly, and from what he remembered, there were three gods that were more powerful than the rest. And if he was remembering correctly, then one of them was definitely Poseidon. And that then meant… 

 

“Yes, he is a child of, who we call, the big three.” 

 

Kise was stunned, but before he could truly appreciate what that meant, a bright pink light came out of nowhere. He looked up to see the light coming from on top of him in the symbol of a bird. Chiron clapped happily with a smile on his face, obviously pleased by the light that surprised Kise by its suddenness.

 

“Congratulations on being claimed, You are a child of Aphrodite.”

Notes:

Aomine: does anything
Kise: confusion

thanks for reading!!
if you have ideas for the au i'm always open!
i am going to mention that the next update is going to take a while because there's a fic that i'm working on that i really want to finish before i do anything else
but i hope you'll stick with me

Chapter 3: I'm sorry new kid, you did nothing wrong

Summary:

Despite their differences, Kuroko and Aomine were best friends after their meeting. And, despite having almost completely different personalities, they somehow grew to have the same humor. It was this humor that led to what would be immortalized at camp as the “shadow-meeting prank”.

Notes:

Hi, im sorry it's been a while
i got caught up with end of school things and summer things
and i kinda also got back surgery
i hope you guys like this chapter and that it was good enough for the wait
this is my first time trying something with mild crack

Despite their differences, Kuroko and Aomine were best friends after their meeting. And, despite having almost completely different personalities, they somehow grew to have the same humor. It was this humor that led to what would be immortalized at camp as the “shadow-meeting prank”. 

 

It was originally a throwaway comment, something humorous but not serious at all. It was never supposed to actually come to fruition. It was casually said by Murisakibara, a child of Demeter despite his large frame and unusual strength, when the three of them were taking a break from sword practice because of Kuroko’s bad stamina and Murisakibara’s laziness. 

“What if Kuro-chin used his shadow powers to scare new campers? Would you ever do that?”

 

This somehow sparked something in Aomine, who’s maturity was already often questioned for someone who had been at camp for so long. He immediately sat up from the rock where he was lounging, a place perfectly positioned to feel the sunlight and cool breeze together. When the other boys looked over towards the rustle of fabric that came with his abrupt movement, they were subjected to Aomine’s simultaneously hopeful, bright, and mischievous grin. 

 

Kuroko could already tell that he was going to be roped into whatever shenanigans the taller boy was thinking of. 

 

……….

 

“Here’s the plan-” 

 

Aomine started but was immediately cut off by Kuroko’s response of, “I’m not doing anything that includes bringing monsters into camp, endangering others, anything including the training wall, having to put in too much exertion, you should know better than anyone that my stamina is awful, or anything remotely obnoxious that I have forgotten to mention.” Kuroko would not be doing drastic pranks of any sort. 

 

“Yeah, yeah I get you. My idea doesn’t endanger anyone, It’s just a bit of harmless fun.”

 

Kuroko gave in rather easily after that. Most people forgot that under that polite demeanor and skillful poker face, Kuroko Tetsuya had his moments when he was a little shit.

 

After Aomine revealed his masterful outline, he could admit, it sounded hilarious. It was also something that could theoretically be done without the traits given to him by his dad. His presence, or lack thereof, had always been thin, as had his mother’s. It was genetic, but not from his father, as most would suspect. 

 

Ghost-like abilities aside, the plan was rather simple, however it did require good timing. It could only happen under certain conditions. Those being that they needed a brand new camper and a look out, the latter of which Murisakibara grudgingly took as the one to inspire the oncoming event. Some wouldn’t appreciate the obvious hilarity and would try to stop the fun.

 

……….

 

Charlie had just got through the barrier. Thankfully, the trip wasn’t dangerous like their guide said it could become. However, they had just traveled from Georgia, so they really just wanted a nice bed and some rest at the moment. The place, Camp Half-Blood, they were told, looked nice too. There were many different styled cabins, pretty outside features too, and even a strawberry field.

 

There was also a boy headed their way. Charlie figured that it would be fine to wait where they were.

 

“You must be the new camper! I’m Aomine, nice to meet you. You’ve been given the rundown, yeah?”

 

Aomine was tall, dark skinned, had dark blue hair, and was ridiculously well-muscled. Charlie wanted muscles like that. They also wanted to guess his godly parent, possibly Ares. Aomine seemed nice enough, although they wondered if everyone new was greeted by someone or if Aomine was just close. Charlie took amusement in the fact that there might be a schedule for whose turn it was to go and meet the newest camper.  

 

“Yeah, the whole godly parentage, monsters, and possible powers were all explained. I’m definitely interested in who my godly parent is, though my dad is completely human.”

 

“Great, that always makes things easier,” he turned to Charlie’s satyr guide, “I’ve got from here, thanks.”

 

Aomine started walking towards a pavilion looking thing, and their guide went the opposite way, towards a big blue building that most resembled a house out of all of the buildings at Camp Half-blood. Charlie followed him.

 

“I’m gonna take you on a tour of camp. Do you still have any questions?”

 

“What’s your godly parentage, and how do you know your godly parent?”

 

“I’m a Poseidon kid, and your parent should claim you with a symbol over your head later today.”

 

They walked a dirt path for a while, stopped by an impressive looking circular building that Aomine said was the training arena, and moved on. The scenery really was breathtaking with beautiful trees and multicolored flower plots. Eventually they reached the pavilion that, Charlie found out, held at least 25 different benches.

 

“This is where everyone eats. Usually, you sit with your cabin, but if a cabin has few occupants, then those kids are allowed to side with a fuller table. It’s nice here, but there are stories that it’s a little haunted with ghosts of past campers.” Aomine frowned and shuddered a little. It was probably a solid guess that he didn’t like ghosts.

 

To be honest, neither did Charlie. A bad experience with a haunted house when they were younger, left them unwilling to deal with spooky things. 

 

Charlie turned to leave when they saw something in the corner of their eye. The shadows cast by the columns of the pavilion started growing, and maybe they were imagining it, but Charlie thought they were getting darker too.

They turned to get Aomine’s attention, but just as they were about to speak, they were enveloped in darkness. 

 

Charlie was very proud to say they didn’t scream. However, a sudden cold hand on their shoulder changed that outcome, and they let out a very loud, very high-pitched scream. Before they could do anything reckless though, the darkness cleared and they were greeted by a laughing Aomine. Rude.

 

Finally, when they were calm enough they asked as blandly as they could, “This was a prank wasn’t it?”   

 

“Yeah, sorry. It wasn’t for you in particular, just the next new camper, if that makes you feel better.” 

 

Charlie didn’t know whether to be mad or impressed. The prank was, admittedly, well executed. It caught them very off guard. They did have to know, though…

 

“How did you do the whole shadow thing?”

 

“Ah, you don’t see him yet. Hey, Tetsu, come in front of me!”

 

Charlie didn’t know who he was talking to until a good five seconds later, when it seemed like a small, light-blue haired boy, just suddenly blinked into existence.

 

He held out his hand, “Hello, I’m Kuroko Tetsuya, son of Hades, and I hope you’ll forgive our prank.”

 

Kuroko said that, but his eyes said he was amused. Charlie didn’t know if he wanted to be this guy’s friend or if they wanted to get back at him. They didn’t worry though, they’d have time to decide.

Notes:

i've been trying to get better with dialogue, what do you think
i hope the next chapter will get done in a timely manner, thankfully i have a concept for it
i hope you guys liked it
was it okay for first time crack?

Chapter 4: race to safety

Summary:

He ran

The forest floor crunched under his hurried pace. Kuroko couldn’t afford to slow down, couldn’t afford to trip up. He was so close to safe territory.

Notes:

Content warning: character death, and gore (severed limbs)
hi guys, i'm back
i've had this idea since before i'd even started writing the 2nd ch, but it seemed too soon to add
so now it's here instead. i hope i've been able to get the emotion i wanted into this
thanks for sticking around

He ran. 

 

The forest floor crunched under his hurried pace. Kuroko couldn’t afford to slow down, couldn’t afford to trip up. He was so close to safe territory.

 

His vision was blurred from his panic or his speed, he didn’t know which. All Kuroko could do was continue swerving around thin trees and bushes as he tried to reach his destination through the increasingly menacing forest. 

 

The only thing that brought him comfort was the sound of the footsteps next to him, Ogiwara, who was running with him. They had traveled to this place together, as they were childhood friends living close to each other. It was a coincidence that they gravitated towards each other without knowing their similarity, or maybe it was the blood of the gods running through them that had spurred it on.

 

Either way, they were now here, running for their lives towards the only place safe enough for them. The aura of something dark was getting closer from behind them. Their satyr guide had been lost a ways back, hopefully still alive somewhere, but most likely a patch of greenery on the forest floor somewhere. Kuroko didn’t want to think about it, partly because he was the only reassurance they had on getting to safety, but mostly because he had come to think of the satyr as a friend during their journey.

 

Kuroko was beginning to lose steam, his stamina had always been abysmal. Ogiwara, on the other hand, seemed to be doing fine. He was always the more athletic one between them, and whenever they played basketball on a street court, he would always win. The sword their guide had given Ogiwara bounced in its sheath by his hip. It would leave a bruise.

 

Kuroko didn’t know how much farther this supposed camp was, they were only told to continue in the direction they were headed. Kuroko could only hope that they didn’t veer off their course.

 

Suddenly, a loud hiss came from behind them and Kuroko whipped his head back. What he saw were multiple arm-length green snakes. They had collars of white spikes around their necks and their eyes were a sickly yellow. Kuroko was almost relieved at the monsters who looked less dangerous than what he imagined, but his opinion quickly changed when one of them hissed again, and fire came out of its mouth.

 

“Woah, it would be so cool to tame one of those.” Ogiwara’s mind always went to the weirdest places.

 

“Not now, Ogiwara.”  

 

The snakes were catching up to them now, and Kuroko preferred to not be in the range of getting roasted. Ogiwara pulled his sword out, and gripped it two-handed in front of him. Neither of them knew if it was the right way to hold it, but they didn’t have the time or means to figure it out. 

 

He would rather they keep running, neither he nor Ogiwara had any fighting experience and if a fight dragged out they would become more and more disadvantaged, but it seemed inevitable. The snakes were obviously faster than them, so if they tried to make a break for it, they would ultimately be killed.

 

Kuroko never thought of himself as a violent person, but he had never wished for a weapon more. A sword, or a bow, or even a gun, just something to help keep them alive. But their guide only had one extra weapon with him, and as the more physically adept person, it was reasonable to give it to Ogiwara instead of himself. 

 

“Stay behind me!”

 

Kuroko listened and tried to keep himself as close to Ogiwara’s back as possible. Even if he couldn’t fight, he would ensure his friend’s safety as best he could. Kuroko faced away from Ogiwara in case a snake was trying to get them from behind. It made him nervous, unable to see what was happening, but this role was more important. 

 

A snake must have launched itself, because the sound of a hiss paired with the sound of a blade hitting flesh, and not a second later Kuroko glanced down to see one of the snakes cut in half by his feet. It bled a toxic green, before slowly turning to dust. Kuroko didn’t have the time to be disgusted. He could only briefly thank whatever higher being was looking down on them right now that stopped the snakes from using fire. 

 

The fight must have been going well as Kuroko vigilantly kept his sights on the forest before him, because Ogiwara hadn’t cried out in pain and Kuroko kept hearing the swish of his sword. 

 

Then, he stumbled forward. A hand had pushed him gently, but with enough force to move him. Kuroko still couldn’t look back, but made a questioning sound towards Ogiwara.

 

“I’m almost done here. You should go ahead, sorry but it’ll be easier to finish things without having to look out for someone. And you can go tell some people in the camp to come out and see if I need any help.”  Ogiwara was cheerful, and Kuroko wondered if he actually enjoyed fighting. He wouldn’t be surprised. 

 

“Come find me when you get there.”

 

“Of course!”

 

Kuroko ran towards safety, and it actually wasn’t long before he felt an abrupt change in temperature. The scenery had changed as well, and Kuroko could see buildings in the distance that hadn’t been there before. It also wasn’t long until he met people. Multiple older kids in orange t-shirts were standing close to what he assumed was the barrier that their guide had told them about. 

 

It took a little time to get them to see him, but he quickly filled them in, and he watched them set off towards Ogiwara. They would be together and safe after weeks of travel.

……….

 

The group of campers came back 30 minutes later, green goo stuck to their clothes and a little singed around the edges. Kuroko stood up from where he was waiting on the ground and made his way over. 

The older kids seemed to have trouble looking him in the face, Kuroko couldn’t blame them when gazes so easily slid off his frame. He tried to stand on his tip-toes to find Ogiwara in the crowd, but he was too small to see over their heads. Finally, a camper with Asian features and multi-colored hair stepped forward. 

 

“It’s nice to meet you new kid. Those snake things you and your friend fought are called basilisks, nasty things can kill you with a touch, but we finished them off. There was quite the grouping of them.” 

 

That couldn’t be right, Ogiwara said he had killed most of them. The boy continued, “I’m sorry but, your friend went down.”

 

Panic sliced through him. “He’s hurt? Badly?”

 

The boy shook his head, “he’s not hurt, I’m really sorry but he’s dead, we only found a severed arm.”

 

Dead.

 

Dead.

 

Dead. 

 

They were saying Ogiwara was dead. No. That wasn’t supposed to happen. He was supposed to meet up with Kuroko here. They were going to be safe here. 

 

No. 

 

Kuroko’s knees gave out on him. His chest was tight and his throat hurt. When he tried to breath, a choked sob came out instead, and he cried. He cried for what felt like hours. He cried until his eyes hurt and his dirty shirt collar was soaked all the way through. He cried when the boy with cool hair colors pulled him into his arms. And he cried when the older kids started getting teary also. 

 

He was going to cry until he passed out, but it didn’t matter, because his only friend in the world was dead, and there was no body to bury.

Notes:

thanks for reading and i hoped you liked it
as always, i'm open to suggestions

i just realized how many of these one-shots have been getting to camp, wow i need to switch things up

kuroko: my friend died when we were both trying to get to camp half-blood
aomine: cowabummer, u wanna play basketball

Chapter 5: a child of demeter

Summary:

"Murasakibara has been asked many variations of the same question multiple times in his life. To the point where he would tune the person out when he realized the path of the conversation. Basically, it boiled down to, 'How are you a child of Demeter?'"

Notes:

so hi, im back. im sry it took so long to update this.
i didn't konw what i wanted to do for a while, and then i had a gift exchange
this ch is a sort of explanation on why i chose demeter for Murasakibara
not that i have to explain myself
but i wanted to elaborate on him, because i feel like there isn't much depth to him in the show

Murasakibara has been asked many variations of the same question multiple times in his life. To the point where he would tune the person out when he realized the path of the conversation. Basically, it boiled down to, “How are you a child of Demeter?” 

 

Murasakibara was tall, like cyclops-tall, and had a good amount of muscle mass (read: a lot). He was often characterized as lazy and uncaring. Most people thought he was the son of Hephestus or even Morpheus because they judged him on first impressions. When people first met him, and even after they got to vaguely know him, their minds never thought, “of course he’s Demeter’s kid.” 

 

Overall, Murasakibara didn’t really care that the people who didn’t truly know him didn’t understand his godly parentage. He was only really close to six others at camp. They knew him, could understand his existence in ways many could not. One of his favorite people in the bunch, Kuro-chin, for how mellow he usually was, related to him in how most didn’t think he could be the son of Hades that he was. They would seek out each others’ quiet company when everything was too much. 

 

Occasionally, though, it did bother him a little. He would hear other campers whisper about him during meal times or in activities, and he knew they’d be talking about how they just didn’t understand him. 

 

Murasakibara realized that he probably wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, a little too uncaring, a little too brash, but sometimes he wondered if those people would still not understand if they just got to know him, really know him, not the shallow grasp they had on who he was. Murasakibara didn’t think anything was wrong with him, but he knew there was more to him than the most prominent part of his personality. 

 

He was lazy, but he paid attention to the important things. Aka-chins instructions, the passing of the seasons, the health of the crops at camp. He was often uncaring, but that meant he was accepting of most anything, ready to flow with whatever current Mine-chin wanted to swim with that day. He knew that nature, for the most part, had its own way of doing things, interference wasn’t always necessary. He was brash, confident in his abilities. He was strong enough to matter in a fight, but he was also aware of the importance of the crops most of the campers complained about when they were assigned to them for chores. 

 

Murasakibara didn’t look like it at first glance, but he had many attributes that a child of Demeter could inherit, they just manifested in different ways.  

 

His biggest traits though, were his disdain for fighting and his love of baking.

 

Don’t get him wrong, he was very good at fighting. The forms came easy to him, he was able to pack a punch with his weapon, in part just because of how much bigger and heavier it was than most weapons at camp. He was tall and big, but he was also fast and surprisingly agile for someone of his stature. He was really good at fighting, but he didn’t like it. Oftentimes there was no challenge. Murasakibara realized that to many people, the thrill of fighting was the challenge and difficulty it gave. If they won, then they worked hard for it and deserved that win. But that didn’t happen with him. He was too big, and too strong, and too fast. Another reason he didn’t like fighting was because it didn’t always make sense to him. Why would he want to potentially really hurt himself or someone else, for amusement or just because he could. He’d rather watch on the sidelines. He’d rather coax vines and flowers from the ground, help nurture them, see them grow. He’d rather tend to the strawberries until they were ripe and ready to eat. He’d rather help living things than hurt them.

 

 Murasakibara was well-known at camp for his skill in fighting and his frequent refusal to do so. He was slightly less well-known for his love of baking. Of course, part of it stemmed from his love of food. He was a foodie at heart, probably because of his mother, so it was only natural that he learned how to support that love. Being able to eat his creations was like an achievement of its own. He liked trying new recipes and finding new foods. 

 

Another reason he loved baking was because of the connection it had to the earth, the crops, the harvest. He’d use the common ingredients of baked things, like wheat and flour, and oftentimes fruits. The spoils of the harvest would be put to good use when he baked. He’d use them fully, and respect the tradition of the harvest. It was important to him to remember the significance of the harvest. When he was older, he wanted to own a bakery, where he could nurture his own crops and bake his own recipes. Where he could knead the grains of the harvest into his dough, and make sure it was properly used in his batter. Baking was like his own personal way of connecting with his godly side, even if she never really interacted back.

 

People often wondered how he was the son of Demeter, but his friends never did. Kuro-chin understood him. Mine-chin didn’t care that he was different than most would expect from his godly parent. Kise-chin found it weird at first, but he accepted Murasakibara as he was. Mido-chin said that he just expressed his traits differently than others tended to. Sa-chin would comment that one’s godly parent didn’t make up their entire identity. Aka-chin told him that he was fine the way he was, that he should stay proud about who he was. 

 

His group of people knew who he was. They never judged him for that. Even though they liked fighting and wanted him to like it too, they never said he had to. They liked him for him, even the less agreeable parts. Even if he wasn’t the standard child of Demeter.

Notes:

so his baking was insprired by the author saying mura will be a pastry chef when he's older
and i also got inspo from the movie where it's stated that mura didn't like baskeball bc he never had to work hard
i hope that you liked it, and again sry for the wait.

a quick recap of godly parentage:
Kuroko: hades
Akashi: zeus
Aomine: posideon
kise: aphrodite
Murasakibara: demeter

Chapter 6: a new challenger has appeared!

Summary:

"Midorima used to have a small group of people he had some sort of emotional attachment to and was more regularly in the vicinity of. People who he accepted as company in this camp of varied personalities and parentage.

But, unfortunately, the important phrase in that paragraph was “used to.” As in, it used to be only those people. He used to often be alone. Recently, a new person had moved into the Hermes cabin. His name was Takao Kazunari, and he was absolutely infuriating."

Notes:

hi everyone. Im sorry this took so long to get out. i do like how it's coming out close to the release of the new Percy Jackson series, tho. anyway pls enjoy

Midorima used to have a small group of people he had some sort of emotional attachment to and was more regularly in the vicinity of. People who he accepted as company in this camp of varied personalities and parentage. Akashi was someone worthy of following, and the other demigods in that group were alright as well, he supposed. They each had some powerful blood in them, even if most of their personalities left something to be desired. He used to have a set routine that he followed to a T, no straying.  He used to often be alone. He liked being alone. Alone with his thoughts, alone with his bow, arrows, and the target that he often commanded for himself almost daily.

 

But, unfortunately, the important phrase in that paragraph was “used to.” As in, it used to be only those people. He used to often be alone. Recently, a new person had moved into the Hermes cabin. His name was Takao Kazunari, and he was absolutely infuriating. For some reason he had quickly decided, after a whole three days of him being there, that he was going to be Midorima’s New Best Friend, without consulting said person. Midorima soon found himself with an annoying pest plastered to him almost all the time. Where he wanted to go, most likely, Takao would follow. He had somehow wormed his way into Midorima’s schedule, and he wasn’t leaving anytime soon.  

 

And, unfortunately, the fact that they didn’t live in the same cabin didn’t stop him from trying to go there as well. Midorima couldn’t have peace in his own living space. His siblings in the Apollo cabin had even started letting him into the cabin whenever he wanted, because, apparently, they thought that Takao was “good for him,” and “nice to be around.” Whatever that meant. Midorima didn’t believe it for a second. Until he started to.

 

It wasn’t an immediate switch. He didn’t even notice it for the longest time. It was very gradual and slow-going, but, eventually, Midorima somehow started to not only expect, but also not mind his new… acquaintance. Takao originally came off as loud, bright, obnoxious, and completely unaware of social cues, specifically, Midorima’s social cues. The longer Takao stayed at his side, however, Midorima found that although Takao at first seemed somewhat of a fool, he never crossed a line that Midorima had put down. Had he toed the line, often precariously? Yes, many times, but he never did anything that would make Midorima actually uncomfortable. Takao pushed him just out of his comfort zone, which, Midorima started to figure out, was what his half-siblings meant when they said Takao was good for him. 

 

Midorima has been content in his routine and bubble for the longest time. He never felt the need to push it or try something new. He was fine. He liked his routines and he liked having alone time. But, as unwilling as he first was, he’s found himself more flexible with Takao’s sudden appearance in his daily routine. Takao was loud and bright and brash, but, as time went on, Midorima found himself not minding that as much as he used to, and then eventually, not minding it at all.

 

When his group of- what Midorima has finally admitted to be- friends noticed the change in him, they said they were happy for him. Well, Kuroko had said that, as bluntly polite as he always was, the rest of them all said something to the same idea. They had known him, truly known him, for the longest out of everyone at Camp Half-blood. They were used to Midorima’s superstition and his trouble with expressing himself. They hadn’t cared, of course, that Midorima was a bit more than slightly weird to most people. They never once tried to change who he was. But, they were happy that Midorima had started being more comfortable with the world around him and able to let more of his walls down. 

 

Takao had not only helped Midorima with being more open to the outside, but also being more open to his friends, as well. While he was never closed off with them, he was never particularly forthcoming with them either. They were glad that he felt more comfortable going to them for things ever since Takao had started hanging around. 

 

And, although Midorima didn’t know this, they had all gone up and thanked Takao for being there for Midorima. Some of their thanks were more… odd or convoluted than others (ahem, Akashi and Aomine), but Takao got the message. 

 

Takao had just wanted to be Midorima’s friend. Only that. He didn’t have any ulterior motives and he didn’t lose a bet- which, unfortunately, had happened once before. It had really messed up Midorima, and made him close off from most people for a long time- he just thought that Midorima would be a good friend.

 

Takao changed how Midorima interacted with the world, but not necessarily on purpose. Takao knew that Midorima had quirks, and that was okay with him. Takao didn’t care about that stuff, because Takao was a bit weird himself. Midorima had realized after some time into his semi-reluctant friendship that they had a bit in common. Both of them were outcasts where they were originally from, before they came to Camp Half-blood. 

 

When Takao had first made it to camp, he’d probably seen Midorima and seen something of himself in him. When Takao had walked up to Midorima and said, “hey, I’m Takao Kazunari and I want to be your friend,” he knew that they would clash at first, as their personalities were quite different. However, he also knew that he could relate to him, and that, ultimately, eventually, when Midorima would finally start to open up to him, they would be able to help each other. When the environment was too loud and too bright, they could know someone would understand.

 

Of course, Takao understood he wasn’t quite there yet in terms of friendship levels. However, he knew he was getting there, and no matter how much Midorima tried to hide it, he was appreciated. In turn, Takao got a cool and really weird best friend.

Notes:

sry again for this update being so late, i have no Ao3 author type reason for it, it just kinda got put on the backburner for a while. i hope it was okay and not super choppy because of the vastly different times i've worked on this.
I hoped you liked it

Notes:

thanks for reading and i hoped you like it
if you have any ideas for this AU, please feel free to comment, i'd love to here your thoughts
i'm pretty open to different ships, if you want a story with a ship in it, but there are some ships i don't like
i'm not sure how often i'll be able to update this but i'll try my best :)