#*later after they return home back in ithaca*

[o3o-lapd-o3o]

hdjlsjskdkdj yES

poseidon ain't giving ody a single reason for a second round of stabbings. no sir, not him.

now i just want scenarios of poseidon going out of his way to not potentially piss of odysseus or have him angry with the sea/ocean.

telemachus: *looking down at the sea from the ship*

telemachus: *gasps* father look! dolphins!

odysseus: *comes over to look* oh yes i see them!

telemachus: can i take a closer look?

odysseus: *mulling it over*

telemachus: pleeeeease?

odysseus: *is weak for his son* ok fine, but please stay close to the shi-

telemachus: *dives in*

odysseus: -p.

odysseus: *gives the sea a warning look, and then looks down at his son*

*nearby a shark has taken notice of the human jumping in the water*

*shark is getting closer. telemachus and odysseus have not noticed yet*

odysseus: *finally notices the moving water not too far infront of telemachus*

odysseus: *about to dive in the water to save his son* telem-

poseidon: *appearing out of nowhere in the water*

poseidon: *absolutely bodies the shark away from telemachus and the surrounding area*

odysseus:

telemachus: *who just saw a blur of something/someone hit a shark(?!) infront of him*

telemachus: what was tha-

odysseus: how about you come back on board now?

odysseus: it's getting late, and i think your mother will want us both back soon

telemachus: *gets back on the ship* *is confused again*

*after the events of the odyssey*

*telemachus and odysseus walking down to the docks, after odysseus said he'd go sailing with his son*

(listen the man had missed 20 years of his son's life, he could ask ody to dress in drag & do the hula and odysseus would already be shouting "LUAU" in a grass skirt before tele finished his sentence)

telemachus: i'm so excite- *looks ahead*

telemachus: *stops walking* oh no *sad noises*

odysseus: *still walking* what's wrong son?

telemachus: *points to the sea beyond ithaca's shores* poseidon must be angry today, look at the storm in the distance

odysseus: *looks ahead but without worry on his face* no need to worry, we can still go sailing, follow me

telemachus: *confused but follows his dad*

*both make it to the docks*

odysseus: you get started, i've just got something to do & then i'll join you on the ship

*telemachus hops on the ship and odysseus turns to face the sea*

odysseus: *red eyes activate* i'm. going. sailing. with . my. son.

*the sea storm dissipates in record speed*

odysseus: good.

odysseus: *red eyes deactivate*

odysseus: *turns to telemachus smiling like nothing happened* shall we go then?

telemachus: *happy but very confused*

telemachus: *mumbling to himself*what just happened?

[multi-fandom-imagine]

Odysseus all places he would fuck when 🙏🙏/silly

A/n: Me vibrating with excitement because I have been waiting for this.

Odysseus’ Favorite Places He and His Wife Have Had Sex

(Because Even the Cunning King of Ithaca Has Weaknesses… and His Wife Is the Greatest of Them All.)

From the moment Odysseus took you as his wife, you knew patience would be required. He was a man of sharp wit, endless charm, and the kind of arrogance that came naturally to someone favored by the gods.

But beneath all of that?

He was devoted. Fiercely. Unrelentingly.

To Ithaca. To his people.

And most of all—to you.

And gods help him, he could never keep his hands off you.

1. Your Wedding Night – The First Time He Claimed You As His Own

Odysseus had never believed in fate.

He had always believed in cleverness, in shaping his own destiny, in finding the path no one else could see.

But then he met you.

And suddenly, fate didn’t seem so ridiculous after all.

On the night of your wedding, after the celebration had faded, after the guests had drunk themselves into contented sleep, he had taken your hand and led you to his chambers.

And for the first time—Odysseus, the man who always had a plan, had no idea what he was doing.

Not when it came to you.

Because you were different.

You were his.

And as he undressed you—slowly, reverently, as if he were unwrapping the most sacred of treasures—he realized he had never wanted anything more in his life.

The first time he made love to you, it was slow. Deep. A vow in the form of touch.

Your fingers had tangled in his hair, your breaths had mingled between kisses, and the moment you gasped his name—he was gone.

Gone for you. Gone forever.

And in that moment, he knew—

No matter what war, what storm, what trial the gods threw at him… he would always find his way back to you.

2. The Olive Grove – Where He Learned to Worship You With More Than Words

Odysseus was not a simple man.

But his love for you?

That was simple.

It was in the way he reached for you without thinking. The way he let his fingers drift along your skin, even in the presence of others. The way he always returned to your arms after a long day, as if the weight of ruling Ithaca meant nothing once he was touching you.

And sometimes, his love for you turned into something he could not control.

Like the evening he found you walking alone in the olive groves, your hands skimming the silver-green leaves, your dress flowing around you like some kind of divine vision.

You had turned to him with a teasing smile, eyes full of mischief.

“Are you following me, my love?”

Odysseus had not even bothered to deny it.

You had expected a witty remark. A playful response.

Instead, he had kissed you.

Hard.

You had barely had a moment to gasp before he pressed you against the trunk of an ancient olive tree, his lips tracing the line of your throat, his hands pushing aside the soft fabric of your gown.

“We shouldn’t,” you had whispered breathlessly, but your arms had already wrapped around him, pulling him closer.

Odysseus had laughed against your skin.

“You knew what would happen the moment you smiled at me like that.”

And then he had worshiped you, right there, beneath the trees that had stood for centuries.

The gods had surely been watching.

And Odysseus hadn’t cared, because feeling you come undone by a few thrusts was everything.

3. The Palace Balcony – When He Needed to Prove You Were Still His

Odysseus was not a jealous man.

But he was possessive.

You were his. His wife. His queen. His breath and his heart and his home.

So when a visiting noble looked at you too long, let his compliments drip too sweetly into conversation—

Odysseus had remained calm.

Outwardly.

But later that night, as he pulled you onto the stone balcony that overlooked the sea, his hands gripping your waist with something close to desperation, you had known.

He needed to remind you.

Remind himself.

That you belonged to him as much as he belonged to you.

His kisses had been rougher that night, his hands pulling at your clothes with less patience than usual.

And when he took you—pushed against the balcony railing, the night wind cool against your fevered skin, his name gasped between your parted lips.

He made sure you felt him everywhere.

Made sure you knew that no man could ever touch you the way he did.

The sea had stretched endlessly beyond the cliffs.

But all he had cared about was you.

4. The Battlefield Tent – The Night Before War Took Him Away

War had always been Odysseus’ curse.

He had never wanted it. Never craved it the way Ares did.

But it had come for him anyway.

And the night before he sailed to Troy, before ten years of war would steal him away from you, he had needed you.

Needed to remember the way you felt beneath him, the way your body fit against his, the way you whispered his name like it was both a prayer and a command.

So that night, in the privacy of his tent, with only the flickering oil lamps casting shadows against the canvas—

Odysseus had made love to you like a dying man reaching for his final taste of paradise.

And when it was over, when your fingers traced the muscles of his back, when your lips pressed against his shoulder in silent understanding, he had promised—

“I will return to you.”

Because no war, no gods, no storm could keep him from you.

And he had kept that promise.

Even if it had taken him twenty years to do it.

And his favorite Places you two have had sex after his return home.

(Because After Twenty Years, the King of Ithaca Had A Lot of Time to Make Up For.)

Odysseus had dreamed of this.

For twenty long years.

Through war, through storms, through gods and monsters—he had clung to the memory of you.

But memories had never been enough.

Not when he had spent nights reaching for you, only to find empty air.

Not when he had whispered your name into the wind, hoping the gods would carry it back to you.

But now?

Now, he was home.

And he was never letting you go again.

1. The Marriage Bed – Where He Needed You First

He had built this bed.

With his own hands. With his own sweat. A piece of himself woven into every fiber of it.

And for twenty years, it had remained untouched.

Just as you had.

So it was only fitting that the first place he took you again was the same place he had last held you.

That night, it was slow.

It was gentle.

Not because he did not burn for you, but because he needed to savor it.

Needed to map your body with his hands, his lips, his breath, relearning every curve, every sound, every way you responded to him.

Needed to feel you, flesh and warmth and devotion, to remind himself that this was real.

That he was real.

That he had made it back to you.

You had gasped his name between kisses. Had tangled your fingers into his hair, pulled him closer, as if afraid he would vanish again.

He had whispered promises against your skin—ones that had no need for words.

And when you had come undone beneath him, when your breath had hitched and your body had trembled

He had followed, his hands gripping your waist, his forehead pressing against yours as if grounding himself in the very thing he had fought for.

You.

Always you.

He may have been covered in blood but that did not matter to you because your husband was home.

2. The Throne Room – Where He Took You as His Queen

The suitors were dead.

Their blood had been washed away. Their bodies dragged from the palace.

And yet—Odysseus still felt their presence.

Still felt their lingering trespass in his home, in the halls that had belonged to him and him alone.

Most of all, they had dared to exist near you.

And that?

That, he could not abide.

So as you stood in the throne room that evening, watching the last traces of war fade from your home, he came to you.

“You are mine,” he murmured against your ear, voice dark, rough, full of something deep and primal.

You shivered beneath his touch, but you did not stop him.

Because you understood.

Odysseus had reclaimed his throne. Now, he needed to reclaim you.

There, against the very seat of his power—he pressed you against the throne and took you as his queen.

It was not gentle.

It was not patient.

It was desperate, possessive, a silent declaration that you belonged to no one else.

That no man—mortal or god—could ever take you from him.

Your nails raked down his back. Your lips bruised against his.

And when he finally collapsed against you, breath ragged, his arms trembling around you—

He knew.

He had conquered many things.

But you would always be his greatest victory.

3. The Shoreline – Where He Marked You Beneath the Stars

The sea had tried to keep him from you.

For ten years, Poseidon had raged, had thrown him to the mercy of the tides, had cursed him with loss after loss.

So Odysseus found it only fitting that he take you beneath the very stars that had guided him home.

You had been walking along the shoreline, barefoot, your dress flowing around you in the wind, looking like something out of a dream.

Odysseus had been watching.

Always watching.

He had waited long enough.

He had come up behind you, his hands sliding along your waist, his lips brushing against the shell of your ear.

And when you had leaned into him, sighing softly—

That was it.

He had guided you down onto the soft sand, his body covering yours, his mouth sealing away whatever protest you might have given.

And there, beneath the endless sky, with the waves lapping at the shore—

He made love to you.

Your back against the earth, his hands gripping your thighs, your hips, keeping you steady as he drove into you.

The rhythm of the ocean matching the rhythm of his thrusts—

The sea could have raged. The gods could have watched.

Slow at first, teasing, making you beg—

And then faster, rougher, until all you could do was cry out his name.

And when it was over, when your bodies were spent, tangled together in the warm sand—

Odysseus didn’t care.

Because for the first time in twenty years, he was exactly where he was meant to be.

With you

He had kissed your forehead, chuckling softly, murmuring, “I should bring you here more often.”

And he had..

4. The Olive Grove – Where He Worshiped You Again

Odysseus had taken you here before.

Years ago, before war and fate had stolen him away, he had pressed you against these very trees, whispered filthy promises against your skin, laughed as he undid you beneath the cover of green leaves.

It was only fair that he do it again.

Only this time—it was different.

Because now, there was no guarantee of tomorrow.

Now, he knew what it was to lose you.

So when he took you there again, it was reverent.

It was not rushed.

It was Odysseus, pressing worship into your skin, hands memorizing every inch of you like you were the only thing keeping him tethered to this world.

He had groaned your name against your throat, had kissed you until your knees buckled, had held you up as he sank into you, slow and deep and unyielding.

And when you had whispered his name, breathless, undone.

He had answered with a vow.

“I will never leave you again.”

5:The Throne Room (again) Because He Likes to Remind You That He Is King

Odysseus is a man of power, a man of command.

And some nights, he enjoys reminding you exactly who he is.

The first time had been unplanned.

You had been sitting on his throne, draped in his cloak, waiting for him.

When he walked in, his gaze darkened instantly.

“You look far too comfortable there,” he had murmured, stepping closer, his voice rich with heat and something dangerous.

And before you could tease him back, before you could move.

He was on you.

His hands were gripping your thighs, pulling you forward, making you gasp.

His mouth was hot against your neck, against your collarbone, against the swell of your breasts—

And then, he was inside you, pressing you down into the throne, moving deep and unrelenting.

His lips brushed your ear, whispering, “You may sit upon my throne, but I will always rule you.”

And the moment you moaned at his words, tightening around him, trembling beneath him—

He had growled in approval, claiming you again and again.

Afterward, when you were panting against his chest, your body boneless, your lips swollen, tremors still hitting you.

He had leaned back, smirking. “Perhaps I should let you sit on my throne more often."

6. The Bedchamber – Where He Loved You As a Husband, Not a King

Odysseus was a king.

A warrior. A tactician. A man who had fought against fate and won.

But here, in your arms, he was none of those things.

He was just a man.

Just yours.

This was the last place.

The one that mattered most.

Because here, it was not about reclaiming or proving or marking.

It was just about loving.

And gods, he loved you.

So when he pulled you into his arms that night, pressing you into the softest of linens, tangling himself with you beneath the warm glow of the fire—

He didn’t rush.

Didn’t devour.

Didn’t conquer.

He just loved you.

For every night he had missed.

For every kiss he had been denied.

For every whispered promise he had wanted to give but couldn’t.

And when he finally collapsed beside you, arms still wrapped around you, your heartbeat steady against his chest.

For the first time in twenty years, Odysseus felt at peace.

Because he was finally, finally home.

[zarnzarn]

1/2/3/4

reverse Odyssey au where polites is still on the ships when Poseidon arrives, and that last bit is enough to push Odysseus to beg him to stop, to spare the men he spent ten long years fighting hard and bitter to save. 593 men is no less amount after all, not for a small island like Ithaca, only three generations old. he'll do anything, anything at all, blind him, torture him, kill him- just let his men go; they were not the ones to blame.

Poseidon considers, staring down at the king with the odd grey eyes that he knew the origin of. Athena would be furious, after all- so why not take away the one thing her favoured pet was known for?

the crew rushes towards their captain, their king, as shouting emerges from the other boats, as he hits the deck convulsing, grasping at his throat. the cries of his men rend the air as his legs melt into oceanspray, remerging as a fish's tail, Odysseus gasping for air wildly, his tongue a mess of mangled flesh on the main deck, unable to talk or breathe.

they have no choice but to pick him up and tip him into the sea, and they watch in horror as he falls beneath the waves and with a flick of the tail, disappears.

six hundred men chase their king down, following the odd silver glint that appears once in a while above the blue water, following the strange cursed monster that Elepnor sees when he falls drunk into the ocean one day. follow him all the way back to Ithaca, where the people gather on the shore to cheer their arrival.

telemachus is all of ten and untameable at the return of his father's ships, running past the guards and the priests to the dock, where the soldiers and heroes are all setting down the ramps, strangely quiet, unsmiling in the face of ten years of gore and bloodshed being done. Penelope catches up to him, laughing as she cranes her head up, scanning the ships to see which one- which one had-

she only has to time to see euroluchus' shame-filled tears and polites guilty devastation, feeling her heart slowly sink to the ground, when there's suddenly a splash and an outburst of screams and propped up on the dock is a man with a fish's tail and familiar curls and razor-sharp teeth and eyes that are solid grey. the soldiers cry out in horror and thunder down the ramps to them as the monster reaches out- and Penelope can't do anything, frozen, as it reaches out and places a webbed hand with deadly claws on her son's cheek, caressing almost; and her breath catches when it looks back up to her, and she knows the face as well as her own, knows the grief and fear and knows it is her husband-

Then the pounding footsteps from the closest ships and the guards behind reach them, and Penelope only has time enough to scream to stay their weapons, already shoving Telemachus behind her and reaching out to shield off any spears or arrows from battle-strung men who'd shoot first and ask questions later-

Instead she only feels the brush of cold skin under his fingertips for the briefest of moments and then she's caught up in a fisher's net, tangled and alone. More nets are thrown, men crying out for their captain with desperation and fear, Polites running straight past her and leaping off the dock to swim after him-

But her husband is a descendant of Hermes, and Odysseus is gone.

Penelope listens to the story that night and does not cry, sitting straight-backed in the face of her family sobbing around her, of the five hundred and ninety-three men staring at her with grief and guilt alike, of being the only widow in the kingdom. Pets Telemachus' wild hair and remembers his father's, and thinks.

"You have told me much," She says finally. "But I'm still to hear a single, solid plan."

The room rustles as all the heads swing to her.

"Plan?" Eurylochus says finally. Anger burns as soon she looks to him, but she pushes it down firmly- rage will not win her anything.

"Yes. A plan," she says, "To bring my husband back home."

Telemachus unfolds at her feet and stares up at her with a hopeful grin, echoed slowly on the faces of the men around the room. Penelope smiles back.

"My husband spent ten years fighting for his people to make it back home," She proclaims. "Let's wait at least that long before we give up on him, yes?"

The answering cheer shakes the walls of the palace and echoes through the streets of Ithaca.

[goldcleaver]

I'm gonna put my two thirds of a classics degree to work here

When I said Phaidei can be seen as an allegory for Odysseus and Penelope, I meant it

Penelope encounters the returned Odysseus posing as a beggar. From a mural in the Macellum of Pompeii

Spoiler warnings: 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, as well as leaks towards the end.

TL;DR: Mydei is Penelope, Phainon is Odysseus.

Mydei and Penelope

Now, I know it may seem tempting to say that Mydei, being the big, strong, burly man that he is, is a parallel to Odysseus, but he’s actually Penelope! This whole fever dream of a "theory" actually stems from the parallels between Mydei and Penelope, specifically. Phainon was a secondary thought lmao.

Point 1) The theme of buying time

It cannot be understated just how much of Mydei’s core themes center around buying time, not just for others, but also for himself. 

On multiple occasions, he goes to some pretty extreme lengths to do so, namely in 3.0 when he offers up his own immortal body as a means of keeping Nikador occupied in Castrum Kremnos. In that moment, he completely puts his own safety on the back burner – the team needs to hold Nikador off long enough to render them immortal once more, and Mydei has the solution, no matter the personal cost of dying a couple of times. Later, in 3.1, he puts his own personal feelings aside to shoulder the divinity of Strife, despite the fact that he was hesitant to do so in 3.0, simply because it would be for the best. Then, at the end of 3.1, he completely disregards his own wants and fears, and takes the fight to the Black Tide on his own because he is the only one capable of doing so. By sacrificing himself in this manner, he can buy his fellow Chrysos Heirs enough time to usher in the new dawn, and the miracle of Genesis.

But Mydei doesn’t just buy time for others, he also does so for himself. Throughout 3.0 and 3.1, his story leads up to one massive decision: what to do about the Kremnoans. He is torn between claiming the crown – his birthright – and leading his people back to Castrum Kremnos, or leaving them in Okhema. 

However, to the Kremnoans, Nikador is synonymous with kingship, judging by Krateros’ reaction to Mydei surrendering the Coreflame to Phainon. In Krateros’ eyes, Mydei giving up Nikador’s divine power is the same thing as him “giving up the throne of Kremnos and forsaking his people”. 

As previously stated, Mydei is hesitant to claim Nikador’s coreflame for fear of ending up like his corrupt forebears and leading his people down the wrong path, so obviously he wants to put off that decision for as long as possible. First, he enters a (frankly, pointless) competition with Phainon just to decide who gets to deliver the final blow to Nikador, and gives up his win ridiculously easily if Phainon loses. That way, they can ignore the decision they have to make for a while longer. Then, when Nikador is dead, he is quick to surrender the Coreflame to Phainon, and promptly shuts down Phainon’s attempt to discuss the subject any further. So, by sending Phainon to the trial of divinity, Mydei can avoid making his own decision regarding the fate of the Kremnoans, if we take Krateros’ words about kingship and Nikador’s powers into consideration. Effectively, Mydei makes sure the decision is out of his hands – he didn’t technically reject the Coreflame, after all. 

So how does all of this connect to Penelope, exactly? 

Well, Penelope’s themes also center around buying time – for herself, and for Odysseus. She also has a big decision to make: who should succeed Odysseus as the king of Ithaca, and just like Mydei, she wants to put it off for as long as possible. Naturally, she doesn’t want to choose, and comes up with increasingly desperate ideas to keep the suitors at bay. In the end, she does succeed; she buys Odysseus enough time to return home, and as such she never has to choose a new suitor. Unlike Mydei.

You see, Mydei actually fails in avoiding his decision. In the end, he is forced to take on the Coreflame when Phainon fails the trial. As a result, Mydei has to make a decision regarding his people and his potential kingship. In this sense, Krateros and the rest of the Kremnoans are the suitors, encouraging Mydei (Penelope) to make a choice.

If we view Mydei’s actions through this Penelope-esque lens, we can draw some pretty convincing parallels!

Point 2) The challenge

At the climax of Penelope’s story, right before her reunion with Odysseus, she makes a last-ditch attempt to hold off the suitors by presenting them with a seemingly impossible challenge. She sets up twelve axes and demands that the suitors shoot through them flawlessly using Odysseus’ old bow. What she doesn’t tell the suitors is this: the bow is nigh impossible to string. Then, as a sort of fail safe, she sits down behind the axes. That way, if a suitor succeeds, she is immediately killed and doesn’t have to marry them.

While this is more far-fetched than point 1, a connection to Mydei’s actions can still be made, in the sense that he, too, has made arrangements for the worst case scenario. In case he is corrupted by the Black Tide, and thus cannot buy the Chrysos Heirs enough time to bring about the miracle (i.e buy Odysseus enough time to return to Ithaca), Mydei has arranged a fail safe for himself by telling Phainon about his weak spot. Phainon is the only one who knows about it, and as such, he is the only one who can shoot through the twelve axes with Odysseus’ bow. The parallels may not be perfect, but the narrative is very similar.

Point 3) Sparta/Castrum Kremnos

My last point is their origins. Penelope is Spartan royalty, though she was never its ruler. It’s no secret that Castrum Kremnos is vaguely based on ancient Sparta, and Mydei is the prince-turned-king of Castrum Kremnos. It’s a pretty obvious connection, but I’ve chosen to highlight it, nonetheless.

Phainon and Odysseus 

I'll admit that Phainon's connection to Odysseus is vaguer than Mydei and Penelope’s, but I can totally see it. 

Point 1) The one time is being bought for

Penelope buys Odysseus time to return to Ithaca, Mydei buys Phainon and the other Chrysos Heirs time to a) render Nikador mortal, and b) bring about the miracle of Genesis. Now, post-3.2, we know that Phainon is meant to take over the authority of Kephale. If the plan proceeds smoothly, he will be the last one left alive to reforge the new world with his, in Anaxa’s words, “complete, intact memories”. While we cannot be certain that Mydei knows this, it can still be argued that Phainon himself is the one Mydei is buying time for.

Point 2) Nobody

Odysseus initially evades Polyphemus by calling himself “Nobody”. Phainon is called the “Nameless Hero”, and we have no idea what his real name is. Just like Odysseus, he has crafted a persona for himself.

Point 3) The journey to Ithaca

Phainon going on the Flamechase Journey is his version of Odysseus' journey of going to war and then trying to make it back to Ithaca. They're both put through the wringer a million times over on their journey, and express desires to go back home. In the end, they are both crumbling under the weight of their past actions and losses, and become increasingly more brutal because of it, if Phainon’s behaviour towards Oronyx in 3.0 was anything to go off of.

Also, LEAK WARNING:

.

.

.

Going off leaks, we know that Phainon is both the Flame Reaver, and the final boss for Amphoreus. For whatever reason, we can guess that he lost his humanity somewhere along the line, and, if you can forgive the EPIC reference, became the monster. In the Odyssey, Odysseus ends his journey by slaughtering the suitors vying for Penelope’s hand, showcasing his potential for great violence, much like Phainon. 

TL;DR: Mydei is Penelope, Phainon is Odysseus.

Now, this was obviously mostly for shits and giggles, but the parallels are pretty convincing, ngl.

Bonus: Phaidei = Patrochilles

Now, additionally: they can ALSO be seen as an allegory for Achilles and Patroclus, especially since the game has already drawn parallels between the Iliad and the Amphoreus story.

The game is obviously hinting towards Mydei being Achilles considering his whole weak spot-thing. Naturally, that makes Phainon Patroclus. If we regard Mydei as the “true” heir to Nikador’s divinity, Then Phainon was technically taking Mydei's place in the trial. Ultimately, he fails to pass, which is a nice parallel to how Patroclus dons Achilles' armour to lead the Myrmidons, and dies against Hector, who Achilles later slays in a fit of rage. In this case, Hector is Nikador, who first dies by the team’s hands during the fight, and then later dies by Mydei’s own hand in his trial.

[the-lazyyy-artist]

Pairing: Kunigami Rensuke x GN!Reader Synopsis: He left as a hero, and he returned cold and heartless. What adventures have made him like this? Would you still love him? Themes: angst, post-WC! Kunigami, set during Blue Lock's two-week break after their win against JP U-20 (chapters 150 - 153), reader is hopeful, Kunigami lost all humanity, established relationship, if you squint a little it's kinda like Epic's OdyPen lmao Author's Note: Epic The Ithaca Saga is ruining my brain chemistry. A mutual and fellow writer already created something like this but I wanna put my own twist on this hehe!

@thebestsetter ✨

Kunigami Rensuke was a hero before he became yours.

He always believed in goodness, helping everyone else, and acting like a big brother to those who needed his guidance. It's no wonder his morals bleed through his play on the field. To win each game fair and square while he showcases his skills. Watching how he turned into a knight in shining armor every time he stepped onto the field, defending his team from the enemy and scoring his goals was mesmerizing.

So, when he was invited to the Blue Lock Program, you weren't so surprised.

"How long will you be there?" you asked him once while you were on his bed, watching him go back and forth around his room, packing a small duffle bag of the things he might need in the facility. "That's something I can't answer right now, love," he replied, "it's something they never clarified in the letter. But let's say 2 or 3 months, give or take."

"Take care of yourself in there, okay? Show them the hero that you are," you reminded him, smiling up softly as he zipped the bag close. He was ready. Ready to face a new adventure, new challenges, and new foes and allies. You can feel the excitement radiating from him. "I will. Then when this is all over, I'm coming home to you with stories from my training."

"You're not leaving me behind, are you?" you teased, reaching for his hand. On his ring finger was a promise ring, the same one you wore. A symbol of his love for you and his promise to marry you. Your fingers gingerly held on to his ring, feeling the rough metal against your skin. "I will never. I'll always take you with me, remember? I'll be back before you know it."

3 days later, he left with a kiss, a promise, and a vision of him taking over the world with his aspirations.

A few weeks in, you received a call from him, happy and excited to talk to you. He told you about the things he's learned, the friends he's gained, and the foes he's made. He spoke about an Isagi, a Chigiri, and a Bachira, and how these people made him feel stronger with how they all blended on the field. You were proud to hear him grow and find friends.

"How did you get your phone anyway? I thought the letter said phones aren't allowed?" You asked him.

"We were given a star system where goals are exchanged for points that we can use for different privileges," Kunigami explained, "I exchanged my first goal for steak, and shared that with Isagi. Now, I exchanged two of my goals for my phone so I can talk to you."

Always so considerate. Your hero never changed despite the changes he's experienced in Blue Lock. With every point he earned, he'd always exchange it for phone time to call you and tell you about his adventures.

Suddenly, the calls stopped.

You're sure Kunigami wasn't the type to never make a goal. Was he getting into harder challenges in there? No matter how hard it was, you knew your hero would never back down.

Right?

It worried you. You kept looking at your phone, waiting for a call. You kept replaying your conversation weeks ago about a possible second selection and how it would play out, and you worried it was even more challenging than the team matches. Would he get out of it alive? Triumphant? Of course! Since when did you start doubting your hero?

You began to twist your ring, anxious about Kunigami as the days went by, each one feeling longer than the last. It's making you sick. He was never the type to just disappear without saying anything.

The announcement of an exhibition game with Japan U-20 made you feel hopeful again. Knowing your hero, he would be part of the starting 11. You saved enough for the tickets for you and your sibling to watch him play live. You were excited about what skill he gained in Blue Lock, and if he improved to be the best version of himself.

But why wasn't he there?

You know Isagi was there... Chigiri... Bachira... but where was he? Where's your hero?

The win was a blur. How can you even cheer for his team when he isn't there? It's impossible that he's benched too. Kunigami was never the type to warm the bench for the whole game. You wanted to ask Isagi... Maybe Chigiri because Kunigami has talked about him the most. Bachira might know too. But it's impossible to reach them, especially with how they disappeared into the building after the game.

"Where are you?" you whispered into the empty stadium.

Maybe it's time to let go. No. Kunigami made it clear that you would never let go. You'll wait for him to call. You'll wait for him to send you some kind of sign. Anything. Letting go is never the answer, he would say if he's beside you. So, with every passing day after the match, you never went anywhere without your phone, hoping soon he'd call.

How cruel must fate be that the only time you let your guard down was on the day he decided to show up?

Your mother opened the door for him, a gasp leaving her lips. She led him to your door and left him to talk to you. From the outside, Kunigami tensed as he wrapped his large hand around your doorknob, hearing your voice spilling out as he opened it slowly. And for a moment, Kunigami would like to believe nothing has changed. For a moment, all he could see was the light he held on to.

There you were, sitting on your desk as you studied with headphones on, singing one of the songs from the playlist he created for both of you to listen to. Clearly, in your little world, you didn't hear Kunigami enter and close your door behind him. Kunigami sighed, and then he opened his lips to say your name.

Oh, it felt like a lifetime since he spoke your name. Kunigami felt a piece of him remembering what it was like to say your name the first time he met you.

"Y/n."

No answer.

"Y/n," he said once more, a little louder. He saw you perk up a little.

You don't know if you're just imagining things or if Kunigami's voice sounded nearer than how you'd usually imagine it on the days you missed him. And then...

"Y/n."

You removed your headphones, standing up so quickly that your chair toppled over and fell to the floor with a thud. In front of you right now was your hero, the man you waited to return. You held your breath for a moment as you took a good look at him. He looks... he looks...

Tired. His build was bigger, but he looked tired. His hair was a thick mop of messy orange, his eyes...

"Rensuke?" You spoke with caution, "Is it you?"

Kunigami felt like he could fall to his knees the moment you spoke. But he wouldn’t allow himself to do so. You stepped away from your desk to walk to him, holding out your hands to touch him, that this wasn't a dream. He was cold, his cheeks, at least.

That was enough to break you. You embraced him, crying and grateful that your hero had returned. "You're back," you sobbed softly, "my Rensuke, you're back to me." You felt him lift his hands, but instead of embracing you, he gripped your shoulders and pulled you away from him. "Y/n," he spoke, his voice ragged but soft, "I'm not entirely back."

"W-what do you mean?" you asked, your teary eyes, wide and confused, looking up to meet his dull orange eyes. This was the first time you've seen him so lifeless. What the hell happened?

"I'm not the Rensuke you once knew. That version of me is gone."

"What?"

"I'm not the hero I promised you to be."

"What... I-I don't understand. What happened, my love?"

Rensuke looked at you with a slight hint of vulnerability. He must not show weakness. It was drilled into him that he'll be ruthless, he'll become irrational if it means becoming the best that the world will see. But with the sight of you, it felt impossible. "They... changed me. I'm not the hero we both envisioned to be. I... I had to become cruel and let go of my beliefs... The Rensuke you fell for because he believed in doing the right thing fair and square is dead.

"That's why I decided you can no longer love me, Y/n. Because I can't."

You're not hearing this, right? Yet, he sounded so sure. His voice was firm, the same one he would use on his teammates.

"Who are you to decide that?" you asked calmly, reaching for his hand again. Your gaze lowered to his hand, callused and tired, yet the ring was still there. A little worn out than the last time you saw it, but he's still wearing it. Your fingers worked on twisting the ring off his finger, causing him to tense up.

"What are you doing?" he asked, a hint of panic in his voice. You looked up at him with determined eyes. "You once told me when you got these rings for us that if we no longer love the other, we should remove our rings.

"I'm removing yours for you, Ren."

The ring was almost off his finger when he suddenly closed his hand. You looked up at him, and there he was, the Rensuke you fell in love with. "Don't, please..."

"But you said you can no longer love me," you reasoned, still holding his hand. Rensuke stared at you, his walls slowly breaking down at the reality of what he just told you. A stupid, stupid decision because he can't stop loving you.

The whole time he was in the Wildcard Project, the only thing that made him hold on to the little humanity he had in him was the promise of forever in your arms when he returned. The ring on his finger comforted him on nights when he almost gave up because his dream of becoming the best came from you. He promised he'd bring you with him and that he'd come back to you. So, he persevered and came out triumphant... but at what cost?

"How could you even love a cold-hearted man, my love?" he asked, his voice now a mere whisper, slightly cracking, "I have nothing left in me but the drive to win. I am no longer the warm man you want to be with for the rest of my life. I did all I could inside that facility for us to reach our dream, but they drained me. How can you still love me if I have nothing to give you any more?"

"I would still love you because no matter what, you're mine. You're my Rensuke, the man who made me believe that love as pure as yours exists in this world," you replied, "I don't care how much you've lost in there. As long as you return in my arms, I know a part of you that loves me and believes in us is still in there. I know you're still in there, Ren."

And with that, Rensuke broke down in tears in your arms. The place he had always longed for in the days he felt so alone. The warmth that he always yearned for in the coldest and loneliest nights. He's home. He's here.

"If you didn't care about me, you should've removed your ring a long time ago," you added, "but the symbol of your love for me is still there. A little worn, but I know you still have love for me.

"I've waited for you to return. This is all that matters now."

"I love you," Rensuke said between his tired sobs, his orange eyes sparkling with a little bit of life. He's still in there, the hero you loved is still in there.

"And I love you."

[theproverbialpen]

Lesson 8: The Queen is Always Right

Summary: Poseidon returns home after his trip to Ithaca and finds his beloved Amphitrite waiting for him. Set directly after the events of -Hook, Line, & Sinker-

Pairings: Poseidon x Amphitrite, mentioned Poseidon x reader

Word Count: 811

Notes: Look who’s trying to learn how to make things look cool on this site lol. Quick little one-shot (drabble? I actually don’t know what the word count threshold is) for y’all because dammit I love how I wrote Amphy and want to put her in everything now. ((Edit: forgot to mention, but I’ll be posting the next installment later this evening :) click the link above to catch up now!))

Line divider by @vibeswithrenai found here

When Poseidon set foot back in Aegae, there was a notable bounce to each of his steps. His shoulders hung at ease below his ears, his back tall yet relaxed. He hummed quietly to himself as he made his way down the halls, a subdued yet jovial tune. When he arrived at the double doors of his quarters, he did so with a content smile that seemed to cast a soft glow over his whole face. A content smile which, upon seeing his wife beaming at him from their bed, fell into a thin, impartial line.

Amphitrite was dressed in her nightgown, the mint-tinted silk swaying back and forth like water as she languidly kicked her legs behind her. She lay on her stomach, head tilted and propped up by her bent elbows. Her long hair cascaded down around her, as blue and brilliant as the Aegean Sea, framing the smirk upon her plump lips and the glint in her aquamarine eyes. “Soooooooo,” she sang, smirk widening into a grin, “how did it go?”

Poseidon maintained his icy stare, his neutral expression morphing into a glower. “Don’t look at me like that,” he muttered, stomping over to the corner of their room to shed his chiton for a simple silk loincloth. Amphitrite followed him with her eyes, shifting to rest her head on her arm as he rounded the bed.

“Don’t avoid my question,” she returned. Poseidon turned to glare at her over his shoulder and Amphitrite raised a playful brow in reply. He held her stare for sometime, but she narrowed her eyes at him in challenge and Poseidon finally broke.

“I have endured enough prodding for one day, woman,” he huffed, turning to walk toward her. “Let me rest.”

“I’m sorry-” Amphitrite scoffed, pushing herself off the bed to sit upright. “‘Woman’? You want to try that again, my love?”

Poseidon rolled his eyes with a heavy exhale and plopped down onto their mattress, swiveling at the waist to cup his wife’s cheeks. “Woman of the Golden Spindle, Queen of All Waters, My Wonderful, Eternal Partner-”

He peppered Amphitrite’s face with kisses in between each title, adding a few more in for good measure until her scowl was replaced with giggles. “Okay, okay,” she finally laughed, “you are forgiven. Save it for the girl, smooth talker.” Poseidon pulled away from his wife just in time to catch her smug expression, one which she accentuated with a wink. “Seeing as you’re still in the mood to joke around, I take it things went well?”

Poseidon let out a wistful, relieved sigh despite himself. “That would be a fair summary,” he confirmed. Amphitrite regarded him with affection, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and encouraging him to rest his head in her lap. He did as such, relaxing into the cool silk of her gown as she raked her fingers along his scalp.

“And you feel better now?” she further coaxed. “No more regrets?”

Poseidon hummed thoughtfully, reflecting on his evening. Memories of tender smiles and seductive songs flowed through his mind and he couldn’t stop the smile from creeping onto his face. “No, not one.”

Amphitrite snorted and gently maneuvered his head until he was looking straight up at her with his dark locks splayed over her thighs. She laid the back of her hand against his forehead and he shot her a puzzled look. “Goodness, that weaver really did a number on you,” she eventually mused. “Who is this cheery man resting in my lap? Where is the coldness? The brooding? Who are you and what have you done with my husband?”

“Ha ha, you’re hilarious,” Poseidon drawled, eyebrows raised over his unamused stare. Amphitrite chuckled at him before bending over to press a kiss into his forehead.

“I’m happy for you, my stallion,” she beamed. “You deserve this.”

Poseidon caught her behind the neck as she retreated, pulling her back down to capture her lips in a loving kiss. “Thank you, my muse,” he cooed when they parted. “I have you to thank for giving me the push I needed.”

“You’re damn right you do,” she affirmed with a pinch to his cheek. Poseidon chuckled and rose from her lap, beckoning her over to lay with him at the head of their canopied bed. Amphitrite followed suit and rested her ear against his bare chest, letting him wrap his arms around her in a secure embrace.

“You know,” he began after a few shared moments of comfortable silence. “I think you’d like her.”

Amphitrite tilted her chin up to catch the corner of his gaze. “Oh yeah? Am I finally going to get the chance to meet a mortal paramour of yours?” she inquired.

Poseidon kissed the top of her head, hiding his smitten grin in the waves of her hair. “You just might, my love. You just might.”

[fancyfeathers]

Burn It All Down

(Yandere!Justice League & Yandere!Young Justice)

Based on Yandere!Justice League with their darling!children AU

Previous Chapter <- Chapter Four, The Odyssey -> Next Chapter

This chapter is told from the perspective of Wonder Woman's Son!Reader

Each chapter will be the perspective of the reader but as the different children since when I originally had this concept, they were all darling/reader characters.

“Hey, I’m going out, do you need anything?” You called out to your former classmate as you grabbed your backpack from the table of the vacation apartment the two of you were staying in. Saying you were former classmates is the wrong word to use, you were a criminal justice major and she was a chemical engineering student, but you both had to drop out due to unseen and sudden circumstances. 

“No, if I need anything I can run out by myself.” She replied and you heavily sighed at her words, knowing what exactly she meant by those words. 

“Absolutely not, that will attract attention and we can't afford that right now.” You snapped back at her as you opened the front door of the apartment. “I’ll be back later, I’ll pick up dinner while I’m out.”

You were around six when your birth parents died in an accident, it was not even just your parents, it was your older sisters as well, your baby brother. You were supposed to be on a family trip to Europe, a final farewell to your older sister who had just graduated from Georgetown University with a major in anthropology and she was going to spend a summer in Greece for an internship. You were on a boat destined for the island of Ithaca, you knew in myths that it was the home of the legendary king and hero, Odysseus, and you knew once upon a time when that king was trying to return home to his wife and son he was stopped by Posedion’s storm. Your birth mother told you that it was just like in the story and you would get through it just like Odysseus did, in a way she was right, you did make it out alive but they did not. You remember when the boat capsized and you can still hear your family’s screams as if it was yesterday, you remember seeing your birth mother’s throat slit by a stray piece of metal that broke off the boat as the back of your head hit a rock and you were knocked out cold, drifting through waters you thought you would die in.

You remember being held when you somewhat came to, you certainly had a concussion, but someone was holding you as you were all wrapped up in a blanket, and the person noticed that you were awake and she rocked you and hushed you back to sleep. It is only when you woke up fully almost a week later after your rescue that you realized what had happened, you had washed up on the shore of the island known as Themyscira, the home of the Amazons. The woman who found you was named Diana, the Princess of the Amazons, the Wonder Woman, and a member of the Justice League. She rescued you from the waves and nursed you back to health, she told you that you were a gift from the gods, she had prayed and hoped for a child with her wife and then you washed ashore. She took you in, raised you, living two lives, traveling between the states and the island you never thought existed, living as the son of Diana Prince and her stay-at-home wife in the United States capital, and then you were the son of the Princess of the Amazons and her bride on Themyscira. You learned how to fight, trained by the Amazons, but they never looked at you differently, after all, you were a male but raised by them, a beloved son, a blessing from the gods to answer Diana’s prayers.

But her blessing means you lost everything you ever had, you remember waking up crying in the middle of the night, remembering what happened to your family, their bodies would never be found, stuck at the bottom of the sea forever more in a watery grave. You remember your other new mother, Diana’s so-called wife coming in when you woke up crying, holding you through it as if she had been through this all before, and eventually you found out that she has been through this exact same thing before. She was a librarian once upon a time, she worked at a small library on the island of Malta, just south of Italy, having moved there to look after her grandmother who fell sick and eventually died, but she stayed, it was her home until it was taken from her. She had fallen into the waters of the sea while trying to ride her bike on a rocky path during a storm, she had woken up in Diana’s arms just like you did, stranded on the island of Themyscira, she was trapped just like you were, Diana’s dream comes true, the sweetest and most gentle person to stand by her side as her wife, and most adorable little boy to raise as her own.

You hated thinking about the past, so you made yourself focus on the future and what needed to be undone.

You now walked the streets of Pittsburgh, keeping your head low and keeping to yourself. You just needed to get what you needed and get back to the apartment before anyone, even in the slimmest chance, recognized you.

“You’re the son of Diana Prince, correct?” You felt like you were going to vomit when you heard someone say that, your first instinct was to run, but you made yourself look. The woman who called out to you was not someone you recognized, she was a beautiful woman, and she somewhat reminded you of the Amazon women you trained in your youth. She just stepped off a motorcycle that she parked on the street corner, her helmet tucked under her arm and another woman stepping off it as well, though she was slightly less put together than the one who spoke to you. She reached out her hand to you to shake, greeting you with a smile. “My father is Bruce Wayne.”

“Wait… you’re… oh my gods.” You knew who she was, you remember Diana speaking about an unfortunate accident where the daughter of one of the members of the Justice League went missing around five years ago, the daughter of the Batman. You took her hand, shaking it with a firm grip. “My apologies, I was worried for a moment.”

“That is understandable, but we are here to help you.” She spoke, shoving her hands into her coat pockets and glancing around the busy street before gesturing to her friend with her. “She’s a Kent, Supergirl.”

“Like Superman?”

“His daughter.” She leaned in closer, whispering into your ear. “We don’t have much time, they are on your trail, Wonder Woman and Captain Atom were spotted on the west side, apparently there was a bomb threat, but I doubt that was the main reason they were here.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am, extremely so.” She replied as she walked back to her bike, dragging along the girl she called Supergirl with her. She jumped back on along with her friend and put her helmet back on. “Get out of sight and stay out of sight. I’ll be in touch when it’s safe.”

Before you could respond, she was already speeding halfway down the road. You knew that you did not have the time to run the errands you needed to, you just needed to get back to where you knew it was safe. You started walking down the streets but soon walking turned into running and soon you were in a full sprint down the street, something pushed you forward, it was to the point where you felt like someone else was guiding you. 

“Look, it’s Wonder Woman!”

“Mama, mama, look! Wonder Woman is here!”

Panic set in as you reached an intersection of the road that a crowd was gathered around, and by the shouts, you knew what was going on. You could barely see through the crowd of people but through the cracks in between shoulders, you spotted a glimpse of raven black hair and the all too familiar shimmer of gold. You turned on your heel, maneuvering your way through the other people on the street joining the crowd.

“Please, I am looking for a young man, he is my son, he has been missing for weeks, I…” You heard her loud voice through the crowd and your heart sank when you heard her hesitate in her words, she spotted you, even with your back turned. You immediately booked it, running full speed down the street, causing a commotion in the crowd when they caught onto what was happening. Your heart was pounding in your chest as you knew that you were being chased, just like back when you were training in Themyscira, but then it was for fun, you never thought you would need to put those skills into motion in the real world, especially being chased by your mother of all people. “Stop! Get back here this instant, young man.”

You kept on running despite her words, you knew that now that you disobeyed her you would get punished if you were caught, maybe a year isolated from the outside world on Themyscira, or maybe she would tie you up in the Lasso of Truth and compel you to tell the location of your friend, and then you would probably also let it slip of your recent interaction. You mentally caught yourself praying, praying to any god who may listen…

Apollo never once answered a single one of your prayers…

Why would Hera even bother with you?

Aphrodite never made herself known to you…

You dashed into a back alley, but you felt the vomit rise in your throat as you realized it was a dead end. You felt the sob about to slip from your lips as you turned around to see your mother turning around the corner after you, you expected her to say something, anything, but she did not even look at you like you were not even there. You saw a pained look in her eyes, squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath in and out before turning away and walking off down the alley. You glanced around, finding a tin trash can and you did not even see your own reflection until a few moments later when it reappeared. You had turned invisible. You glanced around, no one else was in the alley, but you spotted an owl resting upon a window ledge, there was one problem with this, it was the middle of the day. Your eyes narrowed at the owl and you took a step forward, your curiosity getting the better of you.

“...Lady Athena?” Your question felt like what a fool would ask or a child playing pretends, so you were only more shocked when the owl nodded, actually nodded. “You… you saved me… tell me, why did you come to my aid?”

The owl took off flying, but it was over the building, not a direction you could go even then you could not follow now, you would be seen. You sat down behind a dumpster, curling your knees up to your chest so that no one walking past the alley could see you…

“Mama, can you tell me about our ancestors again?” You asked your birth mother, you were sitting on the front porch of your old house, a cottage up in Maine. “The ones from your side, from Greece.”

“Not just Greece, my love.” She spoke, her fingers running through your hair as she corrected you. “Our ancestors are from Ithaca, it was once a powerful kingdom, home to some of the most famous heroes in our history.”

“Heros? Do you mean like the ones in the Justice League?”

“No, I mean like the ancient heroes, ones who are more human like us.” She replied, pulling you up onto her lap and pointing up at the clear night sky, all the stars you could see without fail due to the isolation of the area. You followed her finger as she pointed at a set of stars, a constellation. “Those stars there, those from the constellation of Orion, he was set into the stars by his lover and friend, Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and the moon after her brother Apollo grew jealous of his abilities and tried to kill him.”

“And what about us, who are we descended from?”

“A man who loved his wife and son so dearly, he would do anything to get back to them.”

“If something like that happened to you, would you do anything to come back to us?”

“Anything.”

You snapped awake when you felt hands shaking you awake, your eyes opened to find that girl kneeling before you, it was the so-called daughter of Batman you met earlier today. It was dark out when you woke up and you felt as if you were getting over a hangover. 

“You alright, I found you passed out here when I came looking for you.” You felt her hands help pull you up from the ground, but you felt something slip down your lap before you fully stood up. “Doing some light reading?”

“Huh… I…” you looked down at the thing in your lap, it was a book, a book you remember well from your childhood before Themyscira. “The Odyssey?”

“Seems sort of funny, ya know?” You stared at the daughter of Batman with a blank and confused expression. “I mean your mom and The Odyssey is an epic about… ancient Greece… never mind.”

“I do not exactly find it amusing, especially given the circumstances.” You had no idea how this book got here, but when you glanced up at the windowsill where the owl was before you fell asleep she was there again, staring at you with eyes that looked wiser than any you have ever seen before. “My family… both of my families have always taken that sort of story seriously… I wonder…”

“You wonder, what?”

“Don’t worry about it… just some memories about some stories about my ancestors.” 

“Alright, c’mon, we have some work to do.” She patted you on the back as you stood up and you could not help but glance back at the owl, but when you did, the owl flew down landing on your shoulder. Both of your eyes were wide with surprise, but hers merely narrowed at the owl after the moment. “Does the owl have to come with? I don’t exactly like owls.”

“I think she wants to come with.”

“Well at least give her a name-”

“Athena, her name is Athena.”

“Like after the goddess?”

“You… you could say that.”

[annoyingann]

[...And the supreme god himself appeared first.]

"Pride is a damsel in distress"

(song "Thunder Bringer" – epic the musical)

Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 (you are here), part 6

TW: mention of death, cruelty and bullying

continuation of posting in chronological order ↓

"Look me in the eyes and tell me, Captain, That you did not just sacrifice six men!" (Song "mutiny" – epic the musical)

13 years, 10 years of war and 3 years at sea. And after so much time of faithful service to the King of Ithaca, the warriors begin to doubt that their captain will not neglect their lives for the sake of returning home. 37 warriors no longer believe in their path, they just want to stay alive, and the captain is somehow too strongly attached to the idea of "home at any cost"

"Then you have forced my hand..."

"How are we supposed to trust you now?" (from "Mutiny")

Eurylochus mutinies on the ship and challenges Odysseus to battle. The captain tries to appeal to his friend for mercy and to accept: "in my place you would have done the same." However, Eurylochus refuses this statement, because every action has consequences and the captain must take responsibility for the decisions he has made.

Odysseus loses consciousness and then finds himself on a completely unfamiliar island, tied to the stone figure of Helios. In front of him sat an exhausted Eurylochus, who looked with hunger at the cows passing by. Eurylochus admits that he can no longer fight his desire. Odysseus tries to reason with his comrade, but he is no longer ready to give up the plan..

"Tell me, Odysseus, If I were to make you choose The lives of your men and crew or your own Why do I think they'd lose?" (Song "Thunder bringer" – epic the musical)

As soon as the warrior touches one of the cows with his sword, the sun suddenly fades and the sky is covered with clouds. The crew, along with the wounded captain, rushes to the ship and sails away from the island, but it is too late. By wounding Helios' cow, they brought upon themselves the curse of the gods.

...And the supreme god himself appeared first.

"... I know"

7 years later, in the palace of the King of Ithaca.

"Cause I'm stuck with your stories, But no clue who you are! And no idea if you're dead or just too far.." (song "Legendary" – epic the musical)

Another 7 years have passed. The potential prince of Ithaca walks around the castle and talks about the fate of the lost king. This year, his mentor and dear friend, the first warrior of the kingdom, will have to conduct trials for all the "worthy candidates".

Warning: from this moment begins ± the original storyline, which is similar to the musical sagas (it was written based on them), but in it the main events are changed because it is difficult for me to adjust the characters to the universe!

"Is your plan to stand around? Cause I suggest you fight back." (Song "Little Wolf" – epic the musical)

The young prince of Ithaca finds himself a victim of oppression from the "worthy". Although he has good knowledge of how to fight and battle, he has trained in this, but still the young man cannot cope with his fear and embarrassment. And the goddess of war and wisdom comes to the aid of the prince

To your attention, Isla Gale as Athena!!

I helped him fight through the war, but

"He had his demons too" (song "we'll be fine" – epic the musical)

Athena tells the young prince about her previous student, whom she abandoned 10 years ago. And even though much time has passed, she still can't let go of the thought that she left him in the middle of the sea without help... Maybe if she helps his loved ones and guides them, she can ease the burden of her conscience

[katerinaaqu]

The Tragedy of Odysseus (The Hero who ended up being alone/Thoughts from the void)

I believe one of the greatest tragedies in the character of Odysseus is not his arduous trip nor the deaths he experienced or even the trauma he went through or even the fact that he loved his family more than anything and somehow he couldn't be there for them for most of their lives.

Judging from my own experiences as well I should say one of the greatest tragedies in the homeric hero is the fact that he was alone. When I say alone I do not mean how he ended up alone after he lost his men and having to survive by himself. It was his technical abandonment by everything and everyone.

If someone reads the Iliad or the Odyssey Odysseus was respected and admired by many for his wits, his ability with words, his boldness to take action no one else dared, his diplomatic skills and many ore despite the fact he was also obviously disliked by many others for the same reasons. When he disappeared for over a decade, by the end of that (possibly the last 3-5 years) his house was swarmed by the suitors, his wealth being eaten away and his wife and son harassed constantly.

Yet no other king of his peers came to his assistance.

Odysseus came back after 20 years and sorted the matter himself. He roamed about the seas abandoned by all the gods he had ever worshipped and sorted things himself. He made sure justice prevailed and sorted it out himself. He clawed himself there alone. None of the other heroes was there to save or assist him for their own reasons

Fate was cruel to him and his peers. Kings that returned and found destruction in their home (for example Agamemnon) or suffered long and had no more energy to do anything (Menelaus) or had no real political power (Teucer) or faced their own tragedies (Diomedes) and yet even if there were people who had power or returned home (Nestor) none of the heroes ever went to Ithaca, none of them came to his assistance, none of them showed him their support and till the final year of his arduous trip, he barely had his gods by his side with the exception of Hermes who arrived by himself at Aeaea.

Menelaus and Nestor heard from Telemachus how terrible the situation was and yet neither of them sent help, support, ambassadors or anything for that matter and only expressed their disdain on the fact and the hubris Odysseus comitted had him at the bad side of the olympian gods (or at least them being unable to do something till the prophecies were fulfilled) till much later.

Odysseus probably knew everyone had their reasons for it but there is no more profound feeling of abandonment for a person than knowing you had supportive words all your life and yet when you needed it the most, no one was there for you. When you hear compliments for your achievements and support and admiration and yet when you need someone's support at most everyone has their reasons not to be there. All valid reasons I am sure but surely the worst feeling of abandonment is when you do not receive help from those you counted on the most.

[winxanity-ii]

⌜Knot in Time | Chapter 02 Chapter 02 | weary conqueror⌟

╰ ⌞🇨‌🇭‌🇦‌🇵‌🇹‌🇪‌🇷‌ 🇮‌🇳‌🇩‌🇪‌🇽‌⌝

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The battle was won. The war, for now, had ended.

Telemachus rode at the front of the Ithacan forces, his face marked by dust and dried blood, his expression unreadable. The men behind him shouted their triumph, yet their cheers were subdued by exhaustion.

They had seen too much, lost too many. The price of war lingered in their bones, even as the thought of home soothed their aches.

You followed unseen.

Occasionally, you'd drift away; your shears needed elsewhere to snip the threads of those whose time has come. Yet, inevitably, your path brought you back to him, the young prince whose fate you're deeply intrigued by.

You watched as their ships cut through the waves, observing Telemachus.

Despite the surrounding celebration, he remained aloof, separated from his men by the invisible wall of his thoughts and responsibilities. He stood on the deck, his gaze fixed on the horizon, seemingly untouched by the revelry around him.

His isolation was palpable, a solitary figure burdened by the weight of expectation and the ghosts of those he had lost.

Soon, Ithaca's cliffs loomed in the distance; the wind carried the scent of salt and olive trees, a far cry from the stench of battlefields past.

The ship glided into the port, and the soldiers disembarked.

On the docks, the people of Ithaca gathered, their faces a mix of hope and sorrow. Families pressed close, eyes scanning the returning soldiers, searching for familiar faces among the weary ranks.

Some found what they sought.

Joyous reunions unfold before you—tears and laughter mingling in equal measure, relief flooding through those who had feared the worst. Others, however, find only emptiness. Their search ends in the cold realization that some will never return to home's embrace.

And there, among them, stood Penelope.

Her hands were clasped tightly before her, her blue peplos catching in the wind.

She stepped forward—quicker, then running.

Telemachus barely has time to step off the gangplank before she was upon him, cupping his face as though to prove he was real. "My son."

Telemachus didn't speak at first. His fingers twitched at his sides before slowly coming to rest against her arms. He leaned into her touch, if only for a moment.

"Mother," he murmured at last.

Penelope's expression wavered, and then she was fussing over him, brushing strands of hair from his forehead, checking the fresh bruises and cuts marring his skin.

Odysseus watched from a distance.

The years had settled into him, the sharpness of his youth worn into something quieter, more tempered. He did not run to his son as Penelope did, but there was something in his stance—something in the way his gaze lingered on Telemachus—that spoke of pride.

When Telemachus finally turned to him, Odysseus stepped forward, clasping his son's forearm in a warrior's greeting.

"You've done well," Odysseus said simply.

Telemachus met his father's gaze. There is a moment—an understanding that passes between them, unspoken but felt.

And then, Penelope was speaking again.

"There will be a feast," she declared, her voice bubbling with the joy of his return. "You and the others—you must eat, you must rest." She barely gave Telemachus time to protest before she was shooing him away, gesturing for the servants to take him, to see that he was bathed, that he was prepared for the night's celebrations.

Telemachus allowed it.

But he didn't seem eager.

You watched as they led him away.

And later, when the halls grew rowdy and the moon hung high, you made a choice.

☆

☆

You sought him through dreams.

It was late at night when the world was hushed and shadows stretched long and deep, hours after the welcome-back feast had dwindled into quiet conversations and lingering goodbyes.

The palace was silent, save for the soft murmurs of the night breeze.

Telemachus was fast asleep, his body relaxed and unguarded in the deep embrace of exhaustion.

You emerged from the shadows to his sleeping form, pausing for a moment to watch him. Moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow across his features, softening the hard lines of his warrior's face.

Here, in the quiet of his chambers, he looked different—youthful, at peace, a stark contrast to the cold-faced warrior who had taken a life so simply all those days ago.

You leaned over, and with a gentle brush of your fingers against his temple, a shimmer of connection formed. His consciousness yielded, inviting you into the labyrinth of his dreams.

It wasn't difficult. The mortal mind is pliable in sleep, softened at the edges, drifting between memory and imagination.

You slipped between those cracks with ease, settling into the unguarded spaces where his thoughts lay.

You told yourself you did this to understand.

Was it luck? Coincidence? A warrior's instinct sharpened beyond reason? Or was there something else? Some force—some unknown, unseen thing—that had intervened?

You must know.

You must know so it doesn't happen again.

And so, his dreams opened before you.

And you stepped inside..

.☆.     .✩.        .☆.

You expected carnality.

That's what you've always seen.

Mortal dreams, when not touched by the gods, are selfish things—filled with hunger, with longing, with that ceaseless reaching for what they cannot have.

They dream of flesh, of power, of lost loved ones. They dream of desires so deep they drown in them.

But... Telemachus didn't.

You found him beneath the shade of a cypress tree.

The sun was high, warmth spilling through the branches in soft golden waves. He leaning against the rough bark, eyes closed, his expression unreadable. The grass bent with the wind, whispering in hushes that you didn't strain to hear.

He didn't stir.

It was a dream of peace.

A dream of stillness.

How rare.

You watched for a time, waiting for the dream to shift, for some deeper hunger to surface, but it didn't. If anything, he seemed to sink further into it, as if this moment—this brief pause in an otherwise chaotic existence—was something he wished to preserve.

But you hadn't come here for this.

You stepped forward, deeper.

The world bent.

The cypress and the warmth dissolved into mist, curling around your limbs as you pressed further into the hazy corridors of his mind. The deeper you went, the thinner the veil between memory and dream became.

And then—

A boy.

He was young—no more than five or six summers old. His frame was thin, wiry, his hair tousled from salt and sun. He stood in the courtyard of the palace, surrounded by men—older, stronger, towering above him.

They called him little wolf.

Though, not in kindness.

They laughed, their voices thick with wine, jesting about the boy's mother, about her "faithfulness" during Odysseus' absence. Their words were cruel, each one a barb meant to wound.

"Careful, pup," one of them chuckled, ruffling the boy's hair in a way that made his small hands clench into fists. "You bite too hard, we'll have to wonder who really taught you."

"Maybe you're more a stray than a prince. Who knows who you've really got running in your blood, eh? Maybe that's why you're so quick to snarl."

The boy didn't lash out.

He stood there, shoulders stiff, his jaw locked tight as he took the taunts. His nails dug into his palms.

He didn't look at them.

He didn't cry.

He waited until they were gone.

Only then did he exhale.

Only then did he move, retreating to the shadows of the halls, his small frame vanishing into the vastness of the palace as if he could disappear from the harsh world they'd thrust upon him.

The memory shifted.

A boy of thirteen.

You found him alone—his body leaner, his limbs stretched awkwardly as he grew into himself. He trained in the yard beneath the watchful gaze of no one.

No tutor. No father.

No man to guide his hand, to correct his stance, to sharpen his edge.

So he drilled himself.

Again. And again. And again.

The sun was low, casting long shadows that merged with his own. Yet he didn't stop.

He moved through the drills over and over, a wooden sword clutched in his aching hands, sweat dripping down his back, matting his hair to his forehead. His feet shifted across the packed dirt.

Each movement is deliberate. Repeated. A thousand times over.

His strikes were clumsy. His footing, uncertain.

But he didn't stop.

He pressed forward, his lips pressed thin, his brows furrowed in fierce concentration.

Every time he faltered—every time the blade dipped too low, every time his step was misplaced, every time he felt the sting of his own weakness—he gritted his teeth and began again.

It wasn't a skill he trained for.

It was readiness.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the day his father returned.

Waiting for the day he no longer had to prove he belonged here.

Waiting for the moment he'd no longer be seen as a child, but as something more.

You stepped closer.

Close enough to see the blisters forming on his hands.

Close enough to feel the sheer want burning in his bones.

His frustration mounted with each misstep. The wooden sword becoming an unwieldy extension of his tiring arms.

Finally, his endurance frayed, snapped by the weight of his exertions and the burden of expectations.

With a cry of exasperation, the sword clattered to the ground.

His energy spent, he collapsed beside it, his breaths heaving.

Dragging his knees to his chest, Telemachus tilted his head back, his eyes tracing the reddening sky as the sun dipped below the horizon.

In the silence, his voice cracked—not with pain, nor anger, but with something deeper. "Father... where are you?"

The quiet that followed was deafening.

A silence that spoke louder than any answer ever could.

And then—

The memory shifted again.

And now—he was older.

Not quite the man you saw on the battlefield, but close.

You knew this moment before it unfolded.

The threads of this event were woven long ago, stretched taut over the loom of fate, the echoes of many shears snipping with each thread you severed.

The suitors.

The great hall was awash in blood. It dripped from the marble columns, pooled beneath overturned tables, stained the once-pristine floors of his home.

Telemachus moved through the carnage with the precision of a man who had trained for this moment his entire life.

His movements were methodical, a dance of death perfected through years of silent preparation.

He fought beside his father now.

Odysseus—returned at last.

Reclaimed, reborn, bringing vengeance upon those who defiled his home.

Telemachus mirrored him, step for step, his blade an extension of his will.

Each suitor's life ended with a clean stroke.

Each final breath was swallowed by the great silence of the slaughter.

A man might've wept in such a moment.

Might've crumbled beneath the weight of it all.

But Telemachus didn't.

His expression was a mask of stone, unreadable even as the dying cursed his name.

He cut them down with the same ruthless efficiency as Odysseus.

It wasn't vengeance.

Not rage.

It was something colder.

Something... inevitable.

And you wondered—

How many mortals live their lives so deeply entrenched in both the mythical and the harrowing?

How many face gods and ghosts, war and loss, and emerge still standing, unbroken?

Enough.

You stepped away.

The memories unraveled, mist curling back into the void.

You withdrew from his mind.

You left the sleeping prince behind, returning once more to your duties, and after a few more snips, you returned home... if you can even call it that.

To call it a place would be a mistake. It wasn't a place, and yet it wasn't nothing.

It existed beyond existence, where time didn't pass, where the concept of form and function was a mere afterthought.

Here, the great spool of fate turned without ceasing, an endless thread twisting and stretching into eternity.

It was delicate, vast, incomprehensible.

To mortal minds, it was believed that the Fates worked tirelessly, aided by a hundred attendants—souls chosen to weave and sever the destinies of men.

They were wrong.

It wasn't hands that guided the threads. It wasn't effort that kept fate in motion. It simply was.

An eternal spinning. A balance.

A thing that should not be interrupted.

And yet—

When the halls are dark and your sisters weave their quiet rhythms, you find yourself thinking of him still... mortal who had slipped past his fate.

The son of Odysseus.

Telemachus.

You told yourself this wouldn't happen again. That you'd learned what you needed to. That his life was merely another thread in the grand design, nothing more.

And yet, you found yourself intrigued.

One step outside the weave, and what does a man become?

You think you'll watch him a little longer.

A/N: just wanted to post the first 2 chappies before i hit the hay; so what do you guys think?? it has promise???

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Epic What If:

(What if Telemachus Did beat Antinous in the fight?)

Now before we start, I think it should be noted that while this doesnt seem like this would be a big deal. Trust me, this has some interesting Connotations

-Everything up to the start of the Wisdom Saga was basically the same. Telemachus ends up hearing Antinous comments and ends up challenging him to a fist fight.

-Though it starts with Antinous, mocking the "Little Wolf" Athena's intervention helps Telemachus even the playing field.

-Though instead of Athena realizing she pushed Telemachus too hard, something within Telemachus changes... instead of the punch that knocked him down, Telemachus lands on his feet... his eyes shift red (similar to his father's later down the line) and he nails Antinous in the throat, causing the man cough and hold his throat. Telemachus gets on top of the man and starts beating him with his fists!

-Athena noticed that all his strikes that he had been landing were all to vulnerabilities. Telemachus had his father's Strategic mind but his blood lust was different, it was ... could it be from Penelope? She was from Sparta. Could this boy have the rage of a Spartain?!

-The other suitors were stunned, unsure of what to do. Was Antinous, the one who was sort of the leader of the group really getting their ass beat by this squirt?

-Antinous' face was a bloody pulp, having difficulty breathing. He says he yields.

-Telemachus gets up, he yells at the suitors to take this man and leave.

-"Your stay in this castle is over

Make sure everyone hears,

If you want to try to get to my mother

I'll bring you blood and tears!"

-Telemachus basically saying none of them are getting through while he's around.

-And the suitors retreat. Taking the beaten man away.

-After they left, Telemachus falls to the ground, Athena does realize she did push him to hard.

-The song "We'll be fine" is played with only slight changes. But Athena says that those guys will be back and will be angry. So she tells him what he needs to do before she leaves to go intervene on Odysseus' behalf

-god games goes the same, and pretty much the Vengeance Saga is the exact same. Its only when the Ithaca saga occurs that there is a difference

-Penelope had heard about what Telemachus did and the castle was now getting cleaned up. Telemachus had actually Barricaded to ensure no one would be able to get in while he was 'Away'. Penelope sings about how the storm was a sign. But She doesnt sing the Challenge. She sings "Waiting." an altered version of the song. She doesnt pose the challenge, because the men arent in the castle anymore.

-"Hold them Down." is done differently. The men actually are attacking the barricaded castle. Antinous now with an Eye patch, is back and angry from his beating. He tells them that they will break through and kill the brat, and take what they want. Though when they finally get the door open, they rush in, only for Antinous to say his last line and get interrupted. By an arrow that pierced his patched eye. But it didnt kill him.

-The song is actually "Odysseus" It was Telemachus who was there, he had set traps and was fully equipped for war. He tells the suitors that this is their final warning. To leave the castle, return to their homes or else.

-The men laugh and say that there is only one of him and they charge. Telemachus retreats into the castle, where the traps were.

-Several suitors were killed by the traps. And Telemachus moved to the Armory. But something was killing the men far more brutally, something much more Agile and Brutal.

-Antinous, Melanthius, Amphimous, and Eurymachus, each had a small group of suitors. Though they commented that Telemachus and his traps arent the ones killing so brutally. It was then they hear Odysseus voice.

-Odysseus tells them that they invaded his home, they attacked his son, they tried to r*** his wife. Now he was going to make them pay.

-Eurymachus begs for mercy. But he and his group dies.

-Amphimous and Melanthius run into the armory and deal with Telemachus and his additional traps. Odysseus arrives and kills the Melanthius after Telemachus kills Amphimous.

-Odysseus asks Telemachus how many are left. "Telemachus asked how many he killed. "I think around 10. My traps maybe 20. Odysseus mentions that he has slayed 70.

They hear a brutal knock, it was near Penelope's room. Odysseus and Telemachus arrive. 7 men with Antinious remain.

"The old king is back from the dead.

You must be tired from your long trip back

Why dont you rest your head

While we go and make your wife arch her...."

Odysseus charges and stabs Antinous right in the gut Telemachus watched as Odysseus had slayed the other men so quick. Only Antinous was the last one alive. Antinous begs for mercy

-Odysseus did NOT like that. And proceeds to cut his head off.

-It was here that we get "I cant help but wonder" with a bit more mention of Telemachus and how proud he is of him, as well as Athena praising the boy. and then followed up by "Would you fall in love with me again." Between Odysseus and Penelope

[thhouseofblack]

Hello♡

Hello! I'm Sil - a university student studying global affairs. My pronouns are she/her and I enjoy all things greek mythos. I write in this fandom (at least, at the moment) - and my fics are down below! Feel free to hit me up with anything, i love to talk, though i'm a bad texter in general so please have some grace!

I do not support AI so please don't put my works through any AI software(?). Thank you!!

My Links:

Twitter

Ko-Fi

My Works:

General:

I Held Her Hand Tighter:

In the lead up to the arrival of Helen's suitors, Clytemnestra, Penelope and Helen spend an afternoon together talking about marriage and their futures (One shot - part of Days of Olive and Honey series)

The Apple of My Eye:

After God Games, Hera and Athena talk about Athena's parental relationship with Odysseus. (One Shot)

Fighting From Afar:

Odysseus dies during the war. With a prophecy that claims that only the mind of Laertiades will cause the fall of Troy, Ten year old Prince Telemachus is brought to the shores of Troy. (Ongoing 6/8)

Forgive My Wanton Grief:

My Love I Kept You Well side series focusing on the Gods during the main fic. (Ongoing 2/?)

Your Dreams are Blameless:

After his ship breaks during a mission to retrieve the son of Achilles, Odysseus gets to make a brief visit home - after ten long years at the shores of Troy - and reunite with his wife and son for a few days. (Ongoing 2/6)

Sing O' Muse Of The Man Of Twists And Turns:

The main cast of the Iliad react to EPIC: The Musical, and other parts of The Odyssey. (Ongoing 1/30)

Odysseus/Penelope -

My Saved Up Happiness:

It is two weeks after the birth of their son (he does not know that it is two months before he is forced to leave for war) , Odysseus puts aside his duties and work and spends the afternoon with his wife and newborn son. (One shot - part of Days of Olive and Honey series)

The Dream of You:

Stuck at Troy, Odysseus thinks back on the years he spent with Penelope after their marriage. (One shot - part of Days of Olive and Honey series)

My Love I Kept You Well:

Penelope is the one taken as Paris' Achaean Bride instead of Helen - Penelope of Troy AU (Completed 8/8)

A Hand With No Lines:

Odysseus and Penelope find out they're expecting a baby after years of struggling with the absence of a child of their own in their life. (1/5 - part of Days of Olive and Honey series)

Odysseus/Diomedes -

Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder:

Book V of the Iliad - Diomedes knows that none can see the Lady Aphrodite's true form, that she appears as one's most desired, adored and loved. Yet it still takes him aback entirely when she appears to him as Odysseus. (One shot)

Others -

Of the Art of Destruction and Creation:

Penelope/Diomedes; they bond during one of Diomedes' stays in Ithaca during the Odyssey. Penelope teaches him how to weave. (One shot)

The Light of Mine Glory

Penelope/Apollo + Odysseus/Penelope; Penelope was Apollo's lover before her marriage. Now, years later, she is breaking at the seams holding together a kingdom amidst her own grief, when Apollo comes to her again, with a deal so irresistible that she cannot help but not refuse - Odysseus' safe return home. (One shot)

An Embassy to Atreides

Odysseus/Agamemnon + One Sided Odysseus/Menelaus; With the Achaeans losing their battles after Agamemnon and Achilles' argument, Odysseus finds another way to bring about the peace. (One Shot)

[taldigi]

IM BACK and with some new persona ideas for Back 2 Inaba! The theme I was going for was being “far from home” or travelling.

Ren Amamiya - Lafayette

Lafayette was a prominent figure in both the American Revolution and the French Revolution. He was the to success in several fights, and was the one to command his troops to victory in the Siege of Yorktown. A traveller in the sense that he was a prominent figure in both France and America, Lafayette like Ren, will have to lead his team to victory in both Inaba and Tokyo.

Morgana - Odysseus

A famous strategist and King of Ithaca, Odysseus was a great military strategist and the one who supposedly came up with the Trojan Horse. One of his most famous tales is his journey home back to his country and wife, only to get so inconvenienced on the way home, he only returns years later. Morgana has a lot to come to terms with. He continues to try to make “peace” with his body being that of a cat, and everytime he finds some sort of acceptance, something new comes to take its place.

Nanako Dojima - Tsuki No Usagi

Tsuki No Usagi, or “the moon rabbit” tends to always be making some kind of substance that can grant immortality, be it mochi, rice cakes, or just an elixir. There’s also a story where a rabbit, monkey, otter, and jackal is begged by an old man for food. All the other animals manage to procure some food or water, but the rabbit decides to cook themselves as an offering. Touched by their selflessness, the old man who was actually a god sent rabbit was transported to the moon instead of being burnt. Nanako is often treated like something to be protected, instead of an actual person and I imagine Yu unintentionally isolating her because of him being over protective, as if sending her to the moon.

Yuuko Hanamura - Shitakiri Suzume

Shitakiri Suzume (Tongue Cut Sparrow) is the tale of where an old man saves a sparrow and feeds it regularly. His greedy wife detested the little bird and would constantly berate the old man for wasting food on it. After the sparrow gets into a bag of starch, the wife cut out its tongue and chases it out into the mountains. The old man goes out looking for it and when he finds the sparrow, he is rewarded with treasure. The wife also tries to get treasure, but she opens it before she returns home and gets attacked by snakes and other creatures.

You are so good at this. Ndjdjs dja they're wonderful choices

Making me rethink not giving Yuuko a persona

[writingnekoo]

Odysseus' character analysis & how we overlook his trauma

Okay, this will be a long post about Odysseus and what could be happening in his head after his return to Ithaca because I really need to share these ideas <3

During the last few days I've been thinking about the whole Poseidon-obssesed-with-Odysseus concept (thanks to @rin-solo for inspiration :)), and that's how I recalled one headcanon of mine about Odysseus and his possible perception of his conflict with Poseidon.

A disclaimer first: I know that Epic is sometimes historically and culturally inaccurate, but! I want to include some of the cultural norms of ancient times because they will make things much more interesting.

So, since early August I've had an idea that Odysseus' personality during the post-Odyssey timeline would be heavily influenced by PTSD. That's just reasonable: the war takes its toll on the person anyway, especially on the warrior like Odysseus. He saw the nightmares of the Trojan War, lost his comrades and faced things that made him lose his sleep.

I actually like how Odysseus' trauma is depicted in Epic. We have these parts with the voices of Polites, Eurylochus and Anticlea and see just how much these losses affected Odysseus (take the ending of "Love in Paradise"). But instead of focusing on the losses like the musical does I'd rather talk about those who had caused them. It's a curious thing about the mentality of those who survived the war and similar events: their mind tends to demonize and hate those who caused pain deeply. It produces the ultimate hatred that is able to overcome any other feeling. This is the idea that I want to pursue in my Monster AU (might write about it later because that's another long talk) about the overwhelming feeling, produced by trauma, that can't be distinguished. And Odysseus is the only character in the story who has endured that twenty-year long nightmare: his comrades from the Trojan War didn't have the decade of journey back home behind their backs, and those who sailed with Odysseus died.

But there's one more layer to this scenario. While we've covered the idea about the war victim demonizing the aggressor, we can't forget that we're talking about the religious society of ancient times. Poseidon and Zeus are the two godly villains of Odysseus' story. However, they're also the god of the tides, who must've been one of the most widely worshiped in Ithaca (since it's an island... yeah), and the King of the gods.

That leaves Odysseus in an even more complex situation. Because he most likely highly respected both of them for his whole life. Eventually, they left Odysseus ruined. The people of Ithaca didn't stop worshipping them, and Odysseus has to follow the same religious rituals and celebrate annual festivities, which definitely reminds him of what had happened.

Once again, no one understands what he's gone through. Even Penelope and Telemachus, no matter how supportive they are. Thus, the trauma is left unseen and unhealed. Too bad there was no therapy in the ancient world, Odysseus would've needed it.

Finally, this whole set of reasons serves as a perfect background for deep and tragic obsession with those who hurt him and inability to let go of the past. Do the voices fall silent after Odysseus defeats all the enemies? No, they probably don't. Because even though physically Odysseus is already home, mentally, he's still fighting with the ghosts of his enemies. This is a desperate feeling that belongs to a broken man who no longer fits into society like he used to. And it eats him alive, kills him from the inside. No ruthlessness or bloodshed can help Odysseus to run from this despair. It fact, they might only make it worth by reminding who made him a monster! :)

Generally... this is pretty much it. The whole idea of all-consuming despair and trauma is what I've wanted to pursue here because I find it very natural in terms of everything that Odysseus has been through. I'd also like to analyze the whole Vengeance saga (especially my fav Six Hundred Strike) from this perspective because it actually makes perfect sense for me, but that's one more long post of another time lmao.

[ilov3b00kss0much]

Featuring my favorite idiots ever

@justalunaticfangirl I'm sorry this took so long I had to go shower and then my mom called me to help her with chores and stuff. Also I'm running on like 5 hours of sleep bear with me.

this is the dumbest thing I’ve ever written it was so fun

Will also be posted on AO3 later!

“Polites! I swear to all the Gods I will make your life a living hell if you don’t come here right now! I am going to send you to the underworld VERY early!” Odysseus yelled, chasing after a laughing Polites. In his hand was a large map, the path home. Along with a bunch of calculations for the ships, and a drawing of Penelope made by a talented artist back in Ithaca. 

“No way, Ody! You haven’t slept since we left Troy!” Polites said, flashing a grin back at Odysseus.

“Eurylochus! Help me here!” Odysseus said, passing him as he ducked under a rope. Eurylochus looked over, then smirked at Odysseus. 

“No can do, Captain. I’m with Polites on this. Penelope won’t be too happy if we return her husband looking like a haggard beggar.”

“But- but- ah! I need to plot our route carefully. Our rations are already low, and I don’t want any delays. I haven’t seen my wife in ten years, for the God’s sake!”

“Yeah, and that’s why you need to rest! You really want her first look at you to be exhausted and half asleep? You want to greet her with actual energy, right. Or do you think she doesn’t deserve that?” Polites teased. Odysseus glared at him, but he smirked back.

“Fine! But three hours. That’s it.”

         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Eurylochus. I have a question,” Polites said, looking up at his (much) taller friend.

“Yeah, Polites?” 

“Can I try to lift your sword?”

Eurylochus gaped at him. 

“What.”

“It looks so heavy. I’m really curious.”

“Polites this is not a good idea.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Pleaseeeee.”

“I-Fine.” Euylochus lifted the sword out of the scabbard on his back and handed it to Polites, keeping one hand on the blade.

“Eurylochus. Let me hold it fully.”

“Polites no.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yesss.”

“Ugh. Fine. Only for a bit though. Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Eurylochus dropped his hand and Polites immediately stumbled, sword tottering in his hands. 

“Eury…help,” Polites gasped, trying desperately to keep the sword from impaling anyone.

Eury quickly grabbed it again, lifting out of Polites’s grasp.

“And this is why I didn’t want you to take it.”

“HOW DO YOU DO THAT?”

“Practice.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We strike now,” Odysseus whispered to Eurylochus. Eurylochus nodded, hiding behind the large trunk at the corner of the room. He glanced at the still form of Polites, barely stirring. It was time. He nodded at Odysseus, who gave him a thumbs-up. 

Eurylochus crawled towards Polites, doing his best to be silent. The wooden floor creaked beneath him, and he winced. However, Polites didn’t wake, only stirring a bit. Eurylochus got to the very edge of the hammock, then groped around in the darkness. There. The glasses. He gave Odysseus a thumbs-up and they both retreated.

—

“ODY! EURY! WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY GLASSES?” Polites yelled, throwing the cabin door open. Odysseus glanced at Eurylochus, trying very hard to hold back his laughter. 

“I don’t know, Polites,” he said, shrugging. “Have you checked the floor?”

“YES. THREE TIMES. ODYSSEUS PLEASE I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING.”

Odysseus swallowed his laughter yet again, smiling innocently.

“I don’t know, I swear.”

“ODYSSEUS OF ITHACA, I WILL TURN THE ENTIRE SHIP OVER GIVE ME MY FUCKING GLASSES.”

“I don’t know, really!” 

“EURY? PLEASE I’M GOING INSANE.”

Odysseus could no longer hold back his laughter, and doubled over, laughing so hard he was gasping for air. Eurylochus glanced at him and started laughing too, trying not to embarrass himself.

“I KNEW IT! GIVE ME BACK MY GLASSES.” 

“Here, here, take them. This is payback.”

“FOR WHAT?”

“When you stole my plans.”

“THAT WAS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD.”

“Whatever. All debts settled?”

“Fine. Never do that again.”

“Deal.”

[lyculuscaelus]

Telegony isn’t real unless it’s made of cloud—just consider the possibility where Circe created an image (eidolon) of Odysseus using cloud and they had a child (or three children) together. But Circe soon found this Odysseus somewhat lacking so she sent him away, leaving their child (or children) here on Aeaea. Cloud!Odysseus (or should I say Clodysseus) then roamed around in Italy before dropping off in Epirus where he found himself a new wife Callidice, and fought a war against the Bryges. Eighteen years later the death of Callidice reminded him of a home so distant that he never felt he had but now realized he needed it so much so he decided to go “back” to Ithaca. Meanwhile the half-cloud half-divine Telegonus went to search for his father and landed in Ithaca too. And upon seeing the Clodysseus who had just came to this island he mistook him as a guard and had a fight with him and stabbed him with that poisonous spear. Then Clodysseus dissipated after Telegonus realized that he stabbed his father, who only had the chance to give one glance at this home that would never be his.

Meanwhile the real Odysseus was suffering from trauma until the eighth year came and he got back to Ithaca and had his revenge and then went through the oar quest and once again returned chilling with his Penelope and Telemachus for the rest of his life, maybe going back to gardening or something, and somehow caught all of the drama in 360P that happened on that day, in the tenth year after his return.