#-piper & leo's hug over jason at the end

[bomber-grl]

Cuddle/Sleep Headcanons 💤🌙

Pairing(s): characters x Gn!reader

Character(s): Percy, Jason, Leo, Frank, Hazel, Annabeth, Piper, Calypso, Ethan, Nico, Octavian, Reyna

Percy Jackson

He’s a horrible sleeper

I mean sure, you can sleep and cuddle like the couple you are

However, that doesn’t stop him from sleeping wildly

Limbs sprawled all over the freaking place and the only reason you know is because of the concerning amount of times you’ve woken up under some of them

To make it worse?

He’s a blanket hogger

He doesn’t rlly hog it in the sense that he steals it all

I mean he does, but he sorta just slides off the bed and takes the rest of the blanket with him

The urge to just 🔫

But yea 😞

Nice to cuddle with but not to sleep with sorry not sorry

6/10

Jason Grace

Kinda stiff ngl

Like damn bitch, you live like this?

Plus he sleeps on his back face up 😭😭😭

Like wtf Jason

Are u ok?

In terms of actually cuddling, he’s pretty good

His arms are firm and his hugs are tight yet comforting

Plus he smells pretty good

Like no joke

I’d kinda see you sleeping on his chest since bro sleeps on his back

It’s nice but the stiffness is not appreciated 🙅

Atleast he’s not a blanket hogger and he’s quite considerate with the blankets and stuff

So

8/10

Leo Valdez

He sleeps two different ways

The first way is pretty compacted

What I mean is, he sleeps he sleeps bundled up by the blanket in a blanket burrito

The other one is where he sleeps sprawled out, limbs all over the place, blanket discarded

Just like Percy

So when he’s in a blanket burrito best believe he’s taking you with him

He usually does this during winter because he naturally runs hot

Anyway, he pulls you in and kinda bundled the blanket around you two for you guys to cuddle and be as close as possible

But when he’s sprawled out with his limbs everywhere he likes to cuddle with you on top of him

That or you’re abused and crushed by him in your sleep

Plus yknow how he runs hot? Well it’s absolute hell

It’s so hot and honestly suffocating when he’s sleeping on you 💀

Throw him on the ground pls

Ima rate him a 7/10 cuz he ain’t bad and if anything I love him so 🤷

Frank Zhang

He’s the best

Sorta…

He’s obviously huge so

He fully embraces you and hugs you so it’s pretty comfortable

And he sleeps on his side or stomach so there’s plenty of room

Even if he’s a bit stiff he’s still pretty nice to cuddle with

He’s pretty considerate on how you like to sleep/cuddle

He likes holding you so he’s not that picky

Honestly nothing to complain about with him

Except for one thing…

You can’t tell me this guy doesn’t fart 😐

I’m sorry but he just gives me those vibes

And it’s so bad

And not even on purpose either

It just happens but it’s the most traumatic thing ever

He feels pretty bad too 😭

Also when y’all are sleeping you just end up on different sides of the bed

He’s just casually on top of the blanket and you can’t even pull it from under him

You’re left shivering in the cold

Hazel Levesque

I love her 🫶

I see her sleeping on her sides and stomach tbh

She’s so sweet too

She loves to cuddle with you and even tho she doesn’t rlly have a firm grip she still likes to hold you

She especially likes to sleep on you

Either on your chest or just cuddled up to you

And she smells pretty sweet

Like clean laundry too like lawd

But ofc there’s gotta be some downsides

There’s isn’t really none with her, but with you

You end up stealing the blankets and hazel wakes up mad and cranky

That’s all and she quickly forgives you

Annabeth Chase

Sleeps on her back or side

She doesn’t really like cuddling all that much

She prefers to have some space and stuff when she sleeps

But if you want, she’s open to cuddling

She loves to both be held and to hold you

Mostly it’s mutual holding

Plus she probably sleeps with the fan on

Idk how to explain it

If you’re the type to always talk during night time then she’d react differently

Like if you gotta sleep asap cuz of the mission and all you do is yap

Then she’s turning her back on you and ignoring

What a meanie

At least she apologizes the next day but still

I don’t rlly see her stealing the blanket or anything but she is pretty stiff

Like besides hugging and stuff she lowkey just lets you hug her when she doesn’t feel like moving

Mood

Also since she smells good ofc ur gon sniff and she’ll be weirded out and ignore u this way too 😞

Piper McLean

She sleeps anyway tbh

She pretty cuddly and likes to snuggle w you

She usually likes to be held, but either way is fine

Especially after a fight or exhausting time with monsters

She’ll hold you in her arms too

She smells pretty nice and if you say so?

Well she finds it endearing

Unlike a certain someone

*cough cough* annabeth

But yea she’s the best

But she won’t hesitate to kick you out if you refuse to share the blanket

She gets enough crap from Leo

Who is just constantly annoying her

Calypso

The best

Like she fr loves to cuddle

With everything she’s been through best believe she’s the best cuddler

Honestly she sleeps whatever way

She’s another who loves to be held and to hold others

Especially if you’re hurt or anything

Then she’s try and tend to you

Even in sleep

Most times she’s a small spoon

She’s loved so many people who never loved her back

So perhaps she’s just a tad bit touch starved

And would obviously give in to any affection

As previously mentioned she loves to hold you too

Mostly just having you lean on her shoulder or lay on her lap but it also extends to cuddling on occasion

She’ll have you lay on her chest and in her arms and play with your hair

Ethan Nakamura

He’s so stiff it’s painful

(Not actually)

He’s definitely loyal, the books show that much

So despite his personal feelings with touch (he’s no doubt another touch starved person) he’d like to cuddle with you nonetheless

Not much in the beginning but he’d definitely warm up to you

And in the process, realize how much he wants it

He’ll let you love him however you want (cuddle him) and let you play with his hair

Which he loves

Eventually he gets enough courage to reciprocate

But he’s still stiff

Not the best when hugging or cuddling you because of how flustered he gets

Once you two go to bed and he falls asleep, he gets pretty subconsciously protective so he’ll hold you tight

Nico Di Angelo

Yes

Just yes

He loves to cuddle never made it obvious before tho

Another who was pretty stiff and touch starved

He gets over it quickly when he sees what you have to offer

I mean usually he just sleeps bundled up under the blankets, engulfed by their warmth

But with you there he just pulls you under the blankets with him so you can cuddle that way

Is mostly just mutual holding

He mostly just liked to intertwine your legs or hold onto you like a koala

I see him as a blanket stealer when you’re not glued together

He’s either super sleepy or not at all

When he’s tired he just drags you to bed, since that’s the only time nightmares don’t plague him

But when hes suffering from his insomnia he likes it when you stay up and talk with him

Idk to him it feels intimate but if you choose to go to bed, he won’t take it personally

If you play with his hair he won’t admit it but he loves it

Octavian

Ew.

Sorry I hate him but seeing that you’re here, you probs love him

So let’s get this over w

He’s rlly long and lanky and boney

Doesn’t stop yall from cuddling tho ig

And like a weirdo he sleeps on his back, arms to his side, head facing upward

Honestly probably obsessed with you

Only way he’d cuddle/ be in a relationship with you

He’s probably never been touched by another person

So he definitely likes to be held

Plus the bastard is selfish

And he doesn’t hold you

😐…

Yea so 1/10

I’m being generous

Reyna Ramirez-Arellano

I love her 😭🫶🫶

Yea she probs love you so ofc she’s gonna cuddle w u

Often times she’s busy with the duties of praetor so she can’t cuddle 😞

But it’s ok cuz when she can it’s the best

Not only is she holding you and making you feel cared after

But she also plays with your hair

Also you have to hold her

I don’t make the rules, just look at her, she needs it

When you do she’s a bit put off

But eventually she lets you coddle her

So more often than not she’s little spoon and comfortable

Just like she deserves

Yes beautiful

9/10

————————-

Note: I just realized Reyna is a hunter now idk why I even wrote hers 😭 maybe pre-hunter Reyna??? Idk man

[julsvu]

hoo characters as small things that bring people comfort

tags. fluff, lowk self-indulgent, corny as hell, gn! reader, implied relationship, not proofread

annabeth chase is the human embodiment of books, just like the ones she reads often. just like the ones she'd read to you; either rambling about how amazingly accurate it is, or how it just didn't reach her approval due to the font being hard to read. like a book, she's hard to understand. you'd have to be reading her first pages for you to grasp her fully, and stay even when the pages seem to be ripping itself apart; stay until her last page, and she'll remain until yours. together, you'll make a new book of your own, and make sure to never let the readers reach the ending. it's non-existent, annabeth is sure of it.

you don't know if it's because percy jackson was the son of Poseidon or not, but his presence feels the same way as warm water hugging your body, giving tingles all over your skin. after a long day, a warm shower is just what you need; once percy sees his lover look exhausted, he immediately thinks of ways to take care of them. warm showers always helped; like percy, it'd hug your body, wash away all the "filth" off your figure. like warm showers, percy kisses the things that you deem ugly on your body, and his words "wash" away your insecurities.

like frank zhang, the gentle flicker of a scented candle calms your every nerve, just like the small whispers you and frank exchange secretly. scented candles may melt away, but its' scent lingers, staying with you until its' very last breath. frank wishes to do the same, just like a scented candle. he wants to be around you, filling your environment with his presence. would you be willing to be the light to his candle, one day?

piper mclean's embodies the essence of a cup of herbal tea flawlessly. just like the soothing warmth and comforting scent of herbal tea, the daughter of Aphrodite emits a calming presence, wherever her feet brings her. whenever you pour out your heart, her empathetic gaze reflects your emotions like ripples on a small pond. in her presence, you feel engulfed by a sense of serenity, as if every worry melts away like sugar dissolving in hot water. and just like a cup of herbal tea, piper leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, with just her mere words of affection, only catered towards you, only.

roses are gorgeous, and their sharp thorns protect their bloom, piercing through anyone's skin with ease. hazel levesque is someone you'd see as a rose. together, you and hazel create a tapestry of shared experiences, each moment acts like a delicate petal adding depth to your connection. like a rose's thorns, the daughter of pluto harbors hidden strength underneath her freckled figure. her words keep shining through adversity like the vibrant hues of a rose in full bloom. most of those words contain the promises she had given you. just as a rose brings color and fragrance to the world, hazel brings light and warmth to those around her, especially to you, her dear lover.

leo valdez's little acts of affection give the same feeling of a warm, weighted blanket. well, the son of Hephaestus himself acts like a blanket sometimes; his body naturally eradicates the cold temperature. weighted blankets don't get pushed away too easily, and leave a lingering feeling of their weight once you remove them from your body. like a weighted blanket, leo valdez doesn't allow you to push him away. no matter what you're saying; as long as leo's around, your words don't ever fall on deaf ears. his words linger in your mind, and they're always sickeningly sweet.

jason grace's arms offer you the same, if not, better protection of a shield. jason stands tall and resolute, similar to the shields you'd see in the armory. his presence itself is a sturdy shield; sure, you may not see it, but you can feel it shielding you from the harsh blows of life's battles whenever he is around. just as a shield provides a sense of security in the midst of chaos, his presence anchors you into a calm sea. like a shield, he is willing to hold your hand no matter the place or time, and his heart of steel melts into your presence, pouring its' contents shamelessly.

if moonlit nights were a person, nico di angelo is a perfect example. like the soft glow of the moon, the son of Hades provides a quiet and steady presence, offering solace with his calm demeanor. he holds your hand, playing with your fingers while you ramble about your daily life. the midnight sky would be the grass of the spot you guys secretly claimed at camp; the same way the moon does, nico rests in the midnight sky, knowing he'll wake up in your arms, his one and only star; the one that stays with the moon.

will solace's smile is brighter than a sunrise whenever he's with you. his lips slowly curl up, until his mouth successfully turns into a toothy grin. like a sunrise, the blond never fails to remind you that every day is a new start; a new beginning. you don't need to do anything drastic to fulfill yourself. because everything restarts the moment the sunrise appears. maybe it was because he was the son of Apollo, or for another unknown reason. all you knew was that like sunrises, will solace never fails to greet you early in the morning and give you cheeky, little kisses filled with love; dripping from his very heart.

© 2024 JULSVU. all rights reserved. please don't plagiarize, translate, put in other websites or copy my work without permission. ty!

[demigod-shenanigans]

Anyway have some Leo and Esperanza thoughts set in a universe where she’s alive:

-Definitely knew Leo was bi before he told her. This kid is not able to be subtle about his crushes ever 

-She was the first person Leo ever came out to. Just hugged him for ages and kissed his head and told him he’s perfect exactly how he is and she’s always going to love him no matter what 

-They Iris message almost daily when Leo first gets to camp. He’s so excited when he makes his first friend and gets to introduce her to Piper. Leo and Piper met in this universe because they were the oldest out of the kids claimed right after the Titan war and arrived at camp at the same time and they just clicked immediately 

-Let’s say in this universe Gaia doesn’t wake and Leo and Piper just sort of find an injured Jason on a mission by coincidence (make that “coincidence” because someone (Juno) decided it was time to mend the rift between camps and having CHB nurse one of the Camp Jupiter praetors then return him to his own camp unharmed was a good starting point)

-Jason stays at CHB for a while for diplomatic reasons and they properly become friends

-Esperanza definitely side-eyes Jason when he visits them for the first time because at first glance he gives off similar vibes to some of the football player kids who’ve bullied Leo before and she is Concerned but Jason withers so fast under her gaze that she ends up concerned for a completely different reason 

-Jason scrambles to try and tell her all the reasons why he thinks Leo is the most incredible person ever actually and yeah it turns out she really likes this kid (though she’s starting to get increasingly worried about what his home life looks like if some light glaring has him this rattled)

-He loves her cooking (but not as much as Leo’s. He’d never tell her that though)

-She doesn’t push Jason to talk about his home life or family but makes it very clear that he’s free to stay over whenever he wants. Fundamental mom instinct to wrap that boy in a blanket and make him hot cocoa.

-Esperanza is Jason’s first encounter with an adult that’s genuinely kind and caring towards him and he’s really really shocked about it. Like worrying amounts. He needs her to like him or he Will Die actually, especially because that’s Leo’s mom

-Esperanza definitely picks up on the vibes between Jason and Leo before Jason and Leo do. This isn’t even her being especially perceptive they’re just incredibly obvious and also idiots (I say this with affection)

-One summer Leo Iris messages his mom randomly in the middle of the day beaming but will not tell her what’s up. For like fifteen minutes he’s just smiling and fidgeting away talking about a whole bunch of nothing at all until she grins and asks “did you finally ask Jason out” and Leo just looks at her gobsmacked because he has no idea how she could have possibly figured that one out

-Jason tries to learn Spanish in parts to impress her and he is So Bad At It at first. She thinks it’s really sweet and is very encouraging (unlike Leo who just makes fun of his boyfriend for his shit pronunciation)

[manygeese]

Lost trio at IKEA for a reason unknown to both me and you ✨

~*~

“Why are we even at Ikea?” Leo grumbled, glaring at the dining table in front of him.

“We don’t have a table for our apartment yet and I’m not going to eat on the floor.” Jason pulled out a chair from its place to inspect it.

Piper snorted. “Yeah, Leo, he was raised by wolves, but he’s not gonna eat on the floor. Have you no shame, sir?”

Leo barked out a laugh at Piper’s fake British accent. He laughed harder when he saw Jason’s disgruntled pout.

“So, what’ll it be, Jace? The Nordviken or the Ingatorp?” Piper said, her voice dropping an octave when she said the names of the tables.

Jason furrowed his brow. “The what?”

Leo recovered his composure enough to point at the label on the table he was nearest to. “They’re the names of the tables, babe,”

“Oh. Um. The Ingatorp?”

Both Piper and Leo made an incorrect buzzer sound. “Wrong answer,” Piper supplied when she noticed Jason’s confused look. “It’ll look… let’s just say, out of place.”

“Yeah, the only place it’d look good in is a dumpster. I will not have it within three hundred feet of me.” Leo made a retching sound and pointed to his mouth like a kindergartner seeing their parents kiss.

Jason laughed. “You are, at best, three feet away from it right now. Better skedaddle.”

“Fine. If you don’t love me, you could’ve just said so.” Leo let out a dramatic sob. “Who says skedaddle anymore?” He added under his breath as he left the room, holding up a peace sign over his shoulder.

A moment of silence fell over Piper and Jason after Leo “skedaddled.” Piper sighed. “He’s gonna get lost, isn’t he?”

“Yup.”

“And we’re gonna have to go after him at some point?”

“Yup.”

“Do you just wanna get it over with?”

“Nope. I meant it when I said I wasn’t going to eat on the floor.”

~*~

Half an hour later, Jason and Piper were wandering around the store, looking for Leo. Jason was wheeling around a cart with the table he had chosen, and Piper was earning them odd stares from people as she yelled Leo’s name.

“If I was a little gremlin in Ikea, where would I be?” Piper mumbled.

Jason shrugged. “Every part of this store is a playground for him. I mean, there are basically furniture Lego sets on every shelf. He’s right at home.”

“Oh my gods, you’re right, he could be anywhere,” Piper lamented.

“Yup. I’m starting to regret not getting it over with.”

Piper closed her eyes and nodded as they turned the corner. When she opened them, she let out a sigh of relief.

Leo was facing away from them at the end of the aisle, holding a stuffed bear in front of him that was larger than his own torso. He seemed like he was in his own little world.

“Emilio Michelangelo Valdez,” Piper admonished.

Leo spun around with the bear still gathered close to his chest. “Oh! Hey guys. I was wondering when y’all would get here.”

Jason made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded suspiciously like growling.

“Chill, Jacey, don’t go all wolf on me. I know you’re trying to be more than your beginnings,” Leo said as he put a hand on Jason’s shoulder. He shoved the bear towards him. “Take the Djungelskog, it’ll help you calm down.”

“I don’t want the Djungelskog. I want to go home.” Jason pushed the bear back to Leo.

“I want the Djungelskog!” Piper piped up, opening her arms. Leo got down on one knee and offered it to her like it was a proposal. She squealed and squeezed it lovingly.

Leo turned to Jason with round, pleading eyes. “Can we get the Djungelskog, Jason? Please?”

“If it means we can go home, by all means.”

~*~

Jason was watching Leo assemble the table. He had started ten minutes ago and he was already halfway done.

“Leo, the pizza’s gonna be here in five minutes, I hope you’ll have it done by then,” Piper called from the living room. She was playing on her phone on the couch and hugging the Djunkelskog with one arm.

“Piper, you don’t even live here. Why are you ordering pizza?” Leo asked, pulling out a screwdriver from his tool belt.

“It’s pizza. Everybody likes it. Consider it a house warming gift.”

“Thanks, Pipes,” Jason said, then going back to staring at the directions without a clue of how to follow them. Technically, he was supposed to be reading them to Leo, but dyslexia was a bitch and the print was tiny, even with his glasses on. Thankfully, Leo seemed to have it covered.

“Done!” Leo threw his hands up in victory a couple of minutes later. For some reason, he was covered in sawdust, even though the directions didn’t have any cutting involved. He stood up and wiped his dusty hands off on his cargo pants.

As if on queue, the doorbell rung and Piper ran to answer it. She came back with two boxes of pizza. Leo tried to grab one of them, but she slapped it away before he could snatch it. “Wash your hands, repair boy.”

Leo groaned and stumbled over to the kitchen sink as Piper set the food down.

“Hold on,” Jason interjected, gesturing towards the new table, “did we get any chairs?”

Everything was quiet for a moment.

Leo sighed. “Do you just wanna eat on the couch?”

Piper pulled a 180 and took the food with her. “Good idea. Wanna watch Legally Blonde?”

“Hell yeah.”

[psychesalcove]

'dedicated to all of those who, when the time came, picked the ocean,'

✧.* psyches 100 follower event special — CLOSED (still writing for requests that came in before it closed!!)

in memory of those who chose the sea ,,

hello everyone!! as from the title, i recently reached 100 followers on my blog; so i decided, why not do a fun little celebration to go along with this milestone? thank you to each and every one of my followers who read and support my work, all of you mean the absolute world to me! now, let me explain what i'll be doing for this event:

^᪲᪲᪲ for this event, you'll chose a promt from below, along with a pjo character (listed below as well) and then I'll write you a blurb including the promt and the character!! just send me an ask including all of those, and i'll happily write it for you:) you're also welcome to request a prompt that already has writing, just not for the same character!!

^᪲᪲᪲ promts to select from:

ֶָ֢ "i like the way your hand fits in mine,"

ֶָ֢ "you have something in your hair, uhm..do you want me to get it out?" -> leo valdez

ֶָ֢ "it's nice that your voice was the first thing i heard today," -> luke castellan

ֶָ֢ "you can call me whenever you want..even if you don't have a reason to," -> percy jackson

ֶָ֢ "im bad at texting first, so I always end up hoping you will,"

ֶָ֢ "this movie is really scary, but you're into it so I'm trying not to cover my face the whole time, but, WHAT IS THAT?–" -> leo valdez

ֶָ֢ "wait, don't pull away...not yet," -> percy jackson

ֶָ֢ "you look really cute in that sweater,"

ֶָ֢ "half the time i get too embarrassed to say anything,"

ֶָ֢ "no its fine..i can wait until you're done talking to them,"

ֶָ֢ "it's just, I can't believe you're actually wearing my clothes," -> travis stoll

ֶָ֢ "you're a big piece of inspiration for this, honestly,"

ֶָ֢ "gods, you always make me blush so damn much," -> conner stoll

ֶָ֢ "I've been trying to get ready for like an hour and a half, because i know you're going to look so good and I need to try and match up," -> leo valdez

ֶָ֢ "would it be to cliche if we matched clothes?"

ֶָ֢ "the first second i saw you i couldn't get over how beautiful you were." -> luke castellan

ֶָ֢ "i wanted to say 'i love you' for the first time without stuttering, but that failed," -> leo valdez

ֶָ֢ "could you hold my hand?"

ֶָ֢ "you can't leave without letting me hug you first," -> percy jackson

ֶָ֢ "I really love holding you, darling."

ֶָ֢ "that pet name was so gushy, but it was so so cute,"

ֶָ֢ "aw, you're blushing like a rose."

ֶָ֢ "your lips are really warm." -> jason grace

ֶָ֢ "I can't get over how a few months ago I wanted to learn your name and now you're having breakfast with me in my sweater," -> leo valdez

ֶָ֢ "no, mom, don't tell them I said that about them!"-> percy jackson

ֶָ֢ "my friends get so annoyed by how much I talk about you,"

ֶָ֢ "wanna like—I mean, if you're not busy, we could get lunch? Or even just coffee if you don't have a lot of time?"

ֶָ֢ "wow, i didn't think you could make me smile this big,"

ֶָ֢ "you don't need to leave so soon,"

ֶָ֢ "you look so comfy; and cuddle-able." -> percy jackson

ֶָ֢ "quit smiling at me, I can't stop messing up my sentences when you look at me like that." -> piper mclean

^᪲᪲᪲ characters to chose from:

percy jackson

annabeth chase

piper mclean

jason grace

leo valdez

hazel levesque

frank zhang

will solace

nico di angelo

luke castellan

conner stoll

travis stoll

rachel elizabeth dare

previous pinned post -> introduction to my blog !

[somewhereincairparavel]

could u do something about thalia never showing up for jason? in the end of tlh he was hoping she’d show up for the counselors meeting and she didn’t so maybe a series of him making plans with her/trying to get in touch with her and just being disappointed every time… not thalia hate i love u thalia she just is too busy for him (while doing it during the months between tlh and son could be cool i think in between boo and toa would be more angsty bc u know he’s going through a breakup!!! he’s all alone in this random private school he isn’t familiar with the mortal world and he just wants his sister but she isn’t there!!!)

Two times Jason Grace wrote Thalia a letter, and the one time he didn't send it.

author's note: Ah this is so angsty and perfecttt :( The Grace siblings deserved more…they're my faves fr.. anyway, I hope I did justice to your request anon! Thank you for requesting, it made my day! I thoroughly enjoyed writing this. I just finished my exams and I'm back to having more time for writing :) you guys can send me more angsty jason prompts like this one if you want to, I'll write them with the best of my capabilities, I'm quite new to heavy angst like this so I was surprised when I was able to finish this within an hour. Jason Grace does this to me.

TW: severe angst. I mean it, very severe, character death, mentions of sacrifice, no happy ending. I went all out, I'm sorry. I was just way too into this.

Jason traced his finger over the glossy photo frame in his hands, which encrusted a picture of his older sister, Thalia. He had requested Leo to help him with the framing, the edges were made with a mahogany coating. He smiled at the lovely picture of his sister, her hair being held together by her silver huntress circlet, wearing her punk rock clothes. 

Over the course of the summer, He had finally gotten the chance to take a good picture of Thalia for a family keepsake, he had held on to the tattered, torn picture of Thalia that annabeth had given to him before his first quest, and he still treasured it greatly. But he insisted that Thalia and him take at least one good picture before she disappeared with her maidens into the world, for months. 

“And then Leo said-” Jason was cut off by thalia’s fellow maiden Phoebe, rushing towards them, yelling for thalia. 

“Lady Thalia, lady Artemis is heavily in need of your assistance immediately!” Phoebe said panting. Thalia frowned and her eyes apologetically turned back to Jason. “I'll be there” she told her fellow huntress, before giving Jason a strangling hug. “I'm so sorry Jason, we'll talk later yeah?” Jason swallowed his disappointment after he saw how truly apologetic Thalia looked. “Of course, stay safe for me?” Thalia smiled sweetly and nodded at that before trudging up the path.

That was the last time he had seen of Thalia in months, and there was only one way to settle this. Jason decided to send in letters to his sister, that way, she could read it and keep them with her, and he could tell her everything without getting interrupted by anyone. He soon learnt to cherish this hobby alot. He loved his sister, and writing to her gave him a warm sense of comfort. He needed that, especially after Leo's death.

“Dear Thalia,

How have you been sis? I hope your mission with Phoebe to help Artemis went well! It's been pretty tough lately. My nightmares are plagued with pictures of mom. I know you of all people would understand how horrific that feels. I miss Leo, and piper's been acting a little strange around me lately.. but Leo's disappearance is taking a toll on her. So I get it. Nico is finally staying in camp half blood, isn't that great?? That boy deserved a break for once. Anyways, write back if you can, but if you can't, that's fine, I know you're busy.

–love, your annoying little brother.

Weeks, and months flew by, but still no response from Thalia. But he knew better than to take it seriously. Jason knew that she had gotten the letter, and that was enough for him. Well, that was enough, until things went downhill for him very quickly. Piper had approached him in the school corridor and thought it was a great day to end their year long relationship, shattering Jason's soul to pieces, this, coupled with the immense amount of pressure he had to build the minor god shrines, Jason felt numb, and he did what he usually did. He poured his heart out to Thalia in another letter, seeking comfort in his ink and paper. Longing for thalia’s presence once more.

“Dear Thalia,

it's me again, I hope you're doing good, atleast better than I am. I've been feeling terrible lately, Piper ended things with me, i guess we finally know why she was acting the way she did around me, huh? She said our relationship was only hera’s illusion and didn't feel that way about me anymore, which sucks, since I'm still very much in love with her. The pressure has increased tenfolds on me these days, the minor gods are heavily anticipating the promise I told them I'd keep. I'm planning on moving schools so i don't have to deal with the heartbreak of seeing Piper in school anymore. Anyways, I just wanted to write to you since it makes me feel better. Sending you lots of love from California.

— love, Your annoying little brother 

Minutes. Hours. Days. Weeks. Months. 

Jason knew. The moment the sibyl told him about looking for the third emperor. Jason knew, that his doomsday was going to knock on his doorstep very soon. He was going to sacrifice himself for Piper. And nobody was changing his mind. Jason stared out his dormitory window, the outside mortal world looked a little too cheery for the melancholic thoughts that were chasing his mind. He averted his gaze to the person in the picture frame hanging at his wall. Thalia had always been too busy for him. They had never had a proper full conversation together, one on one conversations getting disrupted, iris messages wearing out within a few minutes, even his letters never got a reply, or even a single acknowledgement. 

Yet jason knew, that Thalia Grace was the only one who loved him more than anything in the world. She didn't have to spend time with him for him to know that. He knew by the way she had only left their childhood home after Jason was deemed “dead”, he knew by the way she had picked a two year old jason up  after he injured his mouth with that stapler,he knew by the way she played hide and seek when they were little, he knew by the way she had told no one about him, not even annabeth, since he was a memory that she held close to her heart. So subconsciously, his hands wrapped around the pen he always used to write with. With shaky hands, and teary eyes slowly dripping in the paper, he began to write.

Thalia was resting on the rocks, thinking of how Jason was doing, she had recieved all his letters and read them through atleast 2 times. She wanted to respond, but it kept slipping her mind. Something had always come up, but now, she was finally free. Just as she was about to pick up her pen, she heard her name being called.

“Thalia!”

It was Reyna. She was holding an envelope, Thalia’s spirits skyrocketed at the thought of her brother sending her another letter. But.. why was it being sent through Reyna..? It was usually always sent by Jason's wind manipulation. Those letters would float towards her. That's how she always knew it was from her brother.

She was expecting Reyna to tease about Jason's cheesy letters to his sister, but what she wasn't expecting, was for Reyna to start sobbing on the spot, breaking out the news that her younger brother was dead. 

Jason. Her little stapler eating brother. Was dead.

“This was found by Meg in Jason's desk.” Reyna shakily handed Thalia the envelope. It was a blue envelope, the usual colour that Jason always sent to her. And on top of it, was his smudy handwriting that Thalia could recognise from a mile away. The letter was signed “To Thalia Grace”.

Thalia opened it carefully but tears were leaking out of her eyes.

“Dear Thalia,

there's something that I've been keeping for a while now, but I know it's finally the time to tell you this. I met the sibyl in the labryinth who had told me that my life would be cut short. if went looking for the third emperor, Caligula, either me or Piper would be killed. There's no point denying the inevitable is going to happen. Prophecy's can never be thwarted, after all. I've made my choice, I'm not letting Piper die. I've decided that I am going to use myself as a sacrifice. I'm writing you this, to let you know, that, I love you. I love you so much sis, I hope you know that. I know we've never got to see eachother much, but I don't want you blaming yourself in any way for this. I hope you know that, writing to you, even without a response from your side all these months, has helped my life feel a lot more meaningful. the mere thought of you taking the time to read my letters makes me feel so loved. So happy. Now that I know that I might be meeting my end, I'm letting you know, that I've cherished every single thing you've ever said to me. Including the fact that you hate tomatoes on your sandwiches. Take care of yourself, sis, I'm always with you.

  — love, for the last time, your annoying little brother :)

Thalia clutched the letter with her heart, screaming in agony. Thunder boomed angrily overhead, almost as if her father could feel her rage. Her heart strings were tearing apart. She sobbed, as she looked up at the blue sky, the same blue as Jason's darling eyes.

“I love you too. My annoying little brother, always”

[starlightshadowsworld]

If you could change things in the Riordanverse what would you do differently?

... Do you want a list?

I will attempt to keep this brief, because there's are many things I would change and this isn't even all of it.

Jason gets his memories back. He's more feral either way, and we continue the theme that every Roman demigod is cursed in some way.

Jason's existential crisis isn't Greek vs Roman, it's I was raised to be an ideal that I can't be attained... And I I don't know what to do.

It's I was raised by wolves and than a leigion, I don't even know how to human like others do.

The Seven are actually a family and don't disband when everything is over. No love triangle between Hazel, Frank and Leo. Piper and Jason never end up together. Get rid of the Percy Jason rivalry.

Percy never becomes Praetor and Camp Jupiter look for Jason. And celebrate when he's returned to them, so much so they're willing to hear the Greeks out.

Jason makes friends with Grover, Clarisse and Will while at Camp Half Blood.

We get the scene of Jason decending onto the battlefield in the Titan war and defeating Krios. He's not all powerful but Jason's strong and he fights like a one man army.

Percy almost loses it when he finds out Jason fought Krios "When I catch you Zeus... I mean Jupiter!" Combo moves between demigods, the seven using their skills together.

Camp Jupiter is nowhere near ad loyal to the gods because they pretty much abandoned them.

Octavian, Reyna and Jason were friends at some point. Gaea takes advantage of Octavians visions and turns him against them.

The Eidilon that strikes Camp Jupiter was possessing Jason.

Camp Jupiter is split up between those following Octavian and those following Reyna and Jason. To the point Jason's old cohort refuse to fight against him.

When Percy and Annabeth fall into Tartarus, Jason dives after them and tries to catch them. But while Tartarus pushes them in, it repels him.

They all take losing Percy and Annabeth bad, Jason takes it the worse and feels he needs to be the old Jason. And realises no he doesn't, because everyone else is there with them and he's not alone.

Group hug after Jason meets his dead mother. When Jason looks at Cupid he sees his father.

Jason meets Jupiter who tells him he does care, that's why he kept his distance. And tells Jason he couldn't be more proud of him.

The Roman and Greek demigods didn't fight in the civil war. The Romans weren't pro slavery, none of that. They were close for years but Gaea turned them against each other.

Having the Greeks think the Romans stole the Athens Parthenos and that the Greeks stole the Leigions eagel. The gods decided to fix their fighting by having them forget each other.

This is solved when Percy, Frank and Hazel return the Eagle and Reyna, Nico and Hedge return the Parthenos.

[im1hangry1pjo]

Fuck Foster care -Valgrace

TW: Scars, Past abuse, Leo being traumatized, Foster Homes

"No, no, no, no, no where is it where is it!?" Leo frantically searched through the bathroom cabinets. "They're going to find out no, no they can't know anything" he thankfullyfound his contact. He looked at himself in the mirror. Leo wanted to throw up just by the sight of himself. His right eye was milky white with pink scaring slowly becoming more white around the center of the scar. He quickly looked away and opened the contact case. It only had one contact in it but he really only needed one. He slowly took it and placed it on his right eye but instead it fell on the ground and was ruined. "SHIT!" He accidentally yelled at the top of his lungs. He prayed to every god he could think of that no one heard that. He continued to search for his foundation to cover up any scars he could. "SHIT!" He heard Leo scream; it sounded like it came from the bathroom. Jason was horrified just by the thought of what happened he immediately got up and headed towards the bathroom. Thankfully it was unlocked but what he saw behind the door shocked him. Leo was in front of the mirror with a bottle of foundation with his sleeves rolled up there were scars all over them some of them looked self inflicted others looked like someone hit them with a glass bottle but when Jason looked at Leo's face gods his face. His right eye was milky white with pink scaring slowly becoming more white around the center of the scar. It looked like someone exploded something in the face. He couldn't look for too long cause if he did he would vomit. Leo was the first one to speak "I-I can explain" Jason pulled Leo into a hug before Leo could say anything. Leo was just stiff in his arms like he's never been hugged but now that I think about it whenever I hug him or anyone hugs him for that matter he immediately pushed them away so Jason hugged him as tight as he could savoring the moment. It took a few minutes but eventually he let Leo go "You're... you're not scared or disgusted of me" Leo asked shakily the tone he used broke my heart. I gently held his face "No you could never scare me or disgust me Darling" Jason continued cupping Leo's face in his hands.

He still loved me. Jason still loved me even though he saw my scars. I put my hands over his and just stared into his eyes. He looked heart broken and worried and a little angry. Jason took a deep breath and asked me "Who dared to hurt you" he said in a low growl that had loving undertone (Jason being raised by wolves moment) "umm you know how I went to a lot of foster homes well most of them weren't the best or you know straight up abusive." Leo admitted quietly. Jason seemed pissed " I love you so much and would never dare hurt you in any shape or capacity." He again growled so low Leo could feel it. "I know you Jason and I know if you somehow hurt me it was on accident and you would go on your hands and knees and beg for my forgiveness cause you're a dork and you love me" Leo flicked Jason's nose at the end of his long ass sentence. "Now can I go back to my make-up?" I questioned. Jason looked at me for a few seconds and then said this "No, you look better like this without the make-up you just look more real if that makes sense" "This fucking dork" I thought. "I think you're forgetting that no one else knows about this besides Piper" Leo told him with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Wait Piper knows!?"

[erosjournal]

‧₊˚໒꒱ will you be my hoco date...

~ characters : jason grace x leo valdez , piper mclean x reyna avila ramirez arellano

~ synopsis : the proposal - part one !

~ tw(s) : queer people , maybe a little cursing

"agh, piper! you are not being helpful at all!" jason cried. he was pacing around the zeus cabin, piper sprawled out on his bed as she tossed an apple into the air.

"it's not my fault you haven't decided how to ask leo to homecoming! you've had this whole week. why just now?" she said, sitting up and taking a bite out of the fruit. jason sighed and turned to face her.

"i just want it to be perfect." he admitted, flushing deeply as he did. "we're demigods. we never know when we're gonna get to go to hoco again, hell are we even gonna be alive to go? i want this to be the most perfect first homecoming, one that will last forever even if we don't." he sighed. piper nodded along, grimacing.

"i know, jase," she stood up and walked over to him, rubbing his arm reassuringly. "i know. but he's leo, your boyfriend! you both love each other so much, i don't think you could possibly mess this up." she said and jason smiled.

"yeah, you're right." piper went back to sit on the bed, grinning with apple juice stained lips.

"i know i am, when am i not?" she teased. jason laughed, and sent a gust of wind to knock her over, to which she fell with chuckle.

"okay, well, what was your proposal to reyna?" he asked, pondering ideas for his poster. piper snorted.

"so, it's actually really dumb," she laughed, pulling out her phone (one leo had made specifically for demigods) and searched for the picture. jason walked over to get a look.

she held up her phone, with a photo of a grinning piper and an eyerolling reyna. the poster piper was holding said "boys suck, will you be my chick at hoco?" with chickens and a chicken plushie.

"i thought it was hilarious, since we're lesbians." jason snorted once he finished reading the poster, fistbumping piper.

"you out did yourself, she looks like she really likes it." he smirked and piper let out another laugh.

"yup, she totally did."

with that, a knock on the cabin door was heard. piper raised an eyebrow and jason looked at the door. another impatient knock was sound. jason sighed and walked over. what he saw he did not expect.

it was leo, wearing the outfit orpheus wears in hadestown and had red marigolds all over the stairs. he had one in his mouth and held up a poster. he was as red as the flowers. the poster read "be my lady of the underground, and wait for me, as we live it up, on our way down, ...to hoco?

"jason juno grace," he started, jason feeling his cheeks flush as well. piper came with her phone, smirking as she took a video. "when we first met, you didn't know who i was. but i knew who you were, and i know i loved you. we've both died, and gone to the ends of the world for each other. will you be the eurydice to my orpheus?" he said, nervously awaiting an answer from jason.

the air was still, so thick you could throw a brick at it and it'd bounce off. jason gulped and leo took shallow breaths.

"gods, yes, of course leo!" he yelled, running down the stairs into leo's open arms. he gave him the biggest bear hug he could muster, leo squealing as he did. they toppled over, laying and laughing in the pile of red flowers.

"good, eurydice, or else this would be really embarrassing," leo teased, kissing jason's nose. piper kept taking pics, and smirked.

"i'll send these to you leo," she yelled at them, and leo gave her a thumbs up. jason blinked.

"wait, was piper just a trojan horse?" he asked and leo laughed.

"yeah, just a distraction so i could come and prepare." he blushed, admittedly. jason just laughed with him, pulling him impossibly closer.

"gods, i love you, orpheus," he sighed into leo's neck. leo nodded.

"you too, eurydice."

~ an: sorry it's so short, but i'm so glad i did it ! i wrote it in like 10 minutes, no editing, only my brain. if theres any mistakes, feel free to let me know ! i thought it'd be super cute if they did a greek tragedy themed proposal, and who's story is better than orpheus and eurydice?

i hope you guys liked this, i will be making a part 2 of the actual dance :DD also sorry its messy :p also yes, the proposal is from the musical, but i think it fits well. maybe leo and/or jason and/or piper are theater fanatics :p

[lukecvntstellan]

do you reckon u could do a leo x reader fluff plsss 🙏

a/n: this is the first time i've written anything ____ x reader in a LOOONNNGGGGG time... forgive me if i'm rusty. don't be tooo mean i'll probably sob idk

improper grammar probably (not proofread) and written in all lowercase because i dont feel like capitalizing

---

hurt/comfort with leo valdez x reader i guesssss

---

leo had been down on himself recently. him and his significant other had been together almost a year now. as of late he had been locking himself in bunker nine, away from his friends and s/o.

leo had been drowning himself in work, alone in bunker 9, as an excuse for his loneliness. over his music he hears the door swing open, he looks up expecting to see his s/o, but is instead greeted by one of his best friends, piper mclean.

"hey, leo. we noticed you've been spending a lot of time in here... is everything okay?"

the question he knew was coming, but had been dreading.

leo unplugged his radio before saying, "yeah, piper, i've been great. just working on a big project!" trying to feign excitement over his project, which in reality was a pile of scrap metal on his desk that he wasn't quite sure what to do with.

"i'm sorry, but you're the most social out of our friend group? locking yourself in here for days is unusual. y/n has been worried about you. you haven't even spoken to them?"

"okay piper. i'm sorry. okay? i just don't know what to say. you're the only person i've opened up to before. i'm scared y/n would leave me if they knew what was happening. i can't tell them. being with me is already hard enough, i don't need to add on additional burden with the nightmares i've been having..."

despite being "closer" with jason, leo had only ever talked about his feelings with piper before. jason already had enough of his own problems, and never really noticed when leo was going through something.

ever since leo was claimed by his father he had been told by multiple people that he was fated to always be the outsider, never have a place, always the seventh wheel. those words echo through his mind constantly, never ending. because of this, having an s/o was hard. thoughts of "do i deserve this?" "are they going to leave me?" and "am i good enough for them?" were always cycling through his mind.

piper's voice cut through leo's thoughts, "i'm not the one you should be apologizing to. i think you need to talk to them. they're worried about you. do you want to tell me what's been happening first though?"

"do you remember a few months ago i told you about the dreams i had, with hera in them?"

"oh gods.. they're back?"

"yeah... i haven't been sleeping to avoid them. but now i'm so tired and i want to sleep. but i'm scared."

piper moved to give leo a quick hug. "i'm sorry that the dreams are back. i'm gonna get y/n to come talk to you. okay?"

"thanks beauty queen." (**LEOS NORMAL NICKNAME FOR HER IN THE BOOKS**)

as piper was leaving leo walked over to the bed he had made for his late nights in bunker nine, preparing for a conversation he did not want to have.

emotions weren't leo's strong suit. he always tried to be funny and cool to distract from any emotional issues that were happening. no amount of jokes could hide the dark circles under his eyes and his unbrushed hair. he looked rough.

the door opened, and y/n walked in and sat down next to leo. running their hand through his unkempt curls they asked, "are you okay, what's going on? i'm worried about you."

leo laid down, his head in y/n's lap, and their hands gently playing with his hair.

"my dreams have been really bad recently. i haven't been sleeping to avoid them. i'm so tired. i haven't been able to finish any project i've started. i can't do anything right-" leo pointed to the haphazard pile of junk on his desk.

tears started to form, leo tried to blink them away, to no success.

"i guess i've always been insecure? i've been told by hera and nemesis that i'm meant to be this outsider with no role and will always be alone and now i just feel like i don't deserve you. and all my dreams lately have just been those same words on repeat. hera standing there telling me that i'm always going to be the seventh wheel. i'm never going to find my place. i can't take it anymore."

y/n pressed a light kiss to his forehead while contemplating their words.

"leo. you realize that isn't true, right? you DO deserve me. you're not an outsider either, you have a place in our friend group. everyone there loves you. and I love you-"

"love me? you haven't said that before"

"i've been thinking it for a while"

leo couldn't hide the smile that was taking over his face. "really? i love you too, actually, i love you more." he sat up and tackled y/n down on the bed in a hug. "you can't ever leave me now, you're trapped here!" leo said through a laugh.

"you know, i wouldn't dream of it."

"i mean, you probably will. the demigod dreams go kinda crazy."

"you know what i meant, stupid."

"WHAT! you think i'm stupid?" leo protested.

"no. i didn't mean it like that and you know it."

leo shut up after that. being in the arms of his partner after not sleeping for days was making the sleepiness overwhelming. y/n noticed leo drifting off, running their hands through his hair and whispering soft "i love you's" and other sweet nothings.

this was the first night of no nightmares in a week for him :)

---

this is ASSS bc i wrote it at mostly 4am and i dont proofread. the concept is there, the execution isn't.

i love leo i think he deserves some comfort in his life PLEASE

[seaweedbraens]

okay question: I'm currently in the middle of designing a cover for my bookbind of WCWSTHWAS (bc it's a masterpiece that I need on my shelf) and I just need to know for the back cover:

What's your favorite quote from each chapter? Which ones are you most proud of?

AAAAAAAAAAH im sorry this took so long its just that every time i opened the fic i could NOT decide on a quote! ive shortlisted a bunch down here but feel free to choose whatever you like!! i mostly just skimmed since i know that i'll start wanting to go in and correct things if i do a deep dive haha (and that's a never-ending project)

ALSO HELP if anyone sees this and has a quote you like pls remind me of it!!! i have realized that i dont really write. like. memorable lines HAHAHHA or maybe this fic is just so big that they're all bleeding into each other. anyway. HELP

(also i'm so honored you're bookbinding my fic!!! i'd love to see pictures if you have em <333)

ch1:

To say that Percy’s doing water magic seems like a grave insult to his skill. He is not performing magic, he is magic, just as he is water, flowing and fluid and gorgeous. He does not have to speak incantations as children of Hecate do, and yet he pulls liquid from thin air in a never-ending stream, making the water in his hands appear alive.

ch2:

He’d been stupid to think he’d get what he wanted back when he was thirteen. Now, at nineteen…well, he’s still stupid.

ch3:

It’s hard to fight the urge to run and leave it all. He wants to grab the Fates, if they’re still around, and shake them by the shoulders. He wants to yell in their face, “Find me another destiny!”

ch4:

Bunker Nine. Warm forges and the sound of metal bashing metal as the children of Hephaestus worked on their weapons talking and laughing over each other, competing at who could be faster. Beckendorf winking at him as he passed by, Leo swooping in and out of the skylight atop Festus, Percy conjuring dolphins from the bathwater, Annabeth carefully pinning up sketches on the walls. Travis and Connor trying to trip him up at every opportunity, Silena passing him beauty products with a sly little smile, Harley and Gus latching onto his legs and pleading with him to teach them a new fighting move. Nyssa offering him the last of Leo’s tacos, Butch accompanying him silently on supply runs, Grover playing them all songs on his pipes on quiet night - Jason can hear the music now, slow and mournful, the sound of wind making its way through the leaves of a tree, the sound of water trickling over rocks.

Bunker Nine is family. Bunker Nine is all of these things, and more, but mostly it is Piper, holding out her hand in front of the Bunker Doors, kissing him lightly and welcoming him home.

ch5 (I CANT CHOOSE)

He’d…he’d just wanted to be loved so much, had assumed he would remain without having felt it for the rest of his days, and all along he hadn’t noticed he’d had it since forever. There’s love in the way Jason had clapped his back, so hard that he nearly went flying every time. There’s love in how Annabeth rolls her eyes at his jokes, in how she nags him to stop stealing all the spare paper. There’s love in how Beckendorf forces him to take breaks in between projects, and love in the way each of his siblings come sit next to him silently when he’s working. There’s love in how Hazel and Frank hug him, so hard that they nearly crack his ribs. There’s love in how Festus creaks happily at the sight of him, wires in his head sparking with joy. There’s love in how each and every one of them have each other’s back, and how they’d do anything to keep each other safe. And Leo – he loves them, too. Like, so fucking much, man.

His mother. His father. The cabin. The sea. The screeing of seagulls, the heaviness in the air, the way seafoam would gather on his little feet as though trying to keep him there. “I’m going to Bunker Three,” he says. “I’m going home.”

“I know we lost last time, but this War…this feels different.” She steps forward, her whole body tingling at the rush of energy that’s suddenly picked up in the room. “I know you feel it too – every line of the Prophecy coming alive. This is it, guys. We get to finally take our fate in our own hands. We finally get to spill all the dust and ichor that have caused us pain for so many years. We get to avenge the deaths of our friends, brothers, sisters, parents. We get to win.”

 Her thoughts, which had a certain dispiriting quality to them, lift, now, leaving her marveling at how the tiniest sliver of hope - hope for a future beyond the War, hope where a stupid old prophecy will not dictate their lives – can make her this happy.

They’re all too fucking young for this.

Percy is one of the most powerful demigods of their age, and the way he looks at her…the way he holds her? It makes Annabeth feel powerful, too.

Whatever the outcome of this battle is, Hazel thinks, at least they’ll finally be free.

It’s a silly little joy of his, he guesses. Making people laugh. It’s…it’s always made him feel wanted, feel like a part of the group. Every group of friends needs a Funny One, and that’s Leo.

He…loves himself. Kind of. Leo’s got a complicated relationship with himself, because, like Percy had said, he doesn’t think he’ll ever really forgive himself for letting his mom die. But…it’s taken many years of hating how he looked in the mirror, and hating the fire that would light up his fingertips unprompted, and hating how he never managed to do anything right, for him to finally accept himself for who he is. For him to…well, maybe not be super duper in love with himself, but be at peace with himself. And that’s what you’d call character development.

So, with Hazel’s dying breath, she and Nico will bring back Varus’ Fifth Cohort, and Frank will use the eagle to lead them into battle, clearing their name, and giving him the opportunity to show New Rome that he’s truly his mother’s son, capable of so much greatness. Her death will mean certain victory for their troops - if not for Percy. It’ll mean the start of a whole new chapter for New Rome. It’s the perfect plan. The perfect end to her story. “It’s sick,” she whispers, tipping her head back. Her tears wash down the sides of her face, and drops of them slip into her ears, curving around her head and into the mess of her hair. She is so angry, so sad. She wants to live in this brave new world, after all, with her hand in Frank’s and the sun shining on her back, filling her up with warmth. “It’s sick, isn’t it, the way it all works out so perfectly.” And Nico smiles, sardonic, and pats her shoulder. “That’s life, I guess, Hazel,” he says, a little sadly. “That’s life.”

“OF COURSE THERE IS!” Frank yells, so loud that the trees around them shiver. “Of COURSE there’s a choice, Hazel, and you’re choosing to DIE!” And there it is, finally, out in the open, screamed raw into the universe, writing it into history. Hazel is choosing to die. Again.

Like a dream, like a memory, Percy imagines hands placed across theirs. Jason’s large one, Leo’s bony one, Hazel’s delicate one, Nico’s pale one, Bianca’s clever one. His mother’s hand, a little wrinkled with age, but with love packed in every touch. So gentle, so kind. They all add strength to his own, filling him with courage. 

"Prove me wrong, Annabeth, Percy. Show me how you’ll make things better."

They crash together like two collapsing stars, and the universe falls away, leaving just them and a fierce, unspoken relief that fills Percy up with a coiling, growing warmth.

“He is not who I would choose for you, Annabeth. But he is, indeed, the best choice.”

Percy watches the stars twinkle and listens to the sound of the rustle in the trees, and tries to think about a life where he needn’t constantly be on his toes, a life where he won’t have to worry about a destiny and a Prophecy, a life where he and Annabeth could build a home.

epilogue:

He supposes – and is slowly coming to accept – that this fear might be so etched in him, so deep-seated that nothing will truly remove it from him. But he’s trying to remember Leo’s words. That fire isn’t just something that takes away, but it is heart and light and warmth and happiness. It’s camaraderie and kinship and deep bonds. It’s love.

Whatever he does, now, wherever he goes – he will never be alone again.

Time, she supposes, will go on.

In the end, there isn’t much they can do to fix the hurt. She supposes it’ll always be a part of her. But she gives her own explanations and apologies, and he does the same, and they just – choose each other, and they choose to move forward, and that means the world to her.

And so, with smiles that shine and feet that intertwine and hands that have held up the sky, Percy and Annabeth start making plans.

Maybe…just maybe, one day, he won’t have to look back.

again, pls feel free to choose your own!!! and thank you <333

[witchhazelevesque]

through the dead of winter

Winter is easier when you have people who love you. Leo's body may not be thawing any time soon, but everything else about him is coming back to life, painful as it may be. AKA the Lost Trio Reunion They Deserved Sequel to words frost once wrote words: 13,086

They all end up passing out there, like a little stack of dominoes, with Piper falling against Leo who's leaning on Jason. He doesn't believe that Cal's actually asleep, but he doesn't call her on it as she's curled up on a mound of pillows beside Piper when he wakes up in the morning. 

Piper's still sleeping, but Jason's always been an early riser, and is up. Leo glances over to see him reading one of the letters that didn't make it to camp. 

Leo cranes his head to see which it is. "Ah, Belgium. Nice."

Jason doesn't say anything, just turns toward Leo and wraps him in a very tight embrace. Given his lack of need for oxygen, Leo doesn't have any complaints about the hug. 

Piper has a few though, muttering irritably about being jostled. 

Jason doesn't let Leo go, but they both turn their heads to watch her glare at them with bleary eyes. 

After a moment, her expression softens and she says, "Oh, it wasn't a dream."

Leo feels his chest go soft, wondering if she had dreams like that a lot.

read on ao3

[kekaki-cupcakes]

Hiiii can you do a Leo fic where the reader is a cyborg (like Bucky) and he helps them fix things and stuff. I know it’s so random and kinda weird but I think that he would be head over heels for them

I love this idea sm <3, the headcanons just got a bit random because I wanted to include some different disabilities for it to be more inclusive and stuff, hope you enjoy! [also it was so hard to find a header for this so you get this lol]

mechanic=lover ---Leo V x Disabled reader

»»————-　★　————-««

-It didn’t really matter what kind of prosthetic you had.

-Leo would still be able to run up behind you and hug you, his chin on your shoulder with that stupid little grin of his that you had to kiss off his face a lot of the time

–he didn’t mind if had to wobble around while you walked to Bunker 9 or back to your cabin, or if you were in bed every second day with chronic pain, no hugs allowed. He’d still hold your hand while he led you down the path, or sit on the end of your bed fiddling with his latest gadgets. 

-Maybe it was that pair of glasses for you that brought color into black and white seeing eyes, or another hand with little suction cups on the palm so you could pick up the hot chocolate Piper made without forgetting to close your metal fingers. 

-It’s no secret Leo had insecurities, and being useless to people was a big one of those. Luckily you eased that for him without even realizing. He could be hugging you, or pressing kisses to your collarbone, or maybe just sitting next to you at breakfast [you had a note, don’t worry] and he could always be helping you. Improving your life one bolt or mechanical attachment at a time.

-Once he even built a speaker into your prosthetic arm, with a little panel to choose songs on Spotify where a watch would sit. That one was scrapped once Jason found out he could listen to Taylor Swift all the time with voice activation.

-You were like a grounding base for Leo, no matter what stupid or clever [most of the time it was both] ting he was doing, how far away he was, he could find you again. 

-You don’t know how many times you’d be in the arts and crafts center, or out in the strawberry fields carrying boxes for the Demeter kids, and just hear the quick footsteps behind you. 

-Then Leo would bounce up and wrap his arms around you, smelling like sawdust and that cinnamon candle Nyssa liked to light in their cabin. You’d kiss him on the forehead and he’d take a berry from the Delphi Strawberry Farms crate or tip some glitter onto your project.

-Even if he messed it up, it was still from the heart. Because holy shit he loved you way too much <3

»»————-　★　————-««

[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I love you, female characters that are basically god -Danny Words: 2,680 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Could Have Been Me' -by The Struts

LX: Can You Pray Back Later? The Gods Are Busy Right Now

Piper revealing her singing voice while trying to control serpent people isn't in Ara's bingo card, but it's the easiest way they'd ever dealt with a monster, so she's thankful for the concert. At the gangplank, she sends off Annabeth, Percy, and Piper. Her brother stands before her with a rigid smile. 

"And again we part."

"At least this time we planned it," Ara retorts. "It'll be fine, Nemo. I love you."

"Love you too," he hugs her. "Good luck."

Her friends go away. Ara goes to her cabin and packs her things: Polaroids taken during the trip, Olympian ointment she prepared beforehand, and Lily's dagger. Her hair tie-shield is around her wrist, and Almighty is in sword mode already. She's got her cloak on, her eight blessings on display, and—mostly as superstition—her laurel wreath atop her head.

All her old clothes will stay here, they never fitted her right after her growth spurt anyway. She tries to remember if she's forgetting something when Leo comes knocking on the door, holding a sheet of paper.

"I have something for you." He hands her the crayon drawing of the Argo II. "I drew that when I was five," he taps the sheet of paper. "I can do anything I put my mind into, doll, and I'm set on coming back to you."

Ara pulls him into a fierce kiss. Leo yelps and then gets deadly quiet, his hands cling to her and Ara hears a 'Puff!', his hair probably bursting into flames. "I need you to know," she breathlessly whispers. "I would watch the world end and do nothing if you decided to stay."

Leo gulps down all the liquid blazes she's put into his body, his hands are stuck on her waist, but Ara's are all over him. He's immune to fire, but his skin burns everywhere she touches. The gears in his brain lose traction and he almost crumbles and begs her to run away with him. Almost. She is the best and worst thing in his world. 

Luckily—or maybe to their detriment—Jason's voice pulls them out of their bubble. "Hazel can't sense the others, it's time to move," he frowns, noticing their flushed faces. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, we were... packing the essentials," Ara puts Leo's drawing in her pocket. "Let's go."

"They got Percy and Annabeth!" Ara exclaims while looking through a spyglass. "Piper's surrounded!"

"Leo!" Jason urges the boy, electricity surrounding him and lifting the hairs on his body.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Leo shouts back. 

Ara turns the spyglass into Almighty. She pauses and turns it into a spear, then a bow. "I'm freaking out!" She mutters, leaning on the mast and lowering her head while breathing deeply. "C'mon, Birdy..."

"General, we're leaving," Frank informs her. "Arion is waiting for Hazel, Jason will take her to him and I'll fly down and follow them, remember Annabeth's plan?"

"I never forget," Ara shakes his hand. "Good luck, Praetor."

"Yeah," Frank grumbles. "I'll need it."

"You won't wish the same for me?"

The boy raises a brow. "You don't need it."

Leo calls after her and she approaches. "Stuff your bag with as many bombs and vials of Greek fire as you can," he taps on the Archimedes sphere. "I'll keep an eye on you."

"Keep an eye on everyone," she kisses his cheek. "And don't die—yet." 

Leo smirks. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Come on, then! I'll destroy you all myself if I have to!" Piper screams and Ara smiles.

"Just in time. Now Jason's gonna step in and deliver a one-liner in three, two..."

Jason speaks up, forming a storm cloud above them. "The thing is, you don't have to."

Leo snorts. "Biggest show-off in Rome," he says. "Let's teach him how to make a real entrance." The boy presses a button and all the ballistae and catapults shoot at once, then leans into the coms. "SURRENDER! YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY ONE SPANKING HOT WAR MACHINE!"

Enceladus's voice comes from below. "Valdez!"

"WHAT'S UP, ENCHILADAS? NICE DAGGER IN YOUR FOREHEAD."

"Monsters, destroy that ship!"

Ara runs to the railing and jumps overboard with a Greek fire vial in one hand and her spear in the other, she sees Earthborns and serpent people but decides to throw the fire at the mud monsters. 

Jason catches her midair, gives her impulse again, and tosses her to a giant she doesn't recognize, but Ara jabs the spear directly at their head. Hazel uses her earth powers and mist abilities like a pro, and the world shifts at her will. Frank shoots multiple arrows at once, and Annabeth is fighting a giantess on her own, though the gash on her leg is concerning, the blood falls and boils on the ground.

Percy's nose is bleeding but he's conscious and fighting, Piper is with Jason, fighting side by side. Everyone stands their ground and Ara takes pride in how much they've grown in the last two months.

The girl draws out her flintlock, shooting at monsters as she goes, but then Frank runs out of arrows and starts shifting into different animals. Jason and Piper are tired. The fear of losing sight of her friends overtakes her and she turns back around. The giants force them to close in a circle. 

A giant hits the flintlock out of her palm and smashes it to bits. Ara and Piper use charmspeak but can't confuse the giants enough, this place gives them too much strength. Enceladus throws his spear at the ship and pierces it with an awful crack. Ara suppresses a cry, hoping Festus's deconstructed frame remains intact.

"You demigods have learned nothing," Porphyrion taunts them. "There are no gods to aid you. We need only one more thing from you to make our victory complete."

"Percy, look out!" Piper gasps.

The group watches a single scarlet drop fall from Percy's chin, and everyone stops breathing. It hisses on the ground, and the foundation of the ruins creaks and groans back to life as Gaia reawakens.

Ara prays, calling for Olympus. She's had almost no hope since they started the journey, but at the very last second, she's suddenly been injected with rivers of it and everything looks a thousand times brighter. They've got nothing left to lose, and Ara has one last blessing to claim. 

"ZEUS!" The sky turns extremely dark and then blindingly radiant, the clouds move around, and in a split second, Ara glows bright blue. She raises Almighty over her head. "Duck!"

The demigods obey on instinct, and thank the gods they do, because Ara is barely able to process what happens next: Zeus shoots lightning at her and Ara's entire body vibrates as the electricity jumps right out of her sword, splitting into different directions and striking all the minor monsters around, turning them into golden dust.

There is a second of silence until a voice rises over the buzzing. 

"MY MIND IS RESTORED! VICTORY TO THE GODS!" Nike storms into the scene.

Ara's shaking from the sheer power she felt while controlling lightning. A man's voice whoops. "Daughter of Olympus!" There is a flash of light and the gods appear around them in human size. Ares gives her a cocky smirk. "Show us what you've learned."

Ara's face splits into a wide smile. "With pleasure, my lord."

The entire group—young demigods and their parents—run to battle. To Ara's surprise, the Fates are the ones shielding her. At the back of her mind there is awkwardness and guilt, she's been talking shit about them for ages, yet they fight fiercely beside her, she didn't know old hags could move like that.

Ara helps them kill their counterpart giant and then goes to kill another one, this time Hermes and Artemis give her a hand. Ara keeps changing Almighty, glowing like a rainbow as she uses blessings one after another. Her skin feels hot and she fears it will blister, but she can't stop. 

Someone squeezes her shoulder and Ara looks up. Hephaestus's is there. "We need you." Without waiting for a reply he transports her back to the ship and Ara wastes no time in complaints.

"What's happening?"

"The timer!" Leo says without looking at her, shooting all of the weapons he can get his hands on.

Ara goes to the engine room, almost choking on the smoke around her. She opens Festus's panel, sets the timer, and then closes it. Ara returns to the deck and Almighty turns a crossbow, she points down at the giants while glowing silver.

The giants fall one by one until only Jason's is left: Porphyrion, the guy that brought Jason, Piper, Leo, and Ara together. She almost feels bad when Zeus's lightning blows him to bits.

"It's over...?" Ara asks, feeling slightly disoriented by the speed of it all. She lowers the crossbow.

"Not yet," Hephaestus answers.

He transports her and Leo to the ground with the rest of their friends. Ara runs to Percy and wraps her arms around him, holds his face, and cleans the blood from his nose. "You okay?"

"You should see the other guy," Percy replies in a bad mood. "You picked Zeus? Really? Hades was right there."

Ara smiles. "I don't think he would've blessed me with the power of immediate kill."

"She's right," Hades speaks, making Percy yelp. Ara bows respectfully before going back to her friends. 

"Brethren," Zeus calls, "we are healed, thanks to the work of these demigods. The Athena Parthenos, which once stood in this temple, now stands at Camp Half-Blood. It has united our offspring, and thus our own essences."

"Lord Zeus, is Reyna okay? Nico and Coach Hedge?" Piper asks.

"They succeeded in their mission. As of this moment they are alive. Whether or not they are okay—"

"There is still work to be done," Hera says promptly. "But my heroes... you have triumphed over the giants as I knew you would. My plan succeeded beautifully."

Zeus scowls at the goddess, making the sky crack in the background. "Hera, do not dare take credit! You have caused at least as many problems as you've fixed!"

"Husband, surely you see now—this was the only way."

"There is never only one way! That is why there are three Fates, not one. Is this not so?"

The three ladies nod silently, Ara doesn't dare to look directly at them. 

"Please, husband, I only did what I—"

"Silence! You disobeyed my orders. Nevertheless... I recognize that you acted with honest intentions. The valour of these seven heroes has proven that you were not entirely without wisdom. Apollo, however..." Zeus glares at him. "My son, come here."

The young god is wearing jeans and a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, he looks so much like Will Solace it catches Ara off guard. Her attraction to the god is gone after all the messes he created out of pure vanity, but that doesn't mean she doesn't fear for his well-being.

"Twice you have defied me," Zeus starts.

The Fates gather around him silently.

"My—my lord—"

"You neglected your duties. You succumbed to flattery and vanity. You encouraged your descendant Octavian to follow his dangerous path, and you prematurely revealed not just one, but two prophecies that may yet destroy us all."

"But—"

"Enough! We will speak of your punishment later. For now, you will wait on Olympus."

Apollo and the Fates vanish, making Ara feel uneasy. What will happen to the demigods in camp, his kids, if he cannot retrieve his powers?

"What will happen to him?" Jason voices her worry.

"It is not your concern," Zeus states plainly. "We have other problems to address."

"Father," Jason continues politely, "I made a vow to honor all the gods. I promised Kymopoleia that once this war is over none of the gods would be without shrines at the camps."

Zeus frowns. "That's fine. But... Kym who?"

"She's one of mine," Poseidon clarifies awkwardly.

"My point," Jason presses, and Ara feels danger approaching, "is that blaming each other isn't going solve anything. That's how the Romans and Greeks got divided in the first place."

"Jason," Ara starts, but the boy raises a hand to stop her.

"Apollo wasn't the problem. To punish him for Gaia waking is... unwise."

"Unwise." Zeus's voice thins. "Before the assembled gods, you would call me unwise."

"Father," Artemis steps in. "This hero has fought long and hard for our cause. His nerves are frayed. We should take that into account."

Jason opens his mouth to argue but Ara's hand closes around his arm and squeezes harshly to shut him up. 

"Surely, Father," Artemis continues, "we should attend to our more pressing problems, as you pointed out."

"Gaia," Annabeth steps in. "She's awake, isn't she?"

"That is correct," Zeus turns his attention to her. "The blood of Olympus was spilled. She is fully conscious."

"Oh, come on!" Percy argues. "I get a little nosebleed and I wake up the entire earth? That's not fair!"

"Complaining of unfairness is like assigning blame, Percy Jackson," Athena raises a brow. "It does no one any good. Now you must move quickly. Gaia rises to destroy your camp."

"Why would Gaia be back at camp?" Leo questions. "Percy's nosebleed was here."

"Dude," Percy scowls, "first off, you heard Athena—don't blame my nose. Second, Gaia's the earth. She can pop up anywhere she wants. Besides, she told us she was going to do this. She said the first thing on her to-do list was destroying our camp. Question is: how do we stop her?"

"There is not enough time," Ara feels panic seeping through her. "Our ship is busted."

"Um, sir, Your Majesty," Frank starts. "Can't you gods just pop over there with us? You've got the chariots and the magic powers and whatnot."

"Yes!" Hazel pipes in. "We defeated the giants together in two seconds. Let's all go—"

"No."

"No?" Jason's shoulders fall. "But, Father—"

"That's the problem with prophecies," Zeus glares at Jason, effectively shutting him up. Ara feels bad for him, out of all the gods, Zeus is the worst, especially if he's your father. "When Apollo allowed the Prophecy of Seven to be spoken, and when Hera took it upon herself to interpret the words, the Fates wove the future in such a way that it had only so many possible outcomes, so many solutions. You seven, the demigods, are destined to defeat Gaia. We, the gods, cannot."

"I don't get it," Piper frowns. "What's the point of being gods if you have to rely on puny mortals to do your bidding?"

Aphrodite pats her head. "My dear Piper, don't you think we've been asking ourselves that question for thousands of years? But it is what binds us together, keeps us eternal. We need you mortals as much as you need us. Annoying as that may be, it's the truth."

"Besides, if we handled everything ourselves, we would have no need for children of Olympus," Ares glances at Ara. "And those are as useful to us as they are to you. Aren't they, Jackson?"

"He's talking to me," Ara says quickly when Percy opens his mouth to argue.

"So how can we possibly get to Camp Half-Blood in time to save it? It took us months to reach Greece." Frank insists.

"The winds," Jason replies, almost begging. "Father, can't you unleash the winds to send our ship back?"

Zeus squints. "I could slap you back to Long Island."

"Um, was that a joke, or a threat, or—"

"No, I mean it quite literally. I could slap your ship back to Camp Half-Blood, but the force involved..."

Hephaestus steps in. "My boy Leo built a good ship, but it won't sustain that kind of stress. It would break apart as soon as it arrived, maybe sooner."

Leo hooks his thumbs on his tool belt. "The Argo II can make it. It only has to stay in one piece long enough to get us back home. Once there, we can abandon ship."

"Dangerous," Hephaestus warns him. "Perhaps fatal."

Nike shrugs, holding a golden laurel wreath in her hand as if to keep Leo motivated. "Victory is always dangerous. And it often requires sacrifice. We have discussed this."

Everyone looks at Leo, even the gods. Ara is unable to keep a cold demeanor when the finality of the moment hits her. There will be no Leo and her after this... perhaps forever.

"You chose me as your champion for a reason I understand now better than ever," Ara speaks up bravely. "I'll finish this war for you. You just need to get us home."

Ares smiles devilishly. "You heard our kid, father."

Zeus nods gravely. "Demigods, get on the ship."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh @ebony-reine-vibes

[manygeese]

I know in my heart that Hazel would cry during Forrest Gump.

also Leo would totally cry at all dogs go to heaven. picture this:

The entire time he thinks it’s just like a Disney movie but on some sort of drugs, which is correct BUT! At the end, when Charlie says goodbye to Anne-Marie, he’s astoundingly quiet. Flabbergasted, but quiet. And then, Anne-Marie says: “Goodbye, Charlie. I love you.” And he BREAKS. bro is BAWLING. bro is SNIFFLING and SOBBING and has stunned everybody into silence. for like,,, half an hour, he’s babbling nonsensically about “goobye jarlie, i luv u,” and gets started all over again. Jason’s hoodie is SOAKED by the end. I think he has a soft spot for dogs and cats and the like

Jason would totally cry watching Charlotte’s Web (he initiates an unintentional group hug because he’s crushing Leo and Piper in one already, Leo reaches out dramatically like he’s gasping for air and Hazel thinks it’s a ‘get on in here my good good friends’ motion)

Annabeth and Nico have a good sob during It’s A Wonderful Life (they’re hugging each other while they solemnly wipe tears from their faces. They REFUSE to watch this movie with their friends for exactly this reason)

[blurred-lines19]

I uploaded this chapter last year, but I'm just now posting it here! I'm going to be doing this with the rest of them over the next couple of days :P

"One bite and five days are all it took for the world to come to an end. Nearly two months after an unexplainable, violent illness swept throughout the globe like a raging wildfire, after cities have crumbled to ruin and most of humanity has been wiped out, only a few survive. Some of those still alive are just trying to survive, while others are searching for an answer—a reason why and what caused people to turn into walking, cannibalistic corpses that decay but never seem to truly die. Now, a group of survivors—a dog, few adult figures, and a bunch of teenagers—search for a cure and must figure out how to live with the undead amongst them, and how to deal with each other as relationships strain and tensions rise."

†· Word Count: 2395 †· Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types †· Rating: Mature †· Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death †· Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Silena Beauregard/Charles Beckendorf, Thalia Grace/Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano †· Characters: Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson, Leo Valdez, Nico di Angelo, Frederick Chase, Frank Zhang, Luke Castellan, Hazel Levesque, Jason Grace, Piper McLean, Grover Underwood, Juniper (Percy Jackson), Katie Gardner, Travis Stoll, Connor Stoll, Chiron (Percy Jackson), Will Solace, Silena Beauregard, Charles Beckendorf, Clarisse La Rue, Thalia Grace, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano †· Additional Tags: Angst · Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence · Inspired by The Walking Dead · Title from a My Chemical Romance Song · Found Family · Bittersweet · Based on a My Chemical Romance Song · I'm so sorry · Everyone Needs A Hug · Hurt/Comfort · Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse · Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson-centric · Betrayal †· **First Person POVs** †· Rated Mature for strong language, violence, sexual references, etc..

Annabeth

I am so lost. Worst of all, I’m alone—with about twenty reanimated corpses chasing after me like they haven’t eaten in decades. (Based on the thick, dark red blood dribbling down their chins, though, I doubt it.) Despite my own desperate situation, I’m pleading and praying that Thalia, Luke, and Leo—all of them—are okay. How did we even get split up? We were all next to each other this morning, then—God, they all came out of nowhere.

The undead snarl and snap their jaws at me, showing their rotting, foul teeth—the insides of their mouths black and corroded, filled with flies and their larvae. The thundering of their clumsy, heavy steps gets louder and I snap my head back to see the growing crowd. I bite back a curse. My legs are throbbing and ache from the exertion, threatening to give out on me at any moment. Obviously, I can’t keep running forever. But I also can’t stop unless I want to get torn apart.

I’m reaching an intersection and take a sharp right turn. 

Bad idea.

My feet nearly slip out from under me as I scramble backward, running away from the cluster of walking cadavers and back the way I came. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the horde almost right next to me, snarling and outstretching their decaying arms toward me in a horrific embrace. My lungs sting as if I’m trying to breathe in hot, rusty air, the eye-watering stench of rotten flesh burns my nose as a half-decomposed hand claws at the back of my shirt, tearing a hole in it as I pull away. I yelp, forcing myself to push through the aching pain.

I turn another corner (thankfully, one without any ghouls), chucking some food from my backpack down the street as far as I can throw it, and slip into a shadowy, narrow alleyway, skidding to a stop. With my breathing ragged and unsteady, I have a hard time staying silent as I press my back flush against the hot brick wall, sweat running down my temple. Almost as soon as I step into the alleyway, the stampede of rotting corpses rushes past me, none of them appearing to have noticed me. For who knows how long—it’s hard to estimate time when you’re playing a lethal game of hide-and-go-seek tag—I’ve been rushing through Midtown, a labyrinth fallen to ruin, with only a few breaks (to say that I’m exhausted would be an understatement). And yet I still have a lot further to go to get out of here. Well, if I manage to. Honestly, I should be dead right now.

After listening for a minute or two, I exhale, collecting my wits before peaking around the corner. I sink to the dirty alleyway floor, a rat scurrying past me, and take a few minutes to catch my breath. As much as I want to rest here and not move for the foreseeable future, I need to get further away from the undead that are feasting on something—or someone—and completely ignoring the pack of beef jerky I threw. Rude. I take a quick swig of my water—quenching the dry, sandpaper feeling in my mouth—readjust my pack on my shoulder, and start walking down the alley, taking the opportunity to ease up a bit and give my legs a break.

After carefully walking a few blocks away from the horde, I found a safe place to rest and eat something. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until my stomach growled and scared the hell out of me. From my hiding spot behind the dumpster, I pull out the little bit of food that’s left in my bag: a grand feast of a fourth of my water and a sandwich. Go figure, I think to myself. Even though I tried to conserve my rations for the past few days, it was a pathetic notion, thinking I could manage, really; I hadn’t had that much, to begin with. 

How is this going to work?

After pondering it for a minute or two, I decided to only eat as much as necessary to keep myself from passing out. Almost a month into the apocalypse, it’s hard to find anything. Especially in the city.

While I was staring off into space, I failed to notice the low snarling from my right. I sharply turn my head, peeking through the crack behind the dumpster. I don’t see anything... A horribly mutilated face meets mine, gnarling and screeching as it tries to reach its arm through the small gap. I fall backwards and bump into the other dumpster behind me with a loud thud, but quickly stand up. The one got itself stuck, its skin tearing off its arm as it still tries to grab at me, except the three down the alley aren’t and are already making their way toward me. I turn on my heel and bolt, my pack unzipped and its contents spilling out.

Thankfully, I make it out of the alleyway.

On the other hand, after I make it out, I trip over a raised chunk of concrete on the sidewalk and go sprawling forward, a sharp, blistering pain shooting up from my ankle as it fails to turn with the rest of my body. The side of my head bangs against the bumper of a dusty red sedan, sending a rattling feeling throughout my body—I’m only vaguely aware of the sensation of blood on the side of my head. Stars swim in my vision, but I can’t blink them away. In my dazed state, I can see (and hear) the small yet approaching group and start hacking away with my bronze dagger, praying that I’m hitting my targets. One falls on top of me, but I push the heel of my hand against its gross, rotting forehead, trying to keep its snapping jaws at bay. I plunge my dagger into its rotten pumpkin-like skull and roll it off of me.

Did it bite my arm? God, no—please. I’m not sure. 

My vision inevitably clears and I manage to find my balance and stand to take down the last two undead barreling at me; I stab the first, my blade making a squelching sound when I pull it out and shove it aside as the second clumsily races forward. 

Closer... Closer... THUMP!

I step out of the way at the last second, shoving the half-dead man face-first onto the hood of the car. Grabbing it by its thin, greasy hair, I pull it back and bash his head against the car over and over again until its brains splatter the hood. Then the car alarm goes off. I let go of the man carelessly, limping to the driver’s side of the car. Locked. Damnit.

I feel something trickle down my lip. I wipe my upper lip with the back of my hand, only to see blood. Great. First, my ankle, then my head, and now my nose. I’m practically a walking “Eat Me” sign.

The setting sun glares at me, and I'm only now aware of the number of dead bodies lying behind me. If there were that many earlier, who knows how many will come out—especially with the blaring car alarm.

The world seems to tilt, and my body sways as a wave of vertigo washes over me. This isn’t good, I think as I cling to a street lamp for stability. Nightfall is coming, and I’m exposed here, out in the open. And in the middle of Manhattan, to boot. Just my luck. Turning my head as quickly as it will let me, I look for somewhere to hide for the night. 

I can hardly think straight... The sudden urge to vomit overwhelms me, but I choke it back down. No. Please, please, please, not now. If I got bit I swear— No. I’ve got to get a grip. ‘Panic’ is not in my vocabulary. ‘Logic’ is, however, and I need to use that right now. I make a mental note of it: Plan now, panic later.

First things first, I need to find shelter and then deal with my injuries. A barricaded apartment building catches my eye. It looks safe enough. Well, for the most part. There are a few broken windows and boards torn off and chunks of brick missing. Other than that, however, it appears pretty much untouched compared to everything else. It’s not my brightest idea, but I only have two options in my concussed state: stay in the open street, or go into the decimated apartment building, which may or may not be inhabited by the living dead.

I look both ways—fuck, I feel awful—catching a glimpse of three ghouls down the street. Since they have likely been dead since the start, their vision should be terrible. Still, to be safe, I jog across the road (more like hobble, given the state of my ankle), hiding behind various objects until I’m sure the coast is clear.

When I make it to the apartment, I only hesitate for a moment before crawling under a wooden board.

†††

I grip the railing as I begin ascending another flight of stairs, my knuckles white and palms clammy. My footfall echoes throughout the stairwell and I cringe with each step as the sound bounces from wall to wall. Could they be any quieter? Every breath sounds louder than it probably is and my footsteps thunder against the metal stairs. Having said that though, I haven’t seen or heard anything in the ten minutes I’ve been in here, so that’s a good sign.

I hope.

A white-hot fire burns in my legs, snaking its way up from my ankles to my hips. I haven’t had a chance to look at it, but I can already tell I hurt my ankle pretty bad.

Finally, I reach the third floor. (The stairs weren’t too bad, but with the condition I’m in, it was absolutely exhausting.) A dirty window at the end of the hallway allows the dim, fading sunlight to shine through as the only source of light. It looks, well, abandoned; papers, trash, clothes, and broken glass are scattered through the hallway with dried blood everywhere. On the walls and the floor, really the only sign that there were ever people here. A child’s toy is laying on a dark—almost black—stain on the floor, covered with so much blood that it took me a minute to figure out what it was.

I shiver at the sight, my skin crawling, and quickly avert my eyes to the woman dressed in a dirty, torn green dress appearing in the hall. I almost call out but stop myself. The undead woman doesn’t notice my presence, going straight for the apartment a few doors down from me, and thumps her head against the door like a bird flying into a closed window. Certainly not the brightest of the bunch. She continues to try to walk through the closed door, which would be almost comedic if it wasn’t such a melancholic and dangerous situation. That woman was alive at one point; now, she has been degraded to a walking corpse. All that noise is going to attract any more that might be in here, though...

I walk towards her, carefully side-stepping the clutter on the floor, and sneak up behind her. When the half-dead woman with dull, cloudy eyes notices me it's too late. As she starts to turn around, I silently plunge my dagger up the nape of her neck and out as her body falls to the floor with a muffled thud. I frown at the sad sight and drag her out of the way.

The fact that (other than the one I just killed) there are no undead nags in the back of my mind, but what intrigues me more is the question of who or what is in that apartment. It might be stupid—extremely stupid—but it seemed like there was something in that apartment that she was trying to get to, which could be either a good or a bad sign. Best case scenario: it's empty and the dead woman was acting off of what is left of her muscle memory. Worst case scenario: undead dwell inside, eagerly waiting to tear me apart.

I press my ear to the door and listen carefully for any noise. Surprisingly, it's eerily quiet. No ragged breathing or shuffling sounds. No groaning or moaning.

Nothing.

Now that I think about it, I haven't heard anything other than myself. I'm still strongly against the idea of just waltzing into a random room, but I'm about to punch a wall if I can't find somewhere to sleep for the night. Right then, an idea pops into my head. I test the doorknob and, sure enough, it's locked. I wriggle the door knob rather loudly, waiting for something to happen. But nothing comes.

Deciding that it seems okay, I pick the lock and nudge the door to the dark room open, closing and locking it behind me. After my eyes adjust to the lighting (or the lack thereof) I scan the room cautiously. The apartment is in a state of disarray, yet spotless compared to the bloody and chaotic mess outside; an armchair in the corner overturned, stuffing spilling out of a tear in the upholstery, water dripping from a leak in the ceiling somewhere, broken and dismantled furniture spread across the room. It feels empty, yet also lived in. I swear I hear something attempting to get in, then I realize it’s just a mouse. I let out a shaky breath and try to shrug it off, narrowing it down to paranoia and exhaustion. I’m too tired to defend myself at this point. The door is locked, and there isn’t anything in here—I’m somewhat safe, for now. If I can make it through tonight, I can make a plan in the morning and figure a way out of this stupid goddamn city.

Right as I get myself calmed down, though, the atmosphere shifts. Suddenly, the air feels denser. Heavier.

Something is wrong. 

The hairs on the back of my neck prick up, sending a chill through me. Before I can turn around, I hear the sound of a gun cock behind me.

“Don’t give me a reason to shoot you.”

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