#APHRODITE CALLED SHE WANTS HER MUSE BACK

[itstheghostofmypast]

Burden of Love

Non-idol Choi San x (F)Reader

Son of Hades × Daughter of Aphrodite

Summary: Cursed. Since the day of her birth, she had been cursed, one that was a burden her mother had no interest in catering to, the burden of love.

Genre:Fluff/Angst

Word Count: 2.9K

Est. Read Time: 20 min

Warnings: sexual harassment, mild torture

Rating: Mature

Networks: @cromernet @k-labels @san-network

"If you're going to sulk all day, his highness may conclude that you are unhappy here." The butler cleared his throat, placing a cup of tea in front of his queen, turning his head to face her sour expressions, her small little frown and the dent etched between her eyebrows as she read the book in hand -though he ensured to avoid her eyes. She however was busy, busy ignoring the man talking to her, even ignoring the little exaggerated sigh he had let out.

"What are you reading?" He asked, trying to distract his King's wife, his lover, his muse, the shining star of his dark, cold and endless sky, his spoiled brat- No, Yunho, you do not say that about your queen, no matter how childish and petty she may be sometimes. What did he expect? She was the youngest of Aphrodite's children, which did mean that she was in fact, the most babied of the lot, one who had her mother's and almost every other individual's undivided attention- attention and love she was bound to receive, a promise made at birth, or so he had assumed. Though would she give back in equivalence and sincerity? Even his King, he never did expect his king, the ruler of the Underworld, the sole most beloved child of Hades, the powerful ruler of the world below, one of the strongest to exist- to grovel to his knees at the mere sight of this woman- especially when she had refused to even look a him, for he was from the world below, an inferior being, as she had proclaimed- look at her now, sitting in the very world below that she had once insulted-

"Do you think he no longer loves me?"

His eyes snapped up at her face, still avoiding her eyes once more, though he took in a certain look she wore, one that made her beauty stand out even more, the pastels of her off shoulder dress extenuating her graceful features- this woman radiated an air so alluring that perhaps she would leave her mother jealous- was she? Is that why Aphrodite, herself, ensured to take over the marriage proceedings, ensuring her daughter had no way out, ensuring to send her down to hell, to hide her, to ensure her daughter could not outshine her in any manner- she had even refused when his great King had gone running to her, telling her how he never wished to upset her daughter. The first night of their marriage and she had told the son of Hades how she hated him and never wanted this- in an instant he had rushed to Aphrodite to get to the bottom of this, to ask her how she could do something against the wishes of her own child? How could she harm such a being of tenderness, of such beauty, of such purity, only to be brushed off, when his mother in law retorted with,

"She's yours to do as you please, oh, Prince of the underworld do not burden yourself with her childish tantrums, she is but a nymph, who could satisfy you for eternity and more, just take off the blindfold and your worries will vanish."

That night he had come back to the underworld and called upon all his generals and advisors, he had even called in Seonghwa, even though the guardian of the Titans had no real clue of what love was, giving instructions they never thought of receiving, especially for a mere spoiled child of a goddess,

"We must ensure she is never unhappy, my wife should have her every whim dealt with, no matter how childish."

It may have originally been a form of guilt that he was going through, Wooyoung had told Yunho the same, perhaps like all other men, their King had fallen for her beauty, her alluring nature and persona, her flirtatious being, which is why when she had rejected him to face, he must've felt the guilt of forcing her to a commitment she may not have ever wanted- which is why the first of his new wife's request was to have a separate sleeping chamber, one so far away from them that she would barely see his face. He had agreed instantly- guilt, was it not?

However, even after a year of this practice, he had not once been bothered by her increasing demands, but instead had shown nothing but concern, making Yunho stand there for hours in his dimly lit study, asking about his wife;

"Has she eaten?"

"Yes, young Prince."

"Is she well? Have you been feeding her whatever she wants?"

"She is. We have."

"Is she...what about her comfort? Bedding? Clothes? Rugs-"

"She changed the ones in her room to colours that matched her room in Olympus, we did all she asked her for, including getting her a new wardrobe."

"That's good..." he had smiled staring at his father's will, knowing he would be no longer a Prince in a few days, "I want her to be happy, truly happy."

Yunho had wanted to believe in his King's wishes, but he could tell him how this child of Aphrodite had slowly been drifting away, sitting locked up in her room most of the time, only tended to by the female staff- other than Yunho. Yunho was the only man other than San to have interacted with her in the Palace, but unlike his King, he had never met her gaze, the galaxy filled crystal pair of orbs, that stories had been written about, songs had been dedicated to, the eyes of a maiden that held the galaxy within, shining brighter than a sky full of stars, reflecting off one's deepest desires, often lust when it had been a man who had dared to make eye contact- which is why she was to always where a blindfold, one that would often match her attire, though there were occasions in Olymus where she chose not to, but every god and goddess there feared for their life, knowing laying a finger on her meant Aphrodite's wrath.

It was ironic how the first time his King had ever seen her, she was wearing a blindfold, one she had refused to take off during their wedding as well, out of spite or out of fear, the advisor (mind you she just treated him like a butler) was not sure, but he knew that the night she had said all those things, San had taken off her blindfold, admiring her beauty when she had spat at him, using words so harsh, words he had never wished to hear from his wife.

After that night the blindfold had returned, even when the maids would bathe her she would not let them touch it, Yunho knew she would wear it around him, but he never dared to meet her gaze in any case, out of respect? Perhaps...or out of pity. He had been witnessing for a year how she had begun to lose the colour of her cheeks, her lips now often found quirked into a frown, hands often fiddling with the ribbons of her dress, he had wanted to tell his King this, but he had stopped asking about her altogether, especially since she had refused to attend his coronation, even after receiving the title of the Queen. He had stopped asking if she had eaten, if she was well, in fact, he would no longer be interested in the report Yunho would give nightly, only asking if there was something out of the blue that should concern him- but there never was, everything was always the same, or so they had assumed.

For the night that the King had decided to retire early to bed, bidding his generals and his advisor a goodnight, his advisor following suit, asking his King to listen to him about his wife, wanting to tell him about her declining health, though his Lord had turned a deaf ear to him, "I don't want to hear of it Yunho, I'm tired tonight, I don't care if she didn't like dinner tonight just give her what she wants tomorro-" his words had been cut short with an ear piercing scream, one that had had him and his loyal servant bolt to the wing of the castle where his wife stayed.

Yunho had seen almost his fair share of sin and horrid things, the underworld was no place for the light hearted, but what he had not prepared himself for was the sight of his Queen's shivering form, hugging herself as she coward behind a fallen chair, crying and yelling,as she gripped onto the torn end of her dress to cover herself, while across the room a dozen maids were holding onto a foaming, wild eyed -Minister? What had he even been doing down here? How did he get in? Did he catch her without her blindfold? Was he a traitor coming to coerce the Queen for something? Or was he just a curious old fool? Was this because he looked into her eyes, maybe General Jung could beat it out of him- or not, for as soon as his King had entered the brightly lit, pastel coloured room the atmosphere had shifted, the air had thickened and her cries had been muted out by the screams of the minister that had just caught fire, shackled to the the ground, with the molten hot chains that had manifested from the floor of the castle - of course the son of Hades was no soft hearted fool, he knew no ends when it had come to torture. All too soon the burnt man that was still whimpering apologies was tossed out of the window, his scream ending with a loud thud as the King glanced at maids, enough of a gesture for them to scurry out of the room before turning to his wife, walking over to her, like predator to pray, Yunho would have interfered if he were not so deathly afraid of the man, he was unsure of what he was going to do to his mess of a wife, especially when he had crouched down infront of her, gripping her shoulders, which had only led the poor thing to yelp in pain, pleading for her life, whimpering about how she had nothing to do with this, how she did not wish to taint the reputation of the king, how she did not want to be punished-

"LOOK AT ME!"

Her eyes had snapped open meeting not the glare of a tyrant, not the eyes of a lust induced man, but the tender, soft gaze of a loving husband, one that had her calming down, one that Yunho did not expect- for he had realised something, his King had not been lust driven even after staring into her eyes, was this...love?

He knows not what happened after, for he had been instructed by his King to leave him with his wife, all he knows is that next morning he had been tasked by the King to infrom the head of the King's Counsel, Hongjoong, about the implementation of a new law, a new practice, one with grave punishment,

"One must never look at the Queen whilst in her presence, eyes must be cast to the ground while her Majesty is around, for her safety, anyone caught not following this would be tortured in the deepest pit of the Underworld for eternity, by the great General Park."

As soon as this was done, the King had personally overseen the burning ceremony of all her blindfolds, with his Queen standing beside him, hand in hand, only for her to smile up at him, a smile that he knew had led his King to fall for her, a smile he knew she'd use to get away with anything, even making the poor advisor wear a pink suit because she was bored, the smile that was so menacing and-

"Yunho~" she whined, causing him to let out a sigh, "I asked you a question!"

"My Queen, his majesty loves you no lesser than he did yesterday." He bowed, before straightening up, ignoring the way she scoffed and slammed her book shut, tossing it onto the table, truly a brat.

"Then why has he kept me waiting since morning!? I didn't even see him at breakfast!"

"He is a busy man, one who is ever so dutiful and responsible."

"You know...the saying is to "lick it, not make a meal out of it."

Of course, leave it to her to call him a boot-licker, maybe he should retire-

"Careful love, if you keep this up, Yuyu might retire early~" the door opened, as the subject of the matter walked in, with all his might and glory, laughing at the way his wife huffed and looked away, shaking his head at her antics, "Purple looks nice on you...Yunho." He motioned to the suit he was wearing, another one of the Queen's choice.

"Thank you, Sire, may I be excused?"

"Of cours- oh my." He chuckled when the door slammed within a second before turning to face his wife, who was still not looking at him, arms crossed over her chest, cheeks flushed and puffed out in anger- or a tantrum, whichever it may be, it was enough to have him sitting beside her and gently clasping her hands in his, whispering to her, trying to coax her out of it, "My love, the star of my life, why is it that you ignore me? I was but away ensuring I finish all my tasks so I could spend time with you."

"Liar." She huffed, though she never pulled away, even when he had gently gripped her chin, making her turn her head to face him, admiring her even more upclose.

"Never." He whispered, leaning closer to place a soft kiss at the corner of her lips, letting out a hearty laugh at her gasp, catching the surprise in her eyes, his own crinkling with admiration and love as he gave her his signature dimpled smile, before leaning closer once more, their foreheads bumping slightly, "Not once in my life have I lied to you, my love; my soul, my body, my mind, are but at your disposal, all yours to claim."

She only sighed, pouting at his words, pulling her hands out his hold to wrap her arms around his neck, her fingers reaching to twirl a lock of his onyx hair, her other hand gripping his coat, "Prove it."

"Oh? How so?" He mused, letting her play her little game, "Is my seed not proof enough?"

A light hearted chuckle broke past her lips, if it was possible for his heart to grow bigger with joy, it would have, the sound of her laughter ringing in his ears, "I suppose not~" she purred, the instant change of demeanour had him shivering under her warm touch, biting his lip when she gently tugged on his hair pulling him closer, enough for her to have her back pressing against the couch, him hovering above of her as he peered into her eyes, trying to find the constellation that had blessed their union, though when her hand pulled him down ontop of her, he forgot the purpose of his mission, to busy and engrossed by the sweet taste of her lips, the soft warm skin his fingers could feel through the gown, his hand reaching for hers, pinning her wrists above her head as he pressed his forehead against hers, his warm breath mingling with hers, "You naughty little-

"SHE IS WITH CHILD- GET OFF HER!? HAVE YOU NO SHAME!? AND YOU! FINISH YOUR TEA!"

In an instant the two had parted, sitting prim and proper at the two opposite ends of the couch, hands in their lap, the only give away were the dishevelled clothes, their messy hair and the smudged lipstick that was now decorating both of their mouths.

Clearing his throat he looked at his fuming advisor who held onto a notebook, "I-I was going to be gentle, Yunho-"

"SHUT UP. I KNOW HOW GENTLE YOU ARE, YOU MORON."

"Yuyu! That's not how you speak to your king-"

"SILENCE. I admit it's on the early stage but my Lady you must not let this hooligan give into his desires, do not be fooled by his stupid charm." Pinching the bridge of his nose he sighed as he handed the Queen a tissue, "Your health comes first, my lady, " Then he side eyed a flushed San who was staring at his wife wipe away the evidence of their little session, "And you should know that, Sire, her happiness is linked with her health."

When he earned a strong, firm nod from his King he sighed, for the nth time, "I shall prepare dinner and bring it here, for the love of all that is holy, please do not do anything harmful while I'm gone.' He mumbled walking to the door, only to stop, when he heard a giggle, turning around with another lecture ready, but stopped at the sight before him, his heart melting in disgust covered awe, watching her giggle to herself as she cleaned the lipstick off his lips, only for him to playful nip at her finger tips, earning squeals in return- these brats were a handful, he thought to himself, closing the doors of the study as he walked down the hall, a small smile gracing his tired features, glad that his Queen had found all she had been looking for, so afraid of the curse that she would never even say it out loud...love.

A/N: Idk...I just, I had to get this out of my system. I hope yall like it.

Taglist: @edenesth @yessa-vie @jaehunnyy @spooo00oky @the-kpop-simp @mlysalt

[thepigeonhasapen]

🩷SFW A-Z: Aphrodite🩷

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Extremely! Aphrodite is pretty much always in someone's space, be that hanging off them, playing with their hair, climbing into their laps, grabbing them by the hand, etcetera. Gives absolutely no second thought to being physical with the people she's fond of. If she's not touching you, you can safely assume she's upset about something. Just stroke her ego a bit and she'll back to snuggling with you in no time!

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Gives Dionysus a run for his money as most gossipy bitch on Olympus. As a friend, Aphrodite is constantly coming to you to tell you all about family politics and who said whats and who slept with whom. Aphrodite's favorite thing to do with you is sit with you in the mountain of pillows she calls a bed and chatter about anything and everything while she does her nails. She'll happily do yours too if you let her, by which I mean she's already picked out a color and isn't taking no for an answer. Also, if Aphrodite is your friend, you can fully expect her to insert herself into everything you do. Are you a singer? Aphrodite can be your muse! Painter? Don't worry, Aphrodite will always pose for you. Architect? Hmm, have you considered building a temple to Aphrodite? Also is CONSTANTLY chatting you up to everyone in the immediate vicinity even if you already have a partner or just have no interest in one. As far as Aphrodite's concerned, monogamy is just a suggestion, and if you don't want to have sex? Aphrodite takes pleasure in rubbing everyone's noses in the fact that they can't have someone as pretty as you. Not as pretty as her obviously, but close enough ;)

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Aphrodite is extremely snuggly. Lots of wrapping herself around you like a human-shaped boa constrictor. Her favorite position is with you leaning against your chest so she can play with your hair.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Retire? From being worshipped and adored? Oh come now, really, you must be joking! Aphrodite's never getting sick of that! In fact, she's a little offended that you asked! Cook? Clean? Absolutely not. Such chores are for lesser beings.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Similar to Dionysus, Aphrodite just kinda... stops talking to people and hope they get the hint. If confronted however, she will be a lot nicer about it than Dio. She'll say things like how she's so sorry that it's just not working out anymore, but, oh, don't feel bad! It wasn't your fault, dear. Of course, she doesn't mean a word of it, but at least she says it. You'll never catch her saying the cliché "it's not you, it's me" thing though. The day Aphrodite admits she might even maybe potentially be in the wrong is the day the Underworld freezes over.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

For being the goddess of love, Aphrodite puts surprisingly little stock into marriage. So long as you love each other, who cares? And, like I said, Aphrodite things monogamy is overrated. There's a whole wide world out there full of things to love and people to play with, why would you limit yourself to just one? Aphrodite would be alright with a committed relationship, but not an exclusive one. And as for marriage... well, she already is. Marriages upon Olympus tend to be more political than anything else and splitting with Hephaestus would cause quite a bit of trouble. Also she quite likes Hephaestus. Marriage just isn't going to happen with Aphrodite.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Aphrodite doesn't bite... unless you ask her very nicely ;) She's a lot sweeter than some of the other gods and, assuming you're in her good graces, will be extremely careful around you to ensure you don't get hurt. Tends toward passive aggression and snide comments rather than outright yelling at you if she's annoyed with you.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Aphrodite is a very clingy. She'll snuggle up tight to you, enjoying the warmth of your body against her own. Always mixes a quick kiss on the cheek (at the very least) into her hugs.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Aphrodite has no shame in who she likes and she will extoll your virtues at every available opportunity. New outfit? Look at how cute you are! Fetch her something? Well, aren't you just the most helpful, perfect person that ever existed. "I love you"s come frequently too. There's no set rhyme or reason for it, just whenever she looks at you and her appreciation for you bubbles over. Will always manage to squeeze an "I love you" in if she has to leave in a hurry.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Aphrodite doesn't get jealous. Love is her domain. So long as you're loving ANYONE, you're worshipping her. Any kind of dating or sex or even just close friendship is an appreciation of her and Aphrodite absolutely DEMANDS to hear about anyone else you have your eye on.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Aphrodite gives kisses like she's handing out candy. Kisses for greetings, kisses for goodbyes, kisses as a way to say thank you. A lot of her kisses are quick and fleeting, but when she really gets into it... wow. She's passionate and devoted, constantly chasing you and pulling you back in for more. She's prone to nibbling on your lips too. Generally nothing too harsh but she is for sure looking to mark you up. Aphrodite's favorite place to kiss you is on the mouth, but that's not to say she isn't leaving kisses everwhere else too. She's like a teething puppy; if she can reach it, she's putting her mouth on it.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Aphrodite a solid yes about kids. She's the goddess of all kinds of love not just the romantic sort, and of course familial falls into her domain. I feel like she definitely has a breeding kink too and would absolutely adore using her pregnancy as an excuse to have you fall all over her. Would be a doting and attentive caregiver to her kids, although I imagine an incredibly embarrassing one. Mom, you don't need to come on to everything that moves. Mom, please. Mom, stop flirting with my teacher.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Sleepy. Lazy. Probably a quickie in there if Aphrodite has her way. She's quite fussy about her sleep and absolutely despises being woken up. If she's allowed to wake up by herself though, she is immediately herself. No brief period where she feels sluggish or languid. Nope, just instantly herself! If you get up before her, it's just best to let her keep sleeping. If you made her breakfast, she'd be over the moon for you. When Aphrodite gets up before you... honestly she'll probably wake you up by complete accident. She just can't help how cute you look when you're asleep! You can't blame her for staring at you and petting your hair!

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

However you want to spend it. If you want to have a bit of fun before bed, Aphrodite is of course, down, but if you want to just sleep? That's fine too. Aphrodite is a big snuggler when she sleeps and will spend the entire night wrapped around you like an octopus.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Aphrodite is pretty much an open book. If you've talked to her for even five seconds, you already know how she's feeling. Being Aphrodite's friend or partner wouldn't change that. She wears her heart on her sleeve and sees no reason to do otherwise.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Someone really needs to inform Aphrodite that pretty and petty are in fact two seperate words and do not need to go hand in hand. She is just... such a touchy bitch. Even a perceived slight will be met with her full wrath. Fortunately, like many of the Olympians, her moods never really last long. Give her like five minutes and a sincere apology and she's probably over it, threateningly sweetly booping your nose and telling you not to do it again.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Aphrodite knows everything about you. You're devoted to her and she is, in turn, devoted to you. Favorite color, favorite food, favorite thing for her to gift to you? Aphrodite remembers everything. She is kind of cheating though. Aphrodite can read your love and knows the way you feel about things without you even having to tell her.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Can't Aphrodite say all of them? No? Well, then she'd have to say anytime you do something unexpected or make her laugh. Any personal quirk is something Aphrodite loves. She finds everything you do absolutely adorable, especially if you do something out of the norm like make blanket forts or splash around in puddles. Sing to the shower, dance in your living room, basically anything silly and whimsical you do is something Aphrodite goes head over heels for.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Extremely. Aphrodite won't be constantly hanging over you but she is definitely keeping an eye on you, and if anyone messes with you, you can be sure Aphrodite's already heard about it. People often forget that she has an aspect of war in her. Aphrodite can be bloodthirsty in her passions and won't hesitate to rip hearts out over the people she cares about. In terms of protecting her, well... Aphrodite doesn't really need to be protected but that doesn't mean she doesn't find it terribly attractive when you try. Get into a fight over her honor and she will be doting on you for the next month.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

She doesn't really. All those things are part of her domain so she doesn't need to put too much effort into it. It just comes naturally to her. Her love life tends toward the stereotypically romantic, with rose petals and hand feeding and candlelit dinners. So very "high-effort" even if Aphrodite isn't really expending much energy to make it so.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Aphrodite has a short temper and an easily bruised ego so extreme care must be taken to avoid upsetting her. Also, she is INCREDIBLY nosy. Personal space whomst? Aphrodite is squirming into every aspect of your life and honestly doesn't quite understand the concept of boundaries or alone time.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

You... you're serious? Narcissism? Sorry, I think you misspelled "Aphrodite." Any slight against her appearance can go so far as to cause a literal WAR. Touchy much? I'm not saying she'd rip you to bloody shreds if you dared say something even vaguely negative about her but I'm also not NOT saying that, you know?

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Probably not. I mean, she's got legions of devoted followers. If you ended the relationship, she'd move on pretty quickly. I mean, after exacting her revenge for breaking up with her. If you died, it would probably be similar. She's keeping you in her thoughts and sending messages to you through Zagreus, but she wouldn't like kick down the Underworld's door to get you back.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Aphrodite has a soft spot for weeds and common flowers. Daisies and dandelions and clover are all things Aphrodite would appreciate in a bouquet. Obviously she likes the more classic rose too, but the beauty found in mundane objects are no less pretty for their frequency. Aphrodite is the kind of person who'd admire a seagull or a simple grey pebble. There's love to be found in everything, if only you look.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Vanity. Ironic, no? But if you're spending more time on yourself than her, Aphrodite will get frustrated. She'll hate when you talk badly about yourself but if you ever claim to be prettier than her... I hear the Underworld is nice this time of year. She's also not huge on homophobia. Excuse me? That is HER domain you're hating on.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

A very fussy sleeper. Must have an extensive amount of pillows to the point her bed looks like a literal nest. Must be in complete darkness but hates sleep masks. Has curtains on both her windows and her bed to achieve this. Hates total silence so she has a fountain near her bedchambers. If any of these things are missing, Aphrodite will wake up cranky and in an absolutely terrible mood. Wars have been started because Aphrodite didn't get a good night's sleep.

[newtonsheffield]

They’d shared a two minute conversation during which she’d managed to call him stupid a number of different times in an exciting variety of ways. And still, he’d found himself sat behind the typewriter (...) as he wrote about anything. But kindly it wasn’t about anything. Mostly it was about her, in some way or another. Or rather, the feeling of her.

THIS. This is so in line with the canon. I immediately thought of the scene during the conservatory ball. Kate gives her monologue, tearing Anthony to pieces and he is completely smitten with her from the get-go.

I bet he still has the initial pages written way back then. Maybe they even made it to Snow Filled Paper? But the originals are surely hidden in his desk: yellowed, crumpled and tattered, since Anthony has been rereading them all over again.

A version of some of them are in Snow Filled Paper but most of them are tucked away in Anthony’s desk drawer, folded and unfolded and tearing at the edges.

Anthony takes them out and reads them from time to time and Kate has no idea they even exist until they’re nearly two months into their relationship and she’s looking for something else in his desk. She finds them in an old tin from the Jane Austen Museum and it makes her chuckle as she opens it. It’s such an Anthony thing to own, and she can’t resist knowing what’s inside.

There’s a lot of things in there from there uni days actually, there’s a coaster with the mark of a beer bottle from the pub they used to go to with their friends and there’s a daisy chain that’s been pressed into a notebook that has Anthony’s thoughts in. She chuckled as she read

Grow moustache? Might look cultured and distinguished? Set me apart from D.

Her brow furrowed as she looked at the D printed there, trying to remember who that might have been. She moved on, unfolding one of the sheets of paper at the back and her heart stuttered in her chest.

It was about her, she was sure it was. She remembered the day he’d written about, when they’d met in the library to work on their assignment and her breath caught at the way he described it.

“Are you snooping?”

She dropped the paper in surprise looking up to see Anthony leaking against the doorway, sipping a cup of tea.

“Maybe a little?”

She held up the pages, “Did you really feel this way about me?”

Anthony groaned, leaning against the edge of the desk, “please don’t read that. I was still finding my style.”

“I like it.” She said gently, pressing her lips to his. “It’s very sweet.”

“I… Please don’t read too far. I think in that one I used the phrase Aphrodite would be a poor muse compared with her.”

Kate bit back a laugh, “I’m obsessed with this.”

“Is there anything I can do to convince you not to read it?” Anthony wiggled his eyebrows, “I’d be willing to show you just how close you are to Aphrodite.”

Kate hummed, tapping her finisher on her chin. “Tell me who D is? I don’t remember you being friends with a D in uni. But you fucking hate him.”

Anthony raised his eyebrows, “You don’t know a D from first year?”

It dawned on her and her mouth fell open with a gasp, “Oh you wanted to grow a moustache to set you apart from Dan?!”

He flushed, “He had a motorbike and I was jealous! He was dating my dream girl.”

“That’s very sweet.”

Anthony hummed, leaning into her, “Would the moustache have worked?”

Kate grimaced, “It would have set this timeline back at least 5 years. Now I might be into it.”

“Interesting.”

[girl4music]

Just read the ‘Last Chance’ script again.

It literally is a piece of femslash fanfiction.

It’s both a musical and a doppleganger episode and so you can only imagine the gay shenanigans that would happen between the lookalikes that are actual lovers.

From Xena Wiki. Source: https://warriorprincess.fandom.com/wiki/Last_Chance

“Scheduled for February 2001, but never shot. This was the infamous Sappho episode. Written by Robert Tapert and Melissa Good, it was to be directed by Mark Beesley. K.D. Lang apparently agreed to guest star.

Synopsis

Sometime during her life as a mortal, Aphrodite "stole" Sappho from the Muses because she wrote, like, such kickin' love poetry. The Muses got back at Aphrodite for the "kidnapping" by casting a spell on Aphrodite's son. The spell was one of celibacy, which, of course, is a major bummer for Aphrodite. Aphrodite decides to get her son "un-celibate" by getting him to go to Lesbos to groove on some Sappho love poetry.

The problem is that Sappho (Renee) has "lost the muse". She and her partner (in *every* sense) Morai (Lucy) have been fighting a great deal. Having creative differences, in other words. Sappho hasn't been giving Morai enough credit in the partnership, and in the end, Morai (a meek woman) leaves, during the time that they're getting ready to put on a play called "Love Bites".

Aphrodite, seeing her plans for her son going seriously awry, goes to two people she hopes will help her. Xena and Gabrielle. She breaks in on a jam session with Xena and Gabrielle. Gabrielle is trying to write a song, and Xena keeps on putting her two cents in. Gabrielle finally asks Xena to just shut up and sing it already. And we hear the first lines of Last Dance.

Aphrodite "pops in", interrupting them. She then asks them if they'd fill in briefly for Sappho and Morai while she goes after the two to try and get them back together. After a few moments, Xena and Gabrielle agree to Aphrodite's scheme, and travel to Lesbos.

They get there, and of course, everyone mistakes Gabrielle for Sappho, and ignore Xena (masquerading as the meek and mild Morai). The play is down to the last moments, almost ready to be put on, but the ending isn't even done. Xena and Gabrielle need to stall until Aphrodite can get the real Sappho and Morai back so that they can finish the play that she hopes will break her son's celibate spell.

Mistaken identity hijinx ensue, with Gabrielle loving the accolades and Xena getting more and more pissed off because people are treating her like a somewhat brain damaged dog. Xena and Gabrielle get into a small (minor) tiff because Xena is upset, but eventually things get back to "normal".

Meanwhile Sappho and Morai have taken a canoe/camping trip into nature in order to work out the kinks and get the muse back so they can finish the play. Unfortunately, that flops, as does the canoe, so Sappho and Morai wind up back at Sappho's home, where they run into, literally, Xena and Gabrielle. However, it's kinda funny the way it happens.

See, Xena, walks into Sappho's boudoir thinking Sappho is Gabrielle. Sappho is instantly entranced by Xena's bearing, and *especially* her leather. Xena is a bit taken aback by Gabrielle's forwardness, especially since they've just had another small arguement and Xena left the party.

Meanwhile, the REAL Gabrielle is in another room when Morai comes in (thinking it's Sappho) and wanting to make up with her partner. She takes off Gabrielle's boots and offers to read her some poetry before they go to bed. Poetry? Gabrielle wants to know where Xena (who she thinks Morai is) got the henbane and how much did she take?

Both sets of doubles eventually find out that they're not who the other thinks they are, and all four collide in the hallway outside the bedroom. After the surprised introductions are over, Sappho offers to have Xena (who she REALLY likes) and Gabrielle to share the bed with she and Morai. Gabrielle declines and Xena and Gabrielle go into Sappho's workroom, where they settle down for some "pillow talk". (In the script, and yes, they're sharing a bed).

They each talk about how they knew the double wasn't who they thought they were after a short time and then go to sleep. Xena wants to leave, figuring that with Sappho and Morai back, their mission is done, but Aphrodite convinces them to stay on a bit longer. Which is a good thing, because Sappho and Morai argue again and Morai runs away.

The play is ready to go on with Senhel and Avian in attendance, but without Morai (who is playing several parts), what can be done? In steps Xena to fill Morai's spot while Gabrielle runs off to find the runaway poet and to convince her to return to Sappho's side.

Then the Donkey Show part of this ensues, with all the disco tunes you heard about. It's as confusing as the real Donkey Show is, and I really can't do it justice, but basically it's about three couples (each played by Lucy and Renee) some who love each other, some who want one but the other doesn't want them back.

Aphrodite thinks this play, sampling the "many flavors of looooove" is just the ticket to get Senhel to see the error of his ways. They start out, but at first, Sappho is upset because while she *really* likes Xena, the reverse isn't true. Xena's not interested, and Sappho thinks she's falling down on the convincing job (to the audience).

They go along in the play and Aphrodite pops in again, and sees that her son is completely unmoved. Morai (who really DOES love Sappho) still isn't back yet, so Aphrodite pleads with Xena to "please, just fake it" with Sappho so that Senhel will get the picture. Faced with the alternative (failure) Xena decides to "fake it" and starts becoming more steamy with Sappho during the songs such as "Love to Love You Baby", "Knock on Wood", "Don't Leave Me This Way" and the like.

Gabrielle, meanwhile, has convinced Morai to give Sappho one more try, and brings her back to the playhouse just in time to see Xena pin Sappho to a set piece on stage and kiss the living daylights out of her. Morai is upset. Gabrielle is kinda upset. Senhel is falling asleep (because, obviously, what's going on up on stage is not love, just lust).

Morai begins to sing "I Will Survive" to Sappho and then leaves. Gabrielle leaves with her. The audience begins to leave.

"WAIT!" shouts Xena, and tosses her chakram to close the doors to keep the audience from leaving. Then she begins to sing, to Gabrielle, the song they wrote together. Which, of course, is Last Dance. As she hears it, Gabrielle stops. Then turns. Then, as Xena continues to sing, she begins to approach Xena until they wind up holding hands and looking into each other's eyes.

Then, as the song fades, they hug. Then they look over at Senhel, who is STILL unmoved. So then, and this is from the script:

“Xena and Gabrielle kiss with deep and sincere passion.” Everyone stares, entranced.

When they finally come up for air, Senhel is on the floor, the spell broken because he has finally seen true love. As the song begins again, Avain kisses Senhel, Morai kisses Sappho, and everyone is happy again.”

[queenjunothegreat]

Told you guys I was gonna start posting the random stuff I won't finish and I wasn't lying ( ꒪꒳​꒪ )

Finally, Leo gave in. “What's up with you, Beauty Queen?”

She blinked at him, like she was startled that he addressed her. “Oh! I just thought you told me you were going to dump Jason. I'm a little surprised to see you haven't.”

Leo chuckled nervously. Jason ignored them and just shoved his face deeper in his book like the slimy little coward of a traitor that he was. “Uh, I dunno what you're talking about.”

��Hmm… I suppose it could have been a dream, then,” Piper mused, then she gave Jason a sympathetic look. “You'd better watch out, Jason. I had dreams about Leo dumping all of his previous relationships only days before it happened.”

Without glancing up from his book, Jason said, “Piper, please. We both know Leo doesn't have enough game to bag anyone but me.”

Piper wheezed in laughter and Leo turned on Jason with a furiously betrayed expression and vermilion cheeks. “Dude! What the fuck!”

Jason closed his book and blinked owlishly at him. “I thought you wanted me to try being funnier.”

“That doesn't mean you should clown on me!”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Jason said earnestly. “I'm just not all that practiced, so I figured I should start with an easy target.”

“Stop, stop, he’s already dead!” Piper howled.

Leo sneered at her. “Yeah, yeah. Just remember that I had enough game to steal your boyfriend.”

“Bestie, you stole a closeted lesbian’s man,” Piper reminded him. “Our whole relationship he was basically wearing a sign around his neck that said ‘Free to a good home.’” She gave Jason an apologetic wince. “No offense.”

“Not sure how I'm supposed to not be at least a little offended by that, but I'll give it my best shot.”

“We are ignoring the real issue here!” Leo interrupted. “Piper! Since when did you know!?”

“Since forever, dummy,” Piper scoffed. “I can't believe you two really thought you could keep this a secret from me. I'm an Aphrodite kid. I can literally smell it on you two like cheap perfume. And, Leo, really? Like really, really? You thought you could hide this from me? You couldn’t even keep your favorite yogurt flavor a secret from me.”

“It's peach, right?” Jason asked, looking at Leo.

Leo laid a sympathetic hand on his knee. “Sorry, bud, but it's actually strawberry banana.”

“He's lying; it's blueberry.”

Jason looked stricken and stared down at his hands. “I don't know what to believe anymore.”

“And you!” Piper pointed her finger at Jason, and he suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. “Next time you need advice for how to hide hickies, maybe don't ask the Aphrodite cabin when you're trying to hide your relationship from an Aphrodite kid!”

Leo frowned at him in disappointment. “You went to the Aphrodite cabin? Really?”

“Who was I supposed to ask?” Jason demanded defensively. “I don't have a cabin full of siblings to help me out. The closest I have are Nico and Percy! Nico's boyfriend can basically kiss bruises away, and Percy literally laughed me out of the Poseidon cabin. I tried to IM Thalia, but she just looked like she was going to be sick when I asked and hung up on me. I tried to call her back, but Iris told me she'd paid thirty drachmas to block me for the rest of the week.”

“Still though! You could have asked anyone else!”

“Maybe I wouldn't have had to ask for help if you actually kept it below the collar like you were supposed to.”

“Oh, so it's my fault now? Big talk coming from the guy who used my shoulders as a chew toy.”

“Oh, dog jokes. Real original, Valdez.”

“It's not a dog joke, it's just an accurate metaphor because you're literally an animal.”

“Honestly, I'm surprised that you didn't already know how to handle them, Jason,” Piper chimed in. “I figured you would have plenty of experience.”

Jason stared at her like she'd grown a second and possibly third head. “Why would you think that? I arguably have less game than Leo. I'm just tall.”

“I think you have game, babe,” Leo said, patting him on the knee. Then his face screwed up. “Wait a minute. No I don't! Fuck you!”

“Anyway. In case you forgot, my one and only girlfriend turned out to be a lesbian who only dated me because my crazy stepmom brainwashed us,” Jason insisted. “The fact that I haven't fumbled Leo is a miracle beyond words.”

“You're trying real hard to fumble right now,” Leo scowled. “Don't even know why I'm dating you, to be honest.”

”Because I'm mildly obsessed with you and you like the ego boost. And I also hold heavy stuff for you.”

“Plus you actually like his mother henning,” Piper added. She shuddered. “God, when we were dating it was like having a second dad. He just hovers all the time. I can't tell you how many times he asked me if I ate dinner while we were on the quest. Like, we were on the ship together. You know if I ate dinner, my guy.”

Jason pouted and crossed his arms. “Fine. See if I offer you any granola bars any time soon.”

“I think it's kinda sweet,” Leo said with a somewhat sheepish grin.

“That's because you—” Piper leaned over and poked him between the eyes, “are incapable of taking care of yourself, so you need someone to do it for you. Where everyone else sees smothering, you see the only feasible way for you to actually eat more than twice a week and get a full night's sleep.”

“Speaking of, it should be dinner soon,” Jason said, checking his watch.

“Babe, this is not how you beat the suburban dad allegations,” Leo clucked. “What kind of teenager wears a wristwatch?”

“Percy literally wears one everyday?”

“His turns into a magic shield that his brother made for him. Plus, he can't read it and even if he could, the time is always wrong.”

“What am I supposed to do then? What do you two do?”

“We just never know the time,” Piper said, rolling her eyes. “Like cool kids. Cool kids never know the time.”

Jason gave them both a very tired look. “I'm asking Percy to drown me and I'm telling Nico to make sure you two never see me in Elysium.”

“Pft, as if,” Leo scoffed. “We're your favorite people. Ever.”

Jason didn't say anything, he just pressed his lips together and furrowed his brow. “Awww!” Piper cooed, pinching his cheek. “We are! Look at that face!”

Jason puffed up his slightly pink cheeks and batted her hand away, getting to his feet. “I'm sitting with the Athena kids at dinner.”

“Yeah? Well, I'm sitting with the Demeter kids!” Leo announced.

“The Demeter kids won't let you anywhere near them after you accidentally set their roof on fire last week,” Piper reminded him.

“Just kidding; I'm sitting with the Hermes kids!”

“Okay, then I'm sitting with the Hephaestus cabin. I'm gonna get Nyssa to tell me any other secrets you're trying to keep from me.”

“Hey, that's not fair!”

“You two aren't allowed to just sit with other cabins,” Jason sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “You have siblings, remember?”

“Boo!” they said in unison.

Jason laughed. “Seriously, come on, you two. We do actually need to eat.”

“Coming, dad,” Leo crooned.

Piper arched her brows. “Kinky.” Leo gagged at her.

Jason ignored them both and left for the Pavilion, Piper and Leo bouncing along in his wake.

[mydarlingdearestdead]

The Things We Do For Love- Chapter Six

"Father."

Apollo bowed his head in such a manner as to render his crown of golden curls level with his father's sandals. Zeus smiled, gloating as if respect factored into the equation. Although, that is not to imply that he did not understand the ultimate truth. That, of course, in a civilised society fear must rule all. His throne, erected upon a raised platform, was of plain, white marble. His wife's, in direct contrast, was simple oak.

"Stand up straight." Zeus commanded, slitted eyes warily upon his son. Apollo did as commanded. His eyes flitted to Zeus'. The tasteful, storm-ridden blue was unflinching under Apollo’s golden scrutiny.

Hera's gaze, of course, laid not upon either of them, but rather upon her finger nails, those which she admired. A deep, vinous purple she had commanded for this day in preparation of Dionysus' garden party that very evening- An annual event, the highlight of the century.

Zeus' lips split in a wide, malicious smile.

"My dearest son," He drawled, "What brings you here before me on this fine day?"

On the mortal plane, lightning congregated within grey clouds, rain lashed upon rough-hewn dirt roads and thunder reached the ears of those with the sense to cower in the shadows.

Apollo swung his lyre from his back, plucking several hesitant notes before he spoke.

"Father," He began, a melodic lilt to his practised tone, "I wish to bring a case before the council of Olympus."

Zeus' laughter was akin to thunder rolling beyond the hills.

"Has someone been stealing your laurel leaves?" Zeus jested, "Or dismissing your cows as they sleep? Hardly council matters. You are dismiss-"

"The case of Hyacinth." Apollo's words drew the breath from Zeus' chest in a horrid gasp. He continued, "I wish to rescue my love from the depths of Hades."

Now, Hera rose her head, two-toned eyes sparkling like jewels.

Apollo’s practised melody became sweet and soft. A song fit for Queens.

"Oh..." She purred, "Oh, my dear-" She directed her musings to her husband, pouting, "-You must. You simply must."

"Hera, but-"

"No." She cut him off, smiling, sweet as nectar, "No, dear. You will take this case or I may bring that of that pretty little nymph of yours before them."

Zeus, lips set in a line of marble, bore down upon Apollo, "You may have what you seek." He grumbled.

Hera, if I may be so blunt, simply beamed.

Apollo, upon taking his leave, sought Eros’ company. In the palace of Love, they convened. Apollo reclined upon a settee, dusted faintly with Aphrodite’s perfume, as he spoke, “Archery practice must be postponed, I fear… I have another request for you, however. If you will humour me in my unease.”

Eros’ eyes flashed.

“Go on. Don’t leave me in suspense.” She laughed, “Anything for you, Phoebus.”

Apollo unslung his lyre once more. He plucked aimlessly at the strings for a moment though, almost instantly, he returned to the same melody; The fates prophecy fulfilled; Hyacinth’s song of sadness.

“Please,” He pleaded, “Refrain from calling me that.”

“Why?” Eros’ demanded, “You’re definitely bright.”

Apollo dismissed the futile conversation. He returned swiftly to the topic at hand.

“Eros.” He said, “I require your aid within the confines of the trial. Please, my friend, you must offer testimony to Hyacinth’s character and my... sheer adoration of him.”

“Why can’t you do it yourself?” Eros inquired, anxiously picking at his nail-beds.

As he spoke, Apollo strummed with an insistence unheard of, commanding the strings of his lyre as a king commands his subjects. “I am blinded by love. Any old fool can see that. The council- Hades and Hebe included- will not believe my rose-tinted view for a moment.”

Shamefully, Eros met his eye.

“Mama-”

“I don’t want to hear about Aphrodite, Eros!”

Apollo’s patent melody disappeared. He flung his lyre against the nearest wall in a flurry of desperation. It collided with a horrific twang, descending to lay in a congregation of unattractive fragments on the pink-tinted marble below. Apollo had risen during the chaos. He swiftly moved toward the balcony, where he bent over the ivy-ridden barrier.

On silent wings, Eros approached him.

"Tell me about him." He requested, "I... Hearing love stories restores my faith in the purpose I've been given… And it might help me make up my mind about… Well, everything.”

Apollo's eyes flickered closed. He turned eagerly toward the sun. Despite it's rapid descent, the sunlight showered his face in a golden shroud.

"Hyacinth..." With such reverence he spoke the name.

Mourning, as every bereaved must understand, is not an imperceptible stone in the walk of life, but a detour, branching off into the deep, dark unknown. Apollo crawled aimlessly along this new path, clutching his chest where the aching of his heart teetered on the edge of unbearable.

"He was good." A simple statement to the ear, yet concealing a meaning only decipherable by the beating heart of a man resentful.

"And so innocent." Apollo opened his eyes, gazing with with silent lament upon the moon.

Eros swallowed. Truly, he had not the ability to deny him. Fear or pity, it was of no true consequence.

Masterlist

Ao3

[nonagesiiiimus]

eden's tlt reread: a sidebar on names- palamedes (and cytherea)

i cannot stop thinking about the names of these characters and their many, many, many different references and deeper meanings. i haven't even finished my chapter two analysis because I am thinking about names so much. i know i've talked about it before. I am going to talk about it again. sue me. i want to talk about Palamedes and Cytherea's names. i will eventually get to chapter two. but for now...

Palamedes Diomedes:

Palamedes was originally going to be named Diomedes, who is also a figure in the Trojan War. Diomedes was the King of Argos, a friend of Odysseus, and a man admired by Athena. in the Iliad, Diomedes charges into battle and ends up wounding Aphrodite. additionally, in the battle, as he heads in, he is blessed with the protection of Athena:

"She set the man ablaze, his shield and helmet flaming with tireless fire like the star that flames at harvest, bathed in the Ocean, rising up to outshine all other stars." (Iliad, 5.4-6)

here’s why i think the characterization of Palamedes and Diomedes is important, even though Palamedes was not actually named after him in the final book. there are some clear parallels. Diomedes was smart, brave, and blessed by the goddess of wisdom and tact on the battlefield. Palamedes is the first of the house of the scholarly Sixth librarians and the living legacy of the incredibly tactful and brilliant Cassiopeia. i can’t help but feel that Athena setting him ablaze with bravery as he charged into Troy is akin to Palamedes charging into Dulcinea/Cytherea’s room and, after completing his mission to ring the truth out of her, bursting into flames. user u/onlymodestdreams on reddit also pointed out that the bursting into flames aspect also calls back to the Paul transformation in NTN, something i totally missed but absolutely think is relevant here.

Cytherea:

why mention Aphrodite before? so glad you asked. Cytherea is another name for Aphrodite, as recorded in Homer’s Hymn 5 and 10 to Aphrodite:

"Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land rears, and all that the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned Cytherea." (Homer’s Hymn 5 to Aphrodite)

"Of Cytherea, born in Cyprus, I will sing. She gives kindly gifts to men: smiles are ever on her lovely face, and lovely is the brightness that plays over it." (Homer’s Hymn 10 to Aphrodite)

Kythira, or Cythera, is a Greek island where the Phoenicians brought the worship of Aphrodite—hence, her secondary name as Cytherea. Cytherea/Aphrodite is a goddess of love and beauty, but also of war and violence and, across many stories, revenge. it’s quite familiar to how we see Cytherea portrayed in GTN: a goddess, beautiful and charming and enchanting, but full of rage and pain and vengeful angst. and of course, she was injured by Palamedes, just like how she was injured by Diomedes during the Trojan War! some people argue that Palamedes’ sacrifice did nothing to hinder Cytherea, but it’s pretty clearly laid out at the end of GTN that him going dynamite mode really injures Cytherea and affects her ability to heal on her own without siphoning from Ianthe:

"As Gideon watched, somewhere between horror and fascination, the earlier wounds—the ones Palamedes had inflicted when he blew up the sick room—began to reopen… 'What in the hell?' objected Gideon, more to relieve her feelings than in hope of an answer. 'She hadn't healed,' said Camilla weakly… 'She'd just skinned over the damage—a surface fix, hides the cracks.'" (p. 420).

Palamedes:

Palamedes is another Greek hero from the Iliad, one who outsmarted Odysseus and was betrayed by those he saw as allies. when Odysseus pretended to be insane instead of going to serve in the Trojan War, Palamedes understood Odysseus was trying to trick them. to prove this, he threatened Odysseus’ son's, forcing Odysseus to reveal he was not insane. by ensuring Odysseus entered the war, Palamedes played a big part in the Achaeans winning the war. Odysseus, still feeling betrayed by Palamedes getting him to come to the front lines, later framed Palamedes as a traitor by forging a letter from Priam, resulting in Palamedes being stoned to death by his supposed allies (Apollodorus Epitome E.3.7-9).

Palamedes was described by Dares Phygrius in his History of the Fall of Troy as "tall and slender, wise, magnanimous, and charming" (reference). he is also credited with many academic inventions: "Palamedes had a reputation for sagacity, and the ancients attributed a number of inventions to him, including the alphabet, numbers, weights and measures, coinage, board games, and the practice of eating at regular intervals" (Britannica).

Palamedes was clearly a super brilliant man—from his dealing with Odysseus to his prowess on the battlefield to his scholarly inventions. his hand in pushing Odysseus into the Trojan War- his ability to see through Odysseus' lies and disguise of insanity- was what led to his death by his allies, but also to the victory of the Achaeans. for Locked Tomb Palamedes, the parallel is quite clear. his intelligence and his physical appearance sound quite similar to historical Greek Palamedes. without Palamedes' ingenious discovery of Cytherea and his subsequent death because of her, someone he once trusted, Harrow would likely have never triumphed. instead, they all might have been defeated one by one by Cytherea. Palamedes’ sacrifice provided Harrow with the crucial impetus to confront the enemy directly and ultimately secure victory.

Palamedes is also an Arthurian hero. Palemedes in Arthurian tales is a Middle-Eastern knight, known for a couple key things. first, he is in love with a woman named Iseult. He loses the fight for Iseult's hand against another knight, leaving his love unrequited (but still there). he remains in love with her, despite not being able to be with her. he is also one of the knights said to have fought the Questing Beast, a mythical monster that represents all the core issues of the Arthurian time that eventually tear the society apart. to me, this too sounds like our TLT Palamedes: unrequited love, questing to destroy something that he sees as the root of evil. whether that's Jod, the lyctor process, or the resurrection beasts is hard to tell, but to be honest my vote is for the former two.

there's so much buried in a single name, that sets up some of the most complex and incredible characters in the series. this is the kind of shit we live for, and honestly why this series is so addictive. everything unspools into something bigger.

please note that i am not a classics scholar by any means, so there are errors in here i'm sure. please correct as you see fit!

[olympushit]

Keeping up with the Olympians

#kuwto

Episode 2:

Preview:

Hera's statement for a divorce shakes things completely on the unholy mountain. Hermes has a promise to keep, while Aphrodite proves to be a helpless drama queen. Dionysos is okay and still partying.

----------

Scene 1: (Hermes and Apollo)

Hermes' confessional:

I had in mind to take Apollo to a strip club. I interrupted his orgy with the nine Muses so I have to make it up to him. I know, I love him too much!

Apollo: What is the surprise you have been talking about?

Hermes: Get dressed tonight! I have something very special for you!

Apollo: What is it! I'm dying to know! Please!

Apollo's confessional:

I love surprises but on the other hand I hate them. I don't like waiting! Exhilaration kills me!

Hermes: Dress slutty, that's all I'm saying!

Apollo: Oh.....

--------------

Scene 2: (Hera and Zeus)

Zeus confessional:

I'm still shaken by her behavior. I can't believe her! All that is for me to acquire better sex knowledge to please her even more in bed! Why can't she see that? Ungrateful wife!

Zeus: Are you serious about the divorce thing?

Hera: Absolutely! And don't try to change my mind!

Zeus: I'll promise I'll change!

Hera: LIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR! YOU FUCKING LIAAAAAAAAARRRRRR! (Slams the table)

Hera's confessional:

Of course I'm sick amd tired of his behavior! The goddess of marriage can't stand being cheated on! But don't worry guys, I won't divorce him. I want him to come crawling back to me, and of course who wants to lose the title of "Queen of Heavens?"

Hera: It's final!

Zeus: Think about it again! You won't find another man as gorgeous as me!

Hera: That's the spirit! Someone who is not you!

______________

Scene 3: (Aphrodite and Ares spending some time in Ares' private pool in Thrace)

Aphrodite's confessional:

Thrace is a nice place! There's sea, sun, and naked Ares!

Ares: Do you like it babe?

Aphrodite: You know I love being spoilt in every way!

Ares: My beautiful woman!

(Kiss scene)

Ares confessional:

Spending time with this woman is amazing! I just love her! And of course I like getting naughty with her! (winks at camera)

(Ares lifting Aphrodite)

Aphrodite: Ares I don't wanna get wet!

Ares: You'll get wet anyway babe! Just enjoy it! (Throws her in the pool)

Aphrodite: MY DIAMOND EARRING!

Ares: What about it?

Aphrodite: I lost it! In the pool! (starts crying)

Ares: Aphrodite, there's people that are dying!

Aphrodite: It costs 75000$!

Aphrodite's confessional: (crying)

Those were the earrings Ares gifted me on our anniversary! We were celebrating the 678 time we had sex together!

Ares: You lost that earring!

Aphrodite cries aggressively.

_____________

Scene 4: (Hestia and Demeter)

(Both shaking their salads and proceed eating them)

Demeter: So did you hear about Hera's divorce?

Hestia: I did, and I don't feel surprised anymore!

Demeter death glares at Hestia

Demeter's confessional:

Did she just say that Hera deserves it? She is our sister! Such a backstabber!

Hestia:I didn't say it serves her right, I meant him!

Demeter: That wasn't very well-put to me!

Hestia: But I explained it!

Demeter: Unacceptable!

Hestia's confessional:

I don't wanna create drama around there, but Demeter's behavior is just not it!

____________

Scene 5: (Hades and Persephone in the Underworld)

Persephone: You were a rapist, you don't deserve Elysium! To the Tartarus!

Minoas looking at Hades

Hades: Whatever you say, your Honour!

Persephone: Did you just call me your "Honour"?

Hades: Yes Majesty!

Persephone: Oh my god Hades! Not there! You turn me on!

Minoas: Excuse me bro!

Hades death glares at him

Persephone: You excuse?

Hades: And I'm not your bro!

Hades' confessional:

This woman is a complete turn-on! I wanna do bad things to her!

Persephone's confessional:

Hades is a total sex slave and he likes it! I like willing men! I like the role play and he just understands the assignment!

______________

Scene 6: (Poseidon and Amphitrite)

Poseidon: I'm thinking about Triton's wish!

Amphitrite: Let lose for once honey! It's not that bad!

Poseidon: I think I'll just do so!

Poseidon's confessional:

Triton is at this age that boys think about one thing. And he asked me to be his mentor. I made up something to tell Amphitrite, because if she finds out that Triton wants to be a pornstar then the whole humanity will drown!

Triton: Dad! What do you think about what I told you earlier?

Amphitrite: We think it's okay!

Triton: YOU TOLD MUM?

Triton: AND SHE AGREED?

Amphitrite: I think I miss something?

Poseidon: Yes Triton! I'll buy you a kitty cat!

Triton's confessional:

Thanks goodness he found an excuse! My career is gonna take off! Mum will understand my abilities and will finally accept it!

____________

Scene 7: ( Apollo and Hermes at the strip club)

Apollo: Is this your surprise?

Hermes: I felt bad for interrupting your fun the other day!

Apollo: Let's get wasted!

Dionysos: Ohhhhhhhh! My bros are here!

Apollo: Wow! It's amazing!

Apollo's confessional:

What is better than 9 Muses? A whole fucking strip club!

Apollo: Shake that ass babe!

Hermes: Booty jiggling!

Dionysus: Best night ever!

Hermes' confessional:

I'm glad he liked it! But I have lost him for 2 hours straight! What do I do now?

____________

Scene 8: (Artemis and Athena)

Artemis: You wanna join today's hunt?

Athena: I'd love to but I am needed in Athens.

Artemis' confessional:

I love my sister but her ignoring me is outta my range of liking!

Artemis: So you don't wanna spend time with me?

Athena: I didn't say that!

Artemis: Can't you cancel it?

Athena: No! They're my devotees!

Artemis: Family is always first!

Athena: I didn't say otherwise!

Artemis: Ares might wanna add something to this!

Athena's confessional:

She plays a game she will surely lose! What a bitch!

Athena: You use my own spells against me Potter?

Artemis: Maybe Ares is right! You are so above anyone that it has blinded you!

Athena: I TOLD YOU I HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO VERY POLITELY!

Artemis: You know what? JUST LEAVE! You are the least interesting person in this family afterall!

Athena's confessional:

That hurt and I don't have a big idea about myself! I just have a little appreciation for everyone who's dumb!

Artemis' confessional:

Such a bitch! She can't get away with everything!

________________

AND THAT'S EPISODE 2!

What do you think so far? Leave a comment below!

IT MUST REALLY BE A REALITY SHOW!

Till episode 3!✌️

[pixie-mask]

I keep thinking about the Idols and mortals. I think about Pan saying in regards to the Idols that Medusa "loathes us as much as she needs us" and it's kind of like that with the Idols in regards to mortals.

I mean like after The War it's made perfectly clear how scared and uncomfortable the Idols are with mortals, which is valid, but at the same time I admire the story for never acting like the Idols where ever necessarily good people. Apollo and Pan ( and Eros in the flc) bring attention to the fact that in the old days that the Idols were petty, cruel and did as they pleased because they had the power too. That they were better and untouchable and how The War changed their point of view.

Now the Idols hold a different kind of contempt for mortals, but like they also need mortals. Cause without us they literally die. It's said in game that the Idols seek out mortals that they can relate too (namely in terms of appearance though the Muses gave their Eidolon's to whoever). And outside of the uncommon moments not only do the Idols find someone they'd like to transfer to, but they also have to open up to the chosen person who and what they are and hope that the mortal agrees. Aphrodite especially "needs" mortals. Despite what she was put through doing The War we're told in the epilogue that two months after everything she immediately started a "retreat" in which she is worshipped once more. Like she lives for it, hence why there's such a presentation to her "passing on" ritual, at least when Grace comes. It puts into a big persepctuve why Aphrodite actually wanted Calliope to be present. Even if she only finds people that love and worship her the fact that Aphrodite is so easily ready to go back to people so long as it means she'll have followers again.

I'm also just astonished at how Grace is immediately an Idol. Outside of the necessary plot point. Yes Pan pushes her into her power cause he wants answers to what happened to Calliope, but like everyone acts like she should be so immediately different. This happens in some works of fiction, but for all intense and purposes Grace could still be considered mortal. Why would she suddenly do an overhaul on her viewpoint on things after becoming an Idol. The fact that Persephone and Pan are so surprised that Grace would give up her eidolon have such interesting follow up conversations.

Talking to Persephone if giving it up she asks if it was a difficult decision and if it's gotten even easier or difficult living in the mortal world. It gives even more of an insight on how much the Idols withdraw into their own worlds, I guess.

Then you have Pan saying that the eidolon is the only thing worth having, but like...is it? I know that if you save Freddie that Grace can call Pan out on this, but like what's so great about being an Idol. If anything the game shows most of the Idols we meet are miserable and forever locked into the worst moments of their lives. They all can't (rather couldn't) practically stand one another. Not to mention they are diminishing fast with other qualities of being Idols slowly fading. There's also the absolute nightmare fuel of eventually loosing who you currently are and becoming who the Idol is/was.

I supposed the one person you could compare Grace two in terms of new Idol hood would be Hermes, but...and I don't mean for this to sound wrong but Hermes didn't have a lot going on with their life. When talking we know that they didn't have a great home life and was homeless for quite a bit of time before being taken in by the previous Hermes. From what we gather they didn't have much of a life going on so why not become an Idol.

Grace is going through a rough patch in her life but I wouldn't say that she'd didn't have anything going on that would longtime restrict her going forward. I was so surprised that that was slightly touched upon in the dlc.

But honestly speaking of the dlc we can meet Eros just seem to be no different really or just going with his lot in life. (I know we can meet Medusa too but we’re sticking to the Idols). Eros still has a negative insight of mortals as he talks about our lack of interest in discovery. In some ways he’s right but he’s also wrong. So many things have changed or been discovered. But now we Hague different fields of thing lol s being discovered in all sorts of interest. Not to mention people being off born and learning about these things and more as well. Or how we can find ourselves wrapped up in the intrigue of what others like or suddenly develop a new hobby that we dive deep into. It’s a shallow judgement for someone whose world essentially shrunk and has barely grown again.

Hell in the dlc they almost seem…disappointed that nothing much is going on with them. The interest in them came and went if anything though the reveal was more impactful for Pan, Medusa, (and Asterion) so they could go without a glamour in public. They’re trying figure what the hell to even do with their lives. Apollo and Persephone at least seem to have an idea of what to do and hell in one (two?) of the endings Athena is provided a purpose by Apollo.

By all means it means it's like they barely knew how to get by and not they don't have to hide and they don't even know what to do know.

[lottiecrabie]

the significance of galatea in ‘galatea, take one’

the song and the concept of galatea was an important metaphor throughout galatea, take one — pretty obviously as it is part of its title — and i really needed to talk about it. i decided to pour my thoughts out and send this bottle into the wild. i hope it finds you.

reader starts the fic as galatea, very obviously and even hinted on later. she’s just come out of this relationship with a painter who, at least in her point of view, saw her as ‘unfinished’ and aimed to ‘complete’ her. these feelings have left her reeling at the idea of being a muse and the material consequences of an artist-object relationship. there’s this initial reticence about matty because she doesn’t want to fall into this same dynamic again.

she starts the writing of this song with a clear objective. the first verse describes the beating, electric love between pygmalion and galatea, keeping a purposeful nebulous understanding of who exactly is the speaker. later, the song reveals it’s galatea, leaving us wondering if the mentioned ‘love’ is really this pure if, in the end, she’s literally made for this man.

but as she writes more and more songs about matty, she finds herself blurring her position as galatea. falling in love with matty and finding inspiration from him, reader is acutely aware that she’s placing him in the position of muse. now, there’s a fear that she’s romanticizing him, making him like her very own statue.

the galatea song, always being worked and reworked, changes because of it. the speaker becomes convoluted— it’s unclear if the point of view is of pygmalion or galatea, just as it’s increasingly clear to the readers how delusional she is getting in contrast. though there seems to be genuine care and feelings between the two, she makes them grander, wishes him to be better. she’ll twist his words until they sound like she wants them to, reflecting the sculptor of her story.

the more she wants him, the more the song changes. it’s briefly a love song— some desperate attempt to force feelings onto matty. ‘galatea loves pygmalion’ is a very comforting thought when you’re the sculptor. there is a certain sense of aphrodite breathing life into galatea to these new lyrics. in practically saying ‘matty loves me’, she’s essentially trying to make it magically true because she wrote it down. however, matty calls her out on it and she quickly goes back to her original meaning.

the song ends in this confused state, though leaning further into pygmalion. as a lyric uses ‘she’, it gives us an idea that it is him telling the story. she even borrows lines she wrote about matty for the song, making it clearly about him on a certain level. her friend does mention being unsure who the speaker is, which shows us that the nebulous point of view remains. still, by the end of its creation, the song and speaker has completely shifted. it is why she affirms ‘galatea’ would not have been the same without matty: this change would have never happened.

in parallel, by the end of the story, she also realizes how much she romanticized and made matty up in her mind, and has to come to terms with the fact that she is the creator of their relationship. this grandiose summer romance was mostly lived in her head. his marble crumbles to the ground and he’s left just like her at the end of her past relationship: bloody and bruised.

she is the muse and the creator, she is the object and the artist. she is the victim and the perpetuator.

[radiantbard]

🩷 Fic master list 🩷

🩷 One Piece 🩷

Leather and Lace: On Nami's birthday, Zoro agrees to go out with Nami and Vivi to Club Aphrodite, a club centered around kink. There, he meets Sanji, a Dom in search of a new sub. Things escalate and Zoro gets exactly what he's always wanted. And maybe more. (In Progress)

Speak O Muse: Sanji rounds out his schedule with an art class and has a chance meeting when Roronoa Zoro models for his class. What follows is an accidental love story between an artist and his muse. (Complete)

Hang the Moon: In a world where everyone has a soulmate, Sanji's mark never materialized. When he meets Zoro, he feels an unexplained tug towards the other man. Eventually, they both learn that love is more complicated than a mark on the skin. (In progress)

Green is the Color (Of Your Kind): After the battle for the freedom of Wano, Sanji knows he wants to tell Zoro about how he feels, but can he capture his attention when Hiyori is around? And even if he can, should he? Jealousy is an enemy everyone knows well. (Complete)

Paradise (By the Dashboard Light): Zoro invites Sanji out to watch a meteor shower, hoping the romantic setting will give him the courage to say what he's always been thinking. He gets so much more than he expected. (Complete)

Once Bitten, Twice Shy: Roronoa Zoro is a vampire hunter seeking revenge for the death of his dear friend and rival, Kuina. Forcibly turned, he now must navigate this new unlife with the help of Sanji, the vampire who takes him under his wing. (In progress)

Deep Blue: Sanji is thrown overboard during a military excursion. He is saved by a merman named Zoro and they immediately sense a chemistry between them. Their relationship blossoms as Sanji heals. (In progress)

Hawk and Dove: While visiting a small island kingdom for a diplomatic mission, Sanji's past comes back to bite him. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Zoro steps up and tries his best to save their cook. (In progress)

Daring Do: Sanji's birthday is a quiet affair that ends with a game of truth or dare. It results in a series of firsts for Zoro. (Complete)

Ebb and Flow: After the lengths he went through to save his true father, Sanji finds himself grieving him, where he should be happy. When the crew lands on a quaint little island, the consequences of Vinsmoke Judge's callousness come home to roost, but it's Sanji who must answer for it. Faced with an enemy they can't fight, and out of room to run, the Strawhats stand by their cook and trust him to see them through to victory. (In progress)

Zou Bisou Bisou: Tired of longing at a distance, Zoro seeks the help of Nami and Robin in order to woo Sanji. In the process, he realizes that they've been soulmates the whole time, and he's been oblivious. (Complete)

I Do! Do You?: On the day of Franky and Robin's wedding, Zoro sticks his foot in his mouth and Sanji spirals into a nervous mess that nearly unravels their relationship... in his head. (Complete)

I Burn Forsooth: Zoro comes down with a cold and Sanji is there to take care of him. Feelings are brought out in the open. (Complete)

The Years I've Missed: Roronoa Emiko abandoned her son fifteen years ago, when he was only six, and she, a girl too young to raise him. Now, they are reunited in Wano, and she must face the consequences of her actions all those years ago. (Complete)

Rockrose and Thistle: The Strawhats find themselves anchored down in the Kingdom of Germa after a run in with the Marines leaves the Merry foundering. They see immediately that things are not right, and Zoro tries his best to ignore the desire to save the man in the iron mask. (In progress)

Make You Feel Pretty: Zoro becomes curious about what Sanji means when he calls him beautiful. Sanji sets aside a night to show him, and it ends up being an experience neither will forget. (Complete)

Wisteria Blue: After landing on an idyllic island, Zoro finds himself longing for Sanji's love and affection. With help from a kind old woman and a bit of courage, he makes his move. It works out better than he had ever hoped. (Complete)

Tenderness: After a hard fight, Zoro is injured and left to rest in the infirmary. Sanji visits him and things don't go exactly how he expected, but he's not complaining. (Complete)

Wolfsbane: Ten years ago, Zoro was cursed by a witch. As the years progress, so too does the curse. Eventually, Zoro knows that he will lose what's left of his humanity. It is while contemplating this that he meets a peller named Sanji, who takes him under his roof and agrees to break the curse, but Sanji is hiding secrets of his own. (In progress)

Haiku: After the battle for Wano's freedom, Zoro decides to make a move to confess his love. But then he's too afraid of rejection to own up to it. If Sanji didn't recognize his handwriting on a shopping list, he'd probably have hidden forever. (Complete)

A Rose by Any Other Name: After inheriting the family flower shop upon his mother's death, Zoro must turn its financial situation around or lose everything she worked so hard to build. On a whim, he entered the bakery next door and everything changes for the better. (Complete)

🩷 Fire Emblem 🩷

From Ashes: As Faerghus reels in the aftermath of the Tragedy of Duscur, Dimitri finds himself isolated and vulnerable as his uncle works to steal the throne. Though they all want what is best for him, no one but Dedue will listen to him. His luck changes with a chance encounter, and soon they find themselves struggling to uncover the truth of the Tragedy right under his uncle's nose. (In progress?)

In a Field of Poppies: As the Kingdom army advances, they run low on medicinal herbs. Veronica volunteers to gather them, but Dimitri refuses to let her go alone. They get more than they bargained for when they enter a certain meadow. (Complete)

Anwyll: After the battle at Gronder field and the death of Rodrigue, Dimitri attempts to sneak away and head for Enbarr. Dedue and Veronica catch him, forcing him to choose between the past and his future. (Complete)

Silk and Pearls: After the battle to reclaim Fhirdiad, Hilda goes to check on Dimitri in his quarters. After an embarrassingly bungled confession, she goes for what she wants. (Complete)

In Need of a Fireman: Volke returns to his lover and gives her news she never thought she'd hear. (Complete)

Menagerie: A collection of discarded scenes from my main project, the Embers of War series. The first one is a sparring match. (In progress?)

The Art of Being Happy: As he awaits his death in the Tower of Guidance, Zelgius is offered a second chance at life by a mysterious stranger. He is summoned to the kingdom of Askr to assist in the war against Múspell. He meets the summoner Evelyn and begins to wonder if there is a chance at redemption and love after all. (In progress)

Sanguine: Beleaguered and overworked Dimitri is convinced to let his hair down by Sylvain. They go to a nightclub together and Dimitri gets more than he bargained for. (In progress)

Candied Violets: Five years after the fall of Garreg Mach, the Blue Lions keep their promise and return. They are reunited with Dimitri and their professor, but Dedue is still missing. Ashe grapples with the complicated emotions the loss brings, but right as he's finally ready to accept it, Dedue comes back into his life. He must now find the courage to act on the feelings that have been with him for so long. (In progress)

That Which Remains: When an Adrestian patrol is lost, another is sent out to finish their mission and, if possible, locate those that were lost. What they find is a hellish scene right out of their nightmares. (Complete)

Birthday Blues: Dimitri is saddened when his dear friend seems to have skipped his birthday party, only to receive a more meaningful gift than he could have imagined. (Complete)

The Day of Devotion: Zelgius gets roped into participating in a tournament during the Day of Devotion, all for the sweetest prize of all: a kiss from the summoner. (Complete)

Periphery: A collection of short stories exploring the peripheral events of Fire Emblem: Three Houses that I won't have time to explore within the main body of my project. (In progress?)

The Saved King: Líf corners Dimitri and brings his fitness as a ruler into question. The Summoner swoops in to break it up before it can go too far. (Complete)

Late Night Encounters: You find Dimitri still working late into the night and take matters into your own hands. (Complete)

Give Me Shelter: Dimitri seeks Byleth out after a nightmare and finds comfort. Five years later, he finds himself falling back into the habit. (Complete)

Like the Tide: After saving him from a fisherman's net, Evelyn finds herself quickly coming to adore her home's resident merman. (In progress)

A Warm Welcome: After weeks abroad, Haar returns home to find his lady waiting for him. (Complete)

Tease: When can no longer focus on the task at hand, Shiro finds other ways to occupy himself. He gets more than he bargained for. (Complete)

Denouement: Siegbert is forced to rest after suddenly falling ill. During his unwilling vacation, he comes to a sudden realization and must decide whether or not he wants to push forward and see where it takes him, or leave it be and let things stay the same. (Complete)

Respite: After the war, Siegbert and Shiro travel to help with the relief effort. Despite their work being important, it takes a toll on them both and Shiro uses Siegbert's birthday as an excuse to give them some much deserved rest.

[icanbeyourgenie]

“ You have my dagger away. What a pity. I loved that dagger. ” – Aphrodite to Anastasia

Anastasia watched as Thalia startled and tried to break apart their joined hands, but she didn't do the same. She didn't want to give her mother any satisfaction whatsoever. So instead she held Thalia's hands a bit more firmly. The muse of comedy seemed unsure, but she didn't drew back this time.

“Why are you here?” Nastya didn't look at Aphrodite, but her voice started shaking a little.

Anastasia's main personality trait was her ability to fully control her emotions, to always show the world exactly what she wanted, to never lose control of herself.

But her mother had a tendency to fill her with nothing but anger. It has not always been the case. She used to love her mother, worship her even. And she knew Aphrodite loved her back. She used to be her pride. Deep down, Anastasia still loved her. But there was something about seeing your own mother stand by and say nothing while the king of gods cursed you and your best friend to an eternity of misery that makes one particularly angry against said mother.

“You called. You used a drachma. You even prayed.”

Anastasia snorted. “I called her. Not you.”

“She can't help you and you know that.”

“And you won't help me. I know that too.”

Anastasia was positively fuming now and she hated how Aphrodite had this effect on her. So she focused on Thalia instead. She had always loved the muse of Comedy the most. All the muses were great in their own way, but Nastya found herself calling on Thalia the most. Maybe this affinity was linked to her love for acting.

She tried not to call on Melpomene too much though. She loved tragedy as any person, and loved playing tragic roles, but there was something about Melpomene's never-ending sadness that was a bit too much to bear for her, who loved sharing joy through art.

“... So.” Nastya said, focusing on the original conversation. “Is there something you can do? Surely now that there's more time...”

“I'll bring it up with my mother. But... ”

“But she won't do anything. Not against Zeus. None of us will.” Aphrodite cut, and Nastya used all her will to ignore her.

“Thalia, I'll kill him again. I can feel it coming. It's slower than the previous times-”

“-Before you gave my dagger away, you mean.”

“But it is coming. I have a few days, I think. We can do something, this time. The pact gave us time...”

Thalia was not insensitive to Anastasia's pleas, nor Achilles' suffering. He was her only brother after all. Her little brother.

“... I'll see what I can do.” She finally said, and even if it meant little to no hope, Anastasia hugged her.

“She can't do anything.” Aphrodite said again. “It's such a shame that you gave my dagger away for such a stupid reason. To prevent something that will happen anyway. I may be a a bad mother according to your standards, but you're no good either.”

Thalia had disappeared then, and something in Anastasia snapped. Oh how she hated losing control...

“You think I cared about your stupid dagger? Forged in a stupid war where thousands died because of your vanity? It meant nothing to me. The only thing that matters to me is Achilles! And now I can spend more time with him.”

“What you feel for this boy is unhealthy! Don't you see it? If you just let go of him-”

“Never. Stop asking, it will never happen. I love him. He matters more to me than anything else, and I'll have to kill him in a few days, again. I don't expect you to understand. I expect you to either help, or leave.”

She fought tears that started to flow anyway. She knew she should still be careful while talking to Aphrodite, but as previously stated, she had troubles controlling her feelings around her mother.

Aphrodite sighed, looking at her with a profound sadness. “You used to be my pride. I gave you all I could give. What more do you want?”

Anastasia put her chin up, answering with all the confidence she could muster: “I want you to go tell Zeus to either break the curse or go fuck himself.”

Aphrodite gave her an outraged look and somehow, it filled Nastya with satisfaction. She knew the conversation was over, so for once she left first and went back to the party.

It was an after-party, really. After one of her play. Achilles was already gambling, but he dropped everything when she came to him and he realized she cried. She rarely cried, especially in public.

“What happened Belle?”

He looked worried, and she only wanted them to go home. But instead she said: “Can we dance?”

He dragged her to the dancefloor and they started dancing together. Nastya never really liked the waltz, there were much more interesting dances in her opinion. But it at least allowed her a proximity with Achilles. After a time, she just rested her head on his shoulder while he held her.

“When is it happening?” He finally said, breaking the silence. Of course he knew, she could never hide things from him.

“I don't know. In a few days? A few hours? It's slower this time. I can't really tell.”

“... And you called Thalia for help. It's why you took so long in there.”

She smiled. He knew her so well. “Yes. But then my mother showed up.”

He held her a bit more firmly and she welcomed this embrace. She needed it right now.

“What did Thalia say?” He asked, and she was grateful that he didn't mention Aphrodite. She didn't want to talk about her mother, and they both knew she wouldn't help.

“That she'll talk to your mother. That she'll see what she can do.” Nothing. They both knew it as well. So after a time, Nastya said: “I think you should go. Run away. We have more time this time, the rules changed. Maybe I won't find you...”

They looked at each other for a few seconds. Anastasia didn't know who moved first, but the next they were kissing. And holding on to each other so firmly they'll probably leave bruises. And that was the problem wasn't it? She wouldn't let go, and he wouldn't either. They would never let go of each other, and they were doomed for it.

So when Achilles finally said “Maybe we should just go home?”, she agreed.

[kitsaystransrights]

Okay I’m starting a new series on here called “I just finished this game” where I gush about a game I just finished.

Anyway, if you’re a fan of musicals, visual novels, or Greek mythology, you NEED to play Stray Gods.

If you haven’t heard of it before, Stray Gods is a visual novel with branching story routes, but it has the twist of also being a musical! Many of the game’s major choices take place in the songs themselves, and the songs will actually changed based on your decisions! Each song has numerous different permutations based on around 3-5 choices in each one. I recommend checking out Challenging a Queen, one of the early game songs that’s relatively light on spoilers, to see how some of the choices really add some spice to the game and weave through the songs.

The game’s story just follows Grace, a 20-something girl who witnesses the death of Calliope, the Last Muse, and to make matters worse, she has inherited her powers and role. The Chorus, leaders of the remaining Greek gods (known as Idols), give Grace one week to prove her innocence before she is executed, and the line of Calliope is gone forever.

Accompanying her on this journey are a variety of gods, monsters, and her mortal (strictly platonic… strictly) roommate, Freddie. The cast of Stray Gods is easily its best aspect, full of lovable and complex characters, leaving you laughing a lot, sobbing sometimes, and sometimes not knowing who to trust. And when it’s backed up by a fantastic voice cast, and nearly every character getting their own song if not multiple, I’d be astounded if you managed to get through the game without getting attached to SOMEONE lol.

(For the record, my favorite characters are Freddie, Persephone, and Aphrodite hehe)

And of course, what’s a musical without its music? The soundtrack of Stray Gods is absolutely incredible, even beyond the incredible amount of work and dedication it took to integrate so many variations of all the songs in the game. Lots of variety with the genre, sometimes even changing in the middle of a song! If I haaad to pick a few favorites, I suppose it’d be The Ritual, Look Into Me, and If Only. I’m a sucker for the emotional songs, but Look Into Me is suuuuuch a banger, it feels so threatening and I LOVE it.

OKAY now I’m gonna gush about my favorite parts of the story and get all spoilery so if you don’t want to be spoiled, DON’T KEEP READING! Go play the game yourself! Iirc it’s on all current platforms. Enjoy :)

So HOLY SHIT APHRODITE’S SONG HIT ME LIKE A BRICK??? I love the moral dilemma her whole cycle of rebirth puts you in, deciding whether to honor her wishes and let her die again or to convince her to find peace in life rather than trying to forget. I tried SO HARD to save her without forcing her and she ended up passing on anyways.

Persephone’s character is also SOOOO well done here, the reinterpretation of her story where she kills Hades is a fantastic direction to take her character. She ended up being my main investigative partner for the game and I did NOT regret it. I almost ended up romancing her, and I definitely will on my next playthrough, but I didn’t this time because of…

Freddie!!! Freddie absolutely rules and is my favorite character in the whole game. Mortal Greek mythology nerd who is super gay and wears a cool hat, how could I NOT love her??? My heart was completely torn to shreds when she died, and even though I knew she had to be able to come back somehow because you could romance her, the fury it raised in me made me blaze through the last four hours of the game and finish it in one sitting XD.

And JEEZ the way they let you bring her back is so well done. It’s not outright good or bad, it’s complex! Freddie and Grace are both traumatized by her death and resurrection, and the fact that you went against Freddie’s wishes and passed the line of Calliope onto her just makes it even more interesting from a storytelling perspective. It’s part of what makes If Only one of my favorite songs in the game. And of course, I’m a sucker for stories of unrequited love like Freddie’s is for Grace and now I’m gonna feel so guilty romancing anyone else 😭. Freddie is so relatable istg.

Anyways uuuuuh that’s all I have to say, maybe I’ll do a full review on my YouTube? Thanks for checking this post out tho! Okay bye :)

[loveforvanity]

Like A Prayer song analysis

Summary: I sing this Madonna hymn religiously. Every lyric reflects what Vanity Smurf means to me.

The first sentence is a true statement to start with because life is a mystery. You need to figure yourself out first and then later decide your future.

-Intro- Life is a mystery. Everyone must stand alone. I hear you call my name and it feels like home.

Like A Prayer represents an intimately romantic and spiritual relationship between a woman and God. This equals my relationship with Vanity Smurf overall. Vanity is my main muse. My shining sun in the sky above me where I seek for inspiration. In the video where Madonna falls from the sky and the angel catches her, reassures her, and tosses her right back up, I am reminded of my inner voice that's been guiding me this whole time into pursuing Vanity Smurf. As a spiritual name, I call my inner voice 'Aphrodite' since she's always been my favorite goddess. Together, she and my own heart have been my spiritual guide. Next in the music video, the part where Madonna's significant figure kisses her forehead reminds me of my real past dreams of Vanity and I doing the same. We are no stranger to having physical and emotional intimacies together whether in dreams or waking up.

The two last important details of the song I want to address are the lyrics that say "You are a mystery." Now I've learned so much about Vanity Smurf, except for his actual smurfday(birthdate). It is never revealed in the Smurf cartoon or comics. That makes him somewhat of a mystery.

Next, the second detail follows: "Just like a dream. You are not what you seem." Right here, I'm referring to people's repetitive rubbish fanart about Vanity Smurf's sexuality. It seems like a trend or fantasy that people are wishing for. Just like a dream. But Vanity Smurf is not homosexual because by proof, he has already expressed heterosexual preferences in the Smurf cartoon. Especially during the Mr. Smurf competitions over Smurfette. Vanity is not what he may seem to some. As usual, the majority of individuals misjudge him as 'gay' just because of his effeminate style of dress and voice. Fashion and sexuality are not the same thing. Don't people understand he is actually a dandy-type man with an occasional interest in Smurfette? Well I do. Never have I thought he was gay nor a sin. I understand he is just as straight as the other smurfs by truth. Besides, people's meaningless rumors of him never get to me anyway because they don't understand the real Vanity Smurf like I do! This is the end of my analysis.

Final thoughts- As soon as I officially fell in love with Vanity Smurf, I'm always going to stay forever in love with him because he's always been a part of the real me. What's more, I'll keep celebrating Madonna's powerful gospel anthem for my beloved Vanity from my own heart.

Amen☀️🪽☁️

[1016anon]

Title: Eros & Psyche AU Author: 1016anon Fandom: Bridgerton Pairing: Anthony Bridgerton/Kathani Sharma Summary: Enter Themis, the goddess of divine justice

-2-

Themis took in the desperate countenance of Viscount Eros and sighed.

"You know I'm the goddess of divine justice, not the goddess of divine loopholes."

She knew the situation was dire when Anthony didn't immediately come back with a scathing retort.

"There is nothing about this myth that can be construed as just," he said, voice hollow.

"You'd better come in."

Siena closed the door behind her. She studied Anthony's retreating back.

He had changed drastically since their affair centuries ago. She hadn't been the goddess of divine law and order then, instead wearing the mantle of Melpomene. It had seemed appropriate– even romantic– at the time. The muse of tragedy fit in nicely with her stint as an opera singer and she thought she'd known what she was getting into taking the role: Marina had warned her that the muse of tragedy had to experience tragedy in order to give artists divine inspiration.

Siena shook her head at her utter naivete. She and Anthony hadn't parted on amicable terms, to say the least. After the mess he'd left her with, she'd spent the better part of a century inspiring all kinds of tragic operas, though La Traviata had been a little too on the nose. Now here they were, with a functional working relationship and the great Viscount Eros seeking her help.

Back when she had been nursing her heartbreak– and she had nursed it a long, long time– she thought she'd enjoy seeing him like this, brought low by his own myth and suffering in the same way he'd made her suffer. Siena never claimed tragedy was rational; just because she had been the muse of tragedy and knew she had to go through a tragedy herself didn't mean she couldn't hold her particular tragedy against him. She had honestly thought the tragedy would involve more wars and betrayals by so-called friends. Instead, she got Anthony.

Now, as the goddess of divine justice, all she felt was sympathy for him. If there was anything justice understood, it was this: Love is not fair. The House of Eros thought they were facilitating happy love matches. Siena saw the flip side. They were called crimes of passion for a reason.

Part of her still wanted to deny him any hope of mercy. And she would have, if it had not been for the woman caught on the other end. Psyche– Kathani– was innocent. She hadn't asked for any of this, only happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. The crime she'd committed was to be the sister of a girl Aphrodite hated, and then had her life manipulated by Fates who'd gotten bored and wanted entertainment.

She led him into her enormous library full of scrolls and tomes. It contained the entire body of written, spoken, and common law ever created in the history of the Greco-Roman pantheon, in addition to compendiums upon compilations upon encyclopedias of inter-theistic treaties.

"This is nice," Anthony frowned.

He'd only ever seen Siena in the context of the opera and stage. Seeing her in a cavernous, quiet library of neatly bound law dictionaries and reference books gave him vertigo. The playfulness and passion (and petulance) she embodied during her tenure as Melpomene was nowhere to be found; instead, he was faced with a woman whose words contained no artifice, only a frank appraisal of the circumstances.

To say she had changed was an understatement. Anthony could not imagine a domain further from 'tragedy' than 'divine justice.' They were not even opposites which existed on the same pole– they were entirely skew.

However, he couldn't say he was entirely surprised by her new role. Siena was the one who'd ended their affair and cut him loose rather than keep them on the tragic path of lovers destined for destruction. There was a sense of fairness and balance to her ejecting Anthony so completely, excising him like gangrene.

She didn't bother telling him to take a seat– by the end of their conversation, Anthony would probably have paced the distance from Argos to the moon. Instead, she opened the scroll containing the tenets of myth making.

"The good news is: there are a few ways to stop the myth."

Anthony scowled.

"I would have preferred you start with the bad news."

Siena shrugged.

The furrow of Anthony's brow only deepened and the well he'd been digging in the recesses of his heart hit bedrock.

"The bad news is, you were right. The myth is as much your formative myth as it is hers. She has to go through it to become Psyche."

"I don't need her to be Psyche, I just need her to be safe."

"As noble as that is, I don't think you're going to like any of your options."

"I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much," he snapped at her.

She gave him an unimpressed look.

"Apologies. I'm just–"

"You can relinquish your role as viscount and name your brother as your heir. Sophie will go through the trials instead."

"She's already immortal."

"Yes, but she's not a major goddess of the pantheon. However, knowing House Aphrodite and Cressida," she made a face.

"What?"

"Cressida will probably take Sophie's immortality as permission to make the trials worse."

Anthony dragged his hand over his face in frustration.

"Does she have nothing else to do but devise ways to torture others?"

Siena snorted.

"Anthony, beauty is torture. There's no other way to explain the invention of corsets."

"I had absolutely no hand in that," he said, feeling defensive. Stories of love were always so tangled up with ideals of beauty, as though it wasn't possible for the plain and poor to fall in love. On the heels of that thought was another.

"Does the myth always pick up where it left off?"

"Sometimes, sometimes not. I don't see why it wouldn't for Benedict and Sophie." Siena began counting off the points. "They're in love, they had a tumultuous beginning which began with hidden identities, she had jealous sisters–"

"Stepsisters, and those are all extremely broad strokes. If it's not enough, he'll have to start from the beginning."

"It's a risk," she acknowledged. "None of your options are without risk or loss. Benedict might prick himself on an arrow one day and fall out of love, or Cressida might torture Sophie to the point of madness. Both are possible outcomes if he's named Viscount Eros."

"Absolutely not. Neither of those are acceptable risks."

"Very well. Your second option: Kathani can go to India and seek asylum. The Hindu deities will protect her– she'll be safe from extradition."

"They'd be willing to do that? Is there precedent for this?"

"They'll agree to her request immediately and welcome her with open arms. As for precedent, pantheons used to grant asylum all the time."

"You say that as though it was a common occurrence."

Siena smiled at him, utterly amused. Love looked good on him.

It also looked silly on him, because had he stopped for a moment, drawn on his knowledge of the pantheon's history, and thought it through, he would have been able to guess why seeking asylum had once been so common.

However, she decided to go easy on him, just this once. He had already taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, and the tension of his shoulders was testament to the hours he'd spent trying to devise a solution instead of enjoying what little time he had left with Kathani.

"It was a common occurrence a few millennia ago. All those women fleeing Zeus– where exactly do you think they were trying to go?"

"What."

"Before the Conversion Convention and Treaty of Transformation, asylum and protection against extradition didn't apply to animals. The House of Zeus liked to transform their runaway 'lovers' into animals to exploit that loophole. They were able to traffic hundreds of humans back to Greco-Roman jurisdiction using that argument. The House of Hera was also fond of that loophole, come to think."

"And both houses wonder why everyone hates them," the muscle in Anthony's jaw tensed, then relaxed. "Then it's settled. I'll have to discuss it with her, but I think it best if we ask for asylum, and I'll–"

"We? As in, you and Kathani?"

"Yes. Is there an issue with that?"

Something gripped Siena, a feeling too familiar from her days as Melpomene.

Because at heart, no matter the variations and turns the narrative took, the story of Eros and Psyche was not one they could control. Every part of the story depended on the caprice and character of other gods. It was Anthony and Kathani's misfortune that this Aphrodite, unlike the Twelfth Countess, was out for blood.

It was a twist of fate, a tragedy in the truest sense that Anthony and Kathani were not even the people who had originally offended Cressida. Her ire grew when Viscount Eros did he best to stave off the story, but her real grudge was against the absentee Marquis of Ares– both the first and second sons had spurned her.

Love is not kind. Justice is not mercy.

And sometimes the greatest tragedies took the shape of comedies, because they are the same thing. What is a comedy of errors but a tragedy with a happy ending?

"Anthony," Siena said, voice careful, but not gentle. "Only Kathani can seek asylum, and she would be seeking asylum from you. Once they take her in, you'll never see her again."

"I don't understand," he frowned. "What are you saying?"

"As long as you're with her and remain Viscount Eros, the myth of Psyche will follow her. To escape the myth, she has to be protected from you, because your formative myths are intertwined."

"No, we want protection from the myth. That is the entire point. I don't– we don't want to be separated."

"Your position as Eros will remain unchanged, and so will your myth. Asylum only arrests the progress of your stories, it doesn't end them. You won't be allowed to visit her."

"How is this option any different from the first? You're saying that in order to be with her at all, I have to relinquish my title."

"They are different. In the first, you keep her, but not the title. In the second, you keep the title, but not her."

"In the first, my brother takes my place and is doomed to the same fate!"

"Your third option is to become mortal."

Anthony stared at her.

"If I'm not going to hand the viscountcy over to Benedict, why would I even entertain the notion of becoming mortal?"

"In all three scenarios, Kathani will remain mortal. She only gains immortality by becoming Psyche."

"So I'm to choose between watching her fade away to become a shade in the Underworld, or join the shades myself."

Siena met his eyes, steel and tall.

"Yes."

Anthony collapsed into a chair, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands.

Something about Siena's tone of voice, the absolute and implacable confirmation that there were no loopholes he could use to spare Kathani the pain, that echoing timbre of certainty which contained no mercy– something about it made Anthony's shoulders shake and he forced himself to keep breathing.

"Anthony," she said quietly.

He sat up, brought his hands down. Remained silent and stared at the floor, jaw clenched and barely breathing.

"I say this as the former Melpomene, and your friend."

Anthony tensed, as if waiting to be struck.

"The tortures of Aphrodite are terrible, but that's not what will hurt you and Kathani most. The impossible tasks, the whips of the furies, the Underworld and a sibling's jealousy aren't what you and Kathani truly fear, are they."

"If you already know the answer, why do you bother asking," he said, voice strained and flat.

"Do not run away from this, Viscount Eros," her voice rang out.

It seemed to echo through the library, as though she had laid down a new edict.  Perhaps she had; perhaps it went something like:  The Ninth Viscount Eros should stop chasing answers which did not exist.  He was not the first, nor would he be the last, who sought to circumvent his formative myth.

What Siena understood from her days as Melpomene, inspiring stories and bringing them to life on stage, was that Anthony did not form the myth– he was an actor following a long tradition of deities.  That was the point.

Eros did not make the myth any more than the soprano wrote the opera.  The myth made Eros.  Gods did not have the power to rewrite the stories which defined them.  They could offer new interpretations, each put a new spin, and they always did.

However, at the end of the day, it was Anthony's choice to continue playing the part.  And where an Eros is made, there must always be a Psyche.  The god of erotic love could not be said to truly embody the ideal until he experienced and lived that love.

"Themis," he said, looking at the middle distance. "I can bear the knowledge that she'll fall to Stygian sleep because I know I'll be the one to wake her. I can live with the knowledge that I'll make a devil's deal with the Duke of Zeus in exchange for her immortality. I can even withstand the betrayal.

"What I cannot bear–"

His voice shook. Eros stared down at his hands, refusing to admit the sting in his eyes.

"What I cannot bear is knowing– is watching– her go through the trials and endure that pain and desolation–

"Knowing that she could walk away at any moment, but that she chooses not to– knowing she'll choose again and again to stay. After every impossible task, she'll stay,

"Because she loves me."

"How can I– how can anyone withstand–"

Tears fell when he closed his eyes.

"It's easy to offer proof of love to someone," he said quietly. "It's simple to suffer for the sake of it. My formative myth isn't unbearable because I fell in love with her. It's not unbearable because she fell in love with me.

"It's unbearable because she'll prove she loves me beyond a shadow of a doubt– and I can do nothing but witness."

[enavant]

5 n 12 for the ship meme ok ok

━━ ❥❥❥ SHIPPING QUESTIONS ━━ accepting !!

❥ 5. how easily does your muse fall in love?

♡ falling in love i think is subjective, she's quite enamoured with the idea of love && does crave it. yet she is demiromantic more often than not in all honesty. she has to connect with someone in a deeper way to actually form the attachments where love is concerned, otherwise it isn't something that could really be called love. it's why she's had many exes && none that quite stuck in her younger years before her change && she tended to end up in that vicious cycle of returning to exes because it's both what she knew was available && what she genuinely thinks she's deserving of && why she has a weakness to being whisked right back to any exes she may have no matter how they treated her because it's something knowable at least.

she is much easier to fall into feelings of lust && her initial thoughts on ( mostly ) anyone who shows any inclinations of romantic affections her way is that it is simply lust on their part as well, due to several insecurities on her part but especially where she believes she is simply only wanted for her body && not her soul or entirety. shallow attachments are just easier to begin but she wouldn't call those kinds of attachments love or that she is in love. she can also be quite oblivious, being the type that if someone takes her on a date && is not blunt with their intentions she simply takes it as a friendly outing instead. she can, however, form crushes at times yet often she doesn't know they are crushes, she just lavishes with love where she believes she just feels comfortable && close to someone.

it takes a bit for her, actually, to realise she may actually be in love with someone && she does not recognise it often right away, she generally has that moment of 'oh...fuck...i love this person' that crashes into her so suddenly && knocks the breath out of her && incapacitates her, then she is entirely theirs && gives them every piece of her she can. && then incomes her insecurities until it's made known her feelings are returned in some way.

♡ aphrodite is less harsh about love especially where insecurities are concerned but she's also genuinely extremely vein && confident where j'isu's vanity && confidence is entirely a facade she uses to hide everything she's insecure about. she is very confident in assuming everyone is some level of enamoured with her, the opposite of j'isu. aphrodite also is completely enamoured with the idea of love as an entire concept in all forms. she craves it fully but is still also demiromantic because she needs to know someone deeply before or have a bonding moment for her to realise it is love in its truest form. she is, however, much easier than j'isu to fall for others && form little crushes, whether she acts on them or not is another story. she is not immune to grand displays in her honour being a catalyst for intense feelings on her behalf though, as she is very quick to feel something to someone who can show her these sort of gestures, i.e. stepping in && saving her etc. she really does love grand gestures much more than j'isu does but both have a weakness to someone caring so deeply about them they'd be willing to step in harms way or give parts of themselves in other ways they are just both incredibly weak to it for different reasons.

aphrodite does, however, end up putting her love of love more into other peoples' lives as well, tending to matchmake the people around her whether they like it or not && she just loves being a nuisance && getting involved in peoples' love lives && listening to silly gossip. she's one to make it quite known as well if she's in a relationship she isn't invested in or the love is not there if put into an arrangement, though j'isu on the other hand would simply hide her distaste && attempt to make it work. both are much more open && willing toward lustful relationships especially to start, since it IS easier for both of them. yet both, however, also do not feel as much in those type of relationships especially where sexual situations are concerned, because they both still feel more from deeper connections in general. && aphrodite has a bad tendency for apathy for people she just Does Not care about or like;; j'isu is more polite but also had that bad tendency toward apathy when she was young before she started her path to change.

❥ 12. what is your muse’s love language? ( answered already but i'll just copy paste for ease n added some extra )

♡ in a way, it's little pieces of all of them. though at the forefront in a strong degree is physical touch, quality time && gift giving.

when she loves someone whether romantic or platonic, she tends to become physically closer to them, offering soothing in the form of hugs or gentle pats on their head, warmth where there may be none that could heal even just a little. it's even in tiny subtle things like a hand on their forearm, leaning against them softly, simply being in their personal bubble. && spending time with those she cares for is a very big must for her, she can't help herself from trying to make sure they feel needed && important && also rather enjoys speaking it to them aloud, lavishing those she loves with praise && reminding them how loved && wonderful they are whenever she is able.

&& if you are close to her, you are certainly not safe from receiving handmade gifts, flowers from her own garden, little trinkets or items she finds along her journeys that reminds her of you or she thinks you may find useful, etc. she thinks quite a bit about the people she loves, especially those she has deep romantic bonds to, they are quite always on her mind in this case && she does tend to show that in little ways.

she tends to give quite a lot of attention && love when she is in a relationship as well && perhaps it's just her giving out the love she has always craved for herself in a way.

♡ aphrodite has the same love languages, in my eyes she felt so strongly about love that it absolutely was written into her soul && extended to every shard of hers that it could possibly render itself on. love in all forms, love for the star, love for her people, love for herself && her loved ones. so j'isu exhibits similar gestures as aphrodite would && a similar warmth && passion in displaying them as well. they both simply want everyone they care for to know they are extremely loved && safe && cared for no matter what.