#Au where Astyanax lives

[app1es0uce]

Okay-

Here’s my thing about baby Astyanax adoption,

I feel like he wouldn’t get revenge.

If they told him young, he wouldn’t understand the seriousness. And as he grows older, they can teach him how to handle his emotions, anger, confusion and conflicting feelings better and not irrationally, so I don’t think he’d murder.

If they told him when he was older and an adult and explained themselves, I feel like he would understand the seriousness of it, but could understand and respect the decision. Especially if he grows old enough to have a child himself, I feel like he could sympathize with them.

If they explained it to him when he was a teen, I feel he would’ve been conflicted, but not mad enough to murder. And if they explained themselves, sure he wouldn’t be happy, but also, not murder. That’s when he’d probably run away, be more rebellious, talk back and definitely use the “you’re not my real dad” line a lot, but I don’t think he would be able to get himself to murder. 

The thought would definitely cross his mind. I think he’d argue with himself to do something and get revenge for his real parents, but emotionally, Hector and Andromache are strangers to him.

The thing is, Astyanax wouldn’t know who Hector or Andromache are, he would only be able to understand who they are and what they should mean to him, but there wouldn’t be any actual connection.

These strangers who are his parents were killed by the person he’s actually formed a bond with and sees as an actual father figure.

Also Odysseus killed them, not just for fun, but for a reason and he even defied the gods wishes to kill him for him.

[sarafangirlart]

[koruga]

Ahh, ah. Something something Astyanax Lives AU, due to having a child on board Odysseus avoids most of the obstacles and doesn't let his pride get the better of him, but he, as he says, makes sure Astyanax's past is never known. He raises that boy like his own son, and takes care of him just like Telemachus, brother and brother. Lie to him, fudge the dates of his birth, make him feel like he's never even left Ithaca before.

And then he goes with his brother Telemachus on a diplomatic trip to Phthia, and sees Neoptolemus's concubine, an older woman named Andromache. And he's seen those eyes before, looking back at him in deep water or through shining bronze. Her skin is the same beautiful brown as his, so different from his father's pale, sun-worn wrinkles and his mother's water-like sheen. She looks at him with an ache in her heart, and he tries to reach out to him before his brother pulls him away, and tells him it's bad form to try and touch a king's concubine.

So he goes home, and he's quiet -- he's usually quiet, he's not a rambunctious child. He learned how to stay silent as an infant, used to the clanging of metal and the fear of his mother some strange thing that his room might be stolen into. His brother barely notices anything wrong, but his father and mother look at him -- they know something's changed, and so does he.

Because that is not his father, and he's already seen his mother. And what sort of monster would take a child from his cradle and lie to him his whole life?

[kittenscookie]

I don't like Astyanax Lives AUs where Astyanax kills Odysseus with his own hands because it feels way too straight forward to me. But you know what would make it better? If he's absolutely crushed by guilt and regret right after.

If he looked into Odysseus' eyes and expected to see fear, anger, hatred. But instead all he sees is acceptance (and maybe understanding) as the man gives him a sad smile. And in that moment Astyanax doesn't see the monster—the saxer of troy—he sees the man. The man that showed him how to do the laces on his sandals, who taught him to read, write and sail, who comforted him when Zeus threw lightning and thunder upon their shores, who would squish his cheeks between in his hands and give a hearty laugh as the boy complained—

"Papaaaa!"

He sees the man who defied the gods' will for him and in that moment realizes that none of it was a lie—Odysseus loved him. His father loved him, his father's blood is on his hands. And all Astyanax can do is fall to his knees, sobbing out apologies as he cradles the man who even though weak and dying brings a hand up to cup his cheek and shush him. Comforting him like he once did when he was but a boy who couldn't even reach his father chest.

"My boy, my son don't cry. It is okay, it will be alright"

But Astyanax sobs only persist, for he knows it will never be alright. Because unlike his father, he was too weak to deny the gods their bloodshed.

[nonbinarylocalcryptid]

*rubbing my hands with mischief* guess who found an incorrect quotes generator

So here is a compilation of incorrect quotes from the Astyanax lives/daddy Odysseus AU

Odysseus: Once Astyanax thanked me and I couldn’t decide between “No problem!” and “No worries!” so I yelled “No worms!” to them as they walked away.

--

Astyanax, smol, facing a threat: I am in charge of this disaster!

Odysseus: I have a name, you know.

Astyanax, smol, a little shit: Polyphemus knows

Odysseus: ...

The threat: HAHAHAHAHA

--

Astyanax: Hey Odysseus, can I get some ice-cream?

Odysseus: Only a spoonful!

Astyanax: *Proceeds to pull out a comically large spoon.*

Odysseus: ...

Odysseus, tearing up: that's my boy

--

Astyanax, looking at Odysseus: Okay, so I need to become a therapist faster.

Odysseus: I hEaR tHaT

--

Astyanax when he's told about the whole horse thing, looking at Odysseus: What doesn't kill me better start running, because now I'm fucking pissed.

--

Astyanax, at Odysseus: Of course you have blood all over you, and pronouns.

Odysseus: I use he/him pronouns...?

Astyanax: FOR THE LAST TIME, EVERYONE HAS PRONOUNS...

--

Astyanax: But when all hope seemed lost, I had an epiphany!

Astyanax, earlier while Odysseus was messing up (again): I'm going to throw myself into the sea.

--

Astyanax "I was raised by Odysseus what did you expect" of Troy: I don’t know the first thing about clothes. Pretty much all I can do is look at something and tell you if it’s clothes or not. This chair? Not clothes. That barrel? Not clothes. That middle-aged man who invaded Troy? Not clothes.

--

Astyanax: Wow, great work on the Halloween decorations. Where did you get the fake skeletons?

Odysseus: Fake?

Astyanax: ...

--

Odysseus: We'll talk about this later.

Astyanax: Fine, I won’t be listening.

--

Odysseus: I will beat all of you in Rock, Paper, Scissors. You go first.

Astyanax: Rock.

Odysseus: Paper.

Astyanax: ...

Odysseus: First rule, never trust anybody

--

Astyanax: I am going to need you to swear-

Odysseus: Fuck.

Astyanax:

Astyanax: ...swear as in promise.

--

Astyanax: Don't have a bookmark? Try ketchup instead!!

Odysseus: What makes you think I read?

Astyanax: ...right, my mistake, that explains a lot of things.

Odysseus: now I'm offended

Astyanax: like the time I was offended by a wooden horse?

Odysseus: ...

--

Odysseus: So, I've been thinking Astyanax-

Astyanax, young but tired of this bs: That's dangerous.

--

Odysseus: Damn, the power went out.

Astyanax: Don’t worry, I got this.

Astyanax: *stomps foot*

Odysseus: What-?

Astyanax: *Sketchers light up*

--

Odysseus: Hoodie pockets are so great. I can fit like three sandwiches and a grenade in there and my hands are still warm.

Astyanax, looking at the sea: I wish Poseidon would take me now

--

Odysseus: The joy of hanging out with Astyanax. You look away for 5 seconds to make sure something is set up correctly, and he bites the tip of a marker off.

--

Odysseus: I should have left you on that street corner where you were standing

Astyanax: bUt YoU dIdN't

--

Astyanax: Odysseus, when’s your birthday?

Odysseus "I'm still thinking about the infant from that night" of Ithaca: Why? So you can look up my natal chart? So you can figure out my weaknesses? So you can destroy me?

Astyanax: …So I know when to wish you a happy birthday.

Have some Odysseus and Hermes, as a treat:

Odysseus: Hi, I'm Hermes's emergency contact.

Counter Woman: You're here to pick him up?

Odysseus: I'm here to remove myself as his emergency contact.

[maruyaaya]

SO GLAD UR A NEOPTOLEMUS ENJOYER NOW he’s so cutesie just a lil guy really he’s just a little guy who also happens to commit a lot of murder <3 its part of his charm <3

you mentioned his palms being scarred AND THERE IS A SCENE WHERE TELEMACHUS NOTICES AND HE WRAPS NEO’S HANDS FOR HIM and it’s all very soft and sweet

i love my boys sm they make me so upset

YES LMFAO they’re kinda the meme where they’re both looking at each other like “i am the only normal person in this room” they want to study each other they fundamentally don’t understand each other but that’s what makes them work so well!! they see in each other what they can’t see in themselves

talking about my neoptolemus/telemachus wip bc idk how to shut the fuck up!!!

SO the dynamic between neoptolemus and telemachus in my wip is essentially that neoptolemus is in love with telemachus from their first meeting, but he’s convinced that telemachus is too good for him and that he destroys everything he touches so he masks that with cruelty and pretends that he hates telemachus. telemachus is at first, drawn to neo and really likes him, but then neo starts being cruel in his attempts to push telemachus away and that gets telemachus to genuinely hate neo. it’s like a one-sided enemies to lovers. neo wants really badly to hate telemachus, but he can’t find it in him to not love this boy who he thinks shines like the sun. telemachus, on the other hand, just hates neo and he blames neo for ruining this friendship that they could have had.

their relationship basically flips back and forth between neo saying some unintentionally soft shit and when telemachus is like “what” neo just immediately says “but you’re also a weak dumbass so. fuck you.” neo is such a girlfailure in this fic he doesn’t know how to handle emotions AT ALL. he’s grown very special to me in the course of writing this fic which is very funny bc prior to starting this fic, i actually did not care for neo in the slightest before i started writing this fic. i only cared abt him as an extension to achilles bc achilles is my fav greek mythology figure ever. THEN AGAINST ALL ODDS, neo charmed me while writing this fic. like these are some tweets from my priv twt where you can see me progress from not caring at all abt neo to seeing him as my little babygirl son

so yes, i was charmed by my socially awkward son neoptolemus. he’s such a little freak. my favourite headcanon is that maybe in another less angsty fic than the one i’m writing rn, neo wants to flirt with telemachus and bc he’s emotionally inept like his father, he decides the best way to do that is to ask telemachus to spar with him and bc he hates losing, he goes all out and beats telemachus up. it’s like

neo, internally, after punching telemachus in the face: yes, our courtship is progressing magnificently

telemachus, clutching his bloody nose, trying to figure out why neo hates him:

LIKE THEYRE SO FUNNY TO ME!! i love them sm.

but anyways back to the specifics of my fic. they don’t get to be quite as silly in my fic. essentially what happens is that neo hears of odysseus returning to ithaca and decides to visit. there, he meets telemachus and is immediately charmed because he’s such a little loser. telemachus invites neo back to the palace for dinner and neo ends up getting in an argument with odysseus that ends with him going “I WILL TRAIN TELEMACHUS.” and odysseus does not want that to happen so ofc, telemachus says he wants neo to train him.

and the plotline is basically neo and telemachus’ relationship progressing as neo trains telemachus. it’s full of a lot of really sexually charged sparring and angry arguments.

some of you may be wondering why i refer to neoptolemus as neoptolemus always and not pyrrhus even though pyrrhus is his original name. well in my head, pyrrhus is the name that he’s given at birth by deidamia and neoptolemus is the name he takes up when he goes to war because he feels like he’s become a different person. neo struggling between his two names is actually going to be quite a plot point in this fic

because this fic is just as much a character study of neoptolemus as it is a ship fic between neo and telemachus. i spend a lot of time exploring his relationship with his parents and also his relationship with odysseus. it’s neo’s desire to piss off odysseus in the first place that gets him to stay in ithaca with telemachus. i really want to spend a lot of time exploring neo as a character bc so often, people write him as just being needlessly cruel, but i feel like it’s important to remember that he was just a kid when he was brought into war. he has this legacy from achilles that he needs to live up to, but he’s never even met achilles and how are you supposed to live up to the legacy of the greatest of the greeks? how would it ever be possible to make someone like achilles proud? neo’s grappling with his self-worth and identity a lot during this fic.

so far this fic is about 22k words and it’s very special to me. in the vision i’ve created in my head, we’re about 1/4 done but i make no promises because you all know me and how awful i am at sticking to the word counts that i imagine. it could be much shorter, it could be much longer. i don’t make plans. i just sit down in front of my google docs and bleed.

i’ve also been making plans for a little modern au neo/telemachus fic BECAUSEEE i really want to write that little neo and achilles exchange that i mentioned in my last post abt neomachus (teleneo? idk what their ship name is but i like calling them neomachus). my vice is creating wips and never finishing them tho so idk when (or if) i’ll write that modern au.

i guess i’ll end this little infodump off with some fun exchanges between neo and telemachus that i really like in this fic. they’re just so special to me <3

i will absolutely talk abt this fic more in the future as i continue writing bc im so obsessed with it rn. i will do my best to finish it asap but every time i think more about it, it gets longer.

(ALSO the title of the fic is “someday i know you’ll come to your senses” which comes from the song senses by mico who is, yes, the guy who plays telemachus in epic the musical. what can i say? i like it when things come full circle (it’s also a really fucking good song. everyone stream internet hometown hero by mico))

(none of these excerpts are edited or anything btw. if there are any typos please keep that to yourself or i might die of embarrassment)

[weareallgonnaliveforawhile]

In an AU where Astyanx lives, Eurylochus would have a much bigger role in taking care of him than people think.

Personally?

Eurylochus is the second in command on a ship that's full of men doing their best to go home. That is to say, Odysseus would be very busy whether he wanted to be or not. In an au where Astyanax's identity is being hidden, then there's the thing of Ody can NOT be hiding in his room constantly raising this kid because if he is, then the rest of the men don't know where the fuck he is. If his identity isn't being hidden, then it'll still fall to Eury to do a decent amount of child rearing as one of the people Ody trusts most in the world.

After the ocean saga, I imagine Eury tries to make up for the fact he nearly got all of the men killed and latches onto Astyanax a bit tighter. Him being willing to leave behind the pig men on Circe's island was him being like 'Yeah, I don't think it's possible to save them, let's get the fuck out of here' just like in canon with the only change being him tightly clutching onto Astyanax while this is happening.

If Astyanax was somehow turned into a pig then I imagine during the entire conversation Eury is holding onto this tiny piglet for dear life and treating any stray animal or plant for that matter as if it's gonna kill the baby.

Narratively?

Eurylochus is the voice of the crew and the representation of Odysseus's humanity. He's willing to sacrifice men at the start when Ody isn't and that's something that swaps further into the musical (I will go on a whole rant about Eury being Odysseus's humanity, the thing that makes him human). All of this is to say that as Odysseus gets crueler with his morals, Eurylochus gets kinder. Where he'd once be fine with sacrificing someone else if it meant more got to live, he becomes aghast at the thought of killing one of the men that's fought so long to go home.

This is seen in his treatment of Astyanx. If he was brash to the kid at first, he becomes softer, caring. Maybe he sits with him and tells him stories of the war. When Odysseus is charting out his maps or having an episode (which is to be expected on a ship full of war veterans), he sits beside Astyanx. Maybe they talk and maybe they don't. But it's VERY important that they get closer. Close enough that on a ship where traditional family dynamics get skewed very fast, since it's entirely full of traumatized middle-aged men who have questionable ideas on how to interact with kids, Eurylochus becomes almost a second dad of sorts. It takes a village, after all, and some villagers get closer to the child than others.

During Mutiny, Eurylochus is the voice of the crew. And the crew is starving. Not just hungry, but a true type of starving that eats at your stomach and blurs your vision until you know nothing but the desperation of needing to eat. It'd be worse than in canon. Eurylochus would give any last rations he had to Astyanax. Not just because he'd do that as a person at this time. But because it'd parallel Odysseus in a sense. Ody let other people hurt so he could get home, so he could live (not saying this is a bad thing, just saying this is what he did) and Eurylochus let someone else take something they needed despite the fact that he would hurt, that if he didn't eat the ration he might not get home (at least to his hunger ailed brain). So yeah, I don't imagine Astyanax would be visible for Mutiny because Eury would've had him tucked away somewhere. Why force the boy to watch his uncle father Eurylochus betray his father?

Either way, long story short, Eurylochus would be a central part in Astyanax's life. From a reluctant uncle, to a protective uncle to a peusdo second father to a ghost, he is a very important figure in Astyanax's life that can't be underestimated.

[k3lerse]

Astyanax, Lord of the City.

Hmm revenge time! Au where Astyanax lives design.

[ambafaerie]

Astyanax Lives AU but Psychological Horror where the boy slowly realizes the man who raised him was one of the main perpetrators of your real family’s downfall and grapple with what he must do with this knowledge.

Astyanax grows up loved and cared for but there is just something amiss he feels but he can’t quite put a finger on it. He has dreams of people whose faces he can’t quite remember but their voices are soothing and brings an ache to his heart. He is comfortable in Ithaca but it doesn’t feel like a home to him. Who knows how he discovers the truth of his origins but it must be from insisting on digging answers until the reveal hits him like rocks in the face.

Oh Odysseus the cunning man who protected and raised you whom you believed your whole life is your father? He was responsible for the destruction of your kingdom and nearly murdered you as a baby. What if he waited all this time to finish the job when you are older, Astyanax?

Then there is Penelope the kind and wise mother who taught you so many important things? She is the loyal wife of the man who enslaved your family so who is to say she won’t turn her back on you, Astyanax?

And what about Telemachus the sweet brave older brother you always looked up to? He is the same son who assisted his father - the same man who destroyed the city of your birthright - in killing his enemies. What if he betrayed you for the sake of his real family, Astyanax?

Oh but how could we forget the Gods - the same gods you worshipped and paid tribute to with your “family.” Some of them approved of the destruction of Troy and your family’s death and enslavement and even fought to ensure it. What if they assist again in murdering you this time or even plotted the whole sequence of events leading up to you discovering the truth.

Astyanax’s entire worldview is shattered. He can never see his family the same way again and questions if they even loved him at all, looking back at all the moments of happiness he shared with them now with doubt. Now he must decide if he must kill them to avenge his real family and avoid being killed by them first or decide to make peace and regard them as his family (messed up) or flee and search for his still living family members like Andromache and reunite with them.

[restlesskeychains]

The ideal astyanax lives au is where Andromache actually listens to Cassandra and starts to believes her after she prophecies the death of her husband and it actually comes true. She would then go and ask her what will come of the rest of them and she sings the fates of the rest of Troy. Griped by fear, she collects her son and things for the road and escapes Troy (somehow) and IDEALLY she ends up on Ithaca and like, Penelope sees her and takes pity on her, and then Telemachus and Astyanax become brothers and it’s really cute

[epicblenderartiste]

An Astyanax lives AU. From the dnd campaign, where Odysseus and Polites got lost in Priam's palace for like an hour after deciding not to drop the baby off a wall.

[scyllaenjoyer]

Au where Astyanax lives but Odysseus also takes Cassandra with him so now he has lots of uncomfortable questions to answer

[dootznbootz]

I'm not very fond of Epic AUs where Odysseus adopts Astyanax.

It's fine for a one-off joke or comic and ofc this is just my opinion but... if Astyanax lives (like in Racine's play), he should always stay with Andromache. His actual mother, yk. Not with one of the men who sacked Troy. Zeus' prophecy is bound to happen and Odysseus knew keeping the infant around was a bad idea.

If Astyanax dies, I want to see him in Elysium with his father, finally in a peaceful place and having all of eternity to catch up. Then Andromache joins them (sending her to Asphodel would be too cruel) and they finally reunite.

Would anyone picture Neoptolemus adopting Astyanax ? The son of Achilles, who dragged Hector's body in a chariot. No ? So Achilles' associate doing the same would be weird.

And Odysseus ? I want him CRAVING for a son, waiting for so long until he can express his paternal affection (and always cursing Palamedes even after his revenge 😂).

Him meeting Telemachus all grown up should be his first real shot at fatherhood. It'd be underwhelming if he already had a little boy with him. If Telemachus has a little brother, Penelope should be the mother. Or they adopt another baby together afterwards. No Astyanax and ESPECIALLY NO TELEGONUS !

So yeah, imo Astyanax and Odysseus don't belong with each other. Any thought ?

Headsup: This is just an opinion. My opinion does not matter. If you like this AU, PLEASE don't let that stop you from creating! Just because it's not for me, doesn't mean it's not for you or for someone else :D

I absolutely agree and you absolutely put into words WHY.

There's the term "woobifying" and in some cases...I think that's what people just often do with Epic/The Odyssey. (especially from Epic) I'm saying as someone who is a very soft and fluffy person. I love soft and sweet fics and ideas. I love stuff that makes me smile. But I almost feel as though with certain soft things, you're taking away what makes characters who they are. which DOESN'T make me smile lol

like I think there's more fun in simply a "no-war AU" than the "Astyanax lives AU" xD like, that way, Odysseus is with his family, gets to be a dad, Astyanax gets to live (let's not think too hard about how "no war may have meant no Astayanax")

As that way, they still get to be in character as well.

Penelope and Odysseus for example, are scallywags lol. They scheme and swindle. They giggle and kick their feet when they get extra cattle. They hold grudges. They can be snooty and prideful. They're as full of love as they are full of hate. Odysseus, during the Sack of Troy, in both the Odyssey AND Epic, will do whatever it takes to get home. Like yes, in Epic, Jay has it where Odysseus has to "become ruthless" but I can understand what he's doing with the narrative. Odyssey Odysseus? Um...Iphigenia is proof that Odysseus is already ruthless.

Btw, why is Astyanax the only one Odysseus would want to save with these AUs? What about Iphigenia? Is it because of Epic?

Yes, I DO think Odysseus (and Penelope for that matter) have a lot of parental instinct. I plan to write Odysseus carving lil wooden toys for random kids just as something to do. He does tricks. (ngl, while it seems they weren't around in the Mycenaean era, Yo-yos were a thing in ancient Greece. I just KNOW Odysseus would be the type to do so many tricks. (also string and wood🥹)) He has a soft spot for Greater Ajax's boy. My goober was friends with Menelaus and Agamemnon even before he met Penelope (he saw two exiled guys take back their kingdom and thought "hm??? vulnerable state??? They're very rich?? hehe >:3" but then became fond of them. The reason why he went to Sparta was to help Menelaus with Helen but fell in love himself.) and he's carved lil toys for Agamemnon's kids

He's carved lil Iphigenia toys. She likes Dolphins. He still helps sabotage the letter in some myths and even hypes up the crowd.

Even if it IS just based on Epic, "The Horse and The Infant" and "Just a Man" are HUGE turning points for Odysseus. Or even just a show of character. Like yes, "Odysseus is learning ruthlessness" but he already is ruthless. He literally says "I would trade the world to see my son and wife". AND HE STILL DOES THE DEED! HE WAS RUTHLESS SINCE THE BEGINNING! The Second song in the Musical and it already tells you about Odysseus and what he is willing to do. Is he sad and haunted? Yeah. Still did it.

And I really love that as that's Odyssey Odysseus as well! Odysseus isn't an unfeeling violent villain. He's just a man.

Also...What happens in the Odyssey is no fucking place for a child. ;~; The cyclops, the Goddesses, the monsters? Why should a lil boy be anywhere near that? How did he survive while drifting to Ogygia? Does Poseidon try to keep them together? As no one would be in the state to take care of each other together for that many days.

And in general, in the Odyssey, to me, it's such a huge thing that he literally lost EVERYONE. THAT HE IS ALL ALONE. All of the people who were with him are now dead, and there was nothing he could do. It was already fated.

It's horrible but there's something so poetic in him being the "Sole Survivor", especially after all the hell he went through.

Also yeah, I DO really hate the thought of Telemachus knowing "You took care of this baby when I needed you?". Like my OdyPen have a daughter after he returns as the whole "only one son" and that's already really hard for Telemachus to watch Odysseus be a father for her, regardless of how often and how adamantly Odysseus reassures him that Odysseus desperately wished to do the same with him.

[thylionheart]

“Odysseus actually raises Astyanax as his own” AU is so perfect because it changes NOTHING. Odysseus doesn’t kill the Cyclops, not bc he feels grievously guilty for killing the infant, but bc he did save the infant. The crew still loses trust in Odysseus bc bringing the infant son of your enemy you fought 10 years against is an objectively BAD idea. (There are more lives at stake than just this one. You can’t put all of us and our families back home at risk like this because you feel guilty. You didn’t have to kill him, but you could have just left him). And gods help him if he tries to hide it from them first.

Zeus’ prophecy about Astyanax still comes true bc Tiresias’ prophecy HAS TO come true. Regardless if Telegonus would exist in this version, Odysseus will still be killed by a son.

Which, speaking of- the inherent tragedy of being a young kid raised on the ocean by a bunch of disenchanted war veterans, constantly in danger. The only bit of stability you get is the brief year or so with Circe, then the seven years with Calypso. Just the tragedy! Really, from ages 3 to 10, Calypso is the only maternal figure he’s even had. That’s his whole life basically, and then he’s just ripped from all he’s ever known bc his adopted father wants so strongly to get back to his “real” family. And then you get there, to this half-mythologized land of Ithaca and it’s this rocky mountainous place, nothing like the beachy paradise where you grew up. And suddenly there’s this other son: Telemachus, Odysseus’ heir, even tho he’s not the son Odysseus actually raised.

And then. Eventually. Or maybe he’s always known. He finds out his true identity and what Odysseus and the Greeks did to his homeland. Would he feel a connection to them? Would it even matter at this point, he loves Odysseus like the only father he’s ever known. But there’s always this itch in the back of mind. Yes, Odysseus probably trained Astyanax to fight, but he is always wondering, is he teaching Telemachus better, giving him more attention, is he afraid I will try to steal the throne from his “real” son.

GOD FUCK THE POETIC TRAGEDY OF IT ALL

[callisteios]

I’ve had such a strong urge to write an Iliad au where Helen gets turned into a vampire pre Troy but I have actual things to write so that’s probably never happening



My main thoughts:

Menelaus doesn’t know, part of the reason she goes with Paris is the guilt at her hidden identity

Most things stay the same despite what the reader and Helen may think. Vampirism isn’t a cure all for the human condition

Helen scours the battlefields at night to eat, looking for the wounded and slowly dying. Twice over feels the guilt for this war, these men have died for her and now she violates them even in death

Cassandra of course let’s slip she’s seen Helen gorging herself on the blood of Greeks and trojans alike. Everyone thinks it’s a very heavy handed metaphor

The only people she turns in Troy are polyxena and Andromache. This doesn’t stop P’s eventual suicide. Eternal life changes nothing

This means that in all versions Andromache gets to witness first hectors and then astyanax’s death and has to live through whatever comes afterwards

But this time at least she isn’t bound by slavery. She flees from her captors as soon as they’ve left Troy

Helen kills Paris at some point during the war probably - unless Aphrodite stops her - in a gory expression of her repressed hatred of herself taken out on the manifestation of all her bad decisions

She probably kills deiphobus too. Just for fun

during Odysseus’ break in to Troy she offers the curse to him. Him accepting would make the odyssey a fun new thing

[nonbinarylocalcryptid]

Out of all Astyanax Lives AU, I really love your characterization of Astyanax the most. He have just the amount of sass and disobedience that really stands out for him. He really took after Odysseus but even more of a bastard, which is like ridiculous. I also love how genuinely disrespectful he is, in comparison to Odysseus who's probably too tired dealing with force beyond his control, Astyanax is just spite. Also love how he still claims being the son of Hector and the son of Odysseus. I love that you make his relation about his past complicated, typically I see that he's on Odysseus side, he love his dad, but he's a bastard about it I think that's why I love this one particularly. I wonder how his relationship with Telemachus is like, and what would he pursue in adulthood

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad to know you are enjoying it so far :D

To be honest, I started developing Astyanax as a character after writing him in a whim, because child characters are often overlooked or underdeveloped. And then in a mad scientist moment, I added ADHD and sassiness into the mix, keep in mind his circunstances and you get a gifted funny kid who is prone to self reflection. But it's still a kid, but you shouldn't understimate him for that. And it gives an already good story a new sense of freshness.

Btw, it's funny you mentioned it, because I'm currently writing another scene where Astyanax talks about being so self-conscious 😂

About Telemachus...well, I'm still cooking~

BUT as I said in another post, think about it as a Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne dynamic, it's kinda like that.

Have a nice day!