#GAEA LOSES

[ilovemulipulfandoms]

I wonder who?

[nintendoni-art]

Bumblekast Thumbnail for February 14th, 2024!

IMAGINE HAVING AN INTACT PLANET #RIPBOZO #GOTTHATWEREHOGINME

Right, so, I'll admit it was a small gaff that gave us this wonderful thumbnail, but who am I to not exploit the hell out of a-

[soraeia]

Stops walking to just sit down in the grass and rest, hunching over to heave a deep, tired sigh as she tries to recovery from a sudden spell of dizziness. "....More...?"

Quiets a series of coughs into a handkerchief, pulling the cloth away only to notice a stain of blood.

[strongfuck]

✏️ from gaea.

► from this meme.

Rhys: WHOEVER CAUSED THIS MESS IS GOING TO- Gaea: It was me... Rhys: ...Is going to be forgiven because everyone deserves a second chance.

Rhys, looking at his reflection: Now, that's rubbish. Who's that supposed to be? Gaea: Well, that's you. Rhys: Me?! Is that what I look like? Gaea: You don't know? Rhys: Busy day.

Gaea: Life could be worse, Rhys. Rhys: Life could be a lot better too!

Rhys: Well, Gaea and I finally did it! The rest of the squad: *gasps, shocked expressions, etc.* Rhys: That's right... We kissed!

Rhys: I was going to suggest we do Marilyn Monroe and JFK roleplay, but I’d get way too into it. Gaea: What- how? Rhys: You’d be like “come to bed … Mr. President” and I’d be like, “I need to increase the amount of American military advisors in South Vietnam by a factor of 18.”

[paranoid-spotlight-everest]

LITERALLY

your ocs should be friends with mine btw. my ocs told me they want to be friends with yours. theyre too shy to ask so i have to tell you. my ocs are asking your ocs to be friends with them

[pain-is-too-tired]

I still think we would've gotten Jason going absolutely feral and the rest of the seven going wtf???

Like he restrains himself so much without realising it, but when he loses it he's insane.

I fully think he should've been the same level of not stronger than Percy. Like his father is the king of the gods. He's been training for longer.

I would love a scene where he goes crazy and Percy and Piper are like "damn be was holding back even in Kansas-"

Like, a monster or someone they run into on gaea's side hurts one the seven bad/ has them captured and Jason just snaps.

Guy killed a titan, and by gods is he gonna end up showing everyone how gdgdg

Feral Jason my beloved.

Also, feral Jason in terms of Valgrace? Yes.

Leo just having queer panic over watching Jason just merk something and Jason's worried Leo's scared of him now but nope. He's just having a queer awakening fdgdg

He'll get back to you in 4-10 business days Jason don't worry.

[tarragonthedragon]

the way all the different mythologies overlap in riordanverse books just makes me think about how fucking annoyed you would be if you had like literally just finished saving the world from set or whoever and suddenly the graeco-romans lose their storyline and the world falls anyway to gaea

[blondejellykitty]

₊ ♡ ˚⊹ I'll be there on their side ₊ ♡ ˚⊹

୨୧ multi demigod x goddess reader ୨୧ the goddess of heroes and the protector of demigods was thought to be a mere myth and that was how she preferred it to be, until the time came when she could no longer stay away. a/n: (1.8k words) my first fic posted !! the title is from 'i bet on losing dogs' by mitski. the ending isn't exactly how i wanted but that's okay :)

Mortal children are told myths just the same as demigods. Usually mortal parents will tell them said stories to help themselves parent them like Jack Frost, to remember to put your jacket on or Santa Claus who won't show unless you behave well.

Parents of demigods however tell them for the child's benefit. Many legends aren't told but are taught at camp, once again to protect the demigods. Very few stories are able to be told without alerting any unwanted attention.

The entirety of the fall of Kronos from Zeus' beginning to his victory and the story of his earliest children. All revolving around Zeus in his prime, probably to keep himself ego inflated and unfaded.

Nevertheless this is another story that circulates the young ears of all demigods. The legend of the protector of demigods. Much is lost to time of the story but not even time himself can rip the hope that the lost goddess can give to the young heroes.

Very few things shocked the Olympians anymore, not in this century anyway. Of course Kronos and Gaea rising was one thing and Percy Jackson himself was another but the whispers from their children that after two titan wars sightings of their lost protector was becoming more frequent seemed to truly shock them.

After a few millennia of no contact from the goddess more than a few gods had assumed she simply faded quietly but now it seemed that wasn't the case at all.

It started as a mistaken identity.

With the son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson had thought she was nothing more than a helpful nymph.

Although the poison from the pit scorpion that Luke Castellan gave him was more than enough of a reason for Percy to not fully take in the figure in front of him.

He could faintly make out the outline of her dress but even that went blurry as quickly as he could blink. After struggling to get to the river in the middle of the deserted forest, he called for help, anyone's help.

So she answered.

In a daze of pain he recalls the feeling of being carried much like his mother used to do when he’d trip and hurt himself. He would have felt embarrassed but with a fading pulse he just mumbled best he could thanks to the tender nymph before his vision was lost to darkness.

After he’d recovered, Chiron told him if he'd been found any later he'd have been dead.

Thirty seconds, he thought.

After he had told everyone, everyone meaning Annabeth about Luke, he went back out to said woods to find the nymph who had helped him.

All he found was a few river spirits nearby who told him that no nymph went that close to the border that day. He’d made the river spirits promise to let him know if the mysterious nymph came back, she never did.

But nonetheless Percy remembered, and held thanks to the helpful nymph.

Mistaken identity shifted to a hallucination.

The son of Hermes, Travis Stoll had sworn himself to secrecy under the impression he'd have imagined the whole encounter.

An embarrassing thought he often let himself drift back to on more than one occasion. It had started when he and Connor had been setting up traps in the woods for the next capture the flag game.

They'd been out there all afternoon, they decided to turn back for curfew, best to not tempt the harpies when he'd tripped on a lodged rock in the ground and managed to roll down and crash into a further down tree.

A thick root from the tree he'd fallen against impaled his side making his shirt and the dirt around him to turn a dark red colour. The sight of the root appearing out his side Connor ran towards camp faster than he'd ever seen him run during their pranks yelling for healers and for Chiron.

When he'd think back on it he wasn't sure if it was the quiet of the forest or the numbness of his body but dark spots began to invade his vision and he couldn't help but embrace them without caution.

Until the most beautiful woman came out from behind a nearby tree, rushing towards him in a fuzzy blur. Her elegant hair falling past her face almost making a blanket of warmth and safety around the two of them.

She was the most stunning thing he'd ever seen. Better than the full moon, the sunrise and sunset. Better than the ocean or a flower. He could hear her softly speaking to him but he couldn't make out the words.

He didn't know how long he'd been staring in awe at the woman. Travis was sure he'd be red with embarrassment if all his 'red' wasn't currently bleeding out of him.

He looked over towards where he heard his brother's frantic voice getting closer to him. The sight of him and a few cabin 7 campers not far behind him did well to ease his own worry. He looked back for the woman but she was gone.

He doubted if he'd seen the woman but shook it off as nothing more than pain induced illusion.

Then from a hallucination to a mortal.

The son of Hades, Nico di Angelo should've known better than to assume that anyone who approached him was 100% mortal.

After spending more time in the demigod world he realized that mortals don't ever come over to talk to demigods, or maybe that was just his problem.

Nevertheless even mortals can see some kind of underworld aura around him even if they don't understand what they're seeing.

Which makes it all the more irritating that his younger self didn't realize the woman who helped him was probably not entirely mortal. He could still remember it so clearly, she was after all one of the few at that time that had been kind to him.

He had spent the night searching for an entrance to the underworld, his father had told him in a dream a few nights prior that it was in the area. He also mentioned that it was supposed to be easier to find for children of his.

Well that turned out to be crap.

Nico had spent all day and now late into the night walking around New york city trying to find a specific street corner. He was tired and hungry but most of all angry.

He called off his search once his eyes started to sting. Finding a bus stop bench to rest at. He pulled his knees to rest his head against. Tears stung his eyes more than his fatigue when a smell of food wafted near him.

Lifting his head he saw a woman, dressed in a cozy cardigan, the beige kind a mother would wear. She was carrying a bag, he could faintly make out the logo of the logo of a restaurant he remembered passing on the contains inside.

She never spoke but her eyes almost made him cry, a look of care and worry. one he'd imagined his own mother having from the stories Bianca would tell him.

She leaned over and rested the beg softly on the bench next to him, he could feel the heat from it warming her leg. He asked her who she was and why she'd given him her food but all she did was smile and ruffle his hair like Bianca used to do.

He could feel his tears roll down his neck as he watched her keep walking down the street until she eventually walked out of vision. He was just glad someone was kind to him.

Even if it was just a friendly mortal.

Then from a mortal to a mother.

The son of Hermes, Chris Rodriguez couldn't believe he could see his mother in the middle of the haunted Labyrinth.

It had been Luke who ordered him to go into the traumatizing maze and he'd done it willingly, so eager to help his older brother for the cause of getting revenge, justice, to be noticed.

But as most things in Chris's life it had gone horribly wrong. He couldn't even remember most of the horror he'd seen in there, the human brain forcing him to forget just so that he can move on from it all.

But one of the few things that stuck with him was the memory of his mother. Now, he knew it was completely impossible his mother, who'd died just helping him to get to camp, was in the labyrinth with him but his vivid recollection of those moments left little doubt.

He remembers leaning against one of the ever shifting walls, ready to give up on getting out for good.

When he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, he recalls not even flinching from it because of the calming ease it put him in, he could feel himself slurring his word and frantically almost magically speaking but it wouldn't reach his ears.

He had a light aura around her, and a gentle smile as she carefully lead the way through the twists and turns of the darken maze.

He relives the memory as best he can, he could still hear the faint whispers from her mouth, promising she wouldn't let him go and that it would be alright soon.

In hindsight that was something his mother would never do, his mother cared for him not was anything but emotional.

Part of him likes to think that Thanatos had lost her soul for a moment and she'd come to help when he most needed her.

He was just glad that someone had helped him because he hated the thought of what had happened to him if they hadn't.

Finally from a mother to a mourner.

The son of Jupiter, Jason Grace was the lost goddess' last straw.

Too many had already lost their lives in wars fought in seemingly vain. No matter how she felt for them nor how she longed to help them, rules were rules as the King of Olympus loved to remind everyone.

But when the fate meddled day approached and her sweet kind hero had perished, some rules were to be broken in order to do some good.

The day Jason Grace died was a day every demigod remembers, they felt the sadness draped over both camps and everyone in them.

Even demigods who had never even met the fallen hero were mourning him with such intensity.

The lost goddess knew it was because of her her grief was spilling into their own lives, her sadness swallowing them up with it.

Part of her wanted to stop, knowing it was affecting the little heroes but another darker part wanted it to spur them into action, she wanted it to make them want change.

But look how that had turned out the first time. As much as she wanted to change she settled for a medium, she’d change and she'd do what she was meant to.

Help the young heroes live and thrive, no matter the cost to any other immortal in her way...

[themisplaceddemigod]

i'm immortal, i can wait

PJ!Apollo x F!Reader

summary - Apollo has loved you since he first saw you, but he's had to wait several years before he could make such a confession. Especially since you're the child of his scariest uncle, Poseidon.

warnings - Apollo is his own warning. that and his haikus, also i am KEEPING JASON ALIVE in the Trials of Apollo part of this (curse you Rick)

He met you in person when you were fourteen.

Westover Hall, you had been summoned to collect two demigod kids with your brother Percy and friends Annabeth and Thalia. The mission turned sour, Annabeth was kidnapped, and Artemis saved the day before calling him to give you all a lift back to camp.

Both of you could remember how red your face turned when you'd seen him, and he wouldn't tell you but he'd heard you talking about how hot he was with Thalia. It boosted his ego (which quite frankly does not need any more boosting), and he was smug the whole ride.

"Percy, you never told me you had a sister!" He spoke so loudly the whole bus could hear him.

"Um, because we've never met in person?" You brother suggested, a little nervously. Apollo was pretty chill, but that made him even scarier.

The god of the sun just laughed, before turning to look at you. The way his eyes roamed your figure felt less-than-innocent, and your face flushed as you yet again turned a bright shade of red. You couldn't believe the Apollo, the hottest Olympian, was actually staring at you with interest. Like he found you pretty enough to be stared at.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" He smiled flirtatiously, earning some aggressive threats from the Hunters behind you, which he ignored. "Just kidding, I know it already. (Name), right? Pretty name."

You felt as if you might explode. From embarrassment, from being flustered, you didn't know. Maybe he was toying with you, as gods tended to do, but then he looked at you again and genuine interest and attraction glimmered in his stunning blue eyes.

"Thank you, Lord Apollo," you stammered out, unsure of what else to say.

"So shy," he teased, grinning, "Cute. I like you."

Of course, he had to restrain himself from charming you entirely, since you were still a minor. Poseidon would have his head if he touched you at this age, so he decided it was best to wait a few years.

Those few years were full of struggle and pain for you, losing so many friends in the battles with Kronos and then Gaea. Apollo almost intervened just to comfort you several times, but was stopped by his sister convincing him to give you a few more years - and also reminding him that the Olympians could not intervene.

But you grew into such a beautiful, smart, brave woman - and extremely sexy, but he would have to keep that to himself - and Apollo felt lucky to have watched this growth. It made his attraction to you all the more prominent, and he began to feel something he hasn't felt in centuries - genuine. true love.

And it scared him.

His past lovers that he had really, truly loved had both been killed in gruesome ways. He was afraid of what being with him would mean for you, but ultimately decided on getting Poseidon's permission first.

The god of the sea said no.

Then came his trials.

The first demigods he went to were you and Percy, of course. Since he was stuck with an infuriating little girl, he hoped that you might tag along on his perilous journey to make it a little better.

To his delight, you agreed.

"What's so funny?" He demanded when he caught you snickering during a break from all the running.

"You," you laughed, "Never thought the god Apollo would be reduced to an average teenage boy with acne." You laughed even more at that, and he pouted, but enjoyed hearing you laugh nonetheless.

His first sign that you might have a crush on him too came when he mentioned he'd turned some gossipers into ravens just for telling on his previous cheating girlfriend. The mere mention of his ex-girlfriend seemed to irritate you, and Apollo was amused.

Though his turn for jealousy came when he noticed how close you were to Jason Grace. He couldn't do anything, though, so he watched miserably as you got along with the son of Jupiter so well that any outsider would think you were dating.

"What's with the pout, then?" You had asked him when you noticed how upset he looked.

"I am not pouting!"

"Yes you are."

You stepped closer, and your intoxicating scent filled his nostrils. He felt like a schoolboy with a massive crush, just you being that close scrambling his thoughts and making it difficult for him to answer.

"Alright, keep your secrets," you laughed, then walked away, and Apollo was left disappointed.

He was not even going to talk about the whole thing with Reyna. You had suddenly gotten so angry with him after that, you hadn't spoken to him for two days - unless absolutely necessary. It hurt, but he knew you must have been even more hurt by what had been implied.

The end of the trials eventually came and relieved all of you, the defeat of the Triumvirate taking a great weight off the world's - and yours - shoulders. Apollo disappeared after he went to fight Python, and for two weeks you heard no word from him or Olympus.

Then suddenly he was in the middle of camp, spouting the worst haikus you had ever heard in your life. And that was saying something, since all his haikus were pretty terrible.

"Like captured water

You hold me in your cupped hands

I flow on your palm."

Your jaw dropped. That was even worse than you assumed it would be, especially since he chose to center it around the fact that you're a daughter of Poseidon.

"Lord Apollo-"

"See what I did there?" He winked, coming up to you with a cheerful grin. "Did you like it?"

"Well-"

"Fear not! I have another one prepared that is sure to woo you."

Your face flushed, "Please don't say "woo", your kids are listening!"

He was already reciting his next haiku.

"You shatter my sleep

All milk-need and petal lips

You smile and I melt."

You frowned in confusion, "What does that even mean?"

"Aha! See I knew that was the one!"

"I didn't-what?"

He ignored your puzzlement in favour of coming so close to you his overwhelming godly power almost made you pass out.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around for two weeks," he apologised sincerely. "I was in a coma. I swear on the River Styx that it's the truth. But I came here as soon as I woke up, for you." He grinned like that was the best confession he could muster.

"Are you serious?" You breathed out, unable to believe what you were hearing.

"Technically I wanted you when you were fourteen, but that would have come across as creepy apparently," he informed you, "So I had to wait a few years until you turned the right age. That was okay with me, I'm immortal, I can wait."

Your jaw dropped further, "Are you, um-is this-?"

"A love confession? Yes!" He gleefully exclaimed, as if it were perfectly normal for an Olympian to invade camp and profess his love for a demigod.

The entire camp was silent, except for the Aphrodite girls who seemed to be glaring holes into you while trying to curse you - fortunately only the Apollo kids (ironically) had the power to curse a person to speak in rhymes.

"And what did...what did my dad think of this?" You cleared your throat, slightly nervous.

"Oh he was against it at first," Apollo admitted, "BUT he came around. It seems the trials proved a lot more than I thought."

"Well, uh, that's great," you half-smiled, not sure why you felt a sense of dread. This should be the happiest moment of your life.

Apollo's smile faltered, "Do you not-"

"No I do!" You quickly cut him off, sparing him the embarrassment of being rejected in front of a few dozen kids MUCH younger than him. "It's just...you're a god..."

He sighed, "Let's go take a walk."

A few minutes later you were away from prying eyes, sitting by the lake since it always calmed you down. Water soothed you, as cliche as that is for a Poseidon kid.

"I'm just worried," you started after a few minutes of silence, "You know, about all your mortal affairs and having demigod children and all that." You sighed. "I know it's silly. But I just don't think I can go through with it knowing that."

He frowned, but understood, "I can always stop-"

You laughed bitterly, "All the gods promised a woman what. Zeus promised Hera, but there's Jason and Thalia. Poseidon promised Amphitrite, but here Percy, Tyson and I are. It's in your nature, you can't help it."

He felt offended by that, "Yes well, none of them had the displeasure of being turned into mortal for a few months. It changes a god, you know."

You turned to look at him, "Are you really sure about this? That this is what you want? I'm what you want?"

"I've waited for you since you were fourteen," he reminded you, "Of course I'm sure." Despite your reluctance, he took your hand. "Please, just give me a chance."

You thought it over for a moment, before smiling softly, "Fine. You have your chance. But the first mortal affair you have-"

"I won't need them," he smiled, moving closer, "You can have all my children."

Your jaw dropped at his blatant suggestion, a deep blush forming on your cheeks, "Are you crazy?! I can't-"

"You can," he leaned in even closer, "Once I make you immortal."

You started stuttering and stammering just then, uttering some kind of incomprehensible nonsense that the god of the sun just laughed at. He pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, before finally leaning in and claiming your lips.

He had waited long enough, now he was going to kiss you every chance he got.

[gaygirldoodles]

No matter what you do, don't think about Leo Valdez

Don't think about the trauma of having his mother die like that at such a young age

Don't think about how his Tia Rosa treated him horribly despite how he was just a kid

Don't think about the amount of abuse he faced in all of those foster homes he was sent to

Don't think about how he had to run away from them, fending for himself on the streets over and over again

Don't think about him being sent to wilderness school, a thing notorious for being horrible towards the kids and downright traumatizing

Don't think about the people he knew even a little who were harmed by that system or even killed

Don't think about how the history of a friendship he held so dearly turned out to be fabricated by Juno. That it was all a lie

Don't think about him still being best friend with Jason - the real Jason - only for their to be a prophecy that one of them must die

Don't think about how he decided that it must be him

He couldn't let Jason die

Don't think about how he tells Hazel and Frank about his plan because Romans understant self-sacrifice, but Jason wouldn't. Jason, who's done nothing but sacrifice things for the people he cares about.

Don't think about how Leo and Jason never reunited after that.

Don't think about him finding out that his best friend, and someone he maybe even liked more than that, died.

"Where's Jason?"

But we all know that he knew

And he still asked

Don't think about how he would blame himself for that.

You can't avoid prophecies after all

They always have to be fulfilled somehow

Don't think about his mother, Esperanza

Don't think about how he spent weeks months in Bunker 9 building the Argo II barely interacting with anybody

Don't think about how he barely even celebrated Christmas if at all because the whole world depended on hin building this huge warship

Don't think about Leo using humor to hide how bad he truly feels just so that Gaea wouldn't win

He could not let her destroy him

Because as long as he didn't lose that part of himself, he was still winning, even if what she had done had left him broken

But you do want to think about how he was finally able to find a home.

A place that would accept him how he was

A place that would be safe for him

A place where he wouldn't have to run from abusive family members and fosters homes anymore

He once again had a family that loved him.

[iwannascreameurekaa]

"I know none of this will matter in the long run"

but it's about Leo building a whole boat in months just for it to explode right in front of his eyes

but it's about Leo dying and making this elaborate plan to live again so that he fulfills the prophecy but can also be happy with his friends only for the fates to pull a 180 and kill Jason

but it's about Hazel sacrificing herself, her life, her mother only for gaea to still be awaking when Hazel comes back

but it's Percy, Annabeth, Grover and every other demigod that fought in the first war when another starts

but it's Thalia after losing yet another loved one

but it's Sally because she knows that Percy isn't going to have a long and happy life because most demigods especially those of the big three aren't allowed to have those

but it's Jason after doing everything he can to make everyone happy and try and find a purpose even after Hera took his with his memories and he still ended up dying

[aroaceleovaldez]

i think a lot about how the more we learn about Hades as the series goes on, the more it informs his character in the first series and particularly highlights some of the major themes of the first series.

Hades is a god who has lost everything and is one of our most poignant examples of how the gods are incredibly, painfully subject to human emotions like loss and grief just as much as any mortal. He lost Maria, had to give up the di Angelo siblings, was forcibly kept away from Hazel by Gaea, Marie, and Zeus, and eventually lost Hazel and Marie as well. He spent three and a half years after Maria's death knowing Hazel was stuck with Gaea and being unable to do anything about it without Zeus killing her too, besides at best trying to send her warnings and encouragement from afar, and knowing she would inevitably die too. He essentially spends three years mourning his still living daughter because he can do nothing to save her. And after it's all over all he can do is try to give Hazel the best chance in the Underworld he can and wallow in his grief.

And he's immortal, so those 70-odd mortal years are nothing to him. Losing the di Angelos and Levesques is still recent to him. He's still freshly wounded enough to sic monsters after Thalia in revenge. And then right after he gets Nico and Bianca back, he loses Bianca truly this time.

And Hades and Nico's grief are parallels! They've lost the same family. They lash out with their pain and self-isolate, pushing people away. Hades constantly compares Nico to Bianca after Bianca's death and jabs at him. He hides in the Underworld and refuses to help or interact with the Olympians. And it's a direct parallel to Nico - To Nico, that grief is condensed too, because to him only 6 months have passed between his mother's death and Bianca's. He runs away and refuses to return to CHB after Bianca's death. He lashes out at Percy trying to help. Hades and Nico are the only ones each other have left but they're too absorbed in their pain to acknowledge that. It isn't until Nico starts healing from losing Bianca at the end of BoTL that we see a shift - Nico isn't self-isolating anymore, he's sorting himself out and finding his own path. He seeks others out at his own pace - finding Camp Jupiter, visiting Percy. He's stopped lashing out. But Hades still hasn't, and it isn't until TLO that Nico calls him out on that very behavior. The Olympians are his family, he is Hades' family, and Hades is too busy focusing on what he lost to stop shutting out the family he still has left. And at the end of TLO and into HoO we see Hades finally make the same shift Nico did - he's embracing his family, he's stopped pushing them away, heck he's even getting out of the house more. But we still see even more parallels between him and Nico in how they cope with loss - we know that Hades was told he couldn't revive Maria. But when Nico goes to search for Bianca to revive her, it's heavily implied Hades intentionally allowed Nico to revive Hazel. Hades orchestrated the revival of his daughter because both Nico and Hades are still holding on to what they lost.

The core of Hades' character in PJO is that the god of the dead is mourning. And I find that so fascinating.

[poppitron360]

“You wanna know the truth, Jason? You wanna know what I’m hiding?” Leo cried.

“Yes! Yes, I really do!” Jason replied, defiantly.

“Fine. Okay then.”

Leo took a deep breath.

“Tomorrow night, I will face Gaea. And I will die.”

The certainty of his voice was absolute. The look on his face clear. It was finalised. There was no way around it.

And that broke Jason’s heart.

He pleaded. It was useless, but he pleaded anyway. Leo knew what had to be done, and Jason did too. Still, he pleaded.

“Jason, it has to be this way. To Storm or Fire.”

“No.” Jason said, simply. His determination was futile, and he knew it. “Leo, I’m not letting you die for me!”

And Leo just shrugged and said, with a tone so causal and unbothered you’d think he was just stating the weather:

“People have died for less.”

Jason just crumpled to the ground. Leo’s calmness, his utter acceptance of what had to happen as fact- that was what cut so deep. It was like Leo didn’t value his life at all, that he’d throw it away so casually, when Jason would do anything to keep it. He needed that life so much. He treasured it, it meant everything to him, but Leo was prepared to give it up so easily. Couldn’t he see how important it was? How precious? Leo was acting like that life was just a piece of scrap metal- an old machine to be tossed. But Leo never tossed his machines, he always had faith in them, never gave up on them. Leo was treating his robots with more care and respect and worth than his own very life. Jason just couldn’t understand why Leo couldn’t see how much value it really had.

Leo crouched down next to Jason’s sobbing body.

“Hey… look on the bright side, okay? It could be a lot worse for me. I mean… growing up… I used to think I’d end up dead in a ditch, with nothing and no-one. Now… I’ll be surrounded by friends, I’ll be content knowing that I did it for them, knowing that I’d done something decent of once, accomplished so much, and saved so many lives. Can you just be happy for me?”

He wiped a tear off of Jason’s cheek with his grimy thumb, and gently lifted Jason’s chin so that he’d face him.

“Can we focus on the positives? Please?”

Jason saw it in Leo’s eyes. He was begging. He needed this.

“But… but Leo…“

“I can’t lose you Jason,” Leo said, “I can’t let it be you, I just can’t. And the quicker you can accept that, the quicker you can learn to be happy for me. Because I would be happy, knowing that you’re in this world, and you’re living on. That’s what matters to me. So I need you to do that. I need you to live, and be happy. Can you do that for me?”

Jason looked down, but Leo tilted his head back up again. His busy brown eyes scanned Jason’s face, searching… hoping…

“Please... Please, Jason… I need you to do this for me. I’m not asking for much. I would die content if I just know… can you be happy for me?”

“Leo… I can’t let you do this…” Jason muttered weakly. He knew he was fighting a useless battle, but he’d be damned if he didn’t try. If he didn’t try everything to save his everything.

Leo rose to his feet, looking down at Jason. “Do you want me to die unhappy, Jason? Do you want be to be unfulfilled? I need you to promise me… that you can move on. Because I’m doing this. Either way, I’m doing this. You can’t do anything to stop me, so the best thing you can do is just accept right away. Tomorrow, I will face Gaea. And I will die. And if you can accept that, I will die happy. That’s the best thing you can do to help me.”

Jason couldn’t believe it. Leo was asking Jason to be happy with his plan to end his own life. How could he? How could Jason possibly live without Leo?

“How can you ask such a thing?” Jason roared, rising to face Leo, “How can you seriously ask me to let you do that? How can you expect me to accept that my best friend is giving up his life for- for-“

“You would do the same for me,” Leo stated, plainly, “You would do it in a heartbeat. And you would’t let me stop you.”

“Exactly!” Jason yelled, “Let it be me, Leo. I can’t- I can’t lose you!”

“Please, Jason, don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“I c-can’t, Leo. I-I c-can’t let you… I ca-can’t lose you…” He placed a hand over Leo’s heart, and felt the pulse throb beneath his skin. He could not allow that heart to stop beating, “It has to be me. You said it yourself- to storm or f-fire. I’ll do it.”

Leo shook his head, and gave a slight chuckle in disbelief, “You have so much to live for, Jason. You have Piper to take care of- not that she needs it, but still. You gotta build all those temples in New Rome. You gotta show Frank the ropes of Praetorship, make sure your legion is being looked after. You’ve got duties and responsibilities. People need you, Jason. You’re much too valuable to go.”

“You’re saying that like you’re not!” Jason cried.

“Hephaestus cabin will get a new counsellor. My machines will be re-used. And I’ve programmed Festus to go rescue Calypso once… once it happens. My family… my blood relatives… they won’t care. Life moves on, and I won’t be needed anymore.”

“But what about me?” Jason whimpered, his voice the same pitch and register of a crying infant, “I need you, Leo. I need you. You… you can’t go.”

"I have to,” Leo said, his voice gentle, but firm.

Jason knew it was hopeless. He knew that Leo was right, that his mind was set, and there was no changing it. Jason wanted Leo to be alive, but what he wanted more than anything was for Leo to be happy. And if accepting his death was what he had to do… Jason didn’t like it. He wanted to protest, to shout, to scream, to beg on his knees. It wouldn’t have been very Praetor-like of him; Jason no longer cared. The only thing that mattered was Leo. But he knew. With a sinking heart, he knew that he would only be causing Leo more pain if he stopped him from doing what he needed to do.

He searched Leo’s eyes. He loved those eyes, so deep and bright and busy- chocolate-brown, rich and warm. He’d always tried to count the emotions in them as they flashed past like speeding cars. He watched now, and counted desperation, panic, melancholy, concern, peace, worry, fear. He could see that lying underneath it all. Leo was terrified. Terrified that he’d leave this world, knowing that Jason would be unhappy. Terrified that he was doing the wrong thing. Terrified that Jason might refuse his request.

Oh Leo… I could never refuse anything to you.

It killed Jason to do so, but he nodded. “Okay.”

He held Leo tightly in his arms, “I don’t want to… but… okay. If it’s wh-what you have to d-do, then… okay.”

“Oh, Jason…” Leo sighed, placing a hand on Jason’s tear-stained cheek, “Nothing lasts forever. My dad told me that once. Nothing lasts forever-

“Not even the best machines,” Jason recited. He broke down with fresh tears, his head cupped in Leo’s hands. “L-let me stay with you, at least… Please, Leo,” he begged, “Tonight- let me stay with you. I-I don’t want you to be alone.”

They curled up on the cool metal floor of the engine room. Jason held Leo, and stared into his eyes. He scanned his face, as if trying to commit it to memory.

“L-Leo…” Jason tried to search for the words to express how much the precious life he was holding in his arms meant to him. He wanted to celebrate the wonderful thing, in all its brilliance and accomplishment. In sixteen years, Leo had done more, suffered more, overcome more, and lived more than most people do in six lifetimes. What Leo saw as broken, and disposable, Jason saw as beautiful. Leo had taken the crappy cards he’d been dealt in life, and he’d made them into a weird and wonderfully messy sculpture. Jason held it, tight, and treasured it with all his heart.

“I-I…” was all he could manage.

“I know, Jason.” Leo said in response. And Jason could tell that he really did.

“What are you gonna do… when you get to Elysium?” Jason asked, trying to keep what little conversation he could make going. Trying to hear Leo’s voice, so that he could remember it. Keep it. Memorise the weird vocal inflections, the pace of the syllables, the way he’d dip in and out of different accents from places he’d been over the years, the way his hispanic accent would seep through the cracks, enriching his words with warm tones. The way he’d slip into a southern drool when he was relaxed. Jason wanted to take it and frame it, so he’d never forget it.

“I’ll see Mom again,” Leo said, his voice small, “I’ll tell her everything about you guys. About our adventures. I’ll tell her I’m sorry-“

“Leo-“

“I know.” Leo said, “I’ll still tell her. If she’s there, I’ll tell her.”

Jason looked at Leo sadly. Even after all these years, Leo still thought mother’s death was his fault. Jason knew that the remorse and regret drove him to feel this worthlessness. He worried that part of the reason Leo was sacrificing himself was to punish himself for what happened.

“I’ll finally avenge her. Tomorrow, I mean.”

It sounded like he was talking about Gaea. Jason hoped that was all he meant.

“But I might finally see her, talk to her. I could get closure for what happened. I can’t wait, Jason! I could see my mom again!” He looked up at Jason, and Jason saw giddiness poke through in the fast flash of emotions.

He could tell Leo had sensed that Jason needed him to keep talking. “And when I get to Elysium… if I get to Elysium…” Leo sighed, “I’ll wait. For you. And the others. Take your time, though. No rush. I’ll be there… I’ll wait for you.

“Oh, Leo…”

“It’s okay, Jason. Really. I’ll wait. And, in the meantime… I’ll enjoy paradise. You don’t have to worry about me. Boy, I’m exited now.”

They were silent for a while. Jason listening to the rhythmic beat of the engine room, and the drum of Leo’s heartbeat. He tried to keep his breathing steady.

“… Jason?” Leo whispered into the throbbing room.

“Yeah?”

“Are you happy?”

Jason didn’t answer.

“Try to be happy, Jason. Please? Please don’t be sad, at least.”

“Leo?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you happy?”

Leo closed his eyes, and made a face like he was fighting back tears. He lay there, slowing his breathing for a few seconds. Then he spoke. “Goodbyes are hard. They always are. But it’s not forever. It’s never forever. I’ll wait for you,” He looked up into his eyes, “Everything goes eventually, Jason. But… I’d rather go out like this, knowing that I did it for my friends, than go out any other way. And at least I’ll be going out in style. This… this is what I want. And it’ll be hard. I’m not pretending it’s easy. But I couldn’t ask for it to be more perfect. So… yeah. I’m happy. I am.”

Jason took a heavy breath, “Then, yeah… I’m happy, too.”

Leo smiled, “Now, get some sleep, Sparky. Big day tomorrow.”

——————————————————

Selecting what bits of canon I want like it’s a character-creation menu.

Leo tells Jason about his plan. There is no physician’s cure, or at least there’s little chance it might work. Or maybe there is, but it’s irrelevant- Leo is still making that choice to die. Also Valgrace.

@lavenderfairiez @keefessketchbook @sleepyycapybara @imnoturfriend-im-a-swiftie13 @euryvices @ottpopfic

[starlightshadowsworld]

Just... Jason losing it after Leo's death.

Everyone celebrating the fall of Gaea, and the cheers fall silent as Jason screams.

It doesn't even sound human.

The winds are howling, billowing in all directions in a mass of formless rage.

No one can move because the air is so heavy it's almost suffocating.

Jason is unrecognisable.

Lighting crackles across his skin. His kind smile gone, there's nothing but anger and anguish. The face of someone who's lost everything.

Its no so much that he's in the eye of a hurricane.

But the hurricane itself.

"LEOOOO!!!!"

[witchhazelevesque]

I think it would have been really interesting if Hazel and Leo were the ones to fall into Tartarus. Roman and Greek. Connected already by death. They were the only two to make it to the Doors of Death in the living world, flip it upside down and they still would make it. Hazel’s got the deepest and most fucked up connection to the giants out of the group and it could have been very compelling, and possibly healing or at least cathartic to meet Damasen and see how kind and gentle he is. Especially since they’re literally under Gaea right now and spent all that time falling with her all around them, terrified of what’s coming? She gave them the absolute worst of her and now they have to deal with being in her husband’s domain?

Parallel to that “Do you trust me?” “No!” “Me neither” exchange they had before falling into the Atlantic. It should have been a Roman and Greek, learning to work with their different mindsets and strategies and priorities, you can’t set up that dichotomy and then not do anything with it.

And how heartbreaking would it have been for Hazel and Leo to save each others’ lives again and again and again in the second to last book only to have Hazel need to let him die in the finale.

The only reason I don’t actually want this to be what happened is cause I don’t want to put Hazel through the hell of hells after being stuck in the underworld so long. Lots there to dig into, I don’t even know what to do with it. She would absolutely be the one to go a little homicidal like Percy did. Also Leo would abso-fucking-lutely hate the Phlegathon.

I’ve seen people talk about how it was actually Annabeth and Percy’s own fatal flaws that led to them falling to Tartarus and I very much agree ( I think it’s all interconnected but that’s another story) but Leo believes that it was his deal with Nemesis. Hazel hates the idea of letting the gods decide things for them. How would that play out? Also both of them thinking ‘at least Frank’s safe’ in this context.

Speaking of?? Frank?? The whiplash he must be going through?? I don’t care if it is platonic or romantic between these three, each version is compelling in its own way, but either way, the trust, the faith that would be needed to keep going after all this. Compared to where they all were at the beginning of MoA?

Second resurrection of a sort for Hazel? First but not last for Leo? What ways would that mess them up? A lot!

Piper canonically loses her mind when Leo goes missing earlier in the book, and Hazel deserves for Nico to be all up in arms worried about her, another parallel to MoA and how distressed Hazel was about her brother. I need him to match that energy. Also I want to see Piper and Nico be unhinged over their missing loved ones together. Unexpected understanding and eventual friendship. (Also that lazy as hell off screen tell and not show bit where Piper and Hazel become friends? Even Piper learning more about her from Nico’s stories would have been better and more compelling.)

Idk what Jason would be doing. Maybe roiling with guilt, about how much he failed Leo yes, but also Hazel. He was her friend once, her mentor and praetor and he let this happen to her, is what he’s thinking. That would be an interesting point of contention between Jason and Frank & Percy. Hazel and Leo are loved and cared for by the others so differently than Annabeth and Percy are, and the dynamic left on the ship would be completely different.

They weren't leaders like A&P, but Jason mentions how much Leo’s humor lifted the group’s spirits and Hazel has never done anything wrong in her life ever (she’s killed people, she swears like a sailor, she probably wanted to kill Jason with a dinner plate and they all like her). The crew was canonically angry and arguing and losing what cohesion they built during MoA at the start of HoH and it would have been so much worse in this situation. The leaders would still be there so they’d know what to do in some regard but they’d all be pretty miserable about it.

At least Hazel and Leo would probably get some cool weapons out of the mess. Maybe Hazel forges a sword- or a scythe!- out of the shards of the glass beach? But somehow made it so it wouldn’t break. And Leo with a bone sword or throwing knives, especially with his complicated and still complicating relationship with death.

[mediumgayitalian]

fic rec friday 12

hi!! welcome to fic rec friday. every week, i pick five fics i have bookmarked and rec them with a little review. check them out!

Physician, Love Thyself by Ryuuto

Will tries not to let on just how high his standards are for himself or how they're slowly crushing him under their weight. It's hard for him to open up about it when he's afraid that at any moment, it'll all come crashing down on him. Yet, perhaps it's time for this son of Apollo to bleed a small portion of that pain off.

will's whole thing of never believing himself ENOUGH.....like he works and works and never stops pushing the target farther away huh. i don't think he ever lets himself rest in the satisfaction of grasping something. it aches. and the ambiguousness of this ending....weeping fr

2. Sick Day by Ryuuto

Will is not a fan of the winter. Sadly, this year, the winter isn't a fan of Will Solace, either, and is especially spiteful by making Christmas Eve the worst day of this season. Stupid winter, ruining his plans for a romantic Christmas Eve stroll through New York City with Nico di Angelo.

crying and the quiet intimacy. the satisfying ordeal of being known....of being LOVED......of them loving each other with all the magnetic poles of each other. god. i will never not be insane for established relationship fics and will having seasonal depression is so desperately important to me like

3. once more unto the breach by orphan_account

He is Atlas, and he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he is also Will Solace, a fourteen-year-old boy with blood on his hands and ghosts in his hollowed-out heart.

weeping and crying because i am never not thinking of this. the weight of the healer. no rest for the wicked. and this line in particular actually knocked me fckn flat:

"

At fifteen years old, Will Solace falls apart with as much grace as he does everything else, and he very nearly gets away with doing it alone.

Until Nico, that is.

"

UNTIL NICO THAT IS!!!!! EXCUSE ME!!!!

4. Of Rotten Liars and the Taste of Truth by @theroyalsavage

Three times Will Solace lies to Nico di Angelo the summer after the war with Gaea, plus one time he tells the truth.

me and 5 (3, whatever) plus ones. you know the drill. "will is a dork and nico's an idiot" correct. will “if i lie i throw up” solace so real. and awkward but determined nico my beloved

5. Between the Shadow and the Soul by @theroyalsavage

Of snow, fumbling kisses, Valentine's mornings, and the imperfect science of falling in love.

SO soft they are SO SO SO soft i am going to LOSE MY MIND....the teasing the comfort the LOVE!!! THE LOVE!!!!

thank you for joining me this friday!! happy reading!!