#OR is Athena saying goodbye?? Who knows?

[good-thymes]

Me: “I don’t take spiders in my house as a sign. They are there all the time. It’s mundane.”

*at least 15 baby spiders crawling on my purse*

Me: “Hm.”

[dude-iloveu]

wouldn't it be nice to obsess over that aromantic man as his own character rather than a part of a ship once in a while? :)

[anotherlongstoryshort]

Things about the Wisdom Saga that have plagued me all damn day

Legendary

Whether intentional or not, Miguel's Telemachus really sounds like a younger version of Jorge's Odysseus. And that hurts.

"If I fight those monsters, is it you I'll find?" The layers. Could he go out and hunt for his father? Could he find his 'legendary' strength within himself? Or will Odysseus be the 'monster' he finds?

"Somebody help me, come and give me the strength" And his call is answered T_T

20 years.

Antinous fully interrupts this bop. Rude.

Ayron sounds legitimately scary and Telemachus taking a stand is so O.O

Little Wolf

I wanna fight this guy. Love that Athena agrees. (The beat of the song and sharp bursts of vocals really emulate blows.)

The quaver on "I don't know how".

Athena is immediately charmed by Telemachus' enthusiasm. She sounds so fond.

The fact she sees heart in him as an advantage when it was Odysseus choosing heart over mind that drove them apart. Guh.

Did she tell him to bite Antinous? XD

"Oh, maybe I pushed you a bit too hard." The change in her perspective is already so apparent - she wouldn't have admitted a mistake or miscalculation to Odysseus.

We'll Be Fine

"I had a friend before..." A FRIEND? FRIEND?!?!

An admission that she didn't fully appreciate what Odysseus was going through, that she feels guilty for having "missed it all".

It's unclear to begin with if she's come to Telemachus for Odysseus, or to try and replace him. Both are equally heart-breaking.

"I don't know who your friend is, I don't know what he's like" UNKNOWINGLY ECHOING HIS OWN THOUGHTS IN 'LEGENDARY'. NO IT'S FINE I'M FINE.

"The best day of my life because I got in a fight and I didn't die! :D" Telemachus, child, please.

"We'll be fine" using the same run as "this is my goodbye" T_T

Him immediately offering up friendship to Athena, like Odysseus once did, must hit her so hard. "You're a good kid." Yes he is - because he's more like his dad than he knows.

Love in Paradise

"Old friend..." FRRRRRIIIIEEEENNNNNDDDDD!!!!!

10 years.

The memory fragments sounding so fraught and chaotic together, hitting harder because they're hitting Athena all at once. She missed a lot.

"She's my wife." "Anyways..." Calypso, girl, please.

Love that they're singing completely different melodies through the first half of this song for two reasons: because Odysseus is revisiting previous motifs, once more trying to hold onto the man he was, and also because it shows Calypso is not willing to compromise on what she wants.

"Last I checked goddesses can't die." We'll come back to this later.

Then Odysseus realises he is truly trapped and he sings along to Calypso's melody in muted horror.

POLITIES OUT HERE STILL HAUNTING THE NARRATIVE.

Just the words "open arms" are enough to confront Odysseus (again) with all he's lost. All he hears are screams.

And the one he screams out for is Athena.

"He needs my help." NO KIDDING GO GET YOUR BOY.

God Games

"Father, God, King..." There's a lot to unpack in that fun family dynamic.

"To untie apprehensions that were placed on that Greek?" Zeus is like, nobody likes that guy, why do you care?

The gods being called out like X Factor finalists is everything.

So there's a great contrast against the previous song - unlike Calypso, Athena is matching each of her singing partners with their tone and beat as she convinces them. She isn't winning by 'imposing her will', she's meeting them where they are.

Rational arguments work until Aphrodite, where Athena says "please" for the first time. She softens to appeal to Aphrodite, which is why Ares has to step in.

The way she says his name XD

Ares' lines sound like as much of a fighting chant as 'Little Wolf' did, which makes it all the better that the mention of Telemachus is what gets her to 'fight back'.

"His son's my friend!" YES HE IS. And Athena of all people declaring "a broken heart can mend" is fascinating. Can't help but wonder if she's talking about herself coming around to forgiving Odysseus.

"Never once has he cheated on his wife." Handwaving the source material is worth it for this line ALONE.

Zeus is so pressed by everyone openly knowing he cheats on Hera. Stop doing it then my dude.

Ares sounding genuinely concerned for Athena is doing things to me. Goddesses can't die, huh?

Her time motif flitting in and out like a weak heartbeat.

The soft piano of 'Warrior of the Mind', touching on a whisper of 'Legendary', then rising to a triumphant crescendo as Athena regains herself. I will be forever haunted by visions of Odysseus and Telemachus helping her to her feet.

And then, finally, she faces her own father and begs. Because Odysseus and Telemachus deserve a chance to be father and child.

The parallel, by the way, of Athena entering this saga to help an outnumbered Telemachus, and now closing it with him/Odysseus unknowingly helping her win her own battle too. JORGE HOW DARE YOU T_T

[eddiazx]

buck wild - evan buckley x reader

Buck has always been beautiful. Over the past year though, he had an even bigger glow up, which you didn’t even think could be possible.

His golden hair had furled into soft little coils, his stomach was fuller, his arms were so muscular that you were slightly concerned he was going to rip through his all of his T-shirts, and his thighs. Lord, his thick thighs were built like tanks. All in all, Buck looked comfortable in his own skin, in being himself, and in being enough, and you were obsessed with it.

Of course, you might be biased, but you think the general public can agree with you that your boyfriend is a smoke show.

The 118 and their families were currently gathered at Athena and Bobby’s house. It was one of those rare weekend nights where everyone was free, so the couple had invited everyone over for a barbecue.

Dusk was falling, and the kids were planted in front of the downstairs television watching a horror movie. The adults were sitting in the backyard, chatting over drinks. You were sitting sideways in Buck’s lap, one of his hands bringing a beer bottle to his lips every few minutes, while the other rested on your leg. Both of you were immersed in the story that Karen was recounting about an incident that happened in her lab.

When you decide that you needed a sip of water, you shift yourself up from Buck's lap and the comfortable position you were in. You put your feet on the ground, lean forward and oh-

Your legs were on either side of Buck’s thick left thigh, and whether it was due to the booze or the angle or the solid muscle underneath hitting you just right, arousal zips through you.

You gulp and get up on shaky legs with Buck’s help. You make a beeline to the kitchen and grab a water bottle, pressing the cool plastic to the side of your neck in attempt to calm down.

“Hey, you okay?”, you hear Buck behind you. You turn around to see your sweet boyfriend who had trailed after you in concern.

“Yeah... but do you mind if we go home?”

“Of course. Are you feeling sick?”

“No, but I am feeling hot.” You say, trailing a nail down Buck’s chest to his tummy, biting your lower lip.

Buck, quickly understanding, smirks, and takes your hand in his, guiding you back towards the group to bid your hasty goodbyes before walking out the front door. You don't quite catch the knowing looks and smirks that Eddie and Hen give Buck.

Buck's warm hand never leaves yours, except to help you into his Jeep. He buckles himself in, and starts to drive, but not before asking,

“So, what was it that turned you on?”

Your cheeks warm. You look pointedly at his thighs, and he chuckles. He eventually pulls the Jeep into park in front of your shared apartment.

You move to open the passenger door, but Buck pulls you back. He brings you in for a kiss and shuffles you over the centre console to make you straddle him, adjusting his seat back to make room for you.

“Buck”, you pant breathlessly into his mouth, before sliding your tongue over his. His big hands caress your back and down your butt, before you feel him guide your legs so that one of his thighs was between them.

“Okay, baby. Ride me. Take what you need.”

He didn’t have to tell you twice. You hold onto Buck’s shoulders, grinding your hips back and forth over the corded muscle. Buck looks up at you like this is the hottest thing he’s ever seen, his own dick straining against his jeans. He bounces his leg up into you experimentally, and when you react positively, he continues to do so in an unrelenting pace. Buck can tell by your whines and breathing that you were close, so he finally grasps your hips and pulls you down hard onto his thigh. Within seconds, you’re shaking with white-hot pleasure.

Buck coos and rubs your sides, grounding you after your high. It's unspoken between you two, but this was most definitely not the last time you'd be doing this.

[zarnzarn]

TW: jumping on the manwhore au but aftermath, discussion of S/A, read carefully.

Three weeks pass.

Odysseus is carried through them with ecstasy and joy, reuniting and grieving and laughing and rearranging.

But then everything settles down, and-

It was him who'd ordered it. Ordered owls to be carved into every free inch of Ithaka, coveted shipments of the secretive birds for his personal menagerie, sold trinkets in the market. Made no secret of who favoured them, when he had half the houses painted blue.

But now every step he takes in his own home haunts him.

He cannot so much as look to the side before feeling the urge to flinch away, shame growing inside of him until it chokes him up. Cannot look at any owls. Cannot look at any of his men.

("Well, if our captain can't think his way out of it, at least now we know talking filthy works just as well!" One of the men chortles, unaware of how Odysseus' blood had run cold, standing with his hand raised to knock.)

("This day, you've lost it all, consider this as my goodbye-")

("Come on, she's a beautiful, powerful lady! How bad could it really have been, Captain?")

("Captain?" Eurylochus whispers, as Odysseus wipes the blood off his mouth and reaches for his cloak. The ships are silent, even though the roar of the waves has left. Eyes stare at him from all directions, wide and-

Pitying? Horrified? Odysseus can't really tell.

"Full speed ahead," He says, voice ruined, and keeps his chin high as he hobbles back to his room.)

(When the sirens come, all he sees is Penelope. It is nice, at least, to know that he can discard the intrusive thoughts creeping in about natural reactions and forced pleasures.)

("Please- please don't do this, don't make me choose, I'll do anything-")

("Leave me the fuck alone, both of you. If Penelope does not take me back after all of this, it's her choice. But I have to get all of us off this island and it's better me than you.")

"Ody- Your Majesty!" Odysseus reaches into his robes, pulls out the whittling tool and the wood, busies himself as he walks. It's one of the younger men, the ones who'd barely been boys when they left. "Listen, we were wondering if- if you'd come join us at the festival! The- all of the men, really, we've been- heh- missing you since we now have to share you with the rest of the kingdom. We could- we could sing together? Like we used to?"

Athena's prayers.

"You go ahead," Odysseus murmurs, eyes on the carving. "Next time."

"But you didn't come for the last one either!"

"I have-" He hears his own sharp tone, stops and swallows to soften it. He was terrible to all of them, he knows, those last few days aboard the ship, rude and sharp and brutal like all the other royals, where he never was before. "I have work to do. Have a good day. I've heard the new hound stock is coming in today, you should see if you want a pet."

He ignores whatever is said in response, walking on. He wonders, darkly, what they think of him. Do they still think he enjoyed it? That it was a privilege to be had by gods?

("He won't speak to us!" One of them hiss that night, when the lad comes back sniffling and downcast, like all the others. They'd grown up with Odysseus, almost like younger brothers, and all of the younger ones were taking the sudden frigid silence hard. They all were. Somewhere they had lost their friend, left him behind without noticing, until only their king returned. "He cannot possibly think we think less of him for sacrificing so much, for- the gods are impossible to hold up against, he can't think we blame him for-"

"We don't know what he thinks," Polites says, pulling his head out of his hands and wrapping his arms around himself. "He doesn't even look at us."

The men around the fire are all silent.

"He has to know, right?" Someone whispers. "He has to.")

"What did happen on the trip back?" Penelope says, voice quiet, sitting next to him. He jolts. When did he reach their bedroom? "Something did. You have barely touched me since that first day."

Odysseus opens his mouth, but for the first time, he has nothing to say. What can he? She had known, the first second he had turned his eyes from her in shame, and yanked him back in anyway with eyes blazing like a lion, growling that she didn't care what he had to do to come back, as long as he had.

Odysseus doesn't feel like he has.

Penelope carefully takes the whittling knife away from him, as well as the spear he'd carved. "And you have not prayed, after your return."

(He had tried. Had walked right upto the temple steps when everyone was asleep, and then turned around and thrown up in a bush.)

"Have you heard the story of the high priestess Medusa?" He murmurs, staring at the wall. Watches the shadows dancing across. "Athena used to tell me about her. One of her favourite devotees. I never understood why she cursed her, when it was not her fault."

Penelope puts a hand on his shoulder. Both of them are shaking. She has seen the scars, the ones that glow beautiful and bright, left behind by each god who touched him.

"A gorgon, snake-woman, capable of turning anyone she looked upon to stone, gods and humans alike. No eyes upon her, ever again."

The breeze blows in.

"At the time, I thought it to be a curse." He whispers. Remembers the story of the way she had screamed in the temple bower for Athena's help, insane, at the feeling he knows now is violation of self and celibacy both; Athena's chosen, ripped away from one of their ways of worship by force. "Now I know it was a blessing."

"But-" Penelope swallows. "Perseus-"

"Was a mercy." He looks at the ground. "She was pregnant. She did not wish to be. Athena granted her so."

"The shield is to honor her," Penelope murmurs. "Not a trophy."

He hums.

"I-" Penelope starts, voice thick. "I remember when you asked. When we first got married. If I was fine with not being joined with you in bed often, as long as I was satisfied. Was it-?"

"Only her priestesses can have true celibacy, her devotees less, me lesser. I had a crown to continue, so Athena accepted a more lenient vow, when I became her student." He stares out at the sea, the sky. "But I had vowed. I had sworn." A half-sob escapes him, some delayed noise of grief. It feels far away now, and the scars have all healed, but he cannot move past the violation, the stares, the whispers. The shame of betrayal. "I had an oath, Penelope."

"It was not your fault," Penelope whispers, taking his hand like he will shatter like glass. "Poseidon seems to target all of Athena's people. If anything-"

"We fought," He says, turning his head to press his face to her shoulder, shuddering as he confesses it. Abandoned by his own god. "She left. Maybe this is her punishment, all the eyes, all the time. Paranoid that another Olympian will jump out of the shadows, do it again."

"Or," Penelope says after a long pause. "She does not know. Only one way to truly find out."

Odysseus considers.

"Could you," He swallows, throat clicking. "Could you get me- the things from my shrine?"

-

He does not expect her to actually arrive.

He shakes in front of her, for the first time, feeling small and foolish and broken. Wishes he could go back to being twelve, do it all over correctly. "Lady Athena," He says, as formally as he can. "I beg your forgiveness. Please- please, is there anything I can do to-"

"About time," She interrupts, bored. "Finally willing to concede that I was right?"

Odysseus feels bile rise in his throat. "Yes, goddess. I was- stupid, to ever consider otherwise."

Penelope's hand is clenched tight in his robes, kneeling with him.

"Good," Athena says, pleased. "A war well won, all things considered. Our glory will go down in the history books." A pause. "Why are you on the floor?"

"What?" He chokes out.

"You've never kneeled to me once, even when I've taken you out at the ankles, you impudent brat," She snorts. Odysseus feels his pounding heart freeze in his chest at the- fondness in her voice. Fondness. She is not furious with him, not unforgiving. "What, do you want something else-"

She knocks him on the head, flicking him on the forehead playfully- then freezes as he looks up at her. Goes completely still, and he knows she can see what they did to him.

Penelope's hand reaches out to steady him.

"Only your forgiveness, goddess," His voice breaks. "Only that."

-

After, Penelope holds him, crying silently herself as she wipes at his cheeks. Athena sits with her head in her hands, helmet removed, anger finally under control but completely silent. Just sits there at the edge of their bed, bent over, face buried in her own palms.

Finally, she straightens, inhaling. Turns to look at him. "You may not be alive to see it," She tells him, quiet and furious. "But this is their last transgression, I swear to you. I will find a way to get revenge. They will die."

"I do not-"

"They will die. And no vows have been broken." She hesitates, hand hovering over his ankle. Odysseus crumbles, nodding desperately, and nearly passes out at the relief of the familiar touch, sharp and cleansing, godly and unlike the chaos of all the others. "You need not apologise to me about that."

He sniffs, turning his face into Penelope's shoulder. It feels freeing, some latent relief that Athena finally sees him, understands, forgives. She is not the terrifying goddess so far removed, cold and cruel, that he was starting to think she truly might be; bowed over in grief and horror for him, like a friend- he just wishes this was not the reason why.

Her eyes are gold at the edges. Crying. Nauseated almost, at the fact that- her uncle. Her father.

"Would you-" Odysseus wheezes. His heart hurts still, for their fight, for what happened after, for how hard he knows she will take it. "Can you-"

"Anything, champion," She says softly, strained. Gives him a half-smile. "My friend."

"The wings-" He whispers, feeling stupid, but-

"Slow," Penelope murmurs, reaching out to steady Athena as she climbs in close. Her voice is wrecked. She does not say anything more.

Owl wings fold around him, not white or blue or pink, patterned and brown like the mud; home. Home.

"No one will see you," Athena murmurs, and her voice is wretched, but caring. "No one can see you. Peace."

"Peace," Odysseus repeats, and leans into them both, letting the darkness shroud around them like an embrace. Peace.

Home.

[darkwitchingflower]

What if percy didn't catch annabeth in time?

The only thing stopping him from going after her were those around him

Without percy there to manipulate the rivers, the fall kills Annabeth shattering her body

Nico can feel her soul slowly disappearing

Percy vows to the styx to rip Gaia apart piece by piece

He's successful in that vow

He can't bare to look Nico in the eyes for saving him and not Annabeth

Frank and Jason beat themselves up for her death because they couldn't fly down to her

Hazel goes silent for about 3 months

She can't bare to hear Annabeths name without bursting into tears

Piper can feel Percy losing hope in love

She knows he they never got to tell one another

The first time Percy saw Chiron cry was when he heard the news about Annabeth, he makes sure she has the best shroud, she was like a daughter to him

Thalia goes on a hunt into the Underworld demanding Annabeth to be brought back

Hades looks at her and feels the pain she's going though, he looks at his niece dressed in punk clothes and mascara and eyeliner flooding her face

Grovers heartbroken, even though he was able to save Thalia he knew it was top good to be true, he would.always be the satyr who lost a demigod on the way back, he just didn't expect it to be the 7 year old girl who depended on him

The Athena cabin are now told how their oldest sister went head first into where Arachne lived, and brought her into Tarterus along with her self and her brave sacrifice

When Athena found out she let out a silent tear, she truly did love her daughter however even though she was the goddess of wisdom, she still had no idea of how to show it

She then summoned back the invisibility cap and Annabeths leather necklace

She now keeps the hat on her throne at olympus and a reminder of her favourite daughters bravery

The necklace was mailed to Annabeths father who now wears it every single day

Her mortal family are obviously devastated, even more at the fact that they never had a chance to say goodbye or burry her body as it was lost in tarterus

The camp seems to be darker without Annabeth around

Annabeth then goes on to Elysium, where she's greeted by Charlie, Silena, Luke (who she gives the cold shoulder to), Ethan, Bianca and everyone else

[nonbinarylocalcryptid]

In this whole scenario where Astyanax lives, I guess the encounter with Poseidon would have been a loooot different...but not much because then we would have no Odyssey.

And because Odysseus does actually have braincells (I know, shocking, but he has his moments), he also asked Aelous for some kind of baby float, because guys, we are on a ship, in the middle of the sea, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.

So burrito baby is safe in Ruthlessness. But hear me out, I think it would have gone like this:

Poseidon:

🎶And now it is finally time to say goodbye, today you die

Unless, of course, you apologize

For my son's pain and all his cries🎶

Odysseus:

🎶Poseidon, we meant no harm

We only hurt him to disarm him

We took no pleasure in his pain

We only wanted to escape

A father's rage

Is righteous in nature

As a father

That much I can underst...🎶

*music stops*

Poseidon: wait a minute, how would you know? You haven't seen Telemachus in a decade, give it or take

*Odysseus gestures vaguely at Astyanax in the baby carrier wrapped around his torso*

Poseidon, deadpan: where did that thing come from

Odysseus: I'm sure I don't have to explain reproduction to you, keeping in mind the number of demigods...

Poseidon: don't play with me mortal, where did that baby in particular come from?

Odysseus: well, I'm sure you are in touch with your brother Zeus, king of gods?

Poseidon: go straight to point

Odysseus: well he asked me to unalive a baby back in Troy...

Poseidon: and you dare to keep the infant as yours???

Odysseus: I was left without a choice! Curse me if I do, curse me if I don't! Keep the child or end his life! A god who demands a baby's life is not worthy of workship

*Eurylochus is doing that gesture thing with his hands of "dude stop talking now" where Poseidon can't see him* (but when has that stopped Odysseus?)

Poseidon: you dare to commit blasphemy in exchange of your enemy's son life?

Odysseus: as far as I'm aware, my enemy is dead, and there's no one to take care of this baby, may as well take him with me back to Ithaca. I'm sure as a father you will understand, but it's a shame the very same thing can't be said about your brother

*at this amazing point of the conversation Eurylochus is no longer looking at his brother in law, he is in fact looking at the stormy sea, probably thinking about trying to reach Ithaca by swimming*

Poseidon: and yet I can't left you leave now, you have wronged my son, and by doing so you have wronged me

Odysseus, quick thinking about how to bullshit his way out of this once more: but lord of waves, how would you go on knowing that you left this child become an orphan twice?

Poseidon, now getting why Athena likes this mad lad in particular and because of that, despising him a lot: no need to worry, he'll die too and he'll never know

*music starts again and it ends as we know*

[gh0stsp1d3r]

you know it’s for Luke 🤭 but pls if you could write one for him where he’s dating the reader and it’s like that one scene from El Dorado (https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFjVAEDA/) where responsible Luke needs to do all his counsellor stuff but flirty teasing reader wants to swim so he says they could swim later but flirty teasing gf just removes her clothes in front of him and in her bikini just tells him “too bad, I’m free now” 😫😫😫

𝒯ℯ𝒶𝓈ℯ…

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

A/n: stop I love this sm, and I loveee el dorado so this is the perfect req. no warnings

Today was a lovely today. It was sunny, and it was the perfect time to go swimming in the lake. You decided to eat lunch before, and making your way to the Hermes cabin after.

“Lukeee.” You sung, he was stuffing his things into a bag when he heard your voice. He whipped around and smiled at the sight of you coming over to him.

“Hey, baby.” He spoke, standing up and greeting you with a hug and a kiss.

“Hi. You weren’t at lunch. Why?”

“I was training with the new Athena kid. She’s nice.” He said simply.

“Oh, that’s nice.” You nodded, he nodded as well.

He turned around again and began stuffing things back into the bag. You sat on his bed, in front of him.

“Well, I was thinking we should go for a swim in the lake.” You swung your legs. He thought for a moment.

“I would love to, baby, but you know I have too much on my schedule right now. We can go swimming later.” He said.

“You’re too busy for your girlfriend?” You said with a slight pout on your face.

He sighed, looking up at your now. “Never. But you know I have to just do a few things. That’s it. It’s still early.”

“Fine. We can go later.” You said, slightly upset but you knew exactly how to win him over later.

You walked with him to his sparring place, and then said goodbye. You made your way back to your cabin, a smirk on your face.

—————————————————————

With your bikini underneath your clothes, you went over to where you knew he would be. It was his spot in the forest, probably teaching some kid.

You watched closely, sitting on an old rock. You watched him correct the campers stance, and showing him some techniques.

He glanced at you from time to him, a small smile slithering on his face every-time he did. Finally, after what felt like forever, he was packing up his stuff again. You came up and wrapped your arms around the boys neck, littering kisses onto him.

“So, can we go swimming now?”

He sighed, and turned to look at you now.

“I’m sorry, baby. It’s late and I still have a few more classes and- tomorrow, I swear.” He said, cupping your face and giving you another kiss.

“Alright. Fine.” You said, turning around and making your way into his field of view. Slowly, you reached for your shirt. He watched in confused.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing?” He said, eyes widening and the rest of his words catching in his throat as you moved your hair out of the way, and the way you batted your eyelashes at him as you looked over your shoulder at him made him melt.

“I’m going swimming by myself, I guess.” You shrugged as if you weren’t doing anything. Your shirt was on the ground.

He stays silent for a while, his mouth practically watering as you pulled off your shorts and he saw your bottoms. You knew exactly what you were doing to him.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, frozen where he stood. Sweat beads formed as he looked at you, you were gorgeous, like a Goddess. Better than one.

“You’re gonna kill me one day.” He mumbled under his breath.

“Hm?” You asked, turning around now.

“Nothing.”

“Mmm. Well, I’ll see you later, babe.” You said, and began to walk away before he came over, peeling off his shirt as he walked, throwing it somewhere as you smiled and giggled at him.

“You’re such a tease, you know that?” He spoke, you grabbed onto his hand and you both walked towards the water.

“You’re the one who didn’t wanna go swimming, Mr.” You said, poking his chest.

“I’ll tell them classes are cancelled later.”

[estell-allary]

APHRODITE’S BANE

Relationship:romantic

Pairing:Clarisse La Rue x fem!aphrodite!reader

Warnings:fighting,mentions of blood,reader getting injured,swearing pls tell me if I missed any<3

A/N-this is my first time writing,also this is just a fluff about Clarisse and you loving each other AND you are like the past Aphrodite the fighter and warrior that she truly is,not this soft weakling that people preseve she is just because she is the graceful goddess of love~(it is also 00:30am and this is heavily inspired by the song Salvatore by Lana)

Shocked.That’s what you would say you (and most of camp half-blood) were when you found out that your mother-Aphrodite-claimed you,especially in the middle of capture the flag! No it’s not because you’re not pretty-hell your one of the prettiest girls in chb,but because everyone was sure you would be claimed by ares or even Athena.

Everyone had no doubts to you being one of there children because you were strong,quick witted, intelligent and understanding you also had an undying loyalty towards the ones you loved, but after you were claimed people started to relate you to your mother more-or well who your mother used to be,Aphrodite Areia.

When you were unclaimed you would hang out with the ares kids and a few other people,but there was only(not even)a hand full of people you talked to in the Aphrodite cabin-them being piper,livia,Valentina and silena

I mean you were only claimed a few weeks after you arrived at camp half-blood that being in that years game of capture the flag..that’s also when you met her.Clarisse La Rue,honestly you didn’t really think of her to be all that before the incident,sure people told you to stear clear of her because she was a bully and would not hesitate to flush your head down a toilet,but you just saw her as a normal teenager who had anger issues.

You’ve only been at camp half-blood for 3 weeks and the date of capture the flag was today,everyone has been preparing and training extra hard for a few days now and you still haven’t even found out who your godly parent is yet,tho everyone’s already assumed who they are,ares or Athena,because your a natural for sword fighting and one on one combat or because you are wise and patient-most of the time.

You were placed on the blue team with the hermes cabin until your claimed same goes with the rest of the unclaimed kids,Chiron did his speach and then the red team let out this loud monstrous war cry that made you flinch,“um Luke,is that normal”you asked in a hushed voice to the black haired boy that was standing next to you “yep,they do it every year,don’t worry you’ll get used to it”he pated you on the shoulder biding you goodbye as the blue team departed.

Stumbling through the woods trying to get to your spot was..difficult to say the least let’s just say you got lost a few times,when you finally get there you lean back against a rock,it was smooth and rough at the same time,just right.You could feel the sun levitating off of your now warm skin,this was sure to give you a light tan.

‘Catch me if you can,working on my tan Salvatore’

You heard a twig snap behind you and you quickly jumped up and grabbed your sword,turning around to see no one,“hello?..”you said confused but keeping up your fighting stance “annabeth?..Luke?” You called out knowing annabeth was close by but Luke wasn’t you were just confused…that was until you got tackled to the floor by non other then..someone? it was a boy and he smelt vile but you had no time to think about that before you panicked and slashed your sword at the side of his amour and flipped him off of you before quickly getting up and taking a step back.

He lunged up and swung at you but you quickly dodged and bolted for the woods, running,in hopes he would head for the flag instead of following you,but he didn’t..it was strange he was going after you and not the flag, “ow!shit!” You cried out as you were tackled to the floor again this time with him stabbing at your amour.

You pushed yourself backwards and kicked him in the stomach sending him back a few meters,you jumped up again and so did he this time you lunged at him stabbing at his chest but he kicked your legs out from under you and pushed you back making you fall of a small ledge and land on the small,damp rocks of the beach.

‘Dying by the hand,of a foreign man,happily’

He jumped down on to you and held his sword to your neck,he was about to open his mouth to say something but you kicked him in the shin making him fall and his sword pierce your skin,not enough to properly injure you but just enough to draw blood,he yelled out as he hit the damp rocks “ah!you bitch!”you both got up again and started clashing your swords together “why the hell are you still trying to fight me!”you grunted out.

Before he could respond you heard yelling and both the blue and red team came running out the woods the blue team with the red flag,the person holding it was annabeth but she faltered for a few seconds seeing that you were is a fight.

Then you caught her eye,for the first time you both looked at each other and gods she was gorgeous.Clarisse La Rue.

But you got distracted.“HEY!”luke yelled out as the boy stabbed with full force at your chest.

‘Calling out my name in the summer rain,ciao,amore’

You huffed out a breath,gasping for air as you grabbed the end of his sword cutting your palm and two of your fingers but kept your grip on it strong,you raised your foot and kicked the boy in the stomach making him stumble and lose his grasp on the sword.You threw the sword into the water and just as he was about to punch you,you grabbed his fist and flipped over above him landing behind him (thank god for you being able to do gymnastics)

Just as annabeth got the red flag to the post you punched him in the back making him fall on his front and he stayed down..OH GOD YOU KNOCKED HIM OUT!!

You looked up panicked and everyone was staring looking shocked at yo-..wait why were they looking above you?You looked up and gasped,

“Wha-?”

Suddenly you were tackled into a hug by silena who was laughing “oh my god” you heard annabeth say,your gaze went from Silena to Annabeth to Clarisse..she was looking at you with a puzzled expression before saying the thing that everyone was thinking, “how the fuck are you a daughter of Aphrodite?”she said your eyes grew wide before you furrowed your brows “HEY!are you calling me ugly!?”you yelled out looking offended even tho you were thinking the same thing.

“Well no bu-!”Clarisse started before she was interrupted by Chiron “Aphrodite areia..you take after your mother’s original origins from being a warrior”he said with a kind smile on his face.

“Well that’s enough for today everyone go get some rest get fixed up and carry on with your day!”Chiron declared.

A/N:sorry that there was like no Clarisse x reader in this I promise there will be way more in my next one this one was just a tester btw😃

[gingermintpepper]

Okay, let's finally talk about EPIC's Apollo

I feel very compelled to say, first of all, that I do not dislike Epic. In fact, I am very fond of Epic and have been following its production and status very eagerly! I attend all the launch streams, I watch all of Herrans' update videos; I am, at the end of the day, a fan and I want it to be known that my words are spoken out of love and passion as much as they are spoken from a place of critique.

So really, what my problem with Epic's Apollo?

In the briefest possible terms; the choice to have Apollo be defined by his musical aspect in God Games is thematically strange. And not in the 'oh well in the Odyssey, Apollo was important to Odysseus and his family so it's weird that that wasn't kept in Epic' strange, strange in the sense that Odysseus' character arc since My Goodbye has been getting more and more obviously Apollonian and so it is positively bizarre that when we get to meet Apollo, the god seems entirely disinterested in him and his affairs. So much so that he is not even defined by any station that would indicate that he has been watching over and protecting Odysseus and his family.

What do I mean by 'Odysseus has been following an Apollonian arc'? I'm so glad you asked!

Remember Them is the last song in which Odysseus explicitly uses his sword until Mutiny where he must use it to defend himself against Eurylochus' blade. He uses it to help enact the plan to conquer Polyphemus and, due to Polites dying in that battle, Polites who wished for Odysseus to put the blade down entirely and embrace a post-war life, Odysseus also retires his sword. This is an action that symbolically separates him from Athena - and the image of Odysseus as a traditional warrior set for him in Horse and Infant - as much as My Goodbye physically separates him from the goddess and her war-ways - from this point onwards, Odysseus will no longer be leaning on Athena's wisdom or methods to solve his problems. Likewise, he will no longer be able to rely on her protection.

Odysseus thusly solves most of his upcoming problems through diplomacy and avoidance. He approaches Aeolus - a strange and ambiguous god (both in gender and in motivation) and appeals to them for help. Circe too, he approaches not with wishes to conquer or for revenge, but for the safe returning of his men and an alternate way forward. In all of these scenarios, there is some Apollonian element which is subtly interweaved alongside the influence of other gods; it is with a bow and arrows that Polyphemus' sheep is slain (and thus it is this Apollonian element which is at the root of Odysseus' spat with Poseidon), it is a vision of Penelope that warns Odysseus that his men are about to open Aeolus' wind-bag, Circe's peace offering to Odysseus is to refer him to a prophet of Apollo who has since died.

In this way, Apollo is walking alongside Odysseus for all of his journey after Athena departs - even in the Underworld, he is guiding him. It is Tiresias' proclamation that is the last straw for Odysseus, it is by the power of a mouthpiece of Apollo that Odysseus decides to embrace his ruthlessness. It is with the bow and arrow that Odysseus subdues the siren who sought to trick him, likewise, Odysseus does not attempt to undermine or escape the fate of paying Scylla's passage price - he knows of the doom about to befall the six men and quite unlike the rest of the journey until this point, he does not fight against it. This all comes to a head on Thrinacia where it is a blade which sacrifices the sun god's cow and brings destruction upon the crew once more.

My point with all of this is that when I heard the teasers for God Games years ago, it made perfect sense to me that Apollo would be Round One - he is not Odysseus' adversary and has no reason to oppose Athena's wish to free him. From other teasers about what will happen in the climax of Epic, Apollo will still be walking alongside Odysseus - it is Apollo's bow that Penelope will give the suitors to string. Likewise, it is Apollo's bow that will prove Odysseus' legitimacy and identity. That bow will be the power by which Odysseus hunts his adversaries and cleans out his palace - it is Apollo who is the avatar of Odysseus' ruthlessness, not Athena.

So tell me, truly, what was the point of having Apollo raise a non-argument in God Games? Why have him appear unconcerned, aloof and slightly oblivious? Why have him appear in his capacity as the Lord of Music at all?? And if the intention was never to make Apollo an active player in Odysseus' life like he was in the Odyssey, why keep Odysseus as a primary archer?

The answer of course is that Apollo is inextricable from the fabric of the Odyssey - his influence and favour exudes from Odysseus just as much as Athena's. In Athena's ten year sulk, it would have been Apollo who kept Telemachus and Penelope safe. It would have been Apollo protecting Odysseus from Poseidon's gaze as he travelled the seas (according to the Odyssey anyway)

Forgive me for not being excited about something that I thought was being purposefully set up. I was extremely ecstatic about all of the little Apollonian details that litter the sagas because I know where this story ends up (loosely) but all God Games did was reveal that maybe those Apollonian details were not intentional at all, but merely the ghost of the Apollo who persistently haunts those he favours, even if he cannot explicitly come to their aide in an adaptation.

[flower-blossoms654]

"If not his friend, then mine."

I keep thinking about that one line because it fucking tears my heart out. Its Telemachus saying I know you have done something that you regret - probably something that you believe is bad and makes you a bad person and unworthy of that person's friendship - but as your friend (who fully realizes your imperfections) I believe you are a good enough person to make amends.

"Maybe to fall is to learn one way" because its OKAY to make mistakes. Doing bad things doesn't automatically make you a bad person. If you really want to help, if you really want to make amends, and the person who you wish to help is wanting and willing to accept those amends, then maybe things will get better.

He's really just looking at Athena and acknowledging that she can change/is changing/has changed for the better - and that was what Athena needed. She seeks out Odysseus, sees that he needs her help, and challenges her father for his freedom.

She's a goddess. Renowned and worshiped. She has great pride and not only did she extend her mentorship to Odysseus, she basically set her claim on him. For him to directly go against her warnings and for him to believe he knew better than her was a big blow. Their argument didn't make things better.

So she cut him off. Said goodbye. Tried to forget him and act like she was never tied to him. That she never even considered him a friend.

Then his son rolls around. Young and bright. In need of guidance. Surrounded by foes. A young boy who looks so much like a father he never knew of - most likely because of her.

And its pride and guilt and regret that fights inside of her until someone can look at her and tell her that hey, you don't have to be perfect to be loved.

[starless-nightz]

Omg someone who writes Athena x reader fanfics!! Could you write just pure fluff where Athena and the reader just cuddle together after Athena argued with Odysseus in My goodbye

Athena cuddling with her S/O after fighting with Odysseus

note -> ATHENA <333

warnings -> none.

content includes -> fluff, hurt/comfort.

Athena is tense when she finds you, her face stone and her shoulders set stiff in a burden from the argument she just had with Odysseus. There is frustration and disappointment hanging heavy upon her, but some of that coldness fades away as her gaze shifts and she sees you. She doesn't need to explain what happened. You know it by that look in her eyes, the hurt buried beneath her usual composure.

You open your arms wordlessly, an invitation to come closer. Athena hesitates a second before moving into your embrace, sinking into the circle of your arms with a sigh that's part exhaustion and part relief. She is rarely so vulnerable, but with you, she can lower her defenses.

She wraps her arms around your waist—her grasp firm, yet not desperate—as if hanging onto the one thing that keeps her feet on the ground. You softly stroke your fingers through her hair, the silky strands slipping through your hands as she places her head against your shoulder. It's a gesture that is as soothing to her as any wise words you can offer.

Athena clings to the heat of your presence, allowing the tension to bleed away as you wrap your arms tightly around her. She buries her face against the crook of your neck, inhaling your familiar scent, the steady rise and fall of your chest against hers easing the storm still swirling in her mind.

She doesn't say much, but in that quiet, you feel her appreciation of how much this silent understanding means to her. And sometimes, there is a slight murmur of a "thank you" against your skin, her voice barely a whisper. As if any louder would shatter the peace that is between both your souls.

You hold her a little tighter, reassuring her that you're there, that she doesn't have to bear the burden of divine conflicts alone. Athena's fingers find yours, interlocking as if she's anchoring herself to this moment-to you. It is a quiet wordless promise between the two-a promise far stronger than any strategy or counsel she may give.

She slowly evened out her breathing as the stress from the argument began to fade away, her body sinking deeper into your embrace. You pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, a silent promise-it was okay to take this time for herself, to let you be the one to hold her up for a while.

There's a soft, gentle tug at the corners of Athena's lips, the kind of smile she almost never shows to anyone unless she is like this, just with you and not a care about the rest of the world. A smile that says, wordlessly, all that she doesn't need to say out loud: thank you, I trust you, I love you.

The two of you stay like this for a really long time, arms wrapped around one another, the fight with Odysseus very far away. In you, she finds the serenity of a place nobody else is able to provide her-a reminder that through all the battles she may fight, there is a place where she can always just be Athena, not a goddess.

[rey-diem]

“Why do you see me as your friend, Hermes? They hate me.”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have traveled miles to find you, dude. You could’ve faded. It would kill me to have Athena as the sole god of war. She hates people who aren’t special enough to be her pupils.” Hermes sat down on the ledge, taking a moment to breathe. He needed that moment desperately. He always does.

“Gee, is that your only reason?” Ares frowned, not pleased.

“Kidding!” Hermes threw his hands up in defense, chuckling, “Also because, the Olympians.. just didn’t care. I couldn’t have done it alone either, Artemis offered to help because she considers you as… her only really guy friend.”

Ares raised his eyebrows, “Artemis doesn’t hate me?”

“You both a patron gods of Amazon, you don’t touch women weirdly and you both hate Athena.” Hermes remarks.

“Touché”

“You know that word?”

“Shut up.”

“Honestly, can I say something, Ares? You may seem like the god everyone hates but.. I’m in the same boat.” He tilts his hat down. Looking at the ocean below the ledge.

“Everyone likes you, Hermes.” Ares shook his head, scooting closer.

“They don’t like me, they like what I do. It’s always ‘Hermes can you deliver this!’ and ‘Hermes go help this demigod!’… They always want something from me, it’s just never slow down.” Hermes ranted, bringing his legs up to his chest, “The second I become useless, I say goodbye to godhood forever.”

Awkward silence spread between the two of them.

“Not true. I want you, you’re my friend. And I want you to always be my friend. And just…. don’t say that idiot. It makes me feel even more terrible than usual.”

“Thank you.”

“For what? Being a decent person? I should be saying that you dork.”

“Thank you for slowing me down.”

“Thanks for saving me, Hermes.”

[ask-pjo-hoo-toa]

ᴀʀɪsᴛᴏᴛʟᴇ ~ ᴘ. ᴊᴀᴄᴋsᴏɴ

req. none :)

summary. just a fluffy little thing about studying and basketball. you and percy are dating and you are a child of athena! you're trying to help him study...

warnings. use of (y/n), gn!reader, short as hell

eeli0r's notes. just wanna say i dont do smut no exceptions :) also: loosely inspired by that tswizzle lyric from so high school "you know how to ball, i know aristotle"

thursday, december 3

you and percy are hunched over a book, specifically an english textbook on the poetic teachings of aristotle.

you, as a child of athena, are quick to understand the teachings, and you're helping your boyfriend, percy jackson, study them for his test the next week.

"baby, focus," you say to him.

"okaaay," percy says. "fine. but i have a basketball game next week too. and it's in the cold. december, hello?"

you smile at him. "i'll be there to see it, i promise, but you have to focus right now."

percy sighs dramatically. "(y/n), why oh why would you do this to me?"

"because i want you to pass this class, love. you know, i'm a child of athena, i'm pretty much the best person for this."

as you continue to study, pulling your boyfriend back to focus every few minutes, you finally start to get somewhere. he's doing good, answering questions correctly most of the time, and you're glad about it.

when he gets the last part of an especially difficult section correct, you say "love!!! you're so good at this!!!" and kiss him.

percy laughs. "thank youuu," he sing-songs. "aristotle's also thanking you from wherever he is for getting your helpless boyfriend to finally learn his poetic teachings, (n/n)."

you grin. "you're not helpless, m'lord. you are sooo good at this, i swear."

he pulls you into a hug and peppers your face with kisses. "you're better. i love you, (n/n)."

as you keep studying, his hand finds yours on the book and curls around it. he's warm compared to your ice-cold touch.

thursday, december 10

the day of the test. everyone's putting down answers and you're doing well, as a child of athena, so you're more worried about percy.

an hour later, the exam is finished and you hand it in. you see percy, across the room by the door, waiting for you.

"hi love," you greet him. "how'd you do?"

he leans forward and kisses you. "pretty good, i think. thanks to you of course."

"babe, you're the one who retained the information," you say, taking his hand and walking out the classroom.

"right, right, i forgot." he gives you a cheeky grin. "my basketball game is in an hour. i need to go prep. see you there, love!"

you walk to the dorms of your college and kiss goodbye as he disappears into his dorm to get ready.

one hour later, you make your way to the ball court and sit down next to a few other people, an old woman and what looks to be her wife, a little boy sitting next to his mom and dad, and who you were hoping to see---percy on the court, his mom and paul sitting in the level above you, and estelle tugging on your sleeve.

"(y/n)!" estelle says brightly, slightly mispronouncing her name because of her age. "hi!!"

"hi, stelly," you say, ruffling her hair.

as the game starts, your eyes stay on percy, and you and estelle whoop the loudest when he makes a shot. every time, he looks at you and estelle and smiles, because he knows it's you and his sister.

the clock ticks, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15...

...14, 13, 12, 11, 10...

...and it's a tie, with five seconds left, percy has the ball and...

the buzzer goes off a fraction of a second after he makes the winning shot.

"WHOOOOOOOO!" you shout at the top of your lungs. "WHOOP PERCY!!!!"

your boyfriend doesn't bother talking to his friends afterward, just runs up to you and hugs you tight.

"that was amazing!" you say as he lets you go. "that was literally amazing!"

he flips his jet-black hair. "of course it was, (n/n), i was playing."

"you are the best player on the team. alright, alright, love, let your sister hug you."

estelle hugs percy and says, "so good! so good!"

percy laughs. "thank you, stelly and (n/n). i guess i'm actually decent at basketball."

"come on, babe, we need to go get ice cream for a reward. you too, stelly, and sally, and paul." you nod to the individuals as you refer to them.

monday, december 14

as the teacher's passing out tests, you can't help but feel incredibly nervous even though you're sure you did well.

A+ 'good job'

you knew it. but how did percy do?

he looks at you from across the room (you sit in the middle-front, he sits in the back) with shining eyes. 'A+,' he mouths.

you do a fist pump to him before your teacher clears his throat. "(y/n)? percy?"

"ah, uhm, sorry," you both say in unison, before dissolving in giggles because, let's be honest, who wouldn't?

[zarnzarn]

It is only after that Athena realizes what was wrong.

"Apollo," She says, quiet. The other god looks terrified at her sudden reappearance, confirming the answer before she even has to ask. Still, she stomps over to the bed, brushes aside the curtain that holds-

No one. The bed is empty.

"-DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" She realises she's shouting, throat hurting from however long it's been. "Damn you, Apollo, why didn't you-"

Artemis is holding her back, even though they all know now that Athena would never be her father, no longer would raise a hand any of them.

"Why-" Tears catch in her throat. "Why would you not let me say goodbye to her?"

"She told me not to," Apollo says quietly. His cheeks are also wet, and he's cowering back but his stance is strong. "And you- you were happy, Athena. With all your warriors, with your Ithaka. I could not spoil that too, not when it would not last as long as your grief would."

"Damn you," She chokes out again, voice defeated, then turns to the bed. "Let me see her."

"That's not a good-"

"Artemis, please!" Athena snaps. "Let me see her, Apollo. One last time."

Apollo inhales shakily and raises a hand, turning back the time of his realm. Athena keeps her eyes trained on the bed, until-

"Pallas," She breathes, kneeling by the bed. Pallas lies unmoving, still bleeding all these decades later. She coughs suddenly, making Athena's heart ache. She knows that pain now- of the Aegis striking you down- but she still cannot bring forth regret for the latent hope that one day she might be saved.

"Pallas!" Apollo from the past exclaims, putting his pots down to stand by her side. "Oh- you're awake!"

"Not for long," She croaks out, and Athena sobs at the sound of that beloved voice. At what is coming. "Don't tell her. She won't reach me in time."

"But," Apollo wavers. "You're awake! Surely-"

"I'm only awake because someone is speaking my story," Pallas smiles faintly. "My essence will not survive the ending." Then she frowns. Realizes something and gives a small, wondrous smile. "But maybe-"

Athena reaches out to her, even though she knows it won't touch.

Pallas looks straight at her.

She gasps, and the other shoots her a familiar grin, before abruptly dissolving into mist with a horrid ripping sound, two colored lights floating in the air for a moment, then disappearing entirely.

"Let me see that again," Athena snaps hoarsely, pale.

"Sister-"

"NOW!"

Once more, she watches the soul of her first friend tear into half. Then again and again, until-

"Wait," Artemis holds out a hand to stop the movement, catching the split moment where it coalesces into her last storyteller and the last listener- a familiar shoddy prince and a familiar princess dripping with water, knobbly-kneed and grinning at each other- "Is- is that..."

Athena doesn't reply, still staring. Of course, it makes sense, she was the one who whispered the story to Odysseus under the stars after a training session gone wrong, but why would Pallas-

Why would she-

Unless-

Athena! Oh, wow, your hair is beautiful, she remembers both Odysseus and Pallas saying.

Athena! Come in, the water is lovely, she remembers both Penelope and Pallas saying.

"I have to go," She says hoarsely.

"GO!" Apollo and Artemis shout in unison, wild hope entering their eyes, and push her into-

Ithaka's palace bedroom. It is night. The olive tree in the middle of the room swishes.

Odysseus is sitting upright, Penelope in his lap as he strokes her hair. Jarringly full grown and speckled with grey, from the vision from a few seconds ago. But not old enough, not old as they should be, because-

When he turns to her, his grin is both his and hers, and when Penelope slits open one nymph-blue eye, the mischief is both hers and hers.

"We were wondering-" Odysseus laughs, a feminine lilt to the sound that isn't his, predator-playful expression the same as it was from all those centuries ago.

"-when you'd finally notice," Penelope finishes, the rough curl of the nymph language the queen does not know shaping her letters, quiet glee at a successful scheme the same as it was from all those centuries ago.

"It is you," Athena breathes, dropping her spear. Her helmet, her armour, walking closer like a soldier finally home from war. "It has been- you've been here the whole time."

Odysseus and Penelope cackle and Athena breaks out into a run and Pallas, grinning, raises their arms to welcome Athena back home.

[fangirlofallthefanthings]

heard you have headcanons on ody and dio meeting again after he returns. how does that go? how does penelope feel?

Ooooo!!! Boy, do I have ideas [insert shakey turtle of excitement here]

So, it's a little bit complicated, and I don't want to give too much away since it relates to what I'm currently working on, BUT!

I GOT YOU, FAM!

Basically: after Diomedes gets kicked out of Argos (it's very sad, the poor man), he realizes he has nowhere else to go except literally anywhere but the Eastern Mediterranean. So, he sets off for Hesperia (aka modern Italy) to start a new life there. But in this time of heartbreak, he's missing Odysseus even more (they had a sad goodbye on Crete; it's a long story), and he decides to stop at Ithaca on the way to get some supplies and maybe visit Ody. But when he gets there, he finds that Ody is MIA and Penelope is running things. So he hangs out for a while and gets to know Pen and Telemachus (who is about 11 or 12 by this point), and quickly figures out why Ody would talk about her literally any chance he got. She's beautiful, yes, but she's also just as cunning and wise as Odysseus is... The same qualities Dio fell in love with. And Pen is curious about Dio, too. She's heard many stories and news about her husband's schemes with Dio, and she starts falling for him a bit, too. But Diomedes doesn't want to dishonor the Bro Code by getting with Penelope. Ody loves Penelope! Dio could never hurt Ody like that. So... He leaves. He says goodbye to Pen and Telemachus and heads off to Hesperia. He and Penelope wonder what could have been since they believe they will never see each other again.

BUT THEN ODY RETURNS TO ITHACA!!! YIPPEE!!! Diomedes hears this news, but he has his new city to run, so he doesn't return immediately. After a few years, though, he gets usurped and kicked out again, so he's like, "Welp. I have nowhere else to go," and he goes back to Ithaca. He and Ody reunite and there's hugs all around and it's really sweet. Dio soon finds that OdyPen had another kid, a daughter (I haven't figured out a name for her yet, but she's two when Dio shows up). This part of the story is very loose, but I do know they all put two and two together eventually (Odysseus is very happy about this as you can imagine lmao!) It's little slice of life stuff from there. A little hc I have about the three of them is that Dio teaches OdyPen's daughter how to box because she's a little firecracker and needs to get rid of excess energy somehow, but she can't stay still long enough to weave (plus she's really little and doesn't have the fine motor skills for that yet). Dio and Ody also work together to hone Telemachus's and Diodotus's skills (who Diodotus is... you'll know soon enough lmao). I also hc that Pen frequently tricks OdyDio into wrestling each other so she can watch for her own entertainment. She's just sitting to the side, eating her bowl of table grapes, enjoying the show okasdfhsdugif- I also hc that... Once OdyPen passes on, Diomedes leaves again. The kids don't want him to go, but he can't stay. He wants to honor Ody's wish for Tele to be king. If he stays, people will think he wants to take over. He doesn't want a war among Ody's people so... he leaves. He establishes one last city in Hesperia and feels his life coming to a close. He climbs a nearby cliff by the sea to enjoy the view, looking east. Then Athena shows up, and he accepts immortality. Sorry... Got sort of sad toward the end there, but that's a few things! I have a lot of thoughts, but I'm very scattered rn. If you have more specific questions, feel free to ask! I don't bite, I promise! :D