#Odysseus: I am not the man you fell in love with

[kakashi-fangirl-ita-blog]

Songs that KILL ME INSIDE, in order:

The Underworld (him seeing his mom??? finding out that she's dead??? NOOOOO "I'm right here, mom, can't you see?" "I took too long" AAAAAAAA😭💔 but also him seeing Astyanax and his comrades AND THE FACT THAT PEOPLE USE IT FOR SAD COMICS ABOUT ARGO??? Yeah that's my 13th reason; plus the screams Odysseus hears at the beginning of the song are the ones of the Trojans, both soldiers and civilians, escaping and being killed by the devastation the Greeks have caused)

I Can't Help But Wonder (naaah it makes me bawl, "Oh my son look how much you've grown, oh my boy, sweetest joy I've known, 20 years ago I've held you in my arms how time has flown" WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THIS WAS MY LAST STROKE?!?! "My son, I'm finally home" "Father how I've longed to see you" AAAAAAAAAA💔)

Just A Man (one of the saddest scenes ever, everytime that I've studied the Odyssey in elementary, middle and high school I could picture this scene so vividly *but the one who killed him was Neoptolemus*, I've always loved Hector so the fact that his child was killed just so that he wouldn't avenge his father and people destroyed me, I've always thought about Andromache... she lost her husband and baby and she was captured and brought away from her home by the same man who killed her child... OH ANDROMACHE💔💔💔)

Would You Fall In Love With Me Again (I mean... the reunion was so sweet, I love Penelope's voice, I love hearing Odysseus talking about all the pain he's been through, "I WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN I DON'T CARE HOW WHERE OR WHEN NO MATTER HOW LONG IT'S BEEN YOU'RE MINE" okay Jorge you've slayed so hard💅)

Not Sorry For Loving You (yeah yeah I know what y'all think about Calypso, but I love women in men's field- Jk, I literally love the whole song but the last part??? BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING, SHOWSTOPPING. "I love you" "You do?" "But not in the way that you want me to" "I HATE THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU, WHY DID I FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU? WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS LOVE FOR YOU? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET OVER YOU? WHY IN THE WORLD WON'T YOU LOVE ME TOO?" this last verse >>>>> ugh, her voice is so beautiful, her pain, her longing for someone... UGH💔)

Six Hundred Strike (I just love the whole part where Odysseus beats Poseidon's ass while screaming in pain for everything he has lost and suffered "How does it feel to be helpless?" OUCH- "I heard their final moments calling their captain in vain, look what you turned me into" and "Haven't I suffered enough? You didn't stop when I begged you" DAMN JORGE YOU HIT ME RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY HEART. THAT WAS PAINFUL)

The end, now I'm going to listen to these songs in shuffle and cry a bit

[luxury-nightmare]

Odysseus: Penelope I am not the same person you fell in love with, I have done terrible things to get home. I understand if you can’t accept the monstrous things I have done-

Penelope: cool, could you please move this wedding bed

Odysseus: what, no!

Penelope: that’s my husband

Odysseus: Penelope I have killed so many

Penelope: I don’t give a shit

Odysseus: I sacrificed my crew-

Penelope: And I would’ve done the same

Odysseus: I am covered in the blood of the suitors

Penelope: and you look fantastic

Odysseus: I TORTURED A GOD ON HIS OWN WEAPON

Penelope: and that was incredibly sexy of you

[yellow-computer-mouse]

Plural!Odysseus headcanons because you know what that man can fit so much trauma in hi- *he cracks in 2* uh oh

Ody - he/him

The silly

Shows up in Just A Man, ICHBW, and when Polites and Anticlea are haunting the narrative (that part of The Underworld, end of Love in Paradise and Get in the Water, etc)

Man was not prepared :[

Trauma holder

Odysseus - he/him

Our main man woohoo let's go

There for most of the musical, he's the star of the show! Namely Different Beast (the plan was Monster's idea), THATI, and Charybdis

Smartest dumbass you will ever meet

Host + core

Monster - he/it

The monster.

Starts to form in Remember Them, shows up in Monster (duh), 600 Strike, Odysseus, and some of WYFILWMA

He will do what he needs to protect his own.

Protector/swordsman + anger holder

System Info

Warriors of the Mind/Warriors System

Traumagenic

Greyout amnesia, can remember events but the emotions of it are muted. They know what they should feel when they recall memories, but it doesn't have any effect on them.

Long, fuzzy dissociation spells between switches. Harder to remember, too.

They do not know what is going on ever 😭 totally clueless wdym not everyone has a guy in their head making them kill people

[thetiredprometheus]

Odysseus: I am no longer the man you fell in love with- hold up

Penelope: What's wrong my love?

Odysseus: wait here, I need to go back to the underworld and beat up a certain prophet, I'll be home for dinner

[betterthanyalls]

hi!

can i request for a hermes x gn!reader x odysseus? :)

i was thinking that maybe reader is already a friend of odysseus, like a childhood friend maybe or a neighbor/citizen of his kingdom and has known him for years

reader liked ody but ody already has penelope so they arent flirting anymore but when hermes shows up and starts taking readers attention for himself that's when ody starts to get a little jealous maybe? aaa sorry it has been a while since ive requested anything - i hope its not too specific ;v;

i just thought it would be fun to see witty banter battles and playful snark ^^"

I have spent my entire day throughout school and home to work on this so i am very sorry for any mistakes or if its bad, i was speed running before i eepy, also i tried to make reader x odysseus more platonic cus he got penelope yk? ALSO NGL THIS WAS VERY FUN TO WRITE HEHEHEH

Masterlist

Divine Intervention

Hermes x GN!Reader x Odysseus [p]

EPIC: The Musical ~ Oneshot ~ Fluff

Words: 2.1K

Published: 11-5-2024

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A gentle puff of air blew through the vacant meadow, flowers brushing each other in a picturesque view. Within the center of the field, two souls lied together, laughing and gazing at the clouds with imagination. 

“That one reminds me of Argos,” Odysseus pointed up to a running puff of white above that loosely resembled said dog. “Oh, I see it!” Penelope grinned, her smile shining brighter than Helios. A short distance away, under the shade of a tree, sat the best friend of the couple. With their backs against the tree, Y/n watched on emotionlessly. Their mind felt blank; witnessing the source of their love showing admiration to somebody else delivered a new type of pain to their chest. Y/n felt lost. Would they never be the first choice? Odysseus had known them for the entirety of both their lives, but the moment he met Penelope, he forgot all about Y/n. He was head over heels, claiming he’d marry the princess before he turned twenty. Sure, they stayed friends, but that wasn’t enough for Y/n though they’d never admit it. Y/n couldn’t even blame Odysseus. Penelope looked like a goddess sent from Olympus. Anyone could mistake her for a divine being. 

With a silent sigh, Y/n prepared to push themself to their feet and take their leave. But a new presence stopped them from rising up. Looking to their left side, Y/n saw another figure sitting beside them. “Wow, really the third wheel, huh?” A cheery voice sounded from his mouth.

“Who are you?” Y/n asked, like any sane person would. “You mean you don’t recognize me? Your friend Ody would if you asked him,” the individual turned to face Y/n, giving them a good view of his identity. A metal helmet sat atop his head, adorned by smaller, brown, speckled wings. A mischievous grin was placed on his lips, with the rest of his face remaining covered by a shadow. Y/n leaned back slightly so the sun could pierce the shade better, revealing more of the man. A chiton made of the finest silk hung loosely from his shoulders, stopping at his knees. The male sat casually criss-crossed, his back propped against the same tree. A scepter sat on the ground beside him, holding two golden snakes and two glistening wings, power radiating off the item. Another point of interest for Y/n’s eyes were the sandals on his feet. Not in a footfetish type of interest, but intrigue with the fact wings fluttered like no big deal off the heels. Just as Y/n was going to breathe out his name, the guest spoke first. “Indeed, it is I, Hermes. God of messengers, travelers, luck, gambling, borders, animal husbandry, thieves, wit, speed, language, trades, commerce, athletes, merchants-”

The god continued rambling proudly about each of his domains as Y/n’s awe slowly fell into a deadpan. “I know you,” they cut off his boasting, not truly caring if it was rude. Thankfully, instead of being offended, the god merely grinned. “So, Y/n, what are you doing out here? Away from the party?” Hermes had a teasing tone in his voice, gesturing to the two lovers ahead of them. Odysseus and Penelope had no knowledge of a god offering company to their closest friend. Y/n wanted to ask how he knew their name, but they figured it was some divine power thing.

“Ody wanted to spend time with Penelope, but he was too nervous to come alone. So he dragged me along. But I don’t want to intrude on their moment together,” Y/n shrugged, looking at their friends.

The mischief god watched the mortal for a moment before a plan formed in his mind. “Well, I can’t let such a beautiful soul be alone, now can I?” Y/n turned to face Hermes, an amused yet confused smile on their lips. “I’m sorry?” They inquired, not sure if they understood his words correctly. In response, Hermes stood up and held his hand out to help the mortal up too. “If they have their moment together, then allow me to give you a moment for us.” The god had a gentle smile, keeping his hand out for them to grab. Raising an eyebrow, Y/n hesitantly took his offer and grabbed his hand. He pulled them up to stand beside him.

“So, where are we going?” Y/n asked, looking into the forest behind them. Hermes just laughed in excitement.

“You’ll see!”

And before Y/n could utter another word, the god pulled them close and took off racing through the trees. The world whipped past them at lightning speed. Trees, rocks, roads, towns—everything went by in a flash until suddenly it all paused.

Taking a deep breath, Y/n stepped away from the god. Their legs felt like brittle wood, threatening to give out at a simple breeze. Once they caught their breath, the mortal looked around to see them in the center stands of the nearby sports. Athletes were in the midst of competition down below, and nobody seemed to question two people just appearing. Hermes sat down on a stone slab and patted for Y/n to sit beside him. Doing so, the god offered them some grapes he may or may not have stolen from other mortals. “Did you choose this event just because you’re the god of athletes?” Y/n questioned  with a small laugh, taking a grape to eat and watching the sports continue. Hermes responded with his own laugh, beaming at the person beside him. “Would you leave if I said yes?” Y/n pretended to think for a moment before turning to face him with a hum. “No, but you better make this worth it,” they chuckled playfully, popping another grape to their mouth. ~~~~~ Hermes did truly make it worth it. So worth it that the two began going on adventures every day. From splashing around in rivers to exploring dark caves, the mortal and god’s friendship grew each day.

Anytime Y/n questioned themself in a mirror, Hermes would somehow maifest behind them to compliment their looks before going back to whatever job he had that day. “Dahling, you look gorgeous—beyond stunning, truly.” Was heard more than once

They would even find gifts sometimes, usually always stolen, waiting in their bedroom.

~~~~~

Currently, Y/n and the king of Ithaca were sitting in his bedroom, just talking like old friends. “So, you’ve been disappearing randomly only to come back in one state or another. Not to mention, you’ve been much more upbeat lately. What’s going on?” Odysseus interrogated with a grin. Y/n stayed quiet for a moment. Could they tell their lifelong friend about the new soul in their life? Odysseus had a raised brow, waiting for a response. “C’mon, you know you can tell me anything.” He offered with a calmer smile. Y/n’s expression softened, and they sighed, deciding to speak the truth. "I met someone,” they began, trying to form the correct words. Something in Odysseus’ eyes changed at this revelation. His posture stiffened just for a moment before returning to his previously relaxed state. “And who may this 'someone’ be?” The king continued, trying to get as much information as possible. With a quiet whisper, Y/n confessed. “Hermes...” Their lips held a bashful smile as they looked away from their friends' eyes. The friend in question paused, blinking slowly to process the information. “Hermes?! The god?!” He exclaimed with an open jaw. Y/n quickly shushed him, shoving their hands in his face. “Sh sh sh! Shut up! Not so loud,” they hissed, taking their hands away carefully once Odysseus nodded in agreement. “You know Hermes?” He continued to quiz. “Don’t you?” Y/n raised an eyebrow, thinking back to the first conversation with the god. Hermes said that Odysseus would know who he was.

“Well, yeah, I do. But I didn’t think you would too,” he tried to reason, although his point fell flat. “You don’t think a lot,” they retorted. Before Odysseus could try to fire back, a sudden breeze blew in from the open balcony. Looking over, a certain god stood against the stone railing with a familiar grin. “If it isn’t my two favorite mortals! If I wasn’t mistaken, I’d say I was the center of this discussion,” Hermes laughed, waltzing into the room. He ruffled Odysseus’ hair playfully before taking a stand next to Y/n.

“Hermes.” Odysseus brought a hand up to fix his hair. The god just laughed again, wrapping an arm around Y/n’s shoulder to give them a side hug. The narrowing eyes of the soldier didn’t go unnoticed by Hermes, brightening his smile.

“Hey Hermes,” Y/n greeted warmly.

Odysseus didn’t enjoy seeing his best friend so cozied up with another person. Even if that other person was a god who saved his life multiple times and also his great-grandfather. An idea began forming in his mind to get rid of the situation. “Y/n, I think I remember seeing a show taking place in the city. You and I can go see it now before it finishes,” the king offered, casting a victorious grin to Hermes as Y/n gave their own smile. “That sounds cool! Yeah, we can go!” Y/n moved away from Hermes' hug as the two mortals took their leave. Once they left, Hermes frowned and took his own leave back to his previous tasks for Olympus. ~~~~~ It didn’t take long for a secret war to begin. Every moment, Y/n was in between two opposing sides. They were either with Odysseus one day and Hermes the next, or they were sitting in between both males who kept trying to one-up each other, which would eventually end in arguments.

“I mean honestly, darling, why spend your time with such a brute when you could have someone as divine as I?” “BRUTE?!”

“Really, Y/n, he’s the god of lies. If anything, his words mean nothing compared to mine.” “Your entire reputation is a lie.” “Well, I guess it’s just you and me, Y/n—” “Oh, please. That’s more of a stress than a privilege.” “Did you hear something, dahling? Why, I can’t seem to hear anything below FIVE FEET.” “OH HOW MATURE—” “IT IS!!”

This took place almost daily, and it acted as peak entertainment for Y/n. ~~~~~ Today, unlike any other, Y/n and Odysseus sat quietly in a familiar meadow. However, the king was being unnaturally quiet. Turning to face their friend, Y/n spoke up.

“Ody, are you alright?” Concern was clear in their voice as they waited patiently. Odysseus didn’t make any notice of hearing their words for a minute before he finally answered.

“You’re replacing me.”

Those words caught Y/n off guard. Odysseus was looking at the grassy field around them rather than meeting his companions eyes.

“What? No, I’m not. What makes you say that?” They furrowed their eyebrows in worry, anxious for his reasoning.

“You spend more time with him,” he hissed, speaking of the god like venom on his tongue.

“Well, maybe, but-”

“BUT NOTHING! I’m supposed to be your best friend! Me! Not him. It’s us against the world; we agreed on that years ago.” Odysseus turned to Y/n with a deep frown, his eyes showing unease. He had been betrayed time and time again before; he couldn’t risk losing another friend.

Y/n stayed silent, stunned by his sudden outburst. Odysseus just looked back to the meadow, shame filling his soul. After a few moments, Y/n regained their bearings as sympathy and guilt covered their features.

“Ody,” they called softly, but he continued to look away. "Ody, look at me.”

Reluctantly, he looked over to his friend.

“Ody, I could never replace you. You are woven into my soul like a grapevine. Why do you think I would break our pact?” They spoke softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Odysseus sighed, looking back to the ground. He felt so stupid for assuming they would hurt him too.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled gently, looking at them out of the corner of his eyes.

“It’s alright; I would do the same if I were you. I forgive you,” Y/n smiled warmly to him, earning a hesitant smile back from him.

~~~~~

After this whole incident, Odysseus stopped arguing so much with Hermes. Sure, the mortal still gave the god a few half-hearted glares, but they eventually learned to share Y/n’s attention.

The trio sat calmly on the balcony of Odysseus’ room, waiting for Penelope to arrive for a nightly get-together. The sun sank slowly below the horizon, offering a charming glow to the city.

“So, darling, how’d you manage to get such a feral man to calm down?”

“FERAL?!”

[ccstiles]

I had originally posted this through a reblog of the art, but decided it would be easier to just make a post with it, but anyways

Fic inspired by this art and the trans!Penelope AU by @bigidiotenergytm , go check it out!!

(in the AU, Penelope's preferred name is Vasileios, just so you know!)

Could you love me again?

"Penelope..."

Odysseus said to himself, scared to open the oh so familiar doors in front of him.

He didn't know how she would react to him, to what he had become. Last she saw of him, he was simply a man going off to war, to help his brotherin, but now... He was caked in blood, and looked like he hadn't seen a bath in years.

He took a deep breath, gathering as much courage as he could, and he pushed the doors open.

His eyes were stuck to the floor, unable to look up at his wife that he knew was standing there.

"Is it you?"

Odysseus was expecting a soft voice to greet him, not knowing if it was going to be filled with hurt, anger, or love.

"Have my prayers been answered?"

But as he heard who was speaking to him, his eyes widened, not expecting the voice he was greeted with.

"Is it really you standing there? Or am I dreaming once more?"

Odysseus began to look up as the deeper voice registered in his mind.

"You look different. Your eyes look tired, your frame is lighter, your smile torn."

Finally, as his eyes landed on the person that was speaking, he felt his heart drop.

"Is it really you my love?"

It wasn't her.

Where was she?

"Who... Who are you?" Odysseus asked the person, the man, in front of him, his anger growing as he continued to speak, "what have you done to my wife?"

"Ody," the man began to take a step towards Odysseus, but he was quick to draw the sword at his hip.

"Where is Penelope?!" He all but yelled, staring down the man in front of him, threatening him with his sword.

"Odysseus, it's me," the man in front of him stepped back, figuring it best to reason with the angered king at a distance.

Odysseus stared for a moment at the man, his face seeming familiar yet not at the same time, his voice, deep but still light as he talked, and his eyes...

The eyes he saw every time he closed his own to sleep. Eyes that both haunted and eased him any time he thought of them during his 20 year long journey.

Her eyes.

His eyes?

Odysseus lowered his sword as these thoughts raced through his mind.

"....Penny?" His voice was quiet, confused and curious as the pieces started to click into place in his head.

The man nodded, still uncertain as he brought his hands to his chest in comfort, something she- he? Would always do when upset.

"Vasileios," he corrected quietly, scared at how Odysseus would react to the name. "I... I know I am different," Vasileios continued, "I am not the woman you fell in love with, the woman you were looking to be with when you returned."

Odysseus' shoulders began to lower as Penelope- Vasileios? talked. He took the other in, everything that was the same and everything that was different.

"...neither am I" Odysseus stated, "I am not the man you fell for under the olive tree all those years ago. I've done so much..."

As the two lovers looked at each other, at what they had become, fear struck them both that all this waiting was for nothing, that they couldn't love each other as they had 20 years ago.

"... What have you done?" Vasileios asked, curious.

"So much," Odysseus breathed, like the weight of his actions suffocated him, "killed, betrayed, hurt, crossed, everyone I saw. Gods, mortals, giants and monsters, none escaped the bloodshed."

Vasileios looked at him with sympathy in his eyes, listening as Odysseus laid his sins out for the other to see.

"Would... Would you ever fall in love with me again?" Odysseus braced himself as he asked the question that rattled around in his brain. After everything he'd done, after the monster he had become, would he love him the same?

"...I knew that those years at war and years disappeared would leave you with blood on your hands. I was prepared to see you with horrors of war painted across your thoughts and dreams." Vasileios' face softened as he spilled his own heart out for Odysseus, "You are still the man I fell for, the man I married, even if you have crossed those that once trusted you, I still love you. I never stopped."

Odysseus was shocked at his words, his eyes filling with tears and his heart filling with love knowing that even after the horrors he had committed, they didn't matter to him.

"But..." Vasileios looked down as he fidgeted with his hands, "could you ever love me again?"

Odysseus felt his heart break, hearing the sadness and fear in the other's voice.

"Pen- Vasileios," Odysseus corrected himself as he slowly walked towards the other, letting his sword drop onto a nearby table, "my love. No matter how you change, no matter if your voice deepens, if you grow hair on your chin and cheeks, if your muscles tone, if anything, you are still you. You are still the mind that interested and intrigued me, the soul I connected with, the person I love and married. No matter how your physical body changes, you are still you; the person I love."

Odysseus' vision blurred with tears as Vasileios ran to embrace him, feeling tears on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around his lover, never wanting to let go ever again.

They stood there in a tight embrace, scared that if they let go that the other would disappear.

Vasileios slowly pulled away to look up at Odysseus, cupping his cheek in his hand.

"How long has it been?" Vasileios asked, tears still falling.

"20 years..." Odysseus sighed, bringing his forehead to rest on Vasileios'.

"I love you"

[peachyprophets-blog]

DROWNED LOVE. LET ME SEE YOU AGAIN...

Epic x reader

CW: Hint of death, EPIC spoiler warning, polyamorous relationship, female reader, English is not my first language.

Description: You are with Odysseus and his men in the war against Troy, you have known Odysseus for a long time. You are his steady partner and Penelope, Odysseus' wife, you have a committed relationship with each other. Since you are a warrior, you insisted on coming along to help in the fight.

PREV / PART 2

Reader POV:

When we attacked Troy, I stood on top of the walls and shot the Trojan soldiers with my arrows. I heard the screams of the soldiers who lost their lives in the fight for their kingdom. When Prince Hector fell and the battle began, everything seemed to stand still for a moment, all eyes were on the balcony that led to Prince Hector's chambers. When you turned your gaze to the balcony, you saw your captain and the man who made your heart beat faster. Odysseus of Ithaca, and in his arms he held something wrapped in a blanket, while you tried to make out what was wrapped in the blanket you heard a deep voice from nowhere warning that the child was a threat and that there would be no one to save if he let the child live. Child? Which child? This question was buzzing through your head until I realized what was in my captain's arms, a newborn. It was the son of Prince Hector, Astyanax. Before I could see anything else about the newborn I could hear Odysseus saying, "I'm just a man" to himself and the child. Before I could do anything else I just saw him let go of the fabric that the newborn was in, my gaze followed his path to death, not even a scream escaped the little boy as he got up and made his way into the underworld. I turned my gaze to the battlefield, all the soldiers and other members of Troy lay lifeless on the ground, the battle was won. I was standing right next to Poletis, a good friend of Odysseus and me, I slowly looked over at him, "it's done" I could just about manage to say, the pressure and burden that the war had weighed on all of us was lifting from us, the next goal was to go back home, to our homeland, back to Penelope and Telemachus. Poletis nodded at me before we walked from the wall to the others, we waited for Odysseus until he gave us his next instructions. We followed Odysseus on the way to the ships, when all the men were distributed to the ships, Odysseus gently took my hand and pulled me onto the ship. "I'm glad you're okay, now we just have to go back home and everything will be perfect" he said in a gentle tone as we stood next to each other. "Captain?" came the voice of Eurylochus, the second in command after a few days. "We've been on the road for days, the food is running low and the others are getting hungrier." His voice was filled with concern. Odysseus turned to him and discussed the next steps with him. I was lying in bed in Odysseus' cabin, not quite awake yet, I slowly sat up and got dressed. As I made my way onto the deck I heard Odysseus and Poletis on their way to explore an island. I was standing next to some men who were impatiently waiting for their captain and his best friend to return. As some men set out with Eurylochus to look for the two of them, a whole hour passed. When Odysseus returned with Eurylochus and a few men, I looked for Poletis, who was nowhere to be found. A bad feeling gripped my heart when I saw the red ribbon that Odysseus had tied around his forehead, which Poletis had actually worn. When everyone was on the ship, Odysseus, who was standing a little way away from me, called out, "Remember me, I am the reigning king of Ithaca, I am neither a man nor mythical. I am your darkest moment, I am the infamous ODYSSEUS." My world was spinning as the ship set sail again. I sat on the floor after Eurylochus had told me everything that had happened, from the lotus eaters to the Cyclops and Poletis's death. This information rocked my world, Poletis was a friend that no one could replace, he was there for me when I had problems, it was easy for him to make me smile, yet his way of seeing the world was ultimately dead. Eurylochus moved away from me to give me peace, I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice a frame of somone aproaching me.

A/N: HEYYY , I hope you liked my first Post, I already work on Part 2 so it would be nice of you say if you liked this one ;>

[akechis-piano]

y'know what gets me about "would you fall in love with me again" is that is that like. of course penelope would accept him. of course she would.

because yeah odysseus has changed a Lot during the musical. he's been a monster, he's been naive, he's been hopeful and hopeless, but Consistently he's been waiting. like i dont think the waiting motif appears in every saga (or whatever that motif that plays whenever a character is like "waiting, waiting" you know the one) but its CONSTANT.

odysseseus confesses to all he's done and penelope's just like "idgaf" because odysseseus did it all for her and telemachus. in a way odysseseus has both changed a lot and changed not at all in this musical. he's always wanted to go back to his son and wife, its just that over the course of the musical more and more has been asked of him in order to go back home.

so when ody says "i am not the man you fell in love with" he's dead wrong!! because despite how ruthless and how jaded he's become the one thing that hasn't changed is how much he loves penelope!! "i am not the man you fell in love with" my ASS dude!! you love your wife too much!!! 90% of the shit that happens over the course of the musical happens because you love your wife so much!!! i am going to explode

[anachronic-cobra]

If people keep having amazing ideas I'm never going to get any of my WIPs done. Here's a oneshot of @bigidiotenergytm 's Vasileios (transmasc Penelope) reuniting with Odysseus

-----

Through twenty years of solitude Vasileios had suffered since Odysseus' reluctant call to war. Ten years of uncertainty since the news of Troy's fall. Four years of tension with the arrival of the suitors, and three years of bitter mockery of what should have been a wonderous gift from the goddess Aphrodite. And yet, Vasileios had never been more terrified than in the hundred seconds since Telemachus had announced the arrival of Odysseus.

It wasn't that he didn't trust his husband. They'd made vows to one another. Even after twenty years, he was home. Odysseus had built their wedding bed as a monument to their immovable love, built him a palace around that wedding vow. If, after twenty years, he was still the man who'd loved so fiercely, he could surely accept this.

But, said a treacherous voice in his mind, those vows had been made to Penelope, not to Vasileios.

The door creaked open. And there he was.

Odysseus.

The first thing Vasileios noticed, to his shame, was how frighteningly small his husband was. He looked as though he'd been hungry for a very long time. His beard, though roughened by sea salt and a few days longer than usual, was neatly trimmed. Where had he found himself, Vasileios wondered, that he would care for his appearance but not for his health?

His eyes were hard, framed by dark circles, and angry in a way that had never been aimed towards his love.

"Who are you," Odysseus demanded, a hand clenching the bow at his hip as the other hovered over the quiver at his other side. "What have you done with her? Where is my wife?"

A lump formed in Vasileios' throat.

"I remember once," he said softly in lieu of an answer, "beneath a certain olive tree, that you made me a promise. Do you recall what it was?"

Odysseus' hand lowered slowly from the bow, confusion furrowing his brow.

"We promised to love one another, then and always, no matter... no matter..." Vasileios blinked rapidly.

"No matter how life changed us," Odysseus finished. His body slackened as the tension left him in a rush. "Penelope? Is that... are you...?"

"Vasileios, now," the king's consort explained with a watery smile. "I know it's... rather a bit more literal than we meant it then, but I hope you can still see that I am me."

Odysseus dropped the bow. It clattered to the floor, echoing his footsteps as he crossed the room. He raised a hand, slowly, gently, as though afraid to frighten him.

"...there is a lightness in your eyes I can't recall ever seeing," he said, brushing a hand over Vasileios' clean-shaven cheek and down the well-groomed beard at his chin, "although I dreamt of them every night."

Those gentle fingers brushed a tear from Vasileios' cheekbone.

"You look different," Vasileios noted, before chuckling in embarrassment. "Though, I suppose I'm not one to talk, am I?"

Odysseus smiled, soft and small, as if the expression were afraid to show itself. "I am not the man you fell in love with," he admitted quietly. "It would be remiss of me as a husband to renounce my love simply because you are no longer the woman I married. But I ask, Vasileios, could you fall in love with me a second time, if you knew what terrible things I've done to return to you?"

Vasileios couldn't suppress a sob of mixed relief and empathy. "W-what sort of things did you do?" he asked, fighting to regain his composure. The hand retreated from his cheek.

"Reddened the sea across every island I landed upon," Odysseus declared in a dead voice, his eyes betraying the depths of pain he truly felt. "Sacrificed men I loved with all my heart, because the love I held for them could never compare to that which I hold for you."

Vasileios' hand was lifted softly, clasped between two worn with unfamiliar scars.

"The atrocities I've committed cannot be undone," Odysseus whispered. "Could you still love me as the man I've become, even if I am not your kind and gentle husband?"

Ah, this foolish man. Vasileios stood, pulling away from his touch and pretending it didn't burn behind his eyes to do so.

"If it's true that you have changed so irrevocably," he said, "can you do something for me? A simple task, just to bring me peace of mind?"

Odysseus looked at him quizzically, but with naked hope in his eyes.

"Will you move our wedding bed from this room, so that we might enjoy each others' company in greater comfort?"

The change was stark as the question visibly settled in Odysseus' mind. His gaze darkened with hurt, then with anger. His fists clenched at his sides.

"How could you ask this of me," he asked, the devastation in his voice nearly shaking Vasileios' resolve. "I built this wedding bed with my own hands, a monument to my love for you. I built a home around my love for you!" He was shouting now, anger boiling from the sea of sorrow. "A symbol of our love, our vows, to be as steadfast and everlasting as its very roots in the soil. And you ask me to cut it from those roots?"

Vasileios crossed the distance between them fearlessly, cradling the face of a man who still wore the blood of a hundred others as he stared into his fury with an anger to match.

"Only my husband would know this, or care for its preservation," he shouted in return, tears streaming down his face, "and you dare to try and convince me that you are no longer that man?"

The anger drained from Odysseus so quickly that Vasileios worried for a moment that he may faint. He tucked his king's face into his neck, burying his nose into curls crusted in blood and sea salt.

"I would fall in love with you a thousand times," Vasileios declared, anger at the loss of time turning to wetness on his face and in his husband's hair. "I will fall in love with the man you have become, and every man you've been for twenty years, and every man you will be until we both embrace the shroud of death."

Odysseus' shoulders shook.

"And I ask, husband," Vasileios continued, pulling himself away to meet the king's red-rimmed eyes, "can I ask the same of you? I am not the woman you loved. I am not your sweet and soft Penelope. I have changed much to keep this household safe, to bring myself some happiness in the face of my grief. I will never be her again, and I do not wish to be. Can you love me as I am, and for every man I will be?"

Odysseus pulled Vasileios' hands into his own once again.

"Vasileios," he said seriously, "if I am still the man you love, you cannot tell me you are not the person I married." He turned their hands over, tracing his partner's fingers. "These callouses from your weaving, I know them. I had memorized them a thousand times, so well I could follow a map of them more closely than any of Ithaca." His hand slid up Vasileios' arm to a spot on his wrist. "This scar from the knife you learned to wield in secret as a child, I know it too. This strength," he caressed his upper arms, "from decades of working the loom, I know how these arms have held me, and will again. These things are you, my love, and I know them."

Hands cradled Vasileios' face. Two thumbs traced the dark circles beneath his eyes, wiping away fresh tears. "I do not know this tiredness to your face, nor the wrinkles that adorn it. I do not know this grayness to your hair." Odysseus drew a tentative hand through the softness of his lover's mane. "But I want nothing more in the world than to know them as I know all the rest of you, my love."

Vasileios sobbed, finally caving to his desire to cling to Odysseus like a child. His husband's arms wrapped around him just as tightly, as though afraid he would disappear the moment he let go.

"I love you." It didn't matter who said it first. There would be plenty more to fill their lifetime.

[pep-the-artemis]

'God Games' but with Artemis instead

Athena - Artemis, let Odysseus go free. Odysseus is a powerful hunter who fought bravely against my mighty boar and during the war against the Trojans. Artemis - What are Odysseus' pronouns? Athena - I don't think that's relevant. Artemis - I do. Athena - he/him. Artemis - Guilty. Athena - WHAT! NO! THAT'S NOT FAIR! DAD! Zeus - don't know why you're crying to me. Athena - ughh, you never take my side. ):< Zeus - stop being mean to your little sister and continue. Artemis - yeah, sorry but Odysseus simply isn't girl boss enough. Athena - I see... *sneakily casts a spell* Artemis - ... Zeus - ... Artemis - ummm... did you just forcefem Odysseus of Ithaca? Athena - ...maybe. Artemis - ....well in that case, slay queen, she's free to go. Zeus - DAMN IT, NOT AGAIN!

*later*

Penelope - is it you? have my prayers been answered? Odysseus - I am not the man you fell in love with. I am not the face you knew before. Would you fall in love with me again but this time as a woman? Penelope - don't worry, I'm bisexual.

[dynasty889]

(I have an updated, finished version of this drabble: https://www.tumblr.com/dynasty889/771873983315542016/love-in-paradise-warriorpenelope-au-updated

Working on a thingy. The Time Dive but it’s warrior!Penelope. Do I like it? Mayhaps. Anyway:

Ares’ eyes glared down into the abyss as he stood upon the edge of the hour glass. He had never anticipated to be bothered with Penelope again, but her son had the same ability of convincing people that she did. So, here he was.

Ares put his helmet on. All around him, Penelope’s memories jumped out at him. “Old friend, it’s been ten years since I last saw you,” he said softly. Even so, he remembered it vividly. Those feelings of anger, frustration, and disappointment as he watched Penelope make that mistake.

“Remember me! I am the infamous Penelope!” She stood at the entrance of Polyphemus’ cave. He had just warned her not to, but she did it anyway. He was furious.

He sighed. Ares leaned forward, lifting his arms up, and fell into Penelope’s memories. “Let’s see where you’ve been!”

Penelope held a bag in her hands. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer!” Aeolus sang. Too cheerful for it to be a good thing. Ares knew something had gone horribly wrong.

Next up: Poseidon. “Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves!” he shouted. Waves lunged at Penelope’s fleet. Bodies and debris littered the ocean. Ares paused momentarily to watch Penelope unleash the wind bag to escape the sea god.

“One wrong move and you’re done for! Anything I—!”

“—Song of past romance. I see the—“

“—We won’t take more suffering from you!”

“Drown in your sorrow and fears!”

The next several memories whipped by him. A witch who transformed her crew into pigs, a prophet in the underworld, the killing of sirens, and a run-in with a six-headed sea monster.

“Captain?” Ares barely recognized that voice. But he knew it was one of Penelope’s comrades. Thunder roared above the crew as Zeus’ hands lingered over Penelope and forced her to look at her crew. Ares had not been so angry in a long time. To see his father’s hands on the girl he had mentored sparked a fire inside him, one full of rage.

“I have to see him…” Penelope mumbled. Tears streamed down her face. Her face and clothes were torn and bloody. A black eye and a stab wound. The anger Ares had felt dissipated as he realized what happened.

“But we’ll die.”

“I know.”

Lightning struck the boat, and it exploded into hundreds of small fragments of wood. Again, bodies and blood covered the ocean. He couldn’t find Penelope among the wreckage.

“Penelope…” he started. Ares was almost shocked by how concerned he sounded, for her of all people. “Where did you go?” One more of Penelope’s memories gravitated towards him. Perhaps this one would tell him what had happened to her…

Penelope swam until the darkness of the night made things too hard to see. Until her legs gave out. She had managed to drag herself to the shore of an island, where she passed out. The next day, Penelope awoke to the sounds of gulls crying and the waves breaking on the shore. The light of the sun was nearly blinding. Every muscle in her body ached.

A stifled, low chuckle echoed in her ears. Blinking, she looked up and saw a man sitting beside her. “Morning, sleepyhead. You’ve been resting for quite a while, haven’t you?” he teased. His voice was deep, but despite that and his gruff appearance, it carried a humorous air. It was one Penelope did not like at all.

The man laughed again. Penelope’ confusion was adorably amusing to him and he decided he would savor it as long as he could. “You know, I swore that you were dead when I found you on the beach this morning,” he mused. “Did you know you talk in your sleep? Tell me, though, who’s Odysseus?”

Odysseus. That name, like sweet honey, lingered in her ears. It was like medicine to soothe her aching head. Though she was still groggy and dazed, her senses were slowly coming to her. “He’s my husband…” she murmured. It was at that same moment she realized how close the man was to her and that his hand was gently resting on her thigh.

He blinked, like he was confused. Penelope, equally confused, stared back. They exchanged stares in awkward silence before the man spoke again. He pulled Penelope up to her feet and dragged her behind him. “Anyways, I’ve got all you could want here, all you could need here. Just you and me, my dear, my love in paradise.” His hands trailed down her body and he brought her close to him, like an embrace. “Soon, you will join me in bed and we’ll spend our time.”

[s0fter-sin]

what up i’ve been obsessed with would you fall in love with me again like every other person on the planet and i can’t stop thinking about penelope’s final verse

she’s so angry; angry that odysseus would dare to suggest that her love for him has faltered or his actions were enough to destroy it. she’s been waiting, working her fingers raw unweaving her shroud every night, not sleeping as the suitors camp inside her home; every day a threat to her and her son, to her kingdom if an unworthy man - and they are all unworthy - should take the throne. she knew they wouldn’t wait forever, that at some point her deception would be realised; her dedication to her husband means she is at constant risk and the first thing odysseus does when he sees her - if this even is him - is question her love for him?

the very first thing he says (other than her name) is, “i am not the man you fell in love with.” penelope asks him if it’s really him standing there or if she’s “dreaming once more”. once more. she’s felt the cruelty of hope before; has looked at her doorway and seen odysseus the same as when he left (which is probably partly why she’s so shocked by how he actually looks) and felt unfathomable pain when her hopes were dashed over and over again. she asks if he is really her odysseus and he says no

yes, in his mind, odysseus can’t see how he can deserve her love after everything he’s done - the atrocities he’s committed, to himself he isn’t the same man, “i see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it’s no longer you” - but all penelope hears is her husband, the man she loves and waited for, doubts the strength of her love

penelope asks what kind of things he’s done and it must be shocking to hear; his actions so different from the man who left her behind even if he did them in name of returning to her. but when she asks him to move the bed, it’s as much a challenge as it is a test. she’s asking him to prove that he is the monster he claims to be; that if he’s changed so much and become so heartless, he should have no qualms about ripping the symbol of their love from its roots. and it’s also her only way of actually determining if this man who claims to be her husband yet doesn’t take her in his arms, is actually him

“just a moment of labour would bring me some peace” - if he does what she asks, then she will know either he’s changed so much that he’s no longer her odysseus or he’s another fake and was never hers to begin with; that her husband didn’t just stand in front of her and claim she can’t love him as he is. but she’s done. she was already willing to die when she stood behind the twelve axes she challenged the suitors to shoot through. she’s so tired. she just wants it all to be over

“only my husband knew that, so i guess that makes him you” - i guess. even after telling her something only odysseus and her knew, penelope’s still not convinced that it’s truly him. how many men came to her door claiming to be her long lost husband, banking on time and distance to dull memory of his face and voice, on her longing and desperation for odysseus to blind her into believing them?

but if this is her husband? if the man she’s loved through decades of absence has finally returned to her?

“i will fall in love with you over and over again” - an exhausted promise, the core of who penelope is and how she feels; assuaging his doubts and his own clear pain

but

“no matter how long it’s been, you’re mine. don’t tell me you’re not the same person, you’re always my husband” - penelope is screaming at him; how dare odysseus say this to her? dismiss her love and her suffering? he saw the men outside, he’s smart enough to know what they were here for and instead of apologising for being gone for so long, instead of begging for forgiveness for inadvertently putting her and their son at risk, instead of embracing her and putting an end to her torment, odysseus doubts her

“and i’ve been waiting, waiting” - the tone shift of penelope screaming at him to lamenting how long she’s been waiting is heartbreaking; it’s quieter as she gets lost in the pain of her grief, her anger failing as she recalls the memories of her long years of solitude. odysseus tries to call her back with his gentle “penelope” - such a contrast to his own exhausted anger at being asked to destroy their marital bed now that he understands why she asked that of him - but she can’t hear him; she’s too trapped in the memories. he tries again, still gentle but more insistent, and this time she does hear him and her anger comes rushing back along with her grief. her “waiting, waiting,” becomes almost accusatory; she’s been alone for so long and it’s bc of him, bc he wasn’t there, bc he left her waiting

that abrupt “oh” at the end of the verse isn’t just a vocalisation; in that moment, she’s realising that she has realised that he truly is odysseus. she knew it was him before she even processed it. she wouldn’t be this angry if he were anyone else; love and grief and anger coalescing in one single divine moment where penelope finally believes her odysseus has returned to her

“for you” - she’s been waiting and waiting, years turning to dust, her sleepless nights and days spent living in fear and preemptive grief- and it was all for him. odysseus is actually here. which means her waiting is over

“how long has it been?”

“20 years”

“i- i love you”

[shoccoe]

So we have multiple statements by Jorge Rivera-Herrans that he was inspired by video games in the creation of Epic the Musical. This is pretty plainly seen in the multiple “boss battles” that cap off most albums in the musical.

Two of the most important examples of “boss battles” come from the characters recognized as “monsters” in the canon of the story: Polyphemus and Scylla. These two are important, because they are the only two characters with songs named after them. This sets them apart as unique and special, which is substantiated even further by the impact they have on the wider story of Epic.

“…but wait” you may be asking. “Odysseus has a song named after him as well, no?” That is correct! This is because, like Polyphemus and Scylla, Odysseus is a monster. So much so that there’s an entire song in the Underworld Sage.

Okay so- what does this mean effectively? Well… the final boss of the musical isn’t the suitors. It’s Ody. The song Odysseus has a lot of parallels to Polyphemus and Scylla (the line “keep your head down he’s aiming for the torches!” Being a direct callback to Scylla), but the one I’d like to focus on is the narrative framework of the song.

He’s the antagonist. The song’s narrative is carried by the disparate Suitors as they are hunted by our old king and try to survive. (heh. See what I did there?) The background chanting of Odysseus’s name is even in the same style of how Polyphemus is sung in Survive!!! He’s the FINAL BOSS. (and tbh. He’s a LOT better at murdering everyone who wronged him than anyone else in the story. Polyphemus should take notes.)

So… what does this mean? He kills every suitor. And like- as he should. They sucked. So what? The final boss isn’t defeated in Epic?

…well no. He is firmly defeated in the end. By Penelope. Something very important in the story from No Longer You onward is this division between the “Old Odysseus” and the “New Odysseus”. It’s this Old Odysseus who is a monster, and it’s THIS man who Penelope defeats.

Her defeat of Odysseus is shown in two parts: Lyrically and Musically. The first is very clear. Odysseus argues that he is no longer the man who married Penelope, and she disagrees. She is the only one to effectively trick Penelope, responding to his rhetorical statement of “I am no longer the man you fell in love with” with a trap that ends with Odysseus confirming beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is, in fact, her husband. Furthermore If you payed any attention at all while listening to Epic, Jorge’s love for motif is very clear, and this is relevant in understanding the emotional “defeat” of the Monster Odysseus.

Ody has two key instruments: a soft guitar and a harsh, electric one. These correlate to the two unique Odysseus’s we’ve established. We hear inklings of the soft guitar when Odysseus and Penelope first reunite, but it quickly fades to that harsh electric guitar as they begin to “fight.”

But. Here’s. Where. It. Gets. Fun. Because after he’s deceived and defeated, the soft guitar returns. He is finally, after twenty years, being allowed to return to the kind man he once was. He’s finally, *finally* home.

And that, my friends, is why I conclude, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Penelope tops Odysseus after Epic.

[nonbinarylocalcryptid]

This is how I think Astyanax would know react to being told what happened at Troy.

Context: Odysseus and Astyanax are trapped in Calypso's island. Unfortunetely, Zeus is bored, so he sends a message (maybe a letter? Maybe he just sends Hermes and call it a day?) to fuck things up a bit and mess with Odysseus. It works wonders. Nine years old Astyanax reacts poorly.

Here's what happens when Odysseus finds him after receiving the message.

The sun was about to set, filling the silence with the sound of the waves hitting the beach. Only Odysseus had the audacity to talk.

"My son..."

That wasn't welcome, not anymore.

"Am I?" Asked the boy. He was trembling, but not from the breeze. "Your son?"

For once, Calypso didn't try to insert herself in the conversation, even the chatty goddess was speechless.

"I always wondered, why we don't look alike at all? I was adopted, I knew, but I thought I was your nephew, even a cousin".

"Son..."

Odysseus was interrupted

"How can you call me that? My family, my whole country... it's gone, and it's your fault".

The man took a short breath.

"I'm not going to ask for forgiveness..."

"Good", Astyanax was done, "because there's no forgiving you. Tell me everything that happened, tell me about what went down that night".

He stared at the older man while he shook his head.

"Astyanax, save yourself that pain, the endless pain of the war shouldn't be a child's warden".

"But it is!" Bursted out the kid. "You decided to spare me on a whim!"

"That's not what happened."

"Then what?" A desperate question. "Am I a warprize?"

"Don't call yourself that." It was soft spoken, like a prayer.

Astyanax was no god.

"What am I supposed to think?"

Trying to descalate the situation, Calypso spoke.

"Maybe what your father is trying to say..."

Any other day, the goddess' inside was welcome, as she was Astyanax's friend. Today he was having none of it.

"SHUT UP NOBODY ASKED YOU-"

"HEY", Odysseus stopped him, "don't yell at her. You want to know what happened? Put your emotions aside, and sit with me by the fire".

They did so, and Odysseus told him. About the Trojan war, about ten years of slow killing, about the ressiliance of Troy. He told him about Achilles and Patroclus, about Paris and Helen.

He told the story of the wooden horse.

About longing to go home.

Diomedes led the charge. Agamemnon flanked the guards. Menelaus let the men through the gates. They took the whole city at large. Teucer will shot every ambush attack. And Little Ajax stayed back. Nestor secured Helen and protected her. Neo, avenged his father, killing the brothers of Hector.

About a mission, to kill someone's son, someone who wouldn't run, someone who could only be dealt with right there and then. About a baby in a cradle. About Zeus' prophecy. About him.

About someone who was just a man.

Troy fell.

The Ithacan fleet sailed, hoping to reach home.

They never did.

When he was done remembering the past, he looked at the boy, who was sitting at the other side of the flame, hands covering his face.

It took a long time for Astyanax to even look at him, let alone spoke up, but he finally did it.

"I don't know what to say." He confessed, bathed in the fire's light. "I hate you, I do, I'm so full of rage right now...but I love you, and I hate you so much. You should have killed me when you had the chance, why didn't you?"

The answer came easyly to Odysseus's lips.

"Mercy". He dared to say, the blasphemy of it haunting them, with only the fire and the waves as witnesses. "You haven't done anything, you were a child who had only known love. What was the point?"

"Zeus told you to do it. One should not defy the gods".

A dark laugh came from Odysseus, startling the kid

"That's all we have ever done since we met." Odysseus spoke the truth, and Astyanax hated him for it. "A god ordered a child's death. Where's my free will? Your right to a peaceful life? They're supposed to protect us...and look where we are now because of them."

Astyanax looked at him, right in the eyes, before saying his part.

"I hate you."

Odysseus sighed, tired, defeated.

"I know." Resigned.

"I have one more question."

Just one question? Odysseus would have give him anything he asked for. A question he could do.

"Go ahead."

Like a dreadful night, so many years ago, he thought he was ready. He wasn't ready.

"Do you even love me?"

Tears came to his eyes when the boy asked that question. How many times can a heart break until there's nothing left?

"How couldn't I? To love my children it's the easiest thing I've ever done."

Whatever was the veredict, he would take it, he owed Astyanax that much.

And then Astyanax got up. There was no emotions in his voice when he talked

"You are without doubt, a cruel man, Odysseus of Ithaca."

He walked away, letting a crying man behind.

[schnitzelsemmerl]

odysseus of ithaca, virgin: penelope i am not the man you fell in love with! i now am the monster!!! i killed everybody and a infant and i and i stabbed poseidon and i took DRUGS and i and i a (broke, omega mindset)

penelope of ithaca, chad: that's hot (woke, alpha wolf mindset)

[trash-begging]

Now that the new saga of Epic the Musical is out all I can think about is that the last song "Would you fall in love with me again" is SO fitting for Solas x Lavellan.

Penelope/Lavellan

Is it really you standing there? Or am I dreaming once more? You look different, your eyes look tired, your frame lighter, you smile torn.

Odysseus/Solas:

I am not the man you fell in love with. I am not the man you once adored, I am not your kind and gentle husband. Would you fall in love with me again if you knew all I´ve done? The things I cannot change.

And Penelope/Lavellen is just

I will fall in love with you over and over again. I don´t care how, where, or when no matter how long it´s been you´re mine! Don´t tell me you´re not the same person you´re always my husband.

I just. I can´t hear anything else but Solas and Lavellan in this song and I´ve been crying about it for way to much already.