#Thanatos wouldn't mind though

[enchantedanimal]

"Kneel before death."

[percyluvr]

hi!

could you write a fic with clarisse and a nonbinary child of thanatos reader, where they absolutely DOMINATE in capture the flag?

clarisse la rue x gn child of thanatos!reader summary: clarisse and her s/o are undefeated in capture the flag wc: 1127

It was widely known at Camp Half-Blood that if you weren't on Clarisse and her significant other's capture that flag team, you were on the losing team. Even before the two of you began dating, you were a force that no one wanted to mess with.

Your friendship had been very interesting for the other campers to witness, mainly for the reason that Clarisse seemed to warm up to you so quickly, almost as if there was an invisible string of fate tying her to you. The first time the two of you met, Clarisse was almost awkward when she spoke to you, and from then on, the two of you had been an extremely powerful force.

The two of you fit together like a puzzle, your minds always being on the same wavelength. If one of you strayed from the battle strategy you had come up with, the other could immediately tell why and what to do from that point on, which made capture the flag a breeze for your team.

You were sat in the Ares cabin with Clarisse, going over the strategy for the capture the flag, though it wasn't really necessary since the two of you were always in sync, but you thought it never hurt to be extra thorough. Even though the Athena cabin was on the opposing team, when they were usually on your team, the two of you were completely confident that you wouldn't have a problem winning.

"We'll charge together, but once we get through their second line of defense, you'll sneak past and grab the flag. Then, you'll go through the route we marked back to our base, and that'll conclude the game. Easy win for us, again," Clarisse states, making you grin.

The plan may seem simple, especially when it was the Athena cabin you were going against, but you had the entire Ares cabin on yours, and you had more faith in them for these types of things, but that's not to say the Athena kids are not master strategists, because they definitely are.

The next few days came and went, and it was finally time for your and Clarisse's favorite day of the month, capture the flag. The two of you shared a large breakfast, making sure to eat nutritious things to give you extra energy.

After breakfast, everyone headed to the forest and put on their armor and helmets.

"Thirty minutes until the game begins, get set up now. The games begin when you hear the horn, as per usual," Chiron says.

"Alright, does everyone remember the plan?" You ask, making sure that no one would mess up your victory, if that was even possible.

You heard many variations of confirmation, and so you and Clarisse sent everyone off to get into positions.

"You ready to absolutely dominate today?" Clarisse asks, as if she didn't already know the answer.

"Obviously, when am I not ready to hand someone's ass to them?" You joke.

Clarisse gives you a grin, and the two of you head off into the forest.

You two quietly talk for the remaining minutes, immediately focusing in when you hear the horn blast. You and Clarisse sprint off, slowly relaxing into a slightly slower pace to maintain your energy.

When you finally reach the other team's first line of defense, it was just as the two of you expected.

Clarisse knew that you were absolutely insane when it came to fighting, but you'd reached a new level in the past month of training. It was like the world had gone still except for you fighting. She was in the middle of a fight, and all she could look at was you. You fought like an absolute demon, your sword slashing so fast that she it seemed like you hadn't moved it at all. She could tell that you were still holding back, on account of it being a camp game and all, but she would've loved to see you with no restrictions.

It seemed like the fight lasted mere seconds, and all of the other campers lay on the ground. She stared at you in awe before coming back to her senses.

"Come on, we still have a game to win," she says to you, as if she wasn't just staring at you like you were a god.

When the two of you reached the second line of defense, you snuck off without a trace, something that you'd inherited from your dad. If Clarisse hadn't seen you fighting before, she would've wondered if you had ever been by her side in the first place.

You had no concerns about Clarisse fighting off the other team, so you quickly ran through the woods, fighting off stray campers that you came across.

When you reached the flag, you were astonished to find it completely unguarded. You wasted no time in sprinting over to the flag, grasping it in your hands and making a mad dash back through the forest.

You were careful not to step in any of the traps that the Hephaestus cabin must've made and placed strategically throughout the forest. You would've taken time to be impressed by how thorough they were with it, but you had a game to win.

In no time, you found Clarisse, signaling from the sides of the forest that you had gotten the flag. She grinned at you and finished off the fight she was in with some random camper, quickly catching up to you.

You made it back to your side in record time, hearing Chiron make a surprised noise and blow the horn, signaling the end of the game.

You jumped into Clarisse's awaiting arms. No matter how many times you felt her strong arms hold you, you would always be affected by it. There was something about feeling her hold you, knowing she would always protect you that made you feel all warm inside. She kissed you liked she'd been waiting her whole life to feel your lips pressed up against hers, and if you count about 2 hours as her whole life, then yes, she had been waiting her whole life.

When both teams had made it back to the river, Chiron announced that your team had won in a record-breaking 45 minutes, and you team shouted in celebration. You and Clarisse, however, celebrated by her taking off both of your helmets, picking you up into her beefy arms and kissing you with a passion that you'd never felt from her. She was just so enamored by you and how powerful you were that she never wanted to let go, but unfortunately had to so the two of you could celebrate, though she still didn't release her tight grip on your hand.

[shanastoryteller]

happy birthday!! i would love to read something about zagreus!!!

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Thanatos has seen the courtyard maintained by Queen Persephone, is well aware of the poms that liter the realm thanks to her influence, but this is something different.

"Than?" Zagreus asks nervously.

Even in Elysium the trees and fields are washed out, half there and half not, ethereal in the way of loss rather than beauty.

This is lush.

There are fields of strange fruits and vegetables growing, acres of rolling hills and forests, all of if glittering as brightly as the gemstones that litter the realm. There are people down there, working and planting, and others talking and laughing, buildings carved from stone and built from mudbricks and grown from twisting oaks.

They've stepped out onto a balcony, high enough to see for miles, and nowhere in the underworld is there this much space. It's all rooms and sections, constantly shifting, nothing allowed to just be be. Except here.

"Say something," Zagreus says, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "You're making me nervous."

"Where are we?" he asks. They're still in the underworld, but in none of the three levels or on the river, and that's all that should be, all that should exist. There is nothing else.

Zagreus swallows. "Um, well, it doesn't have a name exactly. Or it does, I guess. Everyone keeps calling it the Prince's Court, even though I think that's stupid."

The Prince's Court. He and Megaera had heard whispers of that. They thought it referred to Zagreus, and his growing power, and the people he kept close. Him, and Meg, and Dusa, except it turns out it had nothing to do with them at all.

"Have you lost your mind?" he demands, finally tearing his eyes away to glare at Zagreus. "Doing something like this in Hades's realm - he's going to kill you and make it stick-"

"This isn't my father's realm," he interrupts and Thanatos sputters. "No, I'm serious. Stop freaking out and focus."

"I'm not freaking out," he retorts but he grudgingly listens, if only so he can then continue yelling without interruption.

Hades's power is not limitless, as Zagreus has demonstrated so many times, but it is ever present, settling like a cloak over his domain and keeping it tightly within his grasp, not letting anything escape his attention or control.

Thanatos frowns then stretches his senses further.

It's only Zagreus.

The power he'd felt from his friend and brother and the person he loved most, something that he'd once had to press close and breathe in to feel and then later had ballooned to a comfortable presence that hung around Zagreus's shoulders.

They're standing so close now that he hadn't even thought it was strange that his power was all around them. But it's not because of that. It's because in this place, of open spaces and flourishing fruits and smiling people, it's Zagreus who holds it steady.

Not Hades.

"Why would you do this," he whispers, "why wouldn't you just challenge him for the throne if that's what you wanted?"

This is so much worse. An inevitable civil war, father against son, in a way so much bigger than their fights on the surface.

He makes a face. "Why would I want that? The underworld is depressing. And dealing with all those spirits is a lot of work. This is better. Besides, then I'd just inherit his curse, and then I'd have to work my way around it all over again. No thanks."

"What are you talking about?" he demands. "You're cursed too."

Zagreus grins, bright and happy and Thanatos can't return it because this is insane and he's insane and it's all going to end in misery. "Race you to the mountaintop."

Before Thanatos can say how ridiculous that is, a chaos rift appears behind Zagreus and he steps back and slips inside it, the rift closing before Thanatos can follow him.

Chaos is involved in this too? His grandparent, who has never take an interest in the affairs of the underworld and who has enough power to tip the scales in any direction they choose.

This just gets worse and worse.

[genericpuff]

I saw your "hades and apollo looking at Persephone the exact same" post and like honestly??? This series would be so much better if Hades/Persephone were intended to be toxic and Hades was MEANT to be a manipulative asshole. There are so many panels where everything is designed to make it look like Hades is the bad guy (hades following/"rescuing" persephone during the proposal) and like... ugh if it was INTENTIONAL it would be so much more interesting for the story. But it's not and it bothers me so much.

Also your "Thanatos yelling at Hades with Hades speech to Kronos" edit made my whole life, I was literally liveblogging my reading of the chapter to a friend on discord and i was telling them that everything Hades said to Kronos is something Thanatos deserved to tell Hades and I wanted someone to make an edit. So thank you for reading my mind somehow and making it 😂💖

Right, I've been dying over the same thought for ages now, if the whole point of LO was to showcase a girl being groomed and manipulated into becoming a worse person due to a richer and older man taking advantage of her... then maybe I'd be singing praises about what it's accomplished because as it stands, I really can't celebrate LO as being a "romance" in any way shape or form.

Either that, OR it should have stayed as like, a feel-good fluffy office romance story. Like if it had stayed in the territory of S1 with Persephone going to university and working in the Underworld without delving into any of the crazy supernatural fertility goddess / Kronos returning BS. Sure, considering it's Greek myth obviously it wouldn't be as 'fun' to have the characters not be actual gods who get into supernatural tussles, but LO just... isn't being written by someone who's capable of writing stories to that scale, and it's especially evident throughout the entire third season. Rachel should have just stuck to the character-driven plotlines with the grounded and intimate story beats (slice-of-life type stuff).

That's not to say she shouldn't ever try to write a bigger story with higher stakes and more intricate plotlines, but like... she's clearly not ready for that yet and I hope at the very least LO has been a learning experience for her so that her next story will either be more grounded or at the very least organized better if she can't resist doing a larger-than-life story.

also ur welcome LOL though honestly I can't take credit for that because that was basically ALL of us reacting to that scene like... wtf, this is what Thanatos should be saying to Hades fr LOL so have some confidence in knowing that you weren't alone in feeling that LMAO

[chi-ow-hua]

Medics are messy.

Or, well, the medics themselves probably shouldn't be too messy, considering they are sometimes the only thing standing between a gruesome wound and Thanatos himself. Although medics probably shouldn't perform surgery while wearing flip flops, either, so maybe that's not saying too much.

But regardless of appropriate footwear (or lack thereof), the profession itself is messy. Blood. Muscles. Organs. Bones. You name it - Will has seen and touched it all.

He can vaguely remember being a bit grossed out, in the beginning. He supposes that would be the natural human reaction when confronted with gore. Especially of the real variety. He's grown out of it, though. Plus the perks that come with his position are nothing to sneeze at.

Nico teases him for not liking horror movies, but the truth is that to Will they are just incredibly mind-numbingly boring. It doesn't matter how realistic the wounds or special effects look - hell, they could cut open a real human being and the injury still wouldn't faze him, no matter how gruesome. Because for Will, the worst part isn't the visual. That one he got used to pretty quickly, considering. It's everything else. It's the smell, putrid and overwhelming and always so horribly nauseating he swears he can taste it. It's the sound, failing organs frantically trying to fulfill their purpose in a desperate cacophany the movies can never get quite right (if they even remember to try.) It's the revolting knowledge that what you are feeling does not belong outside of a body, that it shouldn't be able to be felt like that.

They watch a bunch of horror movies anyway, because Nico knows how to press his buttons and manages to bait him into it every single fucking time.

("Please", Nico had whined in a tone he'd never dare use outside of his cabin. Maybe Will's shamelessness is contagious. Or maybe Nico knows that, without witnesses, nobody will ever believe him. "It's for the aesthetic".

Will had felt his lips contorting into a smile, even as he'd tried to keep on his mask of fake indignation. 'Aesthetic' is one of Nico's favorite words, along with 'vibe' and 'rancid'. Will kind of loves that he knows that. Nico can be as cool and badass as he wants, doesn't change the fact that he's an absolute dork as well.

"Come on, you know you're gonna give in anyways" And then, because the little shit knows what he is doing, he'd winked. And, well. Will is not too proud to admit that he is an absolute sucker for brown eyes. Especially these ones.)

He should probably be embarrassed about how easy he is, to be honest. But things like shame or propriety or even self-respect kind of go down the drain when you are perpetually exhausted and have seen basically the entirety of Camp in various states of undress. He used to think that that was the reason naked bodies didn't seem to have the same effect on him as on other people, but then the Michael-thing-that-shan't-be-mentioned happened and. Well. Let's just say Will is very aware that being a medic and having an active sex life are not mutually exclusive. Their father's slutty tendencies have been inherited by quite a lot of his half-siblings, as it turns out.

Besides, even if the movie itself is boring, Nico's reactions are hilarious. The jumpscares always get him, even if the fucker tries to deny it. And when a movie manages to really grip him, Nico will make sure to keep Will just slightly behind him. Will isn't sure whether that is a voluntary action or just instinct, but it always makes him swoon all the same. Nico is probably aware of it, freakishly observant as he is, but he never mentions it, so neither does Will. Gods forbid Nico stop doing it - that boy is jumpy even outside of shitty movies.

[gingermintpepper]

On that trojan war au thing you're writing. 1. What are the tags for it, cause I'm super interested! And would love to read what you have so far! 2. "And Odysseus is a much grimmer darker man due to his home being one of the places that were first swallowed up by Erebus" - I wanna know more about this. Please tell me more.

Oh , wow, I'm so flattered! I'm very happy it sounds appealing to you <33 This work is a huge passion project of mine so I'm always glad to talk more and more about it, especially since there are many aspects occurring in the background (such as the alternate fates of the main players of the Trojan Conflict) which I cannot properly cover or even explain within the events of the novel itself.

That said: 1) If you mean tags as in ao3 - unfortunately, this work isn't on ao3 my friend :( As I said above, these are elements and concepts in the greek mythology based-fantasy novel I'm currently writing (the concept of which I outlined here in the introductory post of my novel concept!) As for wanting to read whatever writing I currently have available: I currently have three fics available on ao3 that are written in my Pursuing Daybreak verse!

The Prince and Princess series deal with a young Apollo and Artemis and the many consequences they face after Apollo has slain Python. The two works uploaded right now are Exeunt Phoebus Apollo which covers the murder trial of Python and Manent Apanchomene Artemis which covers the intense feelings of helplessness and alienation Artemis experiences after Apollo returns from his banishment and is completely changed. Both of these have themes of family, grief and relationship exploration at their heart.

The third bit of writing I have up is quite outdated but does cover the immediate aftermath of Hyacinthus' death. It's called A Petal Falleth and features Apollo making one of those Big Silly Decisions that have completely unintended but extremely important consequences: namely, instead of the larkspurs being made of Hyacinthus' spilt blood, Apollo anchors the boy's soul to the flowers so Thanatos wouldn't take him. Like the Dawn is also set in this world but because it is nsfw in nature, I wouldn't recommend it as easily as the other three bits of writing. If you don't mind the whole naked men thing though, I'd definitely suggest reading Like the Dawn for a better idea of what my current writing is like (along with eventually getting to see characters like Hector, Andromache and Cassandra/Helenus) Like the Dawn's themes are also different to the other three works with it focusing more on the power dynamics of a god/mortal relationship, exploring masculinity and masculine sexuality and self discovery.

The running theme here, of course, is that all of these bits of writing are centered on Apollo/Artemis or Hyacinth because my novel itself is centered around them. There are, of course, other important characters and figures like Eros, Psyche, Penthesilea and Iaso (one of Asclepius' daughters) but while there is the definite presence of characters from the Trojan War they most certainly aren't at the center of the novel (and the ones that are aren't the Greeks but rather the Trojans i.e Hector, Alexander, Andromache, Cassandra, Helenus, Aeneas, so on and so forth.)

2) The basis of the apocalypse in my work is cosmological! Due to Apollo's err-- untimely departure, there's no longer anyone maintaining the axis of the heavens or the navel of the earth. Because of this, Erebus - whose darkness is usually kept firmly in the spaces between the realms - begins to spill out into both the heavens and the earth. The beasts of Erebus (referring primarily to the Seven Curses - Old Age, Misery, Deceit, Violence etc etc) consume, torment and destroy whatever is inside of Erebus' darkness and Ithaca, as one of the islands on the far edge of the world, was one of the very first places that were devoured in this manner. Odysseus was visiting the Argives at the time for a festival and had left the pregnant Penelope at home since he didn't want her to suffer through the voyage in discomfort. He only finds out about the destruction of Ithaca after it had already been consumed when Athena personally interrupts a feast to warn both him and Diomedes. Needless to say, Odysseus, like everyone else, assumes that everyone on Ithaca has died and thusly is a very, very different man in terms of humour and comport. A part of him still stubbornly clings to the belief that Penelope managed to escape - that she was smart and resourceful enough to see the end approaching and do her best to escape - but that doesn't stop him from being dour for the majority of the time. Diomedes does his best to keep his spirits up in the meantime. Without him around, Odysseus is something of a black hole when it comes to the oppressiveness of his discontent though he does manage to lighten up when in the company of Helen, Clytemnestra and even Menelaus on occasion.

[takaraphoenix]

The Dead of the Sea

Tags: polyamory (m/m/f), fluff, married life, established relationship

Main Pairing: Hades/Persephone/Percy

@polympians-event Prompt: wedding/marriage.

@hadesxpercy-events Prompt: Royalty.

This story on FFNet | This story on AO3

Summary: Percy was still adjusting to life as a god and to being married – and married to not just two gods, but the king and queen of the underworld. But he liked his life as royal consort of the underworld.

--

Knocking on the door disturbed his thought process. He frowned, he had so much paperwork to deal with – who thought that death came with paperwork, but no, the underworld had a very well organized filing system. The door opened and Thanatos walked in.

"I came to collect today's files, my lord."

"I told you not to call me that. I do not like it."

"You are the lord of the underworld," Thanatos spoke slowly. "You are ruler of the underworld."

"No. Nope, not it," he scrunched up his face. "Hades is the lord of the underworld. Persephone is the lady of the underworld. I am so not."

"You are… married to them. You are a lord of the underworld, a ruler of the underworld."

"I'm Percy. Just Percy. Not Lord Percy, or worse yet Lord Perseus – next minor god to call me that will actually get splashed," Percy pouted ever so slightly. "Please. I saved your life once, I really do think we are on a more personal level than bowing and lord-ing."

A small smile quirked Thanatos' lips at that. "We would be, if you were any other god. But you have become the royal consort of my bosses, and you became a death god. We're colleagues."

"Yeah, do not like that," Percy wiggled his nose. "Ple—ease."

"I will do my best, Lord Percy," Thanatos smirked and bowed ever so slightly. "Paperwork?"

"Ri—ight," Percy sighed and reached over to the files he had finished. "Thank you for going over them for me. I just… am struggling with the whole bureaucracy."

"And the spelling," Thanatos cleared his throat. "I don't mind helping you settle in. Though I'm sure your husband wouldn't mind helping you out either."

"I don't want Hades to know," Percy flushed in embarrassment. "He does not need to see my typos. Or that I am struggling with this. I just need a little guidance on how to file out all this stuff and then I will learn. I am a quick learner, so."

"You are," Thanatos offered him a genuine smile. "I'll go over these, see if you made any mistakes and we'll talk about them later, okay? Meanwhile, I am fairly sure that I saw your wife pace quite impatiently in the garden, I think our queen is bored."

That made Percy perk up some. "Okay, awesome. Talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

He could hear Thanatos chuckling even as he zoomed past the other death god. Other death god. Because that's what Percy was now. A death god. Specifically, he was responsible for the dead who had died at sea. It was the perfect role for him, considering that the only reason why he had accepted godhood was because he was stupidly, madly, deeply in love with the king and queen of the underworld and had accepted their proposal, after five years of dating, courting and sneaking in and out of the underworld palace.

It was supposed to only be sex. Mostly because Percy was well-aware of the gods' track-record with demigods and mortals. And he was fine with that. Persephone was the most beautiful woman on and below the surface of this world. Hades was so hot, with that dangerous edge as well as that aura of authority. Percy had been easily seduced by them, especially considering the circumstances – he'd moved to New Rome for college, which was such a change in his life, and everybody else was moving on with their own lives too, so he kind of grew apart with most of his friends, on account of where life was taking them and how busy it kept them. Not fully losing contact, but it became more of a monthly meeting thing where they used to see each other every week.

He'd been more involved in Olympian matters, a thing he had demanded after the Giant War, so he ran into Hades on occasion. The attraction was there, but Percy wasn't fool enough to get involved with a married god. Until Hades propositioned him with his wife.

It wasn't a one time thing though. They hooked up repeatedly. And when those hook ups became more frequent, they also started getting longer. Including breakfast in the morning, dinner before the hook up, a movie between dinner and sex. Until it wasn't just sex anymore, it had evolved into a full relationship. It took a little longer for them all to admit that though.

Their relationship was good. At one point though, Hades and Persephone wanted more. They started to court him with the intend of making him their consort. Percy resisted, as long as he could, because… he didn't think they really meant it. Flings with mortals were one thing, but marriage. They'd get over it, he though. They did not. They only grew more persistent. Until he accepted that they really did want him, loved him, wanted him at their side for eternity.

Their wedding was the event of the millennia, everyone was there – Percy's family and friends, of course, demigods from both camps, gods of the underworld, the sea and Olympus. And by becoming their consort, he became a god. Which meant he needed a realm.

Now, he was a son of Poseidon, the sea was a big part of who he was. But he was also the consort of king and queen of the underworld, so becoming a sea god seemed not very practical for his marriage. He'd asked Annabeth for help, because his best friend was the smartest person he knew. Together, they'd figured out the perfect solution for Percy. A death god, bound to the sea. Guiding the lost souls who had died at sea to the afterlife.

And that was perfect. Until he realized there was actual paperwork filed for every soul that entered or left the underworld. This was the part of the underworld that actually felt like hell. Bureaucracy.

/break\

Persephone was a goddess of spring, arguably also winter. The transition between them, really. A goddess of seasons, her companions and friends were the seasonal horae. There was a lot of busy work to be done on the surface. But summer and autumn were her time off, her vacation time, the time she got to spend in the underworld, with her husbands – used to be only one, until her and Hades had fallen in love with this cheeky, snarky, strong-willed, beautiful son of Poseidon.

And she loved spending time with them. She loved the underworld, it was as much her home as Olympus was. However, while her work was seasonal, both her husbands were death gods and death didn't take seasonal breaks. People kept dying. So while she had nothing to do, they still both had their jobs to do, which left her with more free time at her hands. And she had friends in the underworld, of course. Hecate above all else, but also Thanatos, Eris, others. So it wasn't that she didn't know what to do with herself when her lovers were busy.

There was, however, only so much time she could spend hanging out with her friends, reading books, cooking, walking the dogs. At one point, she was all caught up with her friends and had done everything there was to do, and still Hades and Percy were in their respective offices, working.

"Hello, my queen. You look… like you could use some non-furred company."

Arms wrapped around her waist and she had to smile as she leaned against her young consort. "I could. As much as I love the puppy-kisses, I find your kisses much more appealing."

Turning around in his arms, she stole a proper kiss from Percy, who was all too willing to melt into her. One of the things she loved about him. He was very compliant. Soft and gentle, as a lover, eager to let her take the lead. And she'd always liked to take charge in the bedroom. Now, she had two adoring death gods wrapped around her little fingers.

"Are you done with your work for today?" Persephone asked, her hands wandering down Percy's chest and around his waist so she could pull him closer. "Are you all mine now?"

"I am always all yours, Phone," Percy grinned as he leaned his head against her shoulder. "But yes, I'm all done with work for today. You, still busy with the dogs…?"

Both of them turned toward where Zerberus was chasing Mrs. O'Leary. One of the things that had bonded the triad was their shared love for dogs. The fact that Percy had love and appreciation for 'monsters' of the underworld – Mrs. O'Leary, his hell-hound, and Small Bob, the skeletal cat – had truly warmed Hades' heart and made him fall all the harder.

"I mean, we had walkies, and I have been throwing squeaky toys for like half an hour," Persephone tilted her head. "I do think they had enough exercise for now."

"So, you're saying we could go and bother our husband?" Percy grinned wickedly.

"He's working. The thing you were doing until just now yourself."

"Ye—eah, but I think I still have new-spouse-privileges of being allowed to bother my husband at work and stealing him away," Percy pecked Persephone's cheek. "Wanna be my accomplice?"

Persephone laughed and then whistled for their dogs. "Always, my love."

/break\

One of the best things Percy had brought into this marriage – beside himself – was his wonderful cat. Hades, though being a famous dog owner, was very much also a cat person. He liked to work with Small Bob curled together on his lap. Patting the cat was very soothing for him.

"Mreow?" Small Bob raised his head when the door creaked open. "Mew!"

The door opened farther. Hades ignored it and continued working. Someone stood to his left and someone else to his right, both pressing against him. He continued working. The underworld would not be functioning and running if he allowed his beloved wife to distract him. Someone kissed his cheek, the ocean scent tipping him off to which of his consorts it was. Persephone on his other side slowly ran a hand down Hades' chest. Oh, this was evil. Now there were two of them, and they were teaming up on him to distract him from his work.

"No," Hades frowned annoyed. "I am working. Can't you keep each other occupied?"

"Oh, we could," Percy's voice was a teasing purr. "We really can busy ourselves, with each other."

Okay, that one was fully on Hades, he had set himself up for this. Both Persephone and Percy moved away from him and instead turned toward each other, Percy resting one arm around their wife's neck, while Persephone had her arms around Percy's waist. And then they kissed. Not just a peck. They were teasing him. Baiting him. Heaving a sigh, he put his paperwork down.

"You win," Hades glared at them. "You are not a good influence for each other. Or me."

Both his loves simply laughed and attached themselves to him. Both so cheeky, beautiful, tempting and absolutely impossible to deny. Hades leaned in to kiss them both, smiling a little to himself.

~*~ The End ~*~

[wowyoulikeflowers]

Nico shifted for the fifth time in the last hour, exhausted but unable to sleep. The reason behind his restlessness escaped him.

It had been two weeks since they returned from the Pit. Two weeks since Bob was rescued and they had discovered and become more comfortable with parts of themselves, as well as each other. Two weeks since Nico was given permission to spend the night in the Apollo cabin so as to abate nightmares that only the other could calm down.

And yet...

This restlessness was different. There was no wariness weighing down his muscles, no unease filling his lungs until Nico couldn't breathe. He didn't feel the need to keep a hand on Will's wrist and his head on the boy's chest, strategically positioned to check his pulse and feel oxygen enter the blond's lungs, to know his boyfriend was alive and breathing.

It was more the type that kept Nico up at night because his brain couldn't shut off; similar to his insomnia but also so wildly different. There was an itch that couldn't be scratched, as he didn't know what was causing the discomfort in the first place. Something was being dangled just out of his reach, something that was preventing Nico from curling up in his boyfriend's arms instead of carefully twisting so as to not wake his partner (carefully is a lie, Will was a deep sleeper and it would take a lot more than small movements to wake him).

The reason was on the tip of his tongue, had been bothering him all day. Nico wasn't sure what triggered the involuntary, and mostly subconscious, internal reflection—he would have liked to have been notified so he could prepare and subsequently be less distracted all day.

It had begun after a quick meeting in the Underworld between him, his father, and the other Chthonic deities that helped run the afterlife. Maybe after Thanatos had arrived?

Nico didn't mind the god; as far as immortals went, Thanatos was nice enough and didn't think himself better because of his lack of mortality.

However, after being harassed and hunted by the god's mother for months on end, Nico needed to take a few minutes to calm himself and remember Thanatos had little association with his mom, and therefore knew nothing about what had transpired in the Pit outside of what was relayed to him via outside sources.

Thanatos, as a result, did not know about his mother forcing Nico to, physically and tangibly, face his worst fears and traumas—

Wait.

Nico sat up, eyes wide as he processed what his subconscious had been ruminating over all day. He turned to look at Will, his blond hair splayed over the pillow and one arm resting in his lap, previously gently holding the younger boy to his chest.

Shaking Will's shoulder, Nico worried his lip; the other boy wouldn't—shouldn't—be mad at the waking, even if it was four hours before either of them were expected to show face at camp.

Watching his boyfriend wake up was a favorite experience of Nico’s. Will always scrunched his eyes closed as he gained consciousness, nose twitching not dissimilarly to a bunny. Next, long limbs would stretch out like a cat, generally seeking the sun, though, seeing as it was the middle of the night, he was robbed of that sight.

Will then sighs, eyes fluttering open, eyelids low as he dredges through the remaining hold Hypnos has on him. Blue eyes met brown, and the older boy yawned, muttering a low, "Wha's wron'?" voice thick from slumber.

Nico kept shaking his boyfriend's shoulder, guilt settling over his shoulders like a thin blanket, but needing to know the blond was paying attention. "Will," he whispered urgently, the night air far too fragile for him to break with a louder noise. "You know how I'm technically a father to physical embodiments of my trauma?"

A moment passed, before a quiet hum of acknowledgement was made by Will. Nico continued on, uncaring if the other was lost. "You know how they were technically fathered through Nyx?"

His voice cracked over her name, but it got Will's attention. The blond shifted to get a better view, confusion evident on his face. He responded with a quiet, "Yes?"

"And you know how she's the mother of a ton of the Chthonic deities, some of whom help run the Underworld?" Nico continued on, near hysterical, but voice still quiet.

"...Yeah?" Will rubbed at his eyes, the other hand grasping Nico’s and running a thumb over the back of it in a small attempt at comfort; an appreciated, but ineffective, gesture.

"Does that make me Thanatos' step-dad?"

A stagnant pause, before Will sputtered out a, "Nico, what the fu—"

[lightcreators]

@joelthedetective continue from here

"This thing I have to deal with, it's a very strong entity. It gets into your mind and feeds off your past trauma. I learned that not many last longer than a week. I'm at my second day and I keep hearing things and seeing things nobody else can. Many people would think I am insane, but you seem to know more about things that people wouldn't believe either. I am doing a lot more research on how to defeat it before it harms anyone else. It's already harmed my friend... and made me watch her kill herself. It's stuck to me now and I am trying not to let it get to me."

He felt guilty for not being able to stop it from infecting Rose and killing her. Now he was stuck with that guilt and trauma from not being able to save her and it was making him see things he didn't like.

Even since the beginning, there was something attached to the entity he disliked. Didn't appreciated as there was personal consciousness he might be targeted. Refusing even to dig from an soul perspective how things were --- even though, eventually, he would have to do it, perveive which damages that entity slowly eating his victim … and interfering in middle of it. Nevertheless, whatever what he would be planning to do, the concerned entity would be attracted by him. He was possibily the most uncanny menu didn't expected to be given. He was fullfilled of past traumas. He represented the meaning ever of trauma. There was one event, in which no matter how many time can pass, he wasn't able to forget, struggled to forgive. But … he had some control upon the Underworld. Maybe someone too weak for starting a fight with an ancient entity, but there must be a way to catch it out … There must be a way to sending it back in the Underworld. ❝ Hmmm. It's explain why I can't perceive it. It's a kind of parasite where without a host it cannot continue to exist. ❞ He wanted to be a good guy who just wanted to remove the parasite in question from the victim and send him to burn in flames of the Underworld … or be punished directly by his dad. Could he afford to send a complaint to Thanatos ? Oh, even if the idea seemed brilliant at the time, it was better to avoid being in Thanatos' collimator, which would be problematic later.

There was another reason which especially he was in a complex situation --- as far he knew how circumstances had been going, there had been no interferences or presence of his father. He sensed only Thanatos, but maybe the entity having same function simply mirrorring him … which mean, that entity wasn't something that came from oldest Greek culture. It had been created by humans themselves ? It was something human mind generated out of control ? It remained an monster in which origin wasn't clear ?   ❝ Do you see things that no one usually sees like ghosts or is it more like hallucinations ? Does this happen when you are awake or it's during the night that definition of sleep changes ? Yeah, well it seems that this entity likes to copy usual style of the onryos, these unstoppable Japanese spirits filled with vengeance that never leave you, with the idea of ​​a curse to pass, of a limited time to resolve … Have you managed to anchor yourself in reality ? Is it, by overcoming your traumas, by overcoming the trauma of the death that you saw, that could make a difference? I ask the question, but I intend to accompany you, to stay there. ❞ He must have seemed like an extra tasty treat to the entity in question, but he had to prevent anyone else from suffering from it. ❝ I feel sorry for your friend. It's not a friendly thing. I guess it's an opening door. The guilt of seeing someone die, and the ongoing trauma that keeps it going. ❞ Sadly for the entity, he was already living with that, and will mostly yelling at the entity if something was attempted. He wanted to complain to Thanatos, but it was such a shame that it would cause him problems.   ❝ If I can calm you down from the effects, maybe you can feel at peace … ❞

[iasmelaion]

I wanted to write something for the, dear god, ten?? how?? anyway, ten-year anniversary of CATWS, but despite rotating the idea in my mind off and on all weekend, I haven't been able to come up with anything that a) hasn't already been written before in a way that satisfied me enough that I am uninterested in/bored with attempting another take; or b) is unhinged enough. Because let's be real, I need an at least mildly unhinged starting concept, or a weird and lolzy "wouldn't it be funny if..." starting point, and nothing is coming to mind.

(also, preferably it would be something I could knock out in 10k or less.)

hmm. let's consult the fic ideas notes file.

Sam/Bucky undercover on a cruise remains a great idea, but not really one I'd want to explore in an immediately post-CATWS context. Same for the Buckynat. Obviously the Yinsen lives AU has nothing to do with CATWS, nor does the Erik lives one. (that latter one is a prompt from an exchange that I've been meaning to write for literal years and keep putting off because I don't feel like researching rhinos lol)

there are a bunch of ideas for other fandoms and then:

ah, Capwolf. someday! someday I'll write it! maybe! but that's more a CATFA idea. and let's be real, the OT4 Old Guard AU is more ambitious than I'm willing to commit to at this time. or possibly any time. the rest of these are more post-FATWS ideas. (also a surprise zagreus/thanatos pwp i never got around to writing)

oh lol, i forgot about these. maybe now that dracula season is coming up again I'll actually write one of these! anyway, not catws relevant

three of these are already in progress and are not related to CATWS (though the Sam/Nat fic is stalled because I'm not feeling it. It either needs more plot or less plot and I'm not excited about either option.) the rest are not related to CATWS. ugh.

I think it's obvious that FATWS was a great boon to my fic writing creativity, lol. but surely there's got to be SOMETHING i can write for CATWS!

the best I can think of is a funny take on Sam and Bucky actually secretly meeting up/hooking up during that time Sam was looking for him, but eeehhh. there's not enough THERE there.

anyway, if anyone has any unhinged/weird/funny post-CATWS fics they've always wanted, now is the time to throw those ideas at me to see if they stick, lol.

[freshvanillapng]

Do you have a scene you really liked but weren't able to fit it in a fic? Would you care to share? Do you have a most recent favorite line or scene? What is it?

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer.

oh man i wish i was confident enough to write and post a fic for a fandom. i am constantly in awe of all my mutuals who give such AMAZING pieces to read and brainrot over, and forever grateful.

all i can offer is a small piece written about a scene in my greek-inspired dnd campaign (trigger warning for dying, then not dying, then a decapitation i guess?)

this is the first time ive put any of my writing out on this site i think?? so um pls be nice lol

Context: My dnd character, Cyaro a demigod of Nyx, has challenged her step-mother to a duel for the fate of their people. It goes Badly but Cyaro pushes through, awakening dormant demigod abilities.

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

Her knees buckled out from underneath her, body heavy as a thousand tiny cuts spilled her energy and resolve into the thick grass dyed crimson. Cyaro had failed. And now the fate of the world dies with them as they fall, further and further. All is quiet as they gaze up at the stars, the last comforting sight before they once again found themselves in that empty void between life and death, waiting for her brother to collect what was now his. How many times had she visited and yet never stayed? By their count it had to be at least four now. No one is supposed to evade death for that long. Flashes of a funeral in a wheat field appear at that thought. A purple body. A grave. Khantos’ tired posture as he spoke over it. Will her friends do the same for Cyaro’s passing?

The stars twinkle and glisten as time seems to slow. Cyaro is no longer aware of her mother’s presence, just her, her thoughts, and the beautiful stars. Another face comes to mind, seen only briefly at a table full of siblings they will never know. Grinning and jeering at their failures. Cyaro is sure Oizys will take great joy from their actions here at least. Seeking out their mother intending to put this whole hunting issue to rest and failing miserably. Losing her life, and losing any hope of defeating the Father of Monsters. Maybe Oizys won’t enjoy that bit as much.

The stars have encompassed everything now. Cyaro feels as though they are floating, all senses completely dulled. Must be the blood loss. All that swims around in their mind now is how foolish they have behaved. She was made very well aware of the risks of coming here, of declaring Maetha and yet, against all better judgement, Cyaro did it anyway. Following lines of prophecies from cards and flame. And now the world pays the price for her foolishness. Her friends pay. Thaem pays. All because of some idiotic notion that they wouldn't run this time. That they would be the heir and saviour their coven wanted them to be.

The one time Cyaro didn’t run ends in utter failure.

The stars grow brighter, too bright. Their confusion grows - Cyaro knows what it is like to die well enough now. They should be standing before Thanatos, quietly hoping for those ever familiar diamonds to appear in his hand and feeling overwhelming disappointment and regret when they don’t. Yet here they remain, in this sea of stars. There is no longer any pain, only the comforting cold tingle of their magic emanating from their core. As she drifts, the sensation spreads throughout her body until that is all she feels, all she can focus on, so much so it becomes overwhelming. The stars snap into too much focus and suddenly vertigo hits them as though falling out of a tree.

Everything rushes back to them all at once. The long grass underneath them, slick with blood. A cool breeze shifting through their hair. The tangy smell of sweat and iron. The low murmur of a crowd. Deep, exhausted breaths from above her. Cyaro does not dare look up. Instead, she grips her bow tightly, barely noticing how the stars cling to her skin and her joints, A small flick of the wrist and that deadly blade is hooked and flung far into the distance. Another small movement and an arrow is notched and fired, finding its mark just centimetres away. Gathering themselves, Cyaro stands drawing up their leg. It finds easy purchase in the chest of her overbearing mother, just below the arrow sprouting from her heart. Now it is her who falls to her knees, an expression of utter shock upon her lined face. The blood red markings making her out as Nothrim Emmel and whatever power she was drawing from begin to run like tears, leaving behind skin as empty as Cyaro’s own. 

Oizys probably still laughs as Cyaro clutches her mother’s snow white hair and draws the stygian ice blade across her throat. But no longer at her sibling. Instead, she likely laughs at a woman who has lost everything.

[eanul-rmbl]

part 3: dog days and puppy love

wc: <1.1k

warnings: no beta. very brief description of (symbolic) bodily harm caused by the corvids. also, less action and more "laying down the groundwork"

.

.

.

One day, the cicadas buzzed loudly amidst the summer heat. It was another dead-of-summer temperature that Hypnos would love nothing more than to pass out in. 

And I would have, he mused to himself as he feebly attempted to cool himself down with a red fan. But his eyes drifted across the area, and attempted to see what little he could make out through his sweat in the searing climate. Each time, this eyes would land on her. I would have fallen asleep by now, surely..

She was grinning about the heat, or, as she described it, the “calming warmth of a summer's day, that envelops you in a hug and makes you want to fall asleep”.

He blinked at her and gave her an exhausted look.

All Hypnos really got was the ‘falling asleep’ part, really.

She was talking to Zagreus while Zagreus was talking to Thanatos (how the son of Hades could balance two completely separate conversations, Hypnos did not know). Thanatos was ignoring Zagreus, and instead spoke to Megaera who was also juggling conversations between Dusa's gossip and what Thanatos deemed to be relevant topics of discussion.

Hypnos grinned as he slumped into what little shade he could find, fanning himself weakly. It felt like his flesh was melting like buttery fat off his bones. Slowly, he almost began drifting of into a dream; one where it was cold. One where he wasn't bearing the weight of his sins, or whatever.

But his eyes drifted blindly once more over to (Y/N), who was still grinning and laughing in her half-listened conversation with Zagreus. Zagreus laughs back. She grabbed his shoulder, which was bare, and shook him back and forth. Zagreus was wearing a black tank top. Of course he was wearing a black tank top. She ruffled his hair and gave his back a light punch. Okay. This was okay.

Both his heart and lungs began working again after he blinked.

Hypnos huffed lightly to himself, off in the shade while everyone else suffered in the sun. His fan barely worked in the humidity of the area, anyways, so he put it away into his bag (which was surrounded by everyone else's) and closed his eyes shut. Sleep welcomed him immediately, like it usually did, and he drifted off to sleep.

Were the two of them dating, him and her? The question began tearing into him. You don't just ask someone if they're dating.

Hypnos began feeling sick at the stomach. This wouldn't have been the first time he had a crush on someone that Zagreus had an affair with. Megaera was proof of that. Heck, Hypnos even dated her a while after she broke up with Zagreus, for a short bit. It turned out that he had idealized her for her strength, among other things.

Oh my gosh, am I idealizing her, too?

All sorts of questions swam through his head. He couldn't tell if it was them who brought him a newfound splitting headache, or if it was a sign of heatstroke.

“....nos..”

What if I'm not treating her fairly in my mind?

“....pnos..”

What if I'm only friends with her because I think she's cute?

“..Hypnos!”

What if she's only friends with me because I know Zagreus?

His eyes snapped open as he greeted the world with a light gasp. The world greeted him with blinding hues of blues and green, from having fallen asleep in the summer heat. Quickly, he felt around for his fan, before realizing it was in his bag.

“Welcome to the land of the living, Hypnos,” said (Y/N), who looked ethereal while Hypnos was still half-asleep. “It's time to go inside. Everyone already got their bags and all.���

“Thanks, man.” It felt weird.

“Man?” She elbowed his side and ruffled his hair a bit. Though, he was still too groggy to understand or remember anything. His eyes blinked him in and out of existence. He rubbed them intensely as she guided him into the cheap cinema, where the others were at.

The movie was dizzy, and confusing, from what Hypnos remembered. One scene had the main character hallucinating, with the camera and sound designs absolutely assaulting his ears with white noise so white, it was like it was bleaching his ears.

Another moment, the main character kissed some guy. He thought it was their childhood friend, though he couldn't say for sure.

Overall, Hypnos was constantly blinking in and out of sleep during the movie. Each nap, though feeling like a lifetime, took around ten minutes from the 180 minute movie. The cinema room was all but fully loaded with people; Hypnos sat between (Y/N) and some stranger who sat with their partner. It felt as if a tight squeeze, and he struggled to get comfortable.

He'd blink, and the main character was in a wheat field, being ripped to shreds by a murder of crows.

What the heck, he'd thought, blinking slowly. ..Is going on?

To his right, (Y/N) leaned over to him. The cinema, combatting the intense heat Hypnos remembered from the outside, was freezing to Hypnos. It was as if each squeaking chair had a full on air conditioner underneath it. Or perhaps, it was because he hadn't brought his duvet under the summer heat. (Y/N) shifted over to whisper into his ear. Hypnos shivered.

“The main character's being punished by the ravens- morally gray to the plot, specifically- for cowardice and plotting.” Her voice was low in the whisper, deep; clear, concise, and calm. Hypnos was conscious to make sure his hand didn't meet hers on the arm rest. “They wanted to save their lover, and their lover did get spared, but now they're suffering for it.”

“Hmm.” Hypnos hummed and leaned subconsciously in her general direction. She didn't shift away, and turned her head back to the movie.

“Let me know if you need any more recaps.”

“Sure thing.”

But when Hypnos woke up once more, he found his head resting on her shoulder. He flinched, and his fingers, which rested on the arm rest between them, quickly grew tense and clammy. He leaned forward, to see that Zagreus was, indeed, sitting to her right, and proceeded to slowly lean as far away from her as he inconspicuously could.

His last dream, before the movie ended, had him being ripped apart by a murder of crows.

[graceandtheidiotsquad]

Dawn Lucien (In Sound Mind Oc)

(picrew from: https://picrew.me/share?cd=uSGKhcqmsU )

- Dawn is very, very neurospicy. Cannot sit still without fidgeting, cannot draw without tapping her pencils and will go CRAZY if she can't find anything, despite having just seen it minutes ago-along with the sort of anxiety one gets when being repeatedly told 'Not now!' whenever she asks someone to pose for her or just look at what she's drawn. She gets it, people can be busy-but sometimes it just...hurts, y'know? Feeling like nobody listens to you…

- Going off the first thing-she has a mild obsession with body types. (Not THAT way, get your head out of the gutter.) She's a sketch artist, and loves challenging herself with different body types to expand what she can do! This is initially what caught her attention to one Mr. Allen Shore-though part of her felt so shy to even say anything that she was a bit too nervous to even talk to him. (It didn't help that she...did-find him kind of...cute-just. Just a little. Just a little bit. Totally not head over heels. That is a massive lie.)

- Often asks the local kids to pose for her in goofy ways, for fun. It's basically almost twister-and she doesn't blame them if they stumble or nearly fall over, it's more fun that way! (Asssssssss long as nobody gets hurt.) She makes it seem like some sort of modeling shoot, which is very fun for the kids-showing of their stuff!

- She isn't actually from Milton Haven, having moved here from out in California to get away from all the noise. It's very peaceful here, and she enjoys sticking around the Icarus point area-it's a gorgeous landscape and she enjoys finding new places, people, and things to sketch on her walks every day! But of course, her favorite subject is the Lighthouse And it's keeper.   - She also dabbles in photography-! It started as taking pictures of subjects in poses so they wouldn't, y'know, have to stand there all day-but she found she genuinely enjoys it and has a blast taking as many pictures as she can of the Town! She has an old Polaroid camera she inherited from her grandfather, and uses it frequently.

- She collects so, SO Many fairy lights. She's obsessed with them, she thinks they look very pretty and it just-has the sort of 'vibe' she's going for most of the time in her room.  - Secretly collects stuffies. She is very embarrassed about this, trying to excuse it as 'drawing subjects'-but she can't help it, they're cuddly and having something to hold helps her fall asleep at night. 

- Actively opposes the corporate takeover happening in town right now-how can these 'Mayer' people push these fine folks around!? And it only got worse after the crash of USS Thanatos. Let's just say-...things got very personal.

- She is. Absolutely HORRIBLE with a fishing pole. As in, an active DANGER to anyone standing around her. She enjoys fishing, she really does-but everyone best get the hell back away from her when she's casting, she flails that thing around like no one's business!

- Avid Cat petter. It's pretty obvious, she adores cats and if she could take every single stray home in town-she probably would! And she's attempted to at least once. She will just sit there, realize there's a cat-and immediately drop whatever she's doing and try to get it to come over to her. At one point she sat down, and got swarmed by cats.

- Constantly moving her hands-if she doesn't, she will go CRAZY-and that's honestly part of why she picked up sketching in the first place. She always has to be moving them, have something in them, or be touching something-or she will mcfucking lose it.

- Protective/Angry girlfriend privileges'. Or any figure of your life, really. If she finds out you hurt somebody she cares about she WILL take away your kneecaps or whack you with a wooden plank. or chase you around with her sketchpad shouting profanities that would seem normally out of character for her.

- Says things COMPLETELY out of pocket at random times. She doesn't know why she does it, it seems to be just a reflex response to certain things-she'll just say whatever is on her mind, unless she's very anxious about it-

- frequent picker-upper of random trinkets. Shiny rocks, bottle caps, beach glass, you name it-she likes to make crafts with them!

[ichcrblood]

( sohan pague  +  twenty-three  +  they/he )  look who has entered camp halfblood college !  meet ANDRZEJ BLASZCZYKOWSKI ,  the child of THANATOS .  they have been living in long island for four years and are currently studying biology. when someone describes them, they are often described as DETERMINED and SELF DEPRECATING. zeus believes he/they are responsible for stealing the lightning bolt but is that something they are capable of doing?

BASICS.

full name: andrzej kazimierz blaszczykowski nicknames: andy, andrew this one isn't technically a nickname it's the anglicized version and they hate it A Lot age: 23 years old   gender: transmasc pronouns: they/he orientation: gay godly parent: thanatos powers: enhanced durability, invisibility, shadow travel, minor hypnokinesis, minor umbrakinesis fatal flaw: cowardice status: alive

BIO.

(tw for allusions to past dv/abuse, past bullying)

you're quiet. that's something a lot of people tend to notice. or, rather, a reason you go unnoticed. you don't mind it much, though. you're used to being on your own by now, and you prefer it, for the most part. there are worse options. you should know. you'll take people blinking in confusion when your name is mentioned over learning to make yourself small, hoping no one sees you're there, even if whatever words they have to fling at you are nothing compared to what you'll go home to. being invisible just feels...safer.

you're the youngest of three, by a wide margin. by the time you're starting school, your brother is almost out of high school entirely, and your sister is halfway through middle school. which is good news for them, because it means they're able to never be home, or find easier ways to duck out, to just not be in the way. you don't get the luxury. you're little, and you're clumsy, and you speak too loudly and play too obnoxiously and-- and, honestly, your father just doesn't like children. and he doesn't seem to like your mother, either. you don't think he likes anything.

you're still young when it starts happening, though. you still remember the first instance. you hadn't been trying to knock anything over. you hadn't been trying to make noise. but you turn and stumble back, and you knock into the end table, and when your arm flies out to catch yourself, the picture frame goes flying, and smacks into the wall. you freeze, terrified, knowing the scuff on the wall won't be waved away. but when your father comes in, angry, yelling, just knowing it was you, even as you stand, frozen, he-- he doesn't see you. he must not, because you're right out in the open, and he wouldn't pretend to not see you. but he doesn't react. anger morphs to confusion, and he picks up the frame himself, puts it back, muttering to himself about stupid kids and old houses and whatever else.

from there, it seems like you just stop being seen. people walk right past you, stumbling and confused when they bump into you, unable to parse out what just happened. as you get older, stranger things begin to happen. you mostly brush them off, however. the shadows stretching out too far are clearly just you misremembering, and there's plenty of reasons someone might suddenly be so tired. you are not the reason, because that's stupid. and impossible. you learn soon, though, that the realm of impossibility is not nearly as big as you once thought. you don't go to college right after high school. there's no money for it, and you never wanted all the fuss. you struggled in school, anyway, were glad to be rid of it.

but then you're at work, taking out the trash, and this-- this bird thing --you think it was a bird? you have no idea at the time-- attacks you, and this time while it seems to lose sight of you a couple of times, it doesn't leave you alone, and you'd be dead if not for serendipity. you think that's what it must be. from there, things spiral. talks of gods and halfbloods are-- they're ridiculous. impossible, even, because even if these things are real, they can't apply to you. you know your parents. they're not great, your mom too passive and your dad too easily agitated, but. but they're mortal. human. which makes you one too, right?

yeah, wrong. the truth comes out eventually, after the attacks keep happening. your mother cracks. she tells you the truth. your father isn't the man whose roof you've lived under your entire life, but a god. thanatos. which...alright, maybe you had to look him up. you could have cried laughing. of course. of course. if this absolutely insane story was going to be real, and your mom was being honest, of course you'd have the creepy death god for a father. the attacks were continuing, and it was putting everyone at risk. staying wasn't an option. you'd worried, though, leaving your mother along with your-- with her husband. but she'd all but pushed you out the door, shoving the money for a plane ticket into your hand and not letting you so much as protest.

so you leave, and you end up in new york, at this-- college? it was strange. you'd never let yourself think about college. as it is, the major you chose was mostly random. you're alright at science, so why not. your cabin isn't bustling like some of the others. but you've never minded it. you like it better this way, to be mostly left alone. you've grown more accustomed to being seen, but it's still comforting to just disappear when things are too much. and in time you've learned to hone other skills. shadow travel has to be your least favorite. you can't travel very far, and it makes you sick to your stomach. the sleepiness --hypnokinesis, you learn-- isn't something you can do much with, more a leftover from the closest of thanatos and hypnos. overall, you're not the most impressive. you don't mind it, though.

[quickfavor]

" not everyone could do what you did. " @ thanatos

" ah, i know! it's not an easy job, but i wouldn't have it any other way. "

it's not the most comfortable place of conversation, standing over the corpse of a man slain in a duel over slighted honor, but it just happened to be the way things went - death came for a soul, and the psychopomp carried it to the boatman.

he's not overly busy today, though he can feel the idle tug of the underworld that told him zagreus was about halfway through asphodel and might be calling his name soon, but he doesn't often stop to talk to thanatos.

it was the nature of the world that the two of them never really got a break. it's the first time in days his feet have touched the ground, and the wings on his boots are fluttering even now, ready to go.

" just like not everyone can do what you do! i certainly couldn't, can you imagine me showing up in someone's last moments? it wouldn't work the same, no way, no how. you sound real thoughtful, though - what's on your mind, since we're kicking back on the wind already? "

ask game.

[gothicmama]

Phrixia and Ilo Meet (Rough Draft)

I really need to work on this, I feel like there's a lot of information in it and it probably needs some refining.

"I'm bored," Phrixia whined. She rolled over on the bed and deliberately put her foot in her brother's face.

Hypnos pushed her foot away, readjusting his book. Phrixia, ever determined to be the annoying little sister, moved her foot back into his face. He pushed her foot aside again, but when she did it again, he grabbed her ankle. He put it in his lap and held it there. Picking up his book again, he calmly said, "There are things you can do. Other things, besides bothering me."

"But bothering you is more fun than anything else I could be doing." Phrixia tried to pull her foot back, but Hypnos held on to it firmly.

"You could read. I'd even let you borrow one of my books." He gestured to the rows of bookshelves lining the cavern walls. With her foot released, she lightly kicked his leg.

"I've already done that."

"I know you have, but this time you could read one with my permission. It might be more fun that way." She gasped indignantly, which made him smile. "Of course I knew. No one touches my things without me knowing."

She sat up fast and pouted at him. "Does Thanatos know I got into his stuff, too?"

"Of course he does. You can't do much around here without someone knowing." He put his book down and pulled his glasses off. He set them both aside and reached for her foot again. She knew what was coming and scooted away, but he was faster. He grabbed her ankle, yanked her closer, and pulled her into his lap.

"Wait, no, Hypnos, don't you dare." Phrixia squirmed to get loose, but her attempts were half-hearted at best. His arm locked around her, holding her against his chest. "I mean it, don't do it," she threatened. Though the effect was dampened by the giggles she couldn't contain.

"This is retribution for my books." He tried to sound scary, but his own laughter was breaking through. He secured his hold on her again, gentle but firm, and launched his attack.

Phrixia's joyful screams filled the cave as Hypnos mercilessly tickled her. He knew all of her really ticklish spots, on her sides and her belly. Like any good big brother would, he used that to his advantage, until she was laughing and crying so hard she couldn't scream anymore. He stopped then, to give her a chance to catch her breath, before starting all over again. The second round was worse than the first and after just a couple minutes, it was starting to not be fun for her. And just like any good big brother, Hypnos knew where her limit was, and he knew when to stop. And stop he did, just before her screams of joy turned into screams of pain.

He held her in his lap, sagging back against his chest, as she panted hard. The tickling had only lasted five minutes, but it had worn her out, at least for a little while. He knew it wouldn't be long before she was up and running, claiming to be bored out of her mind all over again. She was a few decades old but as with many nymphs and other long-lived creatures, the body aged slower than human bodies did and the mind aged even slower than the body. He rested his chin on top of her head and hummed their mother's lullaby softly.

Phrixia was content to listen for a couple of minutes before she started fidgeting. Sitting still for more than three minutes was a struggle for her. She lasted until the lullaby ended before pulling away from her brother. He gave her one last squeeze before letting her go. She scrambled off the bed and onto her feet. Straightening her clothes and hair back out, she spun around to face Hypnos. He had put his glasses back on and picked his book back up in those few seconds, leaning comfortably against the headboard. She whined and stomped her foot. "Hypnos, come on! Let's go do something fun!"

Hypnos looked at her over his glasses. "What's your definition of fun, exactly?" he asked cautiously, well familiar with her penchant for getting into trouble.

Grinning, she spun in place, sending her skirt twirling. She stopped after a few spins and threw her hands up in the air dramatically. "I want an adventure! Like in your books!"

He sighed and pulled his glasses off again. "Books aren't anything like real life, Phrixia. Adventures in real life aren't fun."

She groaned and turned away from him, crossing her arms. He knew without needing to see it that she was pouting and she was hiding it. "I know, but there's got to be something! Anything, come on!" Silence followed her outburst as he waited patiently. After a moment, she sighed and slumped in on herself. "I just want to go outside," she murmured before she sniffed.

Her sincerity and sadness pulled at Hypnos' heart and the next thing he knew his book was on the bed and he was standing up. He tucked his glasses into his robes and put his hands on her shoulders. When he turned her around to face him, she wouldn't look at him. She didn't need to though because even with her eyes downcast he could see the tears in them. He sighed and felt the last of his resolve slip away. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. After a brief moment of hesitation, she buried her face in his chest and hugged him back.

They stood like that for a long moment, both of them ignoring her sniffles and the tears soaking his robes before he pushed her away from him. He raised her head up and she met his gaze as he wiped her face clean. He gave her a kind smile, sighed, and then nodded before saying, "Alright."

Her eyes lit up right and she let out an excited squeal. She hugged him again, bouncing on her toes, then tried to dart away from him. He caught her and pulled her back, then pointed his finger in her face. "Hold on, there are rules." He ignored her groan and went through the list. "You stay in the Underworld, don't talk to anyone you don't know, and if you're in any kind of trouble, you get back here or call for help. Got it?"

She nodded enthusiastically, still bouncing on her feet, and as soon as he released her she ran from the room. He watched the door shut behind her and sighed. He sat back down on the bed and picked his book up. It was only a matter of time before their parents found out he'd let her go off on her own again. Maybe he could finish the book, now that he was alone, before they found out.

Phrixia raced through the halls with no direction in mind, dodging around anyone she came across. She had no destination in mind, she was just happy to be running. She had rooms and space, but none of it let her really run freely like she wanted. Her laughter echoed through the halls everywhere she went, and word was already spreading that she was running loose. She knew it wouldn't be long before her parents heard and came looking for her.

She finally ran out of steam after running nonstop for almost twenty minutes. She stopped and found herself alone in one of the larger halls. She recognized it and realized she'd subconsciously been running towards one of her favorite places. Panting, she continued at a walk, trailing her hand over the rock walls along the way. She didn't run into anyone else as she walked the rest of the way and she got to enjoy the next half hour in silence before she reached her destination.

She stepped out of the hallway into a large cavern. It was a crystal cavern, with crystal clusters of all sizes growing all over. Some were taller even than her and they all glowed and cast the cavern with blue and purple lights. Crystals weren't the only things that grew there, as there were some trees and flora that grew alongside them, fed by Persephone's magic. And the main feature of the room was her favorite part, the pools. There were several of varying sizes and temperatures, with perfectly clear water. They were what gave the cavern its name, the hot springs.

She headed straight to one pool in particular, one of the several that were only lightly steaming. She knew from experience that this pool was the perfect temperature, just shy of being too hot for her skin. It was far too hot for a human and many other mortal creatures, but for her it was nothing. She pulled her skirt up to her thighs and sat down on one of the larger rocks that made up the edge of the pool. She slowly dipped her legs in, one at a time, and hissed as the heat hit her. She let them both dangle, slowly kicking through the water, and she leaned back on her arms. Hanging her head back, she stared up at the crystal ceiling.

It was a naturally carved cave and the walls stretched up dozens of feet. There was a hole in the ceiling which let in light from whatever was above the cavern, and that light was reflected by the crystals, adding to the light they gave off. It also let in fresh air that created breezes occasionally, and as she sat there her hair was caught by it. She breathed in the combined scents of the cavern, the fresh air from the ceiling, the fresh water of the pools, and the trees and plants all mixed into the most beautiful perfume.

She closed her eyes and slowly breathed it in. This was one of the few places where she felt at peace, felt like she wasn't trapped underground. This was as free as she could get and she hoped if it was all she ever got in her life, it would continue to be enough.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a noise behind her. She whipped her head up and spun around, fear shooting through her. She knew she'd be caught eventually but she'd hoped she'd have more time. But it wasn't her father or one of his shadows sneaking up on her. It was another nymph, frozen in place as she met Phrixia's gaze. They stared at each other, neither one moving, for over a minute before the strange nymph tentatively smiled. She raised her hand and waved, then squeaked out a, "Hello!"

Phrixia blinked, surprised. Unsure of how to proceed, she hesitantly raised her own hand to return the wave. "Hi?" She looked the nymph up and down. She was shorter than Phrixia, by several inches, with long golden blonde hair. It fell down her back and down her front, reaching just past her waist, and in the front, she had long bangs that fell into her eyes. Eyes that were bright blue, big and round, and they sparkled when she smiled. Phrixia felt herself smiling in response and she didn't try to stop it. "I'm Phrixia."

The nymph's smile grew, and she stepped closer. "I'm Ilo. Do you mind if I sit with you?" she asked nervously, her smile dimming slightly. She reached up and grabbed the hair hanging down her front. She twisted it through her fingers, a sign of her nervousness, and she ducked her head slightly to look at the ground.

Phrixia couldn't say no to her if she wanted to, and she wasn't sure she wanted to anyway. She didn't have any friends beyond her siblings, her brothers especially. Friends sounded nice from what she'd heard from others. She tried to reassure Ilo with her smile as she patted the spot a few feet from her. "I don't mind at all, there's plenty of room."

Ilo's nervousness disappeared instantly, and her face brightened up. She grinned and hurried over. She sat down and dipped her legs, skirt and all, into the water. The white fabric quickly turned sheer. She swished them through the water a few times and watched the skirt flow with it before she looked at Phrixia again. She was still smiling when she asked, "So, are you really Nyx and Erebus' daughter?"

Phrixia smiled vanished and her face scrunched up, her confusion at the question clear. "Yes? Why do you ask?" She'd never heard anything like that from anyone and despite her not talking to many people, she usually heard all the rumors in one way or another.

Realizing she probably said something wrong, Ilo looked down at her lap. She twisted her hair again as she quietly explained, "No one ever sees you out and about, not like your siblings. There are some who think you're not actually their child and that instead you're a prisoner."

Phrixia's face fell slack and she stared at the other nymph, shocked, for a long moment. Then, her shock turned into anger. Scowling, she turned her head away and hid her face behind her hair. She crossed her arms over her chest and curled in on herself. "I might as well be a prisoner," she muttered angrily.

An awkward silence fell between them and for two minutes neither of them spoke or moved. Then, Ilo broke the spell. "I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice full of regret and shame. "I often speak without thinking. I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry."

There was no response from Phrixia for several seconds before she let out a heavy sigh. She shrugged, dropped her arms, and hugged her middle. Her anger, so quick to erupt, was already cooling and all that was left was the reality of her life. Pushing those thoughts aside, she tried to joke. "It's not that surprising. From what I've heard from my brothers, nothing moves faster than Hermes down here but gossip." She chuckled weakly but Ilo didn't laugh with her. When Phrixia raised her head, she found herself staring into blue eyes, shimmering with tears. Taken aback by the sorrow in them, she leaned back and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I can feel your pain," Ilo replied, her voice so soft Phrixia could barely hear it. She suddenly grabbed Phrixia's hand in both of hers. Phrixia tried to pull her hand back but Ilo's grip on it was too strong. She started to demand to be let go, but before she could get the first word out, the hands holding hers began to glow with a blue light. She let out a small gasp and her eyes widened as she stared at them. In just a few seconds, she felt warmth seep into her hand, spread up her arm, and quickly move through her body. When it filled her completely, Ilo abruptly released her hand.

Phrixia raised her hand up to look at it, but there was nothing different about it. The warmth was still there, and as she studied her hand, she realized that it wasn't just affecting her physically. She felt better emotionally, a peaceful feeling she only vaguely recognized. She looked at Ilo, her face lit up with wonder, and asked, "What did you do?"

Ilo's face was wet with her tears. She blinked repeatedly, then her whole body shuddered. She looked down at her hands before she slowly, cautiously, explained, "My father is Acheron, the river of woe. I can feel the pain in others."

"And you can make it go away?" Phrixia asked curiously.

The blonde nymph gave her a sheepish smile and shrugged her shoulder. "My mother is a healer, and so am I. I can ease your sorrow and worry for a time, but it doesn't go away completely."

"That's amazing," Phrixia whispered, looking at her hand again. The warmth was already beginning to fade and she could feel the peace inside her fading with it. She held back a disappointed sigh and looked back at Ilo. She was surprised to see that the other nymph looked worried, nervous, so Phrixia reached out and grabbed her hand. Ilo jumped at the touch but when Phrixia offered her a reassuring smile, she smiled back in return. Squeezing the nymph's hand, she said, "Thank you. That was," she trailed off, struggled to find the words for a brief moment, then continued, "Peaceful. I'd almost forgotten what it feels like. So, thank you."

Ilo both brightened and blushed, and her smile grew. "You're welcome. I'm sorry it doesn't last for long, I'm still learning." Her smile turned sheepish as she needlessly apologized.

"That was more than enough, don't worry. Just, maybe just give me some warning next time?" she joked, chuckling. Ilo chuckled with her, nodding her head, and Phrixia squeezed her hand one last time before releasing it. She pressed her hand to her chest, and her other hand cradled it. It was an attempt to hold onto that warmth until every drop was gone.

They settled into silence for a moment, neither sure of what move to make next, until Phrixia curiously asked, "Is it always out of control like that?" She looked sideways at the Ilo, who was twisting her hair again. Not wanting to make her new friend, if they could be called that already, uncomfortable, she hurried to reassure the blonde. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to. I'm just curious."

Ilo glanced at her before shrugging and looking back out over the water. "I can control it, usually. Most times I have to touch someone and try to read them before I can feel their pain. But sometimes someone is in so much pain that it bleeds out and if I'm not prepared, it can hit me hard and I can't ignore it."

Phrixia frowned. She hadn't expected that answer. She looked away from Ilo as she thought about her words. She knew she was hurting. She knew she was in pain. How could she not, when she had to essentially escape just to have any sense of freedom, when her parents and siblings alike treated her like she was fragile, or worse, like she was dangerous. It was what she lived with every day, and she'd learned how to push it aside and get things done in spite of it. She just hadn't expected anyone else to be able to see it. She turned her face away, hid partially behind her hair, and mumbled, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or put any of that on you."

"Oh, you don't have to apologize!" Ilo blurted out, turning to face Phrixia fully. She wanted to reach out to comfort the dark-haired nymph, so much so that she impulsively raised her hand before quickly putting it back down. They weren't friendly enough for that yet and she was worried she'd already pushed her luck grabbing her hand earlier. Instead, she tried to sound reassuring as she explained, "It happens a lot, I'm used to it." When Phrixia didn't respond, she cleared her throat and nervously continued, "I consider it training, if I'm honest. I want to help people, like my mother, so I've got to be prepared for anything. And one day I'm going to grab the wrong person and they're not going to be so kind about it."

Her feeble attempt at a joke worked, Phrixia snorted softly. She turned her head and looked at Ilo through the curtain of her hair. "You know, you were really close to getting punched when you grabbed me," she teased, grinning when Ilo blushed and stammered. "I'm teasing, don't worry. But you are right, not everyone has my restraint. You really need to get that under control."

"I know, I'm trying." Ilo nodded in agreement, brushing her bangs out of her face when they fell forward. "But so much of it is just instinctual, I don't even realize I'm doing it until suddenly I'm done."

Phrixia nodded in understanding. She could relate to that, she still had mishaps with her own powers and she'd been practicing for decades. "I could try to help you practice, if you want," she offered, picking her head up to look at Ilo properly.

Her face brightened in response, and she nodded eagerly. She reached for Phrixia's hands but paused just before touching them. She started to pull them back, an apology automatically slipping through her lips. Phrixia appreciated her thoughtfulness, so she made the connection herself. She grabbed Ilo's hands and squeezed them comfortingly, and she got squeezed in return. They smiled at each other, both delighting in the tentative friendship they had created, but suddenly Ilo's gaze went past Phrixia.

Her delight vanished and fear bloomed over her face. She yanked her hands back from Phrixia and raised them defensively in front of her, ducking her head with a frightened squeak. It took Phrixia several seconds to realize what she was doing, and she sighed heavily. She glanced over her shoulder and wasn't surprised to see a large figure hiding in the shadows just outside the entrance to the cavern. A pair of red eyes, shining in the darkness, met hers and she glared at it. No one moved, save for Ilo's trembling, until finally Phrixia impatiently shouted, "Just come out and quit being weird, Vamakh!"

The figure growled back at her, and she rolled her eyes. She turned back to face Ilo and immediately felt terrible. She hesitantly called out Ilo's name. The blonde nymph peeked at her through her bangs and Phrixia tried to give her a reassuring smile. She pointed over her shoulder at the figure, still hiding in the shadows, and quickly explained, "That's just one of my guards, Vamakh. He won't hurt you, I promise."

Ilo raised her head slightly and looked at Vamakh again. He chose that moment to finally step into the light and revealed himself, which only frightened Ilo again. She gasped and ducked her head back down, this time she even turned her whole body away. And Phrixia couldn't blame her, the manticore looked as dangerous as he was.

With his extraordinarily large lion body, his human-like head was framed by a massive, shaggy black mane. His glowing red eyes were set in his sharp face, just above the rows of razor-sharp teeth in his wide mouth. A pair of leathery, red wings only added to his intimidating size, even folded down as they were. His long tail, which could be used as a whip, ended in a small bushel of hair, but not ordinary hair, this hair could slice skin with barely any pressure. Each foot was armed with thick, curled claws, each one at least two inches long, that couldn't be retracted.

They scraped against the stone floor as he stalked over to them, head dropped low to the ground and eyes locked on Phrixia. She held his gaze easily with absolutely no fear and her fearlessness comforted Ilo enough so that she could sneak glances at him as he approached. He stopped right by Phrixia, put his face up to hers, and he slowly took a deep breath in through his nose. Despite his humanish nose, his sense of smell was just as strong as his other senses. He held the breath for a moment before releasing it. Phrixia waved the breath away from her face and then shoved at his head. "Quit being dramatic, you know I didn't go anywhere. I've been here the whole time."

"After running all over Tartarus, you mean." His voice was a hiss, like that of a cat. He looked her up and down before saying, "You took me on quite the trip this time. You're getting better." He swung his head to finally look at Ilo. He sniffed a few times, blatantly smelling her, and then turned back to Phrixia. "I see you made a friend."

Phrixia looked at Ilo, the question clear in her eyes. The blonde nymph gave her a smile and a nod, and then, despite her fear, reached past Vamakh to take her hand again. Joy burst through her, and she couldn't stop her grin if she'd wanted to. Squeezing Ilo's hand, she turned back to him. "I did. I made a friend."

Vamakh looked back and forth between their faces and their entwined hands. He didn't smile but Phrixia saw the subtle signs in his face, and she knew he was just as glad. His voice, still hissing, sounded warm and sincere as he said, "I'm glad for you, little one." He'd guarded her for many years and he'd seen her be alone, save for her siblings and parents, that whole time. But, as much as he was loathe to do so, he had to get her back. They were already pushing the time limit before her father would come to get her himself. So, he gently nudged their hands apart with his paw, which was easy because Ilo flinched back from him. "I'm sorry, but Phrixia you must return now."

She sighed. Part of her wanted to argue, plead, anything for just a little more time. But the rest of her knew he was right. Her father allowed her these rare moments, it was unspoken but everyone knew if he really wanted her to never go out, he could easily keep guards on her every second of the night, if not just imprison her outright. But he didn't. Instead, he trusted her to her siblings and a few trusted individuals. It had become a game, how long would it take for her to escape and how long would it take them to find her. Everyone involved knew about it, but nobody said it outright. But the game ended when her father decided she'd been gone for too long, and he came to collect her himself. And then everyone suffered the consequences for her little trip. It was easier for everyone if she returned before that happened.

She stood up and dropped her skirt, uncaring that it was soon soaked by the water dripping down her legs. Ilo stood too, her own soaked skirt and legs creating a large puddle around her. They stood still, awkwardly facing each other, for several seconds before Ilo hesitantly held her hands out. Phrixia's face lit up and she eagerly put her hands into the blonde's. Ilo gently squeezed them, simultaneously infusing them with a brief burst of warmth. It faded too fast and Phrixia missed it immediately, but she dropped her hands when Ilo let go. She tucked them behind her back and clasped them together, a feeble attempt to recreate or hold onto that warmth. It didn't work, which didn't surprise her, so she tried not to let her disappointment show on her face. She smiled and got a smile back, and when Vamakh nudged her again, she reluctantly began taking steps backwards.

Ilo stayed in place, nervously playing with her hair, as she watched them back up. She kept glancing at Vamakh but her smile to Phrixia never faltered. When they were several feet away, Vamakh gently turned Phrixia around. She let him move her and followed after him when he headed for one of the cave's exits. She could feel Ilo's gaze on her and she resisted the urge to look back at her, until they made it the cave's naturally occurring doorway. Right before they stepped through, she looked over her shoulder. She met Ilo's gaze, returned the blonde's smile, and they shared one quick wave to each other before she couldn't see her anymore. She faced forward again with a sigh, her head hanging and shoulders slumping. She watched the stone floor as they walked along until something brushed against her hand. She looked sideways at it and saw Vamakh had moved sideways, closer to her. So close that he touched her hand and legs with every step. It made her smile half-heartedly as she mumbled, "Thanks, Vamakh." The manticore said nothing, but against her leg she felt the gentle purr vibrating through him.