#There are so many possible friendships that deserve more focus in PJO

[helenofsparta2]

I think Percy Jackson and Will Solace were friends before, during and after The Last Olympian

Warning: this post has absolutely zero right to be as long, as it ended up being, and is, at times, quite chaotic and not as well structured as I would like it to be.

A take that I’ve seen in this fandom in the past few months, both on TikTok, and on Tumblr, is that Will and Percy have a strained relationship after the battle of Manhattan, and specifically, after Michael Yew died during the battle at the Williamsburg bridge.

Now, I understand that Michael's death adds complexity to their relationship, and that it offers a lot of potential for angst, especially in terms of creating a tragic connection between Will and Nico. I'm not trying to invalidate that interpretation of Will. Since he’s a minor character in the original series, everyone naturally has their own take on him and his emotions. So, this is not a claim to the truth, this is simply me providing a different interpretation, in which Percy and Will have a more positive relationship, because I absolutely adore the possibility of their friendship.

(Considering the fact, that Will had very little screen time in The Last Olympian, this will involve a lot of speculation, and comes obviously from a biased view, even if I try to mostly base my interpretation on the text, that we do have about him.)

There are four aspects I want to primarily focus on:

The relationship Percy and Will might have had before the battle of Manhattan

The incident at the Williamsburg bridge & the circumstances surrounding Michael Yew’s death

Will’s characterization shortly after that incident

Will’s possible view of Percy during and after The Last Olympian

The relationship Percy and Will might have had before the battle of Manhattan

Now, Will’s first appearance in the PJO universe was in the last Olympian. So, this point is obviously mostly speculation, and based more generally on the relationship Percy has with the rest of camp, and less on Will as an individual character.

But based on that, I personally think there are two facets to their relationship.

Will and Percy being friends

Percy being generally seen as a leader of Camp Half-Blood

Friends:

To understand the relationship Will and Percy have, I think it’s important to consider the dynamics in camp half-blood at the beginning of the last Olympian. This was a group of around 45- 50 kids and teenagers, who had no place else to go, who faced discrimination everywhere else in the world, who already lost friends and siblings and who fought in at least one major battle together.

They grew up alongside each other, they fought together, they died alongside each other and they buried their friends together. They might have not always gotten along perfectly,, but it’s pretty safe to say, that they probably trusted each other more than anyone else in the world. There is a strong bond connecting all of them, Percy and Will included.  

Despite this, it’s obviously still possible, that Will and Percy had a more neutral relationship and didn’t interact much. That calling them friends would be a bit of a stretch, and that the only thing connecting them is this deep sense of comradery, which no matter how strong, didn’t accumulate to an actual friendship.

However, we do know, that Percy at least considers the rest of camp, Will included, his friends. He calls them that on multiple occasions all throughout The Last Olympian:  

As I looked at their faces—all these campers I'd known for so many summers—a nagging voice whispered in my mind: One of them is a spy. But I couldn't dwell on that. They were my friends. I needed them. (The last Olympian, chapter 9)

She wore the same kind of simple brown dress as she had before, but she was a grown woman now. I bowed. "Lady Hestia." My friends followed my example. (The last Olympian, Chapter 9)

I turned to my friends. They looked stunned and scared, and I couldn't blame them. (The last Olympian, Chapter 10)

I could have stabbed it, but I hesitated. This is not Mrs. O'Leary, I reminded myself. This is an untamed monster. It will kill me and all my friends. (The last Olympian, Chapter 11)

Too many of our friends lay wounded in the streets. Too many were missing. (The last Olympian, Chapter 15)

I looked at Pandora's jar, and for the first time I had an urge to open it. Hope seemed pretty useless to me right now. So many of my friends were dead. (The last Olympian, Chapter 17)

Grover and I cared for the wounded, and once the sky bridge re-formed, we greeted our friends who had survived. (The last Olympian, Chapter 20)

I thought about my friends from camp: Charles Beckendorf, Michael Yew, Silena Beauregard, so many others who were now dead. (The last Olympian, Chapter 20)

I specifically want to focus on this quote, which takes place during the battle at the Williamsburg bridge:

"Retreat!" I told my friends. "I'll hold them.'" (The Last Olympian, Chapter 11)

Here, he specifically addresses the Apollo cabin. No one else is present except for them, Percy, and Annabeth.

Obviously, we don’t have Will’s POV, but I personally see no reason to think this friendship wasn’t mutual.

Leader:

I’m going to keep this point rather short, because there is not much room for debate about the fact, that Percy was seen as a leader at the time ‘The Last Olympian’ takes place. He has accomplished a lot of incredible feats, and no one disagreed with him leading them during the battle of Manhattan. So, Will probably saw him the same way.

"But you're our leader." He smiled. "I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs to help. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Percy. You are the leader." I wanted to protest, but everybody was looking at me expectantly, even Annabeth. (The last Olympian, chapter 9)

The battle at the Williamsburg bridge

Now, to focus on the battle at the Williamsburg bridge, and especially Will’s POV during it. This was certainly an emotionally charged situation. A popular interpretation here is, like I said, that Will’s and Percy’s relationship would become strained after this battle, and more specifically after Michael’s death.  I actually argue that the opposite is true. I think, that Will's opinion of Percy improved after this battle.

Let me explain.

Will was, I think, around 13 or 14 years old during the battle of Manhattan and probably terrified.

(Please take his age with a grain of salt. I have this information from the fan wiki, which likes to be wrong at times and on top of that, we can never truly trust Rick Riordan’s timelines and character ages.)

It was his first battle in that book. And a really bad one at that.   Will was at the Williamsburg bridge together with the rest of his cabin, and they were completely overwhelmed. Roughly 10 campers were up against an army of 200 monsters. They didn’t have their flying chariot. They had already shot most of their arrows. Hope was dwindling and at least one Apollo camper had already gotten killed by a hellhound.

Then, in their hour of greatest need, Percy and Annabeth arrived.  

I really want to try to get into Will’s head here, and think about what kind of impression Percy must have made on him during this battle.  

There are two aspects, which I think are really important to consider:

The first one is the fact that Percy always fought at the front lines, and even told the Apollo cabin on multiple occasions to stand back, while he faced the enemy alone or only with Annabeth.

The first thing Percy did when he arrived at the battle was to tell Michael to form a defensive line, while he fought alone against the minotaur, and then later against 199 enemy monsters (. I'll distract the monsters. You group up here. Move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while I keep them focused on me. (The Lats Olympian, Chapter 11)

Later, when Kronos arrived, Percy told them again to retreat, while he and Annabeth held off Kronos, and his guards, consisting of around 40 demigods and 20 monsters (The Titan lord's men drew their swords and charged. The hooves of their skeletal horses thundered against the pavement. Our archers shot a volley, bringing down several of the enemy, but they just kept riding. "Retreat!" I told my friends. "I'll hold them.' (The Last Olympian, Chapter 11))

Because Percy did this, and risked his own life, no other Apollo camper died on that bridge, aside from Michael. He saved the entire cabin with that strategy, and seeing Percy face the enemy army alone must have really invigorated a sense of trust in him from Will and his half-siblings.

The second aspect, would be Percy’s fighting abilities

I don’t think I can reiterate enough how absolutely insane, Percy must have seem like to his fellow campers in this battle alone.

He easily,and I mean easily, defeated the minotaur

Because we have already seen Percy kill the minotaur when he was 12, and because we see how fast he defeated him now, it’s easy to forget that that beast is still the minotaur. One of the most dangerous monsters in greek mythology, which has already killed several other halfbloods at this point in time, and probably also at least one Apollo camper. (Tied around the base of each blade were lots of bead necklaces. I realized they were Camp Half-Blood beads—necklaces taken from defeated demigods. (The Last Olympian, chapter 11)

He fights 199 monsters, and demolishes them without receiving a single scratch

I sliced through armor like it was made of paper. Snake women exploded. Hellhounds melted to shadow. I slashed and stabbed and whirled, and I might have even laughed once or twice—a crazy laugh that scared me as much as it did my enemies. (The Last Olympian, chapter 11)

He goes toe-to-toe against Kronos himself

He dismounted, his scythe glistening in the dawn light. "I'll settle for another dead demigod." I met his first strike with Riptide. The impact shook the entire bridge, but I held my ground. Kronos's smile wavered. With a yell, I kicked his legs out from under him. His scythe skittered across the pavement. (The Last Olympian, Chapter 11)

He destroys the bridge, forcing the enemy to retreat

I stabbed Riptide into the bridge. The magic blade sank to its hilt in asphalt. Salt water shot from the crack like I'd hit a geyser. I pulled out my blade and the fissure grew. The bridge shook and began to crumble. Chunks the size of houses fell into the East River. Kronos's demigods cried out in alarm and scrambled backward. Some were knocked off their feet. Within a few seconds, a fifty foot chasm opened in the Williamsburg Bridge between Kronos and me. (The Last Olympian, Chapter 11)

I think the psychological effects of seeing Percy in action here are really underrated. Before this moment, Will probably started to believe they had no chance of winning the war. But this battle marks a turning point. Yes, the titan army had a huge advantage in numbers, legendary monsters like the Minotaur, and actual titans on their side. But in this battle, Will and the other campers must have realized what it really meant, that they had Percy Jackson. That they had someone who could go toe to toe with the strongest of the titan army and come out victorious. Someone who would come when they called for help. Someone who seemed impossible to kill.

However, afterwards, this whole fight gets overshadowed by Michael’s death.

Michael’s death:

Obviously, Will grieved for Michael. He’d already lost Lee the summer before, and who knows how many other half-siblings. Seeing his brother die in such a way could definitely lead to resentment, no matter how unfair that resentment might be. However, the key word here is could. It's important to consider the context of this scene. One point that often gets overlooked is that Will also saw Percy’s reaction to Michael’s death—and everything leading up to it.

He heard Michael tell Percy to break the bridge. ("Percy, the bridge!" he called. "It's already weak!"(…) "Break it!" Michael yelled. "Use your powers!" (The Last Olympian, Chapter 11))

He heard Percy yell at Michael to get out, before following through with his plan (The remaining Apollo campers had almost made it to the end of the bridge, except for Michael Yew, who was perched on one of the suspensions cables a few yards away from me, His last arrow was notched in his bow. "Michael, go!" I screamed. (The Last Olympian, Chapter 11))

He saw Percy search the wreckage of the bridge for Michaels body afterwards (I turned to thank Michael Yew, but the words died in my throat. Twenty feet away, a bow lay in the street. Its owner was nowhere to be seen. "No!" I searched the wreckage on my side of the bridge.( The Last Olympian, Chapter 11))

He heard him scream out in pain after not finding Michael. (Nothing. I yelled in anger and frustration. The sound carried forever in the morning stillness. The Last Olympian, Chapter 11)

He heard Percy tell the rest of his cabin to continue searching for Michael, despite the fact, that they could be needed in other battles, for the slim chance, that Michael could still be saved, or at least buried properly (I grabbed Will Solace from the Apollo cabin and told the rest of his siblings to keep searching for Michael Yew. The Last Olympian, Chapter 12)

Obviously, it’s still possible, for Will to blame Percy. Grief makes people act irrationally. Especially kids, who are already traumatized and fighting in a war.  However, Will’s actions and characterization afterwards make me personally doubt that.

Will’s characterization afterwards:

Shortly, after Michael’s death, Percy and Will drive together to their base to save Annabeth’s life. This is how Will acted once they arrived:

Will and I pushed through a crowd of Athena kids. Will unwrapped Annabeth's bandages to examine the wound, and I wanted to faint (…) Will Solace exhaled with relief. "It's not so bad, Annabeth. A few more minutes and we would've been in trouble, but the venom hasn't gotten past the shoulder yet. Just lie still. Somebody hand me some nectar." I grabbed a canteen. Will cleaned out the wound with the godly drink while I held Annabeth's hand. "Ow," she said. "Ow, ow!" She gripped my fingers so tight they turned purple, but she stayed still, like Will asked. Silena muttered words of encouragement. Will put some silver paste over the wound and hummed words in Ancient Greek—a hymn to Apollo. (The Last Olympian, Chapter 12)

From this bit, we can say that Will seems completely focused on healing Annabeth. He doesn’t bring up the battle or Michael, and he doesn’t react in any way badly to Percy. He simply tries his best to save Annabeth’s life.

I especially want to focus on this little sentence:

“Will Solace exhaled in relief. “It’s not so bad Annabeth.”

This sentence shows us, that Will himself was worried about Annabeth. That Will wanted to heal Annabeth.  He wasn’t some paralysed, poor kid, whom Percy forced to leave his siblings behind and heal Annabeth. He was a healer, who pushed down his own emotions to prioritize helping and healing his fellow campers, and who consciously decided to focus on the battle and problems at hand, and deal with his grief later.

His behavior afterwards supports this characterization. Even after he made sure, Annabeth survived (and completely exhausted himself with that effort, might I add), Will continued to focus on how to best treat his fellow campers.  

The healing must've taken a lot of his energy. He looked almost as pale as Annabeth. "That should do it," he said. "But we're going to need some mortal supplies." He grabbed a piece of hotel stationery, jotted down some notes, and handed it to one of the Athena guys. "There's a Duane Reade on Fifth. Normally I would never steal—" "I would," Travis volunteered. Will glared at him. "Leave cash or drachmas to pay, whatever you've got, but this is an emergency. I've got a feeling we're going to have a lot more people to treat. (The Last Olympian, Chapter 12)

Aside from that, I would also like to shortly consider Will’s POV regarding Percy during the rest of the war.

I imagine that for a healer, like Will, who saw one injured demigod after another, seeing Percy completely uninjured, fighting and fighting and fighting, killing hundreds of monsters all on his own, barely allowing himself to take a break, while attacking a drakon, and fighting enemies like Hyperion, must have been like a beacon of hope in a way. Like a reminder, that they could actually win. That he wouldn’t lose all of his friends. A sign to not give up.

Percy’s promise from the gods:

Another thing, which I think is quite consequential to consider to judge the relationship between Percy and Will, is Percy’s demand from the gods.

I could see Will becoming bitter, had Percy wished for something for himself after they had won the war. If Percy had become a god, while the rest of camp received no prize whatsoever and if the death of his siblings had meant nothing in the long run, I could see Will starting to resent him.  

However, Percy wished for nothing, which solely benefitted himself. Annabeth received the chance to redesign Olympus, Grover became a lord of the wild, Tyson received a weapon, but Percy received nothing like that. The only thing he wanted was the reassurance that the war, Will has lost so many of his siblings on, and which had forced him to grow up so fast, could never repeat itself. The reassurance, that Lee’s and Michael’s and everyone else’s sacrifice was not in vain.

No one can tell me that this did not mean a lot to Will and only strengthened their relationship to each other.

 Post The Last Olympian:

My last point is this moment from the beginning of the lost hero:

“Annabeth!” A guy with a bow and quiver on his back pushed through the crowd. “I said you could borrow the chariot, not destroy it!” “Will, I’m sorry,” Annabeth sighed. “I’ll get it fixed, I promise.” Will scowled at his broken chariot. Then he sized up Piper, Leo, and Jason. “These are the ones? Way older than thirteen. Why haven’t they been claimed already?” “Claimed?” Leo asked. Before Annabeth could explain, Will said, “Any sign of Percy?”  (The Lost Hero, chapter 3)

Will was the first person to ask about Percy out of everyone else present and didn’t even wait for Annabeth to answer Leo’s previous question.  That doesn’t really sound like a person asking about a guy he resents, or feels neutral about. To me at least, it sounds like a guy who is worried about a friend.

That’s at least my interpretation of their relationship, up until this moment. (Though again, I am quite biased, because, I really love their friendship potential)

[scorbusfest]

Scorbus Fest 2020 Masterlist

FIC:

Break The Ice (T, 7.7k) by Honeysworks

Prompt: Scorpius is a figure skater, Albus plays ice hockey. They train at the same ice rink. Albus finds himself looking for excuses to hang about in the locker room after training just so he can bump into Scorpius.

An Issue of a Dragon (G, 5.7) by @truemeg

Albus returns to school with an extra little something in a box: a dragon. Albus is confident he can take care of it on his own. But Scorpius knows better.

A Million Times (M, 14k) by bellatrix187 @greenandgreyeyes

Albus has been pining after his best friend for two years now. After almost a week of house-sitting with Scorpius for his parents’ friends Dean and Seamus, he has had enough of keeping it inside him. He has no idea what Scorpius is feeling, how to bring it up, or what it will mean for them, but will the discovery of a few dirty magazines spark a conversation about their sexualities and force him to confess?

Turning Circles (T, 38k) by roonilwazlib @xpectopatronerd

Scorpius is a figure skater, Albus plays junior hockey. A random schedule change causes them to bump into each other for the first time - and from there, it’s a slippery slope into mutual pining and endless maybes. They might train at the same rink, but will any of them be brave enough to break the ice?

Featuring secrets, crushes, secret crushes and everyone’s favourite Father of the Year, Draco Malfoy at his very finest. This is basically forty thousand words of fluff and fun, set in a Muggle AU in the North of England.

Our Golden Age (E, 2.6k) by @ladderofyears

Scorpius Malfoy is sixty years old and has just lost his wife Cecily after a long marriage. His best-friend of many decades Albus Potter comes to stay with him at Malfoy Manor.

You Being Okay Is All That Matters (G, 3.4k) by @accioscorp

A final shift before a well deserved break for Scorpius is flipped upside down when an accident at the local creatures sanctuary sends Saint Mungo’s into chaos but Scorpius’ mind is only focused on one thing … whether Albus is okay or not.

Five times Albus noticed a thing about Scorpius and one time he didn’t (M, 4.4k) by @eleonorapoe

Albus has known Scorpius his whole life. He knows how he likes his sandwiches, which side he falls asleep on, the noise he makes when laughing his ass off. Until one day, on “The Morning of Bed Head”, Albus discovers there are things about Scorpius that can still surprise him. They say the third time's a charm, but it takes Albus five times to realize that he hadn't noticed the most important thing about Scorpius at all.

I’d Take Every Jump For You (G, 12.7k) by Augurey_ray

Scorpius is a dressage rider and spends every second of his free time at the stables. Albus? Albus isn't as much of a fan. One day their paths cross and, well, they have their hurdles.

Five Times Things Did Not Work Out as Planned, and One Time They Did (G, 11.3k) by WhenSheReads

Pretty much what the title says--things may not always work out for Scorpius and Albus, but that doesn't mean things are bad.

Different kinds of “addictions” (G, 7.3k) by @sapphicfangirll

After a fight with James, Albus rushes to Malfoy Manor to seek comfort from his favourite blonde. Once he goes back home Albus might just realise that there's more to his brother than meets the eye.

(This one-shot involves two of my hcs: a)Albus having adhd b)Albus knowing sign language; it's the first in a series of one-shots centered around adhd!Al)

brainfunks and cereal (G, 1.1k) by ivermectin

In which Albus worries, and Scorpius reassures him.

Under False Pretenses (G, 7.2k) by scorperion21

Albus Potter is a highly trained magizoologist, but he's not opposed to a little help from a Creature Healer every now and again if absolutely necessary...

Scorpius Malfoy doesn't need to know that the only reason Albus keeps calling on him is because of his all-consuming crush. Does he?

A Force To Be Reckoned With (G, 7.3k) by @rinrin-obliviate

Lily Luna Potter was a force to be reckoned with.

At least, that was how she viewed herself. Being the youngest, she was responsible for carrying four brain cells--one for her, one for Albus, and two extra ones for James. She was blunt but tactful, short but unrelenting, but mostly, she was brave but not stupid.

So when Albus landed himself in trouble more serious than time-turners and world domination, it was Lily who just had to help her brother pull his actual shit together.

She shot a last, warning glance at James. “I’d like to be your voice of reason at this point, but right now I’m sleepy and I need to go to bed.” She turned to Lily. “Try not to let your brother blow up the whole school.”

She unblinkingly returned Rose’s gaze. “Which brother?”

“Both.”

The One in Which Albus Should Have Been a Bit More Clear (M, 2.1k) by ringelchen @lordofthegoods

Albus just wants to be a good friend and deliver a love letter to Scorpius. It doesn't quite go as planned.

Edible Flowers (T, 21k) by @littlerose13writes

Albus Potter has grown up in the wizarding world, has been around magic all his life and is used to the eccentricities being a teenage wizard can bring. But when he’s struck down with muggle flu, he wakes up in a world that seems to have turned upside down.

His sister is a bully, Polly Chapman is his friend and, weirdest of all, his best friend Scorpius suddenly seems to be his boyfriend. Albus would quite like to get back to normality in time for the fifth year Summer Ball if that’s not too much to ask.

i want to be the only one (but you are) ; scorbus (T, 5k) by dungeondreams

albus isn't the fondest of physical touch with most people. luckily scorpius malfoy isn't most people. (alternatively; albus is kinda touch starved and scorpius is more than happy to change that.)

lemonade roses (T, 40k) by @dustyspines

By some calamitous twist of fate, Albus Potter finds himself faced with the realisation that he’s not okay; his sleep has been hijacked by vivid nightmares detailing the night his life fell apart on the Quidditch pitch, his sense of self is slipping away as he drowns in a sea of expectations, and his relationships begin to fracture when the vicious ghost of inevitability snaps at his heels. The solution should be simple: break up with Scorpius Malfoy. But this is Albus Potter, and nothing in his life has ever been simple, so why should that change now?

this is me trying (M, 15k) by @fidgetyweirdo

Just a few weeks ago, Scorpius's life was on stable footing - perfect grades, infatuation with a brilliant woman, and, most importantly, his best mate, Albus, at his side. But when Albus kisses him and Scorpius is left with no choice but to break his heart, for the first time since they met, the future of their friendship is in question. Scorpius can't lose him, though. So even if it involves blundering through awkward conversations and setting up multiple, disastrous blind dates, Scorpius won't stop trying.

Amuse Me (G, 19k) by @rinrin-obliviate

Albus didn’t really find amusement parks entertaining.

Even with Scorpius Malfoy spending the entire day with him, Albus never really fancied the concept of crowded areas, roller coasters that would intentionally plummet you to death, or rigged carnival games that served nothing but stuffed toys and candy floss. Honestly, if him falling for his best mate was not going to be the death of him, this one was.

He just wanted to survive the day.

My reason within (T, 9.7k) by Patronuslight7

Albus and Scorpius have now seen their Patronus forms. One of them is completely disheartened, the other hasn't given up trying to explain just yet.

A special day (G, 6.3k) by @sapphicfangirll

The one where Albus hyperfixates on pjo, Scorbus and their favourite third wheel go to muggle comic con, they make some new friends and they might just participate in the cosplay contest. Ft trans!Scorpius, adhd!Al and questioning Albus+nonbinary boy!Al who uses he/they pronouns.

I Pour Light Into You (G, 4.5k) by @motherofmercury

Albus is a top Magizoologist and is assigned a new and exotic creature that spits toxins, landing him in St. Mungo’s. His husband, Scorpius, is the Healer in charge of his recovery, leading to some small angst and much hair stroking.

A Love Like Old Boots (T, 20k) by @thealmostrhetoricalquestion

Each time Scorpius glanced his way, Albus made sure to smile as though nothing was amiss. As though it wasn’t exceptionally odd to come out of your morning lesson and find your ex-boyfriend of three years standing in the grass with his hands in his pockets, waiting for you.

To be a Boy (E, 17.8k) by @shipperysails-bookofspells

Scorpius’ life was perfect. He was talented at school, had the best friend anyone could ask for, and his boyfriend, Albus Potter, was making him happier than he’d ever dreamed possible.

But all of that began to unravel when suppressed insecurities are brought to light, causing Scorpius to question what it means to be a boy.

FIC AND ART: 

Same Order Every Time (G, 2.1k) by evie_adams273

Albus didn't want to take the job as a barista. He hadn't intended to have it for this long. Not because he actively disliked it. Simply because it was so dull. At this point, he knew who all the regulars were. He knew every second of every day. Until today.

ART: 

Albus’ oral fixation (G) by @eleonorapoe

Albus has a bad habit of chewing on his hoodie lace which makes Scorpius unable to focus on studying.

What Happened In the Weeds (G) by @motherofmercury

Just two soft boys kissing in a field for scorbusfest!

something you didn’t even have a name for (G) by @lumoshyperion

A tender moment shared between two boys in love, inspired by a Richard Siken poem.

until you hear that music play again (T) by @marisdrawings

Albus is a singer/guitarist at a local pub. Scorpius is a stressed newbie in town who lands himself on the same bar as a customer. He caught himself incredibly flustered and smitten for the pub's own singer to the point where it's the first place he visits every night. They get to know each other, Albus offers to be Scorpius's guide in exploring the whole city, and the rest is history. (prompt by @rinrin-obliviate)

[perseusjackson-jasongrace]

Hi C!!! It's meeee

Anyway I don't know why but I just kinda want to put this out in the world. You got me on Jercy (I'm not kidding I hated Jercy before you) but Percabeth is my OG ship like they started me ok fanfics and they're like my first real ship period. And I hate all the hate Annabeth gets because I really love her so I just wanted to ask you if you could go more in depth with why you aren't big on her/Percabeth please

Love you!! ❤❤

Hi my Gretch seeing your username (on any of the platforms) makes me forever and eternally happy. Okay onto this beautiful, intense ask:

First things first: I love Annabeth. Like Annabeth as a character? wonderful, incredible, unreal. She is so versatile and full of so many things that make us human and I see her character and character arc as a complex web full of intricacies and weaknesses (yes i said web on purpose).

My favourite things about her:

1. She always has a goal, whether it be long term or, I'm just trying to stay alive in this second. For people like me who kind of go through life on vibes and a vague sense of what they want it is awing to read about and meet people who have solid, planned goals that they live, breathe, and perform by.

2. She is proud of her friends. Since her fatal flaw is pride it is very easy to see the downfall but there is also an upside in that she uses that well of pride as an extension of her and it reflects on others. We know she is proud of Percy, and grover, and Thalia, and why Luke’s betrayal hit so hard for her

3. She continues to break stereotypes. Not just as the dumb blonde (which was admittedly a big thing at the time of the book’s release) but also in her being a girl who saves herself, who goes on the dangerous quests, who isn’t helpless. I never had a lack of female role models in my life but adding Annabeth to the mix only did me more good.

4. She thinks things through: I am kind of impulsive when it comes to certain aspects in my life and I have some thought process for other parts but Annabeth is not impulsive. As much as she has ADHD, in which impulsivity is fairly common, she doesn’t present with it. And it’s refreshing and exciting to see this character that thinks through plans and decisions and tries to predict the outcome, not only so she can change it if need be but also to prepare herself for what is to come. Narratives (especially at the time of those books) were full of impulse and quick decisions and always being on the spot. Hell Percy was exactly this kind of narrtator. And while I love dit because I mean what ten year old doesn't love fast-paced intense excitement? it was so truly wonderful to read about someone who thought further. It allowed you to connect to the next page, chapter, book. 

5. She is a complete badass. And I love it. I love badass women. I could never get enough of them and I think they should rule the world. And I love smart people. I love them. Smartness, intelligence, is so attractive to me. Because it means you have passion, and the ability to think beyond your surroundings. Annabeth Chase is hella smart.

What I've been having a crisis over for the last few years is Percabeth. It is summed up most accurately here but just to continue my thought:

Rick changed the percabeth dynamic so much in HOO that it became almost unrecognisable. I think in the bid to have this whole, everyone is a couple and everyone deserves someone (which boosted Leo’s narrative but was also the cause of great conflict in everyone else’s narrative expect percabeth) he forgot to make them friends. And that was the basis of percabeth. It was the reason percabeth were so godsdamn cute in PJO. Because they were friends who ended up becoming a couple. In HOO they were just a couple. And it sucked out the life of their friendship so that we could only focus on their relationship.

And unfortunately it is Annabeth’s narrative that really brings this home for multiple reasons (all of which we can blame Rick for):

1. This is the first time we got other points of view beside Percy which means everyone’s flaws were much more obvious. Annabeth’s fatal flaw specifically was really played (the entire reason she went on that Mark of Athena quest; why  they landed up in Tartarus). it made focusing on her harder especially because Percy’s Fatal flaw is loyalty so he spent a lot of his narrative focusing on others. this one is mostly my bias as I prefer to have a character’s narrative that also focuses on the happenings of others with the characters personal thoughts. Annabeth was the kind of narrator who focused on herself first. 

2. The entirety of HOO was about relationships. Rick didn’t bother to form any actual friendships with any of the characters (something he was undoubtedly great at in PJO) so when we got to percabeth scenes it was things like: Piper being jealous of them; Percy being worried about them; Annabeth being worried about Percy as a person or herself in her quest; Leo being sad that he was alone; etc. It made liking any of the couples extremely hard.

3. As you (and my other Tumblr babies) may know I don't believe Percy and Annabeth’s fatal flaws work well together. I think Percy is often the one to sacrifice himself and Annabeth sacrifices her wants (material things) and it is not the same. Percy is loyal to Annabeth. But Annabeth’s pride continues to rule her life. For example, if Percy had gotten in the way of Annabeth rebuilding Olympus I fully believe she would have attempted (at the very least) to get rid of him. I don't necessarily mean kill him I just mean he wouldn’t have been in her life. Don’t get me wrong this does not mean she did it or there was even a possibility that she could have. but the reason for that is because Percy is loyal to her. So he wouldn’t have gotten in the way of her dreams. And I think there’s something fundamentally dangerous about sacrificing yourself for someone else’s dreams. If Percy became loyal-to-a-fault towards Annabeth and she then decided to join Luke’s army he would not have stopper her. In fact it’s quite possible he would have joined her. And Annabeth has so much pride for Percy, but her pride-to-a-fault does not lie in people it lies in material things. So she would have gone after her own goals if Percy did not follow. It just seems like it’s luck that they continue to work well together. Percy sacrifices himself. Annabeth sacrifices herself. But only cause their goals align. What happens when they don't?

Please do not make the mistake of thinking I hate percabeth because I don’t. I cannot hate them when those books were the heart and soul of my life for so many years. Percabeth was such a big part of them, to hate the ship, would mean to hate the books and that is absolutely not the case. Annabeth and Percy’s friendships is so important to me. 

TL:DR I love Annabeth she is an absolute badass; I am not a fan of the percabeth dynamic especially in HOO; my bias is present in everything I do. I acknowledge it and try to work to bring all the facts together.

I hope this answered your question Gretch! And do not hesitate to ask if you want me to elaborate on a anything further.

I, of course, also welcome dispute from anyone but remember we do things nicely on this blog.

[aliensaucers]

11 questions

So I’ve been tagged a few times for this (3 or 4 times??)

So thanks @thatpapercliplord @gloonboys and @ghoulpunks for tagging me yo

And I tag @ghoulpunks (so u have to do it again hA) @emmaquackery and @alphawolfjosh and anyone who wants to do it

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Rules:

1. Always post the rules

2. Answer the 11 questions they ask you

3. Ask your 11 questions that you make

4. Tag people to answer your q’s

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I’m going to answer all of the questions, but it’s a lot so sorry

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Here are my 11 questions:

1. Do you have any pets? If so, what are they and what’s something you love about them?

2. Have you ever had a celebrity crush? Who?

3. Tell us about your crush if you have one! (if you don’t feel comfy with that, skip this one)

4. Book recs?

5. If you could spend a day with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

6. What song is stuck in your head? 

7. Music recs?

8. What’s your deepest desire?

9. What inspires you?

10. What is something you love to do, and why?

11. What’s one song that means a lot to you?

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1. Who would be part of your perfect team for a zombie apocalypse if it can only consist of 6 fictional characters?

Ahhh?? I’ll just say Neville Longbottom, Ruby Rose (from RWBY), Percy Jackson, Nico Di Angelo, and Leia Skywalker.

2.What do you value most in a friendship with your best friend?

Loyalty and trust. Definitely.

3. Which book or comic (series) deserves to be made into a film?

I would say Umbrella Academy but that’s actually happening already!! So I would say that the PJO series needs to be remade.

4. Do you believe in god or a higher spirit?

Yes.

5. Who is your favourite actor/actress?

David Tennant and Emma Watson?? I guess

6. What common thing almost everybody does drives you bananas?

Hmmm idk, I don’t get annoyed super easily, actually.

7. Do you think alien exists?

I don’t actually have a position on that. I think it could be possible.

8. If your life is made into a movie, which actor should portray you?

Hahaaa i have no idea? Maybe Chloe Grace Moretz? I’ve never seen anything that she stars in but she seems nice

9. Since we are here on tumblr, what is your aesthetic?

Uhhhh heck idk. I really like lights and fancy architecture, art galleries and cats? idk

10. If you could have a talk with 3 real people of your choice (they don’t have to be alive) for two hours, who would you choose and why?

My grandma, because I miss her and barely remember her, and maybe a friend from my old town because I miss them all so much. But it might just make me more sad.

11. If you could only listen to 4 songs for the rest of your life, what would they be?

I’m a really indecisive person so idk???? I feel like lately I really like Overprotected by Britney Spears, and I might want to hear a song from Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge?? And Doubt by twenty one pilots. But idk what else.

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1. if you had a day with no consequences and infinite money what would you do?

Donate to a ton of charities. And buy an acoustic guitar. And some clothes, since I need some of that. And get a cat.

2. if you got the chance to meet any celebrity/band who would you meet?

Gerard Way bc he’s always gonna hold a special place in my heart and he inspires me a lot.

3. marvel or dc?

Either?? Idk, I like batman comics but marvel makes better movies imo

4. do you have any hobbies?

Art, music, writing, etc.

5. how many blankets do you sleep with?

0-1.

6. which season do you prefer and why?

Fall, because it’s not too hot or too cold, my birthday is in the fall, it’s when school starts, and Halloween.

7. what would be your dream career?

Heck idk. A career where I can pet cats and dogs all day.

8. what’s the one movie that you could watch 1000 times and you’d still enjoy it?

Bolt or Sing Street

9. give a review of the last book/movie you read/watched

I watched The Princess Bride. 11/10 great movie.

10. what was the period of history that you were obsessed with when you were younger?

Idk? I was just obsessed with Ancient Greek mythology.

11. do you believe in ghosts?

Ehhh not really? It’s like how I feel about aliens, I do think that they’re possible, but honestly? I don’t really care that much. Also I have seen things that would suggest that ghosts were real but I still am neutral about it.

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1: if you could forget one thing what would it be?

Idk? I just wish I wasn’t so emotionally connected to my memories of my old town (I know I mention it a lot, it’s because I miss the place and I wish I could have stayed there)

2: opinion on politics?

I don’t like them, but I don’t really care if a person has different opinions from me, as long as they don’t harm others.

3: one thing you wish you could redo?

I wish I could have said a proper goodbye to some of my family members or friends. Just anyone.

4: one thing you regret?

Idk??

5: what’s a song that makes you feel like you’re at home?

Amy or Good Riddance by Green Day.

6: is there any musician/band (dead or alive, still together or broken up) that you would like to see in concert?

??? Idk? Waterparks maybe, or Marianas Trench??

7: give us a band rec!

LANY, Marianas Trench

8: are you missing anyone?

A lot of people actually. Not gonna go into specifics with that.

9: if you could meet anyone who would you meet?

Gerard Way

10: would you change something about yourself if it would make someone happy?

Depends how major of a change it would be. I’m a people pleaser, but I also know that I shouldn’t hide who I am.

11: books or movies?

I can’t focus on either without my meds, but I prefer books when I’m on them.

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1: cats or dogs?

Both!! I adore dogs but I miss having cats so much. I am better at taking care of cats than I am with dogs.

2: whats the last text you sent?

“Okay” to my mom.

3: what are some of your favorite lyrics?

“You’re a vegetable, they eat off you, you’re a vegetable” - that one Michael Jackson song

4: last song you listened to?

Props & Mayhem by Pierce The Veil

5: hot or cold weather? why?

Cold because it’s like 80 degrees fahrenheit here most of the year and i strongly dislike it

6: your life is now a movie! pick ONE song to be on your soundtrack!

Work Bitch by Britney Spears asdfghj

7: if you could learn ANY instrument which one would you learn?

Acoustic guitar

8: if you had been given the chance to go to space would you?

Despite my love of space, no. I hate the idea of going into space.

9: do you think time is real?

Yes??? idek

10: if you could only listen to one band/solo artist for the rest of your life which one would it be?

Heck idk? I rlly like Britney Spears

11: whats one song that means a lot to you?

Hey There Delilah by Plain White T