#and tartarus mentioned

[choking-on-your-alibis]

i thought this was funny 😭😭

[sleepyvib-es]

This is so devastating.

Looking for new recruits to fight in a war from fourth grade through high school.

[aroaceleovaldez]

i am once again thinking about Percy and Annabeth and their respective relationships with their step-parents, particularly how the other views the other's dynamic with their step-parents.

Because there's a really interesting subtle thing that we see which is when Annabeth talks about her step-mom to Percy, Percy's assumption is that Annabeth's step-mom is like Gabe. He just presumes that because that's what's familiar with him and based on his own experiences he assumes their situations are similar.

But then when Percy actually meets Annabeth's step-mom (and her dad) he realizes their situations aren't at all the same. He was expecting another Gabe, but instead he just found a genuinely caring family that was just struggling to find their footing with one another.

The interesting thing is that this implies an inverse - especially with what we know about how Percy and Annabeth describe their experiences. Percy doesn't really talk about Gabe ever. To anyone. Grover knows the whole picture there but he's basically the only one of Percy's friends who does. As far as we know, unless Grover told her at some point, Annabeth doesn't know about Gabe. She knows he was a jerk, but Percy out loud doesn't ever really get into details about it. She knows they didn't get along and eventually Gabe disappeared and Percy basically never spoke of it again. Presumably, Annabeth thinks Percy's dynamic with Gabe was like her dynamic with her step-mom, like how Percy had thought their situations were the same. Especially given we know Percy assumed their situations were the same and likely spoke about it as such if it ever came up.

Like. That's such an interesting tiny aspect of their dynamic that never gets touched upon. Annabeth likely doesn't know about this very core traumatic experience Percy endured before they met because she's operating under the assumption that their family just was a little rocky like hers was.

[unpublishediary]

Why didn’t you tell me?percy jackson x injured reader. (hurt/comfort) Part 2

part one ✵ part two

✵ synopsis: after a fight on the Argo II, reader tries to hide their injury but Percy is determined to find out what’s wrong… he figures it out, but hopes he wasn’t too late

✵ interest: percy jackson (HOO)

✵ warnings: mentions of blood, pain, loss of appetite, isolation, loss of consciousness, and leo.

MASTERLIST

Consciousness returned like a gentle tide, bringing with it the soft rhythm of nearby breathing. Your eyelids felt leaden, and when you finally managed to pry them open, the infirmary's muted light was a blessing to your sensitive eyes.

Percy was there, but not how you expected. He wasn't slumped in sleep or pacing with worry, he was just... staring. Sitting perfectly still in the chair beside your bed, his sea-green eyes fixed on you with an intensity that made your breath catch.

His jaw was set, hands clasped so tightly together his knuckles had gone white, and you couldn't read his expression. You'd never seen him like this before, caught between anger and something else, something raw and vulnerable that made your heart twist.

When you tried to shift position, a deep ache flared through your side. His eyes tracked the movement, and something in him finally broke.

"Six hours," he said, voice low and rough. "You were out for six hours."

You tried to speak, but your throat was too dry. Without breaking his stare, he reached for the water glass, helping you take small sips. The gentleness of his movements contrasted sharply with the storm brewing in his eyes.

"Percy—" you started.

"No." The glass clicked against the side table. "You don't get to—" He stood abruptly, running both hands through his hair. "Do you have any idea what—" He cut himself off, turning away, then whirling back. "You were bleeding out. Right in front of me. And you didn't say anything."

The last words came out as a shout, echoing off the infirmary walls. You flinched, and instantly saw regret flash across his face.

"I'm sorry," you whispered. "I didn't want to—"

"To what? Trust me?" His voice cracked on the words. "To let me help you? Gods, when you collapsed, I thought—" He broke off again, dropping heavily back into the chair. All the anger seemed to drain out of him at once, leaving something much more fragile in its wake.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he said quietly, not meeting your eyes now. "And the worst part was knowing you didn't even think you could tell me. After everything we've..."

The silence stretched between you, heavy with things unsaid. When he finally looked up, the vulnerability in his expression took your breath away.

"I can't lose you," he admitted, barely above a whisper. "Not like that. Not ever." His hand found yours, tentative at first, then holding on like an anchor. "Next time you're hurt, you tell me. I don't care if it's a paper cut or a broken bone. Promise me."

You nodded, throat tight with emotion. "I promise."

Some of the tension finally eased from his shoulders. He didn't let go of your hand, his thumb tracing absent patterns against your skin. Neither of you spoke for a long moment, letting the quiet wash away the last echoes of anger and fear.

"Annabeth going to kill me for yelling in here," Percy finally said, a ghost of his usual smile returning.

"Probably," you agreed, feeling your own lips curve upward. "Worth it though?"

His expression softened as he looked at you, and that something deeper was back in his eyes. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Worth it."

As exhaustion started pulling you back under, you felt him shift closer, his free hand brushing hair from your forehead with impossible gentleness. The last thing you heard before sleep took you was his whispered, "I'll be right here. I promise."

The next two days in the infirmary blurred together, marked by the steady stream of visitors and Percy's constant presence. He'd only leave when someone else insisted, and even then he'd return looking like he'd barely slept, dropping back into his chair like it was the only place he wanted to be.

"You know," you said one afternoon, watching him fight to keep his eyes open, "your room probably has a more comfortable bed than that chair."

"I'm fine," he insisted, though he was practically slumped over the armrest. "Annie said you might be able to try walking today."

As if summoned, she appeared in the doorway. "Speaking of which." Annabeth crossed her arms, giving Percy a pointed look. "You're not going to be much help if you pass out from exhaustion."

"I don't pass out," Percy protested, but she was already shooing him toward the door.

"Go. Shower. Sleep. She'll still be here when you get back."

Percy hesitated at the doorway, giving you a look as you laughed at the exchange. "I promise not to do anything stupid while you're gone."

"Better not," he said softly, something warm in his eyes before he finally left.

Annabeth checked your bandages, nodding with satisfaction. "Walking should be much less painful now."

The first attempt at walking wasn't exactly graceful. Your legs felt like jelly after hours on hours in bed, and the stitches pulled uncomfortably. But Annabeth was patient, letting you lean on her as you made your way slowly across the room.

You'd barely made it halfway when familiar voices drifted in from outside.

"If you're going to hover, you might as well come in," she called out, amused.

Jason was the first through the door, followed by Leo, their faces lit up seeing you on your feet.

"Look who's vertical," Leo joked at the sight of you.

"Barely," you admitted, grateful for Annabeth’s support as your legs trembled. Jason immediately took that as his cue to support your other side.

"Baby steps," Leo said as you gave him a look, but Annabeth cut in,

“Let’s get you back to—”

"I've got her." Percy was suddenly there, like he'd materialized from thin air. His arm slipped around your waist, careful to avoid your injury as he took your weight from her. "I thought you were going to sleep," you murmured as he helped you back to bed.

"Tried. Couldn't." His voice was low enough that only you could hear. "Kept thinking..."

He didn't finish the thought, but his arm tightened slightly around you.

"Well, now that the gang's all here," Leo said once you were settled, pulling something from his bag, "movie night?"

"In the infirmary?" You raised an eyebrow.

"Come on," Percy sided with Leo. "She's been staring at these walls for days. And we'll keep it quiet." He looked toward the daughter of Athena.

Annabeth sighed the sigh of someone who knew not to fight it, "Fine.”

Once the others were gathered, everyone settled in around your bed. Including Leo perched at the foot with his laptop, Annabeth claiming the extra chair, and Percy back in his usual spot beside you. As the familiar opening credits rolled, you felt some of the lingering tension finally ease from your shoulders.

"Hey," Percy whispered, his hand weaving through you hair before finding hand in what had become a familiar gesture. "You good?"

You looked around at your friends, your family really, and squeezed his hand. "Yeah. I'm good."

His answering smile was soft, private, meant just for you. And as everyone argued about plot holes and character arcs, you realized that maybe getting hurt hadn't been the worst thing.

Sometimes it took falling apart to understand just how many people were there to help put you back together.

By the time the movie ended, you'd dozed off against Percy's shoulder, his thumb still tracing absent patterns against your skin. The last thing you registered was the quiet murmur of your friends' voices and the steady rhythm of Percy's breathing, anchoring you safely in the moment.

You were going to be okay. All of you were. And if hidden injuries caused this, maybe next time you’ll hide a paper cut.

part one ✵ part two

MASTERLIST

follow for more like this !! Thanks for reading!! And feel free to request!

[seashell-the-theater-kid]

•◇Lords in black + Webby trapped in a room for 24 hrs◇• Original? Angst? GCMM

[riordanverseaddict]

Last night, I dreamt of a kotlc fanfic. It was a three part fanfic the titles were "falling for you", "loving you" and "dying for you" and oh my god it was full of angst. I was kind of sad after I woke up that these fics don't exist. Now I'm contemplating that should I write them or not because that masterpiece (which I don't remember most part of anymore) needs to be shared

[purpleshadow-star]

Here's a reminder that Frank does not have adhd or dyslexia like most demigods, so he was stuck on the Argo II with at least five to six other teenagers with adhd at all times. I wonder what that was like for him...

[crescentfool]

i've been doing a bunch of tartarus runs in reload lately, and it got me thinking about how i miss certain ways FES's clunky gameplay can characterize minato… (ramble about the great clock mechanic + leveling up party members in reload vs fes under the cut)

when i got to yabbashah block in tartarus (block 3), i remember commending the developers for adding the great clock mechanic. it's a much more convenient way to keep party members at the protagonist's level- so when you think about p3 from the perspective of trying to make it easier for people to play, the mechanic succeeds in this respect.

but now that i'm in adamah block, and that i've done lots of my once-a-month tartarus runs… i think that i got a little too dependent on it, and the way that i played through reload feels like a vastly different experience from how i played FES.

in reload, my party's levels are very lopsided. minato, yukari, akihiko, mitsuru, and fuuka are all level 90+, meanwhile junpei and aigis are at level 79, and then… poor ken and koromaru are at 71 and 64 respectively. (i never got to have a great clock for them…)

meanwhile, in FES, my party's levels were much more evenly distributed and were at least level 90. i did all of this manually for every monthly tartarus run because i enjoyed having options available for the taratarus guardians and monthly operations.

with how i perceive minato, i feel that the way i played FES feels more in-line with his character than me dawdling around waiting for the great clocks in reload.

FES's gameplay loop left me with the very strong impression that minato has to work twice as hard as everyone else in SEES does. it makes sense because, yeah, he's the leader, but something about having minato run through tartarus multiple times with different groups of people just to make sure that they are adequately prepared speaks volumes about his character, to me.

and while the tired mechanic is present in reload to some degree, most notably with allowing you to freely raise your courage stat when you visit edogawa after school… the tiredness system doesn't hit the same way that FES does, i think.

the way your party members in FES will call it quits when they return to the entrance floor at tartarus when they're tired, versus minato, in spite of all his tiredness and sickness, still pushes through tartarus because it's his responsibility…. idk!!! i miss that! i feel like this really hammers home the difference between minato and the rest of SEES, how minato doesn't really see himself as a human with needs worth respecting as long as he's useful to someone.

i don't think that tartarus being tedious (in FES especially) is not what most people would describe as fun, and i can respect people thinking it's a slog. but, regardless of how it feels to play, it doesn't change that FES's gameplay loop is a fundamental building block in how i perceive minato…

of course, i do recognize that you can just opt to NOT use the great clock in reload (and it's great when players are offered the choice to not partake in mechanics)! i definitely think that if someone really wanted to, they could manually level up party members, but i do feel that kind of playstyle isn't necessarily "incentivized" to the type of people who are into playing games for Having a Good Time. it's kind of like… "why would you do that when there's a much more convenient option available to you."

in any case! despite my woes, i do want to emphasize that i'm glad that reload has a much more smoother gameplay loop than the original P3 did, because it does make the game more accessible to people. having played both FES and reload, it feels very strongly apparent to me how the core gameplay formula of persona has really been refined in the past 18 years (to think og p3 was 2006 and reload is 2024.. time flies!). and reload has made revisiting a story that i love so dearly much, much easier because the gameplay just bops!

at the same time, due to my "i miss characterization informed by weird and dated FES gameplay quirks" woes, i still think that playing FES is worthwhile. (really, i feel this way about all iterations of p3! i think it's worthwhile to see what each version and side media has to say even if it doesn't Land™ for you.) but i also understand why people wouldn't want to play it, so i will keep writing posts about things i liked from FES's gameplay because i'm still very fond of FES (especially in respects to minato. these mechanics are so telling about him!!!) 💪

[aliciavance4228]

Cronus and Hera:

[redhatmeg]

Project Tartarus - Chapter 7: Solitary, Part 3

Genre: Sci-fi, hurt/comfort, angst, prison life, superhero.

Rating: 16+

Warning: Solitary confinement, mentions of torture.

Summary: Marvin has the worst night in his life.

As Doctor Kraken had predicted, it was a long and tiring night.

It was probably much worse for him, I would never claim otherwise... Nevertheless, listening to all this – both through the bug and behind the closed door – was a unique torture for me. Those screams echoing in the darkness of the night came in waves at almost regular intervals. Some were louder, others quieter (or at least they seemed that way). I didn't know what they were doing to him (and my mind suggested various assumptions, and each one worse was worse), but I knew one thing: they wanted not only to hurt him, but also to take away his sleep.

And he tried to control it somehow; he tried to distract himself from the pain by reciting the poem. I was impressed by his strength of spirit. I don't know if I would be able to focus on anything if they were doing to me what they were doing to him.

At one point I myself felt exhausted – mentally and physically – and all I wanted was to close my eyes and finally go to sleep. But I couldn't. Not only because I could hear the Doctor screaming (and the poem he was reciting quickly took on a certain eerie quality to it, even though I knew Arthur was only reciting it to take his mind off the pain), but also because how could I just sleep when someone else was suffering?

But the fact was, I didn't know what I could do for him. At first I tried to recite the poem along with him, but I quickly got the words mixed up and felt like I was just disrupting him. Then I thought I could distract him by telling him some stupid story, but I couldn't think of anything over all the screaming.

I secretly wished for it to be over. For them to stop doing this to him and let us all sleep. But an hour passed, and then another, and another, and at some point I wasn't sure how long we'd been awake.

"Stop yelling, you fucker!" Sol yelled at one point.

At the time, it pissed me off that this was the only thing he could muster in the face of a tortured prisoner. Even though I wanted Arthur to finally stop screaming so we could go to sleep, I was still struck by Sol's insensitivity.

Now his reaction seems a bit more understandable to me.

“Be quiet!” I replied to him after a moment.

“Why?!”

“Just be quiet, idiot!”

“Both of you be quiet.” The guard said (but not Devon, because his shift ended about half an hour after the lights went out). “It's night time.”

“Tell that to the one who keeps screaming.” Sol snapped back. “How can you sleep in these conditions?”

“What happens on the other side of this door doesn't concern me. I'm supposed to watch over you.”

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, I got out of bed and went to the window. I knocked on it a few times until the flap opened and the irritated guard looked at me. My behavior made even Doctor Kraken stop his mantra for a moment.

“What?” The guard asked.

I pulled myself together and declared:

“Let them stop doing this to him.”

Irritation still did not leave his face. With full seriousness he declared:

“Believe me, 5412: there are only monsters behind this door, so you should not feel sorry for him.”

“Don't those screams scare you?!” I asked, a little louder than I had originally intended. “Because I can't sleep because of them. Does it really not bother you?”

Something like resignation appeared on the guard's face. He sighed and said:

“There is always someone screaming at night. You have to learn to muffle it out. Now go back to bed. Both of you!” He called louder towards Sol's cell.

He closed the window and that was all I could do to intervene. Immediately I heard another scream of pain and heavy breathing from Doctor Kraken.

“I appre-appreciate your... your concern,” My recent companion began. “but don't... don't do this again... Argh!”

I sat down on the bed, resigned, and Kraken continued:

“Not only you can't do anything, but... Argh! But... but they might also draw attention to you.”

Maybe he was right. Luca had also told me, on the first day, that it was better not to attract the attention of the guards or prisoners. I fully understood the logic behind that advice, after all, there were plenty of guys in Tartarus whose path I preferred not to cross. And seriously, for the week before I ended up in solitary, I tried to live by that maxim and rather stick to my roommate (well, and maybe to a few more guys that Luca introduced to me as trustworthy), but there are some things you just can't predict. Like a space racist bumping into you.

Or that you'll make friends with an evil genius.

Still, I suspected a more pragmatic reason for this caution: Arthur was also worried that if by behaving oddly, I betrayed my knowledge of what was going on with him, his bugs might be discovered and confiscated, and he would be subject to further punishment.

I suddenly realized something. For some time now, I had been hearing the sound of Doctor Kraken's heavy breathing coming from the bug. And only breathing.

"Arthur," I began timidly.

"Ye... yes, Marvin?"

"Have they stopped torturing you?"

For a moment, there was silence tore, as he was trying to get his bearings. Perhaps we were both wondering if this wasn't just a temporary pause, meant to lull the Kraken into a state of alertness, and that everything would soon start over again.

"Yes," He finally replied, "although I don't really know... I don't know why they would. Usually... it usually lasts all night."

"So you're suggesting it's suspicious?"

"Oh, definitely! But I'm too... too tired to think about it now. Everything hurts anyway."

It seemed that his breathing was starting to return to normal. I was glad that this nightmare was over and that I'd finally get some rest.

Still holding the bug in my hand, I lay down and said:

"Good night, Arthur."

"Good night, Marvin."

I closed my eyes. It took a while, but I soon drifted off to sleep.

I remember dreaming that I was back in my childhood home, eating my mother's strawberry cheesecake (for the first time in years). You have to know that my mother's strawberry cheesecake was a masterpiece – the cheese mass was perfectly fluffy, the strawberry halves were perfectly juicy, and the biscuit cake base was perfectly soft. My mother always made cheesecake for special occasions, for example, when the holidays started, I had a birthday, or guests came over. That's why it always reminded me of something pleasant, and since I never learned to bake, I regretted not being able to recreate, at least half of, that part of my childhood.

Everything that had happened to me so far – the laboratory, superpowers, bank robbery, and Tartarus – didn’t happen. I was a happy kid again, loved and not burdened with responsibility. My father was nowhere to be found, and I didn't even care. The most important thing was that there was cheesecake in front of me, which I was going to devour, and then I wanted to play with my friends or at least watch cartoons. Outside the window, the sun was already starting to set, so I thought I'd watch an action movie in my room.

When I had finished eating and was about to put my plan into action, I heard footsteps. A few seconds later I recognized the sound of wheels moving across the stone floor. After a moment I realized that the sounds were not part of my dream. They were loud enough that despite my best intentions I woke up.

I was almost certain that I must have only slept for three, maybe four hours. But did that person in the hallway care? Not at all! They just kept walking with his boots and some cart as if nothing had happened, interrupting my beautiful dream.

He stopped suddenly and I heard the creak of a window opening, probably Sol's.

"Breakfast." A male voice I didn't recognize announced. At those words I immediately got out of bed and put the bug in the front pocket of my jumpsuit.

Sol didn't say anything. He must have simply taken the food without a word, because soon the unknown guard announced:

"You'll return the tray in thirty minutes."

Then another creak and the cart continued on its way until it stopped next to me. The window opened.

"Breakfast." The guard repeated, and I went to the door.

I immediately noticed that he had a bony face but a very muscular build. His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, but I still had the impression that he was staring at me. I felt uneasy. This particular guard was different from the rest, but I couldn't quite put my finger on how.

I took the tray from him with a bowl of cereal and a bottle of orange juice. I glanced furtively at the cart the guard was pushing and noticed that there were no more trays of food. Instead, at the bottom of the cart I saw several bags similar to those that you attach to an IV. There was some green liquid in them.

"You'll be returning the tray in thirty minutes," The guard announced, drawing my attention back to himself, and abruptly closed the window.

I was left alone with my breakfast, so I sat down on the bed and began to eat. At the same time, I heard a strange guard being asked by the computer about the purpose of his visit and entering the room where Doctor Kraken was being held. I immediately began to suspect that the green liquid was for Arthur and the other permanent prisoners from level U.

However, I must admit that after listening to my new acquaintance all night, I began to wonder if he wasn't the only prisoner behind that door. After all, I couldn't hear anyone else, and Arthur claimed that he needed a companion to talk to. Could it be that he was the only permanent prisoner on level U?

"Hello, Ronald." Arthur's voice said in the bug, and I immediately stopped eating and listened.

"I brought the nutrient." The guard announced.

"How else? You don't come here for any other purpose."

"Did you sleep well, 3763?" Ronald asked in a dispassionate voice.

"What do you think, boy?"

There was a moment of silence. It didn't last long, but I wondered what they could have been thinking at the time. Maybe they exchanged meaningful glances. I kind of regretted not being there to just see them. It wasn't the first time I felt that way.

- Well, " Ronald began, “you'll get something to eat soon, and then you'll get some sleep.”

“I'd rather do it the normal way though.”

I raised an eyebrow. "Normal"?

“You should have thought of that earlier.” Ronald replied.

They both fell silent again for a moment, but I could hear a clatter on the other side, like someone was plugging a plug into some device. I can't describe it any other way, the sound was quiet, but very characteristic.

“Goodbye and sweet dreams, 3763.”

The wheels of the cart were put into motion again and moved away. Since Ronald wasn't going back to the corridor with the isolation cells, I concluded that he still had other prisoners to serve.

“Marvin.” Kraken spoke in a whisper.

“Yes?” I was all ears.

“The nutrient will start working soon and I'll lose consciousness. Before that happens, I have one last request for you. Well, maybe two requests.”

“What kind of requests, Arthur?”

“First, tell me what you got for breakfast.”

“Orange juice and cereal. Nothing special.”

“What kind of cereal? Oatmeal? Cornflakes? I know it's not chocolate, but I need to know which ones.”

I looked at my plate.

“Cornflakes. With milk. Not very nutritious.”

“And how do they feel in your mouth?”

The question surprised me, but after a moment it occurred to me why he would ask it. I took another spoonful of cereal and tasted it for a long time. I had to think about how to describe what I felt.

:They're soft, and the milk has soaked them in. They're even nice to swallow, even though they get stuck between your teeth.“ I answered, and then added: “Why do you ask?”

I had some idea what could be the answer, but I wanted him to say it himself.

“Because they deliver food intravenously. I haven't eaten anything through my mouth for a long time and I miss it.”

That explained why the nutrient looked like an IV bag. It seemed like it was supposed to both feed Arthur and put him to sleep. And maybe it had other uses, too.

The more I learned about Doctor Kraken's situation, the more I felt sorry for him. No wonder he wanted to escape from such a life.

"And now my... second request," Arthur said, and I got the impression that the pause in the middle of the sentence meant that my interlocutor was fighting with himself not to fall asleep. After a moment, he added, "I understand if you refuse. It would be extremely risky, but..."

"Should I help you escape?" I asked implicitly. I didn't know whether I wanted to be a potential partner or not.

I heard a quiet laugh on the other end. But it didn't sound like the laugh Doctor Kraken had given Sellers. It was more... I don't know, friendly? Carefree?

"No, no, no," He answered my question. “I just… I just want you to take the bug with you. Then I’d know what was going on upstairs. And we could talk more often.”

I thought about the suggestion. He was right that there was a risk involved – after all, if I took the bug with me and a guard discovered it, it could get me into trouble. I wasn’t entirely sure what kind, but they certainly wouldn’t ignore it.

Besides, I don’t know how I’d feel if Arthur heard everything I was saying.

“I understand, Marvin,” Arthur replied when I didn’t answer for a long time. “Thank you anyway.” He sighed, but not with resignation or regret. It sounded more like tiredness. After a moment, he added: “Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s getting… harder and harder for me…”

The nutrient must have started working by now, and Arthur was slowly drifting off to sleep. I pictured the man with tentacles, tied up, hooked up to an IV, whose days were made up of loneliness and torture. Did he really deserve this? Was there anyone who deserved this kind of treatment?

Okay, maybe this particular man wanted to destroy the world. What's more, he didn't deny that he did when I asked him. Nevertheless, during my brief stay in solitary confinement, he didn't seem like the madman or monster they made him out to be. In fact, I got the impression that he was even likeable.

You can call me stupid, naive, and easily manipulated. But the truth is that there were a lot of suspicious elements to his situation (especially the fact that Sellers was trying to get something out of him and he stubbornly refused to give it to her). My military experience told me that this was a complex case, and there was something behind it that needed to be investigated. And there was only one way to find out.

"I'll do it." I said finally, hoping that my interlocutor hadn't fallen asleep yet. "I'll take the bug, Arthur."

Maybe I was making a mistake. What if he tried to manipulate me? I thought to myself then that if I had any suspicions about his intentions, I would simply turn off the bug.

"Thank… you." I heard on the other end, and this time I was certain that Arthur had drifted off to sleep.

The rest of my stay in the isolation cell was spent on edge. I managed to see Ronald leave level U with his cart, I finished my breakfast, gave back the bowl (this time to Devon), and waited to be released. I tried to take a nap, tried to exercise, tried to eat lunch that was brought to me, but somehow the isolation cell simply seemed too quiet. I realized that I missed talking to my companion. Besides, I hadn't even left the solitary yet and the bug was already weighing down my pocket and I was afraid they would discover it.

When lunch – rice and beans – arrived, I had the feeling that the moment of my release was approaching. I couldn't wait to get back to my cell and talk to Luca. Maybe we could even watch another episode of his beloved show. I used the toilet a few more times (bloody prison food), read a few more snippets from my book and waited. And waited. And waited. With an impatience that was bursting inside me. Time passed, but I didn't know whether one hour had passed since lunch or just a few minutes.

And finally I heard footsteps. At first I thought it was the guards coming to take me away, but soon I heard Sol's window creak open and a woman's voice:

“How are you feeling, Drayden?”

“How am I supposed to feel in this hole?

“I don't know. Are you tired, nervous?”

Sol chuckled.

“I honestly don't know if you're stupid or just insolent. Yes, I'm nervous. Pissed even. Let me out already.”

“Any fears?” The woman asked, sounding as if what she had just heard didn't bother her. “Hallucinations?”

“You'd like that, wouldn't you? Just leave me alone.”

“You have to change your approach, Dreyden. Otherwise you'll never get out of here.”

“I've come to terms with it.”

They didn't say anything to each other for a moment, and then I heard the window close and the woman walk away, probably towards me. I was curious about who she was and what she was up to, and when the footsteps died down and my door window opened, I understood everything. A round-faced woman stood before me, wearing horn-rimmed glasses on a flat nose, a white dress and a cap. She was holding a tablet in her hand.

A nurse.

"Hello, I don't think we've met," She said, giving me a small smile. "I'm nurse Geraldine Walters. But you can call me Gerry."

"Marvin Dorn," I introduced myself carefully.

"I need to ask you a few questions. It's standard procedure after a night in solitary."

"Okay," was all I said.

Gerry looked at the tablet, then back at me.

"How are you feeling, Marvin?"

I hesitated. On the one hand, I had the feeling that she was here to help me and I should be honest, but on the other hand, I could already hear Luca's voice in my head saying: "She doesn't give a damn about how you feel, and if you complain, she'll get you in trouble."

“Okay. I guess.”

I didn't want to risk it. And besides, I didn't feel like going into details about last night.

Gerry checked something on her tablet, then asked another question:

“And how was the night? Peaceful? Were there any problems?”

I was tempted to tell her that I had heard the screams of the tortured Doctor Kraken for half the night, but again I had the feeling that I shouldn't say it. At the same time, hiding it seemed a bit unfair to Arthur. Besides, I suspected that the guard who had replaced Devon during the night might have informed her about our conversation.

“I didn't sleep very well. Someone... someone was screaming.”

“Do you know who?”

“No,” I lied. “I only know that it was from there.” I pointed to the door at the end of the corridor.

Gerry wrote something down again.

“Did you have any anxiety attacks or hallucinations while you were here? Anything more serious?”

I remembered my recent panic attack caused by the belief that I was hearing voices.

“No, nothing like that happened.”

The nurse gave me a long, suspicious look, then marked something on the tablet again. She smiled politely and said:

“That's it. Thank you, Marvin. Have a nice day.”

“Same to you.” I said, and gave her a polite smile.

She closed the window and I heard her walk away from me, but she wasn't going toward Arthur as I expected, but toward the back. This seemed odd to me, because I had assumed that Gerry would now check the prisoners behind the door, like Ronald had done earlier (even though Arthur was asleep), but I wondered if there were separate nurses assigned to that area.

However, as Gerry's footsteps grew quieter, we soon heard the door to Level U open and more footsteps.

Two pairs of footsteps, in fact. Someone opened the door and I heard the voice of officer Solomon, who had led my Minervan colleague to the solitary the day before:

"Prisoner 1623, your sentence is over."

"Well, I hope so." Dreyden Sol replied.

Then they began to walk on to my cell. I straightened up, made sure the bug was safe and out of sight in my pocket, and waited. Soon the door opened and I was greeted by the smiling face of Jackson, who pressed a button on the remote control, handcuffing me. He led me out into the corridor and locked the solitary, where I spent a memorable twenty-four hours.

The walk from Level U to Level N was silent. On the one hand, it was a bit awkward, but on the other hand, I had the impression that if we started talking now, it would be even worse. So we just kept walking – first to the elevator, then up the elevator, until finally on level N Solomon and Sol separated from us, and Jackson took me to my cell.

"I hope this taught you something, 5214," Jackson said suddenly. "Because I wouldn't want to lead you to that place again."

"I didn't know you cared so much." I blurted out.

"Of course you do. You get attached to the people you have to guard."

I didn't really believe him, but I didn't comment on it. Besides, Luca mentioned to me that I shouldn't be too friendly with the guards, because it might be perceived badly by the other prisoners.

We reached my cell, where Luca was watching another episode of his animal show. He immediately got up from the floor when he saw us, and when Jackson opened the door and I went inside, my roommate embraced me in a bear hug with joy.

“Man, I missed you!”

“I missed you too.” I admitted and smiled.

The door closed behind me and only then did Jackson uncuffed me with the button on the remote. Looking around the familiar cell, I felt like I had finally come home. After a day in solitary confinement, my prison place seemed extraordinarily cozy.

---------

(Please review! @faithful-grigori @katniss-evermeme @instrumomentum @nkvictory @carbonitekenobi @stavarosthearcane )

[highkey-lowkey-as-hell]

every couple months or so i just casually remember that oh yeah i'm a HUGE PERCY JACKSON FAN and also would die for kateva and so i will take any chance i am given to make my gay little cheerleaders from a musical nobody's heard of actually be demigods from what is probably one of the most popular book series out there and i think i'm so valid for that

[aroaceleovaldez]

It's honestly wild to me that ToA went through so much trouble to emphasize the fact that Will did not magically fix all of Nico's problems and was explicitly not Nico's only doctor.

Only for TSATS to have Will fix all of Nico's problems and have Nico be entirely reliant on him the entire book and literally helpless without him and LITERALLY have Nico's problems be magically removed.

[justmenoworries]

Hey, remember that the Fates were in LO? For like two episodes, one of which was a recap that just re-used old panels?

Because I do and I'm still mad about it

[rhodes-1]

persona 3 or something, idk i just started playing

original

[captainkingsley]

I am so so curious about what the relationship between Governor James Howlett and the Scott in his universe is like.

His Scott is only nineteen? Threatens to kill him? Are they serious threats? Or is it in more of an empty threat a young adult might use to lash out at an adult in power? James is the Governor-General of Canada. Are they assassination threats? Are they the kind of frustrated words said during training or sparring?

And then this? He seems pretty proud of the Scott that isn't his. I wonder if he sees his own Scott in him. If he hopes his world's Scott winds up so brave.

[demons-and-demigods]

Demons and Demigods Part Six: Tartarus

Edit 4/12/24: okay so I might come back to this part and rewrite it at some point. I'll make a second post for that just to keep this one around bc i do like it, i just think it could be More lol

Alright, so this part is gonna be part hand-wavey transitions part written scene. I didn't want to split it up, so you'll just have to bear with me here for this one. This part also features dark!percy and, you know, The Horrors. Let me know if you want any warnings added to this one and I'll add them.

They get to Rome, split up to do their things, find Nico, fight the twins, Annabeth finds the Athena Parthenos, etc. Sam and Dean are stuck in Mystery Spot the same day Percabeth falls into Tartarus. And because demigods are ~weird~ they can all sense that something is off each repeat (especially because Percy and Annabeth seem Extra Off), and the Wednesday that Dean dies and then stays dead for four months is really fucking weird bc the demigods are just like, they know that nothing they do now is gonna stick they can feel it and Gaea and the Giants have like, stopped pulling shit so they’re just like wtf is going on. Then the world resets again and Percabeth has just fallen into Tartarus and off we go to continue the story. The demigods can sense that whatever was going on is over now and they hustle to get back to work.  

Percabeth did not get reset because Tartarus works different and is beyond the reach and powers of a trickster (even if said trickster is actually the archangel Gabriel in disguise) so they were falling for longer than is canon and then spent a lot longer down there than in canon bc I’m a sadist <3 so the Percy and Annabeth that the rest of the seven interacted with on each reset were just illusions repeating canned lines.

(I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is my au and I can fuck with the timelines if I want to, so I am. Does it make sense? No. Do I care? Also no. I'm just having fun, don't think about any of it too hard.)

Now begins The Horrors.

Percabeth is in Tartarus dealing with The Horrors for like, a year. Between the topside Mystery Spot resets not affecting the Pit and time working differently down there anyway, it’s a long ass time for them. Tartarus is Large, it takes a long time to traverse its expanse. They suffer through drinking the fire water and trying desperately to stay alive to make it to the Doors. It’s been months and they’ve both started to lose themselves a little to the nature of the Pit. Percy is a little more vicious when cutting down monsters, Annabeth is a little slower to reign him in. It’s . . . almost easier down there. It’s all cut a dry. It’s just kill or be killed. It’s us or them. There is nothing but fight and kill and stay alive and always keep moving. It’s simple.  

Bob shows up and it’s a reminder that there’s more out there, a reminder of who they were and what they’re fighting for when they had begun to forget that there had ever been anything other than Hell. They regain a little bit of who they were before the Fall.  

The arai fuck shit up real bad lmao. They fight and get cursed and then Annabeth is blinded and she can’t find Percy and Percy is enraged. He stops caring about anything but getting to her, he doesn’t care about all the curses he is taking on, he can’t feel the pain of them anymore. The arai fall all around him with every swing of his sword. The curses pile up and still he doesn’t stop. They mean nothing in the face of his rage and desperation to get back to Annabeth’s side.  

And then it happens. He cuts down an arai and then he’s on the ground. Annabeth is still calling for him and the arai are laughing at him. The curse of Phineas, they cackle. A slow, painful death for the son of Poseidon who has caused so much suffering and pain; it is fitting.  

Percy is in unbearable pain; his blood is boiling in his veins and his skin is sloughing off his bones. His head is pounding and throbbing and he thinks it might explode. His muscles are burning and tearing themselves apart as his bones liquify. He knows that he is dying and fears that he won’t. Still he tries to get up, tries to stand and continue fighting. He refuses to go out without a fight, and he refuses to leave Annabeth to suffer the nightmares of this place alone.  

He manages to get back to his feet, although he has no idea how, and he has not the strength to lift his sword, barely the strength to grip it. And so he lunges, ripping the arai apart with hands and teeth as he burns, everything burning burning burning. But Annabeth is always just out of reach and his strength cannot last forever. He goes down. His vision is fading and he can’t tell if he’s breathing, he’s not even sure he has lungs to breathe with anymore. With the last of his strength he turns his gaze to the vaguely silver outline of where Bob is standing off to the side and prays. He begs with the shredded remains of his deteriorating mind for Bob to keep Annabeth safe. He apologizes for never visiting, for being a bad friend.  

And then the lights go out and Percy knows that this is it. He has a moment to wonder if his soul will remain trapped in Tartarus for all eternity or if it will manage to escape. With his luck, he doubts it.  

Bob moves, then. He clears away the arai and grabs Annabeth before she walks off the cliff. He heals her and carries her over to where Percy is lying still on the ground. Annabeth begs Bob to help him, cradles him in her arms and tells him that he can’t die, he can’t leave her to find the Doors alone, she needs him. Bob tries to heal him.  

Percy is a gruesome sight. He’s bleeding from a hundred different wounds, one of his legs looks broken and there is bone sticking out of his arm. He’s covered in blood and bruises and burns and he’s far too cold.  

Bob manages to fix most of the wounds and heals the broken bones. But the gorgon’s blood poison is beyond his abilities to take care of. They head to Damasen’s.  

Annabeth is wary, but desperate, and Bob is holding Percy so she had no choice but to follow.  

Damasen helps them, albeit reluctantly. Percy slowly gets better. Annabeth is thankful for the weeks of rest they get at Damasen’s hut while Percy recovers. Eventually, however, Percy is as healed as he is going to get in Tartarus, where the very air they breathe is slowly killing them, and they need to move on.  

It’s slow progress, heading towards the lady Bob says can help them with the death mist stuff, but they make it. Bob couldn’t come with them all the way, but he promised to meet them afterwards.  

And then Misery herself shows up and she is going to kill them. After everything else they’ve been through, after everything else they’ve done to get this far, they’re going to die at the hands of a sniveling, whining old hag? No.  

Percy is angry. He is furious. He wrests control of the poison from her and reverses its flow. He grabs hold of her tears and snot and saliva and forces it back, making her sob harder and it only gives him more to work with. Annabeth stands back and watches.  

Percy sees just how much misery Misery can take. She is begging him to let her go and he can’t help but laugh. It’s pitiful, how quickly she’s given in, given up. That cracked glass orb somewhere in the core of him shatters. And all of a sudden, he can feel. He can sense the congestion rattling in her lungs and the ichor pumping through her veins.  

He wants to grab hold of it, grab hold of everything in her and make her scream. He wants to make her feel even a fraction of the pain that he and Annabeth have had to endure down here.  

But then Annabeth’s ghoulish hand is on his arm and he turns to look at her and her eyes are sharp, even from beneath the guise of the death mist, and she shakes her head. He tilts his, asking, are you sure? He can kill this goddess, he is suddenly certain of this fact, and he would, if Annabeth told him to. She shakes her head again.  

He clears a path and lets Misery go.  

Nyx is frightening, yes, but Percy can feel the ichor in her veins just as easily as he could in Misery’s. He is not as afraid as he knows he should be.  

They survive the House of Night and make it to the other side intact.  

Percy can sense Annabeth’s heart pounding as they run, can feel her blood pumping and it makes his head throb, but they don’t have time for him to think about it, so he shoves it to the back of his mind and carries on.  

They meet up with Bob. Percy can almost hear the ichor in his veins and he can sense every movement Bob is about to make, can feel his muscles tense and stretch.  

They make it to the Doors and Percy can hardly think over the sound of all the blood pumping within the horde of monsters before them. It echoes in his head, gallons of blood and ichor roaring in his ears. He stumbles and Annabeth catches him. He can’t hear her worried questions over the pounding in his head.  

He gets it under control.  

They make it to the Doors and cut one chain. They fight. Tartarus himself appears.  

Percy drops his sword. He claps his hands over his ears and screams. He can feel it now, the body of Tartarus coming to life beneath their feet; the rivers of the Underworld flow through his veins, monsters writhe around in pustules on his skin. They stand atop the thunderous beating of his massive heart.  

Percy can feel it all and he can feel his mind begin to fray at the immensity of it, at the truth of the Pit. Mortal minds were not meant to bear this reality.  

Annabeth is kneeling in front of him (he doesn’t remember hitting the ground) and her hands are covering his over his ears and she’s trying to talk to him but all he can hear is the rushing of the rivers beneath Tartarus’ skin. Bob is fighting off monsters and his brothers as the manifestation of Tartarus watches from the sidelines. Damasen is there (when did he get here? Percy’s mind is fracturing, he can’t think straight, he can’t keep track of what’s going on) and Percy blinks and Damasen has thrown himself at Tartarus and Annabeth is trying to haul him into the Doors.  

Percy tries to speak but he can’t seem to make his voice work. They need to stay, to help their friends. They can’t leave Bob and Damasen behind.  

Annabeth is crying.  

Percy reaches up to wipe the tears from her cheeks and tries to focus only on her, tries to block out the body of Tartarus and the horde of monsters.  

Suddenly, Bob is there, scooping them up and depositing them in the elevator. “The button must be held for twelve minutes or else the Doors will open and you will die, trapped within whatever lies between here and the surface.”  

Annabeth tries to protest. Percy can barely make out what Bob is saying.  

“I will hold the button,” Bob says. “Thank you, friends, for giving us hope.” He glances over his shoulder at where Damasen and his drakon are holding off the tide of monsters and trying to keep Tartarus at bay. “We will do this for you, and we are honored to. You must hold the Doors closed on your side. They do not like the living and will try to spit you out.”  

Bob presses the button and the Doors begin to slide closed. “Please tell the sun and stars I say hello,” he says with a soft smile, and the Doors shut.  

It’s a long, long ride back to the surface. Annabeth and Percy throw their shoulders into the Doors, fighting to keep them closed. Annabeth sobs, but Percy still isn’t quite all there.  

The longer they’re in the elevator and the farther they get from the Pit, the more Percy begins to come back to himself. Annabeth watches the awareness slowly return to his eyes and his face crumple with despair as he regains his mind and can finally make sense of what just happened.  

They mourn, but they keep the Doors closed.  

Above, the whole thing with Pasiphae and Clytius is happening. The Doors ding. Leo throws a screwdriver to hit the button.  

The Doors slide open.  

Percy and Annabeth tumble out, still clinging to each other even as they collapse.  

They look dead.  

Clytius uses them to speak and everyone is pissed off, then Hazel and Hecate kill him <3  

Percy and Annabeth are alive, but only just. And they’re out. Nico and Hazel kneel on either side of them. Nico reaches out to clutch at the tattered remains of Percy’s shirt and Hazel grabs hold of Annabeth’s wrist.  

The others gather around and hold hands. Nico and Hazel shadow travel them all out of there.  

In the light, it’s worse.  

Reyna and Coach Hedge meet them on the hilltop and freeze. Hedge starts cursing up a storm and Reyna chokes back bile. Leo turns around and throws up. Frank gags. Hazel sobs and Nico feels like he can’t breathe. Piper turns and buries her head in Jason’s chest. He wraps his arms around her tightly but can’t bring himself to look away from Percy and Annabeth.  

They’re horrifyingly thin, emaciated. The tattered remnants of their clothes hang off their skeletal frames. Their skin was pale and sallow, their cheeks sunken. Their chests rattled with each shallow, labored breath. They were covered in cuts and bruises, weeping lacerations and half-healed scabs littering their skin beneath layers of dirt and grime and other nasty substances.  

The others wondered just how long Percy and Annabeth had been down there.  

Jason gently lifts Percy into his arms and flies him to the ship, Frank right behind him as a dragon with Annabeth carefully cradled in his claws.  

Reyna, Hedge, and Nico leave with the Athena Parthenos.  

Percy and Annabeth are settled in two beds in the small infirmary on the Argo II to rest. No one knows when (if) they’ll wake up. Someone is always with them, though. Be it Hazel gently wiping the grime from their skin or Piper carefully cleaning their wounds, Jason dribbling nectar between their cracked lips or Frank doing some physical therapy exercises to try and keep their muscles from atrophying any further.  

The boat was quiet and tense, everyone waiting with bated breath for Percy and Annabeth to wake up.  

And eventually, they did.