#apollo please stop hitting me if true

[gulava]

Well, I guess this goes in the bin for how it could've been Riku who saved Ventus when Xehanort brought him to Destiny Islands. And Ventus could've just assumed it was the same person the second time because Riku's light rains down on Sora's Heart Station.

[44ryder]

Ror characters I think would be great at ✨giving✨

Buddha

Hands down. With his love for food, ya know he would definitely wanna taste you all the time for like an hour at least and make you cum multiple times and then clean up the mess himself *wink wink* and the fun doesn’t stop there, you two always have sex right afterwards because your orgasms always turn on Buddha so much, and he knows he’s good, he would constantly tease you about how much you like him going down on you, even in public

Buddha: *takes a sip of tea but it’s still too hot to drink* “Ah crap! I burned my tongue!”

(Y/n) “Are you alright, honey?”

Buddha: “are you worried for me or are ya worried I won’t be able to lick ya all up tonight~”

Hercules

I can’t even! Hercules is such a people pleaser, he definitely makes it his mission to make sure his lover is 100% satisfied, especially to relax you after a stressful day. Although, I feel like he’d be slow to hints, so sometimes you just gotta straight up ask him to go down on you but he’ll be on his knees in an instant right after because he could never say no to the love of his life and he honestly loves it because he loves to hear your moans and feel your shaky thighs around his face gets him so hard all the time, it’s takes you a little longer to reach your orgasm because Hercules will take his time with you like kissing your inner things and fingering you slowly, so normally you finish once but it’s a big one that has your entire body drained afterwards. you don’t have to have sex afterwards, if you want to of course Hercules will gladly oblige but if you’re tired after your climax, Hercules will gladly cuddle you until you fall asleep in his strong arms or he’ll draw you a soothing bath with your favorite candles and chocolates and rub your neck and shoulders in a well needed massage. The entire time your receiving Hercules will be giving you praises and telling you how much he looks you the entire time because he knows that’s what you like.

(Y/n): *finishes*

Hercules: “mm that’s my girl, I love you so much. Can I draw you a nice bath…or does my empress want me to please her again~”

Apollo

The man’s obviously a lady killer so his tongue and other things are golden. But it’s extremely rare that he’ll go down on you because Apollo wants the spotlight on him but when he does he’ll have you finished in minutes and you’ll always beg for more and he’ll deny you your plea saying “a true performer does not cave to the plea for an encore, you should have made the feeling last longer, dove.”

But he’ll always be ready to fill you with something else right after

Loki

I’m not the biggest fan of Loki but we’ve all seen his crazy long tongue so he def would hit some deep spots of yours just right and have you finishing in minutes. But he wouldn’t do it for a long time in your relationship because he was too uptight, thinking it was weird at first until you finally convinced him to try. He was instantly addicted but he would never tell you and he would wait until you beg him to go down on you again before he made the first move. And he would totally do it in public places so most times you wouldn’t have sex afterwards, and he would constantly whine that his jaw hurts hours later.

(Y/n) “Loki! This is the common area, someone could walk in!”

Loki: “then you better hurry up and cum, my pet~”

Hours later at dinner

“Ugh! I can’t eat another bite, my jaw hurts so so much and it’s all (y/n)’s fault! I guess I have to starve.”

You, beet red in embarrassment while Thor uncomfortably tries not to throw up his dinner and Odin glares at Loki as his crows caw in shock

Shiva

The man has three wives so we know he has learned a thing or two to keep everyone satisfied. I feel like he would rock your world with an orgasm that would last for days and that’s a good thing because you have to share him with his other wives so yes he’s skillful but very rarely has you all to himself. And shiva is giving greedy vibes in bed so he has to be satisfied first if you want him to treat you well. And shiva is a very laid back person so it lasts a long time and definitely leads into sex with him and maybe the other wives. Shivas more into naughty words than loving words during the act so he’d constantly tell you things like,

Shiva: “look at you… so dirty, like the slut you are, I’m only using my mouth and your putty in my hands, such a bad girl you are.”

Brunhilde

Last but not least. We all know our girl is a total freak in bed so she would run laps around these boys when giving oral for sure. But we all know brunhilde has a dark side so she’ll definitely be going down on her partner but pull away before they finish and demand they earn the right to orgasm. Hilde could finish you in seconds but chooses to have you wiggling for as long as she pleases. And she also has no problem using her skills to win an argument.

“Be a good girl/boy and have this place spotless when I get back or you’ll be empty and alone tonight.”

[deathmetalunicorn1]

hi can i request another part for king Arthur reader,whare a few days after Ragnarok, leonidas & Apollo are looking for y/n because they have a date in a few minutes,but only to find y/n, y/n's Valkyrie & Guinevere, turns out Guinevere is trying to get back with y/n

because when she watched y/n fight she realized y/n was "better" for her and shouldt have cheated on him & also said y/n should just break up with Apollo & leo to get with her again, (in short being a despite bitch, worst part she's still with lancelot)

but y/n's Valkyrie IS NOT HAVING IT,y/n's Valkyrie is having a literally cat fight with Guinevere(and is winning 💅y/n's Valkyrie would be leonidas, Apollo & y/n's 1# supporter...cus she see's y/n as father figure's😭)and y/n is just there trying to calm her down to have a mature conversation with Guinevere as why he doesn't want to get back together (but Guinevere doesn't listen)

and so how would leonidas & Apollo react to the scene, would they intervene with someone trying to mess up there relationship or would they let y/n take care of it?

-You were late, which is something you never were, you were always the one to show up early, to be the one to greet your lovers, Leonidas and Apollo- but you weren’t at the meetup spot and instantly Leonidas knew something was wrong.

-The two were quick to rush to your home, Apollo was trying to stay calm, “Maybe Y/N just overslept?” his optimism was helpful, but Leonidas knew he was just as worried- this wasn’t like you.

-They weren’t prepared to find you holding back Thyra from another woman who was also beautiful, the two of them screeching at each other.

-You looked exasperated, but doing well in keeping calm, “Thyra- sweetie- angel- violence won’t solve anything.” You were holding her under her arms as she was flailing, doing her best to get free.

-This other woman was Guinevere, your ex-wife, and the woman who betrayed you and led you to your death. And from what your lovers were easily able to gather, Guinevere had approached you, wanting to get back together with you.

-She was glaring at Thyra, “You need to stay out of this- this doesn’t concern you! Y/N- leave this child and leave those male lovers of yours and come back to me- you know I’m so much better than they are!!”

-Apollo and Leonidas were both instantly pissed, seeing that she was trying to get back with you after you won your match, after you proved yourself as a powerful fighter, and a worthy man.

-Thyra went still in your arms, like she was stunned before she turned bright red, furious, “Doesn’t concern me? BITCH! You broke Y/N’s heart and helped get him killed! How is that better for him?!”

-You sighed softly in defeat before you noticed your lovers who were watching, amused by Thyra’s rage, giving them a weak, apologetic smile before Guinevere shouted, “What would you know- you’re just a child?!”

-It was true that Thyra was young looking, looking like a teenager, but you doted on her like a daughter, and she looked up to you like a father figure, but she was like her sisters, far older than you were, being a Valkyrie.

-You directed your attention to Guinevere, trying to stop the situation from getting any more heated, “Guinevere- you have no place in my heart nor my life any longer. I am happy with Apollo and Leonidas. Please leave.” You were being cordial to her, willing to treat her with respect.

-She was stunned, hearing this, hearing that you were telling her to leave, and you didn’t love her, your beloved Guinevere- any longer! Her eyes narrowed and she lunged, her claws bared, “You bastard- who do you think you are?!”

-You turned, taking the hit across your face, but it didn’t really hurt, as you protected Thyra who gasped, and instantly a boxing bell was heard (from somewhere) as your grip loosened just enough for her to get free and she instantly attacked, getting into a cat fight with your ex-wife.

-Apollo instantly had your face in his hands, looking at your face, checking out the mark as you smiled softly, lifting a hand to cover one of his own, “Sorry about that.” Apollo wouldn’t hear any of it, “You have nothing to apologize for my love.”

-When you noticed Leonidas wasn’t there, you both turned, seeing him cheering on Thyra, who was straddling Guinevere, who was screeching loudly, demanding for Thyra to get off her.

-You sighed, exasperated before you spoke, “You get two minutes- then we’re leaving.” Thyra beamed up at you, looking elated, “Really?” as you nodded.

-Once Thyra was done, you hauled her off, holding her under your arm as she whined, “Oh- I wasn’t done yet~~!” you cracked her a small grin, “Yes you are- lets go eat.”

-Guinevere had gotten her ass beat, and as she was panting in pain and with adrenaline, she screamed after you, “You’ll come back! You always do!!”

-Leonidas, Apollo, and Thyra all flipped her off over their shoulders, something you did scold them for, as you headed to the restaurant you had all planned to meet at.

[authorxxxxxx]

Killer | Ivan Drago x fem!reader

Summary : It was an extremely brutal fight - to say at least - but his focus wasn't entirely there. Her scared gaze made him feel something that he shouldn't. He was angry at himself. She was scared of him. She was scared of the raw unfiltered strength he has. She shouldn't be feeling this way.

Tw : emotional distress, violence and physical harm, aggression and rage, power dynamics, possessiveness and jealousy, kinda angsty in general but there is a lot of unresolved tension between them, size difference just because.

Notes : To answer your questions about this, no, Ivan isn't married and no, he doesn't kill Apollo Creed but he still fights Rocky. Y/N is Rocky's younger sister and Andrian's best friend. And yes, they get together at the end so don't worry.

Edit : English isn't my first language so please just bare with me, also I tried proofreading this and this was the best I could. Also if you don't like what you're reading just scroll down and don't leave mean or hateful comments, I'm doing the best I can.

Tags : @unimportantbabymilksharkte

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

"For the love of God Rocky , please just hear me out for one second." You begged your brother.

"Just shut up and get out of my face Y/N i'm sick of this." Rocky screamed back at you.

Andrian was sitting in the couch silently observing you two. She knew that it would be better if she didn't interfere, but this time Rocky had actually crossed the line. Telling you to shut up ?

"She's right Rocky. You're gonna get yourself killed. Remember what Apollo told you after the fight. He's ruthless." She told her husband.

"So what ? " He screamed back at them.

"What do you mean so what ? Are you kidding me right now ? Are you joking or do you seriously want to get punched to death by a human mountain ? Because if you do you are just so incredibly stupid." You said angrily.

Rocky's response was a small chuckle, but before he could respond you interrupted him.

"His coach said that whatever he hits, he destroys, and don't deny that Rocky. I was there. I saw the whole thing."

And it was true. You were there when the Siberian Bull - as they call him - fought Apollo Creed and won. And of course you sow the whole thing.

And more.

You were anxiously fidgeting with a small gem that was on your nail, ready to fall out.

"Jesus." You heard Andrian silently saying to you as James Brown started singing Living In America and Apollo made his way to the ring stealing the spotlight with flashing lights.

"I know." You said back not looking away. His gaze wandere around, taking the magnitude of what was happening around him.

Ivan was already bored and not at all amused by this. Even though he liked and respected Apollo as a fighter, he was tired of his constant need of being extra. He rolled his eyes and slowly turned his head towards her.

He was looking for her angelic presence amidst the chaos. Her was struck, almost phusically, by her beauty.

As the bell rang he moved towards the center of the ring just wanting to get this done so he could go back to his hotel room and think of her not feeling guilty.

His powerful frame moved with precision and force, each punch a testament to his immense power, but his mind was elsewhere.

Her.

He noticed how tensed she was or how she was flinched every time he exchanged punches with Apollo.

Besides her Rocky Balboa, his wife and Apollo's wife. He connected the dots.

Great.

She was Rocky's sister.

But that didn't stop his feelings. If anything, now he wanted her even more.

Without realising it his punches became even more forceful, but his eyes were locked on her.

Unfortunately Andrian had caught up on this. She knew that look. Fear and desire.

"Tell me your not serious ? Please." She told Y/N but she already knew the answer to that. "Oh come on Y/N not him. Out of all the guys you choose him ?

"I'm sorry alright ? But, I can't help it. You know what I'm going through. You went the same with my brother." Y/N said to her.

"He is the enemy. How did that even start ? " Andrian asked curiously.

"He's been looking me since the interview." Y/N answered.

"Since then ? And you told me nothing ? " Andrian said shosked but deep down she knew that things like that happen. It wasn't Y/N's fault.

As the fight continued it was clear that Apollo was losing. Rocky was getting angrier by the second. Apollo was really hurt. "He's ruthless." Apollo said to Rocky and without hesitation Rocky rushed towards the center of the ring dropping Apollo's towel, signaling that the fight is over, but demanding a rematch.

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

He was relentless. Walking back and forth in his hotel room, taking showers, running, lifting weights, punching bags his thoughs were consumed by her.

Nothing helped. Touching himself made it worse. But he couldn't seem to stop. Constantly being hard and in private his hand was always fisting or stroking his dick thinking of her. Her innocent eyes, her lips, the curves of her body.

He imagined her eyes rolling back, kissing her lips until they bleed, how his big hands would look at her small waist.

He couldn't wait until the next game. Tension was building inside him- one that was raw, primal. Need to consume. He thought about her fear and vulnerability.

The desire was undeniable, they both felt an urge that demanded to be fullfilled.

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

She literally had no idea of how she found herself in this situation.

They were so close.

Everyone was staying in the Grand Hotel in Las Vegas for the preparation for the fight. Today was the interview of Rocky and Ivan, but she left during the middle of it wanting to escape Drago's intense stare. She knew that he would find it weird, but she didn't expect this.

Him standing in front of her. Her heart raced. Drago's eyes locked onto hers as he slowly approached her.

"You were difficult to ignore tonight." He said to her, his voice deep.

Her cheeks flushed slightly at his comment,his eyes scaned her face.

"I didn't mean to distract you." She said, trying to maintain her composure.

He stepped closer, the space between them narrowing as he continued to study her. " Are you afraid ? " He asked.

"No, I'm just worried about your fight with my brother." She answered.

His eyes were now glued to her lips. "And what about me ? " He asked.

She hesitated, struggling to find the correct words.

They were both aware of their feelings for each other, the sexual tension between them becoming unbearable. presence both commanding and soothing.

He took a step closer to her, his large hands found their way to her delicate waist gently bringing her closer to him. Their faces were mere inches apart. Her lips just a breath away from his.

Their lips brushed together briefly, the touch was enough to sent a jolt through both of them. Her eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment, her body instinctively leaning into him, craving more despite the fear that gripped her.

His hands found themselves travelling up the sides of her waist, the moment their lips met, he pressed his lips against hers parting them as his tongue explored her mouth.

Drago's hands remained on her waist, as they broke their kiss. Their breaths came in ragged gasps. They simply stared at each other, the air between them was thick with tension.

He kissed her again, slowly pushing her against the wall, his lips travelling from her mouth to her neck searching for the sensitive spot that woud make her react to his actions. Her head tilted back, her eyes fluttering closed as she surrendered to him. His palms found their way to her breasts, his touch firm and possessive. A quiet moaned escaped her lips and he swore that was the sound that he loved the most.

Voices could be heard coming towards them so he quickly backed off not wanting to get caught up in the act. But it was probably for the best. They could continue someplace else.

"Come with me." He said to her while grabbing her hand guiding her elsewhere.

[boots-with-the-fur-club]

Chapter 6 of These Are Not Our Masks!

@daboyau

@that-0n3-shr00mi3-guy

@iobsesswaytoomuch

@sady-is-secretly-an-alchemist

@dluebirb

@burritello3000

“That’s not true! I don’t pick favorites!” Mikey pleads.

“Yes you do! And it’s me! Did you think you weren’t being obvious!? Atlas knows just how much you hate him!”

“How could you say that!?”

“Think, Icarus. Actually use your brain and think! How could I!? Why wouldn’t I!? Just like why wouldn’t Apollo leave this little present on your face?” Leo shifts his hand to grab at the marks covered with the bandaid.

“Let him go!” April shouts.

Leo cocks his head.

“Or what? You and the traitor are going to stop me? Go ahead! Try! It’d be funny!”

Casey gets into a defensive before a portal opens under her and tosses her into a tree where she tumbles down various branches. She lands on the ground with a thud. April screams her name.

Mikey reacts without thinking.

He lowers his head and lifts his foot. The back of his head smashes into Leo’s masked covered face as his foot takes out Leo’s knee cap. Leo releases Mikey and stumbles backwards. Mikey runs away from him and towards April.

“TODD!! We need help!” He yells.

April’s hand gets grabbed by him. She can’t help but look back at Leo while being led away. By far, the most unnerving part is not being able to see anything of his face.

All he has is his body language and tone of voice. Leo loves making facial expressions. He calls himself the face man.

Taking it away is beyond cruel.

Todd charges forward with his army of puppies, putting the cap of his famous lemonade in his teeth before twisting it off and spitting it out.

“This will hurt me more than it hurts you!” He downs the drink and goes into his saiyan mode.

Leo shakes with rage, standing up somewhat off balance because his knee is still recovering from Mikey’s hit.

April looks forward again as Mikey pulls her faster. She knows why. The daylight is starting to wane. They’re going to be trapped in the dark woods soon, with Leo.

They’d be safer with a wild animal.

Someone might argue that he is one right now. What he is, it’s much worse than that. A wild animal bites and scratches and attacks without much coordination.

Leo plans everything.

Mikey rushes over to Casey.

“Please please please don’t be dead!”

Casey groans.

Mikey breathes a sigh in relief and puts her over his shoulder before rushing off with her and April again.

“There’s no way we’re going to outrun him! Todd might be secretly crazy jacked but he won’t buy us too much time.” April urges.

“Then we don’t outrun him! We hide. They say you can run but you can’t hide, so the opposite has to be true!….Right?” Mikey smiles hopefully.

“Oh we are so doomed. We need a real plan!”

“We’re out of the plan guys! All I have is razzmatazz!” He whines.

They can hear the battle becoming more intense.

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll make the plan!“ She grabs Mikey’s phone and throws it as hard as she possibly can away from them before taking Casey’s phone from her pocket.

“Can’t they track that too!?”

“It’s fine, Donnie taught me how to go off grid!” She removes the sim card, turns off the Bluetooth, and turns airplane mode on.

She then dims the brightness completely.

“How are we supposed to make calls!?”

“We’re not! I’ve got something else we’re gonna use it for. Now stop giving away our position!” April whisper shouts.

The three of them search for the best hiding place they can make in this situation, a large enough bush, and stay quiet.

Sunlight finally dies as the moon takes over.

April’s heart nearly beats right out of her chest at every single noise they hear. She curls around Mikey like she’d be able to protect him somehow. Deep down April knows she stands no chance.

Mikey keeps a close eye on Casey. She wasn’t knocked out, but it’s probably better for all of them that she doesn’t move or make a noise anyways. Her pride is as wounded as she is.

The noises of the forest turn more purposeful. Someone, something, is walking nearby. Labored breathing becomes apparent. Listening closely, the steps made made are uneven.

“Ha….ha….Mikeyyyyyy! That was a good hit! It hurt! It really hurt!” Leo growls out so much his voice nearly sounds distorted.

Mikey shakes in April’s arms. She holds him closer and turns the phone on. After tapping through the clock app, she throws it as far as she can.

Leo moves faster towards the noise. He starts digging through bushes in the area. Once an alarm goes off, he dives at it. It’s like the noise itself set him off.

A good enough distraction.

April helps Mikey and Casey start heading back the way they came. They’d be able to find out how to get to the highway again there. There’s also a lot more solid hiding places.

She suddenly feels a hard shove to her back that sends her and Casey sprawling on the ground. April manages to see Mikey get tackled so roughly they roll for a bit.

Leo is pinning Mikey to the ground once they stop. Mikey can see blood that has dropped down from under the mask and down Leo’s neck. Guilt pools in his gut over knowing that it was his doing.

“You got better at that game, Icarus! But it’s over now! I finally got you!” Leo laughs hard, too hard.

April tries to get her body to move to help, but it’s not cooperating.

Mikey turns his head, giving her a weak smile. He’s trying to tell her that it’s going to be alright.

Leo grips his plastron and smacks Mikey into the ground again.

“HEY! You’re paying attention to ME!” He barks.

Mikey grunts from the impact but keeps his smile.

“Leo? Are you okay?”

Leo stills. He’s caught off guard by the question.

“You hit me! You sent Todd after me! You think I’ll say I’m fine to make you feel better!? I’m bleeding because of you! I’ve got bruises!”

April doesn’t miss how Leo actually responded to his name this time.

“I didn’t want to do that to you. You know I didn’t. I love you so much-!”

“NO YOU DON’T! But you will…..we’re going to be perfect!”

Mikey takes his arm out of Leo’s grip and reaches up to try to put his hand under the mask.

“We don’t need to be perfect. We’re us! That’s way better.”

Leo’s breathing starts evening out.

“You….you don’t get it….”

“Then help me so I can.” Mikey gets his hand partially inside, but a tendril wriggles its way to his finger.

Leo pulls away before it can start imbedding itself anywhere. He grabs Mikey by his wrist and stands up, raising him at the same time with viciousness.

“WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!?”

Mikey shouts in pain. His shoulder might be dislocated right about now.

April screams for Leo to let him go.

Another voice joins hers.

“B-Blue! Put your brother down!” Splinter stutters out, skidding to a stop once he fully sees what’s happening.

“You’re late to the game, has-been! The soup is cold! If you want him down, I’ll get him down!” Leo opens up a portal and drops Mikey in.

April and Splinter yell and move at the same time. Leo drops in behind Mikey and closes the portal after himself, letting the other two land on the dirt instead.

Mikey lands on his arm and writhes in pain on the ground, tearing up.

“Oh walk it off! You’ve been through worse!” Leo taunts.

Mikey looks at him with wide eyes. How could he have switched back to this so fast? He was getting through to him! Draxum wasn’t even there to stop it from happening! What went wrong?

Was it when put his hand under the mask?

Leo said….

Oh.

Oh no.

That’s what went wrong.

Mikey wasn’t thinking. Again.

He might have gotten controlled somehow just like them if Leo hadn’t stopped him. How many times are his brothers going to have to pick up the slack because he just can’t seem to make the right decisions!?

No.

If he just keeps blaming himself, he’s not going to be able to help them. Mikey got through to Leo and Leo stopped Mikey from being like him.

It has to mean something.

He can reach him again.

There’s hope. Always.

Leo picks him up again, shaking him around.

“Hello!? Earth to Icarus!? I’m talking to you!”

“I-I’m not-!”

Mikey gets grabbed and lifted up from behind. He reaches back and kicks the air.

“Stop! Let me go!”

“Draxum’s waiting. Stop pissing him off already.” Raph growls slightly.

Mikey’s jaw drops.

“R-Raph, no….”

“He’s the most pathetic of us all. Falling for the same traps over and over again. If it’s not removed, he’ll be a complete failure.” Donnie comments, popping up and grabbing at Mikey’s face way too hard, analyzing.

Mikey tries to pull it away, but Donnie grips it tighter.

“Stop wriggling, brat. Don’t embarrass us.”

Mikey tears up again.

Leo finally pulls him out of all the grips he found himself in.

“It’s too early for any of you to be even touching him! Draxum told me to get him, not either of you!”

Donnie hisses.

Raph snarls.

Leo clicks back.

“Don’t make me show you why I’m his favorite.”

Donnie and Raph stand there, unmoving but staring hard enough for tension to just fill the room.

Eventually, but with great reluctance, the two leave, keeping their stares until the very last moment when they leave line of sight.

“They’ll be back. You’ll be ready for them next time. You don’t have a choice.”

Leo enters another room and tosses Mikey down to the ground near Draxum. The sheep man looks at them with such joy that it makes Mikey even more scared than he already is. How could he look so happy after everything he’s made his brothers do? He took the people who he cared about most and turned them into unwilling monsters.

Mikey’s shoulders shake as his hands grip the ground.

“Y-You can’t do this. D-Don’t make me like them.”

Draxum holds his hand out to his side expectingly. Leo, despite still being in rough shape, gets a mask from the table and gives it to him.

Mikey trembles even more, tears falling and wetting the floor as he looks up at Draxum.

“You shouldn’t be crying. You’re going to complete the set. You’ve been begging for your brothers back, haven’t you? Allow me to start the reunification process.” Draxum starts walking closer.

Mikey’s breathing becomes more panicked. He doesn’t want Draxum to be the last thing he sees in his final bit of sanity. So, his eyes moved to where Leo’s should be if they hadn’t been replaced black voids.

“L-Leo. Please. Help!”

“Your pleas may not go unheard, but they are unanswered.” Draxum leans forward to place the mask.

Mikey shuts his eyes tight.

He hears a few things as once.

A cut, a squish, and a grunt.

Something splashed on his face.

Mikey opens his eyes only to scream.

Leo has stabbed Draxum right through the abdomen. The mask drops from the latter’s hands as he reaches for the blade coming out in front of him.

Leo pushes it further, making Draxum cough up blood and make another pained noise. This one is more of a wheeze. He drops to his knees.

The katana is finally taken out with more sickening noises. Leo slashes it down, tossing blood droplets off. He then opens up a portal and shoves him in. It closes right after.

There was very little time for Mikey to take in a single thing that just happened, let alone all of it.

Leo kneels down and grabs Mikey’s cheek slightly roughly, in a way that would have been comforting in any other situation. His fingers dig into his skin.

“See? I helped.”

[ladyloveandjustice]

The Liveblogyssey! (Part 2)

It's been a little while but it's time for more liveblogging The Odyssey! See the liveblog from the beginning here.

So what’s happening with Penelope while Telemachus is off gallivanting around?

Well the suitors are plotting to kill Telemachus as soon as he gets back, which Penelope’s house boy informs her of, and to which she responds “wait a fucking second, he LEFT? Without telling me? And none of you said anything?”

And everyone says "well in our defense he didn’t want us to tell you because he thought you would stop him” and she’s like “YEAH!!! I WOULD HAVE!”

I love this one guy who’s just like “well he’ll either come back home or he’s met his fate”. Super comforting, thank you for your contribution.

Penelope goes to her room to cry and pray to Athena. So Athena decides to show up in Penelope’s dreams in disguise and use that opportuniy do a shameless self plug. I’m not kidding it's like

Athena (in disguise): Don't worry about your husband, girl,  he’s got Athena in his corner. She’s a helper many men have prayed to have! She has great power! She’s the COOLEST god, the BEST god perhaps--

Penelope: Uh. Are you actually Athena? Because I feel like you’re Athena. Athena please tell me where my husband is”

Athena: who knows. Bye.

Athena then goes up to Zeus and is like “okay so Telemachus is going to die if we don’t do something, do you feel like helping out. At all.” And Zeus is like “daughter, this was all your idea in the first place??? You wanted him to go on a heroic quest right??? Figure it out” But he does send Hermes to tell Calypso to stop imprisoning and raping Odysseus.

Calypso points out this is a fairly hypocritical thing for Zeus to scold her about (true), and why is it okay for Gods like Zeus to rape mortals and toy with them but when Goddesses do it SUDDENLY IT’S A BIG DEAL? HASHTAG DOUBLE STANDARDS.

Calypso is literally the shallow lean-in type feminist who wants women to be equal simply so we can be corrupt CEOS and oppress more people like men get to do and that’s so funny. Some things are timeless.

I mean yeah, she’s technically right that it’s unfair, but girl, is Zeus what we want to aspire to here? Can we not aim higher?

She also mentions that every time a Goddess takes a mortal lover people kill that man and cites Demeter and Iason (saying Zeus killed him because double standards) and Dawn (Eos) and Orion (saying Artemis killed Orion because double standards).

So of course I had to look them up! The thing with Zeus definitely does reek of double standards, Demeter slept with a dude (CONSENSUALLY TOO! Amazing!) and Zeus got jealous and immediately killed him with a lightning bolt. He and Hera really do have some things in common!

But while there are several myths about Orion and Artemis, I don’t see any ones where her killing him had anything to do with him being a lover of Eos. In fact her reasons for killing him are either extremely justified or she does it accidentally. She either killed him because he raped this girl (valid and correct), she can kill him because he tries to assault HER. A GODDESS. (Dumb bitch definitely deserved to die for that).

Then there's the second-funniest version of Orion’s death. Basically Apollo notices Artemis has been hanging out with him too much when she should be spending time with HIM, so while Orion’s swimming, Apollo points to the dark shape in the distance, is like “bet you can’t hit that with your arrow! bet you can’t!” and Artemis is like “Yes the fuck I can!” and then kills Orion. Siblings are always pulling those silly little pranks!!!

(The absolute FUNNIEST way Orion can die is when he’s hanging out with Artemis, brags he’s going to hunt and kill every animal on earth,Gaia’s like “bitch no you won’t” and kills him with a giant scorpion)

Anyway, where was I. Yeah so Calypso’s assessment of why Artemis killed Orion appears to possibly be inaccurate.

Calypso goes down to Odysseus who’s just been sitting there on the beach sobbing about how much he misses home. Apparently he's been doing this every single day but Calypso just now decided to notice. He also talks of “not wanting her even though she still wanted him” Definitely rape!

There is an possible implication it might have been consensual at one point with the specific phrasing in this translation “she no longer pleased him”. Doesn’t matter if it was since you can take back your consent at any time, so it IS rape now regardless, but boy the people who are like “he never cheated on Penelope how dare you imply!!!" are going to hate me acknowledging this ambiguous phrasing, huh.

So when Calypso tells him he can get on a raft and go home, he’s like “yeah. So. I don’t believe you. You’re 100% going to murder me on that raft, lady.” and can you blame him?

Calypso gives him clothes but before he leaves she makes sure to be like “I don’t get why you’re so into your wife. I’m definitely hotter than her. Look at me. Look at my sexy body. Also I’m taller than her too.” (It comes up a couple time that women being tall is apparently desirable in Ancient Greece, which is an interesting reminder that beauty standards are fake and change constantly throughout time and cultures).

So Odysseus goes sailing off but Poseidon sees him while hanging out with his horses and says “nuh uh” and makes the sea all deadly. Odysseus is just ready to give up, going “I seriously wish the Trojans has killed me at this point, it’s better than having gods torturing me endlessly at least I would have gotten a funeral.” Poor guy.

Fortunately a passing goddess Ino takes pity and helps him. And! She says! “Why does enraged Poseidon create an odyssey of pain for you?” That’s right! Even Ancient Literature know the art of the title drop! And that’s a good place to pause for now.

[aresstan]

Nobody start anything on this post, I refuse to argue over my position on this particular subject I feel so strongly about.

It irks me when people say “the gods don’t love you” as a blanket statement. First off, it completely ignores the fact that many people have romantic relationships with them- but that’s not the main point I want to make cause that’s not the only kind of love I want to talk about.

After my cousin died I was grief stricken for an entire year. During this time I was having a very bad night, and my thoughts wouldn’t stop racing about how traumatic and physically painful his passing was for him. Without even reaching out in prayer, Apollo came to me in a moment to soothe me- I could feel him just holding my head in his lap as I cried. Apollo treated me with pure tenderness and care when he had no reason to in the first place. That was love.

When Hermes came to me, reminding me to please my boy without shame, it was love. Every time he made me laugh, every time a gift was left for me, a trick was pulled, or when he simply wants to be near me- it was and is surrounded with overwhelming love. When trouble hit me on my travels Hermes was there to wrap his arms around me to comfort and remind me that I’m safe.

Even when warning me of danger, or firmly telling me to give myself more credit, Odin does these things out of love. When he came into my life I was so afraid of him- I would shake, cry, fret over not being good enough- but Odin would have none of that and threw all of it aside in his own cryptic way. A while ago I saw a user discussing him on here and mentioned Odin being so tender it hurt- I’ve never been able to get that out of my head because of how true it rings for me. When my mind has completely broken, leaving me unraveled, the mad god has helped me string it back together because he understands what it means to be shattered and alone.

Humanity is intrinsically tied to the divine through storytelling, culture, ritual, through so much. To flat out say the gods don’t love you is such a shallow way to look at the world. If humanity was not loved they wouldn’t be here for us. Love is everything worth fighting for in this universe and I firmly believe it ties humanity to each other, as it ties the religious to the divine. I would not be here if it wasn’t for love. My practice would not have developed over the years if it wasn’t for love.

To say the gods do not love is pessimistic, it’s so shallow, it is blind to the fact that love is woven into every aspect of my religion.

[marcusoseman99]

Songs of the isle pt. 27

Apollo: Come on i always come through on the job.

Herms: You don’t even have to do these jobs you already have enough responsibility with the Fort.

Apollo: I’m not taking hand outs.

Herms: Its not a hand out I just care about you and this job-

Apollo: Please.......just tell me what I need to get. 

Herms: I don’t exactly know but my client wants a chest that’s in Helheim.

Apollo: You got anyway to get me there. 

*Herms dashes away for a second then returns with a gold horn with Norse runes carved into it*

Herms: This will call your ride. 

Apollo: Vague I like.

*Herms places the horn and a small stone onto the table then pauses before sliding them toward Apollo*  

Apollo: Is that everything I'll need. 

Herms: You are going to Viking hell you’ll need weapons. 

Apollo: Most of mine got destroyed I'll improvise when I’ll get there.

Herms: Fuck *sigh* are you sure you can do this Apollo if you die Dion will kill me.

Apollo: Don’t make dying a reward.

Herms:Just get going and be safe.

Apollo: Yeah yeah, see you soon.

Herms: Wait.

*Apollo stops and turns to look back at Herms*

Herms: I know you have been to a few realms but Helheim-

Apollo: Come on I have been too the underworld a shit ton they can’t be that different.

Herms: Yes but Helheim’s time, it works differently you could be in there for days or years but it would only be seconds in the other realms. 

Apollo: I don’t see the bad thing.

Herms: *sigh* Γάμησε με, it’s the whole point of the realm obsession if you have infinite time then you never leave  

Apollo: Spooky *Apollo is about to leave when herms calls him again*

Apollo: *sigh* I swear to the gods. 

Hermes: Don’t swear to me and that horn calls your ride there also your only way home and that stone will help you locate the thing you are there for.

 Apollo: Ok.

*Apollo walks through the gateway back into the forest with his new items from Hermes he stands in the blue night of the forest and blows the golden horn.

After a few seconds a giant horse runs right in front of Apollo it looks like a grey fjord horse except it is the size of a shire horse with gold jewellery in its braided hair with 8 legs for on each side* 

Apollo: Metal as fuck, Hermes old ass has been holding out with the rides. 

*Apollo struggles but eventually gets onto the horse* 

Apollo: Hmm go?

*The horse stands unnervingly still despite Apollos requests* 

Apollo: *whispering to himself while looking around the horse* move you big bitch.  *Then Apollo hits his heels into the horse and the creature springs forward running into the forest* 

Apollo: I mean that works.  

*After a few seconds the horse starts to run directly into a tree* 

Apollo: Hey, HEY, THAT’S A TREE.

*As Apollo puts his hands up screaming waiting for his comedic death but he slowing stops screaming and puts his hands down to see a large stone room with three doorways leading into nothingness, each doorway is to Apollos left, right and directly in front of him* 

Apollo: I really need to kick Hermes ass for this shit.

 *Apollo dismounts the horse and start wondering around the stone room* 

Apollo: Not very out there for the land of the dead is it.

 *Apollo pulls out the stone given to him by Hermes and holds it in front of him pointing it around the room till it starts to glow while being point near the door on the left* 

Apollo: Well, that makes things simpler. 

Apollo: Are you comin…. 

*Apollo turns to face where the horse once stood to see nothing but more of the stone room* 

Apollo: With me......guess not.

 *Apollo walks through the door into the darkness* 

*The scene goes back to Vick and Leander leaving the lake after training, Leander has taken his jacket off and is carrying it folded over his forearm while Vick follows behind him trying his best to keep up*

 Leander: You have heart, little Arwen but you need a lot of training to reach your true potential.  

Vick: *panty* thank you?

Vick: I’m going to have to off myself if this is to be a regular thing. 

Leander: Duck. 

Vick: What?  

*Leander pushes Vick aside and catches the face of the Last Kappa and slams its head into the ground*

 Leander: Filthy creature.

 Kappa: I will avenge my brothers.

 Leander: Will you now how will you do that.  

*There is a pause before Leander starts to crush the kappa head slowly until it starts to speak again* 

Kappa: AHAAHAHAH – I JUST WANTED THE GIRL AND RED WOLF.

Vick: Come on I'm just a guy.  

Leander: Hmmmm now you have my attention, I suggest you keep it if you would like to live.

 Kappa: AHHAHHAHAHA!!!!

 Leander: Don’t be a baby.

[thevermingod]

Constantly have little AMVs going on in my head when music plays and I have to share one with you guys cause Im losing my mind:

Song is Cannibal by naethan apollo

Opens  to A person in a dark room, spotlight is on them as music starts and they mouth the words

I'm a little bit obsessive I need to learn my lesson My kindness is a weapon A weapon that you turned on me

Theyre frantically twisting and turning, trying to see something in the darkness the viewer is unaware of

Still, you leave me guessin' 'Cause you're so iridescent

A hand comes into frame from the darkness, slowly making its way into the singers spotlight

You show the world a smile But show your true colors to me

The rest of the form comes creeping in, showing a wild-like human on all fours it’s face has a feral looking grin

Think I got the message Thought our love was destined

As the feral human starts to crawl towards the singer, the singer finally notices and turns on their heel. They look afraid

But it's more like a death wish A guarantee for misery

The singer starts to take steps back as the feral human crawls closer

Time for my confession You're toxic, but infectious

Singer hits a wall- unable to back up they look between the feral human and the wall. Finally they sigh and close their eyes- as if collecting themselves.

You feed off my attention Well (well), starve

Their eyes snap open and the singer bolts towards the feral. The feral jumps out of the way in shock only to allow the singer to escape. 

the chorus picks up. As the singer runs the spotlight stays on them but the feral bursts in and out of the light- as if hunting.

 chase scene begins. During it the singer dodges the feral swipes and swings. It almost looks like a dance.

You won't eat me You hungry, hungry cannibal I never feed the animals

You won't eat me You hungry, hungry cannibal I never feed the animals

The feral disappears into the darkness, and the singer pauses only to frantically duck out of the way of a swipe, as the next verse starts the singer is made to dodge more of these swipes

Tell me when to drink Tell me when to eat Tell me when to smile Tell me when to breathe

The singer freezes, and then snaps the next line

Tell me when I overreact

A swipe, this time the singer catches it

No, tell me again, please

The hand is yanked back into the darkness and out of singers grip, as if surprised.

I love being told what to do But only when I'm told by you

Singer rolls eyes

At least, that's what I used to think But nowadays, I'm on the brink

Camera pans around singer, encircling them

I'm no longer blind I've opened my eyes

camera is now at singers side, Singer does a little opening eyes motion.

Back

To see you as you are

Side.

A cannibal disguised

Camera ends circle, back to singers face, something glints and grins behind singer as the feral attacks from behind. Singer is swiped and falls to the ground.

You eat away at me You chew my heart and mind

Singer starts to try to crawl away as feral begins to come back into light and advance on them. They're both on opposite ends of the spotlight now as it follows them both.

Singer stops, something hit their hand as they were backing away.

It’s a metal pipe.

But now, I'm off the menu

Singer grips the pipe, looks towards feral.

Find someone else to dine

A beat longer then the original song passes. Singer standing to their feet again as feral’s smile turns downward. Feral starts to back away. 

Music starts back up again, this time singer is on the offensive as they swing the pipe at feral. feral is forced to be the one to dodge now. More dance/fight

You won't eat me You hungry, hungry cannibal I never feed the animals

You won't eat me You hungry, hungry cannibal I never feed the animals

Singer lands a hit at ferals face, sending them flying.

You won't eat me You hungry, hungry cannibal I never feed the animals

Viewer only sees ferals hand in spotlight, the palm is facing up and unmoving.

You won't eat me You hungry, hungry cannibal I never feed the animals

Singer drops the pipe, exists frame opposite side of ferals body.

[incorrect-riordanverse]

final part (tg)

did nico just get mad at will for tricking amphithemis ru joking? nico is not this soft can we bring back him being cool please

like will just outsold with that. it was a very peeta mellark if-it-werent-for-the-baby move. and nico got angry??? he really is better than me…

now theyre arguing and crying again. hehehe. more hurt/comfort for me yayyyy

wish this was written in first person. the characters just don’t feel like they have their own voice within the prose. i feel like first person pov mayyy have helped it better

small bob is literally CARRYING them dude. these two would be so dead if not for this cat

“i remember annabeth and percy saying cheesy stuff helps” “lay it on me, i’m your grilled cheese.” <- that’s terrible omg. and not in a funny haha way 😭

sorry i can’t imagine anyone hitting a high note mid fight. apollo child cringe

“i am the ghost king!” <- doing too much

LMAOOOO NOT NICO BEING NYX’S BABY DADDY AYO LAWSUIT

WHAT KIND OF PLOT TWIST IS THISSS 😭

‘you are the father’ type of moment 💀🙏

“no i can’t abandon them” <- nico seriously annoying the shit out of me. soon as disney+ bought pjo every character actually started acting like a disney character. and here yall go telling me ‘this book is for middle schoolers’ a middle schooler can understand running away from literal demons trying to attack you and this is the… like… fourth time nico’s been so soft on the things he has to fight in tartarus. like i get the meaning of redemption and healing but cmonnnn. this shit’s for pussies 😭

cocoa puffs is such a cute name to call ur demon kids stop

if these mfs dont start skedaddling

nico kissing bob had me flinch ngl 😭 were those two always so close?

will had to open his fatass mouth asking some shit like “did we do it?”

these bitches are crying every two pages and im sick of it. like i know its an emotional time but jesus 😭 every single chapter???

i take back what i said in the first reblog. bob is cool asf

the cacodemons warming up to will makes me so… aww. theyre so cute tbh.

are we ever going to actually know what the sun and the star is. like what. such a stupid metaphor if its supposed to represent will and nico LOL

THAT DREAM SEQUENCE?? with bianca and maria and hades?? jailllll (im in tears)

“i need to let you go” <- GOD IM IN TEARS

i feel like this book is so tell-y about the meaning of healing but it is for middle-schoolers so im gonna lay off it and go kick rocks

something about nico being a hugger now makes so much sense actually. bro would hug anyone real and true

why is mr d. so nice? make him mean again cmon

nico & piper bromance was something i never knew i needed until now (still random as hell though— where was reyna or hazel? why is nico opening up to characters he hadn’t known well until this book instead of the ones he alr knows?)

nico and will now married with kids lets go

such a full circle ending i love it (wish the insecurities will had at the start of the book were more developed towards the end)

conclusions: the plot was good, all the concepts were good, but repetitive minor things from the writing really irritated me ranging from the stale dialogue to the cringe humour (pop culture references should be illegal to include in books), especially humour added at the wrong times of the book. like they could have so easily been fixed and the story could be much stronger as were the emotionally compelling scenes (because nico is suchhhh a good character), but its always offset by a badly timed joke that i could never really get into it. making the characters cry is not going to make me cry. find a build up and a release and dont break it up with humour, i swear the middle schoolers reading the book will survive some darker parts. like damn. it also didnt have the magic the other pjo books had imho, maybe because it was cowritten.

either way tsats is mid, and it’s disappointing because it didnt NEED to be mid. im going to gaslight myself into forgetting the bad parts though

finally reading tsats here are my live thoughts (spoilers, obviously):

i’m so excited because some pages are darkly decorated and its so cool. still don’t vibe with the title though (the sun IS a star and its peeving me)

why are we talking about dating darth vader 😟 where are we rn (anakin is a yes, but DARTH VADER???)

maybe i’m too old but the jokes are not funny 😭

“this whole place feels like my soul. empty and dark. dark as the pit of the underworld.” <- i don’t care if he’s joking nico would never say thissss 🙏😭 we’re only 10 pages in but please stop butchering my fav character he’s not himselffff i am cringing so bad

i know i’m being dramatic but if they do nico dirty in this book i’m going to end it all

oh my god i don’t think i’ve thought about the words “significant annoyance” in so long. bringing back good memories for sure.

i can tell which parts were written by riordan and which parts were written by oshiro. i don’t think their voices are blending very well together…

also, maybe it’s because it’s the start of the book and they’re trying to familiarise new readers quickly with the characters but it feels like they’re making nico the caricature of ‘emo and shadow and ebony darkness dementia raven way 🥀⛓️🖤’ and will the caricature of ‘happy and sunshine and blonde and flower gleam and glow ☀️🌈🫧’ and i usually like this dynamic when it’s not blatantly pointed out every other page. i have faith they’ll show more complexity than this later on though. future yan will let me know by the end.

oh ok so it is bob the titan

since when was nico’s actual name niccolo??? how did i forget this detail??

“you have to listen if not you’ll share my fate.” “ominous much?” <- ok he’s finally himself again guys it’s all good

the one-sided beef nico has with percy will never not be funny

“cookie monster appeared over the mouth of the jar, reached inside and gobbled up nico like the chocolate-chip cookie he was.” <- nevermind i’ve gone back to hating this book again

“what was one straight boy when you spent your whole life longing for the impossible?” <- i’m reminded of that time a few years back where everyone made ‘having an unrequited crush on percy’ nico’s whole fanon personality, so i’m glad they addressed this somewhat. this boy has been through so much and people really thought crushing on percy was the biggest thing to focus on about ‘nico angst.’

“we made a mistake. you have to fix it.” <- call me a red flag but if i was nico i would do anything and everything to not go. i would medicate myself so highly on sleeping pills that i can’t dream (doctor bf can go kick rocks). i would track percy and annabeth down and haul their asses into tartarus instead to do it. and if i had to go i would only go in to kill bob myself for sending me those traumatic ass nightmares. no thx. bro willingly jumped in himself and now wants me to save him. nuh uh.

not cupid being will 😭 its like his aphrodite 😭 i am not well.

they always have a really good and emotionally moving scene and they ruin it with a dumb joke. let it be heavy 👏👏

something’s really fishy and i have a feeling that it might not be bob calling for him

if this whole “grumpy ball of darkness” thing continues i will actually lose it

you can’t tell me the percabeth pep talk was actually needed. i will forgive it because i miss them though

im sensing tension in the gap between nico’s connection to the underworld and his relationship with will and i’m here for ittttt. give me the dramaaa

who is the gorgyra girl and why is she in their business sm?

oh shit a will solace pov??? christmas came early 🙏

nevermind that whole nightmare sequence was so fucked up 😭😭

somebody HELP HIM i never thought we would get will angst (nico angst fs, but will???)

DONT JUMP IN THE STYX PLEASE

SOMEBODY TELL HIM HE’S HELPFUL OMG

nico strangling epiales in his sleep is so fucking cool he’s literally HIM he’s literally THAT GUY

[wonderlandleighleigh]

okay hear me out: what if gordon had midge guest host for lenny’s interview but plot twist: they havent spoken since carnegie hall

"My next guest is hot off of a run at Carnegie Hall. He's a very funny man with a lot to say, please welcome Lenny Bruce!"

He steps out, and Midge keeps her smile in place, but her head is screaming because she didn't think it was possible for him to look thinner but here he is, four months after Carnegie Hall. She hadn't had a chance to catch him backstage, an if she had, she's not sure she would have been able to stop herself from sitting on him and force feeding him soup.

The applause is big, though as he settles onto the couch next to the desk.

"Look at you," he grins at her, clearly exhausted. "Behind that desk, it looks good on you, Midge."

"Why thank you," Midge grins at him. "Sometimes Gordon gets tired of all the fame and glory so I get to take over."

"Well, he's got good taste in stand-ins," Lenny tells her. "Doesn't he, everyone?"

The audience cheers, and she waves them off.

"We're here to talk about you," Midge reminds him. "You've got a night at the Apollo this coming Saturday."

"Yes, that's very true," Lenny nods. "I figure if people are willing to come and see me in the middle of a terrible blizzard, Harlem isn't such a big ask."

The audience laughs at that, and Midge smiles at him.

"I hear there's another album coming out soon, too," she says. "Are you excited?"

"I am very excited," he tells her, snapping a finger. "It releases in July., and it's all new material."

"Oh, just in time for my birthday," Midge smirks.

"Then I know what to get you already, that's perfect," Lenny teases. "Sign it, wrap it in a bow, send it special delivery to the Upper West Side."

it gets another laugh. He may look tired and thin, but he's with it. He's sharp and on.

"Your set at Carnegie was truly great," Midge tells him. "I was there that night, folks. This man killed. I mean- not literally. He has enough issues with law enforcement. He doesn't need to add to it."

Lenny laughs with the audience. "Yes, well, I was very surprised to be playing to a packed house in the middle of the worst storm in twenty years."

"I bet the Apollo will be just as great," Midge assures him, before turning to the cameras as the assistant director signals for her to wrap it up. "You can see Lenny this Saturday at the Apollo theater, and he is not to be missed. The new album hits shelves in July. As much as I could sit with you here for the next hour, that's a wrap on for tonight. I want to thank Don Rickles for calling me too skinny - such a compliment - as well as Sam Cooke for the incredible music, and Lenny Bruce!"

The audience applauds him and he nods gratefully.

"I'm Mrs. Maisel, you've been wonderful, that's our show, I'm going to go buy this man a sandwich. Thank you and goodnight!"

Once they're wrapped and the microphones are off, Lenny lifts an eyebrow at her.

"You're going to buy me a sandwich?"

Midge lifts an eyebrow back at him, letting her eyes trail over him.

He deflates a little. "Yeah. I know. It's...I know."

"Are you okay?" Midge asks gently as they start to move backstage.

The trepidation on his face makes her take his hand and lead him into her dressing room, closing the door.

"I got-" he stops and looks down, unable to meet her eyes. "I got busted on a narcotics charge," Lenny admits. "And I got thrown into a state-run treatment place. It was unhelpful. In multiple ways."

Midge nods, gazing at him. "So. All is not well."

He finally meets her eyes guiltily.

She takes a breath and squares her shoulders. "There's leftover brisket at my house."

He opens his mouth to respond, and she lifts her hands.

"I'm not trying to fix you," she insists. "Whatever else I feel about you, you're my friend, and I just want to help you."

Lenny swallows and stays silent for a long moment, and Midge gazes at him openly.

Eventually he relents, nodding.

"A little...a little leftover brisket never hurt anybody," he mutters. "Maybe on some bread. With a little horseradish."

She smiles slowly. "You blow any chance of kissing me by eating horseradish."

"...Maybe I'll skip the horseradish tonight," he concedes.

"Get your coat. Papa will be thrilled."

[4ragon]

you're my favorite ace attorney fic writer and these prompts have given me life <3 could you do 71 for klapollo please?

Oh my gosh that's so sweet thank you????? Thank you that's so nice of you to say.

71. “You should be more careful.”

“And, well, there isn’t really any other possibility, is there?” Klavier said, snapping his fingers as he leaned against the railing of the stairs. “Aside from motive and opportunity, she was the only one in the room, ja?”

“I-I...I mean technically,” Apollo muttered with a scowl, tapping his foot on the stairs. “But that doesn’t really mean anything in the long run if the murder didn’t take place then, right?”

“Ach, that is very true,” Klavier said, straightening up. “I suppose once that autopsy report comes in, we’ll know for--” He paused, blinking, smile falling away for a split second only to return in full force.

Apollo bristled immediately. “...What?!” he snapped.

“Have you gone through a growth spurt recently?”

Apollo stiffened, blinking, seeming to just realize they were about the same height. He glanced down, toward the stairs, giving him an extra couple of inches. A scowl, as he puffed himself up to his full height, about a centimeter taller than Klavier. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing at all,” Klavier said, still smiling as he took a step up next to Apollo. “But, ja, as I was saying--”

Apollo quickly scrambled up another step.

The two of them stood there in silence. Klavier raised an eyebrow. Apollo stared him down.

“...as I was saying, there isn’t much we’ll be able to--”

Klavier took a step, and Apollo did too.

“...Herr Forehead--”

“Shut up,” Apollo snapped, reddening.

“Are you enjoying being the tall one for once?” Klavier teased, leaning in slightly, smile only growing as Apollo’s face flushed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Apollo shot back. “I’m just going upstairs. You’re the one making this weird.”

“Am I?” Klavier quickly went up two more steps. “Ach, mein Gott, Herr Forehead, you’re so small! I can barely see you from here--”

Apollo quickly scrambled past him. For a moment, they were at eye level again. And then the two of them turned and began dashing up the stairs.

It was a frantic race to the top, both of them shoving past each other, Apollo ducking under Klavier’s arms, Klavier using his longer legs to take the stairs two at a time. They passed the floor they were heading two, past the floor after that, shoving each other until finally, finally, heaving desperate breaths, they were at the top.

“Ach...Oh no, nowhere...nowhere else for you to go,” Klavier laughed, as Apollo attempted to shove past him. “What will you do now?”

“I don’t...know what you mean,” Apollo gasped, finally pushing past, attempting to push himself up with the railing. “I’m just...I’m just walking, you’re the one making it a thing.”

“Oh am I?” Klavier grinned, attempting to push himself up as well, trying his hardest not to laugh.

And then suddenly the world was sideways.

Klavier and Apollo yelped, hands going wild as the railing they were holding onto snapped. Klavier quickly grabbed at another section of railing, at Apollo, catching himself before he could fall as Apollo barreled into his chest with an oof. The two hit the wall, Apollo steadying himself on Klavier.

For a moment they both just stood there, catching their breath. Klavier could feel his own heart pounding, and maybe it was his imagination, but he could’ve sworn he felt Apollo’s pounding too.

Finally, Apollo spoke up.

“Y-You should be more careful.”

“J...Ja, ja, of course,” Klavier said, standing himself back up as Apollo pulled away. Apollo’s face had turned bright red, and Klavier had the strange feeling his wasn’t too different. “Sorry about that.”

“Yeah, well...yeah. Don’t worry about it,” Apollo muttered, refusing any eye contact as he started making his way back down the stairs. “Err, come on, let’s go. I think we missed our stop.”

“Ja. Ja, of course.” And Klavier took a deep breath, shaking his head and following after.

[behind-the-hood]

Demigod AU I Never Got to do Anything With but May Continue Some Day

He takes aim, letting out a careful breath, then lets his arrow fly. The stag lets out a cry, falling over as death claims it, Laurent's arrow having flown true and hit its mark in the eye. A good kill, clean, quick.

"Well done, my son," his mother says, petting his long, golden hair.

Laurent beams up at her, happy to have pleased his mother in the gift she cherishes most. She moves forward, sandalled feet soft as a whisper as she glides over the forest floor. She hefts their kill over her shoulders, effortless, and leads Laurent back to her temple.

He and the priestesses live there, and they watch him, teach him, fawn over him. It's like having many older sisters, his mother once said. He should be proud to have so many.

His uncle comes by some times when his mother visits; mostly to teach Laurent instruments. He says Laurent has a divine singing voice, and little Laurent preens under the praise.

-

Laurent never learns of his father; some man good at hunting his mother deemed would have seed fit to produce a child with. But that's where her interest ended. She'd wanted a child, had told him honestly but not unkindly that she'd prayed for a girl. But she didn't love Laurent less for who he is, for he is everything she could have wanted in a child.

So Laurent only ever knows of his 'sisters', his mother, and his uncle. And it remains this way for many years, well into Laurent's adolescence. And as he grows older, his mother visits less. His sisters say it is because he is grown now, and does not need the same careful guidance. It doesn't lessen the abandonment he feels. The loneliness. The isolation.

So Laurent hunts. Small kills to justify the need to go out more. He was taught to only kill out of necessity, not for sport.

It's on one such hunt that he feels his life took a drastic turn. A man, one he'd never seen in this forest before, is checking a trap for a rabbit, and holding his trophy by its ears.

Neck snapped, the man stands, tall as a giant and dark as the dirt, and Laurent feels his pale face flush.

Dark eyes catch his, staring stunned for all of a moment, before the man is moving towards him. Without much thought, other than for that of the safety of his home and sisters, Laurent lifts his bow and aims his arrow for the man, the threat clear. "Come no closer."

The man's lips quirk, but he stops. "You must not have heard of me."

Laurent frowns, glares. "I need not know who you are to put this arrow through your eye."

The man's smirk stays in place, and he looks amused at Laurent's show of aggression. "I'll warn you: that won't stop me."

Laurent bristles at the threat, but doesn't show the man how much he's affected him. "You are trespassing into territory protected by a goddess. This is your final warning."

"A goddess?" the man asks, looking intrigued. Gone with the teasing look, he glances about, though Laurent knows not what he hopes to find. "Which?"

Laurent's lips pinch. Why should he tell the intruder anything? He's only proven to be hostile and arrogant.

Bolts of lightning hit the ground before the two of them, knocking Laurent back and unbalancing the man across from him. Laurent gasps, getting his feet back beneath himself, the bluish moonglow of his heavenly skin returning with the vicinity of his-- "Mother."

Artemis stands before him, posture protective and spear in hand. She's adorned a war helm and leathers, her stags at her sides.

Across from her, Laurent sees a man who could only be Ares, his twisted smile and blood thirsty eyes locked with his mother's. "Long time, no see, Arty. You don't visit Olympus enough. The old man misses you."

Laurent sees the way he stands, broad shoulders protecting the man who'd been hunting in his mother's forest. He's frowning, rabbit forgotten, as he watches what unfolds between them. His skin glows a haunting red.

"Take your spawn and be gone, Ares. This land is sacred. I will not have it sullied by your kind."

That only seems to enrage the war god. "My kind?!"

He strikes with no further provocation, and Artemis manifests a shield, blocking the blow of Ares' greatsword. "Your chastidy is defiled! Your vows broken, Artemis! Your child is forfeit!"

Laurent flinches, holding his bow closer. The man cross from him looks just as surprised, and perhaps even a little betrayed. Laurent doesn't stay long enough, fleeing back to his home and away from the fight.

It's just as he's coming upon his mother's temple that he hesitates, thinking of what harm could come to his sisters. His mother wouldn't fall, but should Ares get around her, he could destroy their home and everyone within while looking for Laurent. So Laurent turns tail and heads for the alcove the nymphs call home.

-

"Laurent? My son, Ares has left and taken his son with him. You can come out now," his mother says, speaking to his Laurel tree. A gift from his birth, from the nymphs. They'd called it a safe space; he hadn't known why until now.

So Laurent spreads the bark as the nymphs taught him, and peeks out. Sure enough, it is his mother, smiling kindly.

Except his mother doesn't give him that smile, not anymore. She wouldn't hold her hand out to him like a lost child, wouldn't lean down to his level in her towering, godly form. Laurent doesn't even have the glow of his skin that comes with the presence of his mother. So he wordlessly closes his bark, and whoever it is outside his tree makes an angry sound from deep within their throat.

A sound, like ripping paper and the tides during a storm. "I've found you, and if you do not come out of that tree, I will simply rip the tree from the ground by its roots."

Aphrodite. She can change her form, as the goddess of beauty. Men have all different tastes, why should she be confided to a single one? But little know that she can be worshipped in times of war, and that gives her powers unlike the love and pleasure she is known for. A different kind of passion. Bloodlust.

So Laurent prays to his mother, prays to Apollo, prays to Zues, that he will make it out of this alive, that his sisters are fine, that whatever has provoked the wrath of these gods will dissolve like snow in spring.

[ronsenburg]

Hi! I wanted to ask you something about Klapollo. What topic/argument do you think could possibly cause them to break up or take a break from the relationship? I live for the drama and was thinking about maybe writing a fic but like I dont want to make either of them assholes, like Apollo bringing Kristoph up to hurt Klavier, for example. I don't think he would do that but I struggle to come up with something else.

Oh boy, I hope you’re not upset about this, but I wrote you an essay. I’m sorry.

Overall, I really like the klapollo relationship timeline because, compared to, say, narumi/su they have a much more normal, organic story. They meet, flirt, share a mutual trauma, get together! Totally normal! But I also think that they would have a much harder time than narumi/su finding the balance you need in a serious relationship and I can see them calling it quits for perfectly practical reasons that aren’t really anything to do with one being a jerk, you know? Here are my top things that I think they would have to navigate and maybe struggle with before a real happily ever after:

1. Money. You’ve probably seen my post where I talk about Apollo feeling uncomfortable with displays of affluence. I don’t think that this is an easy one to get past. AA6 Spoilers, but Dhurke and Datz literally raised them in hiding on the run in the mountainous jungles of Khura’in. They sent Apollo to the states as a nine year old. We don’t know what he did when he got here, but my money’s always been on the foster system. That doesn’t typically breed a sense of stability, financial or otherwise. 

From my experience (so take it with a grain of salt), children who grow up with very little tend to behave in one of two ways when they reach financial stability and/or achieve wealth: first option, they’re really bad with it. They spend it nearly as fast as they make it on things they didn’t get to have or experience when they were growing up. Second option, they never spend it. They know what it’s like to be without, so they save as much of it as they can so they have the security of knowing, if something happens, they won’t have to go back to the way it was before. I will always put Apollo in the latter category. He works hard for what he has and what he gets and, I think, things that signify extravagance make him uncomfortable. On the other hand, I think that the Gavin’s have always had some sort of wealth. Klavier and Kristoph have very different aesthetics to their spaces that we get to experience (Klavier’s office and Kristoph’s cell) but they’re both pretty lavish. Now, we can assume they each made their money individually in their respective careers but, honestly, Kristoph’s cell is so gaudy. To me, it screams “this is what I’m used to and I refuse to accept any less” which is an attitude that I feel comes more from a lifetime of that treatment. 

So if we accept everything that I’ve said above as true, trying to put a person who saves every penny they get and feels bad treating themselves with a person who spends money freely because it’s been a constant throughout their life? It can go poorly. Casually dating, maybe it’s not such an issue once Apollo says “please no more presents and can we just get takeout for once?” but if you’re talking about something more serious, where you have to live in the same space and pay joint bills and be confronted with the other person’s spending habits constantly, it’s a whole other thing. Please take it from me as a person in a long term relationship who loves their partner tremendously—everyone fights about money. Everyone. It would be very difficult for Apollo to feel comfortable, even if he knew that finances were in good shape and there was savings, etc. Things happen, people leave. Nothing gold can stay. Changing that line of thinking takes work. It would also be easier said than done for Klavier to just do an about face on his own habits for Apollo’s comfort. Being a celebrity makes money, but it costs money, too. There is a certain amount of lushness that people expect. That can’t just go away. These are things that become bigger problems overtime, no matter how much you love each other. 

Anyway, I would be really surprised if—even if you’re writing them as really happily married—Apollo doesn’t have a ‘emergency fund’ that even Klavier doesn’t know about. It’s a ‘just in case’. Just in case Klavier leaves him. Just in case he needs to get away fast. Just in case the world ends. It’s not a logical thing, something that he sat down and rationalized doing, it’s just there because it feels better to have it than to not. But that can be kind of hurtful if the other person finds out about it, so. There you go, a whole minefield of money related drama.

2. Apollo’s Abandonment Issues. He’s got them! What do you call and orphan twice over who also lost his very best friend? I don’t know, but if capcom doesn’t stop picking on my boy I’m going to kick them in the teeth. I will still never get over AA6 for telling us that Dhurke took Apollo in when he was orphaned as a baby, then abandoned him in the USA, then came back for him and got his hopes up, and then was actually dead the whole time! Hahahaha! What a trip! 

Anyway, you don’t come back from that super easy. People who suffer this kind of trauma usually have a really hard time trusting others, which is understandable. They also can have unrealistic needs from their partners, become codependent, or even just self-sabotage their relationships, pulling away first to try and avoid the pain because they think the other person will leave them. I think that last one is most likely for Apollo, especially given the disparity in circumstances I mentioned above. If Apollo can’t trust that Klavier actually loves him, can’t trust that he won’t leave him like EVERYONE ELSE HAS, then they can’t have a healthy relationship. Drama.

3. Klavier’s Emotional Trauma. Kristoph is a pretty big jerk to Klavier in the last case of AA4. He criticizes and undermines Klavier, threatens and admits to manipulating him. In the anthology, Klavier shares an “lol so funny!” story about Kristoph accidentally breaking a window while he and Klavier are playing ball. In it, he convinces Klavier that it was his fault and that he should take the blame and apologize for breaking the window! And Klavier does! That’s gaslighting, baby, and since the Anthology is supposed to be canon, we can take that to mean it’s been happening since Klavier was a kid. Think about that. An entire life of gaslighting and manipulative behavior! You don’t come back from that easily, either. 

People who experience emotional abuse can, among other things, suffer from depression and low-self esteem. They need affirmation from their partners and can have a hard time with letting people in or being honest (though not from a malicious mindset—more a “I’m going to say what I think you want to hear because if you’re happy, bad things won’t happen!”). They can also always be waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. Sure things are good, but when will that end and the bad time start? It’s a self fulfilling prophecy: if all you can do is worry about things going wrong, then you aren’t actually enjoying when things are going right and you will cause the issues you’re so worried about. Drama.

4. Fame. Klavier has been in the spotlight since he was a literal child. If the Gavinners were already hits when Klavier was 17, they likely formed and starred their rise some time before then. A year, maybe two? Klavier spent his formative years in the spotlight. He quite literally doesn’t know any other way. Apollo, on the other hand, has never experienced the kind of scrutiny he’d be subject to when dating someone like Klavier. It can be really stressful and hurtful and just overall not a good time. And I’m not saying that Klavier wouldn’t be sympathetic, but I don’t think he would really understand how difficult it could be to have been thrust into that position out of nowhere, because he’s had years of dealing with it and was in a completely different place in life when it began for him. It’s not unreasonable to think that Apollo might not be able to take it. You can love someone and want to be with them but if you can’t adapt to their lifestyle, it’s not going to work. They could walk away rather than risk what might happen to Apollo if they kept it up. Drama.

5. Careers. They both have very demanding jobs. While sharing a similar profession can mean there’s a mutual understanding, it can also cause issues if you... never get to see each other? Schedules can be out of alignment (which could easily happen; their cases can’t always line up and they seem to require a lot of time investment outside of just normal hours). If Klavier goes back into music, that’s an additional time constraint. Why be in a relationship when you can only see the other person for moments here and there? What about the stress that comes with those jobs? That can cause drama.

6. Klavier looks like Kristoph. They are very different people, yes, but similar enough in some ways that it could cause tension. Maybe Klavier is tired and stressed and snaps at Apollo, and suddenly, all Apollo can see is Kristoph and all he can feel is the uncomfortable churning in his stomach that goes along with the memories of him. Someone he trusted, someone who let him down. That’s a difficult subject to broach, and it can fester like an infected wound if left intended. 

But Apollo sounds like Kristoph sometimes. We saw it in AA5, which is, of course, an extreme circumstance. But it can come out from time to time in other ways. A phrase that slips out, the way he intones certain words, the way he signs off in his emails—little things that are harmless, but can still act as triggers. 

Sometimes you need to get away from things that can remind you of your past in order to work on getting over them. If you are in love with someone who shares a similar trauma, who brings those issues from the past to light frequently just by being themselves, it might not be a healthy situation. I don’t think they would need to throw it in each other’s faces for it to become an issue. Drama.

There are more, but I probably took this more seriously than you intended. Whoops! Anyway, I hope that helps??? Maybe???? I hope you get them back together in the end because they deserve to be happy though!!!!!!!

[winryofresembool]

Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 35

aka Caleo uni au

Fic summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out…

Chapter summary: Final Waystation chapter, yay!

Or: In which Leo and Calypso both make some progress.

A/N: OK, first of all, within these 3 weeks we have hit 3 pretty big milestones! 1) It was this fic's first anniversary this friday so hooray for that! Can't believe this story has been in my life so long already. 2) We've reached 7000 hits on ao3! It's crazy to think so many of you are reading this even though not all that many seem to like Caleo! And 3) We have also reached 90k words with this chapter! No, when I started planning this fic I definitely did not plan to make it over 100k words but that really seems to be the direction it's going to :'D I /do/ however hope that once we finally get the flatmates back to their flat, we are (slowly) starting our journey towards the 'final arc'. But how many words will that take? Only Apollo knows, I guess.

Alright, enough rambling! Now, enjoy and please, please, please, let me know what you think of this chapter (and the previous one if you haven't) because I /really/ do want to know what you think. Was it about time? Are these two being too sappy? And all that stuff!

Words: 4287

Genre: romance & hurt/comfort

Warnings: none

previous chapter / AO3

...

After the whole ‘kitchen episode’ Leo and Calypso went back to spend some time with Leo’s family who were playing Monopoly in Waystation’s small library. Calypso had expected to be questioned about what had happened in the kitchen. To her surprise, though, Emmie just briefly asked if the flatmates had managed to resolve their issues, to which they answered a quick ‘yes’, and that was the end of that conversation. Even though Calypso was grateful that she or Jo hadn’t asked more, at the same time, one part of her did want to tell them.

Once a new round of Monopoly was finished (with Leo winning, even though the others kept whispering to him that he should let Georgina win), it was already pretty late and Leo and Calypso withdrew into their respective rooms. When it got quiet in the hallway, though, there was a knock on Calypso’s door.

“Who is it?” Calypso asked from her bed where she had been resting, thinking about the events of that day.

The voice from the other side of the door said: “Just me, Leo. Can I come in?”

“Sure, as long as you don’t do anything funny while in here,” Calypso replied, half joking, half serious.

“What, nothing funny? But Leo Valdez and fun go hand in hand,” he claimed through the door.

Calypso rolled her eyes at him even though he couldn’t see. “Ugh, you know what I mean. Listen, I know we are… um…” she stopped to taste the word in her mouth, “... dating now, but I have decided that I want to take it slowly. Too many bad experiences in the past. I hope you get that.”

“Alright, I understand,” Leo said to her relief. “Don’t worry, I won’t be trying anything ‘funny’ as you called it. I’m a man of my word!”

“In that case, you can come in here,” Calypso told him, sitting up on her bed.

Leo entered the room, still wearing the day clothes (surprisingly, jeans and a white shirt this time, and not his favorite overalls. While Calypso loved the overalls, she did have to admit that he looked pretty nice in the current outfit) even though it was already pretty late. Calypso herself had changed into her pajamas, a pink flannel shirt and pants that matched it. She followed Leo to a small couch opposite to her bed, sitting down next to him. At first she kept some space between them but after some hesitation and some encouraging looks from Leo, she finally snuggled up by his side, leaning her head on his shoulder. Her hand was laying on her pajama pants and he lowered his on it, tracing the outline with his thumb. Calypso was happy to notice he felt nicely warm on the cool winter night.

“I am glad we can do this now,” she said quietly, watching their hands.

“Me too. Although, we could probably have done it a whole lot earlier if we weren’t so damn stubborn,” Leo reminded her.

“Ouch. Yeah, that is probably true,” Calypso admitted, closing her eyes.

“So… it’s been a day,” Leo said when a silence fell between them. “It has…” Calypso agreed. “Weird how this morning seems to have happened like a year ago.” “Yeah…” Calypso shifted slightly on her spot by Leo’s side. “Can I ask you a question, though? How are you feeling now? You know… after… everything...”

“I… it’s hard to say,” Leo answered. “I’m not gonna claim that us kissing fixed all of my problems. Nah, it doesn’t work like that. Don’t get me wrong, it was awesome but - woah, am I really saying this? - I think the opening up part was more important. It clarified some things in my head. You know, like what I want to do and what I should do. And the fact that you have experienced something similar… This is probably gonna sound awful, but I was kinda relieved to hear that. Don’t get me wrong; I wish that you wouldn’t have had to go through any of that, but since you have… it means we understand each other. I can trust that you won’t judge me, which I honestly can’t say about all the people.”

“Yeah.” Calypso nodded slightly, not removing her head from his shoulder. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way.”

“And…” Leo continued, and Calypso imagined a grin spreading on his face, “Now I have some good memories to associate Christmas with. That definitely doesn’t hurt, right?”

“I’m glad I managed to give you something else to think about, then.” Calypso smiled.

“You certainly did. For real, I’ve had to pinch myself a couple of times this evening,” Leo confessed.

“Why?” Calypso frowned.

“Because it’s hard to believe it’s true. I mean this. Us.”

“And why is that?” Calypso wanted to know.

“Because you’re great in practically every possible way while I’m… me?”

Calypso raised her head from Leo’s shoulder and gave Leo her best ‘are you kidding me’ look. “Listen to me now. Aside from your guilt complex, you really should work on your self esteem some more. You’re a good person, Leo, even though you don’t always seem to think so. Of course you have your flaws just like I do, but I don’t love some superhuman version of you. Me from a few months ago is probably shaking her head so hard right now, but here’s what I think: you’re smart. And funny when you’re not trying to. And persistent. Hard-working. You make fixing things seem effortless. And you’re ready to put your loved ones’ happiness before yours. In fact, I think sometimes you care so much that it hurts you. But it only makes me care about you even more."

Leo was quiet for a while, probably still trying to swallow Calypso’s words.

“Woah, um… Thanks, Sunshine. I guess two people can really see the same thing very differently.”

“Yes, we can,” Calypso agreed. “I bet your view of me is also very different from how I see myself.”

“You’re probably right there.”

Calypso decided to change the topic when it got quiet. “Do you think that your family has any idea? About what happened between us?”

“I think we did our acting pretty well.” Leo grinned against her hair. “It’s pretty suspicious, though, that they didn’t ask us anything.”

“Well, better that way than trying to answer some awkward questions,” Calypso noted. “Um… I hope you know that I would really like to tell them about us, but… it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“I know. You just want to protect me, right? I would also want to protect you if I was in your situation.”

“Mmmmh.”

A comfortable silence fell between the couple. Calypso was happy to notice that Leo was so relaxed in her company that he didn’t even swing his legs back and forth like he often did. Eventually he spoke:

“Hey… you asked me how I am doing but what about you? I know I haven’t made this day easy for you…”

“I appreciate you asking. To be honest? I’m doing pretty well now. This night has been… unexpected, to say the least. I didn’t think I would be brave enough to get over my worries, but here we finally are. It’s a bit scary…” Calypso noticed Leo’s hand twitching slightly on hers, so she was quick to add: “... but like you said, also relieving. Don’t worry, I will be sticking to my word. There are no take backs now,” Calypso reassured him.

“Good.” Leo nodded.

“Hey... “ Calypso said when she spotted something on the nearby desk. “I, uh, know that we both have been really testing our boundaries today, but there’s something I would still like to try. That is, if that’s OK with you.”

“Alright. What is it?” Leo asked curiously.

“My mum always used to light up some candles by the windowsill on Christmas night when I was a kid. She said she did that in memory of those who weren’t there to celebrate with us anymore. That’s a tradition that’s stuck with me until now. Emmie put some candles over there…” Calypso nodded towards a desk by the window, “... earlier today, but I didn’t know how you would feel about me using them, so I didn’t. But… What do you say? You could take it as a part of your training.”

Leo didn’t seem to love the idea at first but finally he gave in.

“Alright. But just one. And it needs to be far from all the other objects.”

“Yes. Don’t worry, we both will keep a watchful eye on it.”

Calypso felt Leo’s eyes on her the whole time as she rose from the sofa and lit up the candle. He was seemingly relieved when she sat back down next to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “You know all about the fire’s dangerous sides…” Calypso started with a calming tone, “... but it can be very useful too when used right. It can ruin, but it can also help to build new things. A lot of your precious machines wouldn’t exist without fire, right? Have you ever stopped to consider that?”

Leo frowned at her, taking her words in. “Are you trying to say that fire has many different sides to it, just like us people? But if we only choose to see the negative, we will never understand the positive sides?”

“Yes, basically. We are both very judgemental towards ourselves, but today was a good example that not everyone sees us the same way.”

“Yeah… You’re not wrong there… I’ll try to remember that.”

“Me too.”

Calypso noticed Leo glanced at the candle briefly before his eyes returned to her. He was still a little stiff but a lot less so than when Calypso had lit up the candle.

“I was thinking…” he said suddenly. “Since we are official now and all that… Should we, you know, do something together… you know, outside our flat… sometime? When this vacation is over?”

“You mean like a date?” Calypso asked, surprised by the chance of the topic. But then again, she figured it might have been his way to try to distract himself. “Hmmm, let me think…” Leo already looked a bit worried for a moment before she finally started smiling at him. “Alright. I suppose we can do that.”

“And will we resume our movie nights? And cooking sessions?” His eyes lit up almost like the candle on the desk.

“Of course, you weirdo. I don’t think I have any reason to avoid you anymore, now that you know…”

“Know what?” Leo grinned. “That you think Leo Valdez is pretty damn hot?”

Calypso knew that Leo was most likely expecting her to lash at him, so she decided to use a different kind of tactic. She gave him a flirtiest smile she could muster, and replied:

“Sure. Let me tell you a little secret: when you are wearing those overalls you always do, my heart feels like it’s doing somersaults in my chest…”

Leo blinked at her a couple of times as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“Wait, what? What did you just say?”

Calypso snorted. “Just playing your own game, you know.”

“Oh, alright. I see now.” Leo’s ears went red, which amused Calypso a lot.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” she chirped at him, poking his cheek playfully.

“Har har.”

Calypso pressed a kiss on his cheek.

“I hope you know I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t 100% comfortable around you. I had already decided that I would not… I would not allow myself to go through what I already did several times before, but you just had to make me break my promise to myself.”

“And you know what?” Leo turned his head so they were eye to eye. “I’m not sorry at all that I made you do that.”

“Of course you aren’t,” Calypso rolled her eyes at him. They kept gazing at each other for a moment before Calypso’s urge to kiss her fool of a boyfriend got too strong. It was a light and gentle kiss, one that she hoped told him that she was happy to be where she was and also proud of him for being able to handle the flame of the candle.

“Whoa, what was that for?” Leo asked once Calypso had pulled away.

“Just to shut you up for a moment,” Calypso lied.

“Nah. You wouldn’t want me to do that,” Leo grinned at her knowingly.

“Alright. Maybe I wouldn’t. So keep talking,” Calypso encouraged him.

“Okay,” Leo obliged. “About what?”

“Anything, really. Something silly and light, Leo Valdez style.”

Leo seemed to think about Calypso’s request for a moment.

“Hey, have you heard about the time when Jason had a party at his father’s house without him knowing and Piper…”

Leo continued telling her silly stories about his friends (even though a few involved also Percy, that didn’t ruin Calypso’s mood). From that they moved onto other things, such as what an ideal date would be for each of them (their opinions differed less than expected, to Calypso’s surprise), the favorite place they had ever visited (Calypso remembered Malta and the nearby islands quite fondly), and how fast Georgina would build her 1000-piece puzzle. The time flew by as they talked and Calypso was surprised to notice at some point that it was almost 3 AM and the candle had gone out a long time ago without either of them noticing. Leo snuck back into his room as quietly as possible, but not without giving Calypso one last good night kiss in the dark hallway before they separated.

…

The Christmas break was coming to an end and it was Leo and Calypso’s last full day at Waystation. Calypso felt a little bitter sweet about it; on one hand the vacation had been a bit of a rollercoaster emotionally, but on the other hand everything had ended better than she had dared to expect. She knew that she and Leo still had plenty of work to do when it came to their communication skills and of course she was also worried something would go wrong – specifically, regarding her father – but it still felt so freeing to be able to tell what she really thought and to be able to love and be loved.

She would of course miss the people of Waystation. Georgina was adorable and seemed to have basically adopted Calypso as her big sister at this point. She enjoyed teaching things to the girl; baking, gardening, sewing, even a little bit of singing… She was also pretty quick-witted for someone of her age and Calypso was quite certain that she did know that something was going on between her and Leo no matter how hard they were trying to deny it. Leo’s mothers were also great people and they had already told Calypso that she was welcome to Waystation any time she wanted. They also mentioned that they didn’t mind if she kicked Leo’s butt a bit sometimes when he deserved it. She had thanked them and told them that she’d keep their advice in mind.

The final day didn’t go entirely without surprises. Emmie had quickly mentioned that they would be getting more dinner guests that day, but Calypso hadn’t been prepared for the entire Hunters of Artemis crew to show up. They were old acquaintances of Jo and Emmie, the group’s former coaches, and the older women still asked them to drop by whenever they were nearby. To Calypso’s surprise, when she heard about the visit, her instinct to flee was not quite as strong anymore as it had been when she had last seen Thalia and Reyna.

“Are you OK with this?” Leo asked after Emmie had gone back to greet the visitors. “I remember that you weren’t eager to talk to them at the Halloween party and now I understand why… If you wanna, like, go out and check the foster animals or something like that, we can do that.”

“I think… I think it’s time for me to face my past,” Calypso replied. “I can’t do that if I hide every time I see someone who used to know Zoë…”

“That’s a fair point,” Leo agreed. “But still, don’t push yourself too hard.”

Soon the couple was in the hallway where everyone had gathered.

“Oh, there you two are!” Jo exclaimed when she saw them. “I was already starting to wonder if you had gone back to your flat earlier than planned.”

“Oh, nah,” Leo denied, waving his hand nonchalantly. “We just had some things we needed to discuss.”

Jo looked at him suspiciously, probably wondering what exactly they had discussed. “Hmm. Well, it’s good that you seem to be on speaking terms again. Anyway, Calypso, I believe you haven’t met these people before, so say hello to the Hunters of Artemis. Thalia Grace…” She pointed at a young woman with dark, spiky hair, whom Calypso remembered from the Halloween party. “Reyna Ramírez-Arellano…” Another dark haired girl, with a long braid, however, nodded at Calypso. “And here’s…” Jo continued her introductions but the names simply went through her brain and didn’t stay there. Maybe it was the Leo influence, she wondered; she didn’t remember having issues with focusing earlier.

“Hi, all.” She tried to sound confident but she didn’t think she succeeded very well. Surely Reyna and Thalia remembered how she had spent a whole night trying to avoid talking to them, getting drunk and throwing up in Piper’s bathroom in the end. “Hello,” Reyna spoke first. “I believe I’ve seen you once before. At Jason’s place last month, right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Calypso had to admit reluctantly. Well, at least she wasn’t drunk in a mythology themed costume right now, she thought, so she had a chance to give them a bit better picture of herself than earlier.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you properly now,” Reyna said and shook her hand.

“Likewise,” Calypso told her, although she still felt like she was not living up to the meaning of her name, ‘she who conceals’.

“And you probably saw Thalia at that party too. Jason’s sister. My… friend.” Reyna glanced at the other girl quickly when she said the word ‘friend’.

Calypso noticed the slight hesitation and remembered Leo and some others as well mention that the two girls most likely had something going on even though they had to hide it because of their status on their archery team. She knew better than to bring that up, though.

“Hello, Thalia. Yes, I remember seeing you there,” she replied, mainly to be polite.

Before anyone had time to say anything else, Jo told the group that the guests were free to explore the house or do anything they wanted while she and Emmie were finishing the dinner and setting the tables. Many of the Hunters headed back out to the yard to see the animals or do a little bit of exercising before the meal, but Reyna and Thalia had apparently spent their afternoon practicing so they needed a little down time. Leo asked Calypso if she would have preferred to go to help Emmie and Jo but she remained stubborn. If she couldn’t do this now, she didn’t know she would be able to do it, so she guided Leo to the living room where Reyna and Thalia had gone.

When Thalia heard they had entered the room, she turned towards them.

“We didn’t really get a chance to talk the last time I saw you,” she noted bluntly.

“Sorry about that; I was having a bit of a rough day back then, to be honest,” Calypso replied vaguely.

“To me it looked like you were having the most fun out of all of us,” Thalia said, but Reyna elbowed her in the ribs. “Hey!”

“Don’t worry about it,” Calypso sighed. “I wasn’t acting like myself that evening.”

“We all have those days…” Reyna reassured her.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Calypso shrugged.

“Someone mentioned that your last name is Astal,” Thalia noted when it got quiet again. “Is that true?”

“Yes, unfortunately it is,” Calypso replied, getting a bit anxious because she knew where this conversation was heading to. “Why do you ask?”

Her hand quickly reached for Leo’s, who was still standing next to her, and even though she couldn’t hold it in front of the others, feeling his fingers right next to hers felt reassuring.

“Because it’s probably not a very common last name, right?” Thalia inquired, “and we used to have someone on our team whose last name was Astal before she took her mother’s last name. Zoë Nightshade, does that ring any bells?”

“Yes. She was my older sister,” Calypso confirmed, feeling herself stiffen a bit.

“Oh… I’m so sorry… I mean, I heard what happened to her… Just horrible.” Thalia shook her head.

Calypso was struggling to find the right words, but Leo quickly tapped on her back with his fingers when the others didn't notice and that helped her to root herself. “I don’t think there are any words to describe it,” she mumbled. “Um, did you know my sister well?”

“Not as well as some others on our team, to be honest. I had only been on the team for a few months before we heard the news about the accident…” Thalia said. “But she seemed like such a great person. One of our most talented archers for sure, and really determined. She was always the first on the field and the last to leave.”

“That… that does sound like her,” Calypso smiled a bit sadly. “Did she… did she ever talk about her home life to you?”

“Not much.” Thalia shrugged. “A bit.”

“Oh… What did she say?” Calypso wanted to know.

“I did get the impression that she really hated her father. And her mother lived somewhere far, apparently? But she did mention her sisters every once in a while. Did she have any other younger siblings besides you?” Thalia asked.

“No, she didn’t. She was the second youngest and I am the youngest of the group. Big family… But is there a reason why you ask that?”

“You see, she did sometimes talk about her baby sister. I remember that she always wished she could do more for her because she thought her sister deserved better than what she… Wait, what’s wrong?” she stopped when she noticed Calypso’s reaction.

Even though Calypso had tried her best to stay calm, once she heard what Zoë had said about her, she couldn’t stop the tears anymore. Leo quickly stepped in front of her while she tried to recover and glared at Thalia angrily.

“Calypso was there when the accident happened,” he blurted. “Do you think she really wants to talk about her the whole time?”

“I thought she would be happy to hear that her sister respected her a lot,” Thalia attempted to defend herself.

“But…” Leo wanted to continue the debate but Calypso stopped him.

“No, Leo, it’s OK.” She put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s not OK!” Leo exclaimed.

She took a deep breath and withdrew herself from Leo’s arms. “It is. I mean… It's not easy for me to talk about her, but it’s like I said earlier. I need to learn to live with this. Does it hurt? Yeah. But I’m also thankful for hearing her say that about me. She wished I could experience a better life than she did prior to her joining the Hunters. I hope that if she’s watching me right now… from wherever she is… she’s happy for me. Well… I’m not out of the woods yet, as you can surely see right now," she chuckled ironically, referring to her teary face, "but… you know. I’m getting there. I’m feeling better than I have in a long while. And that’s what counts.”

“I don’t know what your source of happiness is, but whatever it is, I’m sure she would be happy for you.” Thalia nodded approvingly.

“Some things are better kept secrets,” Calypso replied mysteriously, turning to Reyna. “Did you know my sister?”

“No, unfortunately not,” Reyna replied. “I joined this group only a couple of years ago. Thalia’s been on it way longer. But I’ve heard a lot of stories about her from some of our older teammates, and it sounded like she was someone everyone looked up to. Even our coach complimented her sometimes and she never compliments anyone unless for a very good reason.”

“It sounds like she was really enjoying her life and had great people around her before… you know. It’s… great. I saw how hard she fought to get out of our father’s grip and do what she really wanted. She was happy with you guys.” The evil side of Calypso’s brain wanted to add that ‘she was happy until I messed it up for her’. She considered the fact that she managed to call herself out before she said that sentence aloud as some kind of progress.

“Yeah. I really think she was,” Thalia reassured her.

Calypso gave her a small, sad smile. “Good.”

After that the group started talking about other things. Thalia told Calypso some stories about Jason. Reyna explained why she had decided to join the Hunters even though she had already been doing well on another team before that. Leo also contributed to the stories sometimes and at some point, Calypso noticed that she was feeling quite at ease with this group. Even though Zoë was still briefly mentioned on a few occasions, it didn’t bother her as much anymore. Some kind of lock had opened inside her and she didn’t plan to close it anymore.

[rahneii]

Apollo has friends surprisingly ( interactions with the VALORANT agents )

i am bored and i've been wanting to write some of these down for a while so yes have my content, this is also really long so bear with me. Apollo is usually a lone wolf but he loves interacting and socializing with other people if it weren't for her curse.

Controllers

Brimstone Ugly boomer

Apollo and Brimstone are like old friends with a silent grudge between each other. Brimstone was the first person for Apollo to meet in the Valorant Protocol but was hired by Viper instead.

Apollo likes to counter any of Brimstone's plans or ideas by either calling it stupid, old, already done it and 'Maybe we should do what I said instead' proceeds to say the same thing but with curse words and slangs and some dramatic posing.

They don't talk too much but whenever they talk its like Apollo just heard something offensive argues with him.

The way they bond is in the field, though Apollo hates him, she still protects him from any harm. Its the only reason why Brimstone ever respects the false saint.

"Apollo, stop glaring me with you two eyes open. I'm still getting used to your 3rd eye." "Are they too distracting for you? Here ill give both of them for you to confiscate."

Viper

Apollo absolutely hates this woman with a burning passion, and refuses to speak to her or give any satisfaction of a bond.

Viper was the one who removed his wings, though there were other doctors, he only remembered Viper being there.

Viper could care less if Apollo hated her but what she wanted was for him to work with her and the protocol and cause no trouble whatsoever. She still feels guilty about it sometimes.

"Mad scientist down."

Omen "We are both traumatized"

Apollo and omen surprisingly relates together in some way except for eating people and stuff.

Omen teaches Apollo how to knit, garden, cook etc. So that he can learn how to calm herself instead of being isolated in his room 24/7.

They both like to share their experiences in Kingdom, body changes and radianite. They also made inside jokes that only they could understand. "Apollo, isn't it funny how Kingdom keeps this good reputation up just for Monsters like us to be in the background"

Astra "She teaches me how to fly sometimes"

There's this one incident at HQ where Astra tried to teach Apollo how to float with his small wings and accidentally dropped him off the second floor. Apollo forgave her for the effort but they were banned from floating around HQ again.

"Apollo, my friend! We are finally out in the field together. Lets spread our wings and fly!"

Duelists

Reyna "Scary hot woman"

Reyna and Apollo share a mutual agreement on having a desire for bloodlust, Apollo sometimes even envies how Reyna handles it so well.

Apollo likes to get tips from her as well sometimes

"Reyna! you were amazing back there! You truly are a goddess!"

Yoru "Who? oh that guy"

Apollo tends to forget that he exists just because he teleports everywhere it makes Apollo have a brainfart.

Yoru only asks random stuff about him like his form and abilities. He also takes down notes about it sometimes so that he could flex about knowing an angel in real life.

"Killed the uh, blue boy..."

Pheonix "If he touches my wings again i will bite him."

Pheonix always asks the question everyone usually has when they meet an angel. And sometimes repeatedly...

Apollo tries his best to avoid the questions by letting him get distracted by something or changes the subject. Apollo loves his determination but he can do that from afar.

"Pheonix PLEASE stop trying to touch my wings. They're attached to my ears and its hard enough to take care of them."

Jett "She's very talented for sure"

Just like Pheonix, she has a lot of questions but she learns quickly.

She sometimes likes to run with Apollo and would most likely ask Apollo if he could fly.

"Apollo, could you promise me a race if you get your wings back?" "For sure that's something I would keep to heart."

Raze "She's fun to be around, but I also have a lot of questions "

Apollo likes talking to her and looking at her tech since she was always interested on how this stuff worked even back on the church days since his priest prohibited tech like this.

Raze mostly chats with Apollo a lot because of him and KJ meeting up a lot. She has also has a lot of questions to ask but keeps it simple.

"Damn Apollo! You are.. Scary. In a good way of course! It was badass"

Sentinels

Killjoy "She still has never told me if she made KAY/O or not, or I haven't been listening"

Killjoy has enough of Apollo's bullshit most of the time but also has been "threatening(?)" him to make mechanical wings that can fly like the jet.

Apollo has asked a lot of weird requests and Killjoy would just shame her about it.

Apollo is always seen with Killjoy and Brimstone whenever he has to go with Brim.

"Fine.. you win this time, ill think about making your request."

Sage "She's the calm to the storm and I admire her for that"

Apollo admires Sage's hard-work and personality, he'd hang out with her a lot too.

Sage gives her advice and sometimes help as well. She is one of the few that wasn't really scared of Apollo

"Apollo, You worry me as well. Find your inner peace in the battle."

Cypher "A charming fellow, he sometimes concerns me though."

They both know a lot of stuff about the other agents and would share that info together sometimes. They even have code names, inside jokes and etc.

Apollo thinks the guy needs a rest and made a lot of promises for this guy and has no clue if she'd ever make those true.

"Apollo, Promise me you'd be the one putting the knife to my throat *chuckles*"

Initiators

KAY/O "The robot is TOO human for his own good to be honest with you. How charming"

KAY/O is seen with Apollo outside of HQ, the living spaces, outside and almost everywhere since Apollo was being monitored after the incident (which was eating a whole ass chair and almost eating the person on the chair too). Every week of the month at least.

Apollo is funnily enough is allergic whatever KAY/O's electric fluid that creates fragments and supressor has. But She chooses to stick with him since that's the most "safest" option there is.

Their relationship is strange, you see they both share sarcastic jokes in a room and the next thing you know the robot has random makeup marks on his body.

"You fragile humans sure like to put up a fight." "snort"

Sova "I could steal his eye for... personal purposes."

Apollo would usually, try to steal his eye. And Sova would always try to stay away from him. He's a little scared of her but he can handle being in a team with him.

Apollo is also usually nice to him most of the time, and also kept a promise for him.

"Apollo, you are a saint. Please stay that way."

Skye "I love her hawk, it would sometimes bite me though"

Apollo. Loves. Animals. I mean who doesn't? But Apollo always wanted a pet so he'd go to Skye just to pet her animals.

Skye enjoys the company of the Angel but she intimidates her, The whole 3rd eye thing and all

"Skye please please PLEASE can you let me hold the bird?" "Last time you did that it exploded on your hand mate"

Breach "He's...interesting."

They both are scared of each other. Apollo with his intimidating eye and Breach's personality. All you can hear is awkward small talk if you make them talk to each other.

Breach accidentally hit Apollo with his arm once and has never stopped thinking about it. Apollo just promised to herself that he'd stay away from him now.