#because it's not like he told them he died either

[katerinaaqu]

I agree it is closer to modern Greek too to mention the translation of the word "xanthos" as "blonde" but ancient greek colors are not always so cut and clean so oftentimes it means just "fair haired" or "blonde" or can be "reddish" or "auburn" till reddish brown. Basically it is a factor that means "shiny" on occasion so I guess it is up for interpretation although yeah in modern Greek there is no doubt that "xanthos" means "blonde" but ancient Greeks loved to make even our lives difficult! Hahaha! Not at all. Proteus and his prophecies are a very interesting kick starter plot. He was even told on the fact that his brother died and that he might hurry back to offer his respects in time (plot twist he never did) but it is also different from source to source! Hehe but yes Proteus basically spilling the beans! XD

Yeah calling it a "dream" is like I guess a bit far fetched but one can also say it was "a vision" or something. Either way it seems to be vague enough at times for people to not have all information but barely enough to go by. And it is Menelaus's stay in Egypt that is elongated too that might add to the vagueness. Given how he later traveled back to his homeland (at least the version of the story that Euripides takes for his own play as well although of course Homer doesn't FULLY elaborate on the fact) to get to offer his respects to his brother's tomb before coming back to Sparta. At that time in-between his return many things in theory could have changed or mentioned. Oftentimes of course you need to consider information as plot devices. Menelaus is not revealing it to us because the information was insegnificant before or because Menelaus was inconsiderate. It is offered to us now because the trip of Telemachus was important to the plot (I had made a small analysis in the past) and we are only in the Odyssey just now. The viewer has heard before on Odysseus being trapped and wishing his return so now we have the confirmation so the listeners can hear it again. In one way it is like "for those who arrived just now to my performance, here is where Odysseus is, we'll get back to him later" Of course from modern point of view who is used to go to the cinema and watch one film this seems obsurd and one can say "why couldn't you just say so?" but if you think of it as a moving performance outside where people gathered up to listen to someone and more and more get added up in one way we can see why it is repeated there. In this way both Telemachus gets the important plot device to go to Sparta and get information on the war and the horse etc which the viewer gets but also pitches in more people and tuns them in the plot.

Hhahaha no problem at all I definitely see where you come from. Ancient Greek texts in general and Homer in particular are very expressive. But honestly I do not see it THAT much different let's say than Dreamworks Sinbad when Sinbad gets emotional and says to Marina "we dreamt to join the navy together and defend our country together!" like I see it as a very strong feeling of closure but I definitely understand where you come from and many people who make that joke! Hehehe it is always a shock to discover ancient texts isn't it?

Yeah he did hehehe and arguably he never was the sharpest knife in the box either but for sure the whole thing was already overwhealming enough especially the way that his life was settled up (Menelaus and his brother were even exiled because of Aeguisthus and they were struggling to get their kingdom back then the whole Helen business happened and they went away from home at a war for a decade and then they quarreled and the last thing they said to each other before separation was undoubtedly cruel words and then he found out the tragedy and all. The dude didn't have much slack either hahahaha)

Hahahahahahahahaha right?! Lol

You are right that is definitely a logical assumption but of course one could say that one vague piece of information is equally harmful because it increases the agony without easing much the information. Menelaus heard from Proteus he was prisoner before. Was he still prisoner? In one essence the family also had the prophecy that Odysseus would come back in 20 years (which was also what frightened Odysseus and tried to avoid the war altogether) so in one way the family HAD something to go by. Just set the clock to 20 years and he will be back! Hahaha the thing is again the vagueness of prophecies or information didn't help much either. For starters "20 years" is also a phrase that simply could mean "way too long" so people didn't know and even if they did after so long they lost hope. Even if it WAS predicted for Odysseus to be back eventually they just lost all hope regardless of the prophecy so a vague piece of information wouldn't help either. They held hope for 7 extra years after the end of the war was reported. When Menelaus finally got home after 7 years as well that roused suspicion that Odysseus wouldn't come back and if the prophecy was still in to be fulfilled then they assumed that "20 years" simply meant "too long" and that if he came back after way too long he would be useless as a king anyways because of his age. Or rather what if the "he will come back after 20 years" meant as a corpse? Hard to tell hahahaha but when Telemachus called upon the council and the new prophecy came that Odysseus would return, still didn't do much good either. Telemachus was still not perfectly convinced, Penelope was as depressed as ever and the suitors didn't pay attention to the prophet.

As for Telemachus not kicking them out sooner that is not possible for many reasons. One he was not of age of maturity yet (Odysseus left an order to Penelope to rule in his place until his son grew a beard and then he would rule back), two even if he had started his quest sooner that wouldn't have changed anything for Odysseus still would come back after the 20 years were done. In fact the plot was set so nicely thick that the trip of Telemachus happens at the same amount of time that Odysseus tells his story and comes back to Ithaca so when Telemachus comes back, he finds his father waiting and the two of them join forces to get the suitors out of the palace. Telemachus arguably didn't need to leave that specific time out of the palace because Menelaus didn't grace them with a warning sooner but because it was time for Odysseus to return and Telemachus would meet his father away from the palace in a quiet place AFTER he too had explored around. In one way Telemachus having heard the random piece of information that at some point his father was prisoner in one place wouldn't change that plot.

Telemachus for once needed confirmation that Odysseus was his true father and he needed to hear more than just that. Otherwise they had the vague prophecy of his return to go by. He needed to escape from the toxic environment of his home while being removed from danger and the trap of the suitors AND at the same Time Odysseus was set to return home. Homer could easily have made Telemachus say that "I heard once upon a time a friend of my father's saying that he is trapped somewhere" but the atmosphere wouldn't massively change. The songs the bard was singing were also giving vague informations on the returns of others and the sad fates that befell them and yet the idea of melancholy and worry never left anyone. And yes you are absolutely right. Him asking him in person was much more impactful, we get to see Menelaus in person AND on top of that the cognitive trip of Telemachus matches the cognitive trip of Odysseus.

Hope any of it makes sense! ^_^ Calling me a scholar is definitely an honor! I would consider myself just an enthusiast at this point given how despite my university education never have I had the chance to use it in an extensive degree! ^_^ Oh not at all! Hahahaha I believe everyone can tell it was a joke and a sarcastic remark like everyone makes those! It is great to keep things moving which is why I tried to reply in a more light-hearted manner as well! But you certainly opened a wide field of amazing conversations and very valid questions!

Telemachus is so much stronger than me for real. Cause if I had traveled for days, by sea AND land, arrived at the palace of my father's friend and my mother's cousin to humbly ask if they know anything about my missing father and instead of just fucking telling me already, this mf started a monologue about how gay he is for my dad and about the time he captured a God that granted him wishes three, I'd already be telling him to Hurry The Fuck Up. IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS, I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY.

But if the same motherfucker then turned around and told me that he had known FOR YEARS NOW that my dad is trapped on an island AND THE MOTHERFUCKER DIDN'T TELL ANYONE!!!! NOT A SINGLE LETTER!!! I would have already strangled Menelaus with that fucking blond hair of his in front of his wife and children, unhelpful son of a bitch.

[majoryeager104]

dabi with a user who gets cold easily? :33

Awwww this is gonna be so cute okay <3

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“You’re shivering again”

“really?”

“Yeah, you’re shakin’ like a drug addict”

“gee, didn’t notice”

You shivered again, glancing around the room at the heater. It wasn’t out, but it was crappy and old and didn’t seem to work well. The league had found this place on a rather cold night, snow billowing over the sidewalk just outside, and here you were still freezing your butt off even inside. Everyone else seemed to be fine, especially Dabi, but when wasn’t he? And now here he sat next to you with that dumb grin on his face teasing you as usual. He couldn’t help it, really, not when you looked just adorable shivering like that.

And yet, his little playful jabs hit the wrong nerves, and you pouted and crossed your arms, the latter being less of a sign of agitation and more of you trying to keep yourself warm. Dabi looked up at the other members- all busy either talking or gaming or scrolling on their phones- before rolling his eyes.

You see, the two of you had been seeing each other for a while, and he had no intention of making this fact too public. He knew the rest of the league (Toga) would pry, and he didn’t want it ‘getting in the way’ of his missions (a doubt planted by an unknowing Shigaraki)

Still, watching you shiver with that pout on your face, he couldn’t help but let that smile melt into something far more real as he moved closer and wrapped an arm around you. It almost startled you how much heat radiated off of him; every time he touched you it was a shock, but this time, a well welcomed one.

You looked up at him- not missing that soft gaze that held yours- before smiling yourself and settling in under his arm. He scoffed, trying to sound annoyed despite the smile on his face. Eventually he leaned his head back against the back of the couch, his eyes shutting. Something about feeling you under his arm that made him feel…safe, in a number of ways. Before he knew it, he was falling asleep.

You noticed, looking up at him, nervous to move for fear you’d wake him. You knew how little sleep he got, just what his physical trauma had caused him, and so you stayed quiet and let him sleep, smiling to yourself at not only his warmth but the soft smile that still lingered on his face.

Dabi’s sleep was rather gently disturbed sometime later. The heater had sputtered out and died, and despite him not noticing as much, he seemed to be the one carrying the load of the machine, because when he opened his eyes the remaining league members in the room were huddled around him.

Shigaraki sat next to him with his arms crossed, shrugging. Toga lay across the back of the couch with her head on his shoulder, twice was rubbing his hands and sticking them towards Dabi in a rather dramatic attempt for warmth. Magne was over by the heater attempting to repair it with Compress, both of whom were huddled in blankets and looking over at the warm pile around Dabi rather longingly… and then there was you, fast asleep under his arm. He blushed, rolling his eyes once more

“you people are such daisies…” he muttered, glancing around at them.

“bet you didn’t say that to y/n!” Toga teased, practically in his ear, causing him to flinch for a moment, scoffing. “No. No I didn’t. Gonna sue?” He retaliated, nudging her head off his shoulder. “Nope, just gonna tell ya that y/n told us we could huddle around you like a campfire after the heater went out”

Dabi’s eyes widened slightly as he glanced down at you, but soon his expression softened when he saw how peaceful you looked.

“Of course they did..”

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I think I’ve used this song like recently but I LOVE IT so I’m using it anyway 😌👌

[sojatoals]

rewatching house and i'm on s2e02 "autopsy" and wow. the parallels between this episode and the s8e22 "everybody dies" is chef's kiss.

house giving the girl a choice if she wants to do the test. the girl asking house for clarification if she wants to die. house telling the girl that he's asking if he wants the pain to be over. the girl saying "i can't just leave her (her mother) because i'm tired," and house replying "you can't stay for her either." the girl telling him that he loves her mother, and house accepts her decision and lets her go through with the test.

thinking about when house was hallucinating cameron in the burning building, and cameron telling house that he's suffered enough, and that he should end "this," like "wilson did." but house, despite being told by cuddy that he constantly chooses himself over other people because that's just who he is, despite his growing apathy to what previously provided him intrigue in life, despite his physical and emotional pain, escapes the burning building to be there for wilson. because house loves him.

i will never move on from them

[arduousflame]

Ok, reworked that previous story to fit a bit better in Gwynn's story.

A bit on her background with Viago, and a bit on how messed up the Crows are.

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Lucanis meticulously inspected and replaced the small vials he carried, each one as vital as a blade to an assassin like him. The glass was opaque, cork stoppers sealed with dark red wax to keep their deadly contents secure. His movements were methodical as he separated recently used vials from those that had expired. Only one or two were good enough to return, unaltered. The rest would need to be disposed of—safely.

Across the table, Davrin cleaned his gear with the steady hands of a seasoned soldier, though his eyes kept darting toward Lucanis.

“Careful with those,” Davrin warned, his tone light but edged with caution. “I wouldn’t want Assan getting into them. And you’d better wash your hands before you start on dinner tonight. Got it?”

Lucanis opened his mouth, a sharp retort ready to fire, but stopped short when he caught Rook’s gaze from the fireplace. Her single raised eyebrow said, Don’t you dare.

“Bellara’s cooking,” Lucanis muttered instead.

The elf snorted. “Thank the gods for small mercies.”

“How do you even keep them straight?” Davrin asked after a few minutes of working in silence, nodding at the vials.

Lucanis held one up, angling it toward the light. The faint, otherworldly glow of the Fade caught on tiny raised bumps on the glass surface. He ran his fingers over them, his touch precise and sure.

“By feel,” he replied. “Each vial is marked differently. Even in the dark, I know exactly which one to take.”

“Oh, oh!” Bellara leaned across the table, her curiosity lighting up her face. “Are the marks unique for each assassin, so no one else can use your poisons? I read a story about that once! Two assassins sent to kill each other fell in love, but the woman got wounded protecting her lover. When he tried to give her the antidote, he accidentally gave her another poison because their labels were different. She died in his arms.”

Davrin chuckled and shook his head.

“The poisoners and glassmakers would riot if that were true,” Lucanis said, laughing. “No, the vials are standardized. It’s the poison makers who set the marks.”

“In this case, Viago,” Rook said, stepping closer. She reached for one of the expired vials, her movements unhurried but deliberate. “Oh, he’s given you the good stuff.” She turned the vial over, examining it like an appraiser judging a rare gem. “This one’s a doozy.”

Lucanis plucked the vial from her hand, his eyes narrowing. “Careful with that.”

Bellara cocked her head. “I didn’t know you used poison. Doesn’t it burn off with spells?”

Rook’s smirk was slow and sly. “Oh, Viago never told you?”

Lucanis frowned. “Told me what?”

“That he used me as a test subject when developing new poisons.” Rook reached for another vial, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather.

Bellara and Davrin froze, staring at her in wide-eyed disbelief.

Lucanis, however, remained still, his grip tightening on the vial he’d reclaimed. “I’d remember if he had.”

Rook glanced up, the corners of her mouth quirking in amusement. “Would you, though?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Oh, it’s a story,” she said, leaning one hip against the table. She pointed at the vial in his hand, her expression almost mischievous. “Want to hear what that one did to me?”

----

Viago slid the key into the lock, the faint click echoing in the stillness. He pushed the door open and stepped aside, gesturing silently for Gwynn to enter.

She hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. This room was familiar —but not for happy reasons. The shelves lined with bottles and vials, their contents shimmering in the dim light, bore the telltale marks of her Talon’s trade. The faint, acrid tang of herbs and chemicals hung in the air, sharp enough to catch in her throat.

The lab was sparsely lit. Two sconces on either side of the door cast a flickering glow, their flames shivering in the draft. Across the room, the fireplace smoldered weakly, its embers barely holding on. The light was insufficient, more for warmth than visibility, and the shadows cast by the low fire made the room feel smaller than it was.

Shelves crammed with potions, poisons, and the raw ingredients of both loomed around her. The bottles were meticulously labeled in Viago’s neat, angular handwriting, and though she knew there was an order to it all, the system remained a mystery. Like many fledglings before her, Gwynn had spent long nights pondering the riddle. Her best guess was a cipher, but she had no intention of asking Viago about his favorite book or an old love letter to confirm it. Some things were better left unsaid.

Behind her, Viago stepped into the room, the door shutting with a soft click. The sound seemed louder than it should have been.

He moved purposefully, turning the chair by the desk, the only table in the room, its surface cluttered with vials, burners, alembics, and a neat stack of labeled notebooks. With a faint scrape, he set a small stool in front of the chair, the one he used to reach the higher shelves.

"Sit," he said, his voice left no room for negotiation. He gestured to the chair. "And roll up your sleeve. Left arm. To the elbow."

Gwynn hesitated. She stood motionless in the center of the room, her hands curling into fists at her sides. The silence pressed in on her as she drew a deep breath, steeling herself. There were no pleasant memories here, there never would be. But the sooner they started, the sooner it would be over.

Finally, she moved, sliding into the chair and rolling up her sleeve. The cool air brushed against her skin, raising goosebumps. Viago, unfazed by her reluctance, was already moving about the room.

He crossed to the shelves with precise, practiced motions, selecting a small scalpel from the knife rack. A collection of hourglasses of varying sizes waited on the edge of the table, their glassy surfaces gleaming faintly in the firelight. He placed them carefully within reach before pulling down two vials from a shelf: one filled with a milky white liquid, the other slightly hazy.

The soft clink of glass against the table broke the silence as he set them down. Gwynn’s heart thudded in her chest, but she kept her face still, her breathing even. She knew better than to let her nerves show here.

One of the smaller hourglasses had already been turned, its sand cascading in a lazy spiral. The faint hiss of the grains marked the passage of time. Viago sat down on the stool in front of her, reaching for one of his well-worn notebooks. With a piece of charcoal in hand, he jotted down a few quick notes as the last grains fell, the sound of the charcoal scratching softly in the stillness.

When the sand ran out, he flipped the hourglass without hesitation, watching intently as the process repeated. Another series of marks filled the notebook. His movements were practiced, mechanical. Gwynn’s eyes flitted between the hourglass and his hand, her curiosity quietly bubbling to the surface. The steady rhythm of his work, combined with the solemn quiet of the room, felt both hypnotic and oppressive. Viago really was in his element here and whatever his intents, Gwynn knew a master of his trade when she saw one.

Perhaps it was her lingering gaze or the familiarity forged through countless hours in this room, but Viago noticed. When he finally looked up from his notes, his eyes met hers, and he offered an explanation unprompted.

“I need a baseline of your vitals,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “Breathing, heart rate...”

As he spoke, his gloved fingers encircled her wrist with clinical precision, pressing firmly against the pulse point. His touch was cool, the leather a stark contrast to the warmth of her skin. The hourglass was turned again, the sand flowing smoothly into the lower chamber. He kept his eyes fixed on the glass, his movements deliberate and measured.

For a moment, Gwynn’s heart seemed louder than the hourglass itself, each beat thudding in her chest as if trying to escape his scrutiny. But Viago remained detached, focused, as though nothing in the world existed beyond the falling sand and the faint rhythm beneath his fingers.

“What’s this one supposed to do?” Gwynn finally asked, her voice breaking the silence just as the last grain of sand slipped through the hourglass.

“Incapacitate. But not kill.” Viago’s tone was calm, almost clinical, as he uncorked the vial of milky liquid. The sharp tang of its contents joined the cocktail of smells in the room. With his left hand, he pressed her arm flat against the table, reaching for the scalpel with his right.

“It’s designed to induce panic,” he continued. “Overwhelm the target. Make them feel like death is creeping closer. That kind of fear loosens lips. Makes them spill secrets.”

The scalpel gleamed as he held it to the soft skin near the crook of her elbow. The blade was steady in his hands, far steadier than her racing heart. His eyes flicked up to meet hers. “Ready?”

“You have the antidote, right?” Her voice wavered despite her efforts to sound composed.

“Have I ever let you down, Gwynn?”

“Everything has a first time...”

He didn’t reply. The blade pressed down, slicing a clean line through her skin. A sharp sting bloomed as a bead of blood welled up. Viago worked swiftly, turning to the vial. He let a single drop of the milky liquid fall onto the wound.

Gwynn hissed sharply as the poison seeped in. The pain was immediate, sharp, and fiery. “Is it supposed to burn like this?”

Viago didn’t answer. Instead, he turned two hourglasses at once, their sands beginning a synchronized countdown. His left hand returned to her wrist, his fingers firm against her pulse, and his eyes stayed locked on her—not with concern, but with unshakable focus.

The burning in her arm spread quickly, radiating out like wildfire. It seeped into her chest, her limbs, until her entire body ached as if it had been lit from within. Her breathing quickened, ragged and shallow. Instinct took over, and she started to pull her arm away, but his grip was unyielding.

“Fuck, Vi—” she gasped, her words hitching as the pain surged. “My heart... Are you sure this won’t kill me?”

“Your heart’s fast, but steady,” he said, his voice calm despite her panic. “It’s still beating, Gwynn. Take a deep breath.”

Viago’s charcoal scratched across the page in precise strokes, his notes growing longer as he worked. His focus never wavered, moving between her pulse, the hourglasses, and the faint sheen of sweat forming on her brow. Each detail seemed to matter to him, though he said nothing for a long while.

The silence stretched, broken only by the steady hiss of falling sand and Gwynn’s ragged breathing. He adjusted his grip on her wrist, his gloved fingers shifting slightly as though recalibrating. “Pulse is still strong,” he murmured, almost to himself, his tone clinical. “Faster than before, but steady. Good. That’s good.”

The burning in Gwynn’s arm had spread to her chest, and she clenched her jaw to suppress a groan. Her vision blurred at the edges, dark shadows creeping in with each uneven breath. “Viago,” she gasped, “I... I can’t— my heart..”

“You can,” he interrupted. He tilted his head toward the hourglass. “You’re still well within safe limits. Your heart’s working harder, but it’s not failing.”

Her free hand gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white. “It doesn’t feel safe,” she ground out.

“I know,” he replied, his voice maddeningly even. He reached for her wrist again, pressing his thumb against the pulse point while his eyes flicked back to the hourglass. The sand was running low. “You’re breathing shallow. Deep breaths, Gwynn.”

She tried, forcing herself to inhale deeply, but it felt like dragging air through fire. “It’s—too much,” she wheezed, her chest rising and falling in uneven jerks.

Viago’s gaze narrowed, his hand moving from her wrist to the base of her throat. His fingers rested there lightly, feeling the rapid thrum of her pulse beneath her skin. “Still consistent,” he muttered, turning the hourglass again. He leaned back, his sharp eyes darting over her face, her trembling limbs, the tension in her jaw. “Adrenaline’s spiking. No arrhythmias. You’re not crashing, Gwynn. Keep breathing.”

His detached tone should have been infuriating, but it was oddly grounding. She focused on the methodical way he turned the hourglasses, the practiced ease with which he made his notes. His presence, though cold and analytical, was unshakable.

“Burning subsiding?” he asked, his gaze flicking back to her.

“No,” she hissed. “It’s—getting worse. Vi, my chest—”

“I’m monitoring it,” he said, his tone sharper now. His hand returned to her wrist, holding her steady as she tried to pull away. “Your heart rate’s up, but it’s still strong. You’re not going to die.”

“How can you be so sure?” she snapped, tears stinging her eyes.

“I’m holding your pulse,” he said simply, his eyes meeting hers. “I’d know.”

The burning began to creep into her throat, and her breathing quickened again. “Viago, I swear—”

“Listen to me.” His tone was suddenly commanding, cutting through the fog of her panic. “You’re feeling the poison’s effects exactly as intended. It’s meant to mimic the symptoms of dying—tight chest, rapid pulse, burning in the veins. But it’s not killing you. Your vitals are telling me that your body is handling it. Focus on my voice. Breathe with me.”

He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and she tried to mimic him, though her breath hitched midway. His fingers remained firm on her wrist, anchoring her. “That’s better,” he said quietly.

The minutes dragged on, and she lost track of how many times the hourglass had been turned. Each time it emptied, he recorded something new, his notes growing denser with every pass. He shifted her wrist slightly, checking the veins along her forearm, and pressed his free hand to her clammy forehead.

“You’re peaking now,” he said after a moment. “The burning will start to ease soon. Keep breathing, Gwynn. You’re doing fine.”

Her limbs trembled, but the fire in her veins finally began to flicker and fade, leaving behind a heavy ache. She sagged in the chair, her head tilting back as she gulped in air. Viago’s hand lingered on her wrist, his thumb brushing over her pulse as if confirming its consistency one last time.

“It’s passing,” he said, his voice softer now. “Your vitals are stabilizing.”

She blinked up at him, exhausted. “You were watching me like a damn lab rat,” she muttered, though her voice lacked venom.

“I was keeping you alive,” he countered, his expression unreadable. “If I didn’t track every detail, I wouldn’t know how far I could push the dose. Or you.”

“Push me? I felt like I was dying, Viago.”

“And you didn’t,” he replied, his eyes locking on hers. “That’s what matters.”

Her breath hitched, and she shook her head faintly. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re resilient,” he said, turning to his notebook to scrawl one last note, before closing it. “We’re done for today.”

That was her cue to leave. This time, she practically fled the room, slamming the door closed on her way out.

----

Davrin’s gaze shifted between Lucanis and Rook as the story concluded. Rook stared into the fire, her face illuminated by its flickering glow. Whatever memories the tale had stirred, she seemed lost in them now.

“I can’t believe you’d call the Crows normal,” Davrin finally said, his voice sharp with incredulity. “You two do realize none of this is normal, right?”

Lucanis set the vials back down, his fingers lingering on the wax seals. He’d need a word with Viago when he returned. The older man had always preached reforming the Crows, making them something more than tools. But now? Learning this—knowing Viago had counted Rook -Gwynn-among his closest confidants, it painted a darker picture. Lucanis had spoken of a cruel childhood to the others, but Rook’s? Rook’s had been worse.

“That’s rich coming from a Grey Warden,” She muttered.

Davrin’s response came swift and sharp. “We drink from the poisoned chalice once, Rook. After that, my sergeant didn’t keep poisoning me to prove I deserved my place.” He tossed his cleaning rag aside and pushed back from the table, rising abruptly. “I need a minute to process this.”

Bellara, who had been unusually quiet, jumped up as if startled. “I’ll… I’ll get started on dinner.” Her voice was bright but forced, and she darted from the room before anyone could reply.

That left only Rook and Lucanis at the table. The silence between them stretched, broken only by the faint crackle of the fire.

“I— I didn’t know,” Lucanis began, his voice low. “If—”

Rook cut him off, her tone sharp. “If what, Lucanis? If you’d known, then what?” She leaned forward, her blue eyes boring into his. “What would you have done? Grandson of the First Talon or not, you’d have had no right to challenge another Talon. No say in how he governed his House, or how he used his Crows.”

Lucanis opened his mouth to argue but found no words.

Rook leaned back, exhaling a long sigh as she raked a hand through her hair. Her voice softened, though the weight of her words remained. “But it’s done now. And… in his way, Viago did it out of care.”

Her gaze drifted back to the fire, her features shadowed by the glow. The faintest trace of a bitter smile crossed her lips. “His way. Always his way.”

[elementalwriter67]

I’m listening to Epic the Musical again (shocking I know) and maladaptive daydreaming as one does. So now it is my personal headcannon that the Apollo Cabin uses places around the camp to re-enact the musical when it is not actively in use. It’s only while they’re not in use because Chiron gave them all a lecture and dish duty and pegasus pen clean out for a month because they disrupted training one day while re-enacting the Circe Saga resulting in a few (read: multiple) injuries so now it’s either use non-active areas or don’t do it at all. And the Apollo Cabin would sooner die than not re-enact any musical much less Epic the Musical, so they do as they’re told.

They have a handful of places that are on rotation. 1st is the Mess Hall/area and they love to use this one to re-enact the ithaca saga because the pillars, torches, and tables make recreating “Hold them Down” and “Odysseus” real nice. And yes they do incorporate actual weapons. Don’t tell Chiron.

2nd-The wall is used on the occasion for the Troy Saga but it gets tiring climbing to the top so they switch it out every now and again for the amphitheater. It’s a lot easier to climb.

3rd- The Canoe Lake gets used a lot for the ocean saga and the underworld saga. Yes they do canoe across it every now and again for the authenticity. No they do not care about the concerned looks they get from other campers. Yes their spear throwing skills have improved because of the “aim for the sky” bit. They will occasionally use the lake for the Thunder Saga as well but they like to use a different place a lot more.

4th- The Amphitheater gets used a lot more for the Wisdom saga and the Circe Saga (though they do like to swap in the north woods every now and again for the Circe Saga because the Nymphs like to participate in that one every now and again.) They use the amphitheater mainly just because it feels right and that’s the best explanation you’re gonna get from them. Sometimes you just gotta go with the vibes man.

5th and final place is Cabin 1 and yes they do preform inside the cabin and yes it is used because Thalia is basically never home and well Jason’s dead so it’s free real-estate and yes they use it for the Thunder Saga and the Thunder Saga only. They’re pretty sure using it for the Thunder Saga is the only reason their cabin is still standing to be honest, Using this location did take a while for the whole cabin to warm up to because many of them were like “Zeus barely tolerates our dad he’s gonna fuckin kill us if we use his Cabin for this and he catches wind of it.” Eventually they all chilled out and started using it for it when enough of them hadn’t died for using it. Unbeknownst to them the only reason Zeus doesn’t do anything is because the damn musical does a good job representing him and damn it all if it isn’t catchy. So he lets it slide. For now.

@clea-nightingale

[animangalover-writes]

Yk it really bothers me when I see people talking about eurylochus and the crew like they were the problem. It just feels like everyone is just missing the point. Yes they stopped listening to ody, yes eurylochus opened the wind bag, but that's what makes them so human.

Picture this, you leave your home to fight in a war. It takes literal years for this war to be over. You've lost friends, you miss your family, you've been through hell. You're starving and your captain tells you they found food on this island.

And then the cyclops happens. More friends die, you barely escape with your life, and your captain gives his name to the creature that killed your friends.

And everything after that is a direct cause of that decision.

So you hesitate to trust him. Yes he's smart, he's capable, he always has a plan. But he would do anything to get home, and you know that. So when he comes back to the ship claiming to have a bag full of wind, and when he refuses to let anyone near, refuses to trust his own crew, you get suspicious.

Its been about a decade by this point, and your captain seems to get more and more desperate to get home. A god is after you. Odysseus is forcing himself to stay away, all to make sure nobody touches that bag.

Its human, it's realistic, it makes sense that someone would open the bag. Because odysseus stopped trusting you, and so you stop trusting him. So you open the bag.

I just find it frustrating that people look at the crew/eurylochus as bad guys because of this, as pawns for ody to get home and thats it. The point of the show is that ody has become a monster, has dealt with and left behind his humanity. We, as listeners, root for him. We give him grace because of his circumstances. Because he's the main character.

But for some reason, people don't give that same grace to the crew. They're human, their circumstances are awful too. They have no idea if they will get home, they aren't sure then can trust their captain anymore. They question things. They make mistakes. They cause the deaths of others. It's human, its that feeling you get when you think that maybe hope is lost after all, it's what this story is about. Mistakes and loss and blame.

People dislike Eurylochus because he opened the bag. But odysseus gave the cyclops his name. And polites trusted the lotus eaters. And Athena told odysseus to be cruel to a fault. Nobody here is innocent, not really. And none of them knew better either. They were working with what they had, with the terrible circumstances at hand. It's no wonder they made mistakes. It's no wonder people died.

Why are we ignoring the humanity of the crew? Why are we arguing that they, or that eurylochus, deserved it? If the story was about them, odysseus would be seen as the bad guy. But he's the main character, so the others are stupid and wrong, right? All that matters is that odysseus gets home, right? Even if it costs the lives of his crew. His crew who stopped trusting him when he stopped trusting them. His crew who he sacrificed to get home.

I think we're missing the point here. Odysseus did become a monster, and although we cheer for him getting home and Penelope and Telemachus forgive him, we have to acknowledge that he did do terrible things. Those men will never see their families again. Why are we erasing that humanity in them?

Humans do bad things for the sake of saving themselves or the ones they love. That includes Odysseus. That includes Eurylochus. That includes the crew. And that includes every other character in this musical.

[burquillos]

I genuinely forgot that tumblr is a place that is actually decent for posting text Anyways, 431 AU Hurt and Comfort drabble following Izuku's train of thought "I've always failed to protect Kacchan and now that I don't have the power to do it anymore, the best course of action is to give up on my dream, so he follows me out of danger"

"You don't get it Kacchan!! I can't protect you anymore, you could get hurt!!"

"You're already hurting me!"

Izuku shuts his mouth. How could he say anything to that? He knows what he's been doing to Kacchan. He isn’t inviting him to guest teach that often for no reason. He hoped he could show Kacchan there are other ways of being Hero, one where he wouldn’t need to put his life in danger. He has also been deliberate in keeping Kacchan at arm’s length, just far enough to look like Just Another Person in his life, he wouldn’t want any villains getting any bright ideas especially now that he’s powerless. He's not as stupid or oblivious as people think. It hurts to see Kacchan upset, but a miserable Kacchan is better than a dead one. It's selfish of him but he can't let him go. He can’t lose him again.

Katsuki takes a deep breath like he's gathering all weight he's been carrying and then letting it drop abruptly. "Look, Izuku. I've been there before... I know you're scared." Deku flinches at that. "That's why you keep pushing me away. I finally understand how frustrating it must have been for you to lend out your hand and get it slapped away every time. That's why I don't blame you. I had no idea how you did it back then, but I've tried to follow your example, to be as strong and persevering as you were, to never give up on people.” Katsuki pauses, thinking before he steels himself to say the words, “But at some point you have to let me move on from you, just like how you moved on from me."

His words sound defeated, like everything he just said is an undeniable, unchangeable truth, and maybe it is. But the end?

"Is that what you think? That I moved on from you?” their eyes finally meet. “Kacchan, I'm still fucking stuck in that coffin in the sky! YOU DIED!! Because I couldn't get there in time! Because I treated you like you were special! Because I... I loved you and everybody could see it.”

“I was so happy when I got closer to you back at UA. You were always so bright and I’ve always dreamed of standing there by your side instead of watching you from afar like I’ve always had but I got too careless. I wanted to stay there forever, I really did but everybody kept hurting Kacchan.”

“Even at our worst, everyone saw how hard I tried to chase after you. I hated myself for not being able to say so many things, for not being able to tell you 'You're more than just a Hero to me'. But in the end, it didn’t even matter because Everybody. Still. Fucking. Knows. Because I can't control myself. Because I always slip up. Because I always lose my shit when it comes to you!

How could I move on from you when I have to spend every day scared shitless that everyone would know how much I want you and take you away from me!?”

At this point, Izuku’s completely broken down and Katsuki lets him. It was a long time coming after all. He approaches Izuku to hold him, Izuku hold him back tightly like he never wants to let go. They stay like that for a few minutes, Kacchan softly petting his hair while he calms down. After a while, Kacchan speaks.

“You don’t have to worry about anyone taking me away from you, Izuku.”

He looks up from his place snuggled on Kacchan’s chest, “What?”

“Already yours, have been for a while. Ya just need to act like it.”

“I already told you why I can’t-“

“Then try harder. Make me undoubtedly yours. Show them what happens when they mess with something that you own.”

Izuku doesn’t know if Kacchan’s words is just there to hype him up or if he’s being entirely serious about it. Either way, it sends tingles up his spine and warmth to his cheeks. But that embarrassment quickly evolves to shame.

“What if I fail again... I couldn’t even protect you even when I had all the power in world.”

“I’m not asking for your protection Izuku, just like how you didn’t ask for mine when I ran after you and jumped in front of all of those spikes. Those were MY choices and all I ask of you is to run after me too, to choose me.”

Izuku looks at him stunned. His heart feels so full he feels like he’s about to burst again. He never imagined there would be a world where he would chase after Kacchan and Kacchan would be expecting him to catch up and run by his side instead of running away from him in fear. It was everything he ever wished for as a kid.

He still thinks he’s not strong enough, but he can be brave. The same quirkless kid who chased his dreams in spite of it all.

“Okay, Kacchan.”

He musters up all his strength to smile at Katsuki and to his surprise and delight he smiles right back.

“I won’t be far behind!”

[mxbbadperson]

thinking about half-siblings omegaverse jayvik. normally, you aren't supposed to be aroused by familial ruts or heats but Jayce feels like he's going crazy, he keeps trying to get into Viktor's room and their parents keep shepherding him away because they just think he's worried.

hhhHHHCUFUF YES

if they're both alphas, jayce feels guilty because he's not supposed to want another alpha and he definitely shouldn't want his brother. the scent of viktor's rut shouldn't set off his own! (if viktor is a beta, all jayce wants is to be held by him during his heat/ruts and is very jealous of any other scent on him)

(tw: underage) and if jayce is omega and older and viktor is an alpha and younger... when viktor gets his ruts, all jayce wants is to be with him. jayce thinks about how viktor is smaller so he can just pin viktor down and viktor has no choice but to take everything jace can and will give. his attention and his care and his love and all of his lust. (and maybe jayce will keep going so that his seed takes. he'll take care of viktorlike he has always said he would. and he'll take care of their possible baby too. like a good brother does)

(thinking about viktor being jayce's brother because ximena and her husband fell in love with an undercity woman. when she told them she was pregnant, they were overjoyed and they both took care of her. and the woman wanted to stay with them but she went back to the undercity, either taking viktor with her or leaving him with them

if she went back with viktor, viktor is 10 when ximena and her husband receive a letter. they go to the bridge where viktor is waiting and they know without looking at the ring and necklace that viktor has that he's her child. because viktor looks so much like her, has her gold eyes and her mole and her brown hair

if she sent the letter because she was dying and ximena's husband died the year before or is going to do, ximena has lost the loves of her life!)

[losergender]

the more i read the faster the torture will end (yes im aware im choosing to do this and can stop when i want to)

okay back to titan attacks

"the truth of my life was becoming depressingly obvious: people didn't like me" alexis i know i said that i feel bad for you and stuff but you are also so unlikeable my dear. you never talk to anyone and your only 2 interests are mathematicians and classical music and you don't even bring them up when talking to people

stop guys she's wearing a black hoodie with a skull holding up a middle finger in the front

alexis this is why people dislike you.

alexis is on the pink press everyone

she keeps saying fluck instead of fuck

"the great war killing all our race was really bad for friendship" miss,,, miss do you hear yourself,,,

the one thing that annoys me the most about this book is that alexis cannot go two sentences without mentioning how she is suicidal and how she wants to die and straight up off herself and how despite having so many chances at it she never does it (WHICH IS COOL. DONT KILL YOURSELF PEOPLE) but she also never gives any explanation as to why not? like there was one chapter that in which she was at corfu w patrochilles and she was like "the best thing i could do was drown myself." cut to 3 paragraphs later, she's swimming with her pet because "she loves swimming." she's going through physical torture in the military thing they're at? "i wish i would die" "it's easier to die" "i'm gonna kms" "the moment i got a sec i was gonna kms." she gets close to death once and she's like "thank god i didn't die." which is a thing that happens. many people myself included who have experimented a near-death experience or real fear of death after/during suicidal ideation will come to a realization that maybe they didn't want to die and the cognitive disonance of "i wish i could kms but i dont want to die" is, i feel, a not all that widely explored topic in YA fantasy. and i think it's interesting, and it opens so many doors in terms of character development, and it could have make this book so, so much better. and instead not only is the chance not taken, but also, it turns sucide into a joke for 36 chapter and it makes is so that any mention of actual risk of death/suicide goes as a joke even if its serious.

(bonus points -> she has two very clear reasons as to why she can't die. one is that she's technically immortal which i dont really get bc shes meant to be in military school as a trial to see if she deserves immortality but also she and her classmates can already not be killed. except for the fact that. they can because 3 of them died. so whats the point idk. and i can only imagine how distressful it would be for someone who has suffered so much and is actively facing torture every day of their life that and who is suicidal to be suddenly told that she is never gonna die. and she doesn't mention that whole dilemma AT ALL. then, theres the fact that her little brother doesn't know where she's been the past months and he's still facing homelessness, this time by himself yes i still think he's dead. see, she brings up charlie like once every 3 chapters when she remembers to which i guess is a good amount. the idea of charlie is there either to make her feel guilty (when she has the wet dream) or to motivate her, because she wants to go back to him. BUT IT IS NEVER THERE TO MOTIVATE HER OUT OF HER SUICIDAL IDEATION? WHICH,,, AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FINDS THIS A BIT RANDOM? like how come charlie is good motivation when you are being forced to run after weeks of starvation but he is never once mentioned when you are wishing you would kill yourself? why is it "i gotta survive this for charlie" and then immediately after "i should kms" and no mention of charlie? like it feels so,, idk. whatever. sure.)

back to reading

speechless

"at this point, i didn't care if carl gauss thought i wasn't accomplished in the after life (i cared). carl can suck on my... stuff."

YOU HAVE A NICE GUY GREETING YOU WITH A SMILE AND BEING FRIENDLY TO YOU IN SPITE OF THE FACT YOU HAVEN'T TALKED TO ANYONE BUT 1 GUY IN MONTHS, IN SPITE OF THE FACT NO ONE WANTS TO KNOW SHIT ABOUT YOU, IN SPITE OF THE FACT YOU'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ALL CHAPTER ABOUT HOW PEOPLE DISLIKE YOU?? AND YOUR REASON IS THAT HE IS TOO GRATEFUL AND CHEERFUL?? ALEXIS IM TRYING TO BE NICE TO YOU BUT MY GIRL I CANT

a titan just attacked in the chapter called titan attacks who's surprised

"ice covered" you're in a greek island in autumn why is there snow.

okay so. the titan attacked while they were running (they've a circuit they have to do often around the island) and most students went to hide but she stayed behind to help one who had fallen (and who now is dead) and then she started to attack the titan herself with a stone and stuff until kharon (the predator) came to finish him off. and now. i think he's gonna kiss her. which. to quote finn mertens, i nono wanna.

btw in case anyone's lost, there's two guys pursuing alexis, kharon (the predator) and augustus (the evil teacher slash pokemon sword guy) (and theyre lovers)

alexis youre stupid

c-ptsd flashback okay

oh and now kharon mister "she's prey",, mister "i'm gonna kill her", mister "i'll be your sworn enemy", miser "i wanna torture you" is like "nooo alexis :( i didnt mean to trigger you by threatening to beat you up"

"can i touch you" BROTHER YOU WERE HOLDING HER BY THE JAW SECONDS AGO AND HAVE BEEN TOUCHING YOURSELF TO HER FOR AGES. WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN 1 MINTE AGO AND NOW FOR YOU TO LEARN CONSENT

augustus' whole thing is that he's overprotective of women to the point he wants to control every single one of their actions and he's so controlling of alexis that he threatens to torture/actually tortures everyone who touches her including doctors im gonna scream

also can i just say they go through all this intensive physical training just for their weapons of choice to be. Guns.

welcome to sunny reacting to stuff in which sunny reacts to stuff. in this tumblr post, we're dealing with blood of hercules (the i'm a girl and as it turns out i'm hercules book) because i'm doing So Bad Mentally that i am in dire need of something that will make me laugh.

chapter 1 reaction below

montana?? out of all states?? okay go off

"kids at school called it apocalytic core. i called it hell" already laughing. i love my life decisions.

SUPERSEED I'M SORRY WHAT?

"if you wanted to live (i didn't)" you and me both bestie

does the author know verb tenses

i'm saying so little bc otherwise the post would be huge. every single sentence is hilariously bad this is so silly

summary if anyone is interested -> pretty unclear dystopian setting, 10-yo befriends an echidna named nyx and then gets a foster brother delivered to her room the next day. the titans are like superhumans killing normal people and the "spartans" are 12 protector families (8 are olympian, 4 are cthonic and those are dangerous murderers or something).

[sideprince]

I resent getting dragged into the discourse but it's wild to me that there are people out there who read the HP books and laud Harry for being brave and having a big heart and redeeming the wizarding world with his unusually great ability to love, yet can't comprehend how he could learn to appreciate Snape's sacrifice.

I'm very specifically thinking of the fact that Harry watches Snape die. Snape, who is lying on the floor, gripping Harry's robes, and whose eyes Harry is looking into and seeing the life leave. I don't understand how people can humanize some fictional characters and treat them as if they were real and completely dehumanize another. Not even for Snape's sake, but for Harry's sake, do these people not understand what it is to watch someone die? What's the expectation, that the Capacity For Love Posterchild protagonist steps out of character and doesn't care about the guy he watches bleed out and die suffering because you, as a reader, don't like him?

Which is it? Does Harry have a huge capacity to love or not? Pick a lane. Either you value this character trait in Harry or you don't. But you have to take or leave everything it comes with, otherwise you're a hypocrite. Or maybe illiterate.

I just don't GET it.

[hesaprofessional]

Shout out to Seymour and Audrey for possibly being the fictional couple with the worst communication skills. Literally they're so bad that the world ended because of it

[sisterkosho]

I’m such a simp that I accidentally tricked my non-JJBA friends into thinking that Illuso was a main character…

[attractthecrows]

always interesting revisiting old dream worlds

[noirtek]

tags are not a humble brag but a genuine distressing pattern

[dollyichi]

WE LISTEN AND WE DON’T JUDGE : BLUE LOCK EDITION . . . m—dni. f ! reader / it’s either pretty tame or freaky idk / doing it raw / creamp!es / virginity and being inexperienced / some ooc but this is just for fun / not proofread

FEATURING ⋮ isagi, nagi, karasu, rin, barou, kunigami, chigiri

isagi yoichi ⋮ before your relationship was established he really really liked you and didn’t want to mess it up. but then he wasn’t sure if you were on the pill but the sex was so good he ended up coming inside you. proceeded to suck his cum out for your pussy cause of the panic. didn’t have sex with you for a week after that but you were fine.

nagi seishiro ⋮ played a game where he can customize the character and got really pissed off because it wasn’t even half as pretty as you. sulking each time he dies because he think he ‘failed you.’ ended up quitting the game too because he found out there was sex in the game and he wouldn’t want the ‘game you’ being with anyone else that wasn’t him. even got jealous one time because he didn’t know that he was increasing his character’s relationship level with an npc who looked too much like his teammate. too many emotions while you’re watching him lose his mind when you’re perfectly fine eating snacks on the bed. having to console him by riding him and telling him you only love him and not barou.

tabito karasu ⋮ pays for your nails when you get an appointment so you could jack him off after. will also take photos of your nails for you, with one jerking his cock of course. got this pavlov effect that he gets hard every time you show him your fresh new set. yeah he’s ruined.

itoshi rin ⋮ he was a virgin before he met you, and ended up cumming each time he bottomed out the first few times you guys did it. he was inexperienced and very sensitive since he wasn’t used to it. he was still always hard after so it didn’t matter. unaware he was crying one time because he was so overstimulated while you’re clenching down so hard causing his cum to spill.

shoei barou ⋮ you were supposed to meetup with someone else that your friend suggested but you weren’t really sure if it was him when you arrived at the meeting place. ended up going on the date with him and hooking up at the end only for you to find out he wasn’t actually the guy. “what was i supposed to do? deny a pretty girl like you?” went on a few more dates anyway and ended up establishing the relationship properly <3 [ do not be like them! ]

rensuke kunigami ⋮ you were the first person to ever give him head. it felt too good and better than expected. you told him you weren’t too experienced but you worked on him like a pro. he was scared he could hurt you so instead of holding onto your head he gripped onto the wooden headboards. when he came, he held onto it too hard he broke the top part in half.

chigiri hyoma ⋮ moaned out your name during a wet dream. until it shifted, “take it! fucking take it” he said. his teammates weren’t sure if they should wake him up any time soon and they weren’t too sure how to face you after hearing that.

do not copy, plagiarize, translate, or repost my works

note : i have no idea what came over me writing these but here u go crying during sex rin hell yeah!!!

[sarucane]

From another interview--apparently Darby is one of those cute fans who thinks the plot actually matters, bless him

Rhys Darby on the ending of season 2