#but some of you seems to be wanting something similar from Calypso AT THE SAME TIME

[thesimonthedevious]

METALOCALYPSE ORIGINAL CHARACTER WEEK 2024: DAY 4

day 4: flirty or friendly banter

Charles conducts a meeting with all the Brass Knuckles girls upon his return - to know what he's getting into. Calypso is first. Based on my fic GirlKlok

His office is what she expects. Cal gives the Klokateer holding the door for her a quick nod and looked out at the sky behind him – the glass is so clean she imagines Toki would try and walk right through it. He’s writing something on his laptop, and Cal wonders; personal report? Security? Police? It quickly occurs to her that maybe, anything to do with Dethklok would go far higher than the police.

They probably have their own FBI department.

The moment her thighs make contact with her chair, Offdensen lowers the screen so he can see her. His glasses shine, and she can just see the reflection of his screen. Red hair like hers, a lot of writing. He’s writing about her. Cal’s expression remains neutral, but maybe there’s a perk of an eyebrow she can’t stop.

“Nice of you to invite me in.” she starts, and Charles watches her. Only briefly does he refer back to whatever picture he has on her file. How different is it, she wonders.

(He thinks – it’s not often he comes across a picture that is so vividly disconnected from the truth)

Her fingers trace the old wood of the armchair.

“I thought I ought to get to know you girls personally.” Offdensen explains, and Cal tilts forward.

“Well, what does your file say about me.”

Charles maybe smirks, it’s hard to tell, and though he raises the screen again, he slides the laptop pointedly to the right so he can still see Calypso. To be polite, she’s sure. But her back straightens all the same.

“It says, Miss Texas Teen Runner Up – and further. And some odd jobs that don’t quite fit that aesthetic… That you’re a skilled woman.” He’s not malicious about the Miss Texas part, but is evidentally more interested in her further skills: the cage fighting, the wrestling, the never ending bouncer work. Skills that, really, a band manager should have no interest in. “You don’t actually have much – if any – musical experience.”

“I’m lucky they gave me a chance.” Cal remarks dryly. And while it’s true she’s lucky the original members of Brass Knuckles wanted her for name alone to draw in numbers, she also is aware that it means they couldn’t have gotten where they are (so fast) without her.

“I’m sorry about your injury. Changing job industry can be, ah, difficult.” He refers to the injury that got her knocked out of wrestling to begin with. The damaged leg in question tingles, and she crosses it over her other.

“It’s healed fine. Mostly. Hurts on cold days.”

“I have a similar injury – storms, too.” Charles agrees, and Cal doesn’t know what comes over her;

“Maybe we can compare them one day.”

The suggestion isn’t immediately shot down by a look or a word. He does glance at her from his screen, and their eyes meet for a little longer than he wants, but her gaze seems hard to look away from. She’s challenging. His hand over the mousepad flexes and curls up, “Medical isn’t usually my field. But familiar hands are usually better than sterile.” He truly believes that. Mostly. Part of him doesn’t even know what it means, but he sees her rest her chin on her hand, finger idly stroking her chin.

“Mhm.” She’s amused, and something in Charles is pleased. He looks back at the screen, “You’re not what I thought you’d be, Mr Offdensen.”

“I’m not made to be thought about, Miss Huggenkiss.”

“Don’t call me that.” She instinctively asks. And why not? Why can’t she wonder about him? Ponder? Charles wonders what there is to think about. What else she might think. And what she expected.

“Alright, Mary.”

When she sees him peek at her again, Cal smirks – unable to argue. He won’t call her that again for some time – but it’s nice not to get reprimanded. To gain her approval. Not that he’s seeking that out.

 As they discuss menial business, finally, Charles closes the laptop completely. He stands up and walks around his desk.

“I think we’ve discussed everything I wanted to.” He stands by her chair – empty handed and headed. Cal suddenly stands to barely meet his gaze.

“And what about what I want?” she watches him, and he’s very good at acting as if he’s looking at her face, as he subtly notices the scars that travel beneath her grey camisole top. Subconsciously imprinting them to memory.

“What do you want?” Charles’ voice is dangerously low, curious, and Cal stares at the scar on his cheek. Wonders what else she might find if he didn’t cover up 80% of his body. Her teeth grit and he can see her jaw clench. Every muscle on her body is defined, like a marble sculpture.

“I want a drink.”

Charles, again, smirks so slightly Cal thinks it’s a trick of the light. And there is just enough silence that indicates he’s considering it.

“I’ll send you a list of bars that come highly recommended.” He likes the face Cal makes; judgemental, accepting, suspicious. It’s a marvel she can do all at once. Walking past him, her arm pushes against his. Not hard enough to be rude, but pressing against him enough to be memorable.

“I don’t want the place the boys like to go to most.”

Charles follows her to the door, making sure to get to the handle first – even if it means leaning past her. Easy enough when he’s got a good few inches on her. “Ah, no, no. You’ll see plenty of those. This will come from my personal list.”

Cal tries not to look at him as he stands at attention with the door open fully. But it’s hard, especially when she knows she has no idea when she’ll get to talk to him again. Not that that would be a problem.

“Places I like.”

“Places you go?” Cal tries to prompt, smirking as she steps into the hall. Finally Charles’ lips curl upwards into the clearest smirk she’s received this whole time.

“Places I like.” He refuses to elaborate, “I’ll be seeing you, Calypso.”

“Catch you later, shug.”

[theimpossiblescheme]

For Coricopat, their humans’ house really was haunted.  Even if not by the kinds of ghosts they could reach out to and speak with.  Even if they knew how to speak to a human’s remains they way they could a cat’s.  They took it on faith every time Mr. Lewis held his precious books.

His mother, an old woman named Bernadette (“Bernie” to her friends and family) lived in an old translation of The Odyssey.  It was a rather clunky translation, struggling to make the ancient poetry flow so well in English as it had in Greek, and some passages sounded a little too much like the labor of some old professor’s pen than something Munkustrap could weave on a stormy night.  But it was a first edition, still bearing a smudged autograph from that same professor even if the spine was crumbling and the pages smelled like butter and hand oil.  Apparently Bernie had still cried when Odysseus reunited with Telemachus after twenty years away, and Cori couldn’t deny that the tiny, loopy-lettered annotations around the description of Calypso’s island made them ache for some long-past life.  Mr. Lewis could apparently vividly remember the way Bernie would read certain pages, and his voice would take on new inflections, new pauses to really let the suspense of the escapes from Polyphemus or the Underworld sink in.  And Cori could feel the same presence in the creaking of the old rocking chair, the highest shelves in the larder, and the way Ms. Grenaway would complain about her knees on cold nights in the garden–almost like a second voice echoing her pains.

Gwen–the famous Gwen, the artist Gwen, the Gwen he’d married–lived in a water-damaged copy of Anne of Green Gables.  She’d dropped it in the bath one afternoon and then immediately vaulted into the sitting room and held it open in front of the fire to dry, not even bothering to throw on a towel first.  Her skin was very red and her hair a frizzy mess by the time Mr. Lewis found her, but she’d blushed (almost as red as her widower’s cheeks when he told the story) and confessed that she couldn’t bear to let the book be destroyed.  It was a children’s book, she admitted, far too simple fare for a grown woman like herself… but she couldn’t help it.  She loved it.  That was always the way Mr. Lewis ended his telling–”she loved it.”  Always in the same tone of voice, a soft and almost palpable ache in his voice, like a twinging shoulder before a rainstorm.  He would read in that same tone of voice, too, even the pages were the letters swam from the bathwater, looking off into the middle distance as he recited them from memory.  And Cori fancied they could hear her voice, too, in the crackling of the radio, the gentle rattle of the old pipes, and the whistling wind by the window that also made them feel grateful to live in a world with Octobers.

Their daughter Lizzie lived in a dog-eared second edition of The Wind in the Willows.  Or rather, she would have.  She could have, if she’d been born.  Gwen so wanted a baby, and Mr. Lewis would have been thrilled to give her one, but it was not to be.  Cori only had to tell one would-be mother that it would never be safe, and they hoped never to do so again.  They imagined the crying would be very similar to that night in the healers’ den as they and Jenny tried to ease her pain.  Still, it never stopped the humans from imagining their little girl.  To hear Mr. Lewis tell it, she would have been the spitting image of her mother, dark-haired and dark-eyed with an eye for beauty and the prettiest laugh a baby could have.  The only concession he’d make for himself was that maybe she’d be short, ignoring the possibility that he could pass on his long delicate hands, his soft and pleasant face, or the way his voice could pierce through you like no human Cori had ever met.  They never settled on what her name would be short for, but everything else about her seemed so clear.  Mr. Lewis read from the book that would have been her birthday present with the same patience and animation that he would for any child, even coming up with distinct voices for every character and playfully confessing that Grahame should have written another book for the hard-done-by weasels.  And the more he described her, the more Cori could feel the possibilities in the birdsong in the trees, the buzzing of visiting honeybees, and the ever-present purrs and laughter each night around the hearth.

“One day, I suppose all these will have to go to you,” Mr. Lewis said one evening, a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he stroked Cori’s fur.  “Promise me you’ll take good care of them when I’m gone, eh?”  Cori hated to admit that they couldn’t read, but perhaps they could ask Asparagus to teach them.  They had to give these spirits the home they deserved, after all.

[issytheamateurnerd]

Ladies, gentlemen, and audiences of all kind, may I present to you:

My Hitman World Of Assassination AU!

This AU is based around a girl named Madeleine. The daughter of 47 and Diana Burnwood.

Full name: Madeleine Nancy Burnwood

Gender: Female

Age: 15 (16 by Hitman 3)

Birthday: 11/19/2004

Parents: Agent 47 and Diana Burnwood

Backstory: 47 and Diana officially declared themselves a couple three years after they met but two years after that, Diana unexpectedly became pregnant. Although they considered abortion because of their jobs, they ultimately decided against it. Several months later, Diana gave birth to a baby girl whom they named Madeleine.

Madeleine's whole life has been a secret. By all accounts she doesn't exist. 47 and Diana kept her hidden from the ICA, took care of her, and taught her everything they knew. They may not have been your typical parents, but she still loves them. And they love her more than anything.

Everything about the story is the same except Madeleine plays her own part in the events and character development. She is what connects 47 to Diana and even roots him to his own humanity. He's always found solace in caring for and spending time with her. Diana feels similar but in her own way.

Personality: Madeleine looks up to her parents and admires them for their intelligence and strength. She is very smart and strong herself, but (despite the way she acts) she is still a kid and that comes with it's own struggles. Sometimes she gets internally upset about the fact that she "doesn't exist" and often wishes she could have a normal life and more than a few online friends who don't even know her name. She keeps these thoughts to herself, however, and works hard to make the best of everything and make her parents proud.

Extra facts:

-Madeleine's favorite allias to use is "Calypso Rieper" despite how often her parents tell her it's dangerous to use a name with the same last name as her father's, she seems to have some kind of connection to this name.

-Most of the time her parents swap her back and forth between them to keep her better hidden but there are always plenty of moments when it's just the three of them having family time.

-She looks almost exactly like her mother but has her father's eyes

-She was never meant to be a rewrite of Victoria. It's canon that Absolution never happened in the WOA timeline. Madeleine is her own person with her own stories.

-If anyone wants, fanfiction and fanart is completely welcome!

Sorry for all the build up for something as generic as a fankid AU, but I still love Madeleine and I plan to write more stories and headcanons about her and her life. (Recently I've been working on adding her into the story more but I'm also obsessed with the idea of a strong, reserved guy like 47 taking care of a baby so I may elaborate on that more.)

Thanks for reading all this and I hope to have more fun with Madeleine's character in the future!❤❤❤😊😊😊

[flightfoot]

When trying to craft a character-centric story, one that revolves around developing and exploring a character and their personal story, it can be a challenge. That challenge gets even harder if you want to introduce a decent-sized supporting cast, and a limited amount of space in which to do all of this. 

Do you:

A. Focus as much as possible on 1 or 2 characters, the main protagonists, and have most other characters exist to further their stories? It allows for the chosen characters to have the maximum amount of development, since so much screentime is devoted to the them, but leaves all the other characters to pick up their table scraps, development-wise, only existing to serve the leads.

or

B. Give all the characters separate stories and arcs, maybe not as fleshed out or long as the protagonists, but enough that you get the sense that they’re their own characters and have their own stories, that you can care about them as well. This one is favored by a lot of longer stories and series with ensemble casts. It comes with some downsides though: less screentime can be devoted to everyone’s individual journey, and while one person’s facing their inner demon, going through their conflict, the other characters’ development is put on hold. Furthermore, it can make the narrative feel disjointed, less streamlined. It works well for an adventure story, but not always as well if the work revolves around a central theme or message that the different characters’ journeys are supposed to help convey.

Reading Trials of Apollo, I realized that there’s another way to achieve some of the aims of A, with having a central theme and message conveyed through character arcs, especially while developing a singe central protagonist, while not relegating other characters to only serving that protagonist’s story - at least directly.

Have the other characters’ stories expand on some similar themes to the main protagonist’s story.

That way, the side characters can have their own stories and development while still furthering the protagonist’s character arc.

For instance, in Trials of Apollo, Apollo learns from various other character’s struggles, realizations, and development, even though those characters didn’t exist FOR him - indeed, many of them are previous protagonists who are simply developing further from the decent amount of development they already had. Not that they’re the only ones, there are some characters who debut in TOA who he learns from as well. But it helps to illustrate that while these characters have arcs that parallel and inform his, they don’t exist to serve him.

Spoilers for Trials of Apollo below the break.

Book 1: Meg... Ok Meg’s is an outlier, since she’s Apollo’s partner throughout the series, and her entire arc about coming to terms with her adopted “father” being her abuser and breaking free from him is a very close and obvious parallel of Apollo’s own arc of breaking away from Zeus.

Book 2: Lit and Calypso. Lit feels like he doesn’t deserve the second chance and kindness Apollo, Jo, etc show him, especially since he tried to murder them all. Honestly Lit’s story parallels Apollo’s mostly in how other people react to him with kindness even when he’s done nothing to deserve it, and in how he became fiercely protective of his new family as a result.

Calypso parallels a different aspect of Apollo’s journey. She’s ALSO a mortal immortal like he is, just let out of the golden cage of her island, and struggling to cope with the change. 

Book 3: Jason and Piper. Jason’s more direct, with specifically tasking Apollo with remembering what it’s like to be human, since he’s certain he’ll die. At least, he’d rather die than let Piper do so. He doesn’t WANT to die, but he makes peace with his mortality if it’s to protect his friends.

Piper’s dealing with insecurity and uncertainty, not knowing who she is or how to connect with her roots. Hera’s meddling with her love life leaves her uncertain how much of her initial attraction to Jason was real and her own choice, and with also trying to figure out what her being native american, being cherokee, means to her, she’s feeling very lost. Piper’s left wondering who she is outside of what others expect her to be, and who SHE expects herself to be - an identity crisis that Apollo becomes very familiar with.

Book 4: Frank and Reyna. Frank reclaims his destiny, setting light to his own greatest vulnerability in order to save the camp, something that should have killed him... and yet doesn’t, setting him free instead. It doesn’t make much sense from an in-universe lore perspective and seems almost hand-waved, especially with Apollo’s speculation that by willingly facing death the way he did, he took charge of his own destiny and made his own fate, which undid the whole “tying his fate to a stick of wood” thing. It makes a LOT more sense when seeing it as foreshadowing and further theme-building for Apollo’s journey, for how he had to take control of his own destiny.

Reyna’s also been dealing with other people’s expectations, especially about her love life. That she needs to or should get together with someone, that they’ll “heal her heart”. It’s something she struggled with throughout HOO as well, especially with feeling as lonely and isolated as she did and needing support. The ending of Tyrant’s Tomb had her realizing that she doesn’t need to conform to anyone else’s ideas about romance, that she can figure it out in her own time. It doesn’t reflect as directly on Apollo’s arc as some others, but it follows the same “reclaiming your destiny and being who you are regardless of other people’s expectations” theme.

Book 5: Lu. She cared for Meg, but didn’t help her escape before this point, instead just helping make her time with Nero more bearable, try to make things better where she could, like by faking Meg’s “kills” of various people Nero wanted dead. But she didn’t quite have it in her to take Meg and run, not yet, since Nero had been her benefactor for centuries at that point. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t do it - not yet. And while Apollo didn’t trust her at first, he DID understand her not standing up to a tyrant on whom she depended, since he didn’t stand up to Zeus often either. 

There’s more to these character arcs of course as well as additional characters with arcs that parallel Apollo’s own, but these are the main ones that I hope get my point across. Having other characters’ arcs parallel the main protagonist’s arc in some way so that the protagonist can learn from them or have some particular theme explored further can be a very effective way of showing character development for a wide range of people without sacrificing the main protagonist’s own development time or having those other characters’ merely serve the protagonist’s arc.

[thebigqueer]

"Fellas, Is It Gay to Perform Necromancy on Your Ex-Crush?" - Valgrace (1/2)

Summary: Nico decides to help Leo reach out to Jason.

Notes: This is a 2-part story because I made it too long lol. Also it's technically valgrace but it features nico & leo more (for this first chapter).

Read on AO3

The firelight flickers over Leo’s features as he sticks his marshmallow stick into it. Despite the warm company of flames, goosebumps still rise against his bare arms as a gust of wind pushes through the evening air.

He sighs. Piper’s been gone for too long, and he’s getting lonely on his own. He could easily move across to the other side of the amphitheater and sit with his siblings, but right now, Leo really just wants to be with his best friend. He hasn’t seen her in a long while and it’s been nice catching up with her.

The marshmallow’s lightness gives way to darkness as it chars in the fire. Leo considers bringing it closer again, but he figures it might be better to let it continue roasting. He likes the taste of burnt marshmallows.

So did Jason, Leo thinks wistfully. Then he scolds himself for even thinking about the late demigod.

It’s been months since he’s has died. Leo should be over it by now; he should have moved past it. But he hasn’t.

It’s hard to forget when every time he thinks about Jason, he can only remember the secrets he kept from him.

Leo scrubs a tired hand across his face. He needs to stop thinking about him. Jason’s in the past, and in front of Leo is only the future. He can’t keep himself tied to what could have been, but instead focus his attention on what can be.

Besides, Nico’s already sent in those holograms that Leo made Jason while he was trying to find his way back to the real world. That alone has released the demigod of some of his guilt; at least Jason’s going to finally know how he feels.

But it’s not enough. Leo needs to talk to Jason. He needs to let go of him for once and for all.

The marshmallow in the fire blazes. Its whiteness bubbles and boils in the flames, then hardens into black crust. Leo almost laughs. How metaphorical.

The crunch of footsteps snaps the demigod’s attention, and he turns to the sound of it. Expecting it to be Piper, Leo offers a false grin to the approacher and gears up a joke to exclaim. Upon closer inspection, however, his eyebrows jump in surprise and anxiety - as well as a little bewilderment - hum in his blood.

A teenage demigod stalks towards him, his dark, feathery hair fluttering in the cool air. Silver tips gleam in the firelight at the ends of it. Abysmal obsidian eyes bear into Leo’s own, and a knowing, embarrassed smile cracks against the hero’s face.

“Nico,” Leo murmurs into the quiet. “Hi.”

“Hey,” he responds. His deep, glass-like voice resonates in the air and pierces into Leo’s ears. “Mind if I sit?”

Leo scoots over to make room for him, offering a confused but nonetheless welcoming look. “Sure. Cool hair, by the way.”

Nico smiles. “Thanks. I did it after a mental breakdown.”

“Sounds ideal.”

“It wasn’t.”

“Oh.”

After an uncomfortable pause, in which Leo turns back to his marshmallow in embarrassment and Nico picks on his jeans, the son of Hephaestus asks, “What brings you here?”

“I live at camp,” the demigod says blandly.

Leo rolls his eyes. “Not what I meant.”

Nico’s dark eyes glimmer with amusement. Despite Leo’s melancholic state just seconds before, a flutter of relief overcomes his heart. He and Nico haven’t talked much since he’s gotten back, but he’s glad to see that the demigod looks a lot more… comfortable here, for lack of a better word. He looks like he’s found his place.

“I know,” Nico says. “I’m actually here to talk to you.”

Leo nods. He’s been expecting this. “About the holograms I asked you to send Jason?”

The other demigod shrugs. “I’m a curious person. I’m just wondering what’s up with that. Totally fine if you don’t want to talk about it, though. But, you know, seeing how you asked me to travel to the Underworld specifically just to do that… Can’t help but be a little anxious about whatever it is that I gave him.”

Leo nods again, but this time a trickle of anxiety runs down his back. His shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.

“I don’t mind talking about it,” he says. Leo turns his gaze to Nico and offers him a pointed stare. “Besides, I think more than anyone, you might know what I’m talking about.”

If Nico understands what he means, he doesn’t show it. He remains still and patient, unsurprised, as if he’s expecting whatever Leo’s about to say before he even says it.

The son of Hephaestus sighs. He pulls his marshmallow stick back from the fire, but he doesn’t make a move to take the sweet substance off. His mind wanders back to so many nights ago, when he, Jason, and Piper had been sitting in this exact place, telling each other scary campfire stories and laughing when any of them cracked a joke.

It’s amazing how much has changed within a year.

“Listen, Nico,” Leo begins, his voice strangling itself, “I just want to start by saying that… I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you on the ship. I wish I could have been a better person to you then. But I guess I was dealing with my own stuff, and I was kinda blinded by my own issues to see that others around me were having troubles too. So I’m sorry about being inconsiderate to you.”

Nico waves his hand by way of dismissing the apology. “It’s fine. I understand that. My problems didn’t need to be of your concern, and I’m sure there were things that I could have helped you with that I hadn’t. Don’t feel sorry, Leo. You were dealing with your own issues.”

Leo shakes his head. “But it’s… I…” He groans and runs a hand through his hair in frustration. “It’s more than just me being sorry. I just wish I’d let you know you weren’t entirely alone. In terms of being, like, confused about your… identity, I mean.” His heart flutters in his chest as he turns again to Nico, anticipating the demigod’s reaction to his admittance. He’s not sure if he’s come off as direct as he needs to be.

Nico frowns. “You mean, like, me being gay? What does that have to do with this?” he asks defensively.

Leo notes the way his voice hitches at the word “gay,” like he’s still trying to taste the way it feels around his mouth. Nico shifts the tiniest bit away from him, as if he’s fleeing from judgment. The sight of it creates a crack against Leo’s heart; he doesn’t want Nico to feel like he’s being criticized.

“What I’m trying to say,” Leo says in what he hopes is a calming voice, “is that… I know what it was like. I mean, I don’t know what it was like to be you specifically, but I get that anxiety over your sexuality. I… I went through something similar.”

For a moment, it seems as though Nico doesn’t fully understand. His eyebrows curve into the center as he absorbs Leo’s words. Confusion sparks against his eyes. But after a moment - a moment in which Leo’s eyes bear deeper into Nico’s, begging him to comprehend - understanding flashes against the son of Hades’ features. “Oh,” he murmurs. “So… Are you saying…”

Leo nods. “I’m… queer. I know you and I haven’t had the same experiences with our sexualities, or even in general, but just know that… I wish I could have done more to reach out to you.” He shrugs. “Maybe we could have helped each other out.”

Nico offers a hesitant smile. “Yeah. I guess so. Wish I’d known, too. But… I’m honored you told me. Admitting this kind of stuff can take a lot of courage, as I’m sure you know. I’m glad you’ve come to some kind of conclusion about yourself.”

“You too, man,” Leo says. “I’m glad that you’ve found a way to move on from your fears of yourself. I’m not sure where you stand in terms of your confidence, but just know that we’re all proud of you. We all support you.”

Nico’s smile widens, just a bit, and that’s enough to make Leo’s heart skip a beat. He’s never seen Nico look so sure of himself, but the sight of it makes Leo excited, too. It gives him hope that maybe someday, he’ll be able to reach that level of assurance.

Not today. But someday.

Nico rolls his eyes. “Enough of this cheesy stuff. What does this have to do with those holograms?”

Leo shifts in his seat, contemplating what to say and how to say it. His chest thrums with a sudden burst of anxiety at the very prospect of admitting to Nico something that took him so long to do to himself. How will Nico even take the news? Would he make fun of Leo? Would he tell him Leo’s feelings are a mere joke?

Will he understand?

Leo’s chest expands as he takes a deep breath. He knows he’ll feel better when he tells someone about why he’s done what he’s done. He’s kept this in for too long.

The son of Hephaestus plays with his fingers in his lap, if only to get a distraction from the world around him. “I… I really… I liked Jason,” he murmurs. “I spent a lot of time pining for him. But I also spent a lot of time hating myself for liking him.”

Nico’s eyebrows lower and he offers a considerate, empathetic nod. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Leo turns his gaze to the son of Hades. Sincerity sparkles in Nico’s eyes, and an urging look covers his features. Leo’s anxiety lulls itself as he sees the understanding; at least the son of Hades isn’t judging him.

“Yeah,” Leo murmurs, “so that happened. It’s kind of why I decided to date Calypso. I just wanted to… forget about my feelings for him, you know? But that wasn’t fair to her or me, because in a way I kind of used her. We’re broken up now, though, which I think is better for both of us. Still good friends.”

Nico offers a polite nod.

“Anyway,” continues Leo, “I was getting tired of keeping that secret in. So you know how I sent that hologram to you?” When Nico nods again, Leo takes that as a sign to go on. “Yeah, so I tried doing something similar to Jason. Except for him, I kind of just kept all those holograms for myself. They were mostly used for therapeutic purposes, just so I could get a better understanding of myself.” Leo sighs and runs a shaky hand through his hair. His hollow chest thrums with guilt at the thought of the holograms; they contained so many secrets that he couldn’t give up, not even to the person they were intended to be given to. “I meant to give it to Jason,” he promises, “but he…”

In a quick second, memories of Jason sear Leo’s mind. His gleaming hair, his awkward smile. The way his laugh would echo around Leo and envelop him in happiness.

He was perfect. He was everything Leo wished he could be.

He was everything Leo wished he could have.

Leo bites his bottom lip. A surge of hot tears crash against his eyes, and it takes all his strength to prevent them from pouring out.

Nico shifts his body so that he’s closer to Leo. Not close enough to make either of them uncomfortable, but enough so that Leo knows he’s not alone. “It’s okay,” he whispers. “I get it now.”

Leo nods. Despite his efforts to keep his emotions in check, a tear still manages to slip out. It flashes in the orange firelight and drips from his face, bursting onto the green grass below.

Through a choked voice, he whispers, “I just… needed him to have those holograms. I needed him to know the truth. I didn’t want him to leave this world without… without knowing that there was someone who loved him in that way.”

“You needed to let go of your ghost,” Nico murmurs in understanding. “You needed to move on.”

Leo nods.

“Did it work, at least?” asks Nico. “Do you feel better now that you’ve given it to him?”

The son of Hephaestus opens his mouth to speak, but silence strangles his voice. Taking a deep breath, he whispers, “It’s not enough. I need… I need more. I need to actually confront him.”

Leo turns his head to Nico, a pleading look in his eyes. He hopes Nico understands what he’s asking.

The child of Hades’ eyes widen in surprise. “Are you asking me to take you to the Underworld?” he asks. “Look, Leo, I’m not sure-”

Leo shakes his head and waves his hands dismissively. “No, no, I’m too exhausted for adventures. I just want some time without all that excitement. But I just… I’m wondering if maybe there’s a way that I can contact him. And knowing that you’re a ghost whisperer…”

Nico’s eyes darken in the firelight. A cold, icy film covers them, and he fixes Leo with a stern look. “I can’t bring him back, Leo,” he says. “That’s not fair.”

Leo raises his palms defensively. “Hey, no, that’s not-”

“I’m not finished, though,” says Nico. An air of hesitance lingers in his words, and when he turns his dark eyes away from Leo, the latter’s heart skips a beat in anticipation. Excitement and anxiety roar in Leo’s ears. Will he agree to help?

Nico turns his face into the firelight, but he looks right through it. His mind wanders to some other place, some other world where Leo can’t reach him. The son of Hades’ olive fingers twitch in the glow of the flames.

Nico looks around, and as he does so, the silver tips of his hair flash in the firelight. A stern, anxious look pulls on his features.

“What is it?” Leo asks. “What were you going to say?”

Nico turns back to him. His dark eyes burn brightly in the firelight, flaming with excitement. In a hushed, hurried voice, he whispers, “Meet me in the woods tonight, right after the sing-along. Don’t worry about curfew, because I can shadow travel the two of us out. Don’t tell anyone you’re going there. I have a plan to help you.”

At Nico’s words, a gust of wind brushes between the two and chills Leo down to his core. His skin prickles with goosebumps once more, but he’s not sure if that’s because of the chilly air or because of Nico.

With one final skeptical look, the son of Hades stands to leave. But before he can, Leo asks, “Wait, what are you doing? What am I going to walk into?”

Nico pauses in his steps. His body freezes and he goes rigid, almost as if Leo’s question has shocked him.

Then he turns and, in the flicker of the firelight, a ghost of a smile haunts his lips. “You deserve to see him one last time, Leo. And you need to learn to let him go, because the more you keep holding onto his memory… the more you become a ghost of yourself. I can’t bear to see another friend go. Consider this a gift from me to you.” His hand lingers at his side, almost as if reaching for a sword that isn’t there. “Consider this a gift from one friend to another. That is, if you consider us friends.”

A ripple of surprise thrums in Leo’s blood. If there’s anything he didn’t expect tonight, it was to hear that Nico di Angelo considered him a friend.

But nonetheless, a relieved, grateful smile gleams against Leo’s mouth.

“Friends,” he promises. “I owe you one.”

Nico laughs. “Yeah, you do. I’ll see you in a bit.”

And with that, the demigod rushes off into the darkness, leaving Leo alone with only the flames for company.

[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.

[toomanyf4ndoms7]

Two sides, two people, same goal.

Summary: One seeks to punish the wicked, another to protect the innocent. Two similar people cross paths once more.

This was not going to plan. Ever since winning Calypso’s game Dollface had decided to protect people like her from people like her boss. Cruel people.

She had heard of a man with a habit of brutalising people for seemingly no reason beyond personal gratification. When she arrived he smashed a baseball bat into the side of her head.

The single downside of keeping her pretty mask on was the occasional throbbing pain and the sudden blow made that pain act up enough for tears of pain to drop out of her eyes as she crumpled to the floor.

The man lurked up to her as she tried to find her pocket knife that had seemingly fallen out of her pocket. Suddenly the man cried in pain and choked. He fell to the ground and revealed Raven standing behind him with a voodoo doll impaled by a pin.

Looking up to find her fellow former inmate, her eyes widened a little.

“Dolly? The fuck are you doing here?”

Dollface pulled herself to her feet while trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her head.

“You first.”

She shook her head.

“No, I saved your life. You go first.”

The woman sighed.

“I’m punishing bad people. So that people like me don’t get hurt.”

There was silence.

“Huh.”

“Is something wrong?”

Raven pocketed her voodoo doll.

“No. I’m punishing the wicked too. Got some kinda voodoo magic.”

“Magic?”

“Yep.”

Raven turned on her heel.

“Anyway, you owe me. See you around, Dolly.”

“Wait!”

Raven turned back with a disinterested look on her face. Dollface finally found the strength to walk.

“That guy hit me with a baseball bat. Nothing broken but the world’s spinning a little.”

“So? I’m not a doctor.”

“I have medication on my truck. If you can take me there, I’d appreciate it.”

Under normal circumstances Raven would refuse to help someone. But Dollface was probably the one she disliked least out of her former cellmates. She seemed to have the same idea of doing the right thing. Plus, she didn’t pity her.

Making her decision, Raven called out.

“Alright, just don’t hold my hand.” 

Dollface shook her head and suppressed a laugh. Raven would go to a far length to deny caring about anyone.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it.”

The pair exited the alleyway, and followed the directions of the streetlights. They walked for ten minutes with no sound beyond cars and the occasional crows. Dollface was fine with this silence. Raven probably didn’t care. 

Raven broke the silence.

“So, you’re punishing people like your boss?”

Dollface flinched a little at the mention of her old boss.

‘Yeah... the ones who hurt people like me. I try not to kill them but sometimes I have to.”

Raven scoffed a little.

“Fuck the mercy, if they’re doing the wrong thing then just take them out of the equation. One less person causing trouble.”

Raven was more cynical. Dollface was ready to accept she wouldn’t respect her decision but as they found the truck, Raven said something surprising.

“Y’know, I’m glad you’ve managed to sort yourself out. You’re... probably the best out of all of us disasters.”

Dollface picked up on how Raven included herself in the disasters. She tried her best to help.

“You’re a good person too. I didn’t know you before all of this, but I think Kelly would be proud of you.”

Raven rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get all sappy on me.”

Dollface smiled beneath the mask and muttered another thanks before walking to the truck.

Raven scoffed again but her smile was a little more genuine this time. She shook her head. Dollface was strange. Despite everything she’d been through she wants to do the right thing.

“What a sap.”

She walked off to her car.

But, I think that’s what I like about you.

[border-spam]

Leech Lord - Eridians, Sirens, and the great Destroyer

The Eridian empire was vast, timeless, and completely insular. Their species had watched hundreds of others crawl out of backwater planets over the eons and race headfirst into extinction shortly after, so hairy little pink monkey bipeds that made irritating noises and had gross soft bodies didn’t exactly hold much interest for them. 

Their only real interactions with the system’s humans were with the Siren hosts who were drawn to Nekrotafeyo over time, women who’s energy hummed in the same melodic frequency the Eridians used to communicate, and they would have been more than happy to keep it that way.

Incredibly technologically advanced and so long lived that they would seem immortal to lesser species, they were completely unchallenged in their total dominance of the Galaxy... and still would be if they hadn’t fucked up so badly. 

Big ol’ lore post under the cut, baybeeee:

Siren Song = They just vibin, man. 

It's the constant, endless sound the great powers make. They are alone in that place of other, floating through the endless dark of eternity, so it's not a form of communication or an attempt to reach out - it just is. It just exists in the same way the Siren entities always have and always will.  Maybe they aren't even making noise and the song is just how human brains translate the information they are taking in? Who knows. Not really any of our business anyway.

It reverbs through everything linked to them, so eridium, Siren hosts, Eridian architecture and ruins? They all sing, it's just that most can't hear it.

Pandorans can over time because they live so close to the greatest reservoir of eridium that exists, and it is screaming under their feet. The problem is that once you start hearing it? Well, you can’t really go back.

All Siren hosts are drawn to Pandora not because of what their brain tells them, not cause they want riches, or to make a name for themselves, or to be a Vault Hunter, they are drawn there because it feels like home. Somewhere in the back of their minds, in a part of their brain they can’t access, the song is still singing.

Eridians = Ancient insectoid race of space farers. Cool guys. Really good at poker, terrible at charades.

Through a mix of technology and natural affinity to the great Sirens, developed premonition (future thread sight) and warp travel (colonised a huge amount of planets). Communicated through a chittering song on a frequency inaudible to humans. 

It was similar enough to the hum Siren host’s emanate that they tolerated the women’s confused pilgrimages to their home planet, drawn by the melodic lure of the eridium and the Eridians themselves.

Eridium = Crystallised Siren-Entity energy from their plane. Purple. Sings if you know how to listen to it, tastes like fried pickles.

The Eridians naturally as a species were able to tap into the great power's plane and siphon energy from it, which fueled their entire civilisation. The great Siren Entities did not give a shit about this, they don't about anything in general, it was infinitely replaceable and in no way harmful to them for the Eridians to extract. They wouldn't even notice, really. They don't exist on the same cosmic fuckin' reality anyway.

Eridium sings in resonance with the entities’ song, it's part of them in a very roundabout way, and that’s why Siren hosts can consume it to boost their Siren’s manifested powers.

Destroyer =  The great Eridian fuckup. Don’t blame it though, it would rather just go home.

When your species has developed premonition that’s almost entirely accurate bar when trying to predict Siren power touched outcomes, it’s easy to get overconfident. If everything always works out in your favor, risks feel less dangerous, and holy fuck did these giant cricket dudes take a stupid risk.

Time made them greedy, and ego made them dumb. As their civilisation spread and power needs grew exponentially, they developed machinery to siphon eridium into physical crystals instead of using their own innate abilities, and eventually decided to open a direct link into the Siren Power’s realm. An umbilical that was meant to allow a constant flow of power and increase harvesting, but instead released something terrible... 

For real though it's only a lil guy. The “Great Destroyer” is just a parasite, a bug. Another being like the Siren entities that’s native to their plane except minute in comparative size and power. It's a gnat, a tiny flicker of life that harmlessly swam through the Siren song and consumed energy, till a group of insectoid arseholes ripped it out of it's own reality and into a very shitty one. 

It's confused and pissed, so it does what anyone would do in its position.

It starts eating.

Great extinction = Eridians have fucked up so badly they decide the best plan is to just mass kill themselves out of pure cringe so they won’t have to deal with being laughed at by shitty little monkey bipeds. 

The umbilical was designed to siphon from the Siren power’s plane, never to push something back. The Eridians understandably brick themselves as a race once the problem with this becomes rapidly apparent. The Destroyer is running rampant, consuming everything in its path and growing in size exponentially. Their weapons only seem to feed it more, and it’s being attracted to what it knows - eridium and the song it hums. The energy that fills their cities and resonates through their bodies is now a death sentence.

Their planets have been decimated, and the monster’s sights are set on Nektrotafeyo next. Cue Nyriad and her huge, sexy brain.

Siren hosts have always been attracted to Eridian planets. Their bodies reverberate with the same song despite the huge differences between the two species, just like the eridium that fills their cities. It’s an involuntary lure across the dark of space for women who already feel isolated and removed from their own planets.

Nyriad had been on Nekro for some time before The Destroyer was released - enjoying a friendly if mildly frustrating relationship with beings that saw her as a shitty little monkey biped who was slightly better than all the others because she had rad tats and made a noise they like.

It was her that raised the idea to GLUT this thing into naptime by feeding it the energy it was being drawn so desperately to, and to surround it with eridium after.

...but it was the Eridians who raised that the greatest concentration of that energy was within them.

Billions sacrificed themselves to the beast’s hunger, Nyriad crumbled under the of weight of so many deaths she felt truly responsible for, and it slipped into a great slumber.

Pandora is not a cage, it's a cradle. The Destroyer sleeps surrounded by the sensation of being where it belongs, no longer lost or afraid as it dreams from within the Siren’s song.

Eridians leave = Goodbye bugs, thanks for pretty much nothing.

There were plenty left after the great sacrifice, but they left the system not long after it was completed. 

Whether it was a “Ah fuck, sorry” response or they saw something horrific coming in the future is up to debate, but they left a long, long, long time ago. 

If they had seen something terrible on the horizon, then it either ended up not happening or they left the system a HELL of a lot of time before it was due to. Then again, they couldn't see Siren touched futures, or The Destroyer would never have been accidentally fished out of the nether.

Maybe they will come back some day, but it’s likely the only contact humanity will ever have with Eridian civilisation is through the ruins of what they left behind, and the constructed guardians that defend it so viciously.

The maddening = The great psychosis that ripped across Pandora and whispered insanity into the minds of those abandoned by the corporate wars.

29 years before Borderlands 3 starts, The Leech Siren entity is freed after millennia of rotting alone in a cell. Removed from the song, torn from the others,  half in and half out of the plane it should exit in, it's lost. It’s frightened, it's desperately lonely, and in its panic to find a host ends up split into two, torn between seperated bodies it never wanted in the first place.

Its song joins the chorus, and the sound is horrific. Broken, distorted notes, sharp and flat in all the wrong places, a cacophony of screeching voices and sounds impossible for human brains to comprehend. 

It rips across Pandora's hum like a distortion, and its madness locks into the minds of all those poor, innocent people who'd been around eridium long enough that they could hear the melody without even realising yet.

Pandora goes mad, Bandits screech of the great maw, the all-seeing eye, and Leda Calypso soothes her broken twins.

Phew. 

So, nutshell?

In my Leech Lord AU, all eridium screams in confused song - half The Leech's distortion, half the rest of the entity's melody.

Sirens are drawn to Pandora, not because of whatever reason their logical mind tells them, but because it’s the only place in the Universe with such a concentration of the energy that’s part of them - part of the great powers themselves.

Each Siren host hums with their own sound, Troy and Tyreen differently, like 2 parts of the same broken voice overlapping and crackling. 

When together, they harmonise... and that's why their streams are so deadly. 

That's why they skyrocketed to the level of intergalactic fame they did.

Like, Follow, and Obey.

...it's not the Twins who are saying it.

[lovingmyselfcore]

Chapter 2

Did I only have 800 words of this until like two hours ago? Yes. Is it after 2 am? Yes. Could I have done school work instead of this? Yes. Should I be posting this now and not wait until morning when I can proofread religiously? Probably not but it’s here anyway. Is this unedited? Mostly. Do I have a beta? Never. We die like men here. Is this chapter good? Idk. Is it? 

They were all riding on a high as they drove back to the rink.

Nico couldn’t tell who it was, but someone was definitely screeching. Hazel had an arm slung across his shoulder, she wasn’t exclaiming her excitement, which he appreciated, but every time someone mentioned their win she squeezed his shoulder. Which was a lot. 

“We should facetime Annabeth,” Piper McLean called loudly in order to be heard over the excited screaming.

“Yes.” Hazel nodded, “But I feel like we should wait-” She winced when someone accidentally elbowed her in the ribs, “Until we get back and out of this van.”

Nico nodded his agreement, curling back from everyone as best he could. It wasn’t that he didn’t share their enthusiasm but they were too loud about it. Way too loud.

Hazel angled herself in front of Nico when the clamor picked up a new wave. It didn’t do much to shield him but the sentiment was appreciated. 

The van rolled to a stop in front of the rink and they all pushed their way out. He saw Piper wave to the driver before racing inside.

“Let’s put all our stuff in the locker rooms then meet in the lobby and call Annabeth before we call it a night.” Hazel flashed him a smile as they separated.

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

“Annabeth!” Hazel exclaimed when the other girl finally picked up. Annabeth honestly looked like she’d been through some shit these past few days. She set her phone down as she wrestled her hair into a ponytail so all that they could see was the white ceiling and the occasional flash of Annabeth’s elbow.

Annabeth picked her phone back up and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “How’d you guys do?”

“We won!” Came a chorus of shrieks.

Annabeth laughed, “That’s amazing. I’m not surprised either, you had Nico.” She winked at him and Nico allowed himself a small smile.

Thankfully, the attention was directed away from Nico when Piper spoke up, “Annabeth, you don’t look so hot. Is everything okay?”

Annabeth grimaced, “A little better.” When it was clear she wasn’t going to elaborate the conversation went back to their win.

“Nico was amazing out there, you should have seen him,” Calypso said and the others voiced their agreement.

Nico hung his head to hide his flushed face. 

He heard Annabeth laugh, but it wasn’t mocking. “I’m sure he was.”

When Calypso yawned, despite her best efforts at hiding it, it spread around the group quickly.

Annabeth laughed, "You guys should all go to bed. I'll talk to you later. And congratulations on an amazing job, I'm so proud of you."

They said their goodbyes, some waves, some blown kisses, and some mimed hugs.

Nico stood up and side-hugged Hazel, waving goodbyes to the others, and left the rink. He almost sighed at the comforting sight of his motorcycle. It had been a long day, and he just wanted to relax.

~~~~~~~~~~

Nico got home and automatically knew something was different, as he took off his winter coat and hung it up he scanned the hallway and what little he could see of the living room. “Dad?” He called, “Persephone?” He didn’t expect them to respond, it was late and they both worked in the morning.

Someone was in the kitchen, though, and he walked lightly. When he finally saw her he sighed with a light laugh. “Hey, Reyna. How did you even get in here?”

She turned from her rummaging in the cabinets to grin at him, ���Don’t worry about it.”

Nico jumped up to sit on the counter, “Oh I already know how. ‘Sephone and Dad love you.”

Reyna laughed, “That they do.”

She went back to her scavenging and he was about to ask if she was looking for anything in particular when she spoke, “We didn’t get to talk after the performance but you killed it out there.”

Nico looked at her and let himself smile a little and even though she wasn’t looking at him she smiled. “Yeah?” He asked, turning so he couldn’t see her face and if she looked over she couldn’t see his.

“Of course you were! Nobody expected any less, except maybe you.” A hint of sadness in her voice that Nico had no idea what to do with so he ignored it.

“We called Annabeth once we got back to the rink, that’s why I’m later than I normally would be.”

Reyna hummed, finding a box of cereal and holding it triumphantly in the air.

“Cereal? Why.”

She stuck her middle finger in his direction at his tone as she tore the box open.

She gestured and he got the memo, sliding off the counter and walking with her to his room.

“How is Annabeth anyway?” She sat down on his bed, sticking her hand in the box of cinnamon toast crunch. 

He sat down next to her, taking his shoes off and tossing them in the vague direction of his closet.

“She’s doing okay, I think. You know, considering.”

Reyna nodded thoughtfully, “Did she say anything about how they’re doing? How Percy’s doing?”

Nico shook his head, “Not explicitly. It didn’t look like she’d been crying though so that could mean everybody’s okay. All she said was ‘A little better’ so,” He trailed off, watching amused and Reyna ate dry cereal with a serious expression on her face.

“Don’t judge me, Di Angelo.”

“I’m definitely judging you.”

She shook her head ruefully, “I know you are.”

“So, talking to anybody I need to know about?” She said suddenly.

Nico snorted, “Nope. You?”

She sighed, “Me either.” She slid along the bed until she was laying flat on her back, spilling some of the cereal in the process. “I never have luck with love.”

“Well,” Nico said, taking the box of cereal from her before she could make a bigger mess. “Let’s make a pact. If we’re both single by the time we’re 30 we’ll get married.”

Reyna tried to snatch the box back from him but he held it away from her, “Promise me.”

She sighed, “27?”

“Sure.”

“Great. I can’t wait to marry you.” Her laugh was full of exaggerated pain. “Now give me back my cereal. I’ll kill you.”

“Why do I feel like you're on something or drunk and are just hiding it from me.”

She narrowed her eyes and kept her hand out until he returned the cereal. She smiled like a child and was about to stick her hand back in when her phone started ringing.

She dug it out of her pocket with murder-eyes and murmured a curse before answering, “Hey, Hylla.”

Nico raised his eyebrows in slight concern. Reyna looked like a scolded puppy.

“Yes, Hyl. I know it’s late. Yes. No, I’m running away with the wolves.” She ended drily. “I’ll head home, I promise. No, I’m not lying. I’ll leave soon.”

She looked at Nico once the call ended and wailed dramatically.

“You are drunk aren’t you. You’re not acting like yourself at all.”

“Maybe a little,” She whispered. “I just felt lonely for some reason.”

Nico pursed his lips, “Yeah. I get that. And I’ll drive you home, I’m not letting you drive.”

She smiled and opened her mouth but Nico cut her off, “Yes, you can keep the cereal.”

~~~~~~~~

The next morning Nico came downstairs to breakfast waiting for him. His Dad and step-mother knew that the forced family dynamic where they ate together made him uncomfortable, he’d never had that and it didn’t fit who they were anyway.

But there was a plate of breakfast for him. 

Persephone was sitting on the couch, hands curled around a mug, eyes closed as she soaked in the sunlight in a fashion that was very similar to her plants.

She opened her eyes when he came downstairs and smiled warmly, “The food’s for you. You can take it upstairs if you’d like.”

He nodded thanks and was halfway up the stairs again when she spoke, “You did amazing last night. Really. It was breath-taking.” She was looking at him.

“Thank you,” He turned away, voice hoarse.

When he looked back her eyes were closed again.

~~~~~~~

Nico was sitting at his desk, picking at his half-eaten plate and half-heartedly doing the work he should be paying a lot of attention to when his phone buzzed.

Will Solace: Hey, I know you don’t really know me but I go to the same rink you do. I saw your performance last night, it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.

Immediately Nico clicked on his profile and stifled an actual gasp. It was the cute hockey player who indeed played at the rink. The same hockey player who’d found Nico having a panic attack outside and talked him through it. The same hockey player whose eyes Nico could feel on him when he was skating. The same hockey player that when given the opportunity, Nico couldn’t stop staring at. And he had reached out to Nico, admittedly just to compliment him, but he hadn’t even brought up what had happened outside.

Nico Di Angelo: Thank you. I appreciate it.

Will Solace: Of course, you deserve it.

Nico didn’t know how to respond to that but his thumbs hovered over the small keyboard anyway. He was saved (or damned, depending on how you look at it) when Will messaged again.

Will Solace: I know we’re not supposed to be friends, but do you think we could be? You seem really cool.

Nico froze in the spot and it seemed like he forgot how to breathe. His thumbs hovered again before he exited the chat.

He spun around in his chair, “Pick up.” He whisper-begged, “Pick up please.”

“Hey, Nico! What’s up?”

“Hazel.” He gasped in relief, “Help me.”

“With what?” She asked, her voice going very low.

“I- um. Can you come over? I need you and Reyna.”

“Of course.” She said immediately. “Are you in any imminent danger?”

“What? No.”

“Oh, thank god. I was really worried. I’m coming as soon as possible,” She paused, “I’ll be over in like 15 minutes.”

That was basically how the conversation with Reyna went too, and soon Nico was left in the silence of his room, twiddling his thumbs and waiting for his basically-sisters to help him with his. Guy problem? No. This dude literally said the word friend. Why was this such an issue? He tried to logic this with himself but it didn’t work, he couldn’t respond on his own.

“Nico!” Persephone’s voice carried. “Reyna and Hazel are here!”

“Thanks!” He called back. He was never sure what to call her. Mom didn’t work, that was reserved for his birth-mother, who’d died a long time ago, but calling her Persephone didn’t feel right either, she was too much of his mother for that. Why was he even thinking about this?”

When Hazel and Reyna came into his room, they both looked like they’d fought hell to do it.

“Did you run here or something?” Nico asked. 

“Pretty much,” Reyna said, sitting at the edge of his bed. 

Hazel nodded her agreement and sat on the opposite edge of his bed. “We were worried.”

Looking at them both, he could tell they definitely had been. They’d dropped everything to come help him, and he hadn’t even explained what it was he needed help with. That thing curled around his heart and squeezed.

“It’s okay. Seriously. It’s just,” He trailed off, deciding to just show them. He handed his phone to Hazel first.

Her eyes lit up and she was laughing as she handed the phone to Reyna. “Nico, do you like this guy.”

Nico felt himself go red, “No! I just, I- '' He was so flustered and the way Reyna was looking at him and clucking her tongue like a (somehow) simultaneously proud and disappointed mother hen was not helping.

“This is adorable,” Hazel said finally.

Nico groaned and buried his head in his hands

Reyna nodded her agreement, “Nico, babe.” She and Hazel looked at each other, silently communicating. “This Will guy isn’t even asked you to fuck him or anything,” Hazel went light pink, but it was nothing compared to the flush on Nico’s skin. “He’s asking to be friends, talk to you a little more.”

“I can’t.” Nico said, “He’s a hockey player.”

Reyna shook her head sadly, “I hate that rule.”

“But it’s a rule,” Hazel mumbled.

“When have you not broken rules?” Reyna asked with a pointed stare.

“I can’t handle the ‘scandal’ that would be. The consequences. And besides,” His voice dropped about 8 octaves, “I’m not even out to some of the team yet.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. So,” She handed his phone to him, “You don’t have to block him yet or anything but you just don’t respond.”

Hazel nodded her agreement, and then Nico did too.

Reyna clapped her hands, “Great. Now,” She slid back so she was sitting up against the wall, “We’re all here so let’s just talk about random bull.”

“I like that plan.” Hazel spread herself out on the bed until she was comfortable.

Nico stood up from his desk chair and wormed his way between them. “Me too.”

~~~~~~~~~~

It was two in the morning. Prime time for bad decisions.

Hazel and Reyna had left a while ago, but once they left, he’d finally focused on the work he should be doing, pushing Will and everything out of his mind.

He’d resolved it in his mind, he just wasn’t going to message him back. That was it. The chances of seeing him again, especially without anybody else, were very, very slim. So. It was fine, no worries.

Until the clock hit two AM. Nico was sitting in the dark of his bedroom, staring at his phone. What was he doing? This was such a mistake.

Nico Di Angelo: You seem okay. So, yeah. We can be friends. But, nobody can know. We're not supposed to be able to stand each other.

For some, god-forsaken reason, Will responded only fifteen minutes later.

Will Solace: Thank you? Of course. :)

Nico cursed himself silently. What was he doing? He could get in so much trouble for this. In many different senses of that phrase.

When Will friended him on Snapchat and then sent him an insufferably adorable selfie Nico couldn't bring himself together.

This was a mistake, but this boy had helped him, had thought that his skills in the rink were amazing, and Nico couldn't stop texting him all night.

[mochideleche]

You can’t keep away from fate | CH8

Pairing : Percy jackson x demigod!reader

summary : The daughter of destiny- literally, along with inevitability, compulsion and necessity. Being the child of a primordial goddess doesn’t really assure you a quiet, calm life but when you return to new york after five years of being shipped off to boarding school, your once mundane life says goodbye.

A/N get your feels ready. As always please do comment what you think and any questions, and thank you so much for all the reads and notes, it really does make my day :) Hope you are all keeping safe and I hope you enjoy!

contents page

The next morning you bid your goodbye to percy and annabeth as they set off for the city. It was a bit difficult for you since the last time they parted for the Labyrinth only annabeth had come back. 

“Don’t do anything stupid” You said to percy, hugging him tightly. You didn’t want to let go and you could tell neither did he but time wasn’t exactly on your side. 

“I don’t plan on it” Percy smiled, “I promise i’ll come back alive this time” 

“hahaha”  you replied

You wanted to go with them, you wanted to be there when they needed help. You didn't want anything else to happen to your friends but you were needed back at camp. If luke’s army was able to get through into the camp, you needed to be there to protect it. 

You, Lee and Beckendorf were making your way through the forest towards zeus’ fist to help with reinforcements. 

You stifled a yawn as the three of you walked in comfortable silence. 

“Looks like someone stayed up late last night,” Lee snickered and Beckendorf joined in with his laughing.

“Shut up,” you muttered, considering throwing lee across the forest.

“So has percy finally asked you out yet? Or are we going to have to pretend that you two weren’t totally flirting the minute we found out percy was alive” Beckendorf chuckled and you sent him a scowl.

“I’m joking,” beckendorf chuckled putting up his hands in defence, “although we are pretty used to you two flirting by now” he added and Lee broke put into uncontrollable laughter. 

You knew people teased you about percy but not to this extent. 

“He’s got too many things on his mind right now, ” you stated, your voice tight as you remembered the hard look on percy’s face as he talked about his foreseeable fight with kronos. 

“True, life as a demigod is never easy but you can’t let that get in the way of living how you want” Lee said, lifting his nose up high.

“And where’d you get that one from mr philosopher” Beckendorf chuckled

“As a son of apollo I was going more for mr poet” Lee shrugged, “and if you must know i got it out if this miraculous thing” and he tapped the top of his head.

‘Miraculous alright, i thought you didn’t have one” you snickered and the three of you burst out laughing. 

the trees finally began to thin out and you entered the clearing where zeus’ fist was. The catapult was ready, stocked with newly delivered greek fire and the athena cabin had set up a command tent towards the left. 

You were preparing for war. 

The feeling made you nervous, it was the same feeling as stage fright- wobbly legs, hot flushes and an erratic heart if you thought about it too much. 

You’d fought monsters before, but not a battle. 

...

Percy didn’t want to leave camp but he had a titan army to thwart. just seeing you cry your heart out , it had made him want to cry- and that was saying a lot. And he was a bit guilty to say that it had also made him feel a little bit happy, seeing how much you had missed him. He got angry at himself for causing you so much pain, you didn’t deserve that. 

In the labyrinth he often felt like giving up; feeling the walls close in and feeling that he was no match for immortal monsters who would just regenerate once he killed them. 

But then he’d remember you, and that would cause him to think of all the other things worth living for. 

On the island of ogygia he was conflicted. 

Sure, when he first laid eyes on calypso he thought she was beautiful, but there was just too many similarities; her almond shape eyes, the way her hair flowed down her back and the kind look in her soft gaze reminded percy too much of you. 

In a way you were like a goddess to him, too perfect to be true. Sometimes he wondered if the gods had made a mistake and you actually were born immortal.

He’d lived every day in ogygia with you on his mind, i need to get back to Y/N. 

It was like you were his link to his life back in new york, you were his embodiment of home.

He felt torn between leaving calypso on her own and returning to fight luke but there was no debating when it came to you. 

So when he saw how quiet you became when he mentioned getting marooned on an island, he started to panic. He thought he’d blew it and you would never see him in the same light again. 

how did you even see him anyway? 

He liked how you blushed every time he called you princess, how you tried to hide the smile on your face every time he did something stupid and how you covered you laugh every time he said something sarcastic. 

You were always such a bright light shining in his life and seeing you so sad made percy’s heart break. 

I made her upset, percy thought. 

He cared a lot for you and made a promise to himself, if he’d survive the titan war, he’d tell you how he felt. he didn’t want to cause you any harm so he wanted to wait- see if he actually survived. 

Annabeth turned to percy as if she wanted to say something, then noticed the slight frown on his face and faced her own window on her left side. 

“Will told me how Y/N kept hunting down monsters when we were gone” she started, “he said everyday she’d always be called out of camp to help the cabin who was on scouting duty and when she wasn’t, she was in the forges with beckendorf reinforcing our armoury”  

Percy just blinked, the conversation seemed so out of the blue but he had a dreaded feeling he knew where it was going, “uhm- yeah, she’s a hardworker”

“And when you disappeared, she went over time. She was gone before dawn and only came back after dinner. She came back everyday covered in blood and monster dust- exhausted and almost unconscious. ”

Percy looked over at annabeth and she had her fists clenched, “Annabeth look i’m sorry i didn’t mean to-”

“I know you didn’t mean to!” Annabeth exclaimed, and snapped her head towards percy, giving him a look that could have sent him to tartarus and back five times. percy couldn’t help but back away from her. 

He quickly averted his gaze to the divider where he could see argus looking at them through the rear view mirror with some of his many eyes ( the rest on the road ) but as soon as they made eye contact he shut the divider close. 

Thanks for the moral support, Percy thought. 

“But do you know how much pain you put her in? First you let some mortal girl write her number on you arm, then you die, then you come back from the dead only to say you’ve been having a little vacation with a goddess who is made to fall in love with you and then you go off again only to go running to rachel! ” Annabeth was breathing hard, she seemed really angry.

This only made percy angry too- but he couldn’t help but be slightly confused. 

All this time percy thought annabeth had a crush on him, that’s why she was so worked up over rachel and why she had stormed out when he had said he was marooned on an island. He even thought that annabeth was jealous of Y/N and would treat her coldly, but that was the one thing he didn’t get- the two of them were best friends. 

Now he started to think that it wasn’t percy she had a crush on. 

“Why are you so worked up about this?” Percy asked, his voice rising. he didn’t mean to try and pry on what annabeth was really feeling, but he couldn’t help but attack her back, she was shaming him just like Mr d did and he wasn’t going to let that slide.

Annabeth clenched her jaw and percy thought she was going to explode, “You’re such a seaweed brain!” She shouted, “I see the way you look at her, the stupid way you smile when she’s around and how you try to do even stupider things to get her attention. So why haven’t you told her how you feel?”

Percy opened his mouth to snap something back, but he found no words.

“The second you come back you start flirting with her then you run off again without saying anything! I have no idea what’s going on in that head of yours but if you think for a second that you can play with her heart-” 

Percy felt the heat rising up his chest, “I’m not playing with her!” he shouted.

“Then why do you keep her in the dark!” Annabeth shouted back at the same level percy had and percy froze. There were many reasons why he had held back from telling you how he felt, but he’d never really voiced them out. It made sense it his head and it felt right but now if he needed to explain his reasons to annabeth, he wasn’t so sure. 

But then he remembered the promise he had made to himself, how after they’d finished this- if he survived at all, he would tell you how he felt. but he wanted to keep that to himself, his little secret. 

“Just tell her how you feel damn it!” Annabeth exclaimed, snapping percy out of his inner debate.

And just when percy thought annabeth was going to bite his head off, her shoulders suddenly untensed and she slumped in her seat, tearing her piercing gaze away from percy, “she’s already been in so much pain and she doesn’t deserve to go through any more” 

Percy looked at annabeth, normally after a fight she would keep her guard up for days, but she’d deflated so fast that percy forgot about his anger and worried for his friend. 

“I’ve tried my best to stir her away from you- say that you’re just trouble”

“Thanks” percy scoffed, his anger coming back but he pushed it aside so that he could hear annabeth explain. 

“but i’ve been friends with you for so long now and i know how good hearted you are and how loyal you are to those you care about” annabeth said quietly and she turned to face out the window.

Percy couldn’t help but feel some sort of pride, annabeth rarely complimented him.

“But i swear” she said, a little tightness creeping back into her voice,  “if you break her heart, i won’t hesitate to run my knife through you once all this titan crap if over, you understand?” she said, looking at percy with a hard look.

Percy couldn’t help but smile, annabeth had just given her blessing for percy to ask you out, “yes ma’am”

A ghost of a smile appeared on ananbeth’s face, “you’re such a seaweed brain”

....

Percy and his friends landed just in the middle of the cabins. They saw the battle raging on beneath them and percy dreaded to see it. 

They were out numbered by a lot. There were dracnae, empousa, telkhines, hell hounds and even Kampe- percy had wished they’d seen the last of her. 

Percy rushed forward and jumped straight into battle. 

Even after his fight with Antaeus percy still felt like he could run miles- a perk from being adhd. He slashed, striked and stabbed every time he turned, taking down monster by monster. 

But as he took down another telkhine, he saw a group of dracnae breaking off from the battle and slithering towards the cabins.

“Nico!” percy yelled as the younger boy stabbed another telkhine with his stygian iron sword. 

Nico immediately understood and held out his sword, “serve me”

The ground began to shake and a fissure broke open in front of the dracnae. About a dozen skeleton soldiers, wearing a variety of military uniforms emerged from the ground. One of them shot up, stabbed a dracnae and pounced after another. Nico fell to his knees. 

But before percy could go over and help him, he was knocked to the side by a huge black mass. 

As he tumbled he got a mouth full of fur and as he hit the ground hard, he caught a glimpse of two red eyes and mouth filled with razor sharp fangs, wide open and ready to bite.

Percy’s sword arm was squashed under the hell hounds great paw, he couldn't move- this is it, he thought. 

Then something whooshed past his ear, stabbing the ground next to him and the hound exploded into a cloud of black soot. 

Percy tuned away to shield his eyes from the dust and saw the blood covered, drakon bone sword buried in the ground next to his head. 

He sat up and saw you about twenty feet away, knees bent and arm still up from your throw, mouth slightly parted and a hard look on your face.

gods that was hot. 

Then you suddenly straightened up and scowled at percy, “Get up you idiot!” and you rushed back into the battle- taking down a laistrygonian giant whilst you were at it. 

Percy smiled, i love her. 

But percy didn’t have time to dwell over how pretty you looked killing that empousa or how badass you were when you kicked that demigod in the gut, Kampe was causing a riot and had just crushed the command tent, he needed to take care of that. 

He rushed forward, somehow finding annabeth along the way, “This might be it” percy said, half joking but there was a lot of truth to the statement.

“It was nice fighting with you” annabeth said.

“Ditto” 

And they charged. 

Kampe didn’t seem to see them as a threat, if she did, she didn’t show it. 

Percy and annabeth worked like a team, one distracting her whilst the other aimed for a strike- but kampe just seemed to be able to fight independently with both hands, her animal bearing waist snapping at their hands if they swung too close. 

Then as soon as percy saw an opening, he lunged only to be faced with a snarling face and amused eyes. 

And he was suddenly knocked back and his back hit the ground a second time but he fought to stand up again but it looked like he didn’t need to.

Kampe was preoccupied with someone else. 

“What’s a tiny little girl like you going to do?” she hissed, her clawed hands flexing around her bronze swords. 

In front of her, the only thing keeping her from charging at percy and annabeth, stood you. You too held both your swords at your sides but you stood calm and collected, shoulders relaxed and feet shoulder width apart. 

“I am the daughter of ananke, goddess of destiny- you shall fear me” 

Percy couldn’t see your face but he imagined it was just as pretty as you sent Kampe a death stare. 

But you stood still and did nothing, percy was worried that kampe would charge right at you and run her swords through you but she stood as still as you. It was like the two of you were having some show down until percy noticed the look of horror on kampe’s face. 

He mouth was opened like it was stuck in a scream and her hands dropped her swords and came up to grab her throat. 

Then she exploded in a fine cloud of yellow dust. 

You turned, face full of concern, towards percy and annabeth who stood shocked behind you, but you weren’t looking at them but behind them.

They’d both been so shocked at your “you shall fear me” comment that they became completely unaware of the laistrygonian giant behind them. 

Percy heard you scream, “run!” but his feet didn’t listen. But they didn’t need to. 

A black mass jumped in front of them and knocked the giant aside. 

“Good girl!” Dedalus exclaimed, running past and nodding towards percy. 

Then behind him came the hundred handed giant Briares screaming as he charged along side Mrs O’Leary.

Percy couldn’t help but smile, until he felt a punch on his shoulder. 

“I thought I told you not to do anything stupid!” You exclaimed, “That’s twice i’ve saved your life now-”

Percy kissed you on the cheek. 

You blinked, “okay maybe i’ll let this one slide,” and you turned around and began to walk away slowly, effortlessly swinging your sword out to cut a dracnae in half along the way. 

Annabeth nudged percy, he though she was going to swing her sword through him too but she had a sly smile on her face. 

Suddenly a horrible sound resonated through the air. 

All around him monsters began to drop their weapons and in the midst of looking around him dumbfounded, percy caught a glimpse of grover- his mouth wide open, releasing that horrible sound. 

The army began to fall back, scrambling towards the mound of rocks, but you weren’t going to let them get away that easily. 

As they narrowed down to fit through the fissure- pushing each other back to escape, you lifted up you hands and thrust them forwards.

The ground beneath began to rise, then shift in shape, almost like hands coming up from the earth. Then, the mounds of dirt came up and swallowed the last of the retreating army into the ground. 

If the camp wasn’t shocked before, they were now. 

You let your hands drop, and percy stood in shock at your back. Your long hair flowing down your back, being gently waved in the soft breeze. He noticed a rip in the back of your jeans but other than that there was no injury. 

then you began to fall to the ground. 

And percy rushed forward, arms out ready to catch you. 

...

You and percy sat next to each other by the court. you wouldn’t normally find yourselves sitting there but you just wanted to get away from all the dread that was left on the battle field. 

You sat quietly, trying to take in the loss of Lee, you hadn’t known him for long, but the fact that just hours ago you guys were laughing and joking made it sting even more. 

Percy too sat next to you, carrying the same guilt you had, that you could’ve done more, could’ve been there to save them. 

But in times like this, you knew you had the clearer head. 

You let your hand rest on percy’s and no other words were needed to be said. 

he looked at you, his eyes roaming your face as if he was looking for something, “not a scratch” he whispered, and you were taken a back. 

you opened your mouth to protest but nothing came out resulting in an intake of breath that sounded like a gasp, although there was nothing surprising about the situation to you. 

you turned your head away as if trying to hide the fact you had left the battle completely fine. 

“i saw you talking to nico” 

You let out a sigh of release, at least he’d changed the subject, “yeah, he’s an interesting boy, and it thought maybe if i was able to talk to him-”

“He’d stop pushing everyone away?” percy asked and you nodded. 

“Look, I know you’re like an angel and everything but don’t beat youself up if nico doesn’t decide to stay, he’s experienced a lot” Percy said, as he put his hands behind his head. 

You remembered your long talk with the son of hades. 

After you had woken up and helped around healing campers (much to will’s distaste as he scolded you to rest), you had immediately gone to find him. He was easy to find, sat alone at the edge of the battle ground, near the fissure he had created. You sat down next to him, introduced yourself and encouraged him to do the same. 

you wanted to know this boy’s story, what made him tick, but from what you heard from others that wasn’t going to be easy. 

He wasn’t willing to at first, turning away and telling you to go and help heal others instead, so you decided that you would tell him your story first.

Surprisingly, he had listened and even more surprisingly, he began to open up. 

“i didn’t remember much before westover hall” he began, fiddling with the silver ring on his finger, “All i had was bianca and so when i found out i was apart of this world of myths like my mythomagic game, well- i thought i had found another thing”

“But then she joined the hunters and i felt so abandoned” a hard look came onto his face and you thought that he was going to stop talking then, but he continued, “I wanted to hate her for leaving me so easily but when she went on the quest i couldn’t help but ask Percy to protect her and she died anyways” 

You swallowed hard, no matter how terrifying this kid may seem, he was still a kid. He had his fists clenched, pushing down on his knees that were brought up to rest just below his chin, his jaw clenched, “Bianca was the only one who accepted me and now she’s gone” 

“Nico,” you began and you fought the urge to place a hand on his shoulder, “I know we barely know each other but there’s a reason why i wanted to talk to you” 

The boy turned to you, his eyebrows raised in suspicion, “oh yeah?”

“Because percy, annabeth, grover, and even Thalia- they had talked about you to me all with the same concern. For someone who isn’t accepted, you sure are cared about” you smiled, seeing how he relaxed his shoulders a bit and turned to look at you. 

“You’ve met Thalia too huh?” Nico asked and you nodded. 

“During the time i went back to europe the hunters had taken a little trip to france and invited me along, I met her there and she asked me to join the hunters” you shrugged, remembering the daughter of zeus with short choppy black hair and startling blue eyes. 

You glanced over at nico who was staring at you with admiration, “you were invited to hunt with them, offered immortality and you said no?” 

You shrugged again “They'd offered me a place before back when i was on olympus, but i declined” 

Nico looked at you with scrunched eyebrows, as if he was trying to see what made you tick. 

“You may think that you don’t belong nico, but the people who care about you say otherwise” and you turned to look at the campers behind you and nico followed your gaze, “everyone here has gone through some terrible things, perhaps some not as much as others but it’s something that not every average mortal goes through. If there’s anyone who would have the least bit of understanding, it would be the people here. Yeah sure they may have their flaws, some may judge, but doesn’t everyone? even gods aren’t immune to prejudice. you need to start seeing these people as your allies, friends, perhaps even family and not as your enemies” 

“And they can’t start seeing how great of a person you are if you keep yourself away” you said slowly, seeing how far the kid would let you push until he exploded and ran away again. 

You saw him unclench and reclench his fists, he was thinking of what to say, maybe thinking how far he could run until you caught him. 

You had to kill the blow of your last statement, make it relatable, “I understand if what i’m saying sounds like complete centaur poop like i said, i haven’t known you for long and we’ve only just met but what i said about those who have known you for long, it’s true, they care about you” 

“they don’t care” nico spat out.

“Oh really? you said, “then why on earth did they insist on saving you then?” 

Nico looked away, “it was a stupid decision”

“Because they care, they want you here in camp half blood” 

You paused for a while, you thought you had blown it because nico straightened his posture as if to stand but he stayed seated, “I- i can’t stay” 

You nodded, “Okay, though i must admit for someone who’s new to this demigod stuff you’re rather diligent and resourceful when it comes to lone wolfing,” you smiled as you saw the boy raise his eyebrows, “and if you ever need a place to come back to, well camp’s always ready to accept you and if you don’t want to stay here,” 

You took a key out of your pocket and held it out to the boy, “i have a flat in brooklyn. I know you may not want my help or my pity and i respect that but it won’t do any good if you’re out there by yourself surviving in the wild. and if you refuse to stay at camp half blood, fine- but please, take the keys, and if you ever need a place to stay, go there” 

The boy looked at the keys in your hand, his eyes wide and mouth open in shock, “I don’t want-”

“Nico, I know i don’t know you, heck, I know you feel like nobody does, but-”

You words got caught in your mouth, you knew saying that you pitied him or felt sorry for him would just push him away even more. 

“There was a lot of people i couldn’t help today,” you said, the words coming out quietly, “And to be quite honest with you i wouldn’t be helping the gods at all if the world wasn’t at stake- they shouldn’t be letting their children take care of their matters” 

If your kind words won’t working then you would have to turn to your bitterness. 

“But i’ve learnt that if you hang onto your regret and hold grudges, you’ll only make things worse for yourself. It may be hard to let go but if you keep pushing yourself away things will only get harder. I get it, you may have not felt accepted in the past and have been through stuff that makes you think you’ll never fit in and i won’t try to pretend that i can completely understand what you’re going through. But i can’t stand to see another person lose themselves to hatred and bitterness, so if i can help you, that’s still something isn’t it?” 

Nico stared at you, his expression confused and interlaced with a slight scowl as if to say, are you being serious? 

“So if you won’t accept my help for yourself, then do it as a favour for me” 

He stared at you, the confused expression melting away along with the slight scowl. His face shifted into look that made him seem dumbfounded and impressed.

He plucked the keys of of your hand gingerly as if he was still deciding wether to take them or not, “what you did on the field, that was some powerful energy you radiated, how come you haven’t disintegrated?”  

You couldn’t help but laugh, “i guess i’m too stubborn to. But i could say the same for you, that raising of the dead trick was very impressive” 

You thought you imagined it, but a little smile appeared on the boy’s face, “thanks” 

“He’ll be okay” you said suddenly and percy turned to you,

“What?” 

“I have a feeling he’s going to be more open now” you said reassuringly with a knowing smile on your face.

“What does that mean?” percy said then his eyes narrowed and looked at you suspiciously, “what did you say to him?” 

You shrugged, “what i said to nico stays between me and nico” 

“Okay, i won’t question it miss ‘you shall fear me’ ”

you punched percy, “shut up”

“I’m sorry, i’m sorry” he said, rubbing his arm where you had hit him, “what did you do to kampe anyways?”

“I squashed her lungs” you said simply, taking both your hands and pressing them together like you were praying to help picture your explanation.

“You- you what?” Percy sputtered and you looked at him, your head tilted.

“You don't get it? Want me to demonstrate?” 

“No no no no- i get it now, a hundred percent” Percy smiled anxiously and waving his hands in front of him. 

You smiled smugly and leaned back against the bench, “idiot” 

“A concerned idiot,” Percy said, his voice now returning to a serious tone “Will told me how you were over doing it with your powers, when you collapsed i was so worried-” 

You put your finger to his lips, “im fine- what you don’t think i can handle a little-”

“Y/N i’m beingg serious” percy said sternly and you lowered your hand.

“Percy, i’m fine, just needs a little getting used to, okay?” You said as sweetly as you could to shake percy off your case, but you were very touched by how much he cared. 

He nodded his head, “If you say so”

“I do say so,” you stated, causing a smile to form on his face. His sea green eyes turning towards you and smiling, 

“Of course, princess” 

...

Normally you could control your dreams. This time you weren’t so lucky. 

You found yourself back in your palace on olympus, with its ivory walls, golden furniture and constant glow as if it had just been scrubbed clean- the generic layout for an olympian house hold. 

You were sitting at the dining room and was surrounded by your nymph maids who were clearing away breakfast. They didn’t say anything but smiled as they continued wiping down the table and taking the plates where your unfinished food sat untouched. 

“You really must eat more” a young nymph who came up beside you. She was young looking, about 19? but she was probably about 100 years old. She had long flowing hair as if there was a breeze pushing it back and freckles dotted her face, crinkling together as she smiled at you.

“I’m not hungry” you said, and you became aware of the concerned faces of the other servant nymphs in the room.

“You need to eat!” the nymph insisted, sending you playful reproachful look, “otherwise you won’t grow!” 

She was true about that part, you had been a little bit on the shorter side with your height as you grew up. 

Suddenly you stood up from the table, pushing back the golden chair you were sitting on, the nymphs face turned into horror as she backed away from you. 

Alll around you the golden haze that seemed to always brighten the room in an eternal golden hour dampened, the room tinged with a sickly green instead. 

You remembered the day quite vaguely and the memory had almost slipped out of your mind. But you did remember how terrified the experience has left you but it happened so long ago that it almost felt like you had read it in a book, like the event hadn’t happed to you.  

You hadn’t dreamed about this once since it had happened. normally you’d dream about reoccurring things and you’d be able to change something distressful into something less frightening but now you could only watch in horror as the scene unfolded. 

The green tinge had turned out to be radiating from you. You looked down only to see a thick mist swirling around you like a snake closing in on your prey. You felt the same as you had on the day it happened - petrified. even though you knew exactly what happened, you still got the same shivers sent down your spine. 

You felt your jaw unhinge and despite wanting to try again to change the course of your dream and trying to keep it shut, it pried open as if you weren’t doing your best to clench your mouth closed.

The same green mist poured out from your mouth, further filling the room with the sickly shade of green.

You mouth was opened but no scream came out instead your vocal chords began moving on their own- at least you thought they did. A voice ringed out through your body, 

“Seven halfblooded shall answer the call, to storm or fire the world must fall” 

You tried to release a cry, but you just began to choke on your own breath- still the voice continued

“an oath to keep with a final breath”

You couldn’t hear much against the pounding of your own heart but you saw clearly the rushing nymphs who tried to aid you but couldn’t seem to penetrate through the mist, satrys who ran out of the room, shouting for help, their faces laced with concern and fright as they glanced back at your body.

You hated to see them like this, servants- no, family who watched you grow up, you took care of you who taught you everything you knew, crying and paralysed with horror as they watched you be possessed by the spirit of the oracle of delphi. 

You continued to choke on air but you weren’t control of your own body anymore.

“And foes bear arms to the doors of death”

Enough.

You snapped awake, sitting up in a cold sweat and breathing hard as if you actually had been choking. 

You brought your hand to your mouth to cover it, shocked with how vivid that dream was. 

How your brain had unlocked that almost forgotten memory, you didn’t know. 

Then you blinked, closing your eyes for just a second, but you couldn’t open them again.

and then you felt yourself being sucked back into your dreams. 

You were again in the olympian palace of your childhood, but this time the golden haze was back and the mist was gone. But that was the least of your problems. 

You played sprawled on the floor, you felt the cool marble against you back and watched as worried faces of nymphs and satrys popped into your view, “Lady Y/N are you okay?” 

“I- I’m-’ you began, still trying to catch your breath, but a voice interrupted.

“No one shall speak of this” the voice stated, calm and collected for someone whose daughter was just possessed. 

The satrys and nymphs disappeared from your view and you were helped into a sitting position. 

Standing in front of you was your mother, she looked angry but a type of anger that spurred on worries. There were deep lines etched between her brows, which made no sense since your mother didn’t look a day over 25. 

She was a tall woman with long dark hair that was let loose to hang around her shoulders. She had an elegant face, pointed chin and high cheekbones which worked together to make her look highly intimidating yet extremely beautiful. Her slim figure was dressed in a loose silk dress that rested around her ankles and against the sunlight shining through the doorway she looked like, well- a goddess. 

But this was ruined by the way she stared at you. Eyes narrowed and looking hard into your soul as if somehow it was your fault you were encapsulated by green mist. 

She walked towards you and you didn’t find the strength to get up. She knelt down beside you, her dress pooling around her like a mini whirlpool of fabric, “are you alright? do you remember what you said?” 

the ‘are you alright?’ made sense, the ‘do you remember what you said?’ absolutely did not. 

You nodded your head, “seven half bloods-”

You mother shook her head, “no need to recite” she said kindly but you could tell that this bothered her. 

It hadn’t occurred to you then how you remembered what you had said, the only thing you were aware about was your own internal screaming. The first time you had actually heard the words clearly was in your dream and yet you still didn’t fully memorise the lines. 

“i’m afraid this is more graver than we thought” your mother began a look of grimace passing over her face. You didn’t know if it was the fact that she no longer was basked in the sunlight but she seemed to age as she scanned your face.

You couldn’t take it, just seeing your mother had made you far too emotional already, but seeing her worried and anxious seemed to just push you to breaking point. 

So you put all your will power into tearing away from that dream, it’s all in my head it’s all in my head.

you forced your eyes open causing your body to finally snap back into reality and grab ahold of itself. 

Your were still sat up in the position you left in, a layer of blankets around and the weak rays of morning sun shining through your curtained window. Sunrise? but you were pretty sure you had gone back into your dream when it was still pitch black in your room but you swear you had only dreamed for only a few minutes. 

shakily, you brought your head up to look at the ceiling. Somewhere, three floors above you was the mummified body of the oracle which held the green mist that had possessed you ten years ago. You were terrified. 

...

Percy thought he deserved a little bit of happiness. But alas, nothing could ever go in his favour. 

Yesterday, at the counsellors meeting they held, the subject about the many demigods luke had recruited came up and that led to very colourful argument between you and percy. 

“I agree, the numbers of demigods were very disturbing” chiron said, resting his elbows on the arms of his wheelchair, “and how luke had gotten his hands on so many, i cannot say” 

“Well we know where he got some of them,“ Michael Yew the newly appointed head counsellor of apollo said under his breath but it was clear that he had wanted everyone to hear. 

Across the table clarisse scowled, “You want to say that a bit louder?” and she made her way to stand up but silena held her down. 

By now word of chris rodriguez’s return had gone around camp. he was a demigod who had joined luke’s army but had been found in the labyrinth driven to insanity and then healed by Dionysus. He was reaccepted back into camp and no one had really objected against the notion- especially since he was clarisse’s boyfriend. 

“moving on,” chiron interjected, looking reproachfully at michael who was now in a stare down with connor and travis stoll, “I believe that luke must be actively seeking recruits, especially those who had not yet been introduced to their demigod lives. Our protecters are doing their best to keep the demigods away from the titan army but that is all they can do lest they are attacked or worse, have their own demigods turned against them”

“Isn’t there anything else we can do?” percy questioned, he remembered ethan nakamura, a demigod he had met in the labyrinth and did not have the heart to kill. Yet he had stabbed percy in the back and had been the final part in awakening kronos. He didn’t want any other demigods to be brainwashed and forced to lay down their lives for an evil cause. 

Chiron looked grimly at the counsellors, “I’m afraid our protecters are already spread out thin, especially now with grovers newly found mission to protect the wild on pan’s orders, there isn’t much we can do” 

“But there has to be!” percy complained, “Luke’s manipulating kids as young as 7 to fight for kronos, and we’ll have no choice but to fight against them. Can’t we send campers to help the protecters?” 

Chiron nodded, “I understand that percy but our numbers are already extremely low. And i do not want to be pessimistic but if we are to fight against kronos we are not in the best shape. we need everyone at camp half blood training and preparing, we can’t afford to send anyone away” 

Percy was filled with anger yet he completely saw where chiron was coming from. He opened his mouth to argue back- even though he knew he couldn’t win against chiron but you spoke up instead. 

“How about if I go?” you suggested politely and the whole table turned their heads to you, “I have a pretty good sense for demigods, and monsters as well. And I’ll be able to bring them to camp half blood and maybe find satrys and bring them back with their demigods too” 

Chiron paused for a second, considering this before speaking up, “that is a very brave suggestion, Y/N but it is far too risky-”

“I can do it,” you interrupted, the polite smile on your face disappeared and was replaced with a determined look, “I’ll bring back as many demigods I can” 

Percy stared at you dumbfounded, he wanted nothing more but for chiron to shut you down and tell you that you weren’t leaving camp on your own. 

It had been him who had suggested the idea in the first place, but he didn’t think that you would offer to go out scouting on your own. 

“she’s right!” Beckendorf spoke up,“ if there’s anyone at camp who could do it it’s Y/N” 

You sent a warm smile of thanks to beckendorf and percy sent him a death glare.

“Yeah, I must say if there’s anyone who can afford to miss training, it’s Y/N” clarisse supported and Percy started to panic as a wave of agreeing murmur echoed around the room.

“Then it’s decided, Y/N can go out and look for demigods-”

“No!” Percy stood up and the whole room stared at him in shock.

“No?” you questioned, slight amusement in your voice, “percy it was you who suggested-”

“I know” percy said, his voice tight, “but what I suggested is that multiple campers go”

You too stood up, your brow furrowed and your jaw set in a challenging look, “yeah but what difference does it make? Satyrs go out to find demigods by themselves, i’m just doing what they do” 

Percy had to fight to keep standing up, you’d never looked so angry and the fact that you kept your voice calm scared him even more, “Yeah but you’re a demigod out there by yourself, you’ll fall right into lukes hands!” 

“Oh so you think i can’t handle it?” you said slowly.

“I didn’t say that!” percy exclaimed, his voice raising.

“Really? because it sounded like you meant that” 

The rest of the counsellors and chiron had gone silent, their heads kept going back and forth between you and percy like they were watching an intense tennis match. 

“Well it wasn’t what i meant, what i’m saying is that this is a bad idea and you shouldn’t go-” 

“Don’t tell me what to do!” you shouted, and the whole room made a collective gasp, nobody had ever seen you lose your cool before and it was extremely frightening.

“don’t you dare for a second think you can order me around” you said quietly, clipping every syllable so that each word felt like a stab to percy’s heart. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Percy scoffed, the way you were flexing your hand as if wishing you could strangle him provoking him even more, “no matter how powerful you may be you can’t go out there by yourself” 

“Why can’t i percy?” you questioned and you sounded as if you could laugh, “if it was any other camper you wouldn’t be so defensive about it would you? you’d even jump at the chance to do the job yourself so why in the world does it concern you when it’s me?!” you voice rising again, your hands still in the position of when you had gestured to yourself. 

Percy stood there staring at you. He didn’t know what to say, what could he say? “because i don’t want the girl i like to go on a dangerous mission and risk her life before i get the chance to tell her how i feel that’s why”. He couldn’t even bring himself to speak because of the way you were staring at him with your eyes locked on him, narrowed. you were fuming, percy was surprised you hadn’t crushed his lungs yet. 

Even for someone your height you were without a doubt the most intimidating person in the room at that moment. And that included beckendorf who was the biggest guy in camp and the same height as you sitting down and clarisse who had her army boots resting on the table and was sharpening her pocket knife. 

Suddenly you turned to chiron, “when can i leave?” 

Percy let his mouth fall open, you were leaving just like that? 

Chiron looked at percy before answering you with a tired voice, “you can leave at sunrise tomorrow, i’ll have argus drive you to the city”

You nodded once, “Thank you, may i please be excused?” 

Chiron blinked his eyes slowly and nodded. You left the room with one fleeting hurt gaze at percy. And with that the guilt came crashing down on him. 

Annabeth sent percy a ‘you only had to go and do it’ look and stood up, “Chiron can i-” 

“Go” chiron said without hesitation and annabeth rushed out of the room. 

The room was silent for a while as chiron wheeled his wheelchair to the side to pour himself a glass of water. 

Nobody knew what to say, they just all stared at the door you had left through and avoided looking at percy. 

“You messed up big time man” Connor snickered, and katie gardener punched him. 

Percy sat back down in his seat, “She hates me” 

“You got that right” travis added, who too, receive a punch from katie. 

Later percy was hoping to see you at dinner, but you weren’t there. In fact, he hadn’t seen you all day, nobody had except for annabeth- of course, since you had locked yourself in your room “preparing” for your leave. 

Percy felt guilty, he didn’t mean for it to come out like that. But when you put him on the spot, asking him why he cared, he couldn’t have possibly just said why. 

“Hey percy!” 

Percy turned around, and found annabeth running towards him, oh my gods she's going to kill me.

“Annabeth I didn’t mean-”

She put her hand up, “I know, you had good intentions and i honestly i would’ve done the same”

Percy felt himself release a sigh of relief, so it looks like he wasn’t going to get a serving of knife in the gut. 

“But it’s the right choice, there are other demigods lives at risk here too, and Y/N our best choice for preventing that. Don’t worry so much, she’ll be fine” Annabeth reassured as her and percy made their way to the cabins. 

Percy looked over at the big house, he could see the lights in your room were on, “Is she still-”

“angry at you?” annabeth finished and percy nodded sheepishly, “she still kind of is. I don’t know what she was expecting though, a love confession? I think she was just more angry at the fact that you’d let anyone else go but not her” 

Percy sputtered, “no- uhm but, yeah but it’s only because-”

“Don’t worry, i know” Annabeth patted percy on the shoulder condescendingly, “but you should really go see her off tomorrow though” 

“I was planning on that already,” Percy said.

He had imagined of what you might say or more like what you might not. You might just ignore him completely and he’d look like a total loser or dead if he’d angered you enough. 

So the next morning at sunrise percy made his way to the top of half blood hill. Others had come to see you off at the big house where everyone was supposed to say goodbye, but percy didn’t exactly want your little ‘make amends session’ to be witnessed by everyone. 

He just hoped you hadn’t left yet. 

He could still sense you though, over time you had gotten better at hiding your radiance- how? percy didn’t know. But whenever you were close by he could just feel your presence. And he could feel your presence getting stronger as he approached the top of the hill. 

When he got there you stood leaning on one leg and arms folded, giving percy one of your stoic expressions. 

“I uh-” percy halted to a stop and suddenly was at a lost of words. 

He had expected to shout you name dramatically and have you spin around and face him in shock and then you’d run up to him and give him a hug, because he had come to see you off in the end. He didn’t expect for you to expect him and catch him off guard. 

“Uh, hi?” Percy tried and it took a good second before you finally gave him a response- a raised eyebrow but that was better than blasting percy of the hill. 

Percy took in a deep breath, “Y/N i’m really sorry for what i said yesterday it’s just, i don’t want you getting hurt okay? If something were to happen to you-” but percy faltered as he saw you smiling.

“You’re forgiven, but i wasn’t really that mad in the first place” you said softly and percy took this as a sign that he could walk closer to you. 

“And i’m sorry too” you said, “i shouldn’t have shouted back” 

percy laughed, “it’s okay” 

Percy’s laughing died out and the two of you stood just looking at the view. Despite standing so close, the two of you said nothing. It was just like the last time you had left camp, nothing had changed- it was something about half blood hill that made the two of you to not know how to say goodbye. 

“Just let me go with you” percy asked abruptly as he turned his body to look at you. 

You were taken by surprise but as always the emotion faded to that kind stoic face of yours, “percy, you have bigger things to worry about” 

Percy cursed to himself, why did his stupid fate always have to get in the way of things? He was extremely tempted right now to say screw bigger things, and just run off with you to find demigods, fight monsters- he didn’t care what the two of you did, as long as he was with you. 

BEEP.

The sound made percy jump and he spun around to see the white van that argus was waiting for you in, 

“I’d better go,” you said in panic and started walking away, “I guess i’ll see you later percy” 

Percy knew you were only acting so casual, as if you were going to be back that night, because you were scared that there was a possibility that you weren’t going to see him again.

You had always been an optimistic person and always tried to pretend that everything was going to be okay. “if you act like things are going to be alright then they will”  You always used to say to percy, since you said he was such a pessimist. 

So it made perfect sense to percy that you didn’t make this seem like your last goodbye. 

Percy hated it to be like this but he knew time wasn’t on your side, and he stood shocked and not knowing what to do as he watched you begin to walk away from him. 

Maybe it’s for the best, he thought and turned around to make his own way back to camp before he could run after you, whisk you up in his arms and lock you away from harm. 

“Percy!” 

He looked over his shoulder and was slammed into by you that the force nearly caused the both of you to tumble down the hill. 

The second he felt your arms around him he hugged you back, tighter. Percy felt his heart beating faster- it was already beating fast but it was only now he noticed it, as you pressed into his body and tugged at the fabric at the back of his hoodie. 

When you looked up at him you eyes were tearing up, “I’ll miss you, a lot” 

“I’ll miss you too princess” percy grinned. 

he almost let out a growl of frustration, the two of you could have had the whole of yesterday to spend with each other, but because of your argument he was only getting these last few seconds with you to say goodbye. 

“Don’t do anything-” you started, you voice cracking sightly but you were cut off.

Percy took a hold of the side of your face and place his lips on yours.

At first, percy was worried, he didn’t mean to kiss you without your permission and he was about to pull away and start profusely apologising, but you kissed him back. 

Then percy smiled into the kiss, he almost couldn’t carry on from how big he was grinning. 

He finally pulled back looking at your pretty face, for all he knew, for the last time, “stupid?” he smirked, “yeah, wasn’t planning on it” 

A smile cracked across your face, “idiot” 

Percy laughed as he finally let you go. 

BEEP.

You looked over you shoulder at the car at the road, argus was probably really annoyed at how long you were taking. 

You then looked at percy with a soft gaze and a kind smile, “Goodbye percy jackson” and you began walking backwards towards the road. 

“See you later princess,” percy chuckled, lifting his hand to give you a wave. 

And at that moment he saw your smile falter, it was like watching a tank filled to the brim with water crack. 

but before he could see anything else, you spun around and ran down half blood hill. 

And with an arrow in his heart, percy watched you race down towards the road, knowing very well that this could be the last time he would see the daughter of ananke again. 

[jisungjuice]

fire has no shadow, but you have me

Leo is not hiding this personal moment with a mask of light-hearted comments or jokes. So Nico won't shy away from it, either.

"I'm glad you want to come back." He summons courage harder than it takes him to summon an army of skeletons, and he leans his head on Leo's shoulder.

They remain like that for a while, Leo's hand covering his and Nico's head resting on Leo, and Nico had never felt so safe outside of camp and he wonders if it can last.

It starts with a blinding flash of light. And at this point, Nico has seen enough of those to know that it can't be anything good.

And he couldn't be less prepared for it. He was just lying on the grass under the sun, getting more vitamin D on doctor's orders.

And of course, his doctor is right there next to him. Will insists Nico needs more sun, and Nico begrudgingly agrees because at least his skin color is returning to normal and he sleeps better at night. Not well, but better.

He feels warm and drowsy while Will's voice fills the silence by talking about music and bands. Nico hasn't really had time to listen to music in the last… decade. But he appreciates Will's suggestions, however disconcerting they may be.

And then he feels it. The sun's getting hotter, which doesn't make sense since it was supposed to be going down soon, and when he opens his eyes, it's there.

His senses heighten, every nerve suddenly into overdrive, and Will is already on his feet, hauling him up and dragging him away.

But it's too late, Nico thinks. It's coming way too fast.

He still runs, but not for long before the crash is heard. It's not as big as he imagined. It's not Armageddon, it's not the end of the world, but it is something.

Nico spins around, making Will stumble, but he's glad he did because he immediately recognizes something that makes his heart thud painfully.

A bronze wing.

He breaks free from Will's grip and runs back towards the mess of fire that's still burning in a big pile. Will yells out his name but then he and some others are right behind him, slow realization dawning on all the campers.

Even among the flames and smoke, Nico can see the broken-down body of Festus the dragon.

"Where's Leo?" Will asks and Nico was thinking the same thing but with each passing second his heart sinks more and more. Leo's fireproof, his mind supplies, and still the fear that he might have burnt to a crisp seems far more real.

Nico looks around wildly. "Can't anyone summon water?! Where's fucking Percy Jackson when you need him?!"

Everyone seems to click into motion, moving around to help. Nico focuses back on the fire. Perhaps he can make a hole on the earth below and pull Leo out?

He tries to feel the presence and a more sinister thought enters his mind. Maybe he was never alive. Maybe Festus just brought Leo's body here.

The fire is receding a bit, but it's still hard to see beyond the flames and reflective bronze. A moment later, three different people shout to make room. From the right, Chris Rodríguez and a bunch of dryads are bringing in buckets of water from the lake. From the left, Leo's siblings from the Hephaestus cabin are running with Harley at the front, all dressed up in a full metal welding suit that the others are still trying to attach to him.

And then, from very far away there's Paolo Montes waving a hose.

Harley gets there first, and he would have thrown himself on the fire if Nyssa Barrera hadn't stopped him.

"Wait! The suit is not sealed yet!"

And then it came. Nico gasps and almost stumbles backwards with the force of it and everyone looks at him, alarmed.

But Nico's eyes are fixed on the blazing heat.

The metal rumbles and pieces fall to the floor, and from the very center of Festus' belly, Leo Valdez's head pops up, his hair wild and moving along with the flames.

He looks around at the dozens of shocked faces and finally settles for a toothy grin.

"Hello. Bit hot today, no?"

This time Will had to stop Nico from jumping into the fire and slapping Leo in the face.

.

Nico had been spending some of his time hanging out in the infirmary since Will was there a lot, teaching healing practices to other campers because, in his words 'With the number of dangerous situations demigods get into, the Apollo cabin can't be the only ones who know basic first aid.'

And now he was there a lot because he was in charge of organising the queue to punch Leo and Leo was there getting patched up.

He had never been very close to Leo. At least not the way he was close to Hazel or even Percy at some point. But over their time aboard the Argo II, they had at least shared some kind of kinship a few times, especially when Nico realized how much of a seventh wheel Leo had been feeling, and how similar that was to how Nico himself felt in that ship. An eight wheel, to be precise.

And by Gods, did Nico want to hate him. He was insufferably obnoxious, always cracking stupid jokes, and with no shame whatsoever. Nico's worst nightmare.

Until Nico saw through all that for what it really was; Leo's way of keeping people at bay. Diametrically opposed to Nico's way, but a way nonetheless.

Plus, a few times Nico had walked in on Leo sleeping curled up next to the engine and it was hard to hate him after that.

"What happened to Calypso?" Nico asks one morning after the first shift of punchers. Leo had just finished explaining everything he went through, the physician's cure, the trip to Ogygia, rescuing the forgotten sorceress.

His face reddens somewhat. "I dropped her off inland in Europe. I think it was Croatia. She um… She wanted to see the world."

Nico doesn't want to push it if Leo's reluctant to discuss it but he had imagined that after all of that he and Calypso would be together.

Leo shrugs and then winces as his left shoulder is still injured from the fall. His skin was thankfully all untouched thanks to his abilities but his clothes all turned to ashes. That was the most awkward part of the rescue. "I get it. She was tied to that island for thousands of years, I can't blame her for wanting to be free and not tied to something or someone else now." He sounds sad, but also braver than Nico had ever seen him. "I promised to rescue her and I'm glad I did."

Nico nodded. He raised his hand, planning to pat Leo's shoulder but regretting it at the last second and landing awkwardly on the pillow next to him. "That's the demigod life."

Leo smiles one of his huge smiles and nudges Nico's hand with his shoulder. "That, and catapulting annoying augurs up in the sky. Tell me again how you launched Octavian up to meet me."

Nico rolls his eyes. "I didn't launch him."

.

Since communication was still down on all fronts, Leo couldn't let anyone at Camp Jupiter know that he hadn't actually died, so he decided to just make the journey.

Him and a few other campers sat at a table trying to figure out the best method to get him there.

"Festus would take at least a month to rebuild again," Leo sighs, genuinely depressed about the topic. "I can't let the others wait that long for Admiral Valdez's resurrection."

Everyone groans. Leo had been bragging for days about how he was basically the modern version of Jesus of Nazareth.

"What about a jetpack? My design is nearly ready!" Harley exclaims excitedly.

Leo ruffles Harley's hair. "Oh Harley, I'd rather let Zeus zoom me halfway across the globe again. I saw your designs and I think fuel tanks like those would send me on my way to an explosion even I couldn't survive."

"You could take a bus?" Kayla says. "Cheaper than an airplane."

"I will take you."

It almost takes Nico a second to realize the words came out of his mouth, especially when they all look at him like that.

"Nico, are you sure that's a good idea?" Will asks, his golden eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"I shadow-travelled from Europe with a ten-foot statue and two others. I think I can handle Leo from here to California."

"I feel like that was a jab at my stature," Leo says into the silence.

Nico smirks.

.

The Hephaestus cabin organized a congratulations-for-not-being-dead/going-away campfire for Leo. Nico usually didn't attend campfires, but Will had dragged him to a couple and this one seemed to be more up his alley, with less corny songs and more people making fun of Leo.

Plus, Pollux had appeared with a few bottles of homemade wine and the results were entertaining.

Will was, no surprise, a very touchy drunk, which made Nico uncomfortable but not as much as he would have thought. He lets Will rest his head on his shoulder when he says that the world is spinning.

Leo chugs more wine and tells another joke and people laugh harder even though it makes no sense, and that's when Sherman Yang decides they've all had too much.

"Okay, let's pack it up, people. Leo has a long day tomorrow and we all have target practice."

Some groan, a few giggle, most don't react and just let themselves be dragged away after patting Leo on the back and wishing him luck.

No one tells Leo to leave, perhaps because after helping defeat Gaia, coming back from the dead, rescuing an unrescuable ancient sorceress and then surviving yet another explosion, no one felt like they had much authority over him.

Will, held by Kayla on one side, turns around to look at Nico. "Are you coming?"

Nico looks over at Leo, who chooses that moment to fall backwards from his log. "I think I'll stay and make sure he doesn't die."

Will smiles crookedly. "Aw, you're taking care of someone. I've taught you well."

"Shut up."

Leo manages to sit up and realizes he and Nico are alone, the fire slowly dying between them. "Are you cold? I can make more fire."

He opens his palms towards the flames but Nico rushes over and stops him. "No no. Don't drink and summon fire. Didn't you see the safety video on your first day here? Dionysus had a whole section about wine safety."

Leo snorts a laugh. "No. When I arrived everything was very rushed. I never met Mr. D"

Nico nods. Leo must have heard that name from Percy. Nico wonders if Percy got the letter they sent telling him that Leo was alive. It was Will's idea to use regular mortal mail, but even being in the same estate as Percy wouldn't guarantee that he'll receive the letter. Strange things happened to demigods' correspondence in the postal service.

"You know, this is the first time I drink wine." Leo waves his plastic cup, stained burgundy.

"Really?" Nico asks. "Not even sips as a kid?"

Leo shakes his head and his curls move with it. "Mexican moms don't really believe in that."

Nico had been drinking wine since he was very young. "I always used to have dinner with my family."

"Maybe that's why you're not drunk."

"Or maybe because I'm not eighty pounds and had ten glasses"

"Hey!" Leo protests and then he is silent as he sizes Nico up with a look that makes Nico wish he could blend in with the shadows. "How are you already taller than me? It's not fair."

That makes Nico smile. "Get used to it, Valdez."

They stay in silence for a while longer, which must be a record coming from Leo. He pulls out a small device from his pocket and starts to tinker with it, not even looking at it. He seems thoughtful, as though he's trying to figure out a different device than the one in his hands.

"I heard something from Drew yesterday," Leo says, a little too quiet to be the start of a joke. Nico's heart starts racing. He knew people would talk, and he knew Leo and all his friends would find out eventually, but he never thought Leo would want to talk to him about it.

He presents Nico with his closed fist as if he wanted Nico to bump it and Nico can only frown.

"This is for telling Percy he isn't your type. What a boss move."

It takes a second, but Nico throws his head back and laughs. The first time he's properly laughed in a long time, but it just takes him completely by surprise that this is what Leo has to say on the subject.

He bumps Leo's fist as his laughter dies down and he shakes his head in disbelief.

Leo can't seem to stop smiling, but in this drunk, lazy way that makes him seem a bit more down to earth.

This isn't a mask, Nico thinks.

Leo sways and his shoulder grazes Nico's. "If it makes you feel any better, I get it. Like, who hasn't thought Percy's hot? Like, objectively, you know? They're tall and conventionally attractive and stupidly heroic-"

"They?" Nico asks, not really wanting to interrupt Leo's tirade but confused by his wording.

"Percy and Jason. Everyone has crushes on them, right? And you kind of want to hate them because like, shit man, you look like that and you fly, and you're ridiculously friendly and like noble and stuff? Just stop it. You know? But you can't hate them because they're really nice to you and they don't deserve it. But it's nothing to be ashamed of, you know?"

Nico blinks a few times, Leo's confession of basically having a crush on Jason in particular, hitting him like an electrical shock that left him short-circuited. If Leo was sober he probably wouldn't have said anything, so Nico wonders if he should feel bad for letting Leo say something so personal in this state of vulnerability.

But he doesn't. Because it's the first time someone tells him they understand him and actually give reasons and examples why, not just an empty attempt at empathy. He hopes Leo doesn't regret telling him this.

"They are so stupidly noble. I hate that," Nico says.

Leo stands up on wobbly legs. "Oh look at me I'm the son of a famous, powerful God and I can control the elements and I have light-colored eyes and a dreamy smile. Who am I?"

Nico has to laugh again because Leo is pulling a full-on performance pretending to fly like Jason or raise the sea like Percy and it makes Nico feel lighter than he has in probably years. He can laugh about it now. He can let it go.

Leo stumbles around the fire and even though he'd be fine if he falls in, it still doesn't seem right to let him, so Nico grabs his arm and pulls him away from the danger zone as they both keep laughing.

They sit back down and their knees knock together and Nico doesn't mind.

"Some of that could also describe you," Leo says breathlessly. "Son of a major God. Powerful."

Nico nudges Leo with his arm in acknowledgement. "And you. You can control the elements." He nods towards the fire.

Leo seems relaxed in a way he hadn't seemed to be since he came back.

They remain like that for a while longer, watching the flames get smaller and sitting in comfortable silence. Nico's favorite kind of silence.

"We should probably get some sleep." Nico hates to be the one to say it, but shadow-travelling really is easier when he's rested.

Damn Will. He got inside Nico's head.

Leo lets Nico help him up and then Nico does something that he only does when someone is injured in battle; he wraps one arm around Leo's waist and helps him walk. Leo throws his arm over Nico's shoulders.

As they walk away from the campfire, Leo sighs happily. "Have you ever noticed that fire doesn't have a shadow?"

.

Nico was right when he thought that travelling with Leo would be less tiring than the last shadow trip he had done.

That didn't mean it was easier.

"Y'all should've told me we'd be coming here." Leo digs into his plate of ribs, sauce all over his face. "I'd've made some reservations."

Nico sends him a death glare. He's good at those.

Leo had decided to adopt a heavy southern accent ever since they landed in Oklahoma instead of Kansas like Nico had been planning. Nico's ears were going to bleed from over-stimulation.

The food was good, though.

Leo inhales deeply and sighs contentedly. "We're so close to Texas, I can feel it."

"We're always close to Texas. That state is inescapable. I think its gravity drew us off course."

Leo pulls out two wet hand towels from his magic pouch- as Nico has started to call it much to Leo's annoyance- and then he warms them up by heating his hands. He has a much more sophisticated control on his fire abilities than Nico remembered.

Leo hands one to Nico while he himself wipes basically his entire face and arms. "Well, we're here now so let's find a spot to sleep tonight. I hope you like camping, Neeks!"

Nico frowns. "You should know I don't. Also, stop it with the Neeks."

Leo smiles. "You have barbecue on your nose."

Nico groans and wipes it off.

.

They end up finding a not-so-terrible spot to spend the night, but the heat in this Hades-forsaken place was so insufferable that they decided not to use sleeping bags and instead hang hammocks, of which Leo procured two from his magic pouch.

"Why in the world do you have hammocks on hand?" Nico asks as he unsuccessfully attempts to tie his to a tree.

"Hammocks are an incredible feat of engineering. You need fabric and weaving that are strong enough to hold you but not so tough that it's hard to sleep. It minimises your travelling load while maximising sleeping space, and it works on all surfaces because it precisely keeps you away from surfaces." Leo comes over and ties Nico's hammock for him. "It also keeps you away from snakes."

Nico blinks at him. "You have a lot of feelings about hammocks."

"They are perfect and need to be more appreciated."

"I've never actually slept in one."

Leo's eyes seem to light up with fire. "Oh I can't believe you're a hammock virgin!"

"Please don't call it that."

"This is going to be great. Shed all your preconceived notions right now and prepare for the best sleeping experience of your life."

Nico would hardly call swinging in the air the best sleeping experience of his life, but considering the things he's been through, it also could be far, far worse.

Leo is too delighted with the swinging and even pushes off against the tree with his foot to go even faster, his hands busy with a mechanical box he's been tinkering with since West Virginia. The movement is making Nico slightly dizzy so he lies as still as possible until the soft swaying actually feels nice, and it seems to be lulling him to sleep faster than anticipated.

He's almost gone when Leo speaks into the silence.

"Nico?"

"Mm?" He opens his eyes and turns to see Leo still swinging madly, almost nervously, under the orange light of the lantern he hung on a branch above. Thank the Gods they're on different trees or the movement would rock Nico's hammock as well. He also decided to remove his t-shirt, which is fine by Nico because then all the mosquitoes would get Leo instead of him.

"You're fifteen, right?" Leo asks.

"Last I checked."

Another pause. "How did you, um… how did you know?"

It takes Nico's sleepy brain a bit to process the question but it still doesn't make much sense. "How did I know what?"

Leo keeps his eyes on his box. "You know… how did you know you… liked boys?"

Suddenly Nico is as alert as the day Leo came crashing down above them.

Usually, Nico would say something snarky and then refuse to discuss the matter entirely, possibly adding about a day's worth of brooding and death glares.

But this question seemed to be a lot less about prying into Nico's business and a lot more about something else.

Nico looked away from Leo nonetheless and kept his eyes on the dark canopy above. "It's kind of hard to ignore when you, you know… when you like someone and that someone is, well, a boy."

Leo's swinging sounds less intense. "Sure. I suppose when it's the only kind of attraction that happens to you, you can't really miss it, can you?"

"Nope," Nico confirms. He could see where Leo's mind was at. "But I guess that if someone was attracted to a lot of different people… it'd be harder to recognize."

"I guess so."

Nico thinks of all the things he wished someone had said to him when he was driving himself mad with questions and confusion, and out of everything, the thing that would have meant the most was very simple.

"And it'd be okay. It'd be more than okay, actually, it'd be great."

Nico can't see it, but he can hear the soft exhale that Leo does when he smiles. The rustling and thudding of his magic pouch follow and then the light is turned off.

"Thank you, Neeks."

"I'm going to murder you."

.

This was the first time in Nico's life that he has managed to leave a camp for more than five minutes without encountering a single being that wanted to kill him. He had been prepared for attacks from the get-go, especially since Leo literally couldn't go two breaths without doing something demigod-like such as warming up their chilaquiles with his bare hands or making weird artefacts appear as if out of thin air.

But this had been the most peaceful trip of his life and it almost felt akin to a vacation. Camping, taking dips in rivers and lakes, eating something different every day (Leo even agreed to go to McDonald's once) and keeping the worrying to a minimum.

It was even nice to be around Leo most of the time. Ever since the other night, he seemed to be making fewer jokes and nervous tinkering than usual. He still did it, because it's part of him, but he seemed more relaxed about it. It wasn't a necessity but a choice.

"What are you going to do once we arrive?" Nico asks one afternoon as they sit on top of a hill and take in the view. They're most likely just a jump away from getting to their destination, and in all honesty, Nico's rested enough that he could manage it that same day.

But he decided to drag this out a bit longer. They stopped just outside of San Francisco at some unknown mountains with enough trees to make it the perfect spot to tie hammocks and, damn it, Nico loves them by now, and he just wants another opportunity to use them while he's still with company. His return trip will be a lot lonelier.

Leo shrugs. "I don't know what Pipes and Jason might be up to. Jason had his plan to make shrines for all the Gods, so I might help him with that. But honestly, I wish they'd come back to Camp Half-Blood."

Nico raises his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Sure. It's the camp me and Piper were meant to be in, all my siblings are there, plus there's the bunker and Festus… I don't want to give it all up."

Nico feels a spark of hope in his chest. Perhaps he won't have to return alone. It's still bittersweet, though, because once Leo rejoins Piper and Jason, things will be different. Piper and Jason are very nice and all, and Nico gets along very well with Jason in particular, but he has a feeling Leo won't be the same with them around.

"And you're there, also," Leo adds.

Nico feels some heat rise to his cheeks and he tries to push it down.

Thankfully, Leo doesn't press it. "What about you? How do you decide which Camp to be in? You were in Camp Jupiter for a while, you have Hazel there, but you're originally Half-Blood and you have Will over there…"

"Will?" Nico asks, surprised that Leo would put him on the same level of importance to Nico as Hazel.

"Well, yes. I assumed you two-"

"Oh, no." Nico must be properly blushing now. "I mean, I don't know. But we're not. He's very nice and I'm glad to have a close friend there but…"

"Well okay, so you'll have two close friends there, then." Leo puts his hand over Nico's and it's the first time they're so purposefully touching like that.

Leo is not hiding this personal moment with a mask of light-hearted comments or jokes. So Nico won't shy away from it, either.

"I'm glad you want to come back." He summons courage harder than it takes him to summon an army of skeletons, and he leans his head on Leo's shoulder.

They remain like that for a while, Leo's hand covering his and Nico's head resting on Leo, and Nico had never felt so safe outside of camp and he wonders if it can last.

.

It turns out it can last. They manage to make it to Camp Jupiter without a single unpleasant encounter. And just when Nico thought they may break Percy's rule about feeling safe, they cross the gates and they are actually safe. Hazel sees them first. She's in full uniform and looking tiny but powerful as always, and her eyes go wide and shiny like dark gemstones.

She drops everything, her spatha, shield, and a book she'd been carrying and she sprints at them. She crushes Leo in a hug and starts weeping immediately.

"You! How? I was- Jason and Piper- ugh!" Each word is punctuated by a sob and a slap on Leo's chest.

Then there's Frank, who is so surprised that he turns into a ferret by mistake but then seizes the opportunity to climb onto Leo's head and claw at his hair with tiny, shrill yelps.

"I missed you too, buddy," Leo says, only grimacing slightly.

When he's back in human form, the bear hug is so engulfing that Leo almost disappears from sight.

Apparently, Piper and Jason are around somewhere but Hazel and Frank are too busy with their new duties that they can't keep track of them. Hazel summons Arion and writes a note, tying it around his neck.

"If you find Piper or Jason, get them here as soon as possible."

And off he goes.

Hazel spends a while telling Leo how much they looked for him the days after the battle back in Camp-Half Blood, which Nico had already done, but not in so much detail. Especially about the extent to which Jason and Piper in particular had driven themselves mad trying to find him, to the point where after weeks of futile search, Percy and Annabeth had to drag them back to camp and eventually convince them to come to California and get their minds off it.

Of course Nico wanted Leo to know they didn't give up on him, that he was missed, but he didn't want him to feel as guilty as he looks right now.

Other people also greeted them, including Reyna who Nico was glad to see. She was looking healthier than before.

Just as they were about to go to the Fifth Cohort to see if anyone knew about Jason or Piper, a loud zoom fills Nico's ears and a blurry second later, Leo is on the ground, tackled by Piper.

Arion neighs and stomps his front legs down before taking off again.

It takes about two minutes of Piper holding onto Leo and crying "I hate you!" before they can stand up. Leo's eyes and face are red too and he can't stop sniffling.

"Explain. Now," Piper orders him, wiping tears off her face.

"I thought we'd wait for Jason," Leo tells her.

Piper sighs. "He's been so moody lately I can't even tell you when he'd be coming back. He's been hard to read."

"Jason? Moody? Are you sure you're not talking about yourself?"

Piper hits Leo.

And then, it happens again. This time is a whooshing sound that gets progressively louder and Nico barely has time to catch a glance of Jason flying at them at full speed before Leo is lifted off his feet and carried away.

Nico typically refrains from showing any emotion other than annoyance in front of others, but even he can't keep a straight face upon seeing Jason and Leo embracing up in the air, clearly crying and laughing at the same time as Jason slowly lowers them to the ground.

Everyone is at least tearing up by the time they make their way towards them, but Nico is okay with it. He's happy for Leo and he doesn't care who sees. Hazel grabs Nico's hand and he squeezes it.

"So," Leo says with a rough voice. "Ready to hear the Tales of Tio Leo?"

.

Nico hadn't realized how much he missed this camp, especially Hazel. He wishes he could be with her year-round or at least visit more often. There should be a faster way to get from one camp to the other.

Eventually, though, the time to return was drawing nearer and it was hard to acknowledge it. Nico still didn't know if Leo was coming back or not and he didn't want to ruin his reunion. He was still so happy to be around Piper and Jason.

Nico sits outside at a table after dinner. They all managed to squeeze in a dinner together before their respective duties took them in different directions. Of course, the only ones who didn't have anything to attend to were Nico and Leo, so it isn't a surprise when Leo returns to the table after saying goodbye to the others.

Leo plays with the candles there, lighting them on and then putting them out over and over. "I was wondering…" he begins and for some reason Nico's heart speeds up.

"Yeah?"

He lights the candles again. "Is Nico short for Nicholas? And if it is, can I call you Saint Nicholas?"

Nico kicks him under the table.

"Ow!"

"Is Leo short for Leonardo? And if so, can I call you Da Vinci?" Nico asks, trying to sound as stupid as Leo had.

"Definitely!" Leo answers, a big smile while still rubbing his leg. "Da Vinci works, though I think I look more like a Di Caprio."

"Who?"

"Nevermind."

Leo is still smiling even after a few seconds. "Da Vinci and Di Angelo. We should form a band."

"Over my dead body," Nico says, but he has to really bite back a smile.

Silence ensues and Nico thinks this would be the right moment to tell Leo that he plans to return the next day. He opens his mouth to speak but as it often happens with speaking, Leo beats him to it.

"So when do we leave, Hermano Hamaca?"

Nico is so confused by that last bit that he doesn't even process the first. "What?"

"Hammock Bro," Leo translates.

"Oh." Leo wants to go back with him? "I thought you'd want to stay with them a bit longer."

He shrugs. "Well, you're the shadow-travelling boss, but if it was up to me I could leave tomorrow. Piper and Jason are working on the shrines and they'll be at Camp Half-Blood soon. I can help from there. I'll miss Hazel and the big guy, but I'll see them again. Plus, it'd be nice to see Percy and Annabeth too, if they got the letter."

Nico nods. "Sure. We can leave tomorrow." He doesn't let it show how happy he is not to be travelling alone, but he still hopes Leo can see it a little bit.

"Hey," Leo puts out a candle with his right hand and lights up another with his left. "Thank you for bringing me here. I know it's a long road trip for something that could have been a phone call in normal circumstances. But even if I could have contacted them somehow, I think I needed to come. See them for myself. So, thank you."

Nico does smile then. "You're welcome. I know I would have liked to see you in person if you hadn't almost killed me on impact when you arrived."

"It's settled, then. We leave tomorrow. Maybe we can stop in Houston this time? I'll show you my mom's old repair garage and the best gorditas you'll ever have in your life."

"Sure," Nico agrees. It might take them a bit longer but it's not as if they have anything else to do. No prophecies to fulfill, no quests to carry out, no world-destruction to stop.

Leo puts his hand over Nico's again and this time Nico turns his hand over and laces their fingers together. Leo's hand is downright hot from playing with the candles so much, but Nico thinks it's nice.

As the candlelight dances in the wind along with Leo's hair, Nico realizes that even though he has always felt safest in the shadows, fire is not too bad either.

[wizardysseus]

@veliseraptor replied to your post “if you think i’m an insufferable odysseus liker now, imagine if homer…”

tell me how people talk about book 5 wrongly please

there two things in particular i want to hit on.

(1) calypso’s speech to hermes

when hermes comes to tell calypso to let odysseus sail back to ithaca, she rails at the double standard of male gods separating goddesses from their human lovers. and readers love it. twitter loves it, emily wilson seems to love it, freshman english majors in my classic lit class loved it.

“You cruel, jealous gods! You bear a grudge whenever any goddess takes a man to sleep with as a lover in her bed... So now, you male gods are upset with me for living with a man. A man I saved! ... I cared for him and loved him, and I vowed to set him free from time and death forever.” (5.118-20,129-130,135-7, tr. wilson)

i’m going to bounce translations a bit, because i have, uh (checks notes) three on hand; wilson emphasizes the gendered double standard most. and... yeah, i get why everybody wants to talk about it. the odyssey is chock full not only of those double standards, but of female characters speaking for themselves (especially relative to, say, the iliad). but it drives me up the wall when people talk about how persuasive or sympathetic calypso’s speech is and refuse to acknowledge one sort of incredibly crucial detail --- that the thing calypso is arguing for is her right to own a human man.

by the time we meet odysseus, he’s been on ogygia for seven years and wants very much to go home. here’s wilson again:

She found him on the shore. His eyes were always tearful; he wept sweet life away, in longing to go back home, since she no longer pleased him. He had no choice. He spent nights with her inside her hollow cave, not wanting her though she still wanted him. By day he sat out on the rocky beach, in tears and grief, staring in heartbreak at the fruitless sea. (149-158)

and my other translations, just for fun!

fitzgerald:

[She] went to find Odysseus in his stone seat to seaward---tear on tear brimming his eyes. The sweet days of his life time were running out in anguish over his exile, for long ago the nymph had ceased to please. Though he fought shy of her and her desire, he lay with her each night, for she compelled him. But when day came he sat on the rocky shore and broke his own heart groaning, with eyes wet scanning the bare horizon of the sea. (158-66)

fagles:

[She] found him there on the headland, sitting, still, weeping, his eyes never dry, his sweet life flowing away with the tears he wept for his foiled journey home, since the nymph no longer pleased. In the nights, true, he’d sleep with her in the arching cave---he had no choice--- unwilling lover alongside lover all too willing... But all his days he’d sit on the rocks and beaches, wrenching his heart with sobs and groans of anguish, gazing out over the barren sea through blinding tears. (165-175)

this isn’t odysseus retelling his story --- it’s the narrator, who is at least arguably more reliable. (spark notes, which i occasionally consult because i forget what chapters things happen in, says that odysseus is “sulking,” which, wow.) 

when calypso says he can leave, his response is wary at best. in each of these translations, he meets her news with a shudder, accuses her of plotting against him, and exacts an oath from her not to harm him. “Goddess, you have some other scheme in mind, / not my safe passage” in wilson (172-3), “Surely you’re plotting / something else, goddess” in fagles (192-3), and in fitzgerald:

“After these years, a helping hand? O goddess, what guile is hidden here? … I take no raft you grudge me out to sea. Or yield me first a great oath, if I do, to work no more enchantment to my harm.” (183-4,188-90)

it massively weirds me out that i regularly find people online who characterize odysseus as swanning around the mediterranean having sexy fun times. (there’s also circe, and it’s interesting that odysseus refuses to sleep with her until she swears a similar oath not to harm him. but i’m talking about book 5, when odysseus is several years older and much more desperate.) this is not a happy guy!

your mileage may vary as to how sympathetic you find odysseus in all of this. i like odysseus because i like Terrible Con Men Who Are Very Sad And Cry A Lot. but of course, we meet a lot of other characters in the poem who are in just as bad a way, if not worse. most of them get neither the freedom odysseus does, nor the same compassion from the narrator, the gods, and odysseus himself --- most notably, the twelve slave women he and telemachus hang at the end of book 22. if we’re going to talk about double standards, surely that deserves attention.

and yet! and yet. none of that changes the fact that odysseus wants to go home (his most, if not only, sympathetic trait), and calypso won’t let him. 

calypso is interesting! her speech has ramifications for the rest of the epic, for sure! i just wish more people could talk about it without sounding like calypso effectively utilized girl power by keeping odysseus as a sex slave for seven years.

(2) odysseus’ response when calypso offers him immortality

calypso gives odysseus permission to build a raft. but before he begins work on it, she tries to change his mind, even offering him immortality... and odysseus wants nothing to do with it. 

So Odysseus, with tact, said, “Do not be enraged at me, great goddess. You are quite right. I know my modest wife Penelope could never match your beauty. She is a human; you are deathless, ageless. But even so, I want to go back home, and every day I hope that day will come. If some god strikes me on the wine-dark sea, I will endure it. By now I am used to suffering---I have gone through so much, at sea and in the war. Let this come too.” (215-24, wilson)

wilson calls him tactful, fagles “worldly,” and fitzgerald “the strategist”; in each of these translations, he couches the rejection with a plea not to be angry with him. and yet... people want to pretend like what he says is how he actually feels about penelope? give me a break.

(granted, i see this take less often than the one above. but it still irks me! i’m irked!)

he finally has the chance to go home, and a goddess who has held him captive makes a last-ditch effort to insult his wife to convince him to stay, and you think that’s the moment odysseus is going to choose to be sincere?

like, this is what wilson has to say about it in her introduction: 

Why exactly does Odysseus make this surprising choice? The poem never gives us an explicit answer---an omission that makes the hero’s yearning for home all the more resonant and moving.

YEAH, WHAT A MYSTERY.

odysseus’ entire Thing is that he isn’t straightforward. you don’t have to like him and you certainly don’t have to feel sorry for him. but --- of all the flaws and questionable-at-best decisions you could choose to pick apart! --- i strongly object to this idea that odysseus’ motives and actions in book 5 don’t make sense. just because, what, you think he should have stayed with calypso? you don’t buy that he loves penelope? come the fuck on. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: if you don’t read odysseus’ identity as absolutely rooted with his home and wife and son, no wonder the poem falls apart.

[raidbossmadi]

People Like US Chapter 3

3. Into the Vault

Previous chapter: Here

“So what’s the plan Ty? Are we really gonna take her in as a janitor?” Troy asked as he snuffed out the butt of a blunt into the balcony’s ashtray. Tyreen hadn’t said much once they’d gotten back to the hotel and he was curious as to what she was thinking.

“Don’t you think that’s an insult to the maintenance crew. You know they’d take it as  the God-Queen thinks we aren’t doing good enough so she sent in a siren” Tyreen pitched her voice up as she did her impression of the maintenance staff. “Besides that’s a waste of a Siren. Imagine how much more influence we could get if we had another siren on our side, under our control. We could get her to do things the war meat can’t.”

“Yeah, I can put a good spin on that. The twin gods in their infinite mercy take in a poor stray Siren. People oughta love it, plus like we haven’t brought someone into the inner circle since Iris and that was what...three years ago now, I’m sure she’d like a friend who's quieter than  Mouthpiece.”  Troy said pulling out his echophone to write a note to himself. “We’re really doing this then? Can’t take it back once we approach her, you know that Ty.”

“We’re really doing this, something about it just feels I dunno...right in a weird way.” Tyreen couldn’t put into words the almost magnetic feeling that drew her to the other siren and she supposed that it was a siren thing, one of the many for which there were no words to explain. She only hoped that what little siren power Troy possessed made him feel the same way.

Part of Tyreen also wondered if perhaps taking in Sloane could solve another issue of theirs, of course she knew Troy could take energy from her, he had been reliant on her for as long as she could remember but what if he could feed on another siren? That way she could get by without having to spread herself so thin looking for enough to leech to sustain them both. It was an interesting prospect that she was willing to experiment with.

“I’ll send word back to the ship, tell the circle what we’re planning. Better to have everyone prepared for a new family member.” Troy remarked closing the balcony door behind him as he reentered the hotel room, now that they had a solid plan it was time to get the preparations in full swing.

                                                            When the twins made their return to Sloane's house they found the other siren waiting for them in the front lawn, sat at her easel painting the tree tunnel they had emerged from. A vine pulled out of the house window a mug curled in its tendril as it came to her side and she plucked the cup from it.  

“And here I was worried the two of you were having second thoughts.” She remarked standing up from her seat as they approached. It was late afternoon and while the twins hadn’t specified when they’d be arriving to make their deal she had almost expected it to be early so that they could just get it out of the way.

“Such little faith, gods always  keep their word doll.” Troy said with a smirk before deferring to Tyreen.

“We’ve decided to agree to your terms Sloane, we will take you into our family and you will serve us in exchange for freedom from this planet. Provided of course that you take us to the Vault  and hand over the vault key.” Tyreen crossed her arms, she was short in stature but her voice and overall demeanor projected the will and intent of her title. Sloane had seen the streams she knew this woman was dangerous and not to be underestimated yet she felt no fear in cooperating with her.

“I assume you want to be taken to the vault key now then?” She asked as she checked the time, they could make it there before the forest got too dark but it would be nightfall by the time they made it to the vault itself.  “It’s a bit of a walk from here.”

“Lead the way.” Tyreen said the pair flanking Sloane on either side as they disappeared into the wilds of Eden-4. As they walked Sloane finally got a good look at Troy now that he wasn’t trying to physically intimidate her, she noted the red looping patterns on his left arm that crept up to under his left eye and the similarities they had to her and Tyreen’s siren markings, but male sirens weren’t possible were they?

“You’re a siren?” She asked her voice barely above a whisper as if she was afraid to make the accusation and be wrong.

Troy opened his mouth to answer but quickly looked over to Tyreen his expression twisting into a slight frown. Sloane was starting to see a pattern in which Troy seemed to not be allowed to voice specific details without some kind of permission from his sister.  

“Not a siren.” He said in a much more subdued tone than she had expected from him “Just a side effect of being born with one.”

Sloane could tell there was much more to that then he was letting on but it was obvious that she wouldn’t be getting more than that out of him at least not now. The twins put so much of themselves on display that the fact that they had secrets at all had seemed absurd up until this moment, granted as far as she knew this was still part of that display.  She decided she would ask no more questions out of a partial fear of asking the wrong one and Tyreen changing her mind about her usefulness.

They stopped as the path ended abruptly at the rocky base of a cliff, face of which was overgrown with vines and other vegetation. Before either twin could ask why they had stopped Sloane reached towards the cliff her siren markings flared with bright blue light as the vines peeled away to reveal  an intricate pattern of Eridian writing  that surrounded a small hole in the formation too clean to be natural.

“What’s it say Troy?” Tyreen asked as she gestured at the writing. He squinted at it his brow furrowed in concentration as he looked over the carvings.

“It’s a warning.” He stated. “About what would happen if the Vault was opened.  Open the Vault of the Aggressor and fire and destruction will follow; says the planet would be scoured to ash the likes of which no one  has seen before.”  

“Well that sure sounds inviting, but nothing we can’t handle.” Tyreen remarked, seeming totally unmoved by the threat of whatever danger lurked inside the Vault.

Sloane however was a little unnerved by the promises of the planet burning even if she did plan to leave it behind by the end of this. She still had her obligations to the Calypsos though so she stuck her hand into the carved hole in the rock, her fingers closing around the object hidden within. Despite it being surrounded by cold rock on all sides it radiated a perpetual warmth that confirmed it was what she was looking for.

“One vault key, just as you requested God-Queen.” She said presenting it to Tyreen. It was a perfect cube of stone with  smaller square channels cut into the sides, it was an unassuming thing considering what it opened.

Tyreen regarded the cube as if it were a precious gem. She took it from Sloane and turned it over in her gloved hand  holding it up in the fading light. “So is the vault far then?”

“No, it’s a brisk walk from here. Shall I take you there?” Sloane asked, hiding the brief hesitation in her voice. It was all so real now, she had only been out to the vault a few times before each to check for meddling. It was all becoming very real now, she never thought she would have to worry about the vault being opened and yet here she was leading the charge to open it.

The entrance to the vault was an unassuming thing, Sloane was pretty sure that was why no one who wasn’t directly looking for it had ever found it. It was a cave situated behind a large waterfall which, while  beautiful to look at, threatened to sweep away those who ventured to close. Luckily Sloane knew the way to approach and avoid any of the danger and the roar of the water was only a distant hum now that they were inside the cave.

Guardian constructs that usually would have rushed to challenge those stupid enough to dare try approaching the Vault were instead destroyed, bound to the ground and sides of cave by thick overgrown vines. Sloane had dispatched them in a fit of fear and desperation when she had first approached the vault years ago now but not before she had learned the hard way that they were dangerous. The vault arch stood in the center of the chamber that had stretched out before them.

“Get your cam-bot ready Troy, it’s showtime.” Tyreen said walking towards the arch with the vault key in hand.

Sloane watched the male twin reach over and press the shoulder of his cybernetic arm a cam-drone deploying from it. She was impressed with how clever a design choice that was as she watched the bot follow after Tyreen.  

“Alright Eden-4, let's see what you’ve been hiding for all these years.” Tyreen cooed as she stuck the stone cube into the pedestal before the archway.

The vault entrance shimmered into existence and no sooner had it opened when a large clawed forelimb shot out from the dimensional gap followed immediately after by a second limb. A large snake like head  joined the collection of body parts and as the rest of the creature emerged from the vault Sloane muttered the only word she felt properly described the creature standing before them.

“Dr-dragon, That’s a dragon!”  

Troy’s prosthetic arm grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her out of the way as a column of flame erupted from the  monster's mouth towards them.  

Tyreen however was ready and a crackling purple orb slammed into the monster’s  side drawing its attention away from them and toward her.

Sloane watched as Tyreen baited the monster around the chamber somehow always managing to slip away before claws or teeth could get close to her. It was like a dance and watching both of them put Sloane into a bit of a trance like state what was only broken when the monster, thrown into the wall  close to herself and Troy by the blast from the other siren. Yellow slitted eyes focused on the two and the monsters fanged mouth opened in anticipation.

Before the creature could strike however thick vines from the surrounding cave walls sprang to life as Sloane reached out with her powers and they coiled around the monsters neck dragging it back to the center of the room and tying it down to the floor. It was a struggle to hold the creature down, Sloane had never used her powers on anything this large before, she tended to be defensive with them. The creature of course was more powerful than anything she had encountered before.

Tyreen seemed to get the message and hurried over to the felled monster which shrieked and pulled against its bindings harder than before as Tyreen’s power, now brilliant red chains of energy hooked into it and drained the very life out of it, leaving only a stone and eridium husk.

“Annnd cut.” Tyreen called, the cam-bot  whizzed back to its master and slotted back into his arm. Sloane fell to her knees panting, she felt overextended and exhausted .

“Hey, You alright?” Troy asked, the concern caught her off guard as she figured they didn’t care about her well-being after all she was a means to an end to them and they had gotten what they wanted, as far as she knew they could easily leave her dead for being foolish enough to have trusted them at all.

“I’ll be fine, I just need to catch my breath.You...You’re bleeding. ” She responded, a glint of concern in her eyes in kind as she noticed blood trickling down Troy’s arm, it seemed he’d been grazed by a rock kicked up by the creature.

Troy’s eyes widened in surprise as he followed her gaze, his metal hand coming up to cover the wound. “Ty, need a hand here!” He called over to his twin who was still staring at her kill with a look of satisfaction.

Tyreen sighed as she hurried back over to them. “Aye manito you need to be more careful, what would do without me.” She chastised taking his hand in hers, he gave a short ‘heh’ at her words but otherwise seemed unphased . Their siren markings flared  in response to contact and the wound on Troy’s arm closed, it would seem that perhaps his markings, whatever they were, were not as inert as Sloane had been led to believe hours before.

“You sure you’re alright? There’s plenty of Eridium around if you need a boost.” Tyreen asked her attention squarely on Sloane now that Troy had been patched up.  

Sloane picked herself off the ground and gave herself a once over. “No, no I’m fine really. I just well, wasn’t expecting to have to deal with something like that.”

“Yeah vault monsters are nasty business, it gets easier the more you deal with though!” Tyreen was oddly chipper about the prospects of fighting more of these monsters.

“Can’t wait you have a look through that footage, bet you I can make some killer edits Ty.” Troy too was very energetic now, both Calypsos seemingly buzzing with excitement.

“Right, thanks for your generous contributions Sloane. Troy and I will escort you back to your house, you can make sure you have everything you want and our crew will  come and grab you first thing in the morning.” Tyreen explained as they made their way out the vault cave back into the cool night air of Eden-4.

Sloane still couldn’t believe this was actually happening, it seemed so fantastic and out there that she was sure if she were to tell anyone else they wouldn’t believe her. After all, she felt she wasn’t anyone special outside of being one of six sirens which when compared to what she knew of the other sirens her powers weren’t even that impressive. Yet she had earned the company of the two most influential people this side of the six galaxies.

It felt like a dream as she stood at her front door the twins behind her seeing her off safely.

“See you tomorrow, welcome to the family.” Tyreen said as she turned to walk away Troy following after. Sloane watched them disappear down the tree tunnel again as she had the first time they’d come.

She walked into her house, the essentials of her life packed into two large suitcases ready to leave come morning. She took one last look from the doorway, knowing this would be the last time she ever walked back into this place as home.

[daggerzine]

Ray Farrell on music and his time at SST, Blast First, Geffen and many more.

Ray Farrell has had a lifetime surrounded by music. First as a fan as a young kid and then eventually working for a series of record labels. He’s obviously a fan first and foremost as you can tell by reading below. It also seemed like he was there at the beginning of some major music scenes happening.

I had met Ray very briefly at one of the A.C. Elks hardcore shows that Ralph Jones put on in Atlantic City in the Summer of 1985 though Ray doesn’t remember it (honestly, a bunch of us were standing in a circle and chatting so I’m not even sure if any proper introductions were done).

Anyway, knowing some of the record labels that Ray had worked for I wanted to hear the whole story. I contacted him and shot him some questions and he was more than happy to elaborate and let us know where he’s been and where he’s going.  Take it away, Ray!

 Where did you grow up?

RF-Jersey City and Parsippany, New Jersey in the 60/70’s. I have two younger brothers.

What did you listen to first…classic rock or stuff earlier than that?

RF-Rock wasn’t classic yet. My earliest memories of music are my parents’ modest collection of 45’s and grandparents’ 78’s. My mom had a handful of singles on Chess and Satellite (pre-Stax)  that she said fell off a truck. We rented our house from a family connected to the mob. The records probably came from them. My mom and her sisters often sang Tin Pan Alley era songs at family gatherings. Harmony was encouraged!

Some records I heard as a toddler stayed with me forever. Lonnie Donegan’s “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor?” is a skiffle classic. Chuck Berry’s “Guitar Boogie” and “Last Night” by the Mar- Keys are still favorites.  I remember being spooked by the overblown production of the “Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams” e.p. on Sun Records. In the mid 60’s, my mom had top 40 radio on in the house unless my dad was home. When I was in kindergarten, a high school neighbor in our building babysat me for a couple hours after school a few days a week.  Her girlfriends came over regularly. They listened to a lot of doo-wop, which I still love today. The babysitter and her friends taught me how to slow dance, even though I wasn’t nearly a full grown boy. J

My best friend in 7th grade was a Beatles fanatic and we immersed ourselves in decoding clues to the “Paul McCartney Is Dead” gimmick. That was a brilliant scam and a fun short term hobby.  It was a deep dive into The Beatles music as a junior music detective.  By the time I started buying records, The Beatles were on their way out.

I happily lived for many months on only three albums-

CCR’s “Bayou Country”, Iron Butterfly’s “In A Gadda Da Vida” and the Beatles “Sgt. Pepper.” I joined the Columbia Record Club. I got the first twelve albums for one buck. That was a popular scam.  Those first twelve records shaped my taste because they were the only records I had. I didn’t know what to order but I chose very well in retrospect. After that, I bought a lot of records. I didn’t smoke, but many of my friends did. A carton of cigs cost the same as an lp- 5 bucks.

I learned in 7th grade that if I knew the songs that girls liked, we would have something to talk about. Girls loved Tommy James and The Shondells and The Rascals. I still do! I had a wider range in music taste than most of my high school friends. Everyone in my extended circle loved the Stones, Neil Young and the Allman Brothers. In a tighter circle we were into David Bowie, Lou Reed, Sparks, Todd Rundgren etc. I loved Mountain, Led Zep, Hendrix, Budgie, The Kinks, Alice Cooper, Sabbath. At first, The Stooges seemed too deep and serious for me. A little scary because I thought if teenagers felt like this all over the world, I’m doomed.  I bought the album with “Loose” and played that song for weeks before listening to the rest of it. The girl next door had Iggy’ s “Raw Power” album the week it was released. When glam rock was happening in England, there was a weekly NYC radio show that played the Melody Maker Top 30 singles. I was fascinated by T.Rex, Slade, Hawkwind.  I don’t recall if prog rock was a tag yet, I knew that I didn’t like songs that rambled on for more than 7 minutes. There were exceptions of course- some King Crimson, Yes, Mahavishnu. I was impressionable. Radio station WBAI hosted “Free Music Store” concerts with local acts. One show was a keyboard  group  called Mother Mallard that had banks of synthesizers on stage. They were similar to the music of Phillip Glass and Steve Reich, who you would only hear on that same radio station. I talked myself into buying their records, but it took years to comprehend them. I was too young to be listening to such serious stuff. I played soccer and ran track for a couple years. During meets at other schools, I made friends. At parties I heard Issac Hayes, Bohannon and James Brown records. Brown was all over top 40 radio. Rhythm guitar was my jam! Soul and funk records were best for that. I spent many nights listening to AM radio. The signal travels farther at night, so I’d listen to stations far away. It didn’t matter what kind of music it was. Some of my relatives had short wave radios. I was more interested in radio production than short wave content. The production quality has not changed much since then.  It often sounds like broadcasts trapped in the ether for the last 30 years.

 While I was in high school, it was common for local colleges to host rock and jazz concerts for low prices, sometimes free. The schools had to spend the money sitting in the student union coffers.   There was a live music club in my town called Joint In The Woods. The venue began as a banquet hall that doubled as a meeting hall for Boy Scout Jamborees and the like.  When it became the Joint, it was a disco. The first night of live music was a show with Iggy & The Stooges. The regular disco patrons were pissed!  The guys were mostly goombah’s in Quiana print shirts and bell bottoms. Three or four guys smacked Iggy around after his set.  Sure enough, he played Max’s Kansas City the next night as if nothing happened. Because of this club, touring bands were suddenly playing in my town. Badfinger, Roy Wood’s Wizzard, Muddy Waters. The NY Dolls were scheduled but didn’t show up. Springsteen was often an opening act. The N.J. legal drinking age had just lowered to 18. It was a great time. I was still in school, so I wasn’t staying out on weeknights.

I was determined to learn NYC music history by hitting all the Greenwich Village clubs and talking to the owners and bartenders. It didn’t matter what kind of music they specialized in- I was into the vibe. There were occasional scary nights parking near CB’s or jazz spots in that neighborhood. Folk music was on FM radio at the time. A high school friend booked a local coffee house called Tea & Cheese. Mostly locals and ambitious tri-state artists. Martin Mull, Aztec Two Step, Garland Jeffries. Some of Lou Reed’s touring band, The Tots, played there.  I went to all kinds of record stores, mainly those that sold rock imports and cutouts. I was fascinated by the street level buzz of a record. In ’74, I heard dub reggae for the first time. The only stores to get that music were in Queens because there was a strong West Indian community there. It may have been the “Harder They Come” soundtrack that got me started. There was a “pay to play” radio station in Newark - WHBI. DJ’s had to buy their airtime. Arnold “Trinidad” Henry had a weekly show playing new calypso and reggae. He was more into calypso than reggae.  A lot of calypso was political and comical. Arnold was fascinating! There was often a personal crisis he’d talk about on the air. My favorite incident was when he said that his life had been threatened during the program, so he locked himself in the studio.. Someone called the cops. They convinced him to unlock the door. He just wanted more airtime.  Arnold played the first reggae dub track I’d heard- full dub albums were a new concept at the time. Most dub was found on the flipsides of reggae 45’s. One of the shows sponsors was Chin Randy’s Records in Queens. I trekked out there by train to buy my first dub records. That was a trip! Randy Chin’s family went on to start VP Records.

 What was the first alternative/independent music you got into? How did it happen (friends? older siblings?)

RF-The term “punk” as a music style hadn’t been coined yet.  I vaguely recall equating “punk” with the great “Nuggets” compilation or something Greg Shaw might have writ in Bomp Magzine. I didn’t identify labels as independent. I knew that if the label design was simple and the address was listed, it was probably a small company.  There were plenty of record stores carrying obscure stuff.   I bought import records from a few NYC stores. I took the bus in until I was old enough to drive.  One store Pantasia, was up in The Bronx. I went there one Christmas eve day to get the import of the second Sadistic Mika Band album. The clerk talked me into buying the harder to find first album as well. He said it sounded like Shel Talmy produced it. I knew who that was and it was a revelation to talk to somebody in a record store at that level. That is what a record store should be! I read Phonograph Record magazine, Bomp and Trouser Press regularly.  Patti Smith and Television self released their debut singles- those are the first “indie” records I bought, followed by the first two Pere Ubu singles.  I remember hearing the Modern Lovers’ “Roadrunner” from the Bezerkley Chartbusters comp on WFMU and thinking that there must be more music like that. It was refreshing.

Seeing Patti Smith and Television perform at CBGB’s changed my life. I connected the dots. I had BÖC albums on which Patti had co-writes.  She had a poem insert in Todd Rundgren’s “A Wizard, A True Star” album. She read a Morrison poem on a Ray Manzarek lp. She wrote for rock music mags with distinctive style. I read a brief story about her in the Voice and went to see her do her annual Rock N’ Rimbaud show. Shortly after that she and Television played CBGB’s for six weekends in early ’75. Both bands were really great. Patti didn’t have a drummer yet. Richard Hell was a big inspiration to me.  He looked cool. He played bass like he just picked it up the month before. That was a new concept.  Television changed bass players in the middle of the residency. Television was the first band I saw with short hair and they dressed like teenage delinquents circa 1962. The CBGB’s jukebox had a good number of 60’s garage records. In my head I conceived Television  to be inspired by that music.  Made sense to me- Lenny Kaye, who assembled the “Nuggets” comp,  is in the PSG. When I went back to see Television headline, The Ramones opened. Seeing The Ramones again, Talking Heads opened. It seemed like the streak of seeing great new bands would not end. They were distinctly NYC sounds. They could not have merged anywhere else.  I remember avoiding the band Suicide because I didn’t think the music could be good J. Bands like Tuff Darts, Mumps and The Marbles opened shows but I wasn’t thrilled by them. A CBGB’s band that doesn’t get mentioned much is Mink DeVille. They wore matching outfits like they were playing a low budget Miami dive in 1962J.  The club still had the small corner stage. The p.a. was ok and the bands had small amps. The music wasn’t loud in a “rock” way. You could sit at a table right in front of the band. Although we consider the club a birthplace of punk, the club showcased local bands that had been around for a while. I think the club upgraded the p.a. once before building the big stage. I realized at that point that when a band was great or at least interesting live, the records were basic documents of the band’s sound.

What was your first job in the music scene/industry?

RF- Before realizing I wanted to be in the business, I hounded import mail order guys on the phone about non-lp b-sides and albums that weren’t released stateside.  I was fascinated by the process.  Why were some records not in stores even though they had local airplay? My dad did not listen to much music, but he had an army buddy that made a living in Al Hirt’s band. He came to our house once. He gave my dad a copy of John Fahey’s “After The Ball” album, which he played on.  I liked his stories about the session man side of the business.  Fahey treated him well.  I was generally shy, but when it came to music I would approach anyone I thought I could learn from.  I heard horror stories about the music biz in NYC but learned later that those were a mob related labels. At the time, I thought the entire NYC music biz might be that way. I planned to move to California anyway.   In high school, I go-fer’d at local Jersey radio stations and talked my way into meeting a few top FM radio dj’s. I thought I wanted to be a professional dj, but my dad wisely talked me out of that. The itinerant radio jock life would not be for me. It was a racket.

In ’76, I took a long low budget cross country trip with my high school sweetheart.  Along the way, I stayed in Memphis for three weeks with a cousin who was stationed at the Millington naval base.  Got a job at a hip movie theatre that served liquor.  I found Alex Chilton in the phone book and spent an afternoon talking with him. I wasn’t yet legal drinking age in Tennessee. It amused him that a fan showed up in his town who was not old enough to drink.  En route to Cali, Tulsa, OK was on my route to find Shelter Records and studio , but it  shut down and the label moved to L.A. At the time, Dwight Twilley’s “I’m On Fire” was a radio hit. I didn’t think there were still bands like that. Twilley was from Tulsa, but had moved to L.A. by that time.

When I arrived in L.A. I visited small label record company offices. A few offered me jobs or references. I spent two weeks crashing at the Malibu house of a distant family friend. I didn’t want to live in L.A. but I was encouraged by the opportunities. I got a job at the famous record store- Rather Ripped in Berkeley, CA.

 Patti Smith told me about Rather Ripped before I left Jersey. In ’75, she and her band went to California for shows in L.A. and Berkeley. The northern Cali shows were set up by the store. She did a poetry reading there. This is well before “Horses” was released.  I bought a couple records from the store’s Dedicated Fool mail order service. They had a monthly catalog on newsprint. Thousands of records in tiny font.  Every record was described with a few words. This is 1976 and punk rock was just getting started. I worked as a prep cook in a charcuterie associated with Alice Waters’ famous restaurant Chez Panisse. The proprietor knew the record store owners. I wasn’t actively looking to work there, but I talked about music all day every day. They fast tracked me for an interview. Because of a scheduling mistake, Tom Petty interviewed me for the job. His first album just came out and “American Girl” was close to being a hit single. The band came to the store before a local show. Tom overheard the owner apologizing for not being able to do the interview, so he offered to conduct it.  It was great. I knew all about his label, Shelter Records.  I deliberately avoided talking about The Ramones and Patti Smith because punk was new and against the grain.  At the end of the interview Tom told the owners that if he lived in Berkeley, he’d buy all his records from me.  The store owner still had to interview me formally the next day, but I knew that I nailed it.

 It was owned by two dynamic gents that were connected to Berkeley society and Bay Area journalists. They weren’t typical record store guys. They celebrated the 70’s in the moment. They held court with well known music scribes, musicians, dj’s. They were good friends of The Residents. Perhaps my strangest story is meeting The Residents with the Rather Ripped owners at a S.F. Irish bar that specialized in Irish Coffee’s. I had only recently heard of the group, so I was not cognizant of their marketing myth.   At the bar, we were with our girlfriends and wives. One of the Residents tried to convince me and my gf to go back their place for a hot tub session.  I laughed out loud and said “geez, what a bunch of hippies”! We didn’t go. In retrospect, I should have gone on the condition that they wore eyeball heads in the tub. At that time, The Residents rarely performed live, but they did in 1975 for the store’s birthday party. The early Bezerkley Records (Jonathan Richman, Greg Kihn) was distributed to stores through Rather Ripped. Their office was a few blocks away. At the store, each employee had unique music taste and expertise. Pop music was changing rapidly with a new energy. Some of us were tapped into it.  We all had to know the key new releases in every genre because we were tastemakers. Major labels would beg us to do window displays for new releases. But if they could not find a store employee that liked that artist, it was no go. So, no Pablo Cruise window display.  We weren’t against major labels, but we put a lot of energy into selling the ton of music that we loved. Our focus was on imports, indies, promos and cut outs where we could get a good price mark up.  We had a rare record search service with customers all over the world. We’d find rare records through trade-ins and by combing record stores all over the state.

There were a few import distributors, but they weren’t hip to many small run U.S. independent releases. That was understandable because bands didn’t often press enough records for a distributor to get excited about. In other words, why spend half your day hunting down records that were only pressed in small quantities. Just as they start selling, you’re out of stock. There gonna sell a hell of a lot more Scorpions’ picture discs!   As always, some distributors financed exclusive re-pressings of records that had momentum. The only way to get records like Roky Erikson’s “Two Headed Dog” single or The Flamin’ Groovies’ “You Tore Me Down” 45 was directly through mail order.  I wrote to label addresses listed in Trouser Press and fanzines to buy direct in order to sell them in the store with no competition. Major label sales reps didn’t prioritize us  because we didn’t shift bulk units of the hits. However, we were so plugged in to the lesser known artists that we were a good place for record companies to try and start a buzz. We could swell 50-100 of a record that all the other stores sold a handful of. Bands showed up at the store while touring.  Springsteen bought Dylan bootlegs from us by mail order. Patti Smith’s manager Jane Friedman used the store as a home base when Patti and John Cale came through the area.

Berkeley is in the East Bay of the S.F. bay area. A few months after starting at Rather Ripped, I realized that the city had a rich music scene well before punk /new wave started. There was Fantasy Records, a well known jazz r&b label but best known for CCR;  Arhoolie, Solid Smoke, Metalanguage;  the contemp classical labels- Lovely Music and 1750 Arch; folk and blues labels like Takoma and Olivia. Of course, bands like Chrome and others started labels to release their own music. Ralph Records was started by The Residents, and they began signing bands.  Rather Ripped was also a center for improv, electronic and meditation records.

In ’77 or ’78   I joined the nascent Maximum Rock N Roll radio team. This was well before the magazine. In the early days there were weeks when we didn’t have enough new punk records to fill the two hour weekly show. Tim Yohannon was all about energetic, real rock n roll, so he filled in the program with records by Gene Vincent, The Sonics etc. BTW, Tim applied green masking tape to the three closed sides of every record he had. He gave me a Mekons double single  he decided he didn’t like. It was in a  gatefold sleeve that he sealed shut with his green tape!  Sometimes he re-designed the cover art…never for the better. He made his own pic sleeves for 45’s that didn’t have them. Bands would stare at their own records in bewilderment. Tim was archiving the records of the entire punk and hardcore movement worldwide.

Eventually, Tim brought in Ruth Schwartz, and Jeff Bale as co-hosts- both great people.  Jello Biafra was a frequent guest. Tim assembled the “Not So Quiet On The Western Front” lp and later organized syndication for the radio show. I remember hearing the first Disorder ep and thinking -this is the future! J  It was exciting. But soon, most hardcore records sounded alike to me. It was like- “Do you want more fries with your fries?” I went to plenty of live shows without knowing a lot about the bands playing them. I was happy when the fashion trended away from jackboots to sneakers…getting a boot kick to the head in a stage dive could be brutal.  I didn’t see a lot of skinhead violence at shows, but I know it was changing the scene.

San Francisco and Berkeley were important music centers, activist meccas as well as creative artistic and intellectual hubs.  Yohannon had history as an activist. He identified with public protests for causes & social issues.  For many teenagers, punk rock was a rite of passage. I think it changed a lot of kids’ lives for the better.  The overriding message was to be civically aware of what is going on around you and what affects your life.

 Tell me about your time at Arhoolie Records. Where was it located?

Rather Ripped’s owners had a falling out and the remaining owner just wanted to sell records and antiques with his wife. He moved it to a nearby city. Just before the store closed, he told me of an open position at Back Room Distribution, a division of Arhoolie. It was in El Cerrito, a small town north of Berkeley. Chris Strachwitz, the owner of Arhoolie is a legendary record man. He recorded many of his early blues albums with a tape recorder in his car.  He owned the legendary Down Home Music store in the same building.  Separated by partition behind the store was Back Room.  It was an indie label distributor for blues, folk roots music. Rounder Records was still a new label at the time. I gotta admit, when Rounder issued The Shaggs “Philosophy Of The World’ I was in seventh heaven. I worked primarily for the distributor, grooming to be a sales rep but I spent a lot of time in the store.  At first, I didn’t yet relate to blues and country music. But there were a lot of touring artists in those styles making a living. It was a strong network of clubs, fans, radio shows and press that fueled it. The store had an incredible selection of obscure 50’s/60’s rockabilly and garage band comps. The Cramps were my favorite band at the time.  The rockabilly comps  mostly on a the Dutch White Label, were treasure troves of insane songs.  My heart was in new music- whatever you wanna call it, punk, new wave, art music. That’s the business I wanted to be in.  I used my time to learn more about distribution operations. The people that worked at Arhoolie and in its community were fun music heads. There were a lot of good musicians among them.  It was a great time to live in Berkeley.

What was next, Rough Trade and CD Presents? Was that in San Francisco? I went to that Rough Trade store a few times and it was an amazing store.

I knew folks from Rough Trade UK because I bought imports from them to sell @ Rather Ripped. When they wanted to open in the U.S. they contacted me, but at the time the wage was low and there wasn’t enough space to work. I was interested in working in the distribution division, not the store. They speiled something about it being a socialist business.  I stayed at Arhoolie for a little while longer.  In the meantime, I was offered my own weekly late night radio show on Pacifica’s  KPFA in Berkeley- same station as Maximum Rock N’Roll. I took over a show called “Night Sky”, an ambient music program. My interim program title was “No More Mr. Night Sky” until I settled on “Assassinatin’ Rhythm”. The station’s music director was a contemporary classical composer closely associated with avant -garde and 20th century music. A major segment of my show was for industrial, post-punk and undefinable music. I hosted a few live on- air performances with Z’ev, Slovenly and Angst among others. Negativland’s “Over The Edge” program started on KPFA around this time. KPFA was 100,000 watts of power with affiliate stations covering the Central Valley down to Fresno and Bakersfield.

 When the time was right, I moved to Rough Trade’s U.S. distribution company in Berkeley. The record store was in San Francisco. We distributed a lot of British records sent by Rough Trade UK, often in small quantities.  Rough Trade US was set up to press and distribute select RT and Factory records by Joy Division, ACR, The Fall, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass. It was cheaper and more effective to press in the U.S and Canada. I also distributed some U.S. labels but there was one Brit on the staff that hated most American music.  On top of that, it could be a dangerous place to work. One of the staff was importing reggae records and weed from Jamaica to our warehouse. The local connection was shot on his porch shortly after he picked up a shipment! I was lucky to spend a few days travelling with Mark E.Smith of The Fall. He loved obscure rockabilly and garage band records. I was able to return to Memphis for a while to prep the first Panther Burns album for release. Tony Wilson of Factory put up most of the money to keep RTUS going. He was a brilliant character, but I learned from talking with him how not to conduct business. I often got sample records from bands that wanted distribution. Pell Mell’s “Rhyming Guitars” e.p.  was the start of my long association with the band. I enjoyed selling records to stores all over the country. I learned about local scenes, records, fanzines, clubs and college radio stations everywhere. Making these sources connect for touring bands and record sales was exciting. Because Rough Trade is British, we had the benefit of connections with club dj’s. We pressed and promoted New Order’s “Blue Monday” single on a shoestring budget.  For a long time, it was the best kept secret from the mainstream.  I left Rough Trade for Subterranean Records ( Flipper etc) for a spell while working in a record store. The guy that put up the money for the record store ran guns to Cuba through Mexico. Thankfully, not through the actual store.  I booked Cali shows for Panther Burns, The Wipers, Sonic Youth, Whitehouse.

Who owned the CD Presents label? I remember that Avengers compilation.

It was owned by a lawyer, David Ferguson. He had a recording studio as well.  I didn’t understand why he wanted to run a label. He did not have an ear for music. But we did release a Tales Of Terror lp!  He almost released a DOA album that I thought the band would kill him over. Many years later I got into a fist fight with one of David’s employees in a limo ride shared with Ferguson and Lydia Lunch. We fought through the window separating the driver from the passengers. I would love to recreate that for a film. Good times!

My main role there was to set up the first Billy Bragg record in the U.S. Billy’s manager was the legendary Peter Jenner and both were great to work with. They were using CD Presents as a stepping stone to a major label. In the meantime, I knew a few people at SST. Joe Carducci is an old friend. He was pitching me to move to L.A. and work there,  but I resisted for a while. I had just met the woman that I knew would be the love of my life. I didn’t want to move to SoCal. Joe gave me an ultimatum. He sent three advance cassettes that convinced me to go- Meat Puppets’ “Up On The Sun”, Minutemen’s “Double Nickels” and Huskers’ “New Day Rising” That’s an excellent recruiting strategy. I later married the love of my life.

On the side I booked shows for bands I loved. Gerard Cosloy asked me to book Sonic Youth first northern Cali shows. I also booked shows for The Wipers and noise band Whitehouse

Was SST Records next? How long did you last there and what was that like?

I was there for three years. “How long did you last there?” sounds like I was biding my time :)   I’m often asked about my time with SST.

Carducci hired me to do PR. That meant publicity, college radio, regional press. Video was a valuable promo tool. MTV’s “120 Minutes” program was a great way to promote our records.

In 1987 we put out more records than Warner Brothers. By that time, I hired people to help.

I’ve done a number of interviews about SST. If you have specific questions, shoot. I recall that my social life was almost entirely with my co-workers and bands on the label. I was nearly oblivious to music from other labels. I was a big fan of Dischord and Homestead. Metallica, COC, Voivod and the Birthday Party/Nick Cave were my non-SST staples.

I think around this time I had met you briefly in NJ at one of the Elks Lodge shows that my old friend Ralph Jones put on. Were you living in NJ at that point or just visiting?

You’ve mentioned that before and I don’t recall the specific show. I moved out of NJ permanently in ’76. I came back for annual summer visits to NYC, north Jersey and Philly. Some high school friends went to Upsala College, then the home of WFMU. On my first visit back in ’76  I met Irwin Chusid and R. Stevie Moore. Some high school friends were connected to Feelies before they took that name.

Was Blast First! next? I met Pat Naylor once and hung out with her at a show and she was really sweet.

Yeah around the time I left SST, the folks in Sonic Youth called saying that they had left as well. They wanted me to be involved with Blast First! in the U.S. I knew Paul Smith because he released their albums in the UK. Blast First UK released a number of Touch N Go and SST records. The label was a division of Mute which had a  U.S. deal with Enigma. My job was almost entirely “Daydream Nation” promotion. It was so much fun to be able to go deep  with one album. We issued Ciccone Youth shortly afterward, which augmented the overall Sonic Youth story.  The only other active touring band was Band Of Susans and on a limited level, Lunachicks and Big Stick.  It was only one year of work before Enigma cut Mute/Blast First loose. I went on Sonic Youth’s Soviet Union tour and I had a few memorable meetings with Sun Ra. David Bowie called a few times asking about recording studios that Dino Jr and Sonic Youth used.  Bowie had a brilliant idea to record Suicide’s “Dream Baby Dream” with Glenn Branca’s large guitar group. We tried following up on it but Bowie was immersed in Tin Machine and other projects.

Was it on to Geffen then?

Yes, Sonic Youth had good meetings with the label. I had recently met Mark Kates who was championing the signing.  He suggested that I come in to meet the entire company. He brought my name up with David who said, “we need someone like that here”.

I had fleeting thoughts that working for a major was “selling out”...punching corporate clock. I wanted to apply what I knew on a larger scale.  

What was that like, working for a proper major label? Was David Geffen still involved?

On my second day there, David called me into his office. He is down to earth, street smart. Like many of the best in the biz, he didn’t have an attitude.  He had met with the Meat Puppets. He sensed that Dinosaur Jr. was important. I reminded him that I was not hired for a&r.

He said- “I don’t assign job titles. If you find something else you’d like to do here, you can pursue it ‘after 5pm’ ”. I found reissue projects like the Pere Ubu box and Raincoats catalog. I recorded a new Raincoats album.  I signed Southern Culture On The Skids, Garrison Starr, Skiploader. I assembled and recorded Rob Zombie’s Halloween Hootenanny comp. With Sonic Youth, I pondered making records with John Fahey and Townes Van Zandt. After ten years, it was time to move on.

Tell us what you do now, didn’t you get involved with digital music at some point?

Geffen Records was folded into Interscope in 1999 and I was bored with the limitations of the business as it was.  Digital music was gaining ground solely through illegal file trading on Napster. I knew there would be a major shift in the business moving to digital. I worked for the download site. eMusic.com, signing distribution agreements with labels. This was years before iTunes and YouTube. Major labels would not work with us because mp3 files are open source files that could be traded freely without control.  They saw eMusic as a facilitator of illegal file trading. Like marijuana use leading to hard drugs!  In the big picture, I knew that digital downloads weren’t “sexy”.  But at some point, digital music would develop into something easier to track and use. We skipped the major labels. The bigger independent labels understood that digital music would be the future.  It was a great place to be. I knew a lot of music, but I had no idea there were so many labels in every country. One label owner told me that I had the best  job in the world. I knew that to explain this new unproven music format it could be an uphill climb. So I took the time to research label websites for song samples. That way I could find common ground with label owners. There’s surf music in Brazil? There’s a young female cellist duo in Prague that make energetic music? There’s archaic royalty rules connected to opera arrangements? Bring it on!  It certainly changed how I listen to music.

It was a time when business rules and legal rights had to change in order to deal with digital income disbursement. For example, digital downloads could be sold by the song while royalty payments were based on album sales. eMusic was at the forefront of those changes. When iTunes launched, digital music was “legitimized”. Borne out of eMusic was RoyaltyShare which provides a royalty accounting platform for labels. It is now a division of The Orchard and I divide my time between The Orchard and RoyaltyShare.

Who are some current bands you are into?

A loaded question! I listen to a lot of new music. I spend a lot of time listening to records and cd’s in my collection. Of current artists,  I really like Steve Gunn’s music. I listen to the projects involving members of Sonic Youth.  Bill Nace, Kim’s partner in Body/Head is a guitar genius. Body/Head’s music is a cathartic experience for me.  London is lucky to have Thurston Moore living and working there. I think the music they make separately is far more exciting that what Sonic Youth would’ve made if still together.

Lately I’m digging Melenas from Spain, Hayvenlar Alemi from Turkey. Quin Kirchner is a Chicago based  drummer that put out a great jazz record in 2018 called “The Other Side Of Time”. I think he plays on Ryley Walker ‘s records.

Because I’ve spent so much time with the music of Sonic Youth, Branca and Rhys Chatham, I crave the occasional dive into instrumental symphonic guitar army and tonal stuff. Current favorites in that vein are Bosse De Nage, Pelican, Sunn O)))

Given the chance I’ll see any performance by Mary Halvorson, Ches Smith, Marc Ribot or Mary Lattimore.

It took me years to get it, but I’m now a big fan of Keiji Haino’ music.  Dean McPhee is a British guitarist I really like. I just bought a couple of Willie Lane lp’s on Feeding Tube.

I research music history and the development of the industry. There are historical and social components of every type of music by culture, country, time period. I love stories about riots at premieres of new avant garde works. I read a book about famous classical composers in the 18th Century playing home concerts (salons) where people are talking the entire time…but they are paid handsomely for the performance.   Streaming music sites and YouTube are vast repositories of music and cultural documentation.

Do you still make it out to many shows?

I go to two/three shows a month when I’m home and more when traveling especially NY/London. I start work early in the morning so I’m not out late often.  I understand why people see less live music as they get older. I’m done with music festivals. The Big Ears Festival is the only Stateside event that might inspire me to stand for eight hours.

I always hear music by new artists that I really like. I don’t always go to see the live show. Sometimes I hear a new band that sounds like a band  I liked 20 years ago.  I wouldn’t deliberately see a band that uses another band’s sound as a template.

 What are your top 10 desert island discs?

I cannot do 10. It’s 20 or nothing. If you say sorry Ray, it will be nothing. FineJ If I’m on an island, I’ll listen to the ocean waves and sounds of nature. If I’m relegated to a desert, I’ll listen to the blood coarsing through my veins.

Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue

Television- Marquee Moon

Peter Brotzmann- Machine Gun

Sex Pistols -Never Mind The Bollocks

Rolling Stones- Let It Bleed

Soundtrack – The Harder They Come

Billy Harper – Black Saint

Kleenex/Liliput- First Songs

Patti Smith Group -Easter

Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers- Houserockin’

Led Zeppelin- Houses Of The Holy

Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation

Elvis Presley- Sun Sessions

The Cramps- Songs The Lord Taught Us

Pell Mell -Flow

Procol Harum- A Salty Dog

Sibelius- Complete Symphonies

Lou Reed -Coney Island Baby

Meat Puppets- Up On The Sun

The Kinks- Kinks Kronikles

 “Hmm....Flow or Star City?”

 Any final words? Closing comments? Anything you wanted to mention that I didn’t ask.

I’ve been involved off and on with the artist Raymond Pettibon for a music project called Supersession. He has made records under this moniker before. This project began in 1990 and stalled for many years. We revived it a couple years ago. I play bass. Raymond wrote many pages of words and lyrics that he passed to the band, encouraging us to write music behind them. It’s different from Raymond’s other records because it is not improvised. Rick Sepulveda, our guitarist is a great songwriter and he wrote music for Raymond’s words. Rick sings a bunch of the songs because Raymond loves his voice. We did a  NYC performance in November that was really fun. So now of course, I’m thinking we should play monthly in L.A. We are nearly finished with the album that we recorded at Casa Hanzo, the San Pedro studio Mike Watt owns with Pete Mazich. Raymond is a brilliant man; fun and inspiring to work with. When I practice with Rick, he’ll often break into a cover song deep in the recess of memory. Like John Cale’s “Hanky Panky Nohow” ,Kevin Ayers’ “Oh Wot A Dream” or the Doors “Wishful Sinful”. We may cover a Harry Toledo song. It’s a blast.  I hope to have the album finished in July.

 Tav, Bobby, Pell Mell and Ray 

[borderlands-imagines]

1, 2, 8, 10, 17, 18, 22, 29 For Lilith and Tyreen! (Separate not shipped together please qwq)

Lilith: 

1. Do they seek out love or let it find the? Are they even interested in romance?

Lilith used to seek love, not actively but just enough that she could easily see the spark between her and Roland. After that, she doesn’t seek it out at all, and even loses interest in it all together due to the pain that seemed to permanently settle itself in her heart. Even if other feelings for a person were to develop, she’s likely to just reject them or ignore them to the best of her ability, not wanting to go through that again.

2. When they have a crush on someone, how do they let them know?

It would take a lot of persuasion and time on Lilith’s part for her to finally confess, as she doesn’t actually want to deal with these feelings but she knows it hasn’t been healthy to hold them inside her the way she has been. She’s a bit awkward as she brings it up, stumbling over her words, unable to meet her eye, but finally she just sighs, telling you she cares about you as more than a friend, and wonders if you have any intent of pursuing something more with her. 

8. Are they loyal to their partners?

Undoubtedly. Lilith is a loyal person in general, and would lay her life down on the line for you. She loves you so immensely that everyone around you knows without her even having to say it, she just radiates that energy when you’re around each other. She would expect and appreciate the same loyalty from you, finding that if you were to betray her or be too dishonest, it could be a deal-breaker. 

10. Do they include their partners in most aspects of their life?

Somewhat. She’d enjoy if you were part of the Crimson Raiders, but not as a front-line combatant if she could help it. She’d rather you help train the crew or work on creating armor, things that were less likely to get you killed. But if you were to have a completely different interest or job, she’d be supportive of you, not minding as she doesn’t think you have to be part of everything going on in her life. 

17. What sort of characteristics or quirks draw them to someone?

Badass with a heart of gold. 

Stubborn

Calm/Voice of Reason

Knows how to have fun

Confident

18. Do they have a ‘type’?

Other Vault Hunters seem to be her type, even if it’s already brought her pain more than once. She likes being with someone who’s badass and adventurous, who’s willing to put their life on the line to go out there and not just find Vaults, but to help people who need to be helped (and make great money in the process). She’s just more attracted to a person who understands who she is and what motivates her, and who likely has similar experiences to hers. 

22. Tell us about a sacrifice they made for their significant other.

A token of Roland’s. She had clung to it for years, and after meeting you, she realized how much guilt she was still holding onto after his untimely death. If she continued to hold onto it, she feared she’d never move out of the past, and that Roland would only be disappointed in her for not having the strength to make a tough call. She discards this token of love, knowing that she won’t forget him no matter how hard it is to part with it, and does her best to be present in her current romantic relationship. 

29. How do they express their love to their partner?

Lilith is a words of affection type of person, and she showers you with praise, never forgetting to say ‘I love you’ once she truly feels it. She’s affectionate behind closed doors, too, showering your face with kisses and more than happy when you return the favor to her. She could spend long mornings and nights cuddled up close with you, getting lost in conversation about the silliest, most trivial things and still feeling like it was full of substance, like the two of you are still getting closer every day. 

Tyreen Calypso: 

1. Do they seek out love or let it find the? Are they even interested in romance?

Tyreen doesn’t need to seek it out, it’s practically followed her her entire life. She’s a stunning individual, she knows this, and it’s attracted plenty of different types to her, but she’s rather picky and has a tendency to demolish her lovers if she’s not careful. She doesn’t trust easily, nor are her requirements for a partner met often, so she can be a little difficult to get to know in general. Love, above all, is not something she’s seeking out immediately but she wouldn’t reject it should it come along.

2. When they have a crush on someone, how do they let them know?

Tyreen simply… tells you, in private, during a one-on-one conversation. She has no fear of rejection, no fear that you might not return her feelings, a confidence which many wished to have. She would consistently hint on her streams at there being a special someone who’d been lucky enough to capture the God-Queen’s eye (and perhaps her heart?) as it rakes in the views, and even sends a warning to her potential suitor to prepare themselves. She finally tells you after getting plenty of bloodshed out of the arguments over who it was she was talking about, and she asks you how it feels to be so blessed. 

8. Are they loyal to their partners?

It’s an active choice she makes daily, which she lets you know since she’s the God-Queen and she doesn’t have to be loyal to you and only you, but she is. It takes a lot to garner enough of Tyreen’s attention that she actually decides she cares about you as more than just a tool to further her own reign, so you’re almost too special for her to lose. She handles you more delicately than most, something she tries to hide from her followers and Troy as she doesn’t want them to think she’s going soft. 

10. Do they include their partners in most aspects of their life?

If you’re charismatic or have some other ‘it’ factor, there’s no doubt she’ll use you to further her own fame or to rake in the views on her streams. This is such an important aspect of her life that she actually coaches you on how to act, and getting personal lessons from her is a gift from above that any of her followers would kill for. You wouldn’t have to do them daily like her and Troy do, but you’d feature in enough that you’d be well-known.

17. What sort of characteristics or quirks draw them to someone?

Submissive/Dependent

Loyal

Proactive

Intense

Cunning

18. Do they have a ‘type’?

Her type is someone loyal, devoted, and absolutely crazy about her. This means there are varying other traits she’ll look for in a person, but she generally seems to attract those who have nothing else to live for and are looking for someone’s lead to ‘follow’. They’re a little more reliant on her rather than fully independent, just the way she likes them. 

22. Tell us about a sacrifice they made for their significant other.

Announcing your relationship publicly was a risk, a big risk, that Tyreen had worried about making. After plenty of discussion she decided she shouldn’t have to hide something if she didn’t want to, and she wanted everyone to know exactly who you belonged to. She tries to balance this out by having the followers who would be most upset about her change in relationship status kill each other in a nasty battle as she pits them against each other, implying left and right that these rando’s might actually be the one for her. It almost disgusts her how easily they believe it, but she doesn’t want their followers to plummet too quickly. 

29. How do they express their love to their partner?

She commonly refers to you as her favorite person, her number one fan, the best lover she’s ever had (which is just gloating on her part, she just wants everyone to know you’re a perfect couple and they don’t have any hope). She surprises you with how often she’ll suddenly move and kiss you, though she doesn’t seem to be a fan of hugs (you’re grateful, as you’re not trying to be turned into those weird crystal figures you see scattered around). 

[winryofresembool]

Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 3

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: Calypso gets a new friend and notices that maybe her flatmate isn't that bad after all.

A/N: Time to introduce Annabeth! I will slowly be adding more of the familiar characters, in the next chapter there will be more (but who, may that remain a secret for another week).

As usual, thanks to my friend Cris for betaing! And thanks to everyone who's been commenting, know that your comments really have motivated me to continue this fic! Please keep them coming :)

And now, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Characters in this ch: Calypso, Leo, Annabeth

Words: 1300+

Genre: romance & hurt/comfort (in the future chapters)

Warnings: none

previous chapter / next chapter / AO3

...

It was the morning of Calypso’s first day at the university. The first week would mostly be orientation, meaning getting to know her fellow students, the professors, the campus, her program and so on a bit better. She was feeling quite nervous because aside from Leo she hadn’t really met other students living in the area yet, and if she was honest with herself, her friend making skills weren’t the best. Due to the circumstances at her home, she had never had a close friend, and her relationships tended to end after a couple of months for various reasons. But this was finally a good chance to find other people interested in the same topics as she was, and she didn’t want to blow it up.

As she was making herself breakfast, her roommate showed up and sat down on a chair next to her, leaning his chin against the backrest. His fingers were tapping against the hard wood of the table like Calypso had already seen them do a few times in the past few days. The boy never seemed to be able to sit still.

“First day in this university, huh?” Leo asked. “You nervous?”

“What do you want?” Calypso asked suspiciously, not answering his question. She wasn’t feeling like opening up about her nervousness to this boy who for some reason made her feel even more restless. It was almost as if his nervous energy was contagious.

“Listen,” Leo started, now looking at her directly and stopping the tapping for a moment. “I know we haven’t exactly started off great, but we’re still going to be living together for a while so I thought we should at least be even. So. I fixed your desk.”

“I don’t want to owe you anything,” Calypso said matter-of-factly.

“You’re not owing me!” Leo exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air for a bigger impact. “I… well, Festus, but it was my fault… broke it so I thought it was the appropriate thing to do. But if you are too proud to…” His voice started to rise a bit. He had not expected Calypso to be that stubborn.

“Okay,” she said, putting her hand on his shoulder briefly to stop his rambling. “I’ll accept it. Thanks. I guess.”

“Not exactly the reaction I was expecting but I’ll accept it,” he mocked her tone and earned an angry look from Calypso. “I was hoping for something more like ‘thank you so much, my favorite roomie, you’re the best!’” To avoid another lash from her, he quickly changed the subject: “Anyway, I also wanted to tell you that we should probably take weekly turns with cleaning the common area, like I did with Jason. I can take this week if you want to.”

“No, I can take it.” Calypso said with a tone that meant this won’t be discussed further.

“Is there anything you can’t make an argument about, Miss Sunshine?” Leo stared at her with frustration while his hands were reaching for the chips from a bag he had left on the dining table the other day.

“You make it rather easy, Valdez. Also, who eats chips for breakfast?” She shook her head with disapproval. “Manners,” she mumbled under her breath before turning to put the milk back into the fridge. “Now, I’d like to finish my breakfast so if you excuse me…”

She took her bowl of cereals and an orange with her into her room and closed the door behind her.

…

“Don’t forget to get your books for next week, we’re already going to start with…” A professor announced at the end of his long lecture. The rest of his speech was drowned by the sound of the students starting to get up and collect their stuff to leave the class.

“When I signed up for this, I was not expecting them to have full blown lectures on the first day,” a blonde girl behind Calypso noted. Unlike Calypso, who felt overwhelmed by the amount of information she had just received, the other girl seemed almost bored as if she already knew everything they had been told.

“Yeah, me neither,” Calypso admitted, realizing that the girl was talking to her. “But I guess that’s university for you…”

“Right,” the blonde agreed. “Anyway, what’s your name? I don’t know anyone in this group yet but I’d like to change that.”

“Oh! I’m Calypso. Calypso Astal,” she gave the girl her hand to shake. “You can call me Cal, though…”

The other girl took it and shook it firmly. “Annabeth Chase. I’m actually an architect student but I’m also interested in history so I decided to make it my minor subject. I guess that means I’ll be seeing you a lot this semester!”

“Oh, that’s cool!” Calypso exclaimed. “I like drawing too but I doubt I would actually be good enough to design buildings.”

“There’s a lot that you need to take into account when designing,” Annabeth agreed, “but practice makes perfect.” As the girls passed a window that showed them the beautiful old main building of their university, she gestured at it and added: “One day I’d love to design something that will make people stop and say ‘hey, did you know this building was designed by none other than Annabeth Chase?’”

“To be honest, I haven’t thought that far,” Calypso admitted. “This is all still so new to me, I’ve been…” She decided she didn’t want to reveal her home circumstances to someone she had just met so she changed her approach: “well, there’s a lot I still want to experience so I have not devoted myself to just one path yet. I came here because I needed to get away, and history was an easy choice because I’ve always been interested in it. I still don’t picture myself researching the past events for the rest of my life.”

Annabeth nodded understandingly. “I think a lot of people of our age feel that way. My boyfriend… Well, now he’s having a swimming career but we both know that isn’t gonna last forever so I’ve been trying to get him to think of other possibilities for when he no longer feels the passion for competing. But he doesn’t see it the same way, he says I always plan too much ahead. Which I guess may be partially true,” she chuckled and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, feeling she may have revealed a bit too much.

“Yeah. I like to go with a similar ‘go with the flow’ attitude as well.” In her head Calypso added: ‘because of what happened at home’.

“Anyway,” Annabeth decided to change the topic when she noticed Calypso had gone quiet. “This is a bit of a random question, but are you familiar with this town yet?”

“No, not yet.” Calypso shook her head. “I moved here only a week ago.”

“In that case, would you like me to show around some day?” Annabeth asked, opening her phone calendar. “I’d have time for example tomorrow.”

“Oh, sure, that would be great!” Calypso said. “Definitely beats listening to my roommate’s tinkering all day long.”

“Tinkering? You wouldn’t happen to be flatmates with Leo Valdez?” Annabeth connected the dots. The campus wasn’t that big and he had heard some stories through her boyfriend about one very enthusiastic mechanic.

“Unfortunately, I am. How did you know?” Calypso asked curiously.

“Oh, he has a bit of a reputation here,” Annabeth said mischievously. When Calypso looked at her suspiciously, she added: “I’m just kidding, my boyfriend is good friends with one guy named Jason who used to be Leo’s flatmate. I’ve never met him but I did keep hearing that he was constantly building something in his room. And also, Leo likes making a number of himself so he has put plenty of flashy ads on the uni bulletin boards telling about his mechanic business.”

“I guess I should have known that,” Calypso facepalmed.

“You don’t seem to like him very much, do you?” Annabeth asked, raising her eyebrow.

“Um…” Calypso wasn’t sure why she was revealing all this to a stranger, but it just felt right. “Our chemistry just… isn’t working. We’re very different and…” She tried to think of other reasons for their issues, which turned out to be harder than she expected. She realized that she didn’t really know him yet. “Uh, his dog broke my desk on the day I moved in and I’ve been mad at him ever since. He did apologize but… something about his attitude irks me. I don’t even know what it is.”

Annabeth’s mouth curled up a bit in amusement. She wanted to say that sounded a lot like her relationship with her boyfriend Percy had started. “That happens sometimes. Maybe… give him another chance, though. I mean, I don’t really know him or anything but sometimes the first impressions aren’t the best ones. You haven’t been living together for a long time yet, so there’s probably a lot you don’t know about him.”

“Yeah. You’re right. I feel kind of silly for complaining about that to a stranger. But thanks for listening!”

“No problem! Listen, I should get going now because I have a meeting with some architect friends but I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah! You bet!”

The girls quickly exchanged their phone numbers before separating to their own ways. As Calypso was walking towards her flat, though, she felt a small smile spread on her face. Maybe she had just made her first friend.

..

When Calypso got inside, to her surprise she found her broken desk waiting for her near her room. Only, it wasn’t broken anymore. She had wondered where it had disappeared after the incident but hadn’t really given it too much thought considering the state of the desk, thinking that Leo might have taken it to a recycling center or something. However, it turned out he had done a lot more than that. The broken board had been replaced with a new one and he had also sandpapered the surface, painted it and varnished it so it looked better than it had looked when it was brand new. Calypso could only stare with an open mouth at the fine job he had done. Once she had finally recovered from the surprise a bit, she yelled:

“Valdez!”

“¿Sí?” he peeked from his room, not sure what to expect. To his surprise, he saw the first genuine smile he had seen on her face.

“Would you like to help me to carry this into my room?” she asked in a friendly manner, still smiling. Leo took that as a win and agreed to help.

When they were done, Calypso did another thing that surprised both herself and him: she gently touched his arm and said: “Thanks. It looks good. And I mean it.”

“Leo Valdez, always ready to help.” He made a silly bowing gesture that made Calypso snort.

“You know, maybe you’re not quite so bad after all.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time,” he said, but there were no ill feelings behind his words.

“Now go before I change my mind,” Calypso said playfully. Leo gave her his signature grin and as he left the room, he felt he had finally managed to crack her cover a bit.