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alyona11 · 8 months ago

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Ok time for my big Hadestown hot take and that’s that West End Hadestown doesn’t give you a 100% Hadestown experience. It’s still ridiculously good and 100% worth seeing, don’t get me wrong (I used my opportunity and saw it twice and will likely see it again if I’m in London), but it kinda made me realise a couple of things about OBC production that will always be my Roman Empire and make me deeply upset Broadway is too greedy to give us an OBC proshot.

So, here are some of my thoughts and reflections based on seeing Hadestown live on West End + seeing different versions (including London National theatre proshot) in boots. I think you can pretty solidly say that in Hadestown there are 2 main stories: Orpheus/Eurydice and Hades/Persephone. And even though arguably Orphedice is the main most important story, it my opinion it also wins from Hadesphone story being strong. Which works perfectly in OBC due to Amber Gray and Patrick Page delivering a very deep nuanced performances as their characters.

I think part of the success of Hadestown when it works on its fullest is how it creates a very deep emotional journey. And I feel that regardless which pair of Orpheus and Eurydice you have (if we take Broadway/tour/West End take on the characters) it’ll still work! Like you need to try really hard to mess up orphedice the way people wouldn’t root for Orpheus or wouldn’t empathise with Eurydice because they are so relatable and cute. You instantly love them, they are so so lovable. So orphedice part is one thing in Hadestown that imo works if not always then in 99% of the cases.

Hades and Persephone’s part of the story in the contrary is VERY hard to nail on 100%, in my opinion, and this is literally driving me crazy. Maybe seeing Amber Gray and Patrick page in professional recording awoken some feelings in me, I don’t know. I will state straight away that I also do enjoy other actors’ takes on characters and I do see some very interesting character moments there and there. However, I keep returning to the thought that Amber/Patrick’s characterisation works SO WELL for the main narrative. I’ll try to explain why I think so. Consider it my love letter to the OBC.

First and foremost, I feel like Hadesphone story has a very fine dynamic that the actors have to nail, so you would feel that: 1) these two still love each other; 2) these two are buried under their problems and see no way out, only a miracle (aka Orpheus and his song) can save their marriage.

And if the first one usually works at least due to Epic 3, the second one, imo, often (at least partially) falls victim to acting/directing choices which can cause troubles with point 1 as well. I think one big thing I’ve noticed is that often Persephone’s alcoholism gets forgotten in the acting performance. Like yeah sure her choreography includes drinking from a flask but in comparison to Amber you never get a feeling that she is absolutely wasted. Which, is in my opinion something that you should feel when you’re watching the show and something I was constantly forgetting about when I was watching the show on West End. I feel in Amber’s performance you can constantly see that her Persephone’s feel good attitude is a façade of a broken person who knows that her marriage is going to hell in front of her eyes yet she is too passive and hopeless to try to make an active change (well, she does try in Chant and nothing happens), so her only way is to chase the sense of normality that the “medicine” gives her. But when she is alone, if you get to catch a moment when people are not looking at her, you can see a deep sadness under her positive front and her memory of the old days when everything was more simple. Nevertheless, the main point that the lyrics literally say is that Persephone is blinded by the river of wine. And this is crucial to her character and her relationship with Hades because the story states that even though Hades is a problem and he is an active actor in creating more problems, he is not the only failure in this relationship. Persephone needs to be woken up from her apathy almost as much as Hades does and this is something that we see during If It’s True.

From Hades’ side I feel like it’s not a good decision to make him a total villain because when he is irredeemable you don’t feel like the whole ��song that will fix the world” has any chance of working long term. I think Patrick nailed a deep antagonist very well. His Hades is weird and lowkey creepy and alien. He does objectively bad things but when you look at him you can’t stop thinking that he doesn’t operate in regular human logic or morality. When I look at him in Chant, it feels to me that his words about building stuff to impress Persephone are absolutely sincere, and I can absolutely see that his Hades doesn’t understand why she is so upset about it when his intentions are so so clear. Maybe it’s my vision but even before Epic 3 when he is so far gone and buried in his projects and messed up ideas I don’t have a single doubt that Persephone is a single motivator and goal of Patrick Hades’ life and that he literally doesn’t need any other being to care about. And tragically this fixation is what makes him blind to all other things he does even if those things ruin Persephone’s life (and other people’s but tbh I don’t think he cares).

I feel like by removing Persephone’s Chant 2 verse Hadestown created more problems for Hades and Persephone part of the story making it a much harder job for the actors to prove to the audience that Hades and Persephone have a chance to make their relationship work. Like I get that maybe it was a necessary things to do (even though I think the show is much better with it) but it made it so much harder to empathise with this particular part of the story unless the actors use the choices that work in the narrative. Because for example when I was watching the show on West End part of me was wondering “what is Persephone’s deal in all of that, what does she win by staying with Hades?” With the verse, and with Broadway Previews or London 2018 in particular this part was clear: Persephone still loves Hades and believes that he has the opportunity to change and become a better man he used to be. Without the verse, however, the actors should give you the same idea during the show which is a hard task considering Hades and Persephone have only 2 big conversations together (Chant and How Long). So apart from those songs there are only subtle mostly silent moments they get together through which the actors have to convey the same thought which is hella difficult and probably hardly will be appreciated by anyone apart from the people who sit closely.

So, maybe because in the actor combo I saw (Zachary and Lauren), I got a feeling that even though they were great separately, I didn’t feel much chemistry between them as a pair. I think, Persephone seemed pissed and tired of Hades all the time until How Long and I didn’t feel that she still believes in his willingness to change. And Zach Hades despite being entertaining, kinda gives the impression of Hades who has other options, he is not into Persephone enough. The only sparkle appears between the two in Epic III which is still cute but I’m not sure if it works just as well if that’s the first time you see the show? Also considering Zach Hades gives more malicious intent in His Kiss, The Riot it seems that he is not even slightly interested in Orpheus having any opportunity to succeed with his quest. Which is not bad, don’t get me wrong! But in comparison to Patrick who is deeply self projecting into Orpheus to the point where you could see that even though he doesn’t want to let him go, part of him does because it would prove he too could succeed in his challenge of waiting for Persephone, this take seems a bit lacking. And overall because of His Kiss, their promise in Wait For Me doesn’t seem as giving much hope that the story won’t repeat itself next Sunday. Which in its turn makes Orpheus’ sacrifice feel a bit… worthless. If on Broadway, when Orpheus turns, but spring comes again you feel like it is the start of something new: hopefully a kinder and softer time. On West End the show also wants you to feel it but when you think about Hades and Persephone you feel…less certainty that this sacrifice will have a long term effect?

I guess the creators wanted to concentrate on Orpheus and Eurydice more and forget about Hades and Persephone by making them more secondary story or maybe there was a lack of director’s involvement to give the cast some hints on how to make this particular part of the story work better, but it feels to me that in its current state the show works in its 85% power which is still great but once you know there is something missing you can’t stop thinking about it and wishing the show would give you those 15% you crave.

#me being me #hadestown #thanks for coming to my ted talk #I still immensely enjoyed the production and would come see it again #but when you know the show at its fullest you seem to miss some parts that worked better #also I was able to appreciate the same cast from different angles the second time I could see them from the first row so I could #get a clear view of their acting #and don’t get me wrong Zach and Lauren are really interesting to watch and I liked them #but also I started thinking if it was my first time to watch the show would I understand the appeal of Hades/Persephone line?#and I can’t stop thinking about it #hades #Persephone #hadestown broadway #hadestown west end #it’s also not about WE only but just about some characterisations I saw from different actors in different productions #I just felt like it would be fair to compare to the production and cast I saw life because obviously bootlegs even the greatest are not #the same #thanks for reading this long post

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gingermintpepper · 1 month ago

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Hi Ginger :DD Time to spill some tea >:))))

🌤️🌩️🌪️

Heyyy Pen, always glad to spill my guts (seriously, I'd never post anything any other way)

🌪️Sum up a WIP with a few fic tropes/Ao3 tags.

A particular Zeus + Apollo centric wip I have can be summed up as 'No beta, we die like Persephone', 'Father-son bonding', 'The not-so-glamourous side of being the god of Prophecy' and 'Zeus is a Complicated Father (he is doing his best)'

🌤️Share your favorite piece of dialogue from your WIP.

From the same wip as mentioned above:

"You should have a drink."

Apollo slaps the kylix out of his father's hand, nectar sizzling when it splashes on his heated skin, "Fuck your drink! What good will drinking do us now?! What problem could it possibly solve?"

Past his heaving breaths and the frazzled curls of his hair, Apollo can only see his father. Stalwart and tall, not a single hair of his ruffled by Apollo's outburst save for a single raised eyebrow. Shame is a lightning strike through his chest, regret its swift twin. "Father, I -"

"You know," and Zeus gathers the fabric of his thick chiton round his knee, stoops low on his haunches, "the same could well be said of your anger." He grabs the spilled cup. There's a chip in the lip, an ugly fracture whose cracks now stain the once pristine depiction of his father and stepmother's wedding day. It was Father's favourite drinking cup and now it's ruined.

Zeus kneels in front of him, and Apollo wishes he wouldn't. He wishes his father wouldn't look at him with such understanding eyes. It's Apollo who broke his favourite cup, Apollo whose inaction have doomed Persephone, Apollo who will forever speak destruction and doom into being.

"Phoebus," he says, and his voice is so calm when all Apollo deserves are curses, "lashing out will only cause more pain, more destruction." His father pries his fingers out of their balled and quaking fist, gently rests the ruined kylix in his palm. "Have a drink with me. It'll help, I swear it."

🌩️ Share something funny/cracky from your WIP.

Naturally, from the same wip:

"Phoebus."

Five small white heads poke out from the tangle of dense brown curls laid out against the rug. Zeus snorts, amused, "Phoebus, it is time to get up."

The sprawling lump of fine hair and limbs shudders. His crows all scatter, the tinkling of their adornments like chimes as they search for new perches in the high walled room. A muffled sound dully echoes about the room. Zeus laughs, crossing the threshold and making peace with the ten sets of talons now seeking purchase atop his horns and shoulders. "I didn't quite catch that, child. You'll have to raise your head so I can hear you."

The crow closest to his ear begins picking at the sapphire in his earring. Zeus brushes it off, looking away for just long into to miss Phoebus digging himself out of his miserable pile of pillows and furs, "I said, it is not yet morning, father. Whyever would you have need of me now?"

What a cute thing-! Blue eyes bleary with Sleep's heavy touch, pretty curls all frayed and thick from being teased by his birds and crushed by his pillows. Oh, if only dear Hear could see him like this, surely she'd forget even her distaste if faced with such a charming side of the boy. He can't help but try flatten some of those poufy curls with his hands, "Training of course. You've until your birds find new perches to grab your sword."

Phoebus blinks, "What?"

Zeus smiles, he tilts his head, filling the room with the roar of thunder, startling both Phoebus and his flock of birds. "I'll see you at the field."

#ginger answers asks #The power I would have if I could finish any of my eight Apollo/Zeus wips #THE POWER I WOULD HAVE UGH #I care entirely too much about them and them having their super close relationship #Zeus and Apollo have such a close partnership argue with the wall #hehe thank you for letting me ramble Pen #apollo #zeus #writing

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thecapricunt1616 · 10 months ago

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The Bear & His Honey Chapter 3

Inspo: Quote - “All the lights couldn’t put out the dark that’s running through my heart ” Summary: (18+ ONLY FIC!!!) Winnie & Richie meet for the first time, have a conversation about their love for Taylor Swift over a cigarette while Carmen fights through a panic attack in his office. W/C: 3,000 A/N: Oh my WORD!! I am so excited for this chapter, I hope you all like it!! I’m hoping my Carmy and Richie are doin’ it for ya! I’m feeling this pacing for the moment, but I promise there will be a time jump at some point. I just want to have the relationships build a little and have you guys get to know Winnie outside of who she is with Carmy!! Warnings for BTC: Abuse (Verbal, Emotional, Physical), Swearing, Self Harm, Cigarettes, Mentions of alcohol, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Disassociation, Negative self talk, bad coping skills. (0 smut though, wow!!)

𝒞𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓀 𝒪𝓊𝓉 𝑀𝓎 𝑀𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉!

Chapter 2 Here!

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“Don’t worry missy, mommy isn’t forgetting about you” I brush my hand over my cat, Persephone’s, supple fluffy white tail. “Jus’ give me a second ok?” I leaned into the mirror, finishing applying a mauve lip liner to the edges of my lips before filling them in with gloss. I give myself one final lookover, smoothing down my pale, buttercup-colored cardigan. I look like I should be freezing my ass off, but thanks to my fleece-lined nude tights- I am warm as can be.

I head into the kitchen, Persephone weaving in and out of my legs as she usually did getting a giggle out of me. “Poor starving fluffy baby mm’?” I coo, grabbing her dish from the cabinet and emptying one of her favorite shrimp-flavored Friskies lil’ soups into the bowl, and setting it down for her. She dives right in and I scratch her head lovingly. “There, that is your bedtime snack ok? You got it early, so when it’s really time for bed later, don’t try and tell me I forgot somethin’ yea?” I go grab my ‘purse’ from the bedroom which was just the tote I’d gotten at Taylor Swift's concert a few months ago, as well as my white pleather platform boots, and sit in the entry hall, putting them on.

I look at myself once more in the hall mirror, adjusting the white bow tying back my long locks that I’d curled. “Love y’ baby, Mama be home soon, be goods ok?” I called to Seph’ who was still chowing down in the kitchen. I slipped on my fur cape shawl-type garment over my shoulders and stepped out of my apartment. Locking my door, I headed back down a few blocks to The Bear. I put on my headphones as I walk, humming softly to the music blasting through them.

As I approach the alleyway, I see light puffs of smoke coming out into the street. I hurried my pace, hoping it was Carmen out for a smoke before I showed up. But when I finally see around the corner, it's not Carmen, it’s some other man. Older, wearing a brown leather jacket. He nods in my direction and his lips move, his voice completely drowned out by the music that was still blasting in my ears. I pull my headphone away from my ear lightly “Sorry, wha’dya say?” I asked, taking them off and putting them in my bag.

“I asked if you were in your Fearless Era? Nice sweater” he said and I smiled wide. “Shut up- you listen to Taylor Swift?” I walked up to him, leaning a few feet away on the brick wall. “Hell yeah! My daughter loves her, you saw the show too?” He takes another drag of his cigarette and I smile with an enthusiastic nod. “Mmhmm!!” I say proudly “Can you believe She played Death By A Thousand Cuts and Mad Woman?! Those are like, my favorites from those albums!”

He blows the smoke past me and nods with a smile. “It really was fuckin’ fantastic. Broad puts on such a crazy show it was fire.” I looked closer and realized he was wearing chef's clogs “D’ you work here?” I questioned. Another nod “My cus’ owns it. You been?” He asked and my eyes widened before I let out a laugh, a real laugh.

“I’m here for - for him!! Actually. He umm..invited me for a drink.” I said a shy smile dancing on my lips and my cheeks heating slightly.

“Holy shit” he laughs. “Holy fuckin’ shit” he shakes his head in disbelief. “What?” I giggle. “He has a secret girlfriend or somethin’?” I joked and that got another chuckle out of him. “No, no. Absolutely not- I just am- in shock and awe.” He snorts, taking another drag.

“Why’s that? Am I ugly or somethin’?” I teased “oh no no quite the opposite actually, surprised he was able to talk to you. Kid gets all quiet around pretty girls.” I shrugged. “Hes….shy. But very funny.” I added. “Funny? Wow. I can’t wait to tell Sug’ t’morrow. Wait so how did you- how did he ask you out?” He questioned.

I took a deep breath, a sheepish smile on my face “ok, so- he didn’t - he did ask, but he did it by making me ask. He was like ‘oh so you only go out with guys that have xyz’ and I was like ‘no you askin’ me out player?’ And he was like ‘nope but we can go out’ he’s such a dork” I smile at my feet and he snorts a laugh, rubbing his chin like Carmen does.

“Yeee’ that’s Carmen’s style. He's very indirect- with girls that is. With family though- god. He’s too honest most of the time” I look back up at him. “So… how does this whole thing work, like- so Carmen is your cousin, and who is Sugar?” I asked “oh, yeah Sugars my cousin too, but she’s Carmy’s big-sis. That’s why if you decide to start comin’ ‘round more often don’t be surprised if you see her bossin’ him around even though he’s technically the boss” I giggle a bit.

“Ohh no I saw it already. She’s- she can be scary. But she’s very pretty, so that makes up for it. She came in tellin’ him off about cups earlier” I said and he chuckles “Yeah. She was the torment today, it’s usually Carmen but he was ok for the most part. Except at the end of the day, oh! Shit!! Oh my god you” he said and I looked at him, confused. “Me?” I question, pointing at my chest. “You. Yeah you. That’s why he was sooo fuckin’ dead set on hauling everyone’s asses out the door at 9:40. Oh and that’s why he had Marcus deep clean the bar. I see.” He took another drag of his cigarette. A heat brushed my cheeks.

Is he nervous to see me?

I take my bottom lip between my teeth in thought. “How’d you meet?” He asked, bringing me back. My gaze meets his again, “ah- we met today? Actually? Well, I think I’ve seen him like- around, because I’ll take walks on my breaks so he’s probably been out smoking. But I was gonna come by the restaurant for lunch and he was in need of a light so, I gave him one. And then he found I work at the bookstore and figured that means I’m smart or something and with his pretty eyes he just… managed to rope me into editing your dessert menu” I said and he laughed.

“That’s one thing about Carm’ this place?” He taps the brick with his finger “Is him, he will do anything to make something perfect about it. So I guess consider yourself smart since he trusted you to even suggest he does anything differently. That’s so much trust with him, he must really like you” he said and I blushed, my eyes meeting my boots again.

Really like you.

“So are all you Berzattos this charming, or is it just you and Carm?” I teased and he laughed, his head falling back “Oh, I like you” he pats my arm before stomping out the butt of his cigarette. “Here, you don’t have to walk all the way around - let me just let you in the kitchen” he dug keys out of his pocket, unlocking the large metal door. “Just realized, never got your name.” He said, opening the door and holding it ajar with his foot.

“Winnie” I reply, and held out my hand. He shakes it, his hands were cold from the weather but his touch was gentle. “Richie” he said and I looked into the hall that leads into the kitchen, my heart beginning to hammer in my chest. “Well I’ll leave you kids at it. No fuckin’ in the kitchen it’s spotless “ he said, breaking the tension in my chest and earning a laugh from me. “No promises, know where he is?” I asked and he nodded with his chin down the hall “2nd door on the right, his office. He’s probably finishing up paperwork n’ shit.” He said and I gently kissed his cheek on my way through the door, a friendly gesture.

“It was very nice to meet you, Richie.” I said sweetly, his cheeks were bright red. “You too, Winnie. Hopefully we see you around more- Carm can use the attitude adjustment you gave ‘em this afternoon a little more often.” He joked and my cheeks were the ones that now felt hot to the touch.

He actually listened to what I’d said about being good.

I nod “I’ll work on it” I said and he nodded with a smile, “night.” He said “g’night! Be safe!” I replied as he shut the door.

The kitchen was completely silent, the only sound was the buzzing of the lights. It was literal night and day. The bookstore was always quiet unless we were doing story time for littles, and at night it was just as quiet.

“Carmen?” I called out, my heels clicking as I made my way down the hall. “Hellooo? Hello hello?” I called, hoping he’d open up the office door. My heart picks up again, I feel it in my throat. Pounding, booming. I try to swallow the thick thumping, but it doesn’t help. I hear a hard thump against Carmen’s office door, causing my eyebrows to furrow.

I get up to it, leaning in and I hear Carmen breathing, heavy and uncontrolled. I speak up, trying to find my confidence. He had invited me here. He wants me here.

He trusted you to even suggest he does anything differently. That’s so much trust with him, he must really like you…

Richie’s words of encouragement bounce around in my mind.

I took a deep breath, gently tapping on the door with my French tip.

“Carmen? Carrrm? Ya’ in there? Hellooooo? I hear you breathing in there… Ok, well guess what- I just met your cousin Richie, and apparently? He listens to Taylor Swift too. So, unless you open up this door? I’ll like- totally go right back out there and flirt with him - and, you’ll positively 100% lose your super-duper smokin’ hot date to your awesome, super friendly cousin-“

Carm POV;

**10 minutes before Winnie shows up**

I lean against the office door, eyes screwed shut, so tightly my forehead was beginning to cramp up as my hand shakes uncontrollably next to me, my wrist cracking with every violent flick. I was desperately trying to feel something, but my entire body was numb. My chest heaves up and down rapidly, tears burning my eyes and I roughly rub over my forehead and cheeks. Clawing at my hair and pulling tightly, to feel something, anything at all. “Fuckin - get it together, fuck!” I muttered, desperate, my nails digging into my forearm so hard that if I had any mind to me at this moment, I’d realize I was drawing blood. She would be here any second, the first - first girl, the only girl I have ever had the balls to ask out, and of course one of these - these - episodes.. Just had to come on - right now. I bump my head against the door in a futile attempt to ground myself, but it doesn’t work. I still feel fucking nothing.

All of a sudden, per usual to this bullshit- I’m transported back to New York, to Noma, in the bathroom, hurling my guts up before my regular night shift. The pang in my stomach though, was merciful compared to the fucking hell on earth that place was.

Then, I was on line, making Julianne cuts to a carrot for the 3rd time since the previous 2 were ‘obviously done by a blind ape’, or ‘disgustingly amateur’ as per what I can only presume is the words of the demonic human incarnate of every, single, sin, in any life, I’ve ever fucking lived, coming back in this one to haunt me in to my grave.

“You fucking stupid sack of shit” he seeths in my ear. “You are pure shit. Hear me? You are nothing motherfucker, you are a fucking shitstain on my name. I swear, at this rate? You get outta’ here? You are done, Hear me? DONE!!!” he barks in my ear so vociferous that it circumscribes the furthest corners of my mind, my knife slipping when I twitch slightly at the pain of the volume in my ear and it shreds into my skin, deep.

I hissed at the sting before the fire of pain, my hand jerking away on instinct and dropping the knife. It clattered to the floor loudly and before I could react he grabbed the collar of my whites brutely, dragging me somewhere, my feet stumbling and tripping over each other as he towed me like a ragdoll, before he was violently throwing me to the floor of the bathroom in a pathetic, bleeding heap. “Fucking pussy” he growled, digging his chef's clog in my side just enough to knock the remaining wind out of my lungs. “Clean yourself up, pathetic moron. There's fucking work to be done, or did you overlook that? You slothful, utterly useless, piece of garbage.” The door to the bathroom slams, and I’m left alone, my blood leaking into the tile. At least he didn’t spit on me this time.

My first thought isn’t if I need stitches, or of the unbelievable pain coursing through my hand and wrist - of course not, why would I ever think of myself first? Instead, it’s of the fact that my blood pool has already grown so large that it’s leaking into the grout of the restroom floor. And if it stains with the remnants of my stupid mistake, I am fucked, done, and utterly screwed. I scramble up, wincing lightly as I try to take a breath, a sharp ache going through my left lung where his shoe had dug in.

Suddenly, I’m ripped through the walls of space and time, the soft hum of the heater meeting my ears, as the sound of the sweetest voice I’d ever heard makes its way through the door, She’s here.

“Carmen? Carrrm? Ya’ in there? Hellooooo? I hear you breathing in there… Ok, well guess what- I just met your cousin Richie, and apparently? He listens to Taylor Swift too. So, unless you open up this door? I’ll like- totally go out there and flirt with him - and, you’ll positively 100% lose your super-duper smokin’ hot date to your awesome, super friendly cousin- I also brought my book since you were just sooo interested earlier. Maybe you can take some tips from the bat-boys for your flirting skills, handsome.”

Her voice was like a tether, gently tugging me back into my body. It’s as if my soul snaps back into my physical self all at once, her words ringing through my mind like soothing white noise, not registering a single thing she’s saying, but relishing in the fact my feet were on the ground, and I was beginning to be able to feel them there again. I try to find focus on the sound of her sweet, sweet voice.

My face finally relaxes, and I force my eyes open. I’m back- Back at the bear. I let out a shaking sigh of relief, my entire body was trembling. Blood felt like it was pooling back into every one of my limbs in a tsunami. I suddenly felt so heavy, like I could just sink into the floor in a heap and die there.

“J-J-J” I stutter out, biting down on my cheek so hard I felt a sting of pain and the taste of metal filled my mouth, so embarrassed that I’m succumbing to my old habits, especially in front of her. Forcing a deep breath into my lungs, finding my head, find your head, find it, find it Carmen.

I inhaled so deeply it felt for a moment like my lungs could pop like balloons, before focusing all of my energy into letting out the breath as controlled and light as I could, which finally centered me enough to be able to find my tongue. “Just One sec. M’ sorry” I managed to get out, rubbing over my face roughly to get rid of the remnants of any stray tears, before wiping my hands on my shirt and turning to open the door.

Before my mind and my….brain? Could process my actions, I was pulling the door open, pulling her into my chest, and nuzzling my face into her neck. I held her to me tightly, as if we were hanging off the very edge of the earth, and she was my only tether to reality. I took a deep breath, my knees feeling weaker at the intoxicating scent of her, Jasmine, rose, orange? Maybe grapefruit…and…Honey.

“Thank y’ for comin’, Winnie, I need a fuckin’ drink, now.” I mutter quietly into her supple skin.

Read Chapter 4 Here!

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hufflefluff-stuff · 2 years ago

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HCs: HL Characters reacting to an MC who wears a mask to hide their scars after the dragon attack

Note: A little self-indulgent since my MC wears the ceramic mask (fav cosmetic tbh) throughout most of my gameplay so far. Although I gave her the scars in the customization screen at the start,,,,I like the idea of her gaining them after the dragon attack and using the mask to hide them.

First time writing these guys so enjoy!!

Characters: Amit, Garreth, Poppy, Ominis, Sebastian

.....

Amit Thakkar

When he first meets you in Astronomy Class, he's a little unnerved by the mask you wore.

You asked if you could borrow the telescope and he jumps nearly 10 feet in the air when he meets your eyes.

He's also confused, too. Won't it be harder to look through it with the mask on?

Fortunately, you don't have much trouble as you easily identified the constellation (much to his delight).

Then he forgets being afraid of you altogether when you ask him what he saw in the sky, befriending you after class and telling you about the astronomy tables.

While the mask makes you appear emotionless on the surface, your voice tells a different story whenever you both go on excursions to Hogsmeade, meet peaceful Goblins, stargaze together, and work on assignments.

You're genuinely nice and share his fascination with the stars!

It doesn't take Amit too long to deduce that you probably didn't escape that dragon attack 100% unscathed and likely had burns/scars to show for it (and prefer not to).

But he won't ask about it unless you're comfortable, respecting your choices to keep the mask on.

Garreth Weasley

He thinks your mask is neat tbh. Hardly asks any questions about it.

Since you only really see each other in potions class, he thought you only wore it to protect your face from potential explosions.

So he lets you take the lead in stirring if you're paired-up...just in case the cauldron's contents are being particularly volatile.

Basically made you a human shield until you point out to him that your eyes are unprotected.

Professor Sharp has def deducted Gryffindor points for this bc he only ever sees Garreth slacking off.

He does wonder how you drink the potions, though, esp after learning you still wear the mask outside of class.

The time you both had to kill spiders for their fangs, he blinked once and suddenly you downed an entire endurus potion.

"How did you do that, MC????"

"..I used magic to instantly transport it into my stomach."

You secretly just took a giant swig of it with your mask off while he was distracted gathering leaping toadstool caps, but you like messing with him.

Lucky for you, he never sees your cheeky grin under the mask.

Poppy Sweeting

When you first met her in beasts class, the "wannabe poachers" were harassing both her and Persephone.

But they're immediately creeped out by your mask and walk away after you silently stare at them.

You lowkey scared her initially (considering she never really talks to any other student and this new fifth-year had "mysterious" written all over them).

But she eventually comes to realize you shared similar views about protecting/caring for beasts.

She gained the courage to be your friend not long after that!

You seemed quite distressed about the illegal dragon fighting ring and returning the egg to its mother--in part due to the attack that led to you covering your scars.

It made you rather afraid of dragons in general, thoroughly freaking you out when you came face-to-face with the maternal dragon at her nest.

Poppy takes notice, and reassures you that your fears are valid, especially after learning you wear the mask because of that incident.

She does ponder about it possibly intimidating certain beasts when she learns you've been rescuing many from poachers as of late.

Though you can confirm from your time in the Vivarium that they've all gotten used to your looks and aren't afraid in the slightest.

Ominis Gaunt

Although he can't see your face, he did overhear whispers of the "strange" new fifth-year who wore some "creepy" mask.

He didn't like that kind of gossip, but at the time didn't know too much about you even though you two shared a few classes together.

Then he discovers you leaving the Undercroft.

Despite the rocky start, you both become more acquainted with each other as the year continues.

When you, him, and Sebastian all went into the Slytherin Scriptorium, you tried easing his nerves by talking about what your mask looks like and where you found it.

The next time Ominis visits you in the Undercroft, his wand detects a recent enchantment you've added to your mask (Cushioning III, to be exact) ...and his concern is immeasurable.

"MC, I get you fought an armored troll in Hogsmede, but it sounds like you're deliberately trying to pick fights with them."

"No...I was trying to do a good deed by putting down a troll that this lady tried to "tame"....and it almost shattered my mask. But it's fine now. I'm gonna test it later. I need more troll boogeys anyways."

"Why don't you just buy some off of somebody?"

"....I can't afford any right now."

"Oh, but you can afford to risk your life???"

If this poor guy wasn't already worried about Sebastian dabbling in the Dark Arts...now it's you going around practically begging to get clobbered by a troll's club.

Sebastian Sallow

Honestly? He's all for the mysterious vibes you got going on. From your ceramic mask to your ancient magic that you've shared scarce details of.

Still, he wants to know more.

He gets that the dragon attack spurred you to wear it at the start of the year, but wishes you didn't feel the need to hide your face from the rest of the world.

Nevertheless, he won't push you to reveal yourself.

Anybody who gives you a hard time about it in or outside of class will just get a glare from him (and maybe a small hex as a prank).

Throughout all the duels and fights with poachers, spiders, and loyalists you've both been involved with...he marvels at how your mask never breaks or cracks even once.

He's fully convinced you knew transfiguration long before coming to the school and just turned a very strong piece of armor into a fragile porcelain mask...or maybe it's your "ancient magic" hard at work and you just don't know it.

Whether or not you're in the same house, he thinks that's both clever and deceptive--typical Slytherin qualities.

You'll let him believe whatever he wants about it. It's amusing.

If you learn any Unforgivable Curses, he wonders what you're thinking underneath the mask as you cast them.

Your commands are firm and confident, but what's your expression like?

Are you smiling? Fueled by anger or fear?

Or...do you perhaps feel nothing at all?

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy x mc #hogwarts legacy x reader #amit thakkar #poppy sweeting #garreth weasley #sebastian sallow #headcanons #hogwarts legacy headcanons #platonic #amit thakkar x reader #garreth weasley x reader #poppy sweeting x reader #sebastian sallow x reader #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt

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missingrache · 3 months ago

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Okay okay BULLET POINTS Disco Elysium as katabasis/journey to the underworld because I have no idea how to organize this HERE WE GO!

-My big touchstones here are Hades & Persephone, Orpheus & Eurydice, and My Problematic Fave Odysseus, I know there's stuff I'm gonna miss, putting this here in hopes that other friends at the potluck will supply my deficiencies, hi @binomech hi @selfchiller hi everyone.

-Harry is half dead at our start of the game, post suicide-attempt, we're in purgatory/limbo/"you have to stay here in hell forever" awoken by Kim's Infernal Machine (tm)

-Do we need to bring Dante's Inferno into this I think maybe we do oops -That's also a katabasis -we gotta save that for later I can't start talking about Doralores and Beatrice right now that's a whole different tangent and I haven't read any of it since high school -But also Dante's hell is cold and so is Revachol and so is entropy/the Pale, so is the fimbulwinter that has destroyed the world in the Wirral Untethered game setting

-Anyway we are very firmly established as in An Underworld.

-Harry's amnesia/Drost's amnesia caused by drinking, caused by the Pale, caused by age and trauma, caused by the presence of the phasmid--forgetfulness, generally, regardless of the in-game cause, is Very Much A Thing, and the dead drink of the River Lethe which causes them to forget their past lives

-WATER CROSSINGS! The dead cross the River Styx to enter the underworld, to get to Revachol you gotta cross the bridge it's why there's a giant lorry jam etc, they raised the bridge. Two river crossings, the Styx (river of hatred--ledger of hatred? The one harry dumps his car and his past into probably.) and the Lethe (river of forgetfulness, borders Elysium), cross the bridge into Revachol, cross the channel on Lilienne's boat to the island, the forgotten and forgetting place.

-There are actually 5 rivers and I wonder if we can find the rest of them. (What if the flaming graffiti is the river Phlegethon WHAT IF.)

-My problematic fave Odysseus visits the underworld to speak to the dead/receive prophecies. Our man Harry has EXTENDED CONVERSATIONS with Lely's corpse and does in fact get future knowledge from him.

-But also we're in the underworld already so literally anyone he speaks with could also be interpreted as a ghost, a mirror, a prophecy, some piece of knowledge to take with him when he returns. (ie @selfchiller 's meta about Harry and Klaasje, dead woman walking, and Lely)

-Different sorts of underworld/different mythologies, different...values? Things that happen when you get there? Dante's hell and purgatory--punishment for sins/burning off impurities: SORRY COP Greek underworld/Elysium specifically, not for those who are VIRTUOUS but for those who are especially skilled and famous/possessed of kleos: SUPERSTAR COP

(These are the two copotypes I have played with so far MAYBE THE OTHERS ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN SPECIAL HELLS?)

-Orpheus: a performer of laments, beautiful enough that all the underworld stops to listen. Tragic flaw: looking back. -HDB: Says he loves disco and rock and roll but the only music we hear him choose is Sad FM for his boat ride over the pale/over the Lethe and his sad karaoke number, sung for the infernal court of the Whirling in Rags. A man who also has some trouble with looking back/moving forward.

-DORA: Young, beautiful, IN HER SPRING COAT at the bus stop in Harry's happier memories: PERSEPHONE, KORE, the young woman abducted by a cthonic figure--we could call that figure, that Hades stand in, Harry's rewriting of her memory as something Horrid and Terrifying, or we could call it Dolores Dei if you like the parasitic thought form possession theory. Either way Doralores from the final dream is Dread Queen Proserpine, the other mythological aspect of Persephone, who iirc had her own cult? (Apricots, pomegranates, same thing right?)

-Something something Harry and Dionysus and theater/partying/wine/madness and Dionysus also doing a katabasis to go visit Semele in the underworld? Speaking of Greek gods with their own mystery cults.

-Final fun side note unless I remember more things: GILGAMESH. Entirely different epic tradition, but we descend to the underworld in search of a flower of immortality. Peaches of immortality anyone?

-That's it that's what I've got!

#hello i have brought a hibachi grill to the potluck and am just frantically cooking up small pieces of shrimp and flinging them at people #rapid fire #disco meta #SORRY EVERYONE THIS JUST HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE

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moreespressoformydepresso · 8 months ago

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Guess who just had the most hijinx filled AU in mind? Imagine if the mentors from TBOSAS are all high society elites (like in canon) while the tributes are several shades of impoverished lower working class? Not like canon, because at least they’re seen as humans here :p. Despite them all working in different industries and not really living in the same area, the poor kids are all somewhat connected. I will fuck around with the ages here, but they may be a little older than in canon. What started all of this is wedding shenanigans so I’ll try to briefly summarize what’s happening:

Persephone is getting married to Festus. She’s a teacher/mentor to Mizzen, who is the little brother of Coral, one of the bodyguards for the event. Coral’s girlfriend Lucy Gray is the lead singer of the band that’ll provide the music at the event. Said lead singer is friends with the head bartender Jessup, who is friends with the maid of honor Lysistrata. Both Jessup and Lucy Gray have loose friendship ties to the waitstaff. This web of connections runs deep and I’m gonna make a family tree type thing for it at some point lmao. Now for the fun part:

The mother of the groom shows up in a truly gorgeous, expensive, exquisite designer dress. A white one. Persephone is, of course, in tears, but Festus can’t get his mom to change and for social status reasons they can’t kick her out. Luckily for them, they won’t have to. See, Lysistrata goes to Jessup to get Persephone’s favorite drink to help console her and tells him what’s going on. Jessup passes the information on to Lucy Gray, who gets an Idea. See, she is friendly with Treech, one of the waiters. They met when her band the Covey played orchestra in the theater where Treech works as an actor. It was a show where he had a starring role and they interacted a lot because of it. So she tells him what’s going down and asks if he could… put an end to this little problem. Treech happily agrees and ropes the other waiters into plotting.

Not even ten minutes later, when Persephone comes out for the pictures, Treech “stumbles” with a platter of red wine and very accidentally falls. Right on top of the mother of the groom. Oh no! What a coincidence!! He’s near tears he’s so sorry for what he’s done as he “helps clean her dress” and very unintentionally rubs the stain into the fabric, spreading it out further. Whoops. The mother of the groom (MOG) screams at him for minutes and goes to hit him, but Lamina distracts her by moving in close and starting to “clean up the dress” with a dark napkin that was soaked in more red wine earlier. Treech nopes away long enough for MOG to forget his face and then helps escort her to change into a new, non-white dress.

The entire staff gets a massive tip that day.

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catieconqueso · 1 year ago

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Of where we'd end up at the end of it...

An Apollo x Grace Oneshot (4k words) I wanted to explore the Veil a little further since its really only mentioned as this ominous thing that happens when a new Idol rises. So here's a not-so-quick one shot featuring Grace dealing with the effects of the Veil.

Usually I only post my writing on Ao3, but since there's no Stray Gods tag yet, posting this here instead. (Please be nice! I don't usually post my writing here!)

She’s still sitting on the couch, clutching a cup of iced coffee that’s more water than coffee, when the light switches on and bathes the apartment in soft golden light. “Grace?” Freddie’s standing in the doorway stuck somewhere halfway between the doorframe and shoving her keys into her back pocket as she stares at the only occupant of a room that should have been empty. “What the hell are you doing here?” Grace doesn’t answer, not at first, just stares blankly at Freddie as she flicks her wrist over and over to swirl the liquid in her coffee cup as if it were the only thing keeping her from floating away. And it was. “Didn’t know where to go,” she finally admits after a period of silence that has just begun to border on uncomfortable. “And I still had my keys, so I thought…” She trails off, the thumb of her free hand stroking along the golden sun hung around her middle finger.

“Gods, Grace,” Freddie exhales as she toes off her boots and climbs onto the couch beside her. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why didn’t you call?” She doesn’t need to ask who ‘we’ meant, not with the two dozen missed calls and texts left unseen on her phone—Freddie, Kaz and Brian, Oracle, even a voicemail from Persephone, who’d merely informed Grace that she’d go to the Underworld and kick her shade’s ass if she was lying in a ditch somewhere. And beneath all that had been a single text of garbled capital letters and punctuation that had begged her to please come home. That it was okay that she was mad at him, that he just wanted her to come home. “I…” She begins, throat aching and raw from hours spent choking down tears and screaming into whatever pillow was closest. “I…” She starts again, swallowing thickly over the lump of emotion that threatens to choke her, but the words won't come out no matter how hard she tries. Some Muse she was, unable to string together a couple sentences worth of an excuse so she could go back to wallowing in her self-pity alone. So instead, she hands Freddie the coffee cup. Grace tries to ignore the way her hands shake as she does so. She tries even more to forget the name written in looping ink that taunts her from between Freddie’s outstretched fingers. “Grace, what are you…oh.” For all her trying to hide it, Grace easily clocks the exact moment when Freddie’s confusion devolves into pity. And then into hesitant worry as she tucks the cup into the couch cushions beside her.

“The barista asked for my name,” Grace explains, thumb still working impatient circles into the gold ring on her finger. “And I said it was Calliope.”

It had been such a little thing, an off-handed moment that shouldn’t have meant anything— a slip of the tongue. And it's not like she didn’t know this was coming, not with all the gentle touches and easing into the newness of it all. But she’s starting to lose more bits of herself day by day. She’s taken to drinking tea in the morning instead of her usual overly sweet coffee, even though a month ago, the bitter taste of it made her want to puke. And that the sound of ocean waves has begun to remind her of a summer spent some time in the 18th century wrapped in the warmth of the sun while lying naked on a bed of sand. That the scent of the newly sprouted cherry blossoms lining the entrance of Olympus reminds her of Paris in springtime, even though she’s never even left the country. But most of all, it's that two days ago, she looked in the mirror and for a split second didn’t recognize the face looking back.

It’s how it works. We all went through it, kid. Persephone had told her that night over too many glasses of whiskey beneath the neon lights of the Underworld when Grace had taken to drowning out the feeling that she was a stranger in her own skin with whatever booze she’d been able to get her hands on. Didn’t Apollo warn you?

Of course, Apollo had warned her. He’d spent every waking minute preparing her for the moment when Calliope would come rushing in like the tide on mornings they’d gotten up early to watch the sunrise. Just gotta let it happen, Grace. I’ll be there waiting on the other side when it does. Stupid, sweet Apollo, who’d been nothing but achingly gentle when Grace wanted nothing more than to rage against the shit hand that fate had dealt her. Had soothed the storm that swirled inside her when all she could think about was ending the cycle just so the next Calliope didn’t have to watch helplessly as everything that made her Grace slipped away. “Oh, Grace,” Freddie breathes out as she settles a warm hand on her knee with a watery smile. “I…” Freddie swallows, testing her next words on her tongue before she lets them free in a rush of an exasperated sigh. Cause it's not like this is the first time Grace’s disappeared for a few days, only to reappear as though nothing were wrong, still riding on the tail end of a bender. “Does Apollo know?” Grace shrugs and sinks into the couch cushions as though they were swallowing her up, and she wishes they would. “We’re not exactly talking at the moment,” she admits with a pang of guilt she hasn’t felt since she was a kid and her mom caught her sneaking out to go to some concert with Freddie.

“Grace,” Freddie repeats, fingers stroking along the swath of bare, pale skin that peaks out from beneath the hole worn into denim over her kneecap. “I think you should…” “I know Fred,” she interrupts, again letting her thumb trace over the golden sun, “it…I said some real shitty things to him, not sure he wants to see me.”

He wanted her to come home so he could take care of her 'cause that’s all he did— he took care of her when all she wanted was someone to see her, to hear her. Had pacified the storm in her until it was nothing more than a breeze and had reduced her walls to rubble so that he could easily crawl inside. When he tried to clean up the broken pieces of the mirror, of her cracked and broken sanity, she’d thrown it back in his face. Called him a coward, had accused him of wanting Calliope and not her, that he’d stuck around to ensure that every last piece of her was replaced. And patient, kind Apollo had remained silent as he wiped the gore from her knuckles with gentle touches and soft presses of his lips to her bloodied skin. But they both had been too stubborn to apologize. He’d once warned her so long ago outside of the Underworld that Idols liked to hold grudges. And they’d both become so good at holding onto theirs like a lifeline in a swirling sea. So instead of speaking, of putting the weeks of fear and confusion into words, she grabbed her jacket and left with a half mumbled excuse that she needed air. Had spent the next two days splitting her time between the Underworld and the uncomfortable leather of the couch in Persephone’s office.

“Persephone kicked me out,” she explains when Freddie presses the cold beer bottle into her waiting hands. “Said I either had to deal with my shit or start paying for my drinks.” Grace pauses to take a comforting swig of alcohol and finds that the taste makes her teeth ache. Yet another thing Calliope’s taken from her. “And instead of going home, you decided to break into my apartment?” Freddie sips gingerly at her beer as she fixes Grace with a look that says she can see through the bullshit, excuses, and lies. “Said I still had the keys.” Grace folds in draws her knees up to her chest, and settles her chin on the rough fabric of her denim-covered knees. It's all she can do to shield herself from the words that tumble from her lips. “I’m losing myself, Freddie,” she admits, her words rough and ruined by the tears that track down her cheeks. “And I’m scared.” Freddie doesn’t answer, instead wraps her in a warm embrace until Grace stops shaking and her breaths are no longer heaving, choking sobs. And Grace is thankful that, for the first time in three days, she no longer has to pretend that everything is okay. That she can finally put into words the aching, raw feeling in her chest that she’s tried so hard to drown out with whiskey. They don’t talk, don’t need to. Not that she wants to. She’s had enough of talking, of rationalizing every little thing that’s been happening to her. For the first time in three days, Grace permits herself to feel anything other than the bitter numbness she’s masked her fear with. And she drowns herself in it. It's not until hours later that she resurfaces from her grief, warm and blanket wrapped amongst the sheets of a familiar bed.

“You’re awake,” he murmurs, voice roughed by lack of sleep and three days of worry. The same worry he wears in the swaths of purple beneath his eyes and the unruly stubble that creeps down his neck. “I…I…” His hand rubs the back of his head and musses the golden curls that have been reduced to snarled tangles where they hang limply over his ears. He’s nervous, she thinks, watching as he repeats the gesture before fisting his hands into the fabric of his pants. “It’s good to see you.” He leans forward to settle his hand on her bare leg, where it peeks from beneath the blankets, but she’s faster as she draws her legs back beneath them before she can feel the heat that radiates off him. She’s wearing nothing but her underwear and one of his t-shirts, which, all things considered, was a blessing because Grace was certain her clothing reeked of cigarettes, booze, and the Underworld. Apollo sighs in reply and lets his palm settle over the still-warm sheets where her legs once rested. For a moment, his eyes flutter closed like he’s a junkie, and the warmth of where she’d laid is enough to soothe his craving to touch her. But there’s an ocean between them now, more profound than the one that swells and ebbs outside the bedroom window where she’d once felt safe. And the thought of his too-large, too-warm hands on her makes Grace want to crawl out of her skin.

“How did I get here?” She sits up, greeted by their bedroom that still looks exactly as she’d left it three days ago. His shirt still haphazardly hangs across the dresser from when she’d ripped it from his shoulders and tossed it over hers, and her bra’s still tucked halfway out from beneath the chair he sits upon. Both tell her it's the first time either of them has set foot in this room since she stormed out. “Freddy called me.” Called Oracle, she thinks, cause even with her patient prodding, Apollo still balks at the idea of using the simple flip phone she bought him. She knew he’d been desperate to find her when he’d resorted to texting her himself. But that’s not enough to soothe the rage slowly creeping up to settle on her shoulders. “Gods, it… it's been three days. I thought maybe you…you’d…that…” Apollo’s voice cracks with the weight of his guilt as he looks at her with the kind of desperation that quiets her storm. Her already broken heart rents and breaks as the weight of his words settles heavily on her shoulders. He’s already failed her, Calliope, once before, again, and it would break him. Maybe it's the year spent in the company of the god of prophecies, but for a moment, she’s granted a prophecy of her own, a hazy vision of Apollo soaked in sunlight as he walks into the sea with no one around this time to save him. “Sorry,” is all she can manage to say as she sinks deeper into herself. “I meant to call.”

“Meant to call?” His visions gone golden as his anger wells up, raw and fierce. “Fuck, Grace” he growls, hands tearing through his hair, “I…I thought you were dead!” Her own anger crackles beneath her skin in response to his because all they do anymore is fight. He’s the god of the sun, golden flames lit by the festering rage between them, and she’s his muse, her passion, the kindling that he burns through. “Obviously, I’m not,” she shoots back. Suddenly the rooms too hot, too stifling, and the blankets a band of iron keeping her tethered to the bed, to him. She throws them off, throws off the crushing weight of the guilt that threatens to snap her already fragile shoulders. “Not sure why you were so worried.” “Cal…Grace,” he starts, stumbling over the name. He’s just as unsure of which face she wears as she is. Today, it's Grace, but she knows that that won’t always be true in the future. Eventually, Grace will ebb with the tide of the Veil until all that’s left is Calliope. He’s done it a hundred times before, acts like it's nothing, that she should surrender to it all without putting up a fight. But Grace? This is her first time, and she feels like she’s constantly drowning beneath the weight of the eidolon in her chest. And Apollo’s the lifeboat she can’t quite reach. “You need to talk to me,” he sighs, hands, at last, settling on her bare calves, and Grace finds the warmth of his skin is just a touch more soothing than revolting.

“Nothing to talk about,” she answers, hiding behind the mask of monosyllabic answers. “It's fine,” she adds though she knows it to be untrue. It’s become easier and cleaner to lie to him than to lean on the still-strong bond that’d formed between them, and Grace’s found that a lie was often the most straightforward answer. Cause she doesn’t want to look at him and see disappointment reflected back where once shone love and pride. He doesn’t buy it. He never buys it. Instead, Apollo wordlessly slips into the bed beside her, his too-warm body curling over hers as though he could shield her from it all. And she lets him, too worn down and exhausted to protest, when his arm settles around her waist and pulls her against the hard planes of his body. “Talk to me, Grace,” he whispers softly into the crown of her hair. “Please.” Her shoulders finally snap at the weight of his words, so tender and warm, and she begins to cry. It feels like all she’s done is cry. Like somehow she’s thrown a lifetime of emotion into the past week and has come out the end worn and raw, with only her tears left to show for it. Breaking down still feels foreign, even after a lifetime of grief condensed into the span of two years, and she folds into herself in the hope of quelling the bitter tears that track down her cheeks to pool in the cleft of her collarbones. “I don’t,” she sobs, sinking into his embrace, “I don’t know how.”

Apollo’s patient, kind as he holds her, the only sound breaking the silence between him are his soft mummers of comfort and her hiccoughing sobs. “Shh, I have you, darlin’,” he breathes softly into the skin where her neck meets her shoulders. “I have you,” he repeats, fingertips gentle as they curve over the swath of her belly from where it peeks from beneath her stolen shirt. “Don’t need to talk just yet.” She thinks of using her powers for a moment, that she might be able to put her thoughts into song than she can words. But she does need to talk. Needs to get out the words that hang heavy in her chest. “I’m scared,” she finally admits when her tears no longer strangle her words. “Apollo, I’m so scared.” Her admission is deafening, her heart pounding in her ears. She’s always been the strong one, the rock, Grace, who everyone can depend on to swoop in and save the day. Vulnerability doesn’t come easy to her, even in front of Apollo, who’s seen her stripped down to nothing so many times that she’s lost count. Apollo, who’s laid himself bare in kind, even though she’s only ever held him at arm's length when he asked her to do the same.

“Shh, Grace,” he repeats, arms tightening around her as if he could shield her from the Veil itself. “I know you’re scared, but you need to talk to me.” He shifts her gently, as though she’s made of glass, until they are face to face. It's then that she realizes he’s been crying too. “I…I called myself Calliope today,” Grace answers, suddenly ashamed that such a trivial thing’s caused an ocean sized rift between them. It's not like any of this came as a surprise. It's not like she’s had a year of Apollo’s patient tutoring to prepare her for the eventuality. But that didn’t make the fact that she was slowly slipping away any less jarring. He chuckles, though it's hollow, forced. “The first time’s always the worst.” They’re not quite touching anymore, the ocean that separates them swelling up between the gaps where their skin should be flushed and entwined. “You’ll get used to it.” But she doesn’t want to get used to it, doesn’t want to feel like a stranger in her own skin. The thought of hearing Freddie or Persephone, or Gods, even Apollo calling her Grace, and her no longer recognizing her own name made her want to puke. It made her feel like she was that last bit of pencil that hadn’t been erased yet. It was inevitable, but waiting for it to happen, Gods, that was the worst part. “How,” she challenges, her anger towards him, Calliope, and Fate itself flaring hot and scorching beneath her skin. “How do I get used to not being me?”

Apollo smiles, gentle, patient, and soft, as he brushes her dark hair from her cheek, the touch coming after what feels like a lifetime of waiting. “By letting me in, Grace,” he answers, shifting so his lips can whisper soft over her own. His hand is warm as he cups her chin and forces her to look him in the eye. And for the first time that night, she meets his cool gaze willingly. “By not doing this alone.” Grace melts into the touch, lets herself feel safe, lets the weight of the past three days slip away until she’s light as air. “I…what if you don’t love me when I’m her?” It feels strange to put it into words, the dark thought that lingers about the edges of her. It used to be a seed, tucked into the earth unseen, but it's festered, grown into vines that wrap around her wrists, ankles, and, worst of all, her heart.

She’s fed it with the doubt she pretends not to see in his eyes when they get into a fight. Feeds it with the knowledge that between him and Calliope is a lifetime of fighting and reconciliation. With the fear that no matter how hard they try, it still won’t work out in the end. That, like Calliope, she’ll be alone. “If it didn’t work before, why now? Why are we any different, Apollo?”

Apollo kisses her instead of speaking, drawing her beneath his weight with warm hands heavy on her waist. “Grace,” he murmurs, facial hair tickling her skin as he peppers kisses along the curve of her jaw. “You are kind,” he pauses to press his lips to each of her cheekbones, “and caring,” another kiss to the tip of her nose, “and braver than anyone I have ever met.” His lips are soft when they meet the skin of her forehead. “And for all her fire, Calliope could never burn away all of you.” He chuckles as he settles his full weight atop her, stunned when she lets him. “You’re too stubborn for that.” “That doesn’t mean anything,” she grumbles, too warm beneath him. Apollo, God of the Sun, burns hotter than a furnace as Grace relents and every bit of her sinks into him. “You said yourself, eventually, she’ll take over.” “And,” he answers, words muffled as he tucks his head into the crook of her shoulder, “I also said I’d be here the whole time.” His teeth are gentle where they nip at whatever bit of her bare neck he can reach. “And that this time it’d last, but you seem to have forgotten that detail.” “Apollo,” she warns when his hand slips down her side to trace the curve of her hip. “Grace,” he parrots with a smile just as dazzling as the golden rays of sunlight streaking through the curtains. “Do you want to know something?”

Grace groans and wiggles her hips until she finds a comfortable spot beneath him. Difficult considering all of Apollo’s muscled bulk dwarfed hers by about a mile. But If Apollo’s in one of his romantic moods, well, then she’d better be settled in for the long haul. “Not sure if I do,” she grouses. “Think you might want to hear this.” Apollo pauses to tangle his fingers in hers. But fuck, his hand fits perfectly over hers, impossibly warm and just a shade too large. “You know that Calliope and I always found each other, even after our eidolons passed to the next person,” he explains, thumb stroking over the matching sun rings they wore. “That even if she and I were worlds apart, our souls would always find each other again.”

“I’m not really sure what this has to do with me,” Grace interrupts, suddenly very much aware of the one-sidedness of their memories. Course, the slate would be evened out when the Veil lifted, but she still sometimes caught Apollo staring at her with an unfamiliar reverence that spoke to memories she had yet to unlock. Like the reason he always wanted to sketch her lying out naked when they’d awake in the morning after a night of making love. Or the story behind the song he’d sing softly into her hair as they dozed watching the sunset on the sand.

“Because you, Grace,” Apollo murmurs. “My sweet, kind, brave, stubborn Grace. You’re the only one who’s captured me wholly, body and soul. We won’t have to find each other because we will never be parted. Not even the Fates would be enough to take me from you.” “You’re only saying that because you’re the one who insisted we get married.” She rolls her eyes at this slip into melancholia that’s sweet enough to make her teeth ache. But her heart still swells until it's impossible full at the love that shines in his eyes as he tilts his head down to capture her lips in a tender kiss that leaves the pair of them gasping for air when they finally part. “Grace or Calliope, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be here for you, no matter what.” Apollo’s gone soft, less stoic in the years since she’s met him. She knows he hates the romantic streak she’s carved into him, but it doesn’t stop the grand declarations of love he likes to wax to her at least once a day. And the longer she spends with him, she finds she doesn’t hate them, not at all. “Til the last star burns out of the sky.” “But what if it doesn’t work out,” she asks, guilt and doubt still lingering in her thoughts. Despite his assurances, she suspects it’ll be a while until they finally subside. “What if it stays the same?” “Then we’ll work through it together,” Apollo answers as, at last, Grace relaxes beneath him. “And if you still don’t believe me, I promise you that I’ll be here the whole time.” Grace smiles in earnest for the first time in three days as she finally surrenders to the joy and love that radiates off him like rays of sunlight. “I’ll hold you to that.”

#stray gods #stray gods the roleplaying musical #stray gods apollo #stray gods grace #grace x apollo #fluff and angst #one shot #but its like super long #please be gentle with this one #don't usually post my writing on tumblr #stray gods persephone #stray gods freddie #stray gods calliope

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tylermileslockett · 2 years ago

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The Greek underworld, or House of Hades, is generally described in Homer’s Iliad as a gloomy place of “the mists and the darkness” (Lattimore) where the spirits heroes and villains alike come to rest. Hermes as Psychopomp (Spirit guide), would lead the new spirits down into the land of the dead. Souls would first drink at the River Acheron (river of sorrow) or sometimes mentioned as the River Styx (to specifically forget their past pains), then they would be ferried across by the boatman Charon for a coin placed within their mouths or upon their eyes. Souls would drink from the River Lethe (river of forgetfulness) to forget all memories of their previous lives, then pass through the gates guarded by Cerberus, the hound of Hades before being presented before Hades, and his wife Persephone. The other two rivers of the underworld are the River Plegethon (river of fire) and the River Cocytus (river of wailing) both associated with punishment.

The Souls would then be judged by three demi gods: Minos (son of Zeus and Europa), Rhadamanthus, (son of Zeus and Europa), and Aeacus, (son of Zeus and Aegina.) and would choose a final place for each soul amongst the following locations:

The Asphodal meadows, (asphodal is a white lily associated with death), is where ordinary souls were forgotten, wandering in monotony amongst misty darkness. The Elysian fields, also known as Elysium, is described as a paradise where the honored heroes go to live in white houses amongst fields of gold, ripe fruit, and temperate weather. Tartarus is a realm residing a vast distance below Hades, and is a place of cruel, eternal punishment that, according to Hesiod, even Zeus feared. Here the defeated Titans were held, imprisoned in chains, as well as mortals who committed crimes against the gods, like Sisyphus, Tantalus, and Ixion. In addition, the Erinyes, (or Furies), the three goddess of blood retribution and punishers of criminals, as well as the Keres, (battle maiden death spirits), were said to inhabit this dreaded realm.

Did i leave out interesting bits about the Greek Underworld? please comment below. xoxo

Thanks for looking and reading! To see more of my greek myth illustrations: https://linktr.ee/tylermileslockett

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treacheryinblue · 7 months ago

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Chapter 2/?

× Elysium (noun) : a place or condition of ideal happiness. type of: fictitious place, imaginary place, mythical place.

Word Count: 7.5k

A Noah Sebastian x OC Series

Masterlist

× Summary: Noah and his new found (sort of) friend, Persephone, battle the trivial ins and outs of being teenagers in a world that doesn't accept you. They survive together all the way into adulthood - with bouts of loneliness included - where the world is still a fickle bitch.

× Warnings!: language, violence, slowburn, friends to lovers to enemies back to friends, rinse and repeat (not even in that order), eventual smut, sexual themes, etc. Each chapter will have its own set of separate warnings.

× Author Notes: ( 1 ) Here's a long one for ya since I couldn't find a good cut off point! I also don't want to linger too long in the far past, so there will be time jumps coming up. ( 2 ) Don't forget that there will be no smut or sexual descriptions while Persephone is still a minor aka anytime before 2016. ( 3 ) I'm debating whether or not I want to share who I imagine Seph to look like. Hmm...

× Chapter Warnings!: language, brief sexual themes, massive bitchiness

SUMMER OF 2014

FRIDAY JULY 4th

PERSEPHONE

“You're so fucking embarrassing sometimes.”

The words angrily hissed took her by surprise, causing her to abruptly pull her hand away from his chest. Drunken eyes stared down at her, annoyance heavy within them. Persephone wasn't sure why she allowed herself to fall into this trap time and time again; maybe she was a glutton for punishment, or maybe she was just an idiot.

“What?” Her brows furrowed, the confusion and offense written all over her previously joyful features.

“It's like you always just have to be on me, and it's really fucking irritating. Clingy as shit.”

Oh, so that was the game Mason was trying to play? Real rich coming from the same guy who would death glare her all night if she wasn't lingering at his side. God forbid she spend too long talking to her friends or another guy approaches her, even if to just ask where the bathroom was.

Typically, her reaction would be to scoff and walk away, but the couple extra drinks she had downed earlier…they were not working in her favor. Seph promptly closed her mouth, jaw clenching in an attempt to keep her lower lip from quivering. People were starting to look at them now, all because he had raised his voice a bit too much. Something told her that he was looking to cause a scene merely because he could. Why not knock her down a few pegs?

“For fucks sake, Seph, don't start. Don't start that crying shit, seriously.”

Persephone took a step back from him as her hand instinctively flew up to wipe her cheek of a stray tear. Fuck, why was she crying? Over Mason? He was definitely not someone for her to waste tears on, though her inebriated mind was currently telling her otherwise.

A harsh laugh then echoed around her, starting with Mason and drifting along his couple of buddies that stood near them. Oh how badly she wanted to ring his stupid neck right then. Instead of giving that drastic of a reaction, she figured flinging what remained of her drink at him - cup and all - was the best course of action. Was it? Probably not. After all, this was Mason’s way of punishing her for how she didn't ‘back him up’ at Ruffilo’s days ago.

Yeah, he was that kind of guy who just had to hold ridiculous grudges all because his ego was hurt.

“The fuck?!” Mason exclaimed, followed by another rant of profanities, but Seph was already pushing her way out of the party.

And that's the story of how she had ended up in the passenger seat of Noah’s car an hour or so later. She had yet to divulge this information to him, and she honestly wasn't sure if she ever would. There was no reason for her to unload onto him, not when her issues were more than likely of no interest to him. No, she would hold it in, just as she did everything else weighing on her.

“I'm sorry for all of this,” she eventually breathed out upon realizing they were sitting idle in front of her house. It was then that she finally looked over to where he sat, their eyes immediately meeting because Noah had been staring at her. Much to her surprise, he didn't quickly avert his gaze as he usually would when she caught him lingering a bit too long.

“I’d usually wait until we've been friends for a couple of months before hyperventilating in front of you.”

That was a bad attempt at a joke in hopes that it would lighten the mood. She even tossed in a small chuckle, just for the sake of it all.

Thankfully, Noah followed suit with a soft laugh of his own. “Are you saying we're friends?”

Ah, so he had jokes of his own. That was a relief.

“Only when I need you to drive me home in the middle of the night, obviously.”

They shared within the laughter together before the sounds slowly began to die down and they were left in a brief silence. Seph took this as being the perfect time to unclick her seatbelt, carefully feeding it back to where it would rest without too much unnecessary noise.

“Nah, it's not a problem, for real. I'd rather drive you home than hear Nick write another song about nachos. His hidden talent is finding multiple words that rhyme with ‘salsa’.”

Persephone tilted her head to the side at this, her face scrunching in confusion while another bout of laughter filled the car. “Salsa?” She repeated, head slowly shaking in disbelief. “I…can't even think of one.”

“The guy has a gift! What can I say?”

“Pasta!” She then interrupted in a loud exclamation. This silly little conversation had caused her entire demeanor to perk up, all the thoughts of Mason and his asshole ways being pushed to the back of her mind. Good. That's where he belonged.

“Mufasa!”

“...Mufasa?”

“Yeah…from The Lion King?”

Well, now was a good time to let it be known that she had never seen The Lion King, or really any Disney movies aside from the princess ones. This probably explained a lot more about her adolescence than she was willing to admit.

“You've never seen The Lion King? You've got to be shitting me. Where is your culture?”

Most would assume that Noah’s words were harsh, but his tone fully said otherwise. He was still poking fun at her. Still lifting the mood the best to his abilities. Words couldn't even express how thankful she was for him at that moment. In response to his statement, Persephone shrugged while beginning to gather her bag that had been resting at her feet.

“I guess you'll just have to show it to me sometime.”

Wait…was she hitting on Noah? No, certainly not. Right?

Before they could dive too deep into that, she was opening the door to his car and slipping out. “Thank you again,” she smiled as she stood within open view. Her fingers nervously tapped along the metal, their stares holding. With that, she nodded and closed the door.

“Text me when you're home!” She heard herself calling out after bringing two fingers to her forehead to lazily salute him a goodnight.

Oh, that was a little embarrassing. Cheesy, even.

“Get it together, Seph,” she muttered to herself while shuffling her keys around in her grasp in search of the one to her front door.

SUNDAY JULY 19th

NOAH

It's kinda funny how a person you've never really spoken to in the past, can suddenly begin to take up so much of your time. They're a force that encompasses your waking moments, every spare hour involving them in some way, shape, or form. Take Persephone, for example. She had been coming to the restaurant a lot more with claims that it was the best place for her to study, though he barely saw her flip a page. Once his shift was over, he would end up in the booth with her, chatting away about nothing in particular. Nick would join in most of the time, but there were moments that he could sense his best friend was keeping his distance on purpose.

When they weren't talking in person, they were through texts. Seph had a way of sending random messages throughout the day, the majority of them consisting of whatever thought was currently in her head. No matter how random or outlandish. Of course he didn't mind, though. Noah liked being that person for her.

Then there were the rare occurrences when Seph would text him to come over. He had been nervous as fuck the first time this happened, even opting to not tell his friends about it just because he didn't want some lecture about ‘status’ again. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?), he never made it inside her house. They would hang out in his car, which he found rather odd, but Seph explained that it was comfortable to her. A happy place, for lack of a better term. How ironic given cars still terrified him. If they weren't in his car, then they were in her backyard. The land was just as he had imagined it to be: tall privacy fence, a massive pool, decent sitting areas, and of course a garden that surrounded the entire perimeter. It was leaps and bounds different from what he was used to. Seph revealed to him that the only thing she actually liked about it was the garden. The rest could ‘fall into a sinkhole for all she cared’. Her words, not his.

“This is actually your band?” Seph had asked in awe one night after he came running at her call. She was laid back in the passenger seat of his Honda with only portions of her face illuminated by the street light, though it was enough for him to see the genuine interest displayed.

“Yeah,” Noah laughed, thumb tapping rhythmically along with the beat against his steering wheel. “Why do you sound so surprised by that?”

“I mean…” he continued before she could respond. “It's just a demo so the production is kind of shit, but we're working on tha-”

“Noah, take a breath.”

Let's not talk about the way his name sounded on her lips.

“I like it…believe it or not.” Persephone was now looking up to the roof of his car, her fingertips also strumming along to the beat on her chest. She looked almost peaceful, which was a little odd with the metalcore music currently blasting in the enclosed space.

“Your voice is…well, I like it too.”

With all of that being said, this is the part where his new friendship takes its first turn for the worst.

It was mid-afternoon that Sunday when he spotted her a bit in the distance. Noah didn't want to admit that he could probably pick her out in a crowd within three seconds, but…he definitely could. There was just something about Persephone that drew the eye. She was sitting alone outside of one of those overpriced cafe sort of places, the kind that sell decent sandwiches and soups, but not when it came to the yearly salary you'd be forking out to enjoy it. Of course his first instinct was to approach her, but as his steps continued, Nick abruptly tugged him aside.

“What the hell?” Noah looked to his best friend’s hand grabbing the sleeve of his shirt before glancing back in the direction they had been traveling. Seph was no longer alone, but accompanied by a man and a woman, those of which he assumed to be her parents.

“I wouldn't, man.” Nick shook his head before motioning with a nod for them to head the opposite way.

Noah just looked at him rather lost. Why couldn't he go say hi?

As if he could read his mind, Nick heavily sighed, his eyes widening with an urgency that screamed 'let's fucking go’. But, as most know, Noah was stubborn. He was also a teenage boy that couldn't think clearly when a cool and pretty girl was involved.

Nick didn't attempt another protest. He simply released Noah and stood back, allowing him to make his own idiotic mistakes.

“Seph, hey,” he smiled while approaching the table she sat at with her family. Their conversation paused, all three now looking his way. Her parents appeared confused by the interruption, while Seph was…scared? Nervous? He couldn't quite place what emotion was currently on her face.

“Sorry to interrupt, Nick and I were just walking and saw you. Figured I'd pop over.” Noah chuckled, his nerves really getting the best of him. What was this voice he was using? What was he saying? Jesus, was this how he was going to be in front of parents?

“Oh, um…hey,” Seph ripped her eyes from him to glance at her parents, her hands falling to her lap.

Noah could only assume she was right on the verge of scratching at her thigh. Shit. What had he done?

“Ah…and you are?” The man spoke up first, his tone already filled with judgment.

“He’s just a guy that works at that diner me and Maisie go to sometimes.” Seph replied before he could, quickly explaining away his presence.

“Not the one that Maisie said was watching you that day, right?” Although Persephone’s mom tried to speak in a hushed tone, he heard her loud and clear. His so-called ‘friend' opened her mouth to speak, but nothing really came out but a syllable or two. Alright, he had seen enough already. No point in dragging out the torture.

Noah was praying that no one else could overhear their conversation because he was already dying enough from embarrassment. Just a guy? The fact that that's how Seph would describe him was hurtful, though deep down he knew he shouldn't be surprised. After all, Nick had tried to warn him.

“I actually just wanted to let you know, since you're a frequent patron, that we're going to be closed for the next…” he briefly paused to think. “Well…indefinitely. So, yeah, no need to stop in or anything.”

They were all looking at him odd now. Seph herself had squinted her eyes at him in further confusion, though he was sure she would eventually figure out what he was trying to say. She was smart. She could decipher the message.

“Honestly, you should probably walk on the opposite side of the street for a while. Don't even go near the building because…there's going to be construction and all that shit happening.” Long legs walked him back a couple of feet as the words continued to spew from him. He probably should've stopped while he was ahead, but his anger was getting the best of him. With that, Noah took one last look at Seph and then turned to collect Nick so they could get the hell out of there.

“Not a fucking word,” he snapped at his friend through slightly gritted teeth.

WEDNESDAY JULY 22nd

PERSEPHONE

How exactly do you apologize to someone while also having to explain that you're just an asshole? That's the current predicament she was in.

Only three days had passed since her parents' first encounter with Noah, and each day she felt worse and worse. She should've handled it better. She should've been nicer. She should've been a goddamn friend, but no. All she was concerned with was avoiding judgment filled conversations with her parents. Those were usually the only talks they would have to begin with, so she didn't want to add fuel to their fire. Not when they were already on her case about literally everything else.

Was it worth it?

No.

“Jesus, your room is a disaster.”

Seph looked up from her phone, her thumbs halting their hovering dance over the keyboard as she tried to put her thoughts into words. It just wasn't happening. Maisie now had her attention, as did the disgusted look she wore. Okay, so maybe her room had gone a little downhill in the last week or so. It was typically pristine, the kind of room where everything had a proper place. But now? Well, the floor was littered with clothes - both clean and dirty - and the studies her parents forced her to do over the summer were scattered across her desk. Don’t ask. It was some ‘extended education’ program her father had taken a liking to when he was in Japan the previous year.

“You're going to have it straightened before your party, right?”

Taking a deep breath, she nodded at her best friend’s scolding. “Yes, mom, I'm going to have it clean by this weekend.”

Maisie flashed a smug grin before her gaze lowered down to the phone Seph still held. Her brow quirked curiously, a few steps now being taken closer to where she sat atop her bed.

“Are you texting my brother?”

Gross, definitely not. They had barely spoken since the incident on the Fourth, and that's basically how she wanted to keep it. She would play nice when it came to parties and what not, but socializing outside of that? Not happening. She was done letting Mason walk all over her.

“Nosy much?” To cut the impending tension, Persephone smiled and then tossed her phone aside in a nonchalant manner. She wanted to show that whatever she was doing on her phone wasn't important.

Maisie shrugged, her greedy fingers sifting through the clothes hanging in her closet. “Just wondering since he's been kinda weird since you two had your little spat.”

“It wasn't a spat,” she quickly retorted.

“Oh my god, you know what I mean.” Maisie rolled her eyes, following it with a heavy sigh of faint annoyance. “He was an ass but you know how he is already.”

Persephone wanted to challenge her statement. Just because Mason was a known jackass, that meant he could talk down to her in front of all of their friends? That logic didn't add up.

Note to self: don't use that excuse when apologizing to Noah.

“What are you wearing this weekend?” Maisie was focused back on her wardrobe, the important topics left behind to never be picked up again.

Before she could respond, she heard her mother's voice calling up the staircase to her. She released a sigh of her own, holding a finger up to Maisie that told her to ‘hold on’ as she tended to the woman’s requests.

“Be right back, gotta see what the snow queen wants.”

Disappearing down to the main floor of her house, she was none the wiser to Maisie growing increasingly curious about the contents of her phone. It took less than ten seconds for her friend to figure out the password to her phone, and then only an extra minute to see all the messages exchanged recently with Noah that she needed to. If you were to ask Maisie, she would say she had hit the jackpot.

Upon her return, Maisie was back in her closet, though she was now going through the multitude of bathing suits she owned.

“I don't know why she insists on going over the 'ground rules’ every time she and my dad take a trip. It's literally every week. Like I could ever forget.”

Persephone huffed as she approached the large walk in closet, a hand resting on her hip. She gave her best friend a puzzled look since she was holding up a rather skimpy bikini set she hadn't even ripped the tags off of yet.

“You should wear this one to the party.” Maisie shifted it in front of her, pretending to imagine how it would look before giving a satisfied nod.

“You see those tags? Yeah, those are still there because my parents would literally murder me if they ever caught me in that.”

“So? They're not going to be here. What they don't know won't hurt them.”

Seph pursed her lips in thought, briefly studying the high cut cheeky bikini bottom. Would she even feel comfortable wearing it in front of a large group?

“Ugh, what's been up with you, Seph? You're such a buzzkill lately.”

Right, because when she wasn't constantly on, that meant something was wrong. When she just wanted to sit around and not hang out, that automatically meant she was boring and bland. How could she have forgotten?

“Fuck you,” Seph forced a laugh while snatching the bathing suit from Maisie’s outstretched hand.

“Atta girl.”

SATURDAY JULY 25th

“Shoootttsss!!” Maisie’s voice erupted across the backyard.

Persephone grimaced as soon as she tossed her head back and the horrid alcohol met her tongue. Her face scrunched in disgust, though she was quick to bring her cup filled with fruit punch up to chase it down.

Fuck, that was gross. The trick, or so she had been told, was to just take another shot immediately after, though. Why? Because the burn was already lessened from the first one. Duh. So, that's what she did.

The party was already thriving and it wasn't even ten yet. This was definitely her most successful one of the summer, and she would be lying if she said she didn't feel a little proud. Everyone loved having their ego stroked every now and then. But even with all the people she was surrounding herself with, she couldn't fight the urge of just wanting to be curled up alone. Maybe a movie playing in the background to drown out the static in her head.

If only.

With some Top 40 pop song on the speakers, Maisie grabbed her hand and immediately pulled her closer. They were all laughs as they danced and sang along together, just as they typically did at parties. It was nice to not have to worry about Mason getting mad at her all because she was trying to have fun. After the week she had, she deserved it. And it was also an added plus to have a seemingly normal interaction with Maisie. Maybe things weren't as fragile between them as she was beginning to think. Why she cared so much was a mystery, though.

And no, she still hadn't figured out the best way to apologize to Noah.

That was just one more thing she wasn't trying to dwell on. Seph wanted to enjoy herself. She wanted to let loose for the first time in what felt like weeks without all of her worries crashing down upon her. College applications? Pft, right to the back of her mind. Her parents? They were locked there with the former. Noah? Okay…that one was a little harder to forget about it, even just for a moment.

It became even harder when she flipped her hair out of her face and took a glance across the lawn, her honey eyes landing straight on the tall figure who had been occupying her thoughts. He was accompanied by a few other guys, all of them looking fully out of place. Well, except for the shortest one who held a goofy grin and already had a beer in his hand.

“Noah?” Her dancing slowed before coming to a complete stop as she murmured his name to herself. A part of her wasn't even sure if he was real, or if her slightly drunk brain was playing tricks on her.

Maisie eventually paused as well once she realized her dance partner was now much more interested in something else. It was hard for her to hide her smirk as phase one of her plan fell perfectly into place. Guess that proved Seph wasn't seeing things.

“Oh! I invited him! Told him to bring people!” Maisie exclaimed loud enough to be heard over the music. “You two are friends, yeah? I thought it would be fun!”

Her bitch of a best friend sure did look rather proud of herself. So much for things not being fragile.

Seph carefully dislodged herself from the other as to not raise concerns of her tanking mood. She wasn't upset to see Noah. No, it was actually quite the opposite. She wanted to see his face again, but she didn't want it to be like this. Maisie obviously had something up her sleeve and she truly didn't want Noah getting caught in the crossfire of it all. Out of everyone she knew, he was the least deserving of such pettiness.

Without even another glance to her ‘friend', she casually strolled up to the group of tattooed guys, slowly sipping from the drink she was nursing. Seph wanted to appear relaxed, though she was sure Noah could feel the anxiety that was coming off of her in waves. He always had a knack for doing so.

“This place is niiiice.” The shorter guy she didn't recognize complimented as soon as she was in earshot. She smiled the best she could, nodding to his words.

“Yeah, make yourself at home.” Seph motioned back to the party playing out all around them, from the drinking games to the pool, she was giving them freedom to it all. “Go crazy.”

Three of them were quick to scurry away, but of course Nick lingered. He looked just as much on edge as Noah did, though she assumed it had nothing to do with the party and more so her. But still, they made eye contact and she offered a smile to show her harmless intentions.

“Look, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt this time.” Nick took a slight step towards her, though it wasn't to intimidate her. She knew he just wanted to show that he was protective over his best friend. Honestly, Seph wished she had a friend like him.

But you did, and you ruined it.

With her smile lingering, she nodded in understanding. “You're a peach. Now go.”

With Nick joining in on the fun, this left just her and Noah standing awkwardly together. She could feel people staring at them, and because of this she made sure her stance was casual. Just two people talking at a party. Nothing more to it. Seph really did wish she didn't care so much about the thoughts of other people. It was exhausting, to say the least. Her own brain was always running at full speed, worrying internally about if she looked okay or if her clothes were good enough, or if she was smart enough. It was never ending.

“Hi.” She was looking up at him, though Noah was glancing elsewhere. He was scoping out the party, taking note of the faces and all the different commotions happening.

When he didn’t say anything, she took in a deep breath, a swallow of her to drink to follow. “Can we talk?” She finally asked, the question drawing his attention. Noah pushed his hair back from his face, and she couldn't help but to wonder if he was purposely taking his time with responding.

“I think I'm going to enjoy the party for a bit.”

Then he was gone, gently slipping by her to find his friends at a beer pong set up on the opposite side of the pool.

What the hell just happened? Had Noah really been the one to walk away from her?

No, that's not the mindset she was going to have.

Alright, so maybe she did deserve that at the very least.

NOAH

“I did it,” he announced in a hushed tone to Nick as he approached his side of the long table. His friend glanced at him, but his main focus was on the cups set up on the opposite end of the table where Folio and some random party goer stood.

“She asked if we could talk and I didn't give in.”

“Dude, see? I knew you could do it.”

It’s important to let it be known that Nick didn't dislike Seph…not completely. He sure as hell didn't like the bullshit she was putting Noah through but there was a part of him that kind of understood. The social status around here, especially at their ages, was greatly discussed and worried over. Seph was merely a product of her environment, though anyone who truly spoke to her would be able to tell that she wasn't one of those uptight types. Sure, she had her moments, but they all did. They were all guilty of following the status quo.

“Shit,” Nick winced as the ball he had tossed bounced off the rim of a back cup, forcing Folio to go running for it.

“You’re fucking terrible at this,” he laughed at his best friend before nudging him over a bit so he could see straight down the table. Once it was their turn again, Noah sank two of the ping pong balls with ease, leading them closer to their first victory of the night.

For most of the night, the majority of the people at the party kept their distance. Noah couldn't shit on them for it because he would've done the same had their roles been reversed. With that being said, there were a handful of Richmond elites who were actually kind of decent. They'd all chat, drink, partake in games to do more drinking, there were even some laughs tossed in. That didn't mean Noah was too distracted throughout the night to not notice Persephone. As he had stated before: she had a way of drawing the eye.

“A band?!”

Noah looked back to see Folio chatting it up with some dark haired girl who wore an expression of pure excitement. Her hand was on his bicep and he was leaning in closer than necessary, which told Noah all he needed to know. Good on him.

Chuckling to himself, Noah shook his head before taking another swallow from the beer he had been working on. He wanted to take the drinking slow that night, especially since he knew he would eventually fall victim to Seph's request of them talking. He could only remain strong and stoic for so long when it came to her.

And as if on cue, his name being called by the girl in question garnered his attention.

“Noaahhh,” she spoke in a sing-song type of voice. His eyes dropped down to where he found Seph lounging in the shallow end of the pool, her arms folded across the ledge with her chin resting atop them. She was looking at him, a smile tugging slightly at the corners of her lips, though her eyes appeared a little dazed.

Obviously Seph was no longer walking in the realm of the sober.

“You should get in,” she requested, beckoning him forward with a bend of her finger.

Noah laughed and his free hand rubbed along his chest with a playful taunt. “Oh no, believe me, no one wants to see this pale string bean glowing in the moonlight.”

It took Seph a moment to process his words - more than likely trying to determine what he meant - but once she had it, she rolled her eyes at him in an equally playful manner. “Maybe I do,” he heard her mutter, though it was mostly drowned out by the sound of someone cannon-balling into the deep end. So, he decided to leave the topic alone.

Persephone then moved along the edge of the pool until she reached the steps that would lead her out. He had to quickly look away as she emerged from the water because the swimsuit she was adorned in left very little to the imagination. And goddamn, did he have a wild imagination at times. As much as he wanted to stare, he also wanted to be respectful. No way was he going to let himself fall into the same fuckboy category as the other guys who were openly checking her out.

“You okay?” She laughed while approaching him, a towel now in her grasp that she was using to dry the upper portions of her body.

No, he was fucking not okay. He was currently trying to fight off every teenage urge he had, but thanks for asking.

“Yeah, I'm good. The party is dope, Seph. Thank your friend for the invite.”

Noah could sense her brief shift of emotions. The smile she wore faltered at the mention of the invite, though she was quick to cover it by walking by him to snag her shorts from a lounge chair.

Oh thank god, she was going to cover up before he lost his mind.

“I'll definitely be sure to let her know.”

Was there some animosity in those words of hers? He figured it was nothing, so he didn't press the topic. Plus, he was sure he wouldn't get much information out of her when she was in her current state. While Seph probably thought she was composing herself pretty well, he was very much aware of the slight sway in her stance and the way she had to take a moment before placing her second leg into her shorts and pulling them up.

“Let's get a snack.”

Again motioning for him to follow her, Noah couldn't think of a reason not to this time. It wasn't like he didn't want to, though he was still trying to keep a distance between them after what had happened. But, much to his dismay, he couldn't deny her again. Noah would give her the damn world on a serving dish if he had the ability to.

Now inside the house, he noticed it was much tamer compared to outside. There was no music playing, only the residual sound of what was thumping through the speakers outside drifting in. A few people lounged around on the couch and on the floor, all of them watching whatever movie was playing on the large television. None of them were even concerned about the couple making out on a chair. Huh, okay then.

“Cookie?”

Noah turned just in time to see Seph extending a hand out to him, a brightly sprinkled cookie in her grasp. He was going to say no, but the look she had in her eyes as she bit into the snack of her own was all he needed to change his mind. Chuckling under his breath, he took the cookie from her, but didn't yet dive into it.

“What did you want to talk about earlier?”

Okay, so he knew this conversation was probably going to go nowhere since alcohol was involved but he was still curious. How was she going to explain away the little encounter with her parents? He couldn't wait to hear it.

Seph opened her mouth, but the back door opening cut her off before she could say anything. In walked a couple of girls, each of them shuffling into the living room with a fit of giggles. It only took this happening one more time before the girl in front of him huffed with annoyance, her hands thrown up in defeat.

“Let's just go upstairs. People know it's off limits so it'll be quieter.”

There were alarm bells going off in his head, but Seph didn't wait for him to respond. She was already exiting the kitchen with the assumption he would follow her…which he did. Going upstairs was a bad idea. Being alone upstairs was an even worse idea. Every logical brain cell was screaming at him to turn around and go find his friends, but what did he do? Sure as hell not that. No, he continued to trail behind her, right into her bedroom.

PERSEPHONE

“I'm sorry,” she suddenly blurted out as soon as she had closed the door a bit behind them.

“I was an asshole the other day and I've been trying to figure out how to apologize all week but nothing felt right or sounded right. My parents are just…really strict and hard on me…I know that's not an excuse but I didn't want them to have the chance to offend you.”

The words were coming from her a mile a minute, every thought in her head just exiting without a care in the world. Noah remained still through it all, allowing her as much time as she needed to get it all out.

“They know how to ruin everything they don't approve of, you know? Always an opinion about the things I do, how I dress, what I eat…it's really fucking annoying. They suck the fun and excitement out of everything! The last thing I wanted was for them to have that power about you too.”

Seph abruptly stopped in front of him when she realized she had been pacing back and forth. She took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if that would help calm the overbearing thoughts spinning within her head.

“Why even give them the ability to do that?”

“I don't give it to them,” she tried to explain. “I just don't have any way of stopping them from doing it. They're my parents, Noah. I need them, at least for the next couple of years.”

They shared a long stare, neither speaking for a moment. She knew Noah was trying to comprehend what she was saying, but just like everyone else, he wouldn't be able to. People figured that she was perfect, inside and out, all because she had rich parents and the means to do anything she wanted. In reality, she was far from perfect and kept on a short leash, despite what the fun parties projected. It was all just a part of what she wanted the outside world to see.

Seph took a step forward, nearly tripping over her own feet as she did. Thankfully, Noah was quick to grab onto her arm, this being the only thing that kept her from toppling down to the floor.

“Whoa, careful. Let's sit you down.” He guided her to the edge of her bed where she heavily dropped herself, pulling him down along with her so he was sitting too.

“I'm sorry, Noah,” she repeated again, this time her voice cracking from all the emotions now swelling within her. “I messed up, I know. Please just say you forgive me, though.”

“Yeah, Seph, yes, I forgive you. It's whatever. Let me get you some water, though.”

There was a rush of relief that suddenly washed through her as soon as he said those words. Maybe it was just because she was drunk, but that was the best thing she had heard all week. Her arms immediately circled around the back of his neck, pulling herself close against him for a hug that kept them flush against each other. Seph could feel Noah’s hesitancy from the way his body froze and tensed, clearly not expecting the affection. Eventually, his hands stopped hovering and finally laid light as a feather on her waist. Her skin was bare still, since she hadn't fully redressed from the dip in the pool, so it was probably obvious when chills formed over the areas he touched.

Persephone pulled back the slightest amount, just enough so her eyes could find his. She glanced between them only for a brief moment, and then her lips were abruptly crashing against his. Again, she felt him hesitate, even going so far as to break the kiss to murmur something about her being drunk, but she couldn't stop herself from closing the space once more. Seph untangled her arms from the back of his neck so that her hands could slide around his jaw, both deepening the kiss and making sure no room remained between them. All she wanted was Noah as close as humanly possible right then. She could feel his grip tighten on her waist and then his fingertips were dragging down along her lower back, pausing when he came into contact with the material of her shorts.

Hands that previously held his face started their trek downwards, reaching and tugging at his shirt as a silent way of saying that she wanted it off. Noah was thankfully able to pick up on what she was saying, and soon his t-shirt was being tossed aside. That was much better. Now she could really feel him and the heat he radiated.

Things were moving faster than she had anticipated and a little voice inside of her was telling her it was best to stop. It wouldn't be good for her first time to be when she was drunk and had loads of people in her backyard still. Those were the only regrets she would have, though. Noah would definitely not be one of them.

“This is golden, Seph. Really.”

The unexpected voice caused her to jump and part ways from Noah as he did the same in unison. He had somehow hopped up to his feet in record time, his back to the intruder so he could adjust himself and also pull his shirt back on.

Maisie stood in the doorway with a devious smirk, and her phone out and pointed directly at them. “Oh, no, don't stop on my account. It was just getting good.”

“What the actual fuck?” Seph exclaimed while standing from the bed and rushing towards the girl, just before making a vain attempt at snatching her phone away. Of course she wasn't successful. “Did you just record us? What is wrong with you?”

A fit of laughter exploded from her, the phone now being held back and out of reach. “What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? Has your self esteem really dipped so low that you have to entertain trash to feel better about yourself?”

Seph scoffed in disbelief, her mouth falling open in shock for what Maisie was saying. “Don't talk about him like that. Say whatever you want about me, but leave Noah out of this.”

“Why? So he can see how nice of a person you are? So you can continue to fool him into thinking you're one of the good ones? Spare me, Seph!”

Maisie now averted her gaze to Noah who was decent again and looking back and forth at the two girls in utter confusion. She gave him a pitiful look, one that was obviously mocking. “Seph here is just as mean as the rest of us. That hasn't changed just because she's become dull and boring within the last year. How else do you think we've been friends for so long?”

“Shut up, Maisie.”

“We're one in the same, baby.”

Seph made another attempt at grabbing her phone, but Maisie pushed against her chest to keep the distance intact.

“Give me the phone. This isn't funny. Just delete it!”

“I think I'll show Mason first, just because it'll be funny to torment him about how long he's been trying to get into your pants when Noah over here almost succeeds in less than a month.”

Maisie really appeared to be enjoying this. She was smiling and laughing, all of these reactions quite genuine for her. She was obviously sick and cruel - two things Seph would never stoop to. No matter how much Maisie claimed they were the same.

“Oh! Your parents!” Maisie gasped with her sudden realization, her face further lighting up. “They'd probably love to see what their little angel is up to when they're gone too.”

Noah was at her side, his hand firmly grabbing her arm that she hadn't realized was topped with a balled up fist. Honestly, he should've just let her hit Maisie and ruin the nose job her parents gifted her the year before. That surely would've ended in their victory right away. But no, Noah had to make sure she wasn't further incriminating herself.

“Why are you even doing this? What the hell have I ever done to you? What has Noah done to you?”

“Just go, Maisie. You got what you wanted, so leave.” Noah and her spoke on top of each other, each of them searching for different outcomes.

Maisie squinted at him, her brows then raising as if she was taken back by him even speaking to her. “This doesn't concern you, Noah. It's not about you. You're just collateral damage.”

“I want my best friend back.”

This time, it was Seph’s turn to break out into laughter. Was she being fucking serious? All of this was happening because she missed her? God, Maisie couldn't be anymore fucked up.

“Get out,” she spoke through gritted teeth. “Get out! Tell everyone to get the fuck out!”

Seph slammed the door, causing herself to stumble back a bit from the force. Tears began welling in her eyes, though she was trying her best to blink them away. Maisie wasn't a bluffer. She would do exactly as she had said, and then what? It wasn't Mason that she gave a shit about, but her parents. Their potential reaction was what terrified her.

Stepping deeper into her room and further away from Noah - who was trying his best to comfort her but she couldn't make out the words - she dropped her face into the palms of her hands. Her shoulders began to lightly shake with her sobs, everything just becoming too much at once. The alcohol coursing through her system definitely didn't help.

“Seph…” Noah cooed in a soothing tone, his hand coming up to rest upon her shoulder. “Hey, it's going to be okay. Do you want me to get her phone? I will, I'll -”

“Nothing is okay!” Persephone shrugged away from his touch, quickly turning to look directly at him. “Everything is fucked, Noah! Do you not get that?!”

The only person she truly cared about appeared as if he had just been slapped in the face. He blinked at her, shocked by the fact that her anger was being directed towards him now. Persephone felt bad, she really did, but everything else she was feeling overpowered that and took charge.

“Just…go, Noah.” She spoke in a calmer tone after having taken a deep breath, her voice still wavering.

“I'm not going to go, Seph. Stop. Let me help.”

“I don't need your help!” Rushing towards her bedroom door, she threw it open just so she could motion for him to go through it. “Please, just go.”

Had Persephone known that this would be the last conversation she would have with Noah for months, she never would've ended it like that.

It was one of her many regrets on the ever growing list.

CHAPTER THREE JUMP

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