#running for her life and hiding in Athena and not even being safe there

[howlsofbloodhounds]

was listening to a video about a brief summary of the Trojan war and like i think her name was Cassandra, the prophet Apollo gave the gift to see the future but cursed her to never be believed and seen as crazy by her peers for rejecting him, her story just made me sad

[daughter-of-melpomene]

for the make an oc ask: Sadie Overall + Percy Jackson?? -🍂

Thanks so much for this, Alvita!! Gonna tag the rest of my Percy Jackson lovers @luucypevensie, @dancingsunflowers-ocs, @ginevrastilinski-ocs, @bibaybe, and @manyfandomocs!! <3

NAME: Harley Bell.

LOVE INTEREST: Luke Castellan.

SUMMARY: Harley wasn’t at all what most kids at Camp Half-Blood expected when they thought of the demigods in Cabin Nine. Most expected the children of Hephaestus to be scruffy, big and broad and constantly covered in soot from their work - Harley hid her toned shoulders and arms behind pretty clothes, kept her face painted with tasteful makeup rather than the ashes of the forge, and was known throughout camp for making beautiful, delicate jewelry rather than weapons. Still, though, as a year-round camper, she was more than content with her life at Camp Half-Blood, even if most people did consider her unexpected - and she was also more than content to nurse her crush on Luke Castellan, the golden boy of Cabin Eleven, fully expecting it would never be reciprocated and forcing herself to be okay with that. Until, that was, one midnight when they’d run into each other by the camp’s lake and, after a deep conversation, Harley had finally plucked up the courage to ask Luke out - and he’d said yes. They’ve been dating for a year when Percy Jackson, a plucky, sarcastic forbidden son of Poseidon, stumbles into the camp after killing a Minotaur on its border, and though Harley notices her boyfriend taking a particular interest in the boy, she doesn’t think anything of it… but when Percy sets off on a quest alongside Harley’s favourite satyr and a determined daughter of Athena to help prevent a brewing war among the gods, Harley can’t help but notice a certain darkness growing within Luke, no matter how he tries to hide it, and she can’t help wondering whether she’s been wrong to never doubt him after all.

EXTRA INFO:

Well, this is a series based off of Greek myths, right? We might as well make it a tragedy.

So, yeah, Harley is definitely not your typical Hephaestus kid, but she’s just as good at forging as any of her siblings even if she does use it for jewelry rather than swords, and she can even animate small machines as long as they’re made out of metal.

A little bit like Annabeth, she is very in love with Luke and as such gets a little blinded to just how angry he is and just how much he hates the gods, so his betrayal and reveal of his working with Kronos comes as a very painful shock to her.

Luke does try to convince her to come with him when he runs away from camp, but not only is Harley super hurt by how much he’s lied to her, she knows how bad starting a war against Olympus could get and how many innocent half-bloods could be collateral as a result, so she refuses and tries to talk him down. It doesn’t work, and even though Luke does genuinely love her he sees her as being brainwashed by the gods and is furious that she won’t join him (think of it as an Anakin and Padmé thing, only he doesn’t, you know, choke her).

Harley never gets to say a proper goodbye to him before he leaves camp, and they never talk again before he dies in the final battle and she is able to kneel over his body and wish him a safe descent into the Underworld through her sobs. So, you know. Very sad.

send me a fandom and a faceclaim/love interest and i’ll make an oc!!

[kazoosandfannypacks]

summary: an extended version of percy and annabeth's dance at the end of the titan's curse word count: 1475 words a/n: to celebrate me finally reading through the pjo series, i wrote a little expansion on one of my favorite scenes. percy being told by a literal goddess to stay away from her daughter then immediately asking that daughter to dance in the streets of olympus with him is my roman empire. shoutout to my darling @laughingphoenixleader for getting me into this fandom and betaing this fic taglist: @laughingphoenixleader @jedi-nurse {if you'd like to be added to my percabeth/pjo taglist, let me know!}

also on ao3!

Could've Lived This Dance Forever

I couldn't tell you what song was playing. If I'd even tried to listen to the words or the melody, it wouldn't've made a difference. I might've picked out a saxophone or something like that, but for all I know about instruments, it may as well have been a kazoo.

I had better things to pay attention to anyways, There was the smile Annabeth was trying so hard to hide. There was the sparkle in her eyes that I could've sworn wasn't there before I'd asked her to dance.

There was also the way that the pit of my stomach felt jumbled up and twisted in knots almost as much as my tied-up-tongue. I was thankful Annabeth was always telling me to shut up, because it gave me a little more confidence that my loss for words hadn't messed this moment up yet.

I closed my eyes for just a moment, losing myself in the music and the dance and just the feeling of her hand in mine, and my hand on her side.

Usually, if something even close to being like this happened, it was because she was pulling me back from something that would've gotten me killed if not for her, or I was pulling her back from something she hadn't realized yet we couldn't beat, or we were running from monsters and trying to keep from being separated.

But this time, all of that was different. There was nothing chasing us. We weren't in any danger, at least, nothing that presented an immediate cause for alarm. We were safe. As we danced in the streets of Olympus, all thoughts about battles and prophecies and monsters and quests and fates flitted away.

I even started to forget about the conversation I'd just had with her mother— her godly mom, Athena— though of course, now that I was thinking about the fact that I forgot about it, I remembered it again.

"I do not approve of your friendship with my daughter. I do not think it is wise for either of you."

It was a good thing that, with all due respect, I didn't give a rip about what most of the pantheon thought.

I opened my eyes, and saw Annabeth glance away from me, as though she hadn't wanted me to notice how she'd been studying and analyzing me when I wasn't looking. I had no idea what she'd surmised from the smile on my face and my simple footsteps that kept me from stepping on her toes, but she had her mother's insight, and could probably tell a lot more than I thought I was letting on.

I glanced over her shoulder, and saw Poseidon, who for a second almost seemed to be giving me a thumbs up, though we turned too quickly for me to notice.

My gaze then caught Aphrodite's, and as she nodded with a subtle smile, I remembered the words she'd said to me back in the car in the desert, something about Annabeth and I, and "true love." I'd heard about true love in some Disney movies, but those were just fairytales to me.

Of course, furies and demigods and cyclops and minotaur were nothing more than fairytales to me a few years ago, and now they were all I seemed to know anymore, so maybe this "true love" stuff wasn't so far fetched either.

Now, I didn't even know if I loved Annabeth— not like that, anyways. I wouldn't've even told my friends that I "like-like" her, or had a crush or anything like that. But I knew that I liked having her in my life, and that I wouldn't like it very much if she wasn't in my life anymore. I knew that I liked it more than I should when she picked apart my bad ideas and called me Seaweed Brain. I knew that I'd do everything in my power to save her, no matter what life threw at me, that I'd do anything I could to protect her. Don't ask me how I knew, I just did, just like I knew that, as much as we found ourselves fighting a lot, I'd give up anything for her.

And I knew I didn't want this moment to end, to hold her and watch her face shine as she danced as graceful and free and lovely as any dryad or goddess or nymph in all of Olympus.

And if that's what true love is, then I didn't want to settle for anything less

🧡•🖤•🧡

I wondered if Percy noticed the others watching us like I did. Not just here on Olympus, but back at Camp Half Blood, and at Westover Hall, and on some of our quests too, and even in the gleam in his mother's eye when she'd met me.

At least his mother was easy to please.

I didn't need Percy to tell me what he and Athena had talked about. Her harsh words and steel glances in the council had told me more than enough— she wasn't too big on me hanging out with Poseidon's son, and if Poseidon's son had been anyone other than Percy, I would've had no problem with avoiding him.

That's why I was so surprised when Percy asked me to dance. A week ago, he had been hard-pressed to dance with me as a simple part of an undercover mission. Now, even in the presence of a god who'd told him to steer clear of me, he willingly asked me to dance? Either Percy was really brave, really stupid, or too impertinent for his own good, but I couldn't help but oblige.

Something had changed in him over the last week, that much I knew. A dance is a lot like a battle, and this opponent's strategy had changed. He seemed to know what he was doing, to care what he was doing, and either his past quest had enrolled him in a dance academy, or maybe he'd gained some confidence these past few days.

Then again, maybe that was just the feeling of the weight of the sky being lifted off your shoulders, and the freedom and weightlessness that came with it.

Whatever had happened to him though, it was working. I found myself enjoying myself a little more this time.

However, I was also painfully aware of the hundreds of pairs of eyes on us, each having their own opinion on us. Did some think I could do better than share a dance with this seaweed brained half-blood who was never meant to exist? Did they notice the flash of red along my cheek as Percy smiled at me? The most important beings in all of Olympus were watching me, and I…

Percy's eyes met mine in a way that made me feel a lot more stupid than I liked to feel. He was like that, really, never very clever and making me wonder sometimes why cleverness even mattered so much to me.

He never cared much for other's opinions either, or, at least, not that he let on. But if he did, he wouldn't've minded my opinion of him at that moment. He wasn't half bad when he kept his stupid mouth shut.

But, leave it to Percy Jackson to risk ruining a perfectly good moment by running his mouth.

"I, uh," he smiled, then swallowed, clearly nervous, "I wouldn't've made it this far without you, Annabeth."

I wasn't sure what the music playing sounded like to him, but whatever song it was must've been similar enough to what I heard that it felt a natural part of the dance when he spun me out— an opportunity I relished so he wouldn't see my smile at his compliment.

I wondered if he noticed, when he pulled me back towards himself, that he pulled me a little closer to him than I had been. He must've, or he would've been stepping on my toes a lot more.

My eyes met his again. If everyone on Olympus had been watching us, they certainly were now, filling in the blanks on the wordless messages passed between our eyes.

I wonder if he knew how his smile jumbled my thoughts in the only way that I didn't seem to mind. He must've, or he wouldn't've been smiling at me so much.

"Don't get all mushy on me now, Seaweed Brain," I said.

I wonder if he understood all the things I meant when I said that, that even when I insulted him, I couldn't stay mad at him, that I only pushed him away because he always came back when I did.

He must've, or he wouldn't've rolled his eyes with delight when I said it, and he certainly wouldn't've pulled me just a little closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he whispered, "I wouldn't dream of it."

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

Hello there! Can you write hcs for Tim with a demigodess!reader please? Congrats on your 600 followers btw^^

Tim Drake x Demigoddess!Reader

A/N: Thank you so much! So I’m totally dense about greek myths and stuff and I was gonna make her Thor’s daughter at first but then I forgot about that I did Hades but when I remembered it was already written so oh well

You were the daughter of Hades and Persephone

You had kind of a weird childhood

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great childhood

Being princess of the underworld and the daughter of the only sane people in all of Olympus had its perks

But compared to everyone else, it was weird

Hades was extremely protective of you because you were a mortal

Meaning that you could die

The thought of having to greet your soul when you died filled him with so much grief

So, he kept you sheltered, kept you safe

Never letting you lift a finger

As princess you had everything you ever needed and everything your heart desired

Since birth you had been trained by Athena and Aries under your father’s watchful eyes

When you were 16 and you finally wanted to see the rest of the world, you begged your parents to let you go to the mortal world

It took months of begging and when they said no, you’d get so upset that all the flowers in the underworld would wither

Persephone seeing how much you wanted to see the world

So, she convinces Hades to let you go

And he agrees but just as long as you promise to visit

You go to the human world and you’re so oblivious about human life that it’s concerning

Walking around in a floor length dress wondering why everyone else wasn’t dressed the same way

This is how you meet Diana Prince

She recognizes you immediately when you arrive at the Smithsonian, looking mildly confused

Your eyes light up when you see a familiar face

You stay with her for a couple of days before she decides that you’d be better off at the cave

That’s exactly what happens

Even though you whine a little and say you want to stay with her

She just knows it’s because you’re nervous about being in a new place

You know that if you were in any real danger your parents would inflict rage on the mortal world

Feeling mildly comforted at the idea

Diana doesn’t tell them to add you to the group

She just tells them that you need a place to stay and someone to help you find your way around

The first people you meet are Batman, Nightwing and Robin

Immediately being comforted just by looking at them

Batman reminded you of your dad and Nightwing of your mom

And Diana trusted them so you did too

You end up following Tim and Dick around for the next couple of days like a lost puppy

Dick finds it amusing

Tim is kinda unsettled but thinks you’re stupid for some reason

It isn’t until he actually talks to you, he realizes you’re much more profound than he gave you credit for

You don’t officially join the team

You just live there

Everyone thinks that you have no training whatsoever

And that you’re just a princess

Which you technically are but

Until you’re watching them train one day and then remember the days you would spar with Athena

It looked like so much fun

Immediately you wanted to join in

Some of them rolled their eyes and thought you were wasting their time

The others were happy to let you join in

They wanted to make Bart spar you but you looked around contemplatively before pointing at Tim

“If it is alright with you, I wish for you to be my partner.”

Tim blushing because what you said sounded like you were choosing him as a life partner, rather than sparring partner

Of course, Bart teases him for it as well as the others

When Tim walks up to the middle, Dick subtlety tells him to take it easy on you and he nods

The match is over before he can even make a move

You had the speed and strength of a god, it wasn’t a surprise

Not to you at least

To everyone else, kind of a huge surprise

Standing over him and giggling

“I want a rematch.”

“But of course.”

Spending the rest of the day sparring with him

He doesn’t beat you even once

And the others just watch you throw him around for an afternoon

After a while it stops being funny and Nightwing is almost concerned

It kind of hurts his pride but you still acknowledge him

“You know, for a human, you’re very skilled.”

“Uh, thank you?”

After that you go through the other members quite quickly

Some of them gave you a little trouble, like Conner

But you managed to be undefeated

They all think you should join the team after that and you agree

Spending more time with Tim that way

Always talking to him about your family’s history and stuff

Telling him all about your parents love story when he asked to hear about it

You talk so fondly of it and he’s honestly just kind of shocked that Greek Mythology isn’t mythology

I mean, he knew it was real because of Diana

But he never really understood how real these gods were

He falls for you

He loves the way your eyes light up and you smile at him

He loves the way you’re always eager to learn

He loves that you’re so kind and gentle but can also beat people up without even trying

He asks you out but it didn’t go as well as he was hoping

“Do you want to go out with me?”

“Yes, a walk sounds lovely.”

“(Y/N), I like you.”

“Aw that’s so sweet Tim, I like you too, friend.”

Everyone else starts enjoying the way he crashes and burns all the time

And Tim would stop asking usually

But he knows it in his bones that you like him too

But he has no other way to tell you aside from marching up to you and kissing you

Makes that Plan B tho

Plan A is getting you a bouquet of your favourite flowers and telling you that he likes you

Romantically

Not platonically

You grin widely and tell him you like him too

Kissing you just as the sun set that day

It’s one of your favourite memories

His too

Everyone being extremely happy and supporting of your relationship

You can tell Batman is trying to threaten you

But your father is god of the underworld and you have a three headed dog

So, when you and Tim are caught kissing in some hidden crevice in the cave by him and he tries telling you off, you can’t help you smile adorably

“Don’t worry Batman, I have no intention of dishonouring your son.”

Batman is like ???

And Tim is either like “Please don’t speak like we’re in the 1800s.”

or “Please dishonour me.”

He buys you pomegranates as a joke but then you prank him saying that if he eats them, he has to return to the underworld with you

Dick (Nightwing) approves

You like falling asleep in his arms so more often than not you plead with him to stay at the cave and sleep with you

He knows relationships in Olympus generally move a lot quicker so he ends up having to sit you down and explain everything to you so you know his boundaries

Totally accepting them and never going farther than he wants

You appreciate the small things

Like sitting in his lap and eating breakfast

Or being the small spoon

You become the team’s resident couple

Being part of a team, a family is honestly so much fun

Everyone thinking your invincible and practically indestructible

Until one day you’re hurt on the battlefield

Everyone freaking out and getting you back to the cave so you could be treated

The next morning, Tim goes to check up on you and finds something shocking

He’s not sure what to be more surprised by

Cerberus napping at the foot of your bed

Or you crying

Even though the giant, three-headed dog freaks him out, he still sits beside you and asks what’s wrong

“My father demands that I return home. He cannot stand the thought of me being hurt.”

His heart stops

He likes you so much, even bordering on love

And he doesn’t want you to leave

But who was he to stop the God of the Underworld?

Comforting you when you cried, hugging you tightly

“Shh it’s gonna be okay.”

You return home after that and it breaks Tim’s heart

You don’t officially break up but it’s kind of implied because you can never return back to the mortal world

Him being depressed for the next few months but he hides it well

Even though everyone knows how he’s feeling

Things aren’t any better on your end

Your heart aches with every second your away from him

Until one day it happens

Your soul wants to be with Tim

So, it tries to leave your body

You have a heart attack that night and nearly die and it horrifies Hades

He goes all the way to the mortal world to find Tim

Tim doesn’t quite understand how you could have a heart attack from missing him

But is still worried and agrees to go to the Underworld to see you

When he gets there, you’re in so much pain

But once he brings you into his arms you feel sated

When he kisses you, everything fades into a dull ache

Hades wants Tim to stay in the Underworld after that but you argue and tell him to go back to the land of the living

This wasn’t the place for him

“I’ll give up on you, I promise, but you can’t stay here any longer my love.”

“I don’t want to leave your side.”

“I’m sorry, but you know we can’t be.”

Tim goes the next morning and it breaks your heart but you know that it’s for the best

You spend the next few weeks in such sorrow that all of Persephone’s plants die

Hades and Persephone both see how much you love Tim and they are reminded of themselves when they were younger

Making a joint decision to let you go back to the mortal world

But you have to live a long life

That’s the one condition

You running into the cave and crashing into Tim’s arms

Kissing him there and feeling everything go right in the world

You fulfil your parents wish

And live a long, happy life by Tim’s side

Forever Taglist:

@simonsbluee

DC Taglist:

@emmacata

@p--e--a--c--h--e--s

@sometimeseverythingsucks

@sokkas-honour

@unstable1902

@lostgirlheart

[thesevenumbrellas]

If you've not already done so, can you do a percy jackson/tua crossover type hc? This feels very demanding of me even though people ask you these types of things, so sorry if it sounds rude.

Of course! I’ve written a couple like this but tagging on tumblr is awful so I can never find them again.

Edit: didn’t realize until after I wrote it how long this was so... my bad...

Luther is the son of Zeus. He’s raised by the half-blood camp knowing he’s part of an important prophecy. Because of that he never knew a life away from being a hero. That can make him insufferable at times, and he has a huge hero complex, but he’s also someone you want on your side.

He’s sent on a quest to fetch the rest of the seven in order to complete the prophecy.

Diego, son of Apollo. Amazing aim but he uses knives instead of a bow as a direct fuck you at the gods. He too has a hero complex but also hates the gods for abandoning him. His father barely knows he exists. After his mother was killed by a monster he spent almost a year crossing the country to get to the supposed safe place his mother told him about. Camp Half Blood.

Allison, daughter of Aphrodite. She’s the strongest charm speaker the gods have ever known. She’s also never lived her life without it. After she misuses her power against some bullies, she runs away from home. She tries to survive without her powers when the guilt of her past plagues her. This doesn’t work very well however when she almost dies from monster attacks.

Allison is kidnapped by a Cyclops wanting to cook her when she meets Diego... who also happened to have been kidnapped. They escape together and she decides to follow him to Camp Half Blood.

Klaus, son of Hades. He’s not supposed to exist. The gods don’t acknowledge him. Hades can’t help him. He’s on his own.

Klaus was orphaned at birth but he has never been alone. The ghosts are always there. As a teen her turns to drugs in order to tune out their screams. This works for a while...

... until he’s attacked by monsters one night at a club. He’s saved by Diego and Allison. He decides to follow them to camp half blood. He doesn’t fully believe their tales of gods. He knows he isn’t a hero. But he owes Ben a favor, and his ghost friend really seems to think that it’s a good idea.

Five son of... well no one knows. He’s never been claimed. He’s lived in the Hermes cabin since arriving at Camp Half Blood at thirteen years old. He thinks it’s been decades. He’s not sure. No one can remember a time he hasn’t been there. No one can remember how long he’s lived there. He still looks thirteen.

Time doesn’t matter to Five. He can’t remember a life outside of camp half blood. He can’t remember a time he didn’t look thirteen. He can’t remember how long he’s been at camp. He can’t remember when the voice of his father started to haunt his dreams, but he can ignore the orders no longer.

When Luther leaves on a quest for camp, Five knows he needs to follow. So he does. Even if the truth could mean his death.

Can a son of Kronos even be part of a prophecy? If his new friends knew the truth... would they even let him live?

Ben is a ghost. He died almost fifteen years ago. He doesn’t remember his parents, doesn’t remember ever having powers... He knows his fate though. He’s seen it hundreds of times before. If you can’t pay the toll, you drift. You drift in the earthly plane until you can’t remember anything, until you can’t think, until you’re nothing but mist and regret.

He won’t let that happen. Klaus is a beacon. He’s a lighthouse during a storm. But more than that. When Ben is with Klaus, he can almost remember what it’s like to be human. He can almost remember Camp Half Blood.

Now if only he can keep that idiot alive long enough to remember everything else. Like why can Klaus see him even when he’s drugged? And why does Ben have a portal to Tartarus in his stomach?

Vanya is the last to join their group. She’s ordinary. There’s nothing special about her. She can play the violin although not particularly well. She feels like a half blood, although just faintly. She barely even attracts any monsters. She’s nothing. A minor God’s child, left to die at the claws of any monster hungry enough to bother with someone like her.

Until she levels an entire building.

The half-bloods find Vanya by accident while hiding from a manticore. She just happens to be at the coffee shop with her high school orchestra, on their way to a performance in the next town over. They only stopped because their bus was having engine trouble.

The half-bloods are shocked when the manticore is distracted from hunting them by Vanya, a seemingly normal human girl...

But even through the protection magic... the manticore can smell her power.

And then she accidentally brings the entire building down by playing a single note on her violin.

Is she a daughter of Apollo? The music would make sense. Ares maybe? With a strength like that? Athena? One of the big three?

Vanya follows them, searching for answers. And they follow Luther, on a quest he was raised to follow all his life.

To save the world from an apocalypse that has yet to happen.

Meanwhile Hera watches from above, terrified that her affair will be revealed to the world through the existence of her only daughter.

[midnightstar-90]

Hidden~ Eddie Diaz x Nash! Reader

A/N: Not edited because I'm in school, but I will edit later. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I plan to go by episode when I get to season 3 plots.

Visit

Flashback to 2003

Narrator's POV

'The fifth game. This was the fifth game he has missed this year. He wasn't even there to comfort me in the ambulance.'  Y/N sat angrily on the hospital bed, with a cast on her foot. She was so mad at her father. For the second year in a row, Her father has missed all her activities.

She knows why he isn't there, but she thought that when her father told her that he was getting married and having another child, he would at least make time for her. Now, she is in the hospital with only her mother by her side.

The doctor walks into the room with a smile. "Well young lady, you are free to go. Your mother can sign you out at the front desk, and then you may go," The doctor said.

As I'm getting ready to go, Bobby runs in. "I'm so sorry. Marcy had a doctor's appointment, and I lost track of time," he says.

Y/N hops away, using her crutch, and rolls her eyes. "Y/N,"  Bobby calls out defeated. "She scored the winning goal before breaking her leg. When she saw your team come to her rescue, she thought that maybe, just maybe, her father would still see all her hard work. It seems like you care about your new family more, but get this through your head, Robert. She... Is... Your family," Y/M/N says with an angry tone.

Bobby stood in the hospital room looking at the bed where his daughter laid, injured. He knew he messed up. He knew he was losing his daughter. She is almost a teenager. He had to make it up to her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bobby's POV

I know the best way to make it up to Y/N. Ever since she was little, she loved riding with me and the crew as we saved people's lives. I told Marcy that even though I had to work I was also going to spend time with my daughter. She was okay with that.

Y/N's Pov

When my dad picked me up, I didn't know what to expect. I was still injured and mad, so what could we possibly be doing. I got into the car when I noticed his work bag.

My face lit up when I figured out what was happening. "Am I going to work with you," I questioned my father? "Yeah, and I have a surprise for you," my dad said while watching the road. He tried to hide his smile but I knew it was there.

When we got to the Firestation, everyone greeted me. I saw some old faces and some new ones. We walked to the changing room. When we entered, my dad opened his bag and handed me some clothes. "You got me one of your uniforms," I said while jumping up and down. He nodded his head and we headed out.

The ride was so cool. Even though I still had my cast on, the fire crew let me put out a small fire with the hose. It was so cool. We then had to help out a gruesome fight. The gory calls were always the best. We ended the day with the team going out for burgers and milkshakes.

I had so much fun with my dad. The next day, I went to school still wearing my dad's fire department shirt he gave me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present Day

Narrator's POV

When Bobby saw the woman he once called his baby girl, he knew he had to see her. He sat in the hospital lobby along with Eddie remembering the conversation he had with Athena.

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2 hours ago

Bobby's POV

"What's wrong? It looks like you've seen a ghost," Athena asks with a chuckle. I keep a very serious look and say, "I did. That was my daughter." Athena looks at me with a serious/confused face and asks, "What?!"

"When I was young, I was also reckless," I said with a sigh. "So is every man in the world, but go on," Athena said jokingly.

I gave Athena the summary of my life before LA, "Y/N was a drunken mistake, but I still loved her. When I got with Marcy, I didn't hang out with her as much. Then I had the kids. When the fire happened, I knew I couldn't be around Y/N, so I did what I thought any father would do to protect their child. I ran. Now she's here in LA, with a son, and teaching Eddie's kid."

"Well, it seems like Y/N being back is a sign. Maybe you could get a second chance with her. You are great with May and Harry, why can't you use what you learned to better your relationship with your daughter?"

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Narrator's POV

Y/N woke as the Nurse was checking her vitals. Y/N groaned and said, "What happened, and where is my son?" The nurse jumped and said, "Oh, Miss Nash you're awake. Well, you were in a car accident. Your son is fine. He is in the children's ward with minor injuries."

Y/N let out a breath, with the knowledge that her son was fine. "You have some visitors. I'm gonna let them in now."

'Visitors? What visitors? I just moved here. Did my mom find out somehow?' Y/n's thoughts took a pause as her door opened. It was two firefighters. One I knew for a fact was Eddie, and the other was someone who looked familiar, but I had no clue who they were.

"Eddie? What are you doing here?" Y/N asked smiling. He tried to give me a hug without hurting me. "Well, Chris has school on Monday, so I had to check on his new favorite teacher," he joked. Y/N laughed and smiled. Bobby watched his daughter with his co-worker. Y/N looked toward the familiar stranger.

"Hi, I'm Bobby Nash. I'm the LAFD's 118 fire captain." When Y/N heard the name, she instantly remembered the name. "Dad?" she said with tears in her eyes. Bobby wiped the tears from his eyes and walked over to his daughter. Eddie moved out of the way so that his fire captain could reunite with his daughter.

"Yeah baby, it's me." Y/N couldn't believe her eyes. Eddie decided to let the family talk and went to have a nurse bring Y/N's son to her room. "You left me," Y/N said now fully crying. "Let me explain. I was having a hard time at work, and it set me off. I did some things that I regret to this very day. I couldn't protect some of my family, but I knew I could protect you from the darkness inside of me. I didn't know what the best thing to do was, so I ran. I am so sorry," Bobby explained wholeheartedly.

Y/N instantly went in for a hug. She still had tears in her eyes, but she was happy. Still sad, but happy she gets another chance with her father. "I saw you today. You may not have been there to save me when I broke my, but you were there to save me today." Bobby smiled when a little boy walked into the room with Eddie.

The boy ran in. "Mommy," the boy yelled to the top of his lungs. Eddie helped him onto the bed. "Hi, baby. Zach, this is Bobby and Eddie. Eddie is Chris' dad an-" Y/N was cut off by her son, "The Eddie you said looked hot." "Shhh," Y/N said with a finger to lips. Eddie and Bobby watched the two and chuckled.

Y/N explained to Zachary that Bobby was his grandfather, and Zach was so happy. The 4-year-old almost ran Bobby down with the hug he gave. Y/N and Bobby were so happy to have their family back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eddie's Pov

After the visit to the hospital, I think it is safe to say that I like Y/N. The hard part was telling Shannon. She is Christopher's mother. I walked into the house to see Shannon and Chris making pizza.

"Daddy!" "Hey buddy," I say picking him up, "How was school?" "School was awesome. Y/N taught me math using M&M's, and then we got to eat them. During recess, Y/N and her son Zach played with me." The way Chris talked about Y/N made me like her even more. "When mommy picked me up we went to the store for ice cream and pizza. She said we're gonna watch a movie," Christopher said with a huge grin. Just when I think I want something, I remember that sometimes what I want isn't all about me.

The food finished cooking, and we sat down as a family and ate. We watched 'A Bug's Life' before Shannon left. I went to put Christopher to bed, but before he went to bed I wanted to have a talk. "Buddy, if I wasn't with mommy, but you could still hang out with her, you would be fine with that right." He looked at me and said, "We just got her back. Do you not love her anymore."

"No, I will forever love your mommy, but she's been gone for so long that I think it is time for me to move on." "Are you talking about with Miss.Nash, because I saw the way you looked at her, and it was the same way I look at my dessert," I laughed at his joke.

"I like Miss. Nash and I love mommy. I don't want to lose them." What he said gave me a lot to think about. "Ok, bud. Go to sleep," I said standing by the door. I turned off the light and headed to my room. I got ready for bed and slept on my thoughts.

Taglist: @notanordinaryprincess95 @jjpogueprincess @wiypt-writes

[timelesslords]

“Forget it, you’re a fucking asshole.” and/or “Is that blood?” “…..No?” for the prompts please

thank u💕

send me a sentence starter and I’ll fill it for Percabeth

Annabeth Chase was just about ready to murder her boyfriend. 

Capture the Flag night had started innocuous enough. Athena and Poseidon cabins had allied themselves, as was usual these days, and Ares was their biggest opponent. Annabeth had a stellar plan, a foolproof plan, some might say, a plan that all but guaranteed them to win. 

Except for the fact that her idiot boyfriend couldn’t resist abandoning his post the second the field looked clear. It was a trap, it was so obviously a trap that Annabeth had no idea how he hadn’t seen it. 

She had to give Clarisse some credit. Using one of their captured players as bait while also exposing the flag just a tad— it was exactly the type of thing that would draw Percy away from his post, to get him to abandon the plan. 

They’d still won. Trap or no, it would be hard not to. But as soon as Annabeth realized Percy had abandoned his post, a very distinct mixture of anger and fear starting building in her gut. 

And watching him run back to the blue team’s side, flag in hand, flushed with success, had only caused it all to boil over. There’d barely been time for his stupid, excited grin to slide off his face at seeing her expression before she stormed off. 

He followed her. She’d expected him to. 

“You left your post,” Annabeth said, before he could even ask.

“I don’t see what the big deal is. We still won,” Percy said, jogging to keep up with her. 

It’s not about winning. It wasn’t even his compulsive need to play hero either, though that would have been enough to make her mad too. 

“You didn’t follow the plan,” Annabeth snapped, refusing to look over at him even as he caught up to her, matching her pace easily. Curse him for being taller than her. 

“Look, I saw an opportunity—”

“You saw a trap that was tailor-made for you—”

“An opportunity,” Percy repeated, cutting her off, “An opportunity to save one of our players and get the flag, and I took it. And we won. So what’s the big deal?” 

What was the big deal? Just that his stupid savior complex wouldn’t stop playing out over and over again, even in the smallest ways. He didn’t even realize he was doing it sometimes, like just now. It wasn’t about Capture The Flag, not really. It was about the fact that he felt the need to throw himself in the most dangerous situations so someone else didn’t have to, even when it was just a game. 

And there were plenty of times in his life, plenty of opportunities past and future for him to do the exact same thing when it wasn’t a game, when the consequences were very real and very dire. 

She hated how mad it made her, because what was she supposed to say? I’d rather you let some other sap take the fall so you can live into your twenties? 

And how was she supposed to tell him any of that when he was looking at her all smug and expectant? 

“Forget it, you’re a fucking asshole,” Annabeth spat, doubling her pace. 

“‘Beth—” he started, but he should have known better than to call her that when she was pissed at him, because her glare alone was enough to shut him up. 

“Annabeth,” he tried again, “Come on.” 

Annabeth stopped, whirled around, just about ready to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed a small spot on his shoulder. Some of the anger building in her chest deflated. 

“I— is that blood?” 

Percy glanced down at his shoulder. The bit of his orange camp shirt that was peering out from the gap between his chest and shoulder armor was starting to get stained a sticky brown color. 

“...No?” he said, glancing back up at her with guilt in his eyes. All in all a thoroughly unconvincing lie. 

“Percy,” Annabeth sighed. 

“Clarisse nicked me with Maimer, it's not a big deal.” 

It wasn’t a big deal. It really wasn’t. He’d probably gotten Clarisse back easily and they’d both laugh about it tomorrow. 

Only, Clarisse wouldn’t have had the chance to use Maimer on him at all if he’d stuck to the fucking plan instead of throwing himself into the line of fire. And the next time he did this, what if it wasn’t just a cut? What if it was something much worse? 

“Don’t stop being mad at me just because I’m bleeding,” Percy said, noticing her shift in demeanor. 

“You don’t want me to stop being mad at you?” Annabeth asked, one eyebrow raised. 

“No—” Percy said, running an agitated hand through his hair, “I mean obviously I don’t want you to be mad at me, but I barely even know why you’re mad at me and unless you tell me now you’re just going to be more mad later once I’ve stopped bleeding.” 

“I’m still mad at you,” Annabeth said, but she’d already stepped forward, loosening the strap of his armor with quick practiced fingers. He let her do it, standing statue still. 

“I’m sorry your plan didn’t get the credit it deserves,” he said, finally, “It was a good plan.”

Maybe you should use it next time rolled through her head, but then he might think that that’s what she cared about when that wasn’t it at all. 

“I don’t care about getting credit,” Annabeth said, moving on to the other side of his chestplate, undoing the left strap the same as she’d done the right. “I don’t even care that we won.” 

She saw his eyebrows jump slightly in surprise, but he managed not to say anything stupid in the next few moments, which had probably taken a lot of self-control.

“What do you care about, then?” he asked, shrugging off his chestplate. Most of the bloodstain had been hiding itself beneath his armor, and now that it was off it looked much bigger.  

“You got hurt,” Annabeth said, eyes refusing to leave the patch of blood on his shirt. 

“You were mad before you realized I was hurt,” Percy pointed out, “More mad, actually.” 

“You wouldn’t be hurt at all if you’d ignored that stupid kid that got himself caught and stayed at your post,” Annabeth said, folding her arms over her chest. She still wasn’t looking at his face, but she could see his expression shift in his periphery, understanding starting to roll over his features. 

“Ah,” he said, and Annabeth knew he understood, or was starting to. She felt a lump forming in her throat, but she swallowed it down. 

“Would it kill you to let someone else take the fall? Just once?” she asked.

“Annabeth…” 

“It’s not just this, you do it all the damn time,” Annabeth said, well aware that she sounded like a whining brat and not caring at all, “I don’t want to get sucked into some other stupid prophecy or a stupid quest, and I don’t want you to think you have to just because you’ve got the best chance of making it out alive. I just want us to survive long enough to go to college, is that too much to ask?” 

She finally looked up at him, still trying very hard not to cry. Any trace of humor had vanished from his face, leaving it uncharacteristically resigned and serious. 

“No. It’s not,” he said.

“Really?” Annabeth asked, voice small, still not quite believing him. 

“No, you’re right, I—” he sighed heavily, eyes dropping to the ground, “I guess I’m just used to doing that, I don’t even really think about it.”

“Maybe you should,” Annabeth said, digging the heel of her sneaker into the dirt, arms still crossed over her chest. 

“I will,” he said, and it sounded like a promise, “We’ve both done enough, and I—I’m not saying I’ll be perfect at it, but I am saying I’ll try.”

Annabeth took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. Trying was good. She could work with trying. 

“Nothing world-altering,” Annabeth said, glancing up at him again. He was already smiling softly.

“Nothing world-altering,” he agreed. 

She was still a little mad at him, and they were both gross and sweaty and he was still a little bloody, but she stepped forward and hugged him anyways. He hugged her back easily, like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

“So really, Capture The Flag is still fair game,” he said, as soon as she was safely in his arms. 

“I’m going to kill you,” Annabeth said, but it came out with more laughter than she’d intended it to.  

“At least fix me up before you do?” Percy asked hopefully. 

“Fine,” she said, wiggling out of his embrace and tucking herself into his side instead. He wrapped an arm around her waist easily. 

“But I better not have to next time,” she warned. He just smiled, pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

“You won’t. I promise.”  

[deluweil]

This is my 4x12 review - skip if you haven’t watched yet.💖

In my opinion the whole Treasure Hunt thing, had a S2 bank mystery vibe about it. Like the silly calm before the storm, again in parallel to right before when Buck was hurt.

I knew the Author jerk is alive the second I saw the actor who played it, the was not one show where he guest starred and wasn’t a jerk 😂😂

So since I did my own version of live writing, I apologize if this is a bit disorganized.

We got so much buddie bread crumbs, that eventually felt like a meal at the end of the episode so let’s start with: Both boys in sunglasses - oh WOW! 🔥🔥  

Bobby sending Eddie with Chimney and Buck looking thoroughly unhappy to be separated from Eddie. They nod at each other and while Buck frowns at Chimney, Eddie crosses himself before going to get geared up.

It was a small gesture but very significant because Eddie has already crashed in a chopper (in 3x15 and watched Hen and Strand crash in the crossover) he knows what could go wrong.

Chimney’s “cheer up you can go next time” doesn’t really reassure Buck. I think a “we’ll be fine” or “I’ll keep him safe” would have calmed Buck’s nerves a lot more.

Can we discuss for a second how HOT!! Eddie looked doing the aerial rescue? I mean WOW, I watched it several times. 🥵🥵🥵

The 118 sitting together trying to figure out the riddle was funny, everyone thinking how it’s a bad idea to even consider this to be a real thing, except for Buck, of course. 😂

And while the others are already considering how freaking horrible the rest of their shift  is going to be like, because it’s all over the news thanks to Taylor Kelly’s story.

Eddie called Taylor - Buck’s “girlfriend”, but we don’t see his face, we do get to see it, when Buck stresses (for what feels like the millionth time from the sigh and tone of his voice) that she is his friend not his girlfriend.

Eddie’s “Yeah, sure, right.” face is priceless!!😂😂  

Buck and Taylor plotting together again, is always hilarious, those two are disaster magnets, it makes for good fun. What bothered me was that Buck offered Taylor to pair up, but re-watching, everybody’s reaction didn’t exactly originally encouraged a teaming up vibe.

However the problem with human nature is - everyone love to obsess over riddles. 😉😉

Eddie jumping through the window into the fire truck? epic!

Eddie did suggest to team up to Buck and I love that even after Buck told him he’s working with Taylor, the look on Eddie’s face melted Buck almost immediately and had him suggesting Eddie joins the two of them. 🥰🥰

The scene in Buck’s apartment, with the three of them Eddie is right between Taylor and Buck in the shot and kind of “talking to himself” was so funny. - Gave me a BBC Sherlock scene between Irene Adler, Sherlock and John.

The way Martin Freeman stole the scene just by dropping small comments. I gotta give it to Eddie, out of all of everything in that scene, Ryan performance is what I’m going to remember. - Acting choices were made all throughout this episode by both Oliver and Ryan.

Also can we talk about the fact that Eddie is now stating little bits of knowledge like Buck now - “I can know weird stuff too” from 4x03 is so haunting me, these boys have totally rubbed off each other. (get your minds out of the gutters... for now anyway 😉)

I love how Eddie and Buck sit down and scratch, just thinking about the fire ants 😂😂

Buck being lowered into the septic tank - notice, Eddie is the one handling the rope, again, his expression worried while Buck is still down there, especially after having to drop him into the water.

I have noticed that Bobby sent Eddie up in the chopper, but is reluctant to send him under ground still 😉🙃

Buck’s “come on” when Eddie and Bobby made a face and walked away from the stench was so funny. Also super adorable on Buck’s part. 

I love how Taylor keeps shutting Buck down, it’s amusing to watch now that I know how the episode ends.

Athena being done with idiots the entire episode was hilarious! Angela is a queen!

I loved that 9-1-1 dispatchers were running a bet of places where the treasure may be. (Josh’s “Who thought that was a good idea?” and someone shouting “not it!” had me in stitches 😂😂)

Let’s take a break from buddie for a second:

Hen and Chimney joining the race and Bobby trying to hide his research from Athena was so funny, I mean, she is a police sergeant, there was no way she wouldn’t figure him out.

Bobby planning a future together, a life after the job, and Athena shutting him down. I do think this is what will come between them eventually. Athena making a unilateral decision, without considering even talking about a future with Bobby that doesn’t revolve around them working until they’re either forced out or buried six feet under ground. 

I find it interesting because it’s usually the other way around, my mom has been working on my dad to retire for years now so they can travel before both of them are too old to do it. So I kinda get where Bobby’s coming from.

In parallel though, Athena making the unilateral decision like Eddie did when he re-enlisted in 3x15. I do hope Bobby and Athena manage to work things out, I love them together. 

Back to the hunt:

Of course Athena worked out where the treasure is, Karen built an algorithm, and Taylor apparently helping Buck and Eddie figure it out bringing all three teams together.

Athena looking to Buck and Eddie asking them if they seriously brought their gear with them and Eddie pointing at Hen and Chimney to divert the attention from them about their med-kits. - like children trying to justify themselves to their parents. 😂😂😂

Wasting time negotiating about the money was hilarious, especially with Taylor in the chopper hovering over them lmao.

And then there was probie - Jesus! I laughed so much.  😂🤦‍♂️

Also Buck’s “I’m not doing anymore math”, as a reference to “she taught me math”, Buck’s not doing that shit. He calculated enough for one day and he is done!  😂

I do like that Oli and Ryan’s marks are closer together again ❣❣❣  

Eddie: “We didn’t kill him”  Buck: “We just wanted to” Bobby’s “Shut up” face killed me.

Probie selling them out “I don’t know these ppl.” You don’t say shit like this as a probie 😂😂😂

Also Rick saying “I didn’t actually think it was” and I'm just enjoying the moment, was awesome. I like it when he shows up in episodes, he and Athena make a good and amusing team. 

Back to buddie bread crumbs:

Everyone in Bathena’s house, including Taylor, who took the place next to buck, leaving Eddie to sit directly in front of Taylor and next to Chimney. - The “At this point I don’t trust anyone.” cuts to Eddie’s face, that looked as if he’s saying “Seriously dude? hurtful” - The fact that Buck stopped and met Eddie’s reproachful gaze even though they are not directly in front of each other says so much! 

Also the “Stop for a second and think about what you said.” looks from Chimney and the others are very meaningful. (#everybody knows 😉)  Buck sticking his foot in his mouth and him backtracking are shot directly from Eddie’s perspective. - hmm, I wonder why…? 🧐🧐

And to complete the meal:

Taylor placing Buck directly in the Friend-Zone category, was genius. And while Buck and Taylor have a fun energy together it never really felt romantically oriented. Also I have a certain feeling that seeing Buck and Eddie interact, at Buck’s place and at Bathena’s house and not for the first time either, she knows it will not work between her and Buck.

Buck, trying to feel something more for her, even if in a gentler and way sweeter way than the cursed ship I will not name, it feels forced on his end too - and Taylor lets him off the hook in a gentle way too, I like her for that even more. 

I really hope we keep seeing Taylor in a friend capacity for Buck, I think it’s good for him to have support and someone to talk to outside the 118. And I will absolutely worship Taylor if she will be the buddie catalyst, I mean Megan does ship buddie too, it will only be appropriate 😉💖

The episode in itself was pretty nice, I would have probably enjoyed it more if I watched it before LS who absolutely kicked me in the feels today. But I do know that just like 9-1-1 2x15 I’ll go back and watch it like a million times because it is a fun episode to pass the time, and the buddie crumbs were delicious. 

The promo kicked me in the feels too, I will not discuss it here right now, but I do hope that that last part won’t be a cliff hanger and we’ll have to wait an entire week for the rest, two weeks of frayed nerves are a LOT to suffer through 🙈

Sending big hugs out there to whomever needs it 🤗🤗🤗

[athys-obelia]

hey hey hey.

so like i had a thought?

au where felix notices how down diana is about her pregnancy and approaches her. she confides in him - she's afraid for her child, any complications with their health, their future, everything. the chance she is betting on is a good life for her child with their father, but...she cannot foresee the future, after all. diana has worries as any new mother would.

(under cut for length)

and after pondering on it, felix proposes an idea: what if he could garuntee this child's safety? diana had already expressed her will to make him their godfather, shouldn't he rise to the occasion? you should run away, he tells her, and spend the rest of your pregnancy at one of my father's estates.

she agrees, albeit hesitantly. he's been distancing himself from her - claude - ever since the pregnancy, but she visits him on her last night at the palace. it is a horrible night - all goodbyes are - and claude seems to sense something. he asks of her to spend the night, and diana can't find it within herself to reject the request. she'll just have to slip during at night, she thinks.

she spends her final trimester on robane lands, under the care and knowledge of felix's father as the knight spearheads the quiet search for the emperor's favorite concubine. she feels strangely at peace.

the search intensifies as her due date nears, and the week of athanasia's birth, everything...stops. duke robane explains the emperor cannot make the loss of an heir public knowledge, and has ordered the destruction of ruby palace. the concubines have been dismissed.

diana receives a special visit a few hours before going into labour - before her is a beautiful brunette with determined eyes. diana's body grows weaker by the day, she has been bedridden for the past few days, but she feels content. her child will be fine. so will her lover. claude may think her selfish after this, though she supposes if it can garuntee her baby's smile, she will accept it. she can be selfish if needed.

the obelian skies mirror the chaotic silence within the imperial palace. the young emperor has not made an appearance in the audience hall for days. his tailor has not received any orders for the usual military attire lately - rather, the instructions detail a simplistic, pure white fabric, as if...almost as if he were in mourning. the eerie calm seems to foreshow a storm.

and amidst the rain and thunder roaring across the empire, under the gaze of an ever loyal knight and a young lady, a princess is born quiet. her declining breaths reflect her mother's. "she has your eyes, my lady," says lilian york, "her father's beautiful colouring, but the strength is from you. the strength you have given her. she will live with power."

"and love?" the new mother asks weakly.

"lots," the knight swears. "a child borne of love deserves nothing less."

she is safe, my daughter - my daughter is...

Xx

by the end of the week, the imperial directory is edited at the command of his majesty, the emperor. a new name is added.

athanasia de alger obelia.

lilian york sighs at the babe in her arms. "the undying...what a cruel joke. his majesty can't possibly know whether lady diana or the little princess are still alive."

"no - it is the name lady diana expressed her partiality for," felix says with a slight smile, "it is a dare."

little athanasia groans.

Xx

athanasia de alger obelia - or, more commonly, athanasia robane - has seen many families. lilian does not what to say when the princess wonders why she cannot call her 'mother'. why she cannot address the men she believes to be her father and grandfather as such, why her grandfather refers to her as 'my lady'.

at the age of four, athanasia has stopped asking such questions. lilian cannot help but marvel at the way she avoids the topic with an intelligence that should realistically be far beyond her years.

athanasia's grandfather has made habit of asking her the same question as he tucks her in every night. "are you happy, my lady?"

she nods every time - it is such an obvious answer, after all. "athy is so happy, grandpapa! thiiiiis much!! why do you always ask that?"

her grandfather smiles. athy loves that her grandfather smiles so much. "i come from a family of knights, my lady. we are taught to honour our promises first and foremost."

"did you promise someone you would keep me happy, grandpapa?"

duke robane raises an amused eyebrow. "aren't you chatty today? get some sleep, sweet one. i will be here in the morning."

he always is.

xx

duke robane tends to frequent the palace often. today, however, is a special day.

"were you on your way to the hall?" the emperor inquires, running into the red haired noble on his walk.

he bows in greeting. "i was not. i did not wish to bother you today, your majesty. i know you do not like to be disturbed during this time of year."

claude rather likes duke robane. he is relatively tolerable, like an older, wiser version of felix. "then what are doing outside the palace?"

"i was on my way to town, your majesty, with a... family member. her birthday is arriving soon, you see, but she was quite taken with your beautiful gardens, so i let her wander outside - i wouldn't dare allow her inside without your majesty's approval, of course."

claude raises an eyebrow. "a family member?"

"my granddaughter, sire."

claude glances at felix curiously. "i was not aware of this... development. how many children are you fathering when you're not bothering me?"

felix snorts.

"er...a foster granddaughter, your majesty."

"i do not see her here. i assume she is felix's current heir, is she not? i should be offended you have not introduced us."

"she is playing a game, sire," duke robane explains, "she has gone to hide and i am to find her. it is called hide and seek, as i am told."

he winces at the familiar voice calling out, "grandpapa!! look at this shiny flowe-"

little athanasia's face pales.

"my lady, meet his majesty, the emperor of the Obelian empire."

the blonde princess clutches her grandfather's sleeve. "from... from athy's books?"

felix cannot tear his gaze away from the emperor's face - or rather, the jewelled eyes that stare at his goddaughter.

claude could laugh. that face, even with her eyes matching the prominent robane silvery eyes...felix must really take him for an idiot, he thinks. really, he should be offended. he remembers putting felix in charge of the search years ago... lying to the emperor? disguising a member of the imperial family to pass off as their own? in what land would this not be a crime?

still, this...this 'athy' looks happy. or looked happy, before she saw him. only a fool would grow to be jovial in the palace, so claude wonders whether thank you may be in order for keeping his child so cheery.

then again, this said under the assumption that he would've kept the child alive in the first place.

claude glances at duke robane - the man is usually so poised, he thinks he'll have some fun while this little charade is up.

"what is your name?" he asks blankly.

the duke interjects, "we call her athy, sire. the name athena truly fits her - she is a very bright child."

ah, interesting...felix's father seems to both be smarter and care for the girl more than claude initially credited him.

"hide and seek," claude muses, barely making an effort to hide his smirk, "so, you've finally decided to come out of hiding."

Xx

"i was on my way to the lake. get ready to join me."

duke robane glances at five year old athanasia - she had been called to the palace for tea with the emperor once, after which their little tea parties became something of a common occurrence. he had faced hell and beyond trying to keep it under wraps - at least felix's position as the emperor's guard was a comfort.

"your majesty, forgive me, but the lady hasn't learnt to swim. i fear it may be dangerous."

athanasia shoots him a look - don't argue with the emperor, grandpapa!

"what's there to worry about when she's with me?" claude asks, eyebrow quirked, "besides. the three of you should be quite used to playing dangerous games by now."

felix sputters. "your, your majesty?"

yes, dealing with house robane is much more entertaining than roger alpheus could hope to be...

"what was it? hide and seek. your daughter could get lost, isn't that sort of thing very dangerous?"

athanasia raises an eyebrow at him, unimpressed, as felix flushes red. claude finds himself wondering - not for the first time - what goes inside her head? it's not uncommon for this child of five to react with the maturity of an adult, intriguingly.

"lets go, uncle!" she exclaims, offering him her hand as he's seen the duke and felix hold it often. she interwined her fingers with his once he accepts her hand. so small, it is. small and soft, as if he could crush her with the littlest force.

claude stares at her platinum blonde hair, a hint of a smile playing on his features. "robane has gotten quite daring lately. of course, a bold house will raise a bold child."

Xx

"grandpapa?"

duke robane glances at the blonde in his doorway - how out of place her bright hair had once looked, bouncing around in contrast to the rich, deep browns and reds of the robane mansion. the estate seems to lose life whenever his foster granddaughter visits the palace, now. as per their little custom, she visits him in his study at her return. "my lady. come."

"i have to greet lily soon or she'll get mad. she hates when i meet you without being dressed for it. but i really wanted to see grandpapa." she grins brightly, and he thinks her smile is the gods compensating for the moon's quiet glow. the princess takes her place on his lap. "what are you doing, grandpapa?"

"there's some trouble at the border. i'm only looking over our damages, i'll be done soon."

athanasia's grandpapa has never once dismissed her questions claiming she's too young. he's never withheld knowledge she's asked for. sure, he makes it so the terms are easier for her to understand, but she's never been out of the loop. "how has the emperor been to you, sweet one?"

"i almost called him daddy today," she admits, feeling her grandfather's hand on her shoulder tighten.

"oh?"

athanasia chuckles. "well, that's a lie. i did call him that. but...he seemed okay with it."

"truly?"

"yeah! he's so odd. he even told me i should stop wearing so much red and black."

"what did you say to that?" the duke asks.

"i told him they were my house colours, obviously. i can't just stop wearing my house colours! he said purple suits me better. i mean, if i was his daughter or something i could wear a lot of purple. it's the imperial family's colour, isn't it?"

he clears his throat. "...you were at the palace for the entire day, my dear, weren't you bored?"

"not really. oh! i met a magician today too."

"a magician?"

"mhm! everyone at the palace is so weird, honestly. apparently he's been sleeping there ever since emperor aeternitas? i don't know, he was really strange."

"emperor aeternitas? from nearly two hundred years ago? what else do you remember about this mage, my lady?"

she presses her finger to her chin. "to tell you the truth, grandpapa, he was very pretty. like...really pretty."

athanasia's grandfather gives her a smile she has learnt to be vary of. "are you interested in this magician, my child? i don't mind extending an invitation for the pair of you to become better acquainted."

"grandpapa! when will you stop trying to become a matchmaker?"

duke robane sighs playfully. "i'm only thinking of your future, my lady. your debutante is not too far - you will need an escort to dance the night away with."

she pouts. "i can dance with you, grandpapa."

he chuckles, and the silence stretches until athanasia breaks it once more, murmuring a soft, "no."

"no?" her grandfather echoes, confused.

"that's a 7," she says, pointing towards the document he's been working on. "not 3, that was last time. grandpapa told me the border towns have a larger population now, so that needs to be factored in, doesn't it?"

duke robane studies the calculation, the surprise evident in his sharp features. "hm?...you're right, thank you."

she grins. "i've been working on my sums lately! aren't you proud of me, grandpapa?"

"always, sweet one. you're very smart to be at this level so young."

athanasia beams. "i mean, you taught me everything so it's almost like you're praising yourself, you know?" her grandfather laughs at that, the sound deep and familiar. "anyway, are these real gold? they're very pretty." she gestures towards a box of earrings resting on her grandfather's desk.

"they were your mother's," the duke tells her, feeling the girl stiffen. "i planned to give them to you at your return."

"they're very...siodonnan," she remarks almost awkwardly. "very pretty."

"she wanted you to have them. apparently they were a gift."

"oh."

he confirms with a slight chuckle, "they are gold, authentic. that fascinates you, doesn't it? you've always been quite taken with shiny things, ever since you were a child. your grandfather was like that too, athanasia."

"you're like that?"

the duke of house robane blinks in surprise once. then twice.

Xx

felix stares at the eleven year old in the emperor's bed. blonde hair spilled all over the pillows, her frail body hidden under the covers. how...?

he hadn't registered the passage of time at all. the emperor's index and middle fingers rest on athanasia's forehead, his own creased in concentration and annoyance. felix can't even help the fury building within himself.

"your majesty," he begins cautiously - claude has been a wild card ever since watching his daughter cough up blood at the breakfast table. the massacre everyone was on edge about eleven years ago at ruby palace would've been inevitable yesterday had athanasia's childhood friend - the mage - not arrived as early as he had. "you should rest."

claude's gaze turns to him dangerously. "do not tell me to rest when-"

the girl stirs uncomfortably, her eyes opening. she glances at felix before tugging on her father's sleeve weakly. "papa...?" tears prick at the corner of the young princess's eyes.

oh, that's right - felix remembers his father having the talk with the princess a few months ago. she had accepted the new information quietly, and rather quickly, to the both robane mens' surprise. the princess had started bringing her father flowers on her visits from then, and as if in return, claude had an entire garden in built where ruby palace would've been.

the emperor's hand returns to his daughter's forehead and she blinks sleepily a few times before drifting right back to sleep. the magic has long worn off - neither father nor daughter had flinched at the sight of her shimmering blue eyes. if anything, felix had seen claude's shoulders relax.

the emperor lets out a small sigh. "i will not be here when she wakes." he traces the soft collar of her purple nightgown. "and should she consent, see to it that athanasia moves into emerald palace by the end of the month. she has been fostered long enough."

oh, his father would definitely not like that.

Xx

"are you mad, papa?" athanasia asks, the sequins of her debutante dress glittering bright u der the lights of the hall..

"why would i be? did someone dare say something to y-"

she latches onto his arm before her father has a chance to finish. "no! nobody could dare offend me on my debut. especially when i have you by my side."

"then you do you ask?"

she plays with the intricate patterns on the arm of his outfit. "because i refused to move in with you? trust me, papa, i didn't mean to hurt you at all...i was only..." scared. it was at the debutante, wasn't it? when you chose jennette over the real athy.

"it was simply your choice," the emperor tells her flatly. "and i seem to recall you delaying it. not refusing."

athanasia laughs sheepishly. "that's right. i don't want to force myself into your life. i really love our time together though, papa."

her breath hitches as claude halts in his step. his hand raises to her jawline, thumb brushing against against her earrings. "where...? where did you..."

"papa? do you need to sit down?"

it does the trick, snapping her father out of whatever trance he had been under.

"won't you dance again? i'll be here," he encourages, and athanasia nods. she's shared one with her godfather, one with ezekiel alpheus...

"what are you doing here, your highness?" duke robane inquires, separating himself from his conversation partners.

"won't you dance with me, grandpapa?"

the duke can't help but smile at the way she addresses him. "you were escorted by his majesty, sweet one. why do you wish to spend your precious time with this lowly servant?"

"grandpapa!"

he sighs with a fond smile. "alright, alright. but even dancing with fathers is out of fashion nowadays, princess. and you're here, asking me?"

she frowns, unimpressed. "i think you don't want to dance because you're so tall. are you calling me unskilled?"

he gives her a charming smile. "how could i dare?"

"don't you remember, grandpapa? in your study?" she extends her hand with a familiar smirk, "i come from a family of knights, my lord. we are taught to honour our promises first and foremost."

and really, when has duke robane ever been able to refuse his granddaughter?

a/n: literally what is this. why is this. when i say i only meant to write a drabble-

but!! duke robane never hesitates in standing up for his granddaughter, even against the emperor! athy and found family!! honestly i love the dukes' conflict here - alpheus with jennette and robane with athy :)

claude and his subtle shade 🙃

lily and the robanes honoring their promise to diana and teaching athy both love and strength <3

the magic explosion thing happened much later, and with slightly different claude/athy dynamics - he certainly can't take her presence for granted, she doesn't doesn't even live with him yet (she wants to!! the insecurities around jennette are just acting up rn)

athy will have support during amnesia arc + ana's antics!!!

[sweet-sammy-kisses]

Make my Heart a Better Place

Written for @badthingshappenbingo​ prompt victim blaming Fandom: 9-1-1 Pairing: Eddie x Buck Rating: M Warnings: past rape, deal with the therapist, anti Ana, tackling the belief that men can’t be victims and protective Eddie and Fire Fam Word Count: 2,964 Summary: Eddie learns about the therapist and what she did to Buck as Buck finally opens up about what has happened to him. Eddie realizes who his heart longs for as he helps Buck confront and deal with his past. You can read it on AO3

It was the kind of story that would never be first picked. It would be shuffled around until it was placed at the bottom left to be forgotten. After all, men can't be raped. Men can't be victims of abuse. Men are supposed to be stronger than a woman. So there was no way a woman could rape or abuse a man.

Taylor Kelly knew different.

Taylor had seen firsthand how horrible women can treat men. How they can use "they'll never believe you" and "what kind of man can't protect himself or his kids from his wife?" Toxic way of thinking. Women were barely believed when they came forward men were even less so.

But Taylor refused to let this story fall through the cracks. A woman, a woman therapist had used her position of power to sexually assault her male clients, men in valuable places, who were seeking help instead had new trauma to deal with. No Taylor would do everything in her power to expose this woman and see that those she hurt stories got told and hopefully gave them some closure.

+******+

"Men can't be raped."

Buck froze at Ana's comment and he wasn't the only one so did Taylor who had been talking about the story she was working on, a story she was very passionate about. The only reason Taylor was there was because Buck couldn't stand being the third wheel on the outing with Eddie and Ana. It originally was just supposed to be him and Eddie but then Ana invited herself along and Taylor being the good friend she is agreed to come as well.

Buck couldn't look at Eddie he was afraid of what he might see. He knew that Eddie didn't agree with Ana, they had seen too much in their line of work to know that stigma wasn't true but Eddie was a different man when around Ana, he went out his way to agree with her, to make her happy. Buck didn't know if it would be Eddie answering or Ana Edmundo.

"Edmundo?" Ana's voice broke through the haze that Eddie had found himself in since Ana uttered those words. "Don't you agree with me?" She continued looking at him expectedly to agree with her.

Eddie knew he didn't, he didn't agree with her and he was coming to see that there were a lot of things that he didn't agree with her. He certainly didn't agree with her comments about Christopher needing limits and her slight hints that he needed to start setting limits for his son. He was tired of being her Edmundo. "Ana I do believe that men can be victims of rape and abuse from women. But because of the stigma around such crimes, how people look at men and see that they can't be abused or rape it is harder for them to come forward for they know that there is a smaller chance of them being not only believed but mocked and made fun of for allowing themselves to be victims in the first place."

Buck felt the heaviness in his chest unravel as his Eddie spoke up, disagreeing with Ana's belief.

"Very well said, Eddie. I'm impressed." Taylor teased trying to ease the tension in the room even though she wanted nothing more than to rip into Ana for her misogyny beliefs.

A scoff escaped Ana, she couldn't believe that Edmundo would think that way. Men couldn't be victims it just didn't happen.

"You have a very narrow-minded way of thinking." Buck's voice was soft as he began to speak.

"Excuse me?" Ana's eyes narrowed as she took in Buck's form, she hadn't gotten off to a very good start with the other man. She disliked how deeply woven he was in Edmundo and Christopher's lives, he was in her place and she needed to claim her spot. To make Buck see that she was the one meant to be in the co-parent spot with Edmundo after all she would someday be Christopher's stepmother and it was time Buck stepped back and allowed her to take her rightful spot in the Diaz's lives. It was when Edmundo told her that it was going to be just him and Buck tonight she had invited herself along, she wasn't blind she saw the way that her boyfriend looked at his best friend and he never looked at her that way. She wasn't about to let a prize like Edmundo Diaz slip through her fingers.

Buck looked a little uncomfortable at Ana's glare and he was starting to regret ever speaking up when he felt Eddie's hand settle on his thigh, squeezing it in support and lingering there. Looking up he saw Taylor flashing him a supportive smile.

Taking a deep breath Buck began again, "Eddie is right. Men can be victims. A woman in power can and have taken advantage of men in vulnerable positions. They can feel helpless after it has happened and it can haunt them long after the event. And your way of thinking is why men won't come forward because they are a man and they can't be raped. Women aren't innocent they can use their positions to get what they want. A woman boss could take advantage of her male employee make it clear to him that he has much more to lose than she does if he doesn't agree to her demands. A therapist could seduce one or more of her male patients into having sex with her, she could have sought them out and studied their online profiles and knew things about them before their first appointment and when they were at a vulnerable point in their life when they had come to them for help instead of offering them anything that they might need they decide to have sex with them instead. To force them to have sex with them, they might have not said no but they certainly didn't say yes. Then they feel guilty and so dirty afterwards that they don't tell anyone because they don't think anyone even those closest to them will believe them. They hide what they went through and the shame haunts them, lingering in their nightmares."

Something about the way Buck spoke and since he knew Buck so well and could read him Eddie knew at that moment his Buck had gone through something like this. He wasn't just speaking what he believed he was speaking from experience and it felt like a dagger had pierced through his heart that someone, anyone, could dare to hurt Buck like that. Buck who is pure sunshine was the last person who should have been put through that.

Taylor felt a wave of rage and sadness washing over her as she realized that Buck, Buck who had been the first person to give her a second chance was a victim. 'No, he is a survivor.' Had been hurt like that. She could see that Eddie had come to the same realization as she had and she almost snorted Eddie was already protective over Buck he was about to reach a whole new level. And whatever relationship Ana had hoped to have with Eddie was now nothing more than a pipe dream.

'This also just might be the push these two stubborn idiots need to finally see what is before them. I wonder if there is still time for me to get in on the bet?' Taylor wondered she also couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for the rest of the 118 to catch onto what had happened to Buck and part of Taylor hoped she was there for when Athena Grant - adopted mom to Buck - got her hands on the woman who had raped Buck.

Ana didn't look impressed or moved by Buck's passionate speech, "If a man can't fight off a woman or protect himself then he has no one to blame but himself." There was a challenge in her eyes as she looked at Buck, "Those kinds of men are weak and no doubt exhausting to be around."

"Your exhausting."

Eddie's words shouted at him in rage and hurt still carried the sting they did that faithful day and the room seemed to cave in around Buck. "I'm sorry, I need to go." Shoving back his chair Buck was on his feet and moving towards the door before Eddie and Taylor could even realize what was happening.

Smiling smugly to herself Ana took another sip of her drink as Eddie and Taylor returned to the table. She would make sure that Eddie saw that Buck was a bad influence in Christopher's life and it was best they cut him out of both their lives. 'After all, they have me now, why would they need Buck?'

+******+

"No. I don't want this." Phantom touches that Buck didn't want to follow him. He tried to run away from them but they wouldn't let him go. Lips on his skin burned like acid. Hands and fingers run across his skin left a trail of disgust. Buck wanted nothing more than to shove her off but he couldn't. He had never felt so helpless, so powerless. Not even when he had been pinned under the fire truck.

"No!" A scream tore itself free from Buck as he shot up in bed, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He struggled to catch his breath as clawed at his skin, trying desperately to remove the feel of her off of him.

A chocked sob escaped Buck. He hated this, he hated this so much between the nightmares of being pinned under the truck, the tsunami and now he was tormented with images of that woman touching him. He couldn't understand it, he had wanted it. Hadn't he?

+*****+

Something was off with Buck. The man looked haunted and Eddie knew that he had been tormented by nightmares and it tore at his heart he wanted nothing more than to gather the man up into his arms and let him know that it would be alright. He wanted to kiss him and hold him in his arms and promise him that he is safe and sound and no one will ever hurt him again.

But he couldn't because Buck wasn't his and he had a girlfriend whose opinions had been the cause of him reliving a horrible event in his life. 'I need to talk with Ana. She isn't the woman I thought she is and I don't want her around Chris or Buck.' Eddie knew that he was going to have to break up with her. He had done some serious thinking and he realized that the only reason he was even dating Ana was that she was the perfect woman to bring home to meet his parents but she was the wrong kind of woman to be in his life or even think about raising Christopher with. 'Not that would happen, we have Buck.'

"Why does Buck look like someone kicked a puppy in front of him? And whose ass do I have to kick for making him look that way?" Hen asked as she arrived, her arms crossed over her chest and a deadly look in her eyes.

A frustrated sigh escaped Eddie's lips as he ran his hands through his hair, "Ana joined Buck and mine boy's night and said some things that opened my eyes to see what kind of woman she is behind those pretty smiles. It affected Buck."

Hen's eyes narrowed, "Just what did she say?" Hen hadn't been impressed with Ana and not just because she was coming between her two stubborn boys. There were her comments about what Christopher should and shouldn't be allowed to do, how she refuses to respect Eddie and call him by the name he prefers and not Edmundo. There was also jealousy that appeared in her eyes when she saw the family that Eddie, Buck and Christopher made.

"She said that men can't be raped or abuse victims," Eddie admitted.

Hen knew that her jaw had dropped in shock, "That is complete bullshit." They had seen it in their jobs. "Please tell me she didn't victim blame?"

Eddie's sad eyes were all the answers she needed. "We should let Athena talk to her," Hen muttered if anyone had a chance to make Ana see sense that men can be victims it is Athena Grant.

"Ahh, that might not be the best idea." Eddie glanced around happy to see that Buck was still beside Bobby, their captain had taken one look at Buck and called him into the kitchen to help him make breakfast for the crew. Part of Eddie wanted to get Hen's advice, to tell her his fears about Buck but he didn't want to betray Buck's confidence like that and it wasn't like he had proof but he knew deep in his heart that Buck had been a victim of rape and it still haunted him to this day.

"Eddie, are you alright? I know you like Ana and this can't be easy for you." Hen placed a comforting hand on Eddie's arms.

A sad laugh escaped Eddie, "I'm not sure. Ana is complicated, she is what my parents would see as the perfect wife for me and mother for Christopher that is part of the reason that I am trying so hard to make it work with her. But she isn't perfect, it is her little comments about what Chris should and shouldn't be allowed to do and I see how her trying to set limits for him is hurting my son. Then there is her attitude towards Buck, she just doesn't seem to like him."

Hen could only stare at Eddie, "She doesn't like him? Buck? Our sweet puppy Buck?" That was something she couldn't grasp. That didn't sound well for Eddie and Ana's relationship working out not with how important Buck is to both the Diaz boys.

"And there is something else. The way Buck reacted to Ana's statement. She hurt him with her words, it was like she knew how to hurt him and made sure every word hit their mark." Eddie admitted.

Biting her lower lip Hen studied Buck who had Bobby smiling at him like he normally does when the younger man has done something he finds cute. "Yeah, okay introducing Ana to mam bear Athena is out." Hen knew that Eddie had figured something out about Buck but she wasn't going to push him for answers it was up to Buck and Buck alone to decide if he wants to open up to them about what is haunting him. "I can't tell you what to do Eddie about Ana all I can say is follow your heart."

"Carla said almost the same thing," Eddie mumbled out.

Hen grinned, "Well she and I are both wise women, you should listen to us more."

Eddie found himself returning the smile as his gaze was once again drawn to Buck when he let out a loud laugh and his heart felt lighter at the sound and the room seemed brighter at the sight of Buck's smile. "I really should."

+*****+

Buck could feel Eddie's eyes on him all day, which wasn't something new but he could tell that he had figured out why he had reacted that way the other night. Feeling himself nervous Buck approached his best friend, the man he is in love with, playing with the string on his bag. "Can I talk to you?"

Picking up his bag Eddie studied Buck, "Of course you can always talk to me. Chris is with Abuela tonight so despite not seeing your favourite Diaz we can talk at my place."

"I'd rather Christopher not be around for this conversation, it is not for the ears of children," Buck explained.

"You can talk to me about anything Buck, you know that," Eddie promised.

A soft smile appeared on Buck's face, "I know that. You always have my back Eds."

+******+

Arriving at Eddie's place it didn't take long for Eddie and Buck to make themselves comfortable on the couch, their legs pressed against one another and a bottle of beer in their hands. Once again Buck was amazed at how at home he felt in the Diaz's home, it was his safe place.

"Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere." Eddie promised Buck as he rested his free hand on Buck's knee and left it there.

Licking his dry lips it took several moments before Buck could find the strength to speak. "The first therapist I saw, the one that worked for the department I had sex with her. I didn't say no but I didn't say yes. And even though it was years ago I still have nightmares about her, about how dirty she made me feel. How no matter how many hot showers I took I could never get clean." Turning to Eddie Buck could feel his eyes filling with tears, "I didn't want to sleep with her Eddie. I didn't."

Strong arms wrapped around Buck pulling him back against Eddie's chest where he drank in the scent of sand wood and musk, the scent that is purely Eddie.

"That woman took advantage of you, Buck. You did nothing wrong, that woman was in a position of power and she should have never used it to do that to you." Eddie never hated anyone as much as he did the woman who did this to Buck. Tightening his grip on Buck he pressed a kiss on Buck's curls and kept whispering words of comfort as Buck clung to him and cried for what had been done to him, knowing that he was safe in Eddie's arms.

[bevioletskies]

(i’m caught between) goodbye and i love you

summary: Sometimes, Klavier thinks a little too much about how he never knew the last time he saw Apollo was going to be the last time he saw Apollo. So, when Apollo finally returns home from Khura’in, Klavier finds himself stuck, unsure of when to finally tell Apollo how he feels - especially when it seems like Apollo isn’t quite ready to confess, either.

word count: 16.9k | read on ao3

a/n: For @klapollo-week, day seven of seven (prompt: "catharsis"). All seven of my fics take place in the same continuity! However, each can be read as a stand-alone, with the exception of day seven being a sequel to day five.

Mild spoiler warning for Spirit of Justice; warning for brief mentions of alcohol and one scene where a character has a panic attack. Fic title is from the song (I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You by the Carpenters.

“What do you think, Gavin, which do you - hey, Gavin? Are you listening?”

Klavier startled at the sound of Apollo’s voice, too lost in his own thoughts to realize someone had been talking to him. He looked over at Apollo, who was standing underneath one of the courthouse’s most prolific picture windows, practically glowing in the early afternoon sun. Klavier’s breath hitched at the sight. “Ah - my apologies, Herr Forehead, I didn’t catch that. What were you saying?”

“Ema said we should all do something that doesn’t involve murder for once.” Apollo looked up from his phone, wincing. “Er, that is, something that doesn’t involve solving a murder for once. She suggested drinks, though Kay apparently prefers laser tag. As if I don't get enough bumps and bruises from helping Trucy out on weekends.”

“Ah, the life of a magician’s brother,” Klavier teased, smiling easily. “But, wait - do you mean to say Fräulein Detective actually wants to hang out with me? Or are you inviting me? Either way, I find it hard to believe.”

“No one’s more surprised than me,” Apollo drawled. “But seriously, Ema says Kay is making her ask you through me, ‘cos that totally makes sense. Anyway, drinks or laser tag? Or, y’know, both? They’re thinking this weekend since they’re going to some forensics convention next weekend. Did not know those existed. Do you think they give out swag bags full of fingerprint powder?”

“I would advise against it if they did,” Klavier said, chuckling. He then slipped his hands into his pockets, shooting Apollo an apologetic grimace. “Sorry, Forehead, you’ll have to have a good time without me. I have a dentist appointment, some meetings...you know how it is. Maybe next time, ja?”

“Sure, I’ll let you know whenever that is,” Apollo replied with a nonchalant shrug; he sent a quick text, presumably to Ema, then pocketed his phone. “Anyway, I should go find Mr. Wright and head back to the agency. So, uh...see you when I see you, I guess.”

“Auf Wiedersehen, baby,” Klavier said, winking. Apollo rolled his eyes, turning on his heel and striding away, waving Klavier off over his shoulder. “Don’t have too good a time without me, though, ja?” Apollo’s wave instantly turned into a middle finger.

Barely two weeks later, Klavier found himself replaying the rather mundane conversation in his head over and over again as he walked into his superior’s office, his hands shoved into his pockets to hide how hard they were shaking. “Willkommen zurück, Herr Edgeworth. How was your flight? Smooth, I hope.”

“Smoother than what conspired in Khura’in, to be sure,” Edgeworth replied, neatly setting his teacup down in its saucer. “Don’t worry, Prosecutor Gavin, I’m still getting everything in order. I doubt you’ll have much work to do today, bar any last-minute cases coming in.”

“Danke, sir, good to know.” Klavier glanced briefly in the direction of Edgeworth’s custom chessboard, his red knights and blue pawns, just so he wouldn’t have to look at its owner’s steely gaze. “So, er - ”

“Out with it, Prosecutor Gavin,” Edgeworth said, sighing wearily. “I can tell you have something on your mind. I’m afraid I can’t give you the exact details of what happened, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

“Ah - ja, I know, I - I was just wondering if…” Klavier hesitated. “...if everyone is...okay. Safe and sound, so to speak.”

Edgeworth’s face softened. “Yes, everyone’s perfectly fine. Wright, Ms. Fey, Ms. Cykes, and Trucy are all fine.”

Klavier blinked. “Wait, but - what about Herr Fore - Herr Justice? What...did he…”

“I should have known that was who you were really curious about,” Edgeworth said knowingly, looking at Klavier over the tops of his glasses. His expression, gentle, almost sympathetic, made Klavier’s stomach churn. “Mr. Justice decided to stay behind in Khura’in indefinitely. He’s looking to help rebuild their legal system from the ground up.”

Klavier felt as if his heart had dropped right through to the floor. “He’s...he’s not coming back?” He could barely hear the sound of his own voice over the rush of his pulse pounding in his ears.

“Eventually, perhaps, but not anytime soon,” Edgeworth replied. “My apologies, Prosecutor Gavin. I know you two were…”

“Close?” Klavier let out a bitter, hollow laugh. “Nein, not at all. We were barely even friends.”

Edgeworth straightened up in his seat, and then, to Klavier’s astonishment, removed his glasses. It was unnerving to see such warmth in his superior’s eyes, especially when he knew Edgeworth didn’t think much of him in the first place. Not after what had happened all those years ago, even though it hadn’t really been him. “Let me amend my previous statement, then. I know you two had a...connection of sorts.”

“Ja, through...through someone I’d rather not talk about.” Klavier cleared his throat. “Danke for letting me know, Herr Edgeworth. It’s...good to see Herr Justice making something of himself.”

“He's definitely an admirable young man,” Edgeworth replied, nodding slowly. “I can see why Wright took a liking to him. I can see why you took a liking to him.”

“Ah, well,” Klavier said, coughing again. “Anyway, I should leave you to it, sir. Have a good rest of your day, ja? I’ll be in my office if anything comes up.”

“Of course.” Edgeworth neatly slid his glasses back on, then turned his attention to his work laptop. “Take care, Prosecutor Gavin.” Nodding at the dismissal, Klavier bowed his head and left Edgeworth’s office, his footsteps noticeably heavier than they’d been when he first entered it. He took a few heaving breaths, then shut himself in his own office and let out a small, silent sob.

_____

“I see you’re moping again, Gavin-dono. Must be a day that ends in ‘y’.”

“Bitte, Herr Blackquill, I’m perfectly fine,” Klavier said, clutching his mug of tea a little tighter than necessary. “My trial yesterday? Perfekt. The weather during my morning run earlier today? Perfekt. The leftovers I brought for lunch today? Perfekt, so long as Herr Payne doesn’t break the microwave again before I get there...I don’t know how he manages to do that on a weekly basis. Anyway, as you can see, I’ve never been better.”

“What a sad testament to your mental state if that were true.” Simon dropped into the seat opposite him, his hands resting on top of the breakroom table, his intense gaze focused on Klavier’s face. Klavier didn’t find him as intimidating as everyone else did, especially not after he’d witnessed Simon sing a drunken duet with Kay, entirely unprompted, at an office holiday party. No amount of threats or glares could get Klavier to delete the video evidence off his backup hard drive. “Luckily for you, it’s entirely false. You’ve been acting strangely for weeks now, and I know the reason why.”

“Do you really?” Klavier sipped his tea. “I thought you didn’t, quote-unquote, ‘care to stick your nose in my absurd affairs’. After all, I’m the silly one of the prosecutor’s office, am I not?” Simon cocked his head slightly, perplexed. “Ah, that Prosecutor Gavin, what an odd one he is. All style and no substance, always speaking in that accent that no one believes is real, always spouting nonsense and song lyrics and little else.”

“Self-hatred doesn’t suit you, so I suggest you cease this pitiful act at once,” Simon said, frowning. “You’re a confident man, Gavin-dono. I’d even say your confidence is fully justified, foppish nature aside. And yet, here you are, torn up over Justice-dono’s absence like a heartbroken teenager.”

“I am not torn up,” Klavier sniffed, setting his mug down with a sharp clunk. “I’m happy to hear that Herr Forehead has found his true calling. A far cry from the loud, nervous rookie he was when we first met. Now, he’s just loud.”

“...hmph. Yes, that piercing voice of his certainly rivals Taka’s,” Simon replied, taking a moment to scratch the underside of his bird’s chin. Klavier didn’t like the way Taka was eyeing his hair; he suspected Taka was fighting against his instincts to make a nest.

“Maybe still a little nervous.” Klavier paused. “I imagine seeing him stand in a Khura’inese court must be quite...something.”

“I didn’t sit here with the intention of listening to you dance around your romantic feelings towards Justice-dono, you know,” Simon informed him. “It’s exhausting and pointless, and a waste of my time.”

Klavier averted his eyes from Simon’s face, finding himself oddly fascinated with a water stain on the opposite wall, right beside the notice board. “Why did you sit here, then?”

“Because...I know a lonely person when I see one.” Simon let the silence linger for a moment; Klavier wasn’t sure which of them favored dramatic pauses more. “Even Athena told me you seemed...not yourself. Though you’ve been performing your prosecutorial duties just fine, she said you were distant...distracted. Is it the lack of companionship, perhaps?”

“You and Herr Edgeworth seem to be under the impression that Forehead and I were friends,” Klavier said evenly, his tone growing increasingly irritated. “The truth is, Herr Blackquill - since you seem unusually interested for someone who barely says two words to me most mornings - that Apollo was my friend, but I wasn’t his. Is that what you wanted to hear? Has your analysis of my psyche scratched your itch?”

Like Edgeworth, Simon’s face almost seemed to soften. “I had no desire to rile you up, but...I see that I’ve done it, anyway. I see that I’ve overstepped. Forgive me, Gavin-dono.” Klavier looked up at him, stunned. Simon merely stood, smoothing out the front of his coat. Even Taka’s expression seemed apologetic. “Find someone to talk to, if you haven’t already; it will do you a world of good. I heard many a story from my fellow prisoners by simply offering to lend an ear. I think you’d find the process of opening up to be quite...illuminating. Freeing, even.”

“I’m sure I would.” Klavier took another sip and said nothing else.

_____

“Mr. Gavin! I thought I saw you in the audience, but I couldn’t believe it!”

Laughing, Klavier held out the bouquet of red roses in his arms for her to take. “Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, fräulein, what a perfect way to celebrate your eighteenth. You were as magical as ever, though who would ever expect any less?”

Beaming, Trucy accepted his flowers, then practically launched herself right at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He barely managed to catch her in time. “Thank you so much! Ah, these are so beautiful - and they smell great, too!” She stepped back, taking a generous whiff before exhaling happily. “Hey, do you wanna drop by my dressing room for a sec? I have to go sign autographs and stuff, but I’m sure Athena would love to say hi!”

“Sure,” Klavier agreed. “Lead the way.” He followed Trucy down the backstage corridor, coming to a stop in front of a door with a gold nameplate in the shape of a silk top hat. Klavier involuntarily shuddered; the Gramarye seal had always been a sore spot for him, no matter how many good memories outweighed the bad. Trucy opened the door, revealing that it wasn’t just Athena who was waiting inside, but a whole group of people - Athena, the two Fey women whose names Klavier vaguely remembered from Trucy’s stories, Detective Gumshoe, and an odd, almost sad-looking girl wearing a traditional costume. However, Klavier’s eyes went straight to the two people conversing by Trucy’s dressing table - Phoenix Wright and Vera Misham.

Phoenix turned at the sound of the door opening. His eyes widened slightly when he saw who it was. “This is becoming a real party now, hey, Truce?” he teased, lightly ruffling his daughter’s hair. Trucy stuck her tongue out at him, then went to carefully place Klavier’s flowers among the dozens of others by her costume rack. Phoenix’s expression tightened somewhat. “Prosecutor Gavin, it’s - it’s good to see you. Trucy swore she spotted you in the audience, but I guess my eyes were never as sharp as hers.”

“I know her party is tomorrow, but I wouldn’t dare pass up the chance to watch her birthday extravaganza,” Klavier said smoothly. He felt as if Vera’s eyes were burning holes in the side of his face.

“So you’re Prosecutor Gavin, huh?” The older Fey woman - Maya, if Klavier remembered correctly - sidled right up to him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Trucy and Athena have told me all about you. I hear you’re different from the other prosecutors me and Nick had to deal with back in the day!”

The door opened behind Klavier. “Are you talking about us, Maya Fey?” He turned on his heel to see Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma standing in the doorway, both impeccably dressed as always, carrying identical bouquets of white lilies and blue delphinium in their arms.

“Auntie Franzy!” Trucy shrieked, barreling across the room to toss herself into Franziska’s arms, much like she had done to Klavier just moments ago. “Daddy said you weren’t gonna fly in until tomorrow!”

“And miss your performance? I would be a foolishly foolish fool if I did,” Franziska huffed, kissing Trucy on the cheek. “You will receive the rest of our presents tomorrow. I hear your fool of a father refuses to let you wear makeup despite the fact that you’d like to, and I am here to rectify that parenting mistake. You’re eighteen now, after all; you should be able to do as you please.”

“Within reason,” Edgeworth added, shooting Franziska a withering look. “Don’t encourage her too much, Franziska. I think we're all too familiar with Trucy’s...imagination.”

“Miles Edgeworth, how dare you question my - ”

Klavier quickly retreated into a corner of the dressing room as everyone’s voices grew louder and louder; clearly, his presence had been completely forgotten. He spotted the younger Fey woman, Pearl, conversing with the sad-looking girl - Jinxie, he heard her name was - while Maya and Detective Gumshoe chatted happily with Edgeworth and Franziska. Trucy had left to sign autographs for her fans, leaving Phoenix to turn back to Vera, who was still eyeing Klavier warily.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Klavier startled suddenly at the sound of Athena’s voice. He turned to see her perched on the vanity, legs swinging over the edge, smiling at him encouragingly. “You seem a little lost, Prosecutor Gavin. Everything okay?”

Sighing, Klavier leaned against the wall, glancing down at the toes of his Doc Martens. “Don’t tell me Herr Blackquill asked you to keep an eye on me.”

“Hardly!” Athena exclaimed; she almost seemed offended by his insinuation. “You just seem a little...quiet, that’s all.”

“Well…” Klavier looked back up, shooting her a stilted smile. “Everyone here is either someone I don’t know, someone I work with, or someone whose life I ruined. Forgive me for feeling a little...cornered.”

“C’mon, you didn’t ruin their lives,” Athena said, hopping down so she could lightly punch him in the arm. “I heard the whole story from Apollo ages ago, and he says it wasn’t you. He says you were just a…a schachfigur in someone else’s game.”

“A pawn, in other words.” Klavier chuckled despite himself. “Ja, if you want to be generous about it...or if you want to say that I’m easily swayed. Did Herr Forehead really say that?”

“He sure did! He talks about you all the time,” Athena added with an enthusiastic nod. “I mean, you annoy him - a lot - but he’s always mentioning how decent and honest you are. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think, well...nah, probably not.”

“Probably not,” Klavier echoed, trying his best to ignore his racing heart. The last thing he wanted to do was have hope. “Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be sticking around much longer. Don’t want to get in the way.”

“Huh? You’re not getting in the way of anything!” Athena protested. “Are you sure you won’t stay?”

Klavier shook his head, pushing himself off the wall and straightening up, smoothing out the creases in his hoodie. “Nein, I should make an early night of it. I have to meet my personal trainer bright and early, after all. But I’ll see you at Trucy’s party tomorrow, ja?”

Athena hesitated. “Ja, of course,” she chirped, plastering on an uncertain smile. “And hey, if you ever need a running partner, you have my number!”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Klavier promised, surprising himself by how true that was. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone running with someone who wasn’t his personal trainer. “Gute Nacht, fräulein.”

“G’night,” Athena said, squeezing his shoulder before letting him go. Nodding, Klavier deftly weaved his way through the crowded dressing room and slipped out the door. A few heads turned his way, but no one seemed interested in saying their goodbyes, nor was he all that interested in offering his own, either. The moment he stepped into the corridor, he heard a startled gasp, a choked breath, that almost made him jump.

“Ach - my apologies, I didn’t mean to - Trucy?”

Leaning against the wall opposite her dressing room door was Trucy, her eyes wide and suspiciously wet. “Oh - Mr. Gavin, d-don’t tell me you’re leaving already!”

“I have a session with my - are you alright, fräulein?” Klavier asked, closing the door behind him, then approaching her slowly, carefully. “You look…”

“ - like I’ve been crying?” Trucy let out a wet laugh, pulling a tissue out of nowhere and hastily wiping her eyes. “Don’t you cry after a big performance, Mr. Gavin? You know, that rush of adrenaline, that boost of energy, that feeling of relief - it’s all a part of being a performer! Especially on a stage as big as this!”

“Natürlich, I’ve absolutely wept tears of joy after a gut show. But this?” Klavier gestured in her direction. “This...it’s something else, isn’t it?”

“I - it’s just…” Trucy sniffled. “You won’t tell anyone, right?”

“Not if you don’t want me to,” Klavier said softly. “Though maybe Herr Wright should hear this another time, too.”

“I don’t wanna bother Daddy,” Trucy said, shaking her head. “Besides, I...I don’t wanna make him feel bad!”

“Bad?” Klavier repeated, confused. “What do you mean?”

Trucy took a moment to blow her nose. Then, she managed a small smile in Klavier’s direction. “It’s stupid, but...when I was in there earlier, and I-I saw all of my friends and family together, I started thinking about...you know. The rest of my family. All of the Gramaryes, all gone.” She sniffled noisily again. “Mommy and Daddy and Grandpa, they - th-they never got to see me grow up. And Uncle Valant, he’s still in prison, a-and - so now it’s just me. Just me. I have to carry on the family legacy, but no one’s here to teach me how!”

Klavier’s eyes widened in shock. “Trucy…”

“But if I tell Daddy - Phoenix, I mean - that I’ve been thinking about Mommy and Daddy, he’s gonna...I just can’t,” Trucy continued, shaking her head vehemently. “If he finds out, he’s gonna feel like...like he failed me. And he didn’t, not one bit, but - when I first started living with him, he said he felt like that all the time. Like he was doing it all wrong.” She swallowed, but her throat seemed to be stuck. “And...I’ve, um, I’ve been thinking about Apollo, too.”

“You were?” Klavier asked, his mouth twisting. “Why?”

“I know I’ve only known him for a few years, but...it feels like I’ve known him forever. Like we were always meant to be best friends, you know?” Trucy was now fiddling with the ends of her cape, avoiding Klavier’s eyes. “It’s my birthday, a-and he’s not here. He called yesterday to say he wouldn’t be able to talk today, so we had a little celebration together, just the two of us. It was nice, but it just...it wasn’t the same.”

“He’ll come back eventually, ja?” Klavier said gently. “You said that was part of his plan.”

“‘Eventually’ is looking further and further away,” Trucy said with a wry smile. “But I-I know I gotta be okay with it. He’s doing really important stuff in Khura’in, after all!” She then nudged him. “You should call him sometime - he’s talked about some really cool cases that I bet you’d be interested in.”

“I doubt he’d want to hear from me, of all people, especially if he’s as busy as he sounds,” Klavier chuckled.

“I wouldn’t be so sure, Mr. Gavin,” Trucy teased, elbowing him again. “He only just told me yesterday that he misses you…‘in a weird way’. That’s practically a glowing review, coming from Polly!”

Klavier felt his heartbeat race once more. “Ah, well, then maybe I should consider it. How could I not, when I might get to hear such generous praise myself?” Trucy burst into laughter, her face finally relaxing for the first time since Klavier had approached her.

They lingered in companionable silence for a moment, hearing nothing but their own steadying breaths and the muffled sounds of what seemed like absolute chaos coming from inside Trucy’s dressing room. Klavier wasn’t sure if he wanted to know why it sounded like Franziska was lecturing at least three different people at the same time. “Thanks for hearing me out, Mr. Gavin.”

“Bitte schön, though I’m not sure if I was any help at all,” Klavier admitted.

“Of course you were!” Trucy exclaimed, straightening up. “I feel better now, honest. Just talking about all that stuff really helped, even if I’m still not exactly sure what to do.”

“Hopefully you will soon, ja?” Klavier moved away from the wall, flashing her a genuine smile. “But if you ask me, you’re already doing a wunderschön job of upholding the Gramarye name, and I’m sure if you talk to Herr Wright about how you’re feeling, he’d say the same thing. Don’t be so hard on yourself, fräulein.”

Trucy hesitated. Then, she stepped forward to hug Klavier, holding him a little tighter than last time. He automatically held her closer, too. “See you tomorrow?” she mumbled against his shoulder.

“Of course,” Klavier promised. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

_____

“How is he doing, that defense attorney of yours?”

Klavier looked up from the box he was packing. He found it almost too easy to get distracted in here, to feel a wave of nostalgia crash over him as he packed away the books and toys that once filled his childhood playroom. There were already paint swatches on the wall, a collection of wood stain samples sitting by his feet, but he wasn’t quite ready to see it transformed into something else, for the room to belong to someone other than him. “He’s not mine, Mama, he’s just a friend. And he’s fine, if a little stressed. Er, make that a lot stressed.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.” She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Even just hearing it secondhand, I can tell that boy needs a break.”

“I’ve told him as much,” Klavier said dryly. “We talk most days, you know. He’s just stubborn, won’t listen to anyone - least of all me.”

“If you talk most days, then he must listen to you to some degree, yes?” she pointed out, momentarily crossing the room so she could crack open a window. “How long has he been away now?”

“Almost seven months, I think,” Klavier replied, turning back to what he was doing. “Though we’ve been talking for...around three at this point. If it wasn’t for Trucy, I...I don’t think I would have ever tried. Even now, I feel like I take up too much of his time when he could be going to bed early or doing something more productive.”

“Ah, Klavier.” He looked back up to see his mother had returned to his side; her hand went to the top of his head, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Why is it so hard for you to understand when people care about you, hm? Aside from the screaming fans, I mean.”

“Mama,” Klavier complained, his cheeks heating with embarrassment. “Achtung, it’s nothing like that. All I’m saying is, we were never close to begin with. I’m sure he’d rather talk to Trucy or get his advice from Herr Wright.”

Frowning, she withdrew her hand from Klavier’s hair. “I don’t know what I would say to that man if I were to ever meet him. Where would I even begin?”

“I...ah…” Klavier busied himself with the collection of picture books he’d been rifling through earlier, smiling faintly at the sight of his name scrawled on the inside covers in barely legible chicken scratch. “...I have that same thought, and I see him all the time. I suppose an apology is in order, but...I don’t know if he would even want to hear it.”

“To think Kris ruined far more lives than just the ones he’d taken,” she whispered, slowly sinking down to sit beside him. “To think he’d taken any lives at all, I - ”

“Mama, bitte - ”

“What did we do, Klavier?” she said forlornly, her voice thick with emotion. “Where did we go wrong? What could we have - ”

“Mama, Mama, breathe,” Klavier murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. “It wasn’t your fault, ja? Not yours, not Papa’s. Just his, and...a little bit of mine.”

“Hardly,” she insisted. She then cupped his face in her hands, looking up at him with watery eyes and a bittersweet smile. “Don’t let anyone blame you for what he did, darling, especially not yourself. Promise?”

“Ich verspreche,” Klavier said obediently, tilting his chin down so she could kiss his forehead. She then released him with a satisfied nod, turning back the box she’d been working on earlier; in doing so, she missed the way Klavier’s face fell. He cleared his throat. “So...a crafting room, ja? What kind of projects did you have in mind?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” she said, humming. “I want to try a few things - cross-stitching, beadwork, paper crafting...we’ll have to see what sticks. If any of them stick.”

“You’re not retired yet, Mama,” Klavier reminded her. “I’m exhausted just listening to you and Papa talk about what you’ve been up to - I don’t know how you do it.”

“You’re exhausted? I’m exhausted just listening to what you’ve been up to,” she teased. “You’re not the only prosecutor in the district, baby, so why do you work like you are? Go out, live a little. Or stay in, I suppose, whatever you prefer.”

“I like being busy,” Klavier said defensively. “And I enjoy my work, you know that.”

“I just wish you enjoyed more than just working, that’s all,” she said, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. “You know what they say - don’t turn your hobbies into a career. But you went ahead and did that anyway, and now you don’t have any hobbies left!”

“I have plenty of hobbies, danke very much,” Klavier chuckled. “Cooking, working out...and I’m not exactly in the music business anymore, so I’d say that’s back to being a hobby, ja?”

“How about friends?” she suggested. “All I hear about is the people who work for you or the people who work with you.”

“That’s just how it goes,” Klavier said with a rueful grimace. “Making friends as an adult...it’s hard. But I mean it, mir geht's gut. You have nothing to worry about, not with me.”

“I know.” She squeezed his shoulder. “But I’m going to worry, anyway.” She then stood, smoothing out the front of her shirt. “We should probably get going with lunch before your papa gets home, yes? We’ll continue with this later.”

“Ja, Mama, natürlich,” Klavier replied, also getting to his feet. He cast one last lingering glance in the direction of the picture books - for it wasn’t just his messy, childish handwriting inside, but Kristoph’s neat cursive as well - before following her out into the hallway.

_____

Time, Klavier mused to himself every so often, never really made sense to him. He liked being on time, of course, he liked the precision of it, especially when it came to music. He was proud of his natural affinity for rhythm, for keeping time. It was why he excelled at piano and guitar lessons at an early age, why the numerous vocal coaches he’d had in his life found him particularly easy to work with. But it always caught him off-guard whenever things seemed to speed up or slow down or even come to a complete standstill whenever they pleased. Twenty-four years of his life, changed, when he learned about his brother’s true nature. Seven years of his band, gone, when his best friend turned out to be a criminal as well. And now, an entire year that felt like five, all because Apollo wasn’t here.

“You should just ask him out already,” Ema had said to him one evening, over drinks. “I know his name is misleading, but he’s just a person, not a god. What’re you so scared of?”

“I’m not fond of wasps or small spaces,” Klavier had drawled, smirking at Ema’s infuriated scowl as he took a sip of his beer. Still, he knew she had a point. As blunt as Apollo could be, Klavier doubted he would be cruel about turning someone down. It also didn’t help that these days, he was starting to get his hopes up, now that he and Apollo talked on a daily basis. He still wasn’t sure how it had happened, aside from Trucy’s encouragement and his own impulses, but he couldn’t be more thrilled that it had.

“Two more months until I’m out of here...I think,” Apollo amended, yawning, his face filling up Klavier’s entire laptop screen. He looked good, Klavier though, even better than usual - during his time in Khura’in, Apollo had gotten more sun; his skin was a few shades darker, his freckles especially more prominent across the bridge of his nose. His hair was longer, too, mostly in the back, and his wardrobe had slowly evolved into an aesthetically pleasing mix of American street style and Khura’inese casualwear. Apollo had also mentioned a few times that he had built up some muscle, especially in his calves and shoulders, now that he had to walk everywhere and carry his fully-loaded bag wherever he went. Klavier tried not to think about how much he was looking forward to seeing it for himself in person.

“You’re sure now?” Klavier asked. “You’ve said that before.”

“Pretty sure,” Apollo said, chuckling. “Nahyuta even bought me a plane ticket, like he can’t wait for me to leave.”

“I’m sure he’ll miss you all the same,” Klavier replied. “And he’s used to flying back and forth, so I doubt you’ll be apart for long.”

“I think I’m gonna miss him, too,” Apollo admitted, tugging on the sleeves of his hoodie. It always gave Klavier a little thrill whenever he saw Apollo wearing it - after all, it was once his, having sent it to Apollo via a care package that Trucy had put together a while ago. Though their upper bodies were comparable in width, Apollo was significantly shorter, which meant the hoodie seemed to completely swallow him up. “It’s weird, looking back on it. How different we were when we were kids - like, both as people and as brothers - and yet...some things never changed. I don’t even know how to explain it, I just...I just know.”

“Something only the two of you can understand, I’m sure,” Klavier said diplomatically. He’d heard many stories about Apollo and Nahyuta’s childhood by now, sometimes accompanied by the occasional mention of Dhurke. Even now, he found it hard to picture; he wasn’t too familiar with Nahyuta, but the thought of him and Apollo chasing each other across mountainous hills or searching for frogs along the riverbanks seemed unlikely, yet it happened all the same. “You have a good relationship with him by now, I take it?”

“Definitely,” Apollo nodded. He then leaned in close to the camera, his voice dropping to an exaggerated whisper. “I’ve even grown on Rayfa, and though she'll never admit it, I think she kinda misses Mr. Wright.”

Klavier laughed. “Charmed her, have you? I’m not surprised. You can be...persuasive when you want to be.”

“You make me sound like a conman,” Apollo snorted, leaning back in his seat. “Give me a little credit, will you?”

“Ja, ja, fair enough,” Klavier said, holding his hands up in surrender. “After all, you did have a client ask you out once. Clearly, you have some natural appeal.”

“It’s happened twice, actually,” Apollo said, shuddering. “I don’t know what I did to make either of ‘em think I was remotely interested, but I shut them down fast.”

“You saved their lives,” Klavier pointed out. “It might be their...misguided way of showing their gratitude. Besides, you’re not half-bad. Some might even say you’re...attractive.”

“And the compliments just keep on rolling in.” Apollo got up from his seat, momentarily blocking the camera as he unplugged his laptop from its charger and carried it over to his bed. He sat cross-legged by his pillows, yawning and stretching luxuriously. “You really know how to make a guy feel special, Gavin.”

“If you’re fishing for praise, Forehead, you only have to ask,” Klavier teased. “Let’s see, should we talk about the impressive way that your voice cracks every so often when you shout, which is all the time? What about the fact that you only seem to own one tie in the most outlandish shade of blue I’ve ever seen? Or how, every single time, without fail, you always push on the courthouse entrance doors despite the fact that they’re clearly marked ‘pull’ - ”

“You are such a dick,” Apollo sighed, shaking his head.

“ - you managed to get food poisoning at two different events for the prosecutor’s office,” Klavier continued; if he wasn’t enjoying himself earlier, he certainly was now. “Ah, remember that time you ripped your pants at a crime scene? Good thing it was a thrift store, ja? But if you ask me, corduroy bell bottoms don’t quite suit you. You don’t have the height for flared hems.”

“...I think you’ve gone just a little off-track here,” Apollo drawled. “Take it back now, Gavin, you were s’posed to be saying nice stuff, remember? Like, tell me I’m good at my job or something.”

“You make the perfekt lawyer,” Klavier said in the most serious tone he could muster, biting his lip to stop himself from laughing. “After all, you just love to pick a fight.”

“Don’t think I won’t hang up on you,” Apollo said, yawning again as he half-flopped over onto his side, pillowing his hands beneath his cheek. For what felt like the thousandth time, Klavier found himself wishing he was in Khura’in, too.

“You say that every time, and you’ve never followed through,” Klavier reminded him. “Fine, you want a real compliment, Forehead?”

“That’s what I was asking for,” Apollo mumbled sleepily, his voice muffled.

“I think…” Klavier hesitated. “I think you might be one of my favorite people in the whole world.”

Apollo’s eyes flew open. “Huh? You...y-you really think so?”

“Would I be talking to you all the time if you weren’t?” Klavier chuckled. “How much free time do you think I have on my hands, hm?”

“Yeah, but - b-but still,” Apollo protested weakly. Klavier delighted in the way Apollo’s cheeks reddened, the way his nose scrunched up, the way his brows furrowed in an attempt to look irritated instead of embarrassed. “We only really became friends, like, uh...eight-ish months ago, so…”

“So nichts,” Klavier said derisively. “I say what I mean and I mean what I say, ja?”

Apollo shot him a drowsy smile. “Thanks, Gavin. It’s...actually kinda flattering.” He yawned yet again, curling up on top of his pillows. “Hey, I just remembered - you had your evaluation with Mr. Edgeworth just now, right? How’d that go, did you get three gold stars and an extra cookie to go with your juicebox like you wanted?”

“Call the prosecutor’s office a preschool just one time, all because Herr Debeste decided to bring Ritz crackers to the office potluck, and now you can’t let it go...and move on,” Klavier added, smirking; Apollo lifted a hand to flip him off. “It’s the usual with Herr Edgeworth, really - ‘excellent work, Prosecutor Gavin, nothing new to report’. Whenever I ask him if there’s anything more I can do, any way in which I can improve...I get nothing. It’s like he wants me out of his office as soon as possible.”

“I doubt it,” Apollo said quietly. “I know you keep saying over and over again that he blames you for what happened to Mr. Wright - but he doesn’t. Even if he did at one point, no one does anymore, alright? We know what happened, we know who it was, a-and it wasn’t you.” He propped himself up on his elbow, looking Klavier right in the eye. “Mr. Edgeworth doesn’t have suggestions for you ‘cos...you’re good at what you do. Somehow, you, Mister Euro-Rocker, are the most normal person at the prosecutor’s office. All anyone can accuse you of is, like, self-promotion, grandstanding, and wall slamming. Why do you do that, anyway?”

“I had a kickboxing phase,” Klavier said, laughing wetly. “That was surprisingly touching, Forehead, danke. Don’t we all aspire to be ‘the most normal person’ in any situation, achtung.”

“So you’re saying in some alternate universe, you would leg slam the prosecutor’s bench instead?” Apollo said dryly. “What would that even look like?”

“Gott if I know,” Klavier replied, continuing to laugh. “Anyway, should I let you go now? You look like you’re going to fall asleep at any second.”

“I’m fine.” Apollo slumped back down against his pillows, then let out an exaggerated exhale. “Though I wouldn’t, uh. I wouldn’t complain if you sang me to sleep, either.”

Klavier straightened up in his seat, surprised. “Again? I didn’t think you actually meant it last time, until it worked.”

“Your voice is, y’know...decent,” Apollo said, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards. “I have to listen to it for, like, two hours a day, after all. Going on and on about ‘ah, Herr Forehead, my bike didn’t start again’, or ‘I got a free drink at the courthouse café because the cute barista recognized me, can you believe it’ - oh, and we can’t forget the classic ‘you wouldn’t believe how terrible my hair looks today, I don’t know if I should turn my camera on’ - ”

“I take offense to that last one,” Klavier protested. “You’ve done the exact same thing to me! Remember when there was a thunderstorm - ”

“A Khura’inese thunderstorm, one of the worst the country’s ever seen, versus you having a, quote-unquote, ‘bad hair day’ ‘cos you woke up on the wrong side of the silk pillowcase. Very comparable,” Apollo drawled. “Go on, then, Gavin, give me a lullaby.”

Klavier steeled himself, taking a deep breath. Then, in the throatiest, most operatic voice he could muster, he began to sing. “Guten abend, gut nacht, mit rosen bedacht - ”

“Screw off, you - ” Apollo was doubled over, clutching at his stomach; the sound of his laugh, as cliché as it was, was music to Klavier’s ears. “Shit, I-I can’t even be mad at that one, that was on me. Okay, let’s not do a lullaby, just give me, like...something slow.”

Klavier hummed thoughtfully as he watched Apollo settle back down, drawing his duvet up over his shoulders. “Moon river, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style someday...dream maker, you heart breaker, wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way…” It didn’t take long for Apollo to fall asleep, his breath slowly evening out as he did. He looked peaceful in a way that he never did when he was awake. Smiling to himself, Klavier went to end the call. “Gute Nacht, liebe.”

_____

“For the love of everything, can you please stop bouncing your leg like that?”

“Ah - ” Klavier clamped his hand down onto his thigh, offering her a nervous smile. “My apologies, fräulein, I didn’t realize it was so cold in here. Does Herr Wright have a habit of leaving the air conditioning on? I didn’t think this office even had air conditioning, to be honest.”

Ema side-eyed him derisively; the effect was slightly ruined by the huge bouquet of roses she had sitting in her lap. They were practically tickling her chin. “...cold, right. That’s what’s going on, not the fact that we’re here to surprise Apollo on his way back from the airport.”

Klavier was very tempted to glare back. He liked to think he was an amiable person, but Ema challenged that notion every time they spoke. “Why did you decide to return early, anyway? Was Herr Sahdmadhi getting on your nerves?”

“Oh, please,” Ema snorted. “Sorry, Gavin, you’re still the problem child of the prosecutor’s office to me. No, I left early ‘cos...well, because I could. Besides, I missed this one over here.” She lightly elbowed the person on her other side, who giggled sweetly in response.

“Long-distance suuucks,” Kay agreed, dropping her head onto Ema’s shoulder and shooting her an affectionate grin. “Now that Em’s back for good, we can finally look into getting a place together!”

“Have you started yet?” Klavier asked, curious. “Because my area has a few - ”

“Um, I-I think a taxi just pulled up outside!” Klavier turned to squint through the darkness in the direction of the front window, where Juniper, Vera, and the Fey women were hidden, lifting their heads every so often to peek through the blinds. Thankfully, Vera seemed less nervous around him these days; he hated the thought of making her uncomfortable, especially when there was nothing he could do about it but wait. He’d tried approaching her on the rare occasions they were in the same room together, but more often than not, they both ended up tongue-tied. “I see Thena, and Apollo, and Trucy...oh, there’s Mr. Wright! I think Trucy made him tip the driver extra, heh.”

Klavier’s heart seemed to be in his throat as he, Ema, and Kay crouched down behind Apollo’s desk, while the others went to duck behind Phoenix’s and Athena’s desks as well. It had been so long, so long that he’d nearly forgotten some of the little things that just didn’t quite translate via phone call or video chat - how tall Apollo really was, how loud he could truly be; the way his nose scrunched up when he laughed, or how he absent-mindedly played with his bracelet more often than Klavier suspected he realized himself. He had to stop himself from letting out a hysterical laugh when he remembered how, the last time he saw Apollo in person, he’d flipped Klavier off. How appropriate, Klavier thought somewhat dazedly, shaking his head. And now -

“...huh, so I really did leave my jacket here. Guess it doesn’t matter since I never wore it, anyway. I’m more of a suit vest kinda guy, you know? So, what are we - ” The light flickered on. All at once, the agency seemed to explode with noise as everyone jumped out from behind the desks.

“SURPRISE!” Several party poppers, courtesy of Maya and Kay, went off simultaneously, which only added to the chaos.

“ - argh - what the - ?!”

“Wh-whoa, Polly, watch your head! You almost knocked over Mr. Charley!”

“Forget Charley, I-I almost twisted my ankle just now, shit - ” Apollo managed to find his footing again, half-leaning against the back of the couch to keep himself propped up while he caught his breath, his hand clasped over his presumably racing heart. Klavier could only stare at him, dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open. Ema was side-eyeing him again, but by now, he really didn’t care.

Of course, Klavier had known for a few weeks now that today was the day, but to see Apollo standing - well, somewhat collapsing - in front of him was something else entirely. Clearly, Apollo’s laptop webcam and spotty internet connection hadn’t done him justice, not the healthy glow of his skin, nor the shine of his hair. He was wearing a Khura’inese tunic and joggers with both the sleeves and pant hems rolled up, revealing just how muscular he’d become. However, what intrigued Klavier most of all was the familiar-looking hoodie in Apollo’s arms.

“Hey, stranger,” Ema said, lightly punching Apollo in the shoulder, then unceremoniously shoving the bouquet of roses into his arms despite the fact he was still holding the handle of his rolling luggage bag. He nearly dropped it on his own foot in an attempt to grab the flowers in time. “It’s weird, right? I’m still getting used to, like, mega-grocery stores and smog all over again.”

“Considering I’ve only been inside an airport, a taxi, and the agency so far, I can’t say I’ve had time to adjust, no,” Apollo said dryly. He then frowned. “Er, Ms. Fey, a-are you filming all this?”

Maya grinned almost manically over the top of her phone. “Yup! Blame Trucy and Athena - they wanted to get your reaction on camera, and ooh, you did not disappoint.”

Apollo deflated even further. “...glad I could entertain you all.” He then straightened up, approaching Juniper and Vera first to chat with them amicably while the others fell back to talk amongst themselves. Trucy sidled up next to Klavier with the brightest grin she’d had in months.

“I still can’t believe he’s finally here,” Trucy admitted. “It was starting to feel like he was never coming back, you know?”

“He looks...surprisingly refreshed for someone who’s been sitting on a plane for Gott knows how long,” Klavier chuckled, smoothing out the creases in the front of his shirt. He then shot Trucy a soft smile. “You must be thrilled.”

“Ecstatic!” Trucy chirped, nodding enthusiastically. “There are some tricks Athena just refuses to help with, but I bet Apollo wouldn’t mind if I volunteered him for the job!”

“That’s not the only reason you missed him and you know it,” Klavier said gently.

Trucy’s cheeks reddened; she shot him a sheepish smile. “...I-I may have cried at the airport. It was a total mess, ‘cos me and Athena were crying, and then Apollo started crying, and there was tears and snot everywhere, a-and Daddy got it all on tape, too. He said it was like we were trying to set the record for world’s longest hug!”

“That’s very sweet, fräulein,” Klavier murmured. “I’m sure it was quite the scene.”

“What was quite the scene?” They startled at the sound of a new voice, turning to see Apollo standing before them. The first thing Klavier couldn’t help but think, stupidly enough, was that Apollo looked taller somehow - he seemed to be holding his head higher, his chest prouder, though it also helped that he was wearing a heavy pair of brown leather boots with a thick sole. Klavier’s heart thumped pathetically in his chest at the sight of Apollo’s warm, curious eyes, now fixed on his face in confusion.

“Your reunion, or so I hear,” Klavier said smoothly, taking a few steps closer. His eyes flickered down to Apollo’s arms, half-folded in front of his torso; he was still holding onto the hoodie. “And I see I’ve done a good job of keeping you warm while you were away, Herr Forehead.” He sensed Trucy, Ema, and Kay exchanging bewildered glances behind him.

“Don’t flatter yourself, I got some pretty nice handmade blankets in Khura’in,” Apollo chuckled, lifting a hand to run his fingers through his unstyled hair. Klavier was more used to seeing it without gel than with it at this point, given how most of their video calls had taken place during Apollo’s evenings. “But, uh...thanks. You sure you don’t want it back?”

“Ah, nein, it’s all yours now,” Klavier replied. “But if you’re in need of more clothes that aren’t from the children’s section, I’d be more than happy to provide.”

Apollo snorted, shaking his head. “You’re such a dick.” Then, to just about everyone’s surprise, he took the last few steps to close the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Klavier, burying his face against Klavier’s shoulder with a contented sigh. “...it’s good to see you, Gavin.”

Klavier stood still for a moment, stunned, before returning the hug, holding him tighter than either of them expected, resting his chin on top of Apollo’s head. He smelled faintly of fruit and dirt and sweat, though Klavier didn’t mind one bit. “Ich habe dich vermisst,” he mumbled into Apollo’s hair, letting out a relieved exhale. “I’m glad you’re back.”

A little over an hour later, their rather large group of people - made even larger with the addition of Edgeworth and Simon, who had been held up in a work incident that, from the sound of it, was entirely Payne’s fault - found themselves at an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, arguing over whether to order more salmon or more unagi while they drank beer, or in Trucy and Pearl’s case, soda. Their table was crowded, to be sure, and it was definitely the loudest in the entire restaurant, but with Edgeworth footing the bill, insisting no expense be spared, their servers didn’t seem to mind too much.

“God, you’re obvious.” Klavier turned to see Ema pointing her chopsticks at him rather threateningly. “Y’know, if you wanted to sit with Apollo, you should’ve just said so instead of sitting here and staring at him like a pining Austen heroine.”

“You really should be careful with those,” Klavier commented, gently pushing her hand away. “And it’s fine, he obviously wants to sit with Trucy and Athena. We have time to chat later, ja?”

Sighing, Ema turned back to her plate, stuffing a piece of tamago into her mouth in the most irritated manner Klavier had ever seen someone eat. “I don’t even know why I’m bothering,” she said, taking a generous gulp of her beer. “Look, Gavin, I - you know I was there, on the other end of things. I saw how...how happy he looked after your phone calls, whenever you sent him a text...all I’m saying is, sitting around and doing nothing like you did before? You really think that’s gonna work?”

“The last thing he needs is for me to bother him while he’s still settling in,” Klavier said diplomatically. “Like I said, we’ll have time to talk...later. Let him breathe, bitte. He literally just got here.”

Ema’s mouth twisted. “I really don’t get you sometimes.” She seemed to be talking more to herself than to Klavier now. “Like, I’m trying to imagine some world in which I don’t tell Kay how I feel about her, and...I can’t do it. It’s physically, emotionally, scientifically impossible. My entire life would be different, you know?”

“With you and Kay, you knew the feeling was mutual from the start, ja?” Klavier glanced across the table, where Apollo was cracking up over some joke Athena had just told. “As for me...I still can’t be sure. Even with what you just said, it’s no guarantee. And I think, for the time being, we’re...we’re glücklich this way. We’re friends. Close friends, even.”

“He talked to you more than everyone else combined,” Ema reminded him. “I only managed to talk to Kay maybe twice a week if we were lucky.” Kay leaned around Ema to nod affirmatively in Klavier’s direction, a stray udon noodle hanging from her mouth. “But whatever, I’m really only telling you for Apollo’s sake. If this was just about you, I guarantee I wouldn’t care.”

“Sure, fräulein, whatever you say,” Klavier chuckled. “So, you were saying something earlier about apartments - ”

“Hey, Gavin.” Once again, Klavier nearly gave himself whiplash at the sound of Apollo’s voice; he wasn’t sure when Apollo had gotten out of his seat and come to their side of the table, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. “Sorry to interrupt, it’s just - can I talk to you for a sec? Outside, maybe?”

“Er - ja, sure.” Klavier shot Ema an apologetic smile, though she’d already gone back to stealing pieces of ginger off of Kay’s plate. He then followed Apollo through the restaurant and out the front door, the two of them coming to a stop on the sidewalk. “What’s this all about, then?”

“Nothing, I just - I needed some air,” Apollo admitted, taking a generous deep breath. “Don’t get me wrong, I-I’m glad to see everyone again, but it’s a little...crowded back there. And loud.”

“Very true,” Klavier agreed, leaning against the exterior wall. “So...I’m surprised you’re still standing. Aren’t you exhausted?”

“Ridiculously so,” Apollo chuckled. “I’m sure I’ll crash in like, a few hours. Mr. Wright’s couch could be a literal rock, and I’ll still be out cold for the next...I dunno, week? Month?”

“You mentioned something about getting an apartment in your old building, ja?” Klavier mused. “When’s that happening?”

“I move in next week...if I’m awake by then, that is,” Apollo added dryly. He then smirked. “You offering to help, Gavin?”

Klavier leaned in close, his own teasing smile playing on his lips. “If you want me, just let me know, Herr Forehead.” He couldn’t help but feel a little thrill go through him when Apollo’s pupils darkened considerably in response.

“I’ll, uh...I’ll keep that in mind,” Apollo replied, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully. Klavier found himself momentarily distracted by the motion. “Hey, uh - what were you and Ema talking about before I cut in?”

Klavier paused for a little longer than he would've liked. “I...was asking her about her plans to find a new place with Kay. To be honest, I’m surprised it’s only happening now. They’ve been together for years, after all.”

“True, but...if it works for them, I guess,” Apollo shrugged. “Did you guys ever get around to playing laser tag?”

Klavier blinked. “Entschuldigung?”

“Before we left, remember?” Apollo said, biting back a laugh. “Ema told me to ask you if you wanted to do drinks or laser tag, so did you and Kay...y’know, hang out without us? Or have you been waiting for us to get back?”

“Ah, that,” Klavier said, laughing as well. “Nein, we never did get around to it, though we’ve had the occasional drink together. Remember that story I told you a few months ago, the one where she - ”

“ - where she got kicked out of the bar ‘cos she accidentally gave them a fake ID she’d been holding onto as evidence, yeah,” Apollo snorted, shaking his head. “Sounds like something that could literally happen to any of us.” He straightened up, taking a couple of steps back so he could clear his throat. “Anyway, we should hang out after I recover from my inevitable jetlag. Like, the four of us, I mean.”

“Er - right, ja, the four of us,” Klavier nodded, faltering slightly. Apollo looked at him questioningly but didn’t say anything, instead turning his gaze towards the street for a moment, watching the cars and the occasional motorcycle go by. Klavier supposed he was still getting used to all the noise again, or rather, the different kinds of noise. He’d heard the evening sounds of Khura’in through the phone many times, especially when Apollo went for a late-night walk and “brought” Klavier with him for company. It had been relatively peaceful, serene, in a way that California was decidedly not. “Apollo, I...do you want to…maybe we could...”

“Yeah?” Apollo looked up at him, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Klavier coughed. “...never mind. Maybe another time, when you’re not so tired, ja?”

“Oh.” Apollo frowned slightly. “Uh, sure.” He then brightened, gently nudging Klavier’s arm. “Hey, but maybe we can make a thing out of my move-in day, make it a casual housewarming hangout or whatever. You interested?”

“Always,” Klavier said softly, nudging him back. Grinning, Apollo wordlessly beckoned for Klavier to follow him back inside, back to their table. He didn’t need to glance in Ema’s direction to know she looked as disappointed in him as he felt.

_____

“Ach, Klavier. You’re pouting more than your cousin Ingrid, and she’s barely seven years old.”

Klavier looked up from his glass to shoot his father an apologetic grimace. “Sorry, Papa. It’s just - the timing is unfortunate, you know? Er, not that I don’t want to be here. Anja and her new bride look wunderschön, and it’s been so long since we’ve had a wedding in the family - ”

“Now you sound like your Uncle Oskar,” his father chuckled, clapping Klavier good-naturedly on the shoulder. The two of them were standing in what looked and felt like a fairytale, in a sea of blossoming flowers and sparkling lights on a beautiful, crisp Saturday morning. In the distance, Klavier could see his cousin - or was she a second cousin, or a cousin once removed, he could never remember - and her wife posing for their wedding photographer by the park gazebo, while everyone else not-so-patiently waited to be called over for group photographs. All of the younger ones were especially moody, especially the aforementioned Ingrid, who had fallen and scraped her knee mere minutes before the ceremony. The poor girl had refused to let anyone put a bandaid on her, electing to sulk in silent solitude on a park bench instead. “I know you wanted to be with your friends today, but...there will be other days, yes?”

“Ja, ja, ich weiß,” Klavier replied. “Today is Apollo’s little housewarming get-together, it would've been nice to be there. But still, I wouldn’t miss Anja’s wedding for the world.” He then swallowed, glancing down at his feet. “That is, that’s how I felt before we got here. But achtung, now I feel like a caged animal. After all this time, do they really think - ”

“Not one person here thinks you’re going the same way,” his father interjected sharply, his eyes fierce behind his wire-rimmed glasses. “You’re not him. You’re not. But their stares...unfortunately, I don’t think it can be helped.”

“The questions were so simple before,” Klavier muttered. “Remember when I came back for a couple of weeks, between legs of the Gavinners’ European tour, for cousin Leo’s wedding? All anyone wanted to know was - ‘ah, Klavier, how is your band doing? Are you still a prosecutor? When are you getting married?’. And now it’s - it’s ‘what’s going to happen to him now?’ and ‘what exactly is this dark age of the law everyone’s been talking about?’ and ‘did you know the whole time?’. It’s endless, ach.”

“Klavier - ”

“I didn’t ask for my life to revolve around his, okay?” Klavier managed to stop himself before he could shout; instead, his voice came out as a harsh whisper. Thankfully, no one else seemed to notice, carrying on with their conversations while they waited for the newlyweds to call on them. “So if people are going to continue to talk, to stare, then I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to see it. If I can’t have a normal conversation with my family members that aren’t you or Mama, then…” He shook his head; his hand was trembling, his champagne sloshing over the edge of his flute.

Sighing, his father squeezed Klavier’s shoulder a little firmer now. “...I can tell them you have a migraine if you’d like. Or how about a stomach bug? Though maybe a work emergency would sound a little more...dignified.”

Klavier let out a watery chuckle, clasping his hand over his father’s. “Danke, Papa, I appreciate it, but it’s fine. This is Anja’s day, not a day for me to whine and fuss. I can grin and bear it for her, ich verspreche. And I apologize for my...outburst.” His father shot him a sympathetic smile, then turned back to watch the happy couple while they waited for Klavier’s mother to return from the bathroom.

It was nearly two in the morning by the time Klavier collapsed face-first onto his bed, only to sit up in a panic for a moment, thinking he’d just smeared a full face of makeup onto his freshly-washed silk pillowcases, before remembering he’d managed to trudge his way through his skincare routine just moments ago. With a weary groan, he grabbed his phone and sent a quick text message; mere seconds later, his phone began to ring.

“Forehead? I didn’t actually expect you to be up.”

“Mik’s being a literal scaredy-cat about living in a new place, so I’m probably not gonna be able to sleep anytime soon,” Apollo said with a weary sigh. “So, how was the rest of the wedding? All the photos you sent looked incredible!”

“What can I say? Gavins have good taste,” Klavier replied, chuckling. He rolled onto his back, staring up at his ceiling. “It was...perfekt, the epitome of classic fairytale romance, really. The kind of wedding you see in children’s books, you know?”

“Sure.” Apollo’s voice was warm in Klavier’s ear. “Hey - you, uh, you okay? You sound...off.”

“Ja, ja, I’m just tired,” Klavier said, frowning slightly at his outstretched hand. Despite getting them done yesterday, his nails were already starting to chip. “How long did everyone end up staying for?”

“They left a little before midnight,” Apollo replied, yawning. “Trucy has a matinee show tomorrow - or today, I guess - or else she probably would’ve insisted on sleeping over. Would’ve been kinda nice, actually, i-it’s always a little weird being alone in a new place for the first time. Though I guess this makes up for it.”

“What makes up for it?” Klavier asked, confused.

Apollo snorted. “This phone call, you dork. It’s like last year all over again, except we’re finally in the same time zone now.”

“Ah - right,” Klavier said, letting out an awkward laugh. “Ja, this is nice, though...I assume we’re not making this a habit again, are we?”

“Nah, definitely not. But, y’know, every now and then for old time’s sake? I wouldn’t, uh, I wouldn’t mind it.” Klavier shivered. Apollo’s voice had dropped to a low murmur; it almost sounded as if he were in the room with him. Klavier remembered Apollo making a snarky comment or two whenever he caught a glimpse of Klavier’s apartment during their video calls, leaving him to wonder whether Apollo would ever want to see it for himself. “So, you wanna do something next week? I’m still on co-counsel duty until I’m ready to take my own cases again, so my schedule’s not too hectic.”

“What did you have in mind?” Klavier hummed.

“I’m up for whatever - er, within reason,” Apollo added. “It could, well. It could even be just you and me, if you want.”

Klavier’s mouth suddenly felt very dry. “...I think I’d like that, ja. Drinks, maybe? Friday?”

“Yeah, uh - ” Apollo cleared his throat. “ - yeah, sounds good. Text me the time and place whenever, okay? Though I guess we’re probably gonna see each other before then, so.”

“Definitely,” Klavier said quietly, sucking in a breath to stop himself from making a potentially embarrassing noise - a squeak of joy, maybe, or a nervous laugh; either one would be terrible. “Should I let you go, then? We didn’t usually talk this late, even when you were on the other side of the world.”

“Very true,” Apollo said, punctuating Klavier’s point by yawning again. “I think Mik’s finally settled down, anyway.” Then, he seemed to hesitate. “...you sure you’re good, Gavin?”

“Mir geht's gut,” Klavier promised. This time, it felt more like the truth. Though his quiet anger from earlier hadn’t quite dissipated, he was calmer now, more at ease. “Family events just take a lot out of me, that’s all. Inevitable, given how big my extended family is.”

Apollo fell silent for a moment. “Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I, uh...I wouldn’t know.”

“I think it depends on the family,” Klavier admitted. This time, both of them went quiet, contemplating Klavier’s sentiment. “...anyway, let’s not carry on and ruin our sleep schedules, ja? Gute Nacht, Forehead.”

“G’night, Gavin,” Apollo said softly. “Talk to you tomorrow.” Despite the usual raspy quality of Apollo’s voice, not to mention how sharp it could get, Klavier found it immensely comforting at times, its warmth like a thick blanket - or, more accurately, an oversized hoodie. Mere minutes after they hung up, Klavier drifted off into a deep, restful sleep.

_____

Friday, it seemed, was not meant to be. Much to Klavier’s quiet disappointment - though obviously, he understood, given the circumstances - Apollo had to cancel their plans after getting some truly life-changing news.

“I-I don’t even know where to begin,” Apollo had stammered on the phone, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears. “I - she’s my - a-and her eyes - sh-she came to see us, me a-and - ”

“Slow down, Apollo, slow down,” Klavier had said gently. “What’s going on? What happened?”

Apollo had taken a big, shuddering inhale. Then, he spoke again. “...Trucy is my little sister...a-and Lamiroir is...she’s...she’s...she’s Thalassa Gramarye. Our mother.”

The news traveled quickly throughout their social circle; naturally, it was Trucy who told everyone else, while Apollo still seemed to be reeling in shock. No one seemed to know what to say, not with everything they knew about the twists and turns and tragedies of their respective family histories. A week passed, then another, and another, as the two Gramarye siblings took some time off to reunite with their mother. Klavier dropped by the Wright Anything Agency every so often, hoping to see how they were doing, only to find just Phoenix and Athena there.

“Apollo almost punched me...again,” Phoenix had said quietly. If it wasn't for the seriousness of his expression, Klavier would've asked about the first time. “It’s because I knew. I knew a long time ago. And Trucy, she can’t seem to decide whether she’s upset with me or not. Can’t say I blame her, though Thalassa and I had our reasons.”

“I’m sure you did, Herr Wright,” Klavier had replied sincerely, though he didn’t push further. After all, it wasn’t his family drama this time, and as far as he was concerned, knowing what their reasons were wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Phoenix had then paused. “She told me she talked to you, by the way. Trucy, that is.” He let out a hollow laugh. “Even when she didn’t know, it was like...like she already knew. But I shouldn’t be surprised, not with her. Never with her.” Clearing his throat, he shot Klavier a gentle, genuine smile. “Thanks for being there for her, Prosecutor Gavin. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course,” Klavier had promised. “Herr Wright, before I go, I really should say something - ”

“If you’re about to do what I think you’re about to do...there’s no need,” Phoenix had interrupted, though not unkindly. “I’ve said it a few times, but I’ll say it again. Let’s put the past behind us, alright?”

Klavier had been taken aback. “...if you’re sure, then...ja, I hear you.”

Almost four weeks after Thalassa returned to her children’s lives, Klavier finally saw Apollo again, during a brief one-day trial. Once Apollo got his client acquitted, the two of them took a moment to sit on the courthouse steps together in stilted silence. “How is she?” Klavier asked. “How are you?”

“She’s…” Apollo sucked his breath in between his teeth. “...she’s still figuring things out. Remembering stuff. Trying to, uh...trying to learn how to be a mom to two adult children who...who grew up without her. And I dunno if it’s harder for me, o-or for Trucy, because I accepted my whole life that...that my mom just wasn’t around. But Trucy lost her. She knew her, loved her, lost her...and now she’s back. Not that it’s a competition, it’s just…” He managed to give Klavier a small smile. “We’ll be fine. It’s just weird and confusing a-and...but we’re fine. Sorry I’ve been so - ”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Klavier said, gently nudging him. “So, are you going to see her again today?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna drop by for dinner tonight,” Apollo replied. “We’ll hang out again soon, I swear.”

“Don’t worry about me, Forehead. Take care of yourself first, ja?” Klavier chuckled, patting Apollo’s knee. “Anyway, I should get going before the paparazzi catch wind of me. Auf Wiedersehen, baby. Have a good time tonight.” As he was leaving, he took a moment to watch Apollo walk over to the courthouse bike rack to join Trucy, who was patiently waiting for him. The moment she spotted him, she flung her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug, as if they’d been apart for years and not mere minutes.

The days continued to go by without them seeing much of each other, though they did continue to text on a regular basis, even having the occasional late-night phone call or two. Klavier also managed to chat with Trucy when he dropped by the agency one afternoon in the hopes that she would be there.

“I’m okay,” Trucy had told him. “We’re still getting used to it, but it’s definitely one of the best surprises I’ve ever had! I’ve been saying this whole time that Polly’s like a little big brother to me, and now…”

“And now it’s true,” Klavier had remarked, laughing. “I’m happy for all of you, fräulein, truly. And thinking back...what a strange family reunion. All because I invited her to perform with the Gavinners. Er, not to make this about me, of course.”

“Of course,” Trucy had echoed, giggling as well. “You would never do that.”

Klavier had rolled his eyes good-naturedly, which only served to make her laugh even harder. His expression then sobered. “Have you told either of them about...what you told me and Herr Wright?”

“Huh?...o-oh. That.” Trucy had fiddled with the ends of her cape, eyes fixated on the toes of her boots. “No, n-not yet. It’s too early. We only just discovered the truth, why would I ruin that with my silly problems?”

“They’re not silly at all,” Klavier had reassured her. “They’re...I know a little something about family legacy. Carrying a name that belongs to someone else. Talk to them about it when the time is right, ja?”

“I know, I know,” Trucy had mumbled, her voice small. She then perked up, plastering on a false smile that Klavier was all too familiar with. “You should join us someday, Prosecutor Gavin! I’m sure she’d like to see you again, and Polly’s been dying to spend more time with you.”

Klavier felt warm. “Really? Did he say that?”

“Well, not in so many words,” Trucy had said sheepishly. “But we’ve been so busy with Mom lately that neither of us has really had time to hang out with people other than Daddy and Athena, y’know? So...maybe we could do another group dinner or something.”

And so, a little over a month and a half after their canceled plans, Trucy managed to get a smaller group of people together - her, Apollo, Athena, Klavier, Simon, Pearl, Juniper, Ema, and Kay, to be exact - for a rather chaotic visit to their nearest night market. Considering how narrow the pathways were, how packed the food stalls could be, it was hard for them to move as a collective through the crowds.

“We might have an easier time if we split up,” Apollo suggested. “And, uh, as a bonus, people would stop glaring at us for holding up literally every line.” And so, everyone divided themselves into pairs - or a trio, in Athena, Simon, and Juniper’s case - and went on their way.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go with Trucy?” Klavier asked once he and Apollo were in line for freshly-made takoyaki.

“Listen, and I say this with love, but I’ve been looking forward to hanging out with someone who isn’t Trucy for once,” Apollo said, chuckling. “Besides, we never got around to getting drinks. So let me pay for, like, a milk tea or something.”

“That’s hardly necessary, but danke,” Klavier said, smiling easily. “So, has it finally sunk in yet? Your newfound big brother status, that is.”

“Thankfully, not that kind of big brother,” Apollo said dryly. “Honestly, it hasn’t been that different. Me and Trucy have always looked out for each other, and...I dunno. We got attached pretty quickly, almost like we, uh...like we knew somehow. Like everything about our relationship made even more sense than before.” He then let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “Never mind, that probably sounds really stupid - ”

“Nein, not at all,” Klavier murmured sympathetically.

“I don’t believe in fate or whatever, but...I couldn’t ask for a better sister,” Apollo admitted, his expression softening. “Though to be fair, I can ask said sister to stop dragging me on stage with her. I almost lost my eyebrows more than once, and once is already one time too many!”

“You did say better, not perfect,” Klavier teased, laughing. “So, what do you want to do tonight? Are we just stuffing our faces, or did you want to walk around? That bouncy castle looks sehr interessant.”

“Yeah, sure, if we wanna get kicked out,” Apollo snorted. “And I’m not sure yet, I was just gonna go with whatever everyone else wanted. When I used to come here all the time with...with…” His face fell. “Um. You know. He was so eager to try everything, I-I just let him drag me around. Literally.” Klavier looked away for a moment, unsure of what to say. Apollo then tugged on his sleeve so he would turn back, a small smile on his face. “Hey, c’mon. I’m the one who made it weird, don’t you make it weird, too.”

Klavier chuckled, placing his hand over Apollo’s and squeezing. “Why don’t you lead for a change? I mean it, Forehead, what do you want to do tonight?”

“Honestly? I just wanna eat and drink and laugh at the terrible knock-off merchandise with, uh. With you.” Apollo awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. Before Klavier could respond, they’d reached the front of the line; Apollo turned to the merchant with a polite smile. “Hi, can we get one order of takoyaki, please? And can we get the sauces on the side?”

“Sure, that’ll be seven dollars,” the merchant replied. “Is this just for you, or are you sharing with your boyfriend?”

Apollo blinked. “Er, s-sorry?”

“I need to know how many toothpicks to give you,” the merchant said, shooting Apollo a strange look.

“I, uh…” Apollo cleared his throat. Klavier looked at him curiously, unsure if Apollo’s reaction was promising or worrying. “Yeah, we’re sharing.”

Once they received their order, they went to stand a little ways away from the crowd to eat and people-watch in companionable silence. Klavier stole the occasional glance in Apollo’s direction every so often, admiring how good he looked in a bucket hat, denim cutoffs, and of course, the hoodie he’d given him. Other than his signature red suit vest, it seemed to be the item of clothing he wore the most these days. Klavier wondered if it still smelled of his cologne, the cologne that Apollo claimed to hate.

“Gavin?” Apollo raised an eyebrow at him. “Can I, um...can I help you?”

“Ah - entschuldigung, I didn’t mean to stare,” Klavier said, ducking his head in embarrassment. “It just surprises me whenever you wear that, you know? Surely, you have other hoodies.”

“I’ve just gotten used to it, I guess,” Apollo shrugged. “And it’s weird, ‘cos it’s yours, but now I mostly associate it with Khura’in. Like, whenever I went for walks before or after work, this was usually the first thing I grabbed, even when it was too warm for me to wear. Something to hold onto, I s’pose.” His eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey - new idea!”

Klavier chuckled at his sudden enthusiasm. “Oh? What’s that?”

“Over there,” Apollo said, gesturing towards the river running alongside the night market. Other market patrons were there as well, eating, talking, and admiring the city skyline. “It’s definitely no Khura’inese scenery, but we could also grab some food and go for a walk, get away from the main crowd and all that.”

“I’d like that,” Klavier replied, popping the last piece of takoyaki into his mouth. “What should we get next, then?”

After much deliberation, the two of them settled on milk tea and crepes, then began walking alongside the river, chatting amicably about nothing in particular while occasionally spotting their friends in the distance. They saw Trucy and Pearl sharing a giant bowl of shaved ice, Ema and Kay marveling at all of the bags for sale - Ema had once mentioned she needed a new one to fit her entire forensics kit - while Athena and Simon were, for some reason, arm-wrestling. Juniper was supervising them with a hint of apprehension in her eyes; Athena appeared to be winning.

As they passed by people going in the opposite direction, Klavier lowered the brim of his cap over his eyes. He felt somewhat nervous, even paranoid, every single time someone looked at him for a little too long. “Not too interested in signing autographs or taking selfies, huh?” Apollo teased when it happened for the fifth time in under twenty minutes. “Nah, I get it. I’m sure it gets pretty exhausting after a while.”

“It’s...it’s not fans I’m worried about,” Klavier confessed, ducking his head once more. “It’s...the opposite, really.”

“Huh?” Apollo’s eyes then widened. “Oh, you mean...o-oh. Has that been happening a lot lately, or…?”

“Just...more than it should,” Klavier said quietly, so quietly that Apollo almost couldn’t hear him over the noise of the night market. “Anyway, I’d rather not get into it. Tell me more about your mother, you said the other day that her memories were coming back to her, ja?”

Apollo eyed him worriedly, but decided not to comment. “Yeah, yeah, uh - mostly stuff about Trucy, and Trucy’s dad, and her time with the troupe. Not so much the before, the me and...and my dad part. It was...I tried asking her, y’know, basic stuff about him. Like what his voice sounded like, what kind of person he was...but it’s all bits and pieces for her. Little tiny things, not significant details. She remembered that he didn’t like spinach and he had a pair of lucky socks, but she wasn’t sure if my voice sounded anything like his, or how they picked my name, or what their first date was. Stuff like that.” He visibly swallowed.

“I’m sure that must have been frustrating for both of you,” Klavier said, humming in sympathy.

“I don’t know what to feel sometimes.” An odd look crossed Apollo’s face then, like he wasn’t sure where his words had come from, but he seemed determined to keep going. “Obviously, I-I’m happy to have her in my life, and to see her doing so well after what she went through, but...it’s not like I had this...this attachment to my dad that she did. And sure, I wanna know more about him, but sometimes, i-it feels like I’m doing it more for her than for me. But that makes me sound like a shitty person, like I-I don’t care about him. Like he doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Klavier went silent for a moment, thinking. It was hard to concentrate when he could hear Apollo’s breath growing increasingly erratic; he so desperately wanted to wrap him up in a hug, though he wasn’t sure if Apollo would want him to. “If you ask me, you sound like a good person who cares about his mother,” he finally said after some time. “And even if your biological father isn’t as important to you as he was to her, he still means something to you. You know that.”

“Do I?” Apollo chuckled wetly, wiping his damp eyes with the sleeve hem of his hoodie. “And Trucy - god, Trucy, sh-she’s…”

“What about her?” Klavier asked, frowning.

“It’s not like either of us likes to think about it, but…” Apollo chewed his bottom lip. “If something happened to Mom, then...well. It’s not like it’s new to us...losing people. When do I get to the point where I can accept it? Where I know...I-I can’t do anything to stop it?” He let out another horrible laugh. “Shit, that sounded so heartless. Th-that’s not what I meant, I - ”

“I know what you meant,” Klavier promised somewhat sadly. “Have you talked to her about it? Or...either of them, really.”

“No, but it...it’s why Trucy wants us to hang out practically every day.” Apollo stopped for a moment, turning to watch Trucy, who was currently shoveling huge spoonfuls of shaved ice and red bean into her mouth, with a fond smile. “She won’t say it, but I-I know her. I can tell what she’s thinking. Even before we found out we were siblings, she seemed...kinda worried that I was gonna leave again. Or that I wasn’t gonna come back in the first place, even when I said I would.”

“Maybe it’s time you have that conversation,” Klavier suggested. “It won’t be a pleasant conversation, but it seems...necessary, ja?”

Apollo exhaled shakily. “Yeah, I know, I know. It’s just...there’s always something. A trial o-or a show or whatever. But, uh, honestly? I just don’t like thinking about it. Like, ever.”

“I don’t blame you,” Klavier admitted, rubbing Apollo’s arm reassuringly. “I wouldn’t want to open myself up to that kind of personal scrutiny, either.” He paused. “I...gave Trucy some similar advice a while back, you know. Advice that I should’ve taken myself, should still be taking myself, but...it’s like they say. Easier said than done.”

“Easier said than done,” Apollo echoed in agreement, sighing.

Another minute or two passed in silence, accompanied by the noisy chatter and whistling winds around them. Apollo seemed to be thinking intensely about something, but with everything they’d talked about, not just now, but over the past year, Klavier couldn’t even begin to guess what it was. Then, he lifted his head to look Klavier right in the eye. “Why did you call me in Khura’in, that first time?”

Klavier’s heart skipped a beat. “...why does it matter?”

“Because...because you’re one of my favorite people, too.” Apollo’s cheeks reddened, though he was clearly trying his best to ignore it. “And I - I wanna know if something happened that day. If...something happened to you.”

“Nothing happened to me,” Klavier said smoothly, trying not to let his dizzying joy at Apollo’s words show. “Trucy suggested I call you sometime, that’s all. Simple as that.”

Apollo’s right hand instantly went to his left wrist. “But that’s not all there is to it, is it?”

“Is this a cross-examination now?” Klavier asked, letting out an uneasy laugh. He turned on his heel and continued to walk. “You’re going to find my tell, are you? My nervous habit? It’s a nice night, Forehead, let’s not spoil it.”

“I just wanna understand you, Klavier.” Klavier stopped dead in his tracks; he could feel Apollo’s eyes on his back. “Look, if it’s such a big secret, or if you just don’t wanna tell me, I-I’ll shut up about it already. But I just - I worry about you sometimes. You’re always so...so calm. And helpful, a-and sweet, and...I get what it’s like to put on a brave face. To pretend that everything’s the way it should be. That’s all I’m saying. So if it really was nothing, then I’ll drop it, okay? I’ll let it go, and move - ”

“I was sitting in my childhood bedroom.” Now he felt lightheaded for a different reason; Klavier dropped his gaze, his body swaying despite the fact he was standing perfectly still. Apollo quickly stepped around him so they were face-to-face, tucking his empty cup under his arm so he could hold Klavier’s shoulders, his still-wet eyes shining with concern. “I was sitting on my bed, staring at the wall, and suddenly, I-I wanted to talk to the one person in the entire world who - who doesn’t want something from me. Who doesn’t want to ask for my autograph, or my connections, or my help, or...or about Kristoph. Who just wants to talk to me for - for - for me.” Before he could stop himself, his eyes were suddenly filling with tears. Klavier clapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from crying out.

Apollo let out a stifled noise. “Ah - Klavier!”

“Mama, a-and Papa, I - they say they can’t - that it - b-but they still mourn him l-like he’s already - already gone,” Klavier managed to say between short, gasping breaths, his heartbeat pounding alarmingly fast in his ears. He desperately clutched at his chest, but he was unable to find his grip. The ground, his surroundings, they all seemed to be spinning around him. “And I-I want to say - ‘I’m still here, y-you have me’ - and they know, but th-they - ”

“Breathe, Klavier, breathe,” Apollo urged. “Look at me, watch me, okay? In...out...in...”

Klavier dropped his cup entirely, desperately clinging onto Apollo’s shoulders, anticipating that his knees were about to give out beneath him. He swallowed a few generous lungfuls of air, trying not to cough or exhale directly in Apollo’s face, all while his eyes were fixated on Apollo’s - large, round, expressive to a fault. The color of melted chocolate, usually, though in the moonlight, more akin to the color of ink. “I’m okay,” Klavier whispered, though tears were still rolling down his cheeks. “Sorry, I - ”

“Don’t apologize,” Apollo said firmly. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to - we don’t - we don’t have to talk about this.”

“Nein, I - I want to tell you.” Klavier cleared his throat, wiping his face on his sleeve; he knew he looked like a mess, he knew that they were in public, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “Bitte, will you let me?”

“Yeah, o-of course.” Now it was Apollo's turn to rub his arm comfortingly. “But, uh, I think we should sit. There’s a bench over there, are you good to move?”

Once they managed to sit down, both of them visibly shaking, Apollo placed a trembling hand on Klavier’s knee, nodding for him to try again. “I was trying to say that - that I’ve always been our parents’ favorite. I was more outgoing, more curious, and I think they especially liked that about me.” Klavier’s breath was still shallow; he paused to take another deep, measured breath. “So when I say that...that I feel responsible somehow...that I played a part in his madness, his cruelty...I-I’m not just talking about Zak Gramarye’s trial.”

“You don’t mean…” Apollo sucked in a breath of his own. “You think he resented you, don’t you?”

“I think it’s more like...he never liked getting ignored, passed over, for someone else. For me, for Herr Wright…” Klavier swallowed thickly. “And then I go home to my parents, a-and they promise me it’s not my fault, that I was merely a pawn, but - but I can tell that, deep down, they miss him. They mourn him, like he’s no longer here. They're packing his things, cleaning out his room...trying to pretend he never existed, because it’s easier than living with the truth. But they slip sometimes. All the time, really. Because, at the end of the day...he still means something to them. To me.”

“Klavier,” Apollo said softly, squeezing Klavier’s knee. He seemed unsure of what to say.

“I can try all I want, but there’s no pretending for me,” Klavier continued bitterly, his voice growing stronger, louder. “Do reporters want to ask about my success as a prosecutor or my music career? Nein, they want to ask how it felt to prosecute my own brother and my own bandmate. Do my coworkers want to know how my weekend was or if I’m free to hang out? Nein, they only ask how I’m feeling when I seem less than perfect because it makes them uncomfortable. When I go to family gatherings, do they tease me about my love life or ask me how work is going? Nein, they want to know if he and I really are cut from the same cloth. No one - no one ever really wants to ask me about me. Just me.”

“Klavier - ”

“And I know they try,” Klavier sighed. “And I don’t mean to be...I’m trying not to ask for much. But how do I really know, that when Herr Edgeworth tells me I’m doing a good job, that I really am doing a good job? If Herr Blackquill tells me I seem to be happier these days, does he mean it, o-or is he telling me what he knows I want to hear?” He paused. “How do I...do I trust any of my family members - nein, how do I trust my own judgment...when the one person I grew up with...when he...when the people I-I thought I knew turned out to be...” He shook his head, unable to finish his sentence.

“For what it’s worth...you know I'm in your corner, yeah?” Apollo offered. “You know I won't...that I don't bullshit you. But still, I...I’m so sorry, that’s...that’s terrible. So when you texted me after your cousin’s wedding...”

Klavier nodded resignedly. “Ja, exactly. I don’t...it feels like…” He felt tears forming in his eyes again; he quickly wiped them away before they could fall. “...never mind, it’s stupid. It’s childish, i-it’s selfish, I - ”

“C’mon, don’t be like that.” Apollo gave him a watery, encouraging smile. “What is it?”

Klavier went silent for what felt like hours, his mind racing to find the precise words he wanted to say. “...it feels like I will always care more about someone else than they will ever care about me.”

Another lengthy pause soon followed, one that made Klavier unbearably nervous. For once, Apollo’s usually expressive face was completely inscrutable. Then, Apollo practically threw himself at Klavier, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him in close. “Klavier,” he repeated for what seemed like the thousandth time, his voice warm and urgent in Klavier’s ear. “People care about you, okay? You gotta know that. I-I promise, there are people out there who - who care about you more than you think. Like...like me.”

Klavier let out a sobbing, incredulous laugh. “Achtung, Apollo...you do know that I’m in love with you, right?”

Apollo went still. He stared at him, wide-eyed. “You...you are?”

“You mean you really didn’t know?” Klavier could only laugh again, more hopelessly this time; his mouth seemed to be moving faster than his brain. While it usually never happened to him, it seemed like Apollo brought out his honesty more easily than most. He wasn’t sure if that impressed him or terrified him. “With everything that’s been happening between us, you didn’t think - ”

“I-I knew we were getting closer, th-that we were gonna go for drinks, but...I-I thought this was, like. A recent thing for you,” Apollo stammered, still staring at him disbelievingly.

“A recent thing? You mean like your feelings...for me?” Klavier was almost afraid to ask.

“What? No, I - ” Apollo suddenly seemed to realize he still had his arms loosely draped around Klavier’s midsection. He yanked them back like he’d been burned, his cheeks flushed pink. “I mean, yes, yes, d-definitely recent - ”

“Apollo, bitte.” Klavier took Apollo’s hands in his, gently running his thumbs across Apollo’s knuckles. “I know you don’t owe me your honesty, but I’d like to think that after everything I just said, you could afford me just a little bit of it.”

Apollo fell silent, considering. Klavier held his breath in anticipation, heart thumping wildly against his ribcage. Then, Apollo withdrew one hand from Klavier’s grasp, instead lifting it to cup Klavier’s jaw. His eyes were wet once more, his smile impossibly soft. “I hate that you feel like you have to ask for someone else to be honest to you...least of all me,” Apollo murmured. “I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine - ”

“But it isn’t!” Apollo interrupted fiercely. “You shouldn’t have to ask for basic decency, especially from someone who’s supposed to care about you. Because - ‘cos god, Klavier, you - you’re - I love you, okay?” Klavier’s mouth fell open, stunned, but no words came out. “I love you and your...your…” Apollo inhaled yet again, taking a moment to think carefully. “You always surprise me, y’know. With how...willing you are to be proven wrong. How open you are to changing your mind. And even though you’re one of the most self-important people I’ve ever met...you still manage to be pretty selfless when it comes down to it. So selfless, that...that...that it worries me sometimes.”

“Worries...you?” Klavier asked, his voice small.

Apollo shot him a shaky smile. “Whether you’re looking out for yourself.”

“I think the last thing anyone could accuse me of is not making something about me,” Klavier said, chuckling wetly. “Take now, for example. We were having such a nice night, until - ”

“ - until you finally got the chance to say what you’ve been wanting to say,” Apollo finished for him. “Just like...like I did. Just now.”

Klavier’s eyes flitted across Apollo’s face, his gaze traveling from his tearful eyes to his parted lips, trying to find a sign, a warning that there was something there other than complete sincerity. When he found nothing, he cracked a grin of his own. “You really love me?”

In lieu of answering, Apollo moved closer, his forehead resting against Klavier’s, their noses barely brushing. Klavier’s breath hitched. Then, Apollo closed the gap between them, kissing him so tenderly, so carefully, that he felt a pleasant shiver go up his spine. Finally. Klavier melted right into him, every muscle in his body seemingly relaxing all at once; he released Apollo’s hand so he could wrap his arms around him, pulling him into his embrace. Apollo was so warm, Klavier thought, his skin surprisingly soft, his lips unsurprisingly rough, not that it lessened Klavier’s joy. Nothing else seemed to matter in that moment, not all the people walking by that could easily see them, not the fact that their friends could probably recognize them if they tried. When they reluctantly broke apart, they realized that they both had tears running down their faces.

“..shit.” Apollo let out a wet laugh, sniffling sharply. He reached into the pocket of his hoodie to pull out a packet of tissues, handing one to Klavier before attempting to take care of himself. “That was, uh - ”

“Perfect,” Klavier declared, his grin so wide, it threatened to split his face open.

“I was gonna say ‘gross’, but okay. Whatever you’re into, I guess,” Apollo teased, turning away momentarily to blow his nose. A comfortable silence fell over them as they took a moment to clean themselves up, to wipe their running noses and watery eyes. “Um, but - Klavier, are you okay? Because, well. That seemed like a lot.”

“Ja, I…” Klavier laughed disbelievingly. “...I feel incredible, actually. Like I’ve managed to...to let go of some of the things I’ve been carrying for a little too long. Even if I didn't do anything but drop them.” He then looked at Apollo. “What about you, liebe? We were talking about you, and then it became about me, and - ”

“That’s how conversations work, Klav,” Apollo reminded him. “And all that...I dunno, guilt, loneliness, whatever you wanna call it? That’s been going on for way too long. But for me, it’s...I-I’m still figuring some stuff out. Something I can deal with once I know, y’know?”

“If you’re sure. But...I’m here if you need me, ja? Always.” Klavier brushed a few loose strands of hair out of Apollo’s eyes, then leaned in to kiss him again. This particular kiss was thankfully less damp. “So, ah...what should we do now?”

“Well...I think all that crying made me dehydrated,” Apollo said half-jokingly. He stood, extending a hand in Klavier’s direction. “Will you finally let me pay for one of your drinks? Please?”

“I guess I can indulge you,” Klavier teased, taking Apollo’s hands and getting to his feet as well. Apollo rolled his eyes but pulled Klavier along nonetheless. Their fingers remained entangled, both of them holding on tight, even when they stepped back into the night market crowd.

_____

A few hours later, they found themselves in the elevator of Klavier’s apartment building, on the way up to his penthouse, grinning giddily at each other like lovesick teenagers. Naturally, the others had been suspicious when Apollo told them they were leaving together. Trucy, Athena, and Kay seemed ready to burst with questions, while Ema and Simon had merely watched them go with raised eyebrows. Still, no one said anything but their goodbyes, something both of them were grateful for.

“You look like you’re thinking really hard over there,” Apollo said, smirking. “You’re not changing your mind, are you?”

“Never,” Klavier replied instantly. Even though he knew Apollo was joking, he wanted to make it clear that he wasn’t. “Not when it comes to you.”

Apollo’s smile softened. “Good. That’s, uh...that’s good. Same here.”

After they’d washed up and settled in, the two of them collapsed onto Klavier’s bed, right on top of his duvet, comfortably exhausted from everything that had been said and done. Apollo was half-curled into Klavier’s side, yawning every so often while he sent off a few text messages, presumably to Trucy and their mother. Klavier had one hand in Apollo’s hair and the other loosely resting on Apollo’s hip, humming and tapping out a rhythm while he waited for Apollo to finish.

“Sorry,” Apollo said, briefly rolling over so he could set his phone down on the bedside table.

“Nein, nein, it’s okay,” Klavier replied. “I don’t know about you, but I’m wide awake. How am I supposed to fall asleep after a night like that, achtung.”

“Yeah, we definitely had, uh...we definitely had a moment back there.” Apollo sounded both embarrassed and pleased. “God, I hope no one saw us. I have zero interest in becoming a trending hashtag before our first date.”

“You don’t consider this our first date?” Klavier asked curiously.

“I prefer my first dates to be drama-free, thanks,” Apollo drawled. Still, his expression was relaxed, somewhat drowsy. “Though I think, in a way...we kinda needed that. Wish it hadn’t happened in public, but hey, we can’t exactly pick our battles.” At Klavier’s responding chuckle, he frowned slightly. “Klav? What is it?”

“Nothing, it’s just - mein Gott, I love you.” Klavier rested his forehead against Apollo’s, his smile warm and open. Apollo returned it with one of his own, his hands resting against Klavier’s chest, Klavier’s heartbeat steady beneath his fingertips. “I know we still have a lot to deal with, but...right now? I couldn’t care less. I’m just...I’m so happy.”

Grinning, Apollo shuffled closer, kissing him chastely. They exchanged slow, meandering kisses for a few minutes, fingers lightly pressed into each other’s sides, legs loosely tangled together. “...dork.”

“Your response is supposed to be ‘I love you, too’, liebe,” Klavier hinted, eliciting a delighted laugh from Apollo’s mouth. “But seriously, I mean it. I really do feel...free.”

“Good,” Apollo said affectionately, cupping Klavier’s face with both hands. “Look, I - I know all that stuff you’re feeling isn’t gonna magically go away, just like that, but...if you still need to hear it…” He then turned his head, his lips brushing against Klavier’s ear. “...it wasn’t your fault. It was his, all his. And people legitimately care about you for reasons that have nothing to do with him or your fame or their own motives. So try not to let anyone make you think otherwise, okay?” Klavier shivered. “And I love you, too. Dork.”

“Ach,” Klavier said, sniffling. “You’re going to make me cry again, baby. How dare you call me a dork.” Apollo burst into laughter once more, burying his face in the crook of Klavier’s neck with a satisfied hum. They went quiet for a little while longer, simply holding each other and enjoying the stillness of the night. “I do have...one last little worry, though.”

“Yeah?” Apollo ran his thumb across Klavier’s cheek. “What is it?”

“I...part of me is worried, that…” Klavier paused, taking a moment to choose his words carefully. “After everything we’ve been through...do you really think this is going to work? Or do you think that we just hope that it will?”

“No use in pretending like we know for sure,” Apollo said honestly. “There’s a million things that could go wrong, y’know? We could get into a really bad argument, we could have problems separating work from our personal lives - hell, we might be better off as friends…”

“Ever the optimist, aren’t you?” Klavier teased.

“Oh, hush.” Apollo kissed Klavier to silence him. The two of them became momentarily distracted, wrapped up in each other’s embrace once more. Klavier wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to let Apollo go in the morning, not when they’d both waited this long. “All I’m saying is, as long as we try, then…” Apollo’s kiss-bitten lips then stretched into a fond grin. “...I think we’re gonna do just fine.”

_____

a/n: Welcome to my seventh and final entry for Klapollo Week 2021! Continuity-wise, this is the third of seven fics, but again, there is no need to read the others to follow each fic on its own. However, this fic is best read after day five's, meet me halfway (across the sky), so I would recommend reading that one to fully understand the first half of this fic!

Y'all, I can't believe it's finally over! I feel like I've been working on these fics for ages (and I've fallen behind on others; we'll see if I end up getting two fics out in July like I originally planned), especially this one and day five's. Thank you to the lovelies who organized Klapollo Week, this was super fun to do! I got a little overambitious for sure, but I liked how they turned out. In doing this, I definitely learned that short(er) fics aren't really my thing; I had a good time writing them, but I'm not a concise writer, so I struggled with getting a good balance of plot and details for the fics that were under six thousand words. In fact, I low-key wanna write fuller versions of all of them 😅

If you missed any of the other days, I would love it if you checked them out! My personal favorites are the odd-numbered days, also known as the ones with angst. I'm thinking that sometime next year, I'll write a super long version of meet me halfway (across the sky) where Klavier eventually gets to be with Apollo in Khura'in. Knowing me, that thing will be a monster of fifty-thousand-word proportions. In the meantime, if you're interested in finding out what I'll be posting next, you can filter my fanfiction masterpost by "coming soon"!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Likes and reblogs would be much appreciated. Hoping you’re all safe and healthy and doing well ❤️

[celestialices]

QUEST!

Greek Mythology x Haikyuu

Haikyuu!Ensemble x Reader

Summary: You were just a perfectly normal student at The University of Tokyo, when suddenly a bunch of 'normal boys', as they call themselves, appeared in your life and started to squeeze themselves into your life. Always saying something like "You're a goddess, we need to take you back to Olympus" (you brushed it off, saying that it was just a silly compliment) and even absurd sentences such as "You got Medusa's eyes" and "You're really Medusa's daughter!"

You really want a peaceful school year, but the universe beg to differ.

004: THE END OF A NEW BEGINNING

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masterlist

To say that you were surprised by this outcome would be an understatement. Being childhood friends with Hirugami Sachiro, the university’s so-called “hottie”, is a pain in the ass.  Though Hirugami’s a dependable best friend and dotes on you like an older brother, he’s a little shit. He teases you every time he has the chance to, but knows his boundaries. He never leaves your side too; always knows what’s on your mind since he is very “observant.”  The biggest disadvantage of being his best friend, is his fans. Students flocking over you to ask questions about him was tiring. The only one that ruins your day. 

It was bearing, at first, because you thought it’d be cute when you’re one of the reason why Hirugami has a lover. But you didn’t expect it to be.. like this. You had to hide often just to stop them. Ambushing you, preventing you from leaving the university’s premises, it was all too much. That’s where Hoshiumi Korai comes in.  Your friendship with Hoshiumi is... mystifying. You didn’t even know how you tolerated being friends with him in the first place, but it surprisingly lasted up until now. Seeing that you and your childhood friend are indivisible, Hirugami arranged plans for you and Hoshiumi to meet after they became friends through volleyball. “Korai-kun, this is my childhood friend I was talking to you about. From now on, we’ll all be friends, so please get along!” Ever since that day, Hirugami pushed everything and made sure to schedule a hang out for the three of you, thrice a week. There isn’t a day during your high school years that you didn’t see Hoshiumi’s face, that’s all because of Hirugami. And yeah, that’s how the two of you got along somehow. Basically, what Hirugami has, you have to have it too. And vice-versa. But having Hoshiumi as your friend set out a vast of benefits for you. Not only he’s reliable and gives great advices (to your surprise), he’s quick to get irritated. And that managed to save yourself from the crowd plenty of times. His impatient self terrify a bunch of people, so you tend to stick by his side as long as you can. 

The bond you three shared is as tough as old boots. People say that a friendship between three people would never work, saying that one is always left out. That doesn’t mean that you never had misunderstandings, hence you always manage it before it gets out of hand.

So where are they when you need them?  Your legs are about to give up from squatting, hiding yourself in the bushes in order to escape Hirugami’s aggressive followers. You know you look stupid, but it’s better than to be chased by people, right? You checked your phone, seeing no reply from your friends made you want to cry. The text was an hour ago, meaning you’ve been hiding for an hour now. Just what on Earth are they so busy for that they can’t even check their messages?

You just wanted to go home, your mother and little brother, Yuki, are probably waiting for you. Classes ended two hours ago, so they’re probably concerned about your well-being already.  It’s been quiet for too long, so you decided to look up. No fans sighted. Contemplating on whether to just run towards the gate, or stay for a few more minutes until hopefully, a good friend finds you. You let out a deep sigh, about to risk it all when all of a sudden someone shouted your name. Letting out a yelp before looking up from your hiding place, you desperately prayed for your life. Only to see Yahaba Shigeru waving at you. Well, at least he’s close to what you’ve asked for?  Yahaba Shigeru, also a student at your university. A friend of a family friend. Oh, did I mention, an admirer of yours? 

He is handsome, not going to lie. But he’s not really your type. Yahaba is a calm and carefree guy, but also a show-off. If you’re given a dollar every time he pried your attention, you’ll probably become the richest in Japan.  “Hello, Yahaba-san.” You awkwardly greeted with a smile. Maybe after a few exchange of words, you’ll ask him to walk you to the gates. He probably wouldn’t mind, in fact, he’ll probably die of excitement.  “Are you hiding from Hirugami’s fans again?” He chuckled, making you flustered on how he caught up so fast. It’s no secret that you’re the university’s source of information regarding Hirugami. It was embarrassing. “I’ll walk you home, if that’s okay with you.”  Not wanting to turn down his offer, you instantly answered. “Oh, that’s kind of you. Sure.” You cringed a little for your fast response, he won’t think you’re eager to walk with him, no? You don’t really bat an eye at Yahaba, nor answer his advances. False interpretations of a friendly action would hurt a lot.  This won’t take long, I can do this. Standing up, you grabbed your things and walked towards him. He offered to take your bag but you politely declined, thus the fiddly walk begins. 

The stroll on your way home is noiseless, you were utterly astonished that Yahaba didn’t say a word while walking side by side. For far as you know, he isn’t like this; he always has something to say. You want to ask him how he’s doing, but too shy to do so. Your conversations are always one-sided, making you feel a bit bad.  Nevertheless, you’re thankful.  Relieved that your house wasn’t faraway from the university, you reached home in a span of minutes. You glanced at Yahaba after the both of you stopped walking, noticing that he’s already looking at you expectantly. Uh oh. You were afraid to ask him to enter with you out of respect, but he’ll agree no matter what. You just wanted to rest for now, unable to handle a guest in your current state.  “Onee-san!”  Thank God for Shibayama Yuki. Your eyes went from Yahaba to Yuki in a flash, looking at him with wide eyes. Begging to save you from this situation.  “We have a visitor. Hurry up, Mom’s waiting for you.” He said, bowing apologetically to Yahaba.  It took a lot of self-control to refrain yourself from smiling. Instead, you also bowed to Yahaba. “Thank you for walking me home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” You grinned and happily marched towards your house. The house you live in was a basic Japanese one, its build is similar to the other houses, considering that you live in a private subdivision. It’s also big enough for the three of you, and enough for family friends to stay in.  And it a nice house won’t compare to the family you’ve got.  Your mother is a strong woman, she raised the two of you alone. Worked hard to give you and Yuki a lovely home, three meals a day, and all the basic necessities a mother should provide. Anything you ask for would be given in less than a day, sometimes you think she’s spoiling you too much. But in reality, you know she just wants the best for the two of you. She’s amazing.  As for your brother, Shibayama Yuki, he’s a bit shy and gentle. He often likes to keep it to himself, but managed to have a friend. Yes, he has only one. It worries you but he assured that one true friend is enough. He’s also into volleyball, a very hard-working and determined “libero” of his team. Shibayama helps you in anyway he can, always acting as the older one by protecting you from the world. Conclusion, it was perfect. You consider this all as a blessing, you’re grateful for the life you have. Every once in a while, you question yourself on what you did on your past life to have a life like this.  Placing your shoes on the shoe rack, “I’m home.” You say out of habit and glided to the living room. You were greeted with a frowning mother and the visitor Shibayama told you about, having a serious conversation. “You’re here!”  “Yahoo!” Oikawa entered the chamber, immediately smacked by Iwaizumi for breaking the silence and made everyone flinch by his sudden appearance. “Iwa!” Oikawa whined, he doesn’t understand why Iwaizumi consistently hit him, and why he doesn’t ask him to stop either.  “Shut up, Oikawa!” Iwaizumi hissed. How can he be so slow-witted at times when he’s the son of Athena? “I just wanted to up the atmosphere!” Oikawa whisper-shouted. Iwaizumi only sighed, already used to his attitude.  Currently, the chosen deities for Zeus’ quest (minus Sakusa) are gathered together. They’ll be promptly briefed on what to expect, what to do, and their responsibilities to solve this problem before it grows.  This is the first time the deities encountered a major problem that needed the superior gods’ inclusion. Of course everyone will be terrified! Is Medusa’s daughter really dangerous? They don’t know anything about her, it’s safe to assume that she is.  And what’s more terrifying is that no one in the Twelve Olympians noticed a powerful aura in Earth. They’re watching humans from time to time, how is that possible? Is Medusa’s daughter more powerful than Zeus? That’s not possible. But then again, they live in a strange world with thousands of possibilities. Oikawa counted the amount of deities present in the room. Ten. He frowned, did someone refuse to participate in this quest? It should’ve been thirteen as far as he knows, and Sakusa is already in Earth. “Who didn’t chose one?” Eyes were landed to him.  There he goes again. Iwaizumi exhaled, Oikawa is rather weird. One moment he's bubbly and often tell cheerful remarks, next he's saying or asking confusing and alarming words.  “What do you mean?” Akaashi Keiji, son of Ares and Aphrodite, sent by war-god Ares, asked. He’s flustered by Oikawa’s sudden question, totally not understanding it at all. Akaashi is a soothing and composed god. He’s also blunt, calling out the deities on the foolish acts they do. He analyzes everyone and got a hold of their personality, but could never seem to know what’s going on in Oikawa’s head. “Kuroo is visiting Asami at the moment.” Kita Shinsuke, chosen by Demeter, answered. “As for the thirteenth representative, I don’t know either.” He added, also confused on why there’s only twelve of them. Kita doesn’t sugar-coat his words, making a lot of deities afraid to hear his comments. He is straightforward, giving precise answers only. He also does what needs to be done, no one can sidetrack him. His mature way of thinking resulted to him becoming one of Mt. Olympus’ pillars, everything he worked hard for will eventually lead to a something extraordinary, just like Demeter always says. “I heard Hephaestus didn’t send one.” Ojiro Aran, representative of Zeus, replied. Aran is also one of Mt. Olympus’ pillars, an intelligent and a fully-fledged god, that’s what he is. He often solve everyday problems in Olympus along with Kuroo, especially the twins’ mess. Aran is a very reliable god, he’s one of those superior gods everyone looks up to. People often compare him to Zeus, saying that he should ascend the throne as he is the best candidate for it.  “Isn’t that.. illegal?” Suna Rintarou, sent by Hades as a form of punishment from sneaking earlier, questioned. He’s a bit lazy sometimes, but also rebellious. Only he can do that. He appears to be a quiet and nonchalant god, but Suna is expressive to his thoughts; saying what he wants to say that often gets him in trouble. If only this wasn’t a serious situation, they would’ve laughed at Suna’s question. His comments are humorous.  “I asked Ennoshita about it, since he’s the son, you know? But he said Hephaestus didn’t say anything.” Sugarawa Koushi, son of Hebe and Hercules, chosen by Hestia, shared. Under his calm and gentle personality, he’s actually a mischievous god. Overall, he’s one of the helpful and kind gods, and one of Hestia’s trusted servants of Eophertia. The representatives chosen are mostly the ones who’ve passed a year or more after getting their blessing. The only ones that came from this year’s batch were Kageyama Tobio, son of Aphrodite and Himeros, dispatched by Aphrodite due to his formidable dedication, and Kunimi Akira, sent by Hermes and will act as the messenger between two worlds.

Not too long after Oikawa entered, the doors of the chamber opened again, revealing Kuroo Tetsuro in his glory. He walked with confidence, sitting in the center as he is “the son of Zeus and Hera.” 

“Finally, you’re here.” Komori Motoya, a descendant of Apollo but lives with Artemis, spoke. He was sent because he’s the only one who Sakusa talks to, and everyone likes him. A friendly and outgoing god who encourages a lot of deities. Who wouldn’t like him?  “Sorry.” Kuroo apologized. Short and straight-forward. “Asami’s doing well, if you’re wondering.” Kuroo is serious when it comes to conflicts in Mt. Olympus, but he’s usually a laid-back god who likes to provoke others.  It’s like the amount of tension lessened after what Kuroo said. They’re all dying to visit Asami too, if only she was placed in Eophertia, things would’ve been easier.  “Anyways!” Oikawa interrupted. “Do we even know where to search? There’s a thousand places on Earth! How would they expect us to finish this quickly?” He complained. Obviously pressured on the amount of expectations given to them.  “Agreed,” Kunimi spoke, pretending like his father doesn’t have anything to do with this. He could ask him, but he’s certain Hermes will just mess with him. “If the Twelve Olympians weren’t aware of a deity wandering on Earth for the past 18 years, what can we even do?”  “I think Sakusa already encountered one.” Komori announced. Glances were thrown on him. And a chorus of “what” and other incoherent words were followed. “I think! I’m not sure!” He shrieked, distressed at the stares he’s getting.  “Quiet down.” Athena suddenly engaged in the conversation. Everyone looked at her, confused at how she suddenly appeared in the chamber without anyone noticing. The power of a goddess. “Yes, we were informed that Sakusa Kiyoomi run into one, but he wasn’t sure. Still, we’ll start from there.” She declared.  “How..” Akaashi mumbled. But didn’t mind to continue it, at least they’ve got a good start.  “Where is it, Mother?” Oikawa asked. Cliffhangers are undoubtedly not his thing.  “Tokyo, Japan.” 

THE TWELVE REPRESENTATIVES

Ojiro Aran - son of Zeus and Mnemosyne.

Kuroo Tetsuro - son of Zeus and Hera. 

Iwaizumi Hajime - son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. 

Suna Rintarou - son of Hades and Persephone. 

Sugawara Koushi - son of Heracles and Hebe.

Kita Shinsuke - son of Demeter.

Kageyama Tobio - son of Himeros and Aphrodite.

Komori Motoya - son of Aceso. 

Sakusa Kiyoomi - son of Hygieia. 

Oikawa Tooru - son of Athena.

Akaashi Keiji - son of Ares and Aphrodite.

Kunimi Akira - son of Hermes. 

A/N: Hello! I wrote this instead of studying for my exams later, it’s a bit short but longer chapters will come :)) Forgive me if there are a lot of typographical errors, I was suffering from a writer’s block while writing this, I don’t know why. Notes, reblogs and comments are really appreciated! It motivates me whenever I read some reviews :D I’ll probably update again two days from now unless my brain acts up again. Please look forward for it.  If you have some questions or wanting to be added to the taglist (or chat with me!) please send an ask <3  Thank you for reading!

[extreme-technicality]

As much as it’s tempting to make Leo a memelord, I feel like it’s not exactly supported by his backstory. He’s been bouncing around from foster home to foster home for years, and he’s funny, sure, but that doesn’t mean he’s versed in internet culture the way a kid with a stable housing situation might be. As a result, his humor is a complex blend of whatever references he’s managed to pick up from pop culture, observations filtered through his ADHD Off-The-Wall Simile Converter, self-deprecating humor, and snarky insults. Leo is not a memelord.

Similarly, Annabeth isn’t a memelord, either, and not because she doesn’t have a sense of humor. No, she just never had the opportunity to connect to Internet culture. She ran away from home when she was seven and almost immediately found herself in CHB, where there is one(1) ancient fucking computer in the big house. For the next five years, she spent her entire time training to go on a quest and Prove Herself (at fucking seven, Chiron what the fuck,) so her mom would be proud of her (at fucking seven, Athena what the fuck). Her humor is more cynical and sarcastic, filled with references to old Greek legends and myths. Annabeth is not a memelord.

Jason probably isn’t a memelord for much the same reason as Annabeth. Ripped away from his family at two(2!!!) and plopped right into military service (which. hmmm. uncle rick wtf), and while I’m not actually sure how much tech New Rome would have (considering the fact that there’s an entire city as well as a college protected by Terminus, I kinda wanna say they would have to have Internet access), it would make sense for legionnaires to have limited access to the Fun Side of the Internet. Makes even more sense for a praetor to have even less access to the Fun Side of the Internet (if only because he would be too busy running an entire goddamn army of child soldiers, like really, where are the adults???? May I speak with someone over eighteen, please??????? Fuck. Anyway.). Jason’s humor would be reliant on the bits and pieces of Larger Internet Culture he’s picked up (he’s absolutely a Vine purist, you can rip that headcanon from my cold dead hands), probably Latin puns/wordplay, and fuck I’m so sorry I just got hit with the mental image of Jason staring Nico dead in the eyes and saying “Hewwo? Mistew Obama?” Jason is not a memelord, but he is meme nobility.

Hazel and Nico aren’t memelords in this decade. Seventy years ago, they would’ve had humor and references for fuckin days, but that was in the nineteen fucking forties. All the tech and references and Internet culture shit goes right over their heads, and Hazel for one is low key terrified by it all. (So is Nico, he just adjusts faster.) Neither of them know what TikTok or Vine are or what the fuck Loss is or what it means to lose The Game (ha gotcha >:3c), and if they were to get rickrolled they would stare blankly and say “that’s…a nice song????” It’s possible Nico might get it, by virtue of being in the 21st century longer than Hazel, but he also spent a good chunk of time in the underworld so. Safe to say, Nico and Hazel are not memelords.

Percy is probably not a memelord, and here’s why: Sally Jackson is an amazing mom and would’ve kept him away from the Internet/phones for as long as she could’ve before he found out he’s a demigod. Part of the reason they didn’t have phone/internet access would’ve been because they couldn’t afford it, but Sally stayed with Smelly Gabe specifically to mask Percy’s scent and hide him as best she could. She wouldn’t undo that by having a computer in their apartment that monsters (or worse…the Olympians) could use to track him. That, coupled with the fact that Percy kept hopping around from school to school for most of his life without a consistent friend group, means that he would be in basically the same boat as Jason: he knows Larger Internet Culture, but the day-to-day shift and growth of new memes would be beyond him. Percy is not a memelord.

Piper is a memelord. She might not know some of the more obscure memes or references on the Internet, but she knows far more than most of the Eight. She’s been on Vine, she’s been on TikTok, used Musically, and while she was still a “normal teenager” she definitely kept up with the trends. Few people on the Argo II can understand her references when she makes them, and her TikTok dances baffle and confuse just about everyone. Piper is a memelord.

Frank is not a memelord. Frank is the undisputed meme king of the Argo II. Before he went to Camp Jupiter he was low key TikTok famous, mostly for sick ass archery trickshots, but also for random bits of historical trivia and TikTok dances. He breaks into the Renegade whenever something startles him. Sometimes he also transforms into random animals and then attempts to do TikTok dances as an animal. It’s the funniest shit. Half the time Piper is furious she can’t get it on video, the other half the time she’s too busy laughing to care. Frank is the High King of Memes, Grand Duke of Dankness, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion and he pulls rank onboard to get the other legionnaires (Percy, Jason, and Hazel) to help him make TikToks.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk lmaoo

[stydiaeverafter]

Will you be my Valentine?

Summary: Everyone knows that Evan Buckley is not a fan of Valentine's Day, but with the help of his buddy Christopher, Buck has a change of heart.

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day to all the Buddie fans out there! This fluffy fic is for all of you. ♥

Read on ao3

***

It had been an ordinary day; nothing special, nothing unique as the team sat upstairs watching TV on a day that might've been a holiday. The one that Hallmark makes bank from. Yeah, Valentine's Day. Again, nothing special. And no, Buck wasn't bitter about it.

He had recently tried to get back in the field, the dating field, and it had been explosive...not in a good way. The kind where someone screamed, "Bomb!" and you went running in the other direction.

Not good.

Buck had recollected for days why on earth it had been such a disaster. The date itself hadn't gone poorly, but he realized he hadn't been ready. Dealing with himself and family drama was one thing, but his heart had felt icy.

However, as he saw Eddie walk into the room, he knew that wasn't exactly true, especially when Buck felt like he was melting.

See, this man had become the axis to every point on Buck’s scattered map of a life.

Buck wanted to ignore the feelings knowing damn well his best friend would never see him in that light, but the emotions were something he could never entirely ignore. The truth of the matter was this: Buck had had these feelings for Eddie Diaz for as long as he could remember, and it took almost dying in the building, talking to his therapist, a comment by firefighter TK, and going on a date for them to surface to realization.

What was a single, not so straight, firefighter to do in this situation?

Instead of figuring out that million-dollar question, he shot a shit-eating grin towards the guy, unable to control it even if he had wanted to, "Hey there, Eddie, you sure look chipper today."

"Well, of course," Eddie replied as he fixed his suspenders, not that Buck was looking, "it's Valentine's Day!"

Buck's eyes narrowed, "Since when did you become such a fan of this gruesome holiday?"

Hen glared at Buck and then smiled at Eddie, "Ooo! Are things going that well with Ana?"

Great. The question Buck really didn't want to have asked by the guy. Could they just not go there? Because honestly, that was another reason Buck had decided to go on a damn date in the first place.

After he had found out Eddie had felt a spark or whatever Chimney had told him after their encounter with Christopher's former teacher, Eddie had asked her out. Not that Buck had been jealous or anything, but he had decided maybe he too should get out and see what fishies were still swimming in the waters, even during a pandemic.

It had nothing to do with jealousy. Not in the slightest.

Buck realized while being lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Eddie's reply. Buck looked up at that ruggedly handsome man and waited for the response that would probably slice him into tiny pieces.

Eddie cleared his throat, "Um no. That didn't work out." When Hen and Chimney started to say, "aww..." Eddie shook his head, "No, no, it's fine. Truly. Miss Flores is a wonderful woman, just not the one for me." Buck's heart started fluttering in his chest, and was he mistaken in noticing that Eddie looked right towards him when he had said, not the one for me?

Was this Buck's hopeful heart playing games with him? Cue the Backstreet Boys: Quit Playing Games with my Heart.

"So then enlighten us, firefighter Diaz, why so cheerful on this day?" Chimney asked. "I mean, I have a wonderful love of my life and a baby on the way, but you don't see me jumping for joy because it's Valentine's Day."

"Which is a surprise," Hen replied, raising an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you, Chim?"

"Nothing! I just think this holiday is a corporate holiday that makes singles feel bad about themselves. Then the chocolate and card company make a fortune," Chimney responded, rubbing his head, "I believe love, true love, should be shown for 365 days."

Hen patted his back, "You're a good one, my friend. I'll give you that. Maddie is lucky to have you."

"Karen, too," Chimney said with a smile, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Okay, as much as I love what's happening with this bromance here, can we get back to the matter at hands, aka Eddie, and why he's so cheerful on this most hollow of days?" Buck exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, yes," Chimney acknowledged, "do carry on, Edmundo."

"Right," Eddie smirked, "Well, Christopher wanted it to be a surprise, but he made each of you a special Valentine last night. He got so creative. Our house looked like what I can only imagine the inside of Hallmark cards to look." He shook his head, smiling again, "Chris has been working hard on handwriting, building that strength in his hand and all. So he's bringing them by soon."

Buck's heart filled with so much joy he stood up quickly, "Seriously? Why didn't you say so sooner? Oh, my little buddy! That's too sweet."

"Yeah, so he should be around soon," Eddie looked around and frowned. "However, it's not decorated around here. Usually, Cap' goes all out."

Hen just shrugged sheepishly, "He and Athena took a few days off to be all lovey-dovey with each other."

"Okay, okay," Buck said, pretending to gag, "that's like my father you're talking about—let's not get into the details about their love life."

"I'm just saying that Cap' is usually the one who organizes the decorations," Hen replied, waving her hands. "You've seen how he goes all out for other holidays."

"Well, all I know is that Chris will be mildly disappointed when he sees it," Eddie sighed. "I'm going to run out and get some balloons and maybe some desserts real quick."

"I'll go with you," Buck instantly said. When all eyes went on him, he just smiled, "What, I can adapt to the holiday, okay?" They all knew he hated Valentine's Day, so Buck just laughed. "Well, if it's for my favorite little buddy, I can adapt. How about that?"

Everyone joined in, and Eddie nodded, giving Buck one of those rare smiles of his, "C'mon then, Buck. Let's try our best, but probably sad attempt, to make it lovey-dovey in here."

With Eddie smiling at him that way, that wouldn't be too hard to manage.

***

After two bags of decorations, treats, and an armful of heart balloons, Buck and Eddie made their way back to the station. They were laughing about this-and-that, as they always did, but Buck could feel the air around them changing. But perhaps Buck was the one who had changed, not them.  

As Eddie drove, Buck couldn't help but look at his best friend's beautiful features; it took his breath away, not for the first time, nor would it be the last.

"So, I'm sorry it didn't work out with the teacher," Buck said, unable to stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

"What do you have to be sorry about?"

"Isn't that what people say when something goes wrong?" Buck shrugged, feeling slightly stupid.

"Nah, man, it's cool. Nothing went wrong," Eddie looked over at Buck. "But like I said back at the 118, she wasn't the one."

Buck took a deep breath, "I just know you felt a spark for her and all..." Why was he pushing this further? Did he want to stab his own heart?

"Yeah, I think I was mistaken about who I was feeling that spark for..."

Eddie was smiling at him and then looked back at the road.

Okay, was this all in Buck's mind, or was Eddie talking about him?

"Besides, I heard your date didn't go too well," Eddie smirked as he gripped the wheel. "So should I be saying sorry?"

"You could say that, but nah, I'm not sorry about it," Buck replied, rolling his eyes. "Guess I'm not ready to get back out there. Not in the way I used to be." Because now all he wanted was his best friend—he was ready for that, Buck knew it. Eddie was different. He wasn't like anyone else. In some ways, in most, Eddie was Buck's other half. And as cheesy as it sounded, he completed Buck.

"Oh." The way Eddie had said the word turned Buck's head in his direction. Eddie looked slightly disappointed. "Well," Eddie added, clearing his throat, "you need to do what's best for you."

You're what's best for me, Buck thought, wanting to scream from the rooftops. After all, Buck had promised his therapist he wouldn't hide his feelings away, and the last thing he wanted to do was hide from Eddie. Still, fear of ruining their relationship held him back.

The outcome was like a box of chocolates, and to quote Forrest Gump, "You never know what you're gonna get."

***

After some decorating by the 118, Carla and Christopher finally made their way to the station.

Buck, luckily being in the Diaz family bubble, was able to give Chris a big hug. "Hey, buddy!"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Buck!" Chris said with a wide grin full of braces. Buck still couldn't believe how big the kid had gotten; he wanted to slow time down. "It looks perfect in here!"

"Very beautiful and festive," Carla said, blowing a kiss towards Buck and the others. "You all did well!"

Eddie smiled at Buck and nodded in appreciation.

"Looks a bit like a Pepto Bismo explosion," Chimney muttered, which brought laughter all around.

"You know you love it," Buck said as he put an arm around Chimney.

Chimney grinned, "You're right. I do. Just don't tell Maddie."

"The secret is safe with me." Chimney's eyes widened at the word secret, "Relax, Chim. No more secrets for you to keep." His friend blew out the breath he had been holding.

"Anyway," Eddie said, with a shake of his head, "Chris, why don't you show them why you came down here."

"Okay, dad," Christopher said, reaching into a large decorated Valentine's bag. "I brought you each a special Valentine." As everyone said a collective, "Awee," in response, Christopher looked pleased, which was all they wanted in the first place.

Christopher made his way to each person. Buck was last. Everyone was now talking and eating treats, so Buck took Christopher over to where it was a bit quieter.

"You're last because you're my favorite," Chris said, warming Buck's heart up, not for the first time.

"You're my favorite, too, buddy. Thank you!"

"Here's your Valentine," the little boy said, handing Buck a big pink, purple, and blue, wobbly-shaped heart. It was perfect.

Buck kneeled and opened it up and read, "To my Buck. I love you so much. You're my best friend in the whole wide world. Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Christopher."

This message meant the world to Buck, more than the kid would ever understand. Blinking away tears, Buck smiled, "Thank you, Christopher. I love it, and you." He looked down at the picture. "Tell me who's in the drawing here."

"Oh, that's you, me, and daddy, of course." He looked up and grinned at Buck, "My family."

In the drawing, they were all holding hands with a giant colorful heart above them. This drawing touched Buck in another way. They were his family, too—the one he had created. After all the crap with Buck's own family recently, this was the family that mattered. They were more real to him than his biological family would ever be.

There was also the fact he was in love with his best friend, but he would save those thoughts for himself. But his heart would always remain theirs and theirs alone, just like the picture captured.

"This means so much to me, Chris. Thank you."

"One more for you," the little boy added, reaching into his bag.

"Oh? From who?"

"From dad, even though it's a secret."

Buck's eyes widened as Christopher handed him another Valentine.

"Dad was showing me how to cut out the hearts, and then I told him he should make one," Christopher said. "He had already given me my Valentine, so I told him to make it for someone else that he loves, someone who's very special to him. So he made it for you."

Buck swallowed, and his hands began trembling as he held it. "Does he know you're giving it to me?"

Christopher shook his head, "Nope! But Valentine's is a time to spread love, so that's what I'm doing." He looked over at the celebration, "Why you look at it, I'm going to join the party, okay?"

"Ah, yeah," Buck said, lost in thought. "Go for it, kid! I can see a cupcake that's calling your name!"  

As Christopher hurried over to the sweets, Buck sat there by himself, looking at the heart in his hand. Finally, he opened the Valentine, and with a deep breath, Buck read:

Dear Buck,

Happy Valentine's Day! I know you don't care for this holiday any more than I do, but I'm sitting here with Chris while he makes his Valentine's and he told me to write it to someone special in my life. Well, you're someone special, you always have been. I wanted to say thank you for all that you do for us. You're not just my best friend; you're so much more. You are our family. We love you. Also, thank you for being an anchor in my life and never, ever giving up. I admire you more than you'll ever know.

With love always,

Eddie

Buck didn't realize he was crying until he saw a droplet fall onto the Valentine. In one hand, he had Christopher's card, and in the other, Eddie's. Both their hearts in his two hands.

Quickly wiping his eyes, Buck stood up and looked over at his best friend and the focal point of his life.  

Eddie was holding Christopher, and his son was smashing a cupcake into his face. Everyone was laughing and clapping, clearly enjoying the moment. Buck couldn't help but smile, too.

And right when Buck felt that immense love for the guy, Eddie glanced over at him and beamed. It was the smile that took your breath away.

Eddie took his breath away, always, and Buck wouldn't have it any other way.

***

Buck didn't know what he was doing, but hours upon hours staring at Eddie's Valentine brought him to the Diaz doorstep.

Before his nerves took him running in the other direction, Buck knocked lightly on the door.

Eddie opened the door wearing a green hoodie and black workout pants, his hair wet and tousled. He looked so beautiful that Buck's brain went on overload, short-circuiting out completely.

"Hey Buck, I wasn't expecting you tonight," Eddie said in surprise but still looking happy.

"Yeah, sorry, it's kinda late. I just wanted to say thank you for the Valentine."

Eddie frowned slightly, "What Valentine?" Buck held up the paper heart that Christopher had given him, and Eddie's eyes widened, "Oh, that one. Chris gave it to you?"

"He sure did," Buck said, and trying to lighten the mood, "I'm guessing you were waiting for that perfect opportunity to give it to me?"

Eddie smiled softly, "Well, yeah..."

"Who knew you felt this way for me?" Buck smirked, but he felt his heartbeat quicken in his chest when Eddie didn't add anything further. He swallowed before asking, aka jumping off the ledge, "Do you feel this way for me?"

Biting his lip, Eddie said, "Remember how I said I felt a spark, but it wasn't for Ana?"

Yes, Buck remembered; he couldn't get the thought off his mind. "Yes."

"Well, I realized the spark I felt was for someone else," Eddie breathed out in a whisper. He then looked up to meet Buck's gaze, "You."  

"You feel it with me?"

Eddie nodded, "Yeah, Buck, I do, every day." He ran a hand through his hair nervously, "I've known it for a while, I just didn't realize I was ready to move forward. However, a talk with Bobby helped me a lot. But then I also didn't think you were ready to date, let alone with a guy...me, so I tried with someone else, and it went exactly as I thought it would, nowhere."

Buck took a step closer on the porch towards Eddie, "Well, I'm not ready to date just anybody. But you're not anybody, Eddie."

"So...you feel the same?"

Nodding with a smile, Buck said, "Yes, I do." Then he admitted the truth, "I got jealous when you went on a date with Miss Flores, and I didn't understand why. It pushed me to try and date some random, but the whole time I wanted to be with you."

"I wish you would've told me that—I would have never agreed on a date with her."

Buck trembled, "I'm working on not hiding my feelings, but this is huge. I mean, how do you tell your best friend you're in love with him?" The declaration had come before even Buck had realized.

"You're in love with me?"

"I am, yes."

"Am I the first guy you've..."

"Felt this towards?" Buck asked. Eddie nodded. "Yes, that would be a yes. I didn't even realize...."

"That's okay, Buck, it's more than okay," Eddie smiled reassuringly, taking Buck's hands into his own, supporting him. "I realized it too, with you. You helped me through an awakening of my own, and I don't want to look back."

Buck felt as if he were floating, "Really?"

"Yes, Evan. I'm in love with you, too."

"So, where do we go from here?" Buck asked, holding on tightly to Eddie's hands, never wanting to let go.

"How about we start with the obvious," Eddie responded, gazing into Buck's eyes. "Evan Buckley, will you be my Valentine?"

Buck laughed, but his heart felt warm and light, "Yes, Eddie Diaz, I'll be your Valentine."

And as they sealed the first moments of their future together with a kiss, Buck realized Valentine's Day wasn't so bad after all.

[mochideleche]

You can’t keep away from fate | CH8

Pairing : Percy jackson x demigod!reader

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

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

contents page

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

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

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

“hahaha”  you replied

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You were preparing for war. 

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

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

...

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

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

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

On the island of ogygia he was conflicted. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

how did you even see him anyway? 

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

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

I made her upset, percy thought. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for the moral support, Percy thought. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

....

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

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

Percy rushed forward and jumped straight into battle. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

gods that was hot. 

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

Percy smiled, i love her. 

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

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

“It was nice fighting with you” annabeth said.

“Ditto” 

And they charged. 

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

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

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

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

Kampe was preoccupied with someone else. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then she exploded in a fine cloud of yellow dust. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Percy kissed you on the cheek. 

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

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

Suddenly a horrible sound resonated through the air. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

then you began to fall to the ground. 

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

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“i saw you talking to nico” 

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

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

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

You remembered your long talk with the son of hades. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“they don’t care” nico spat out.

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

Nico looked away, “it was a stupid decision”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What?” 

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

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

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

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

you punched percy, “shut up”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He nodded his head, “If you say so”

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

“Of course, princess” 

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“an oath to keep with a final breath”

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

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

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

“And foes bear arms to the doors of death”

Enough.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You nodded your head, “seven half bloods-”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Really? because it sounded like you meant that” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Hey percy!” 

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

“Annabeth I didn’t mean-”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He just hoped you hadn’t left yet. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

percy laughed, “it’s okay” 

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

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

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

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

BEEP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Percy!” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A smile cracked across your face, “idiot” 

Percy laughed as he finally let you go. 

BEEP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[notfeelingthyaster]

Imagine (Son of Hades! Percy; Godswapped! Big Three's kids (5/7) or (10/12)

House of Hades AU Pt.1 - Perseus' Journey

Hello! Before reading this, check on the masterpost - it's essential for the understanding of this. Read the warnings before proceeding. Leave reviews, suggestions, and good reading :))

Perseus falls for what it feels like hours - but he counts thirty minutes inside his head - it gives him time to think and plan.

He has his ax - his warhammer left behind in the ship, unfortunately - no food, an empty canteen, his very drained powers, and absolutely no way to get to the Doors. If all the monsters are leaving through the Doors, he could follow them. But how? Would they be able to smell him? How quick would the story of a demigod in Tartarus get to the ears of Gaea's army?

He would be hunted all the way through - and how many obstacles could he really cross?

Nothing in his body was broken - but, every few moments, he could feel himself flicker - absolutely drained. His priority should find somewhere to rest, if he even survives the fall.

Perseus doesn't want to think that way, but he can calculate it: he was falling for about thirty minutes now. 30min x 60 = 1800s; 1800s x 10 m/s² = 18000 m/s. Or 64800 km/h. Simple physics = he shall be a smudge at the bottom of Tartarus.

In fact, the free-fall itself should be enough to at least dislodge his internal organs. Why is Perseus still breathing anyway? Is his godly blood maintaining him alive?

If he survives this nasty fall, he can go to the river of fire - he spent enough time in the Underworld to know that the Phlegethon shall keep him alive - perhaps at a horrible price. It might stop him from ever speaking - the dead keep screaming in the Fields of Punishment forever - but he is not dead is he?

Perseus sees a river approaching - he can't summon the shadows to cushion his fall - these shadows are rebelling and he is too weak. He doesn't want to drown, but between the sharp stones and the water, he chooses the water. 

Perseus curves himself into a ball and hopes his heritage will protect him. It still hurts - he probably broke at least five ribs and his right leg feels weird - but he is alive.

The voices in the river are tempting - and Perseus is weak. But his fear of drowning and the sheer willpower of getting the fuck back to his friends is enough. He'll get back to the earth. He will get to his mother. The gods don't get to take this from him.

They took enough.

He goes after the fire river - the Phlegethon is never too far from the Cocytus, Dante was mightily wrong in his self-insert fanfiction - and everything hurts.

Percy cannot walk properly - his right leg is really messed up, all of it - and each breath he takes, he wishes he never fallen down this hole.

A selfish part of his mind wishes he had just... let Annabeth fall. But he knows that his heart wouldn't let it happen - he would die for any of his friends. For any demigods - this was never for the gods.

Everything is trying to kill him. The air is poisonous, the earth is shards of glass, the stones are scaly, the ground is too hot, but he still feels cold - like everything in this place is draining him. There's a giant infinite of nothing stretching over him - no sun, no ceiling, nothing.

The pit feels alive somehow. There's a weird pulsing every time he takes a step, and sometimes he trips on weird purple purulent bubbles. Everything is also so humid and slippery - it's like walking on dead fish.

He shivers - is the beginning of sickness and intoxication settling onto him. Perseus doesn't have the luxury to vomit - not here, not now. He doesn't have nutrients to waste. Perseus stop thinking about the place he is in - the less he knows, the best.

Perseus is half pushing himself through, before getting into the margins of the lava river and just drinking huge mouthfuls. It's awful - it burns his hands, his chapped lips, and all the way down to his stomach. He can feel the taste of ash and blood in his tongue, and wonders if his voice will be the same after this.

It's such a capricious thought that it makes him chuckle mutely. He is lucky if he survives to destroy the doors. It's a miracle if Perseus ever reunites with his friends - he would gladly do it without his voice.

The lava heals most of his injuries - the scars never leave. His leg is still a little wobbly - like he might fall any second.

After he fills his canteen, Arachne appears in all of her dastardly glory - and Perseus hates her. It's her fault he is stuck in this mix between the ninth circle of hell and Mordor. Another immortal being with a sense of superiority and a grudge against the gods. It's her fault, and Perseus wants her to suffer.

She deserves it - Perseus doesn't blame her for her grudge in the gods, but she took it out in them, in the demigods, in his people. At least he could take this opportunity to take this blight from the world for a while.

He kills her - slowly. He starts by cutting her legs - every time one reaches for him, he racks it off. Then, when it tries to run away - or better, roll away - he beheads it.

Because it's not a she. It's not a girl of Athens with a bad case of hubris - it's a monster. A monster created by Athena - and how fitting that the goddess created the monster who stomped her children for centuries in a search the goddess send them in. Wise, indeed.

He keeps limping to safety - is there even safety in this hellhole? Damn Arachne, damn Athena, damn Annabeth for wanting to prove herself to the bitch.

He loves Annabeth - not the way she possibly wants him to, but love nonetheless - but this. This is her fault. If not for her misplaced want for approval and immensurable hubris, they might as well be all in the ship now. But that was always his destiny, wasn't it? 

Child of Hades - might as well die in the depths of hell for those ungrateful bastards. Wasn't that what they did to his father? Cast him into hell - and isolate him forever from earth and heaven. They must be so happy, so glad that he is here, again dying for immortal beings that don't care.

He is going to get out. And then, he is going to punch every single god that he ever restrained himself from doing so: Dionysus, Mars Ultor, Venus Verticordia, Aphrodite, Bacchus, Juno, Hera, Ceres, Zeus, Jupiter, his father, Nemesis, Invidia, Athena. Every single one of them. He has a growing list.

He keeps limping - most of the time, he borders the stones that litter the margins of the fire river. Sometimes, he hides in the shadows of the cliffs - Perseus cannot waste his strength, and the more that he stalls the monsters to know he is here, the most he lives.He can't keep hiding for long. 

Three cyclops pass through him - the exact ones who tried to kill him in his first quest after the Bolt. They attack him - Perseus kills all three of them. It’s their fault too - they should’ve killed him before.

Ugly #1 tries to attack him alone - his hubris is his downfall. Perseus cuts both his arms before finally spilling his guts on the fiery ground. Ugly #2 and #3 go down together - both with their heads split open under his ax.

Perseus has no need for mercy. He has an objective - and no obstacle will stay in his way. He does meet Bob/Iapetus in the way - and is sad, because he has no space for morals here - righteousness will only get him dead in this wasteland.

The titan wants to join him - after he destroyed his life. He can't remember anything - not even here, on the motherland. How much of a dick can he be?

A big one, apparently, because he decides not to tell Bob anything. He doesn't have the raw strength to fight a Titan. He doesn't have his powers - not even his warhammer. It's just him, his ax, and a lot of firewater. And now, Bob and his war shovel. Perseus is not telling a titan that he helped murder two of his brothers and wiped his memory.

Bob tells him they are far from the Doors - that time passes differently inside Tartarus. When Perseus tells him, in a raspy voice that he barely recognizes, that he's been here for almost a day, the Titan disagrees - he might've been here for an hour or a week, maybe more, maybe less. There's no way to know.

They keep walking. The titan's aura is almost enough to keep them safe, but some monsters don't care. Perseus kills two empousai, four carnivorous sheep, and a spartoi - what wonderful flashbacks. Bob kills thrice as much.

They stop to rest in a cave at a secluded part of a cliff. Perseus is unable to sleep - what if Bob remembers that he is not Bob and decides to kill Percy in his sleep? What if they are attacked? What if this poisonous ground swallows him when he closes his eyes? 

So he curls around his ax, with his back to the wall, and keeps his eye on Bob. Bob ends up talking to him - even if Perseus doesn’t think he can talk back - about Persephone's garden and the bloom of pomegranates on the cold of winter nights.

It’s wishful thinking, but Perseus wants to be thirteen again, scrolling through the underworld gardens barefoot, hand in hand with Kore. He remembers the smell of her hair and the curve of her lips, and the way the flowers purred under their joined fingertips. She was the first to touch him - besides his mother - and that he didn’t fear destroying.

The walls are covered with some viscous substance. He doesn't think much about it - the more he thinks, the more he sees. And he doesn't want to see.

They leave when a caravan of monsters pass - and Percy muses if he was able to close his eyes for even ten minutes. They crawl through small passageways and climb walls that feel like ice and fire for what it feels like a week - it's impossible to know. 

Perseus is collecting scars - the river of punishment heals him, but he can feel them under the rags he is using to cover himself. A hellhound left a cut across his face, and he wonders if he'll look like Luke now. His right leg is still acting up.

Seconds could be millenniums and centuries could be hours. The two of them rest five times - it’s how Percy is counting the time.

The war hasn't been won. But the monsters keep reforming and walking in the same direction as them, so they also haven't lost yet.

They find a cat - a skeleton saber-tooth tiger, because this is the place for happy memories - and it just keep following them. It reminds him of Blackjack - and he doesn't have the heart to kill it.

Percy wonders if any of his friends are dead. He wonders if he’ll ever be able to fight for his friendship with Annabeth, if he’ll ever joke with Leo, mess Hazel’s curls, get scolded by Will, or teach Piper math.

He wonders if he’ll ever ask Jason to teach him how to swim to get over his fear of drowning, ask Nico the rules of Mythomagic or simply talk quietly with Frank again.

He wonders if he’ll ever get to choose a college, if he’ll ever see his friends and tell them how much he loves them again. Percy wonders if he’ll ever go on a date, see cheesy movies, have his first kiss with a boy.

He wonders if he’ll ever taste his mother’s cookies again. He misses the warm touch of the sun in his skin, and the days he didn’t survive on lava and sheer stubbornness.

They meet the Arai in a cliff - and Perseus cannot stop killing them. The first curse that falls upon him it’s dust, choking and strangling him - like so many enemies that he let the earth devour. Then the blindness - the same he inflicted in Hyperion with his shadows - and his feet turn to lead - Hercules. One after the other, all the monsters that he killed get their comeuppance - Perseus does not regret any of them.

One of the curses, however, doesn’t come from a monster or an enemy - it’s from Lee Fletcher. His heart aches with loss, a suffering Perseus doesn’t feel in a long time - depression, his punishment for killing Michael Yew.

Perseus regrets it - he also regrets Bob, who stands aside and does nothing to interrupt his suffering. Perseus doesn’t blame him - perhaps he would have done the same, have their positions been reversed.

He feels his blood boil - his body hurts with the pains of the injuries he inflicted through the years - and he knows Phineas’ curse will be the one which finally takes him.

Suddenly, Bob helps. It’s Kore who interceded in his name - the only deity who never failed him. But it’s too late - he doesn’t feel pain anymore. It’s a sign - a sign that he is going. 

He is glad Bob wiped the Arai - at least now, he can go in peace. In the middle of his haze, he looks around and finally understands what he is blocking and denying since this journey started.

Tartarus is not a place. Tartarus is the personification of everything bad - and it’s horrifying in such a level he closes his eyes - he doesn’t need his last moments to be a nightmarish landscape.

Percy can feel himself flicker. Since coming here, he wasn't able to use his powers well. Now he knows is probably because the "ground" is no ground, and he can't travel in the shadows, because the shadows are corrupted. Because this is beyond his father's domain, beyond the gods.

He closes his eyes and imagines Elysium - the children that fell in the first war. The soldiers of the Twelfth Legion that died to protect their home. Michael Yew, Castor, Silena, Bianca, Ethan, Charles. They are waiting for him on the other side.

If he dies here, does he even get to go there? What happens to demigods that die in the dark lands of monsters? Did he get to die? Or was he a part of this now? Would he reform eventually?

Bob is carrying him somewhere. He tried to force-feed him lava - but Perseus could have told him it wouldn’t work. There’s a limit even to magic rivers.

He must have passed out, because when he opens his eyes, he is in a gigantic bed, in a place he doesn’t recognize. Percy looks through the window. It’s not Camp, not Nova Roma, not Argo II - and definitively not Elysium.

The air is red and green and he can see the fires burning at a distance, the mountains of the body he is walking. He is still stuck in Tartarus.

Did he reform? Was Iapetus able to save him? How much time did he stay asleep? Where are they? Percy is pretty sure a house is not part of the Tartarus package.

The demigod tries to sit up, but something is weird. He looks down, and where his full right leg once was, now lies a half-metal one. 

Perseus can see gears turning, the places where the bronze meets black. When he tried to lift it, it answered as if that is his own - even the same weight. His mid-thigh is still meat and bone - but the rest isn’t his.

He touches his knee - knocks into it, twice. It's hollow and clangs like metal, but somehow, he can feel it. Perseus tries to detach it: impossible. Little tubes seen to stick in his upper tight.

Bob is outside - he is talking to someone. He enters the room, but Perseus doesn't see who is.

Bob - or, well, Iapetus - tells him that the weight of his earth-related curses, plus the sheer blood that he lost, was too much for his already damaged leg, the bone broken in at least five or six parts and an infection settling in. He wouldn't survive the fever - so the titan had to cut it off.

"When the Labyrinth fell, it fell here, leaving junkyards everywhere. There's one that is too close to the Mansion of the Night, so almost no monster goes there. Me and our host, we are no monsters - so we go there sometimes. We found a leg for you - from a mechanic body marked as Sextus."

Sextus - where had Perseus heard something similar? Oh, that's right. Quintus. He was wearing the prototype of Daedalus next body, that he never got to use because Percy freed - banished - him to the Underworld.

He says he adapted it a little - it was too short for Perseus, so they needed to bastardize an arm to make the socket a little bigger - and connected into his thigh.

"It was a pretty simple process - this version is advanced enough that the tubes connected themselves, we just had to put a little fuel. It will be like your own leg."

Percy wants to scream. This is not his leg. He wants this leg out, now, and his leg back. It feels wrong. Dead - he can see little tubes not unlike veins, but there's just lava running on them.

So this is what Daedalus used to fuel himself - the waters of Phlegethon, damned waters to fuel his damned life.

This is just a nightmare - how is he going to survive this without a limb? Will he be able to walk? Fight? Run?

But his voice escapes him - Percy is still too damaged from the lava. His scars itch - they are of a pale red, and he has all kinds of them. He must be a terrible person to attract such curses - the weight of Lee's curse was removed from his chest, but not his mind.

The neural connections in this must be pretty good, because he is able to feel when his "foot" touches the ground. It takes him a few minutes to readjust - bit it's just like nothing happened.

But it did. That's not his leg. That's not his limb - that's alien. It feels and it walks and it works even better than his old messed up right leg - but at least the messed up right leg was his.

Perseus has no need for limping now - but as he looks at his first mirror since this started, he staggers.

His whole body is mapped by white and red scars that mix with keloids - a jumbled mess of raised patches and ugly patterns. In his face, there's a scar just like Luke's - from his forehead to his jaw, crossing his left eye.

Perseus puts on his ragged shirt - he hates the scars on his chest - but he looks at his eye, and thinks it suits him - it's a mark of betrayal, of the gods' abandonment.

His hair is no longer the short curls he gained while in Nova Roma - now it's a big dirty mess that Percy can't cut or do anything about, so he just bundles it up on the top of his head, out of the way.

Jeez. He is a mess.

Everytime Percy takes a step, his "foot" clangs against the floor. He tugs his semi-destroyed shoes in, and goes with Iapetus - to meet their misterious host.

It turns out not all giants are bad - of course, Perseus thought that Damasen shouldn't be the only exception - Porphyrion, the one Jason fought, should've been so different. Enceladus too - wasn't Athena a goddess of war?

If they are supposed to be their complete opposite, why Ephialtes and Otis were all for parties? Why was Porphyrion just as arrogant as Zeus, why was Polybotes able to raise tides and shake the ground?

Perseus doesn't trust Damasen. He might be the "gentle" giant. But he could - easily - kill a drakon everyday. Maybe he first killed the drakon to help a girl - Moira was her name - but doesn't change the fact that he is able to kill a drakon.

He is grateful for the leg - grateful, even if a grudge is clawing it's way to his heart with the force of a thousand suns - so Perseus thanks the giant, drinks the broth of drakon meat, and rests.

They stay there for a while - Perseus doesn't count time well. Damasen does not seem really happy to let him stay - but Iapetus has some hold over him. He tries to convince the giant to fight for them, but for no result.

Damasen tells him that, while Gaea locked him here, he would never get accepted by either side - the gods would never let him live between them. He has no reason to pledge his loyalty to anyone.

Iapetus/Bob and him sit together. It doesn't feel like forgiveness when the titan finally talks to him. They talk about Zoe Nightshade and Calypso of Ogygia, and the stars above. The titan tells he misses it - his family, his granddaughters - he calls them little stars, because of their father.

Perseus doesn't talk much about their sorrows - he focuses on the way Zoe was determined on doing everything for what she believed on, and Calypso's cunning mind and sweet words.

Iapetus doesn't forgive him - But he does tell Perseus he has a plan.

Apparently, he cannot cross the army of monsters being a demigod - he would be dead in seconds. He only survived up until this point because of his connection to the Underworld.

So Perseus needs to find Akhlys - the goddess of misery - and get the Death Mist, something to shroud him from everything trying to kill him.

Even Damasen's helpfulness has an ending - when Polybotes comes after vengeance, Iapetus helps Perseus run away - with just his rags, a canteen of firewate, his ax and his new leg.

He hates his leg. It answers almost like it's his, and he can walk almost perfectly with it, and when they had to stop and fight a cyclops, it didn't stop Perseus.

But he hates it. Percy wants himself back. He wants out of this desert and doesn't think there's a single good feeling inside him anymore.

But he has to keep going, keep walking. For Nova Roma. For the Camp. For Reyna, Malcolm, Will, Frank, Jason, Piper, Hazel, Leo, Nico, Connor, Alabaster, Grover, Bob, Clarisse, Paola, Annabeth, Rachel, Persephone, Kore, his mom.

Perseus' stomach rumbles with hunger - he grew too comfortable with the drakon's meat stew in his stomach and the rough blankets beneath him. He got too pampered - time to go back to the hot shards of something beneath his cheek and the taste of fire in his tongue.

Now, at least, he can sleep a little - when he is not plagued by nightmarish visions of what he can now see, or of his friends dying because he is stuck here and unable to help. If Iapetus hasn't killed him until now, it's very improbable that he will.

He keeps muttering to himself - Reyna, Malcolm, Will, Frank, Jason, Piper, Hazel, Leo, Nico, Connor, Alabaster, Grover, Bob, Clarisse, Paola, Annabeth, Rachel, Persephone, Kore, Sally - a chant for hope that never stops. Their names sound bad in his tongue - like he is corrupting them.

The closest they get to the goddess house, the more miserable he gets - Hazel, Leo, Nico, Connor, Alabaster, Grover, Bob, Clarisse, Paola, Annabeth, Rachel, Persephone, Kore, Sally - as if he should just stop hoping, stop yearning.

He'll never leave this Pit - Alabaster, Grover, Clarisse, Paola, Annabeth, Rachel, Persephone, Kore, Sally - he'll die here. If not for the names that keep him going, Percy would just drop down. Stay there, become part of this forest of desolation.

Iapetus can't follow him into misery's lair. The titan has no need for death mist - he can take the direct path to the monsters that wait in the Doors.

So they part ways - Iapetus goes back through the Central Wasteland, and Perseus goes forward - into the Poison Meadows of Akhlys.

Perseus sees the goddess of misery - and thinks she looks the part. She and her shield - Hercules' shield - crying eternally.

She denies his request - but he taunts her. Is she just a minor goddess? Wouldn't she want the Tartarus to be filled with wails of the monsters, unable to go out for decades at a time?

Akhlys agreed - but Perseus wasn't sure. She was a little too eager - not something you want from a primordial goddess based on feelings. Elemental gods are so much easier.

And she was too poison-happy for Percy's liking. The way she smiled, fat tears and snot running down her face didn't impress him though: every time he looks around he sees this convoluted primordial of hell and was two minutes off snapping, so.

Rachel, Persephone, Kore, Sally.

Everything around him was wet and disgusting - like most of Tartarus. Maybe being the habitat for thousands of your children isn't the highest of body care.

They stopped near the void, the emptiness stretching beyond him as sure as nothing was above him. He could feel it pulling at his soul - did he even have a body? Or was he just smoke now?

Somehow, his metal leg clung onto him. His ax didn't fall from his hand, although he felt like the weight of the sky was again in his shoulders - he felt at the same time, eighty years older and as if he was nothing at all.

Death always clung at him - he was a spawn of Hades, a hellish being. Perseus always ran cold - and some people, the ones that thrived on life, couldn't get close to him without shivering. But this - this is what death felt like.

Not being dead - being dead can be either peaceful or eternal torment - this is the permanent state of death. Like he is just about to die, but there wouldn't ever be a release.

Persephone, Kore, Sally

Under him, there was Chaos and Nyx - the two primordials that formed the world. How many of those never leave this pit, never got their cults advanced, and were reborn in between the gods above?

Hecate, Nemesis, Eros, Eris, Morpheus, Hypnos, Geras, the Moirai, all of them, dwindling between the Olympians. Did they laugh at their stupid dominions over physical mattters - while they manipulated the world like puppeteers?

For how many times the arrows of love touched the immortals? How many decisions were made under the influence of dreams or vengeance? How many fates did the Fates decide in the strings of their tapestries?

Erebus - the eternal darkness. That is what is lurking above them. Perseus sneaks a lookup - and he can see curves of a person where should be nothing, the points of sharp teeth - it scares him far more than Tartarus.

Akhlys wants to kill him - Percy is not actually shocked. Everything in this Pit is trying. He tried to slash at her with his ax - but his ax was smoke, and Perseus has a very bad control over spirits, so it's to no surprise he was awful at controlling his own spiritual form.

Akhlys advances on him - and, conveniently, she can hurt him. He dodges as much as he can, but inevitably, she caught up to him.

She gives a swipe at his metal leg, her hands are around his neck - the goddess of misery is trying to suffocate him with her poisonous claws. Perseus hates suffocating.

"Stop... P-Please..."

Kore, Sally.

"Misery doesn't stop, misery is everything you'll ever know"

Perseus can't do much, but as he fights back, he feels it - in the bottom of his stomach, a pulling. The same pulling he uses to open the earth and to summon skeletons, coming from Akhlys.

Then, he touches her.

And Akhlys screams.

Perseus can feel the pulling, the way her immortal life is trying to stay in her body - but he pulls harder and harder.

"Please... Please stop."

She is aging under his eyes - he can take everything from her. Perseus is death - and life has touched him. He wants her to suffer. He wants to see how miserable Misery can be.

"Decay is inevitable, decay is everything you'll ever know."

Around him, the poisonous plants thrive, bloom to full beauty. Under him, Akhlys never dies - she shrivels, wailing as he begs him to stop.

But Perseus is death and life. Perseus is decay - he can take and take and take, and leave only an empty husk behind. He would never stop - he would destroy everything in his path, in this wasteland that he was sent to die by Fate.

Sally.

It's his mom's name that brings him back to reality. He jumps off the shriveled corpse-looking goddess and scrambles backward as she scampers away.

Perseus doesn't know how much time he passes there, in between the garden of poison, looking at his hands and shivering. He became what he feared the most: his touch is poison.

It's been many years, but Percy wants his sweaters and his gloves back. He wants to be covered, so no one will ever touch him again - he wants to cut his hands off. He is dangerous.

A deep, dark part of him wants to kill - what is the difference if he kills them by decay or with a stone spike? They would be dead either way.

Maybe he belongs here - he muses - maybe he became a monster, just like the ones he killed. Maybe he would just die and reform here, eventually.

Is he even a person anymore? With his metal leg and destructive skin - how much of him is god? Can he decide the fate of life - is this his heritage?

He hates himself, this situation, this life. The poisonous flowers flourish under his fingertips - and he wonders if he touches a daisy, it'll shrivel and die just like Akhlys.

But he traded a goddess for another, for who would appear other than Nyx. Perseus tricks her - says that he is making a map of Tartarus, for his father, but that she isn't really in the itinerary.

Nyx doesn't believe in his lie - she is a primordial goddess, not an imbecile. He calls her minor goddess, however, and that's enough to get her mad: hubris is a failing of most deities.

She gets mad, invokes her children to kill him - of which Perseus knows quite a few and would prefer if he didn't. So he starts talking - a way of stalling them - and promptly proceeds to try and make her tell him which one of them is the worst.

The children of Nyx - all with terrifying metaphysical dominions - start an enormous fight - which is enough for him to slip through with closed eyes - one is not supposed to look at the Mansion of Night.

He runs - and he feels them behind him. Their powers can't affect him - he is almost dead after all - but they are gods - stronger and quicker than him.

But Perseus prays and he runs, using the stone under him to propel his feet. He feels like he is running for years when he finally reaches the end of the hallway - finally on the margins of the Acheron.

The son of Hades hates water. But worse of all, he hates water that remembers him of his failures. Michael Yew, Silena, Charles, Ethan, Luke - his fault. Their blood is in his hands. He made Misery miserable - he should jump.

He doesn't. The Nyx cavalry wakes him up from this display of guilt and regret - it's a breakdown he had way too many times in Tartarus, and he is not doing this now.

Perseus uses a stone to propel himself over the River - his adrenaline making him soar through the air. He falls on the other side of the water - and doesn't break anything. He can't - he is made of smoke.

Bob - definitely Iapetus now - has his memories back. When they meet again, it's closer to the doors - who are being watched by glowing Hyperion and Krios - the titan Jason killed.

By the time they reach the Doors, all the Gigantes have returned to the mortal world - or at least, it's what Bob tells him. Even the giants they already killed - here they are again, making a mess.

Perseus tries to be sneaky - but there's no sneaky way to subtly destroy the chains that hold the Doors in hell. The monsters almost don't notice him.

But Tartarus centainly does.

And if he thought seeing Tartarus was bad - well, actually seeing him in his interim is way worse.

Tartarus has the skin he's been walking for who knows how long - slimy and greyish - with red eyes and a vacuum-like face - he seemed to suck the life out of them.

He attacks Perseus - calls him an intruder, tells him that he cannot freely walk him. Perseus wants to scream - He didn't want to be here either! This wasteland took his voice, his leg, his humanity. It took everything from him!

Unexpectedly, Damasen comes to his rescue, having tamed the Maeonian drakon. Bob uses his shovel to do the same - while Small Bob stays around Perseus' heels.

"It's your time to save the world, demigod. This is not the last sacrifice in the war you're raging against Gaea."

Percy enters the elevator. Bob stays to hold the button - he can't take him upside like they talked about. Damasen can't come - they'll die so Perseus can go save the world.

"Twelve minutes. Take Small Bob with you. Don't let them kill him - tell the stars I said hello."

So he starts going up. Perseus holds the Doors firmly shut as he looks at himself - a mechanical leg, a skeleton tiger in his ankles. He wonders if he'll make it upside. If part of him won't ever leave Tartarus - if when he dies, is there he'll appear.

The Elevator shakes - once, twice. Maybe he'll die here. Maybe it's better than what he is going to face when the doors open - it's definitely better than what he left behind.

He doesn't think about Bob and Damasen dying behind him, for him - he doesn't think about it at all.

The doors finally stop. He is not sure twelve minutes have passed - maybe it was less, maybe it was more. Perseus thinks this is it. He is not ever coming out. He walked the whole Tartarus, faced horrors far beyond any mortal ever had to, to now die because of doors.

Then he sees the light, and just let the doors go. Perseus takes one look at them - he can see at least two people and a giant - and takes one step out.

He breathes - ozone, oxygen, pure air - and then passes out, crushed under the sheer pain of life.