#titles from epic the musical

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

Hyping up for SBCW because it starts a week from tomorrow!

Spoilers, meaning the prompt(s) I've chosen, respective chapter titles, and a sentence, for my writing ahead; you've been warned!

~~~

When Does A Man Become A Monster?

May 12th

Prince/Choices

"I Am Your Darkest Moment"

"Callum forced himself up, grabbed his staff and slung his bag over his shoulder, and dropped the coin through the grate in the cell floor."

~

May 13th

Snakes/Power

"How Much Longer 'Til the Snake Breaks Free?"

"It was scarier still how high he'd let the [death] counts rise given the circumstances of a situation."

~

May 14th

High Mage/But Rayla Was In Trouble/Mirrors/Magic

"I'll Become the Monster, Like None They've Ever Known"

"So it was fine, even if he didn’t look in mirrors anymore, even if cleaning out Viren’s old office was suddenly easier, even if visiting dignitaries wouldn’t speak to him, even if his in-laws (well, really just Runaan) hated him even more now."

~

May 15th

As the Ocean is Deep

"Brace For a Storm, the Likes of Which We’ve Never Seen Before"

"But the ocean was perhaps the best place for secrets; deep, dark, and once something was lost down there, it was never coming back."

~

May 16th

Ruthlessness

"Close Your Heart, the World is Dark and Ruthlessness is Mercy"

"The years of fighting, wars waged and damage done, and even all the years of unraveled friendship came down to… this."

~

May 17th

You Mean Everything To Me

"I’d Rather Bleed For You, Down On My Knees For You"

"'Sometimes, there’s no choice but to perpetuate the cycle.'"

~

May 18th

N/A (yet); I'm stumped, y'all.

* 5/7/24 update: Writer's block has broken! But these are all going to be very tentative, not cemented yet; just something to keep in mind!

* Darkness/Light

* "The Blood On Your Hands Is Something You Won’t Lose… All You Can Choose Is Whose"

* "The stupid list that had been mental, because ironically, knowing everyone who had hurt her brought some kind of sick, twisted comfort, but Callum had apparently been keeping track of all the names in red underline."

[monowritestoomuch]

I have the urge to write a Hamilton PJO au but instead of Hamilton being Percy and it being set in the modern day, I want to make it regular chb set in the 1700’s-1800’s with that timeframe’s overall vibe but make Hamilton and the crew all teenagers—

I think it’s a good idea 👍

[alexbutrandomthoughts]

Dunno about you guys but my ass actually teared up when i saw Telemachus being referred to as "warrior of the mind"

[cosmicourple]

Ok but Odysseus as the god of Puppeteering & Mind of Shadows would completely flip the story on its head. I imagine that in order to topple the gods, he’d want to do it without arousing suspicion because what kind of puppeteer would he be if he was discovered right away? So he played it sneakily. When he catches Athena’s connection, he already has her snared in his trap, a connection made that he can pull back on when the time is right. I’m not sure if he’ll still be connected to Hermes or the lost deity’s powers had overwhelm and erased it but he and Hermes will eventually meet. He does love Penelope and hates how he can’t tell her who he really is otherwise someone might catch him and ruin everything but he does put protective blessings on her and his son who might have inherited his powers, he’s gonna seal that up real quick until the time is right.

As the Trojan war comes, Odysseus played it cool but secretly made connections to the gods that appear whenever they made themselves known like Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo and Artemis. The only exception was Zeus due to him being more powerful than the rest and while he did have to drop the baby, he did save him and leave him to his minions who I imagine are puppets he made. Every death during the odyssey, Odysseus secretly saves them and puts them in his pocket dimension because of his attachment to them. When Athena leaves, he’s saddened but disappointed; I feel like a part of him wanted to give the gods a chance but after Athena left, he no longer saw any good in them and what’s going to be a divine invasion would be considered justified. He thought Athena could change, but he supposed that he was wrong…

From there, it becomes much more easier to manipulate now that Athena isn’t watching him. He knew that by revealing his name, he’ll draw Poseidon’s attention where he can make a connection using their hatred towards each other as the basis so that it can click. He’s not someone who can see prophecies like Apollo, rather he knows what to do to make things play out how he wants. He does want to go home, but the deities were getting impatient so off to Scylla he goes where he lets her eat sirens instead. Mutiny happened and while it did hurt, he never blamed his crew because he understood them and finally… He encountered Zeus. Helios was actually his target but he’ll take the top god and other ways of persuasion him to form a connection using lust. He even learns some unexpected things from the king of gods which he files away for another time due to how they made his chest feel weird.

And with that, everything is in place and soon, he’ll no longer be Odysseus. It’s like the song ‘The main character’ but in a more tragic light; as much as Odysseus loved living as a mortal, he can’t be seen as human. He’s the vessel of the forgotten deities’ anger and it’s either he fails, gets taken/hurt by the Olympian gods never to see his family again, or finally put his plan into action. He thinks himself as a puppet ironically, after all he was created to bring ruin to the gods, much like how Pandora was made to give a punishing gift to humanity.

So, he pulls the strings, ignoring the squeeze in his heart as he turns away from Zeus and wonders if Penelope could forgive him for what he’s doing.

*snorts this world building like dwugs :3*

On a less weird note: NHHDWGYHHHFHHGGFFF— YAS!1!!!1!! OMG ODYSSEUS W/ ALL HIS BEHIND THE SCENES GLORY AHFDDEWWSSSS EEEEEEEE THIS LOOKS SO FUN‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

If I’m gonna dissect some things,,,, :

#1: auhhhh u put the Last Minute Titles I made 4 Ody’ to good use 🤩🙏 him analysing his situation so to not cause suspicion is very him, AWBGAS him establishing ‘connections’ to The Gods, probably to manipulate them by info access but also maybe these Connections r like invisible Magic Strings that Odysseus can use to weaken them when, as u put it, the time is right AKA Dimension Invasion Time omg ouggggg— either way, very kool <33.

I still think he’d have some DNA-related connections to Hermes, it mostly being there too give him a base 4 when he accesses his Godly Form :) (in my mind, Ody’ was sent into This World as a Little Shadow Blob, the first form he took was when he incarnated as Ithaca’s Newborn Prince :33)

Cries, he loves his wife & son no matter what, makes it even more of a shame about wha he’s suppose to do hehe hmmm *pockets Telemachus w/ Otherworldly Deity Genes 4 later*…

#2: ohohoho— The Trojan War spat got no idea who it’s actually helped :),,,

Awwwgffdddfes— Ody’ saving lil’ Astyanax n spiriting him away 😭😭😭 (along w/ everyone he’s attached to :() oh how he couldn’t resist to raise that kid :’) + omg mindless puppet looking shadows as Ody’s’ minions / ‘Eikon’ (I think that’s how u use the word when referring to a false being created by a God??? Idk??-) is *chefs kiss* those sound like such badass things to wield ngl-

*wince* ouwwwww, My Goodbye sounds so awkward but also funny in a kinda sick way in this scenario bc- Athena is arrogantly yelling at Ody’ to do some shit & then there’s Odysseus of Ithaca over here existing as The Nuclear Weapon Mastermind of some spiteful dying Universe LMAO—- 😭

Ouch, Ody’ wanting to be at least somewhat fair, give The Gods a chance thru observation but then Athena lets her pride get in the way & now their fate of getting fucked over is permanently sealed ooooooo— just one less argument Athena, just one less argument is probably all it coulda’ taken 😙,,,

#3: everything falling into place as the story goes on, The Gods none the wiser to what is on the horizon…

Lmao, Odysseus wanting to go after Helios makes me think of that meme where it’s a guy pointing a shotgun at the sun GTHHAAGL😭😭😭

Ohohohohook— there we go >:]]] glad 2 see that the Manwhore thoughts r sprinkled into every one of my A.U’s :3

But now, along w/ the Blender Timeloop A.U, with angst!1!!!1!11

Idk if I’m reading dis wrong, but those ‘unexpected things’ from Zeus sound like The Godking catchin’ feeeeelss~~ hehe oh the dramaest drama *rubs hand together evilly*

Also yep- Odysseus already got a lot on his plate, so that is def something he’s want to deal with,,,,later.

#4: ah Character Feeling Way 2 Attached To Their False Identity But Very Much Needing 2 Let It Go, one of my fav tropes 😏

Speaking of character tropes: THE MAIN CHARACTER BY WILL WOOD LET’S GOOOO— ouuuuu- yes, that’s such a good song 4 Ody’ here <D✨ (mostly bc I just luv the song) & OUUUUUHHHHH—- in general, the pain of having to fulfil his purpose as a infiltrator / virus- 🥲🥲🥲 love that angst 😋.

Yeah,,,, The Lore I’ve made in my mind paints Odysseus’s whole- thing, existence very tragic, but that’s what The Greeks were all about so, still fits nicely w/ the usual cruelty in their stories !!

Bringing up The Other Deities as I’ll now call them, while their objective of reviving their Universe thru the equivalent of seeking a rat into a land owners papers is gonna be very, very disruptive to Greece’s current economy, I never rlly thought of them as. Bad. Morally grey, absolutely if not as well a bit sympathetic, but never rlly. Bad. A few of them even learn to care 4 Ody’ as they observe him growing up <), still pushing their goal onto him n guiding him to fulfil his purpose, but they also make sure to treat him as a person. A young person that needs to be nurtured. (mostly 4 the plan to work out smoothly but there’s some care 4 their infiltrators wellbeing,,,)

Despite all of this, Ody’ is still not having a great time dealing w/ everything,,,, obviously. It’s a pretty morbid way to live.

#5: plan getting set into motion ohohohehe- here comes The Drama + unnecessary All Powerful Odysseus lmao :’)

Haha I will never let this man be happy with his family :))))).

[the-storyteller78]

Ok, I know the Circe Saga has been out for like forever and now the Thunder Saga is out and wreaking havoc on our collective emotional and mental health, but I just like drawing Circe. She looks friend-shaped. 10/10 would take a seat. (Also I just realized that she has a similar color scheme to Megara, which was not intentional but I’m not entirely unhappy about it)

[hallow-weeni]

Gang I just posted my first fanfiction that I didn't chicken out on posting!!!

It's a Sam and Max fanfic boyssss! I really hope that I did it justice.

Content warning: Spoilers for Tdph, Panic Attack, talk of death.

[thereaperismadeofneonbillboards]

A detail I love about Epic is that Odysseus is never actually named in the musical itself until he reveals it himself.

If someone went in blind into a stage play version of it without any prior knowledge about the Odyssey then all they’d learn about him first: he’s a high ranking soldier to be commanding others in a war in Horse and the Infant and learns that he’s fighting for two people named Penelope and Telemachus, possibly his wife and child (and also that he might be a king if they catch the “he will burn your house and throne” line); then that he’s a father with the confirmation that they are his wife and son in Just a Man. For the rest of the Troy saga they’ll learn the names of the rest of the cast but not the name of the main character himself, but will get titles he has or gets called by like “Captain” and “Friend” (Polites) and “Warrior of the Mind” (technically “Boy” is also one as that’s what Athena used to describe him when he killed the boar). Then in the Cyclops saga he names himself “Nobody.” It’s obviously a lie, but there’s an impact from listening to it in order with the rest of the songs because it’s the first time Odysseus claims a name for himself, and for that unknowing audience member it’s the only confirmed name they’ll have for him in the moment, until Remember Them, where finally, from the character himself, you learn that he is the infamous Odysseus, king of Ithaca.

His name only start appearing in lyrics after this point.

Even for someone who knows his name, there’s a impact that stems not just from the awesome way the line was delivered, but also from the fact that it’s the first time you hear it spoken out loud in the musical if you are listening to it in order.

[anniflamma]

Trigger warning: topic about SA, aka Im gonna rant about the suitors plan

----

So, I’m going to talk about something I actually dislike ALOT in Epic: The Musical. The whole subplot about the suitors wanting to gangrape Penelope. The more I think about it, the more I realize how unnecessary this addition to the story is.

If you removed it, it wouldn’t change the outcomes of the story at all. Odysseus would still kill them. Nothing has ever stopped him before— neither the infant, Polites’ ideology, nor the fact that he willingly led his remaining crew to certain death while always ensuring his own safety above theirs. But somehow, a group of 20-year-olds is the line he can’t cross????? Like, “Oh no, they’re just rude guests, I can’t kill them!🙁” It doesn’t make sense. Odysseus would kill them either way, they don’t need to be wannabe gangrapists to motivate him. It’s entirely in character for him to do so without additional justification.

I understand why Jorge added this to the story, is to raise the stakes. Odysseus has just defeated the personification of ruthlessness itself (Poseidon) by using a fucking jetpack and punching the god really hard. Symbolically, Odysseus has taken the title of “ruthlessness” for himself. So, what can the next threat be that’s stronger and more menacing than Poseidon? Ah yes.... it's the gangrapists /s

For me, it would be more thematically fitting with Odysseus’ ruthless nature to not have a justifiable "motivation" to kill the suitors. Imagine instead if they were portrayed as having the same youthful energy as Telemachus. Like a bunch of rude young men! And then the story could show an adult man brutally murdering a group of young people with no mercy. Then, the song ends with Odysseus seeing Penelope’s horrified face as she looks around the throne room splattered with the blood and gore of her guests. At that moment, Odysseus realizes he’s messed up, putting his biggest fear, which is Penelope rejecting him (something he expresses in Keep Your Friends Close) at risk of becoming a reality. And then, the musical end with Odysseus begging Penelope to accept him despite what he has become. Like what I said, the outcome will still end up in this moment despite with or no sexual violence. I mean, the suitors wanting to kill Telemachus is enough as a motivation. Ody don't really need that much.

I dunno , I think this would hit harder, rather than "Ahh you saved me from the rapist my husband! Thank you!~😍 " "All for you baby girl~~ 😘"

The gangrape plotline only exists to make Odysseus look good for the audience, making him into the good hero who saves the damsel with zero screentime, and reassures that the suitors are antagonists. But it does also puts Penelope in a position where she has to take Odysseus back, or else she risks being seen as “ungrateful” by the audience. I promise you, if Penelope were to reject Odysseus after he saved her from the suitors, most of the fanbase would despise her for it. Of course, that won’t happen, Penelope will accept Odysseus no matter what he does, cuz that is what her characterization is. She is Odysseus' happy ending, if she rejects him then the story wont have a happy ending.

The sexual violence just isn’t necessary. Especially when Jorge went out of his way to make the relationship between Odysseus and Calypso as vague as possible. There’s no explicit statement in the musical that Calypso assaulted Odysseus, and I’m Not Sorry For Loving You is even depicted in a sympathetic light. That was a deliberate choice. So, why remove and downplay the sexual assault from the original story with Calypso, only to add a sexual assault subplot towards Penelope that wasn’t in the original?

It’s unnecessary. Just let Odysseus commit cruel and ruthless deeds without a "good justification" or feeling bad about it afterward for once.

However, the last saga isnt out yet, so there is a possibility that Jorge have rewritten it. I do hope that he removes it, but at this moment, it looks like it will be in there. Welp, maybe he pulls the rug under my feet with a twist or some sort. We can only wait and see!

[ramblings-of-a-chaotic-neutral]

Another thought on Epic the Musical, do you want to know one detail that kills me every time?

If you look at the titles of the songs, the ONLY songs that are named after characters are songs that are named after monsters that are trying to slaughter as many people as possible (like Polyphemus, Scylla, and Charybdis). No human character or even any god gets a song named after them, only the monsters do.

But (MINOR SPOILER AHEAD), do you know what song 38 is titled? Odysseus.

Odysseus, the man made monster, who has become something so far from his own humanity that he is counted within the ranks of the terrible monsters that came earlier in the story. Odysseus, who will absolutely be trying to slaughter as many suitors as possible when he returns to Ithaca.

It's such a small detail, but it gets me every time I think about it! Because not only has Odysseus become a monster in the eyes of the other characters, but he has become one in the eyes of THE VERY MUSICAL ITSELF!

AHHHHHHHHH!!!

[fandom]

Web Stuff

Week Ending October 21st, 2024

Dan and Phil +1

The Amazing Digital Circus -1

Critical Role

Parkour Civilization

Grian +9

Hermitcraft -1

The Edge Of Sleep

Markiplier

Wild Life

GoodTimesWithScar +10

The Magnus Archives -1

Evbo

Homestuck -5

Daniel Howell -1

Hatsune Miku -4

Mumbo Jumbo

EPIC: The Musical -8

AmazingPhil +1

PearlescentMoon

Inanimate Insanity -14

The number in italics indicates how many spots a name or title moved up or down from the previous week. Bolded names and titles weren’t on the list last week.

[wr1t3w1tm3]

I'm here to resurrect this because I've finally given up on Nursing School enough to start writing again. This lullaby will become important.

Just know that the Pirates of the Caribbean fanfic this song was originally part of inspired a real novel that I am in the midst of writing. Lost half of my progress due to Word crashing, but updates to come.

Look at this Little Spanish Song (TM) that I Sort of Wrote!

The song I used is Entre La Luz y El Pecado by James Horner from the soundtrack of For Greater Glory The title roughly translates to Between the light and the Sin.

This is the original version, with translation provided by the movies opening credits.

Entre el cielo y la tierra / Entre la luz y la oscuridad. / Entre la fey y el pecado / solo se encuentra mi corazon / esta Dios y solo mi corazon.

Between heaven and earth / Between light and dark / Between faith and sin / Lies only my heart / Lies God and only my heart

And my version:

Entre el cielo y la tierra / Entre la luz y la oscuridad. / Entre la vida y la muerte / solo se encuentra mi corazon / solo el mar y mi corazon.

Rough translation: Between heaven and earth / Between light and dark / Between life and death / Lies only my heart / Lies only the sea and my heart.

I've taken the liberty of highlighting the portions I changed. I did go on a bit of a limb for grammar as I'm not a native speaker and I never got super far with grammar in any Spanish class, but I figure I'm alright. If I'm not, please let me know so I can get help fixing it. I really was only trying to change the lines specifically about faith as the story I'm working on doesn't deal with that too much, although reference is made to the original song being changed to my version in the outline I'm currently working on. Maybe it's a lullaby, maybe it's a shanty? I don't know, I just know that whoever did the vocals on the track did an amazing job and her voice still haunts me.

This bit is for a possible Pirates of the Caribbean post canon/AU thing I'm working on outlining, so maybe stay tuned for that? IDK, we'll see. Outlining is rought rn.

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

MASTER LIST OF INSTRUMENTAL PLAYLISTS FOR WRITING (OR FOR STUDYING, MAKING ART, ETC.)

I find that the perfect writing playlist can GREATLY enhance the writing experience. Even if it doesn't make your writing "better" (which it can, since it helps writers with visualization, tone, and mood), it can definitely make your writing flow easier!

Personally, words distract me when I'm writing, either by breaking my train of thought or by getting me too into the music so that I'm jamming out to my favorite tunes instead of writing.

Therefore, I've amassed a vast knowledge of instrumental music across a variety of media over a course of many years. Now here I am, deciding to share all of them with you!

Maddy’s Favorite Instrumental Songs

Just like the title says. All of the best pieces of instrumental music I've ever heard, compiled together with no regard for genre. It can be a bit of a whiplash playlist, but some amazing recs in there that I just like listening to in my free time, not just for writing.

Maddy’s Ultimate Instrumental Playlist

A mega compilation of 550+ fantastic instrumental music from a variety of media and genres. Kind of a whiplash playlist if you put it on shuffle, but is a great start for anyone looking to find what kind of instrumental music they like! Playlist Groupings in Order: Independent instrumental songs, live action movies, animated movies, animated tv shows, live action tv shows, video games.

Maddy's Instrumental for Sleep

Some more chill vibe instrumental for people who either A) want to sleep or B) want a relaxed playlist that won't distract you with loud volume and sudden changes in tempo or melody.

MISC PLAYLISTS:

you're a haggard adventurer discovering worlds beyond your wildest dreams

Music to inspire wonder and wanderlust, the kind of feeling you get when you finally reach the end of a mountain hike and see the world stretching out before you.

you're a hero who's just lost everything

Basically the most sad instrumental music I could find. A playlist for grief and revenge.

more beneath the cut :)

you're a cowboy in the great American West

Cowboy instrumental for all of your ambient and writing needs. Or if you just really want to feel like a cowboy.

you're a divine witness

Epic choir music (no English). Most religious, some not, but all kind of have that eerie sacred vibe. I listen to this while writing my book about angels and demons.

you’re a scholar uncovering the secrets of the universe

Great chill study playlist! Has the kind of same exploratory/discovery type feel as the haggard adventurer playlist, but more dark academia.

you’re a villain plotting to take over the world

Villain-coded instrumental! Sinister, dark, and/or unsettling.

you're an academic weapon

HIGH BPM STUDY PLAYLIST! Keeps me focused, hyped, and helps me work faster!

you're an ancient god

Playlist that gives an ancient/eerie vibe. But some ancient gods are merciful- so there are some upbeat songs for wonder and awe!

you're falling in love

Music that encapsulates what I think falling in love feels like. Very beautiful, tender, and uplifting instrumental.

you're fighting the final battle

Intense and epic battle music for all of your fight-scene-writing needs! Good for getting shit done, but isn't necessarily restricted to high BPM like the academic weapon playlist.

you're having a tea party

Refined instrumental for a tea party, including classical, big band, and some miscellaneous goodies.

you're in a chase scene

Music for writing chase scenes. Pretty good hype music, too. Includes soundtracks from classic chase scenes in popular media!

you're in the medieval times

Medieval-sounding music for all of your ambient and/or writing needs.

you’re in your childhood room. the door is open a crack. people talk softly downstairs.

A playlist dedicated to nostalgia, to the feeling of lying in bed with your nightlight on after being too tired to stay awake at your family get-together. Could either make your day or break your heart lmao

you're the happiest you've ever been

Lighthearted instrumental meant to lift your spirits! A playlist dedicated to the joys of the little things.

[rakiah]

i just want to to let you know that it was your art of vil with kid jack and leona with kid epel for that single parent leovil fic that really pulled me into leovil. i stumbled upon it by chance when scrolling through a vil blog and saw it reblogged and LOST MY DAMN MIND. particularly baby wolf jack. cause why am i now putting together an epic the musical/odyssey/illiad au for leovil?? (your art. your art is why) itll probably never escape my docs but. so far??

helen and penelope. cousins and princesses of sparta--their dads are brothers and co-ruled. penelope's mother was a water nymph (naiad, so freshwater) whereas helen was the daughter of zeus......soooo.....HEAR ME OUT!!!!!!

neige as helen. vil as penelope. now, i was originally gonna go the rkvl route, because that line in the challenge, when penelope tells the suitors she will marry whoever "can string her husbands old bow and shoot through 12 axes cleanly"--smth her husband odysseus was only able to do, well, a rkvl version of that could go SO HARD.

esp cause like, idk i could just give rook a random kingdom, cause yes, leona is a prince, but technically falena would be king. and i thought of making them menelaus (leona) and agamemnon (falena) with VIL as helen, i mean, come ON!!!!!! it would be SO GOOD!! but odysseus and penelope's story was just tugging at my heart, and i couldnt decide. until i realized that actually this is a fic and it doesnt have to be a 1 to 1 substitution, i can play around and do whatever i want.

(and jack as little wolf telemachus is everything. and neige as helen, both "fairest of them alls" and cursed via apple??? i love it)

sooooo. im thinking.

vil and neige are cousins, princes of. pyroxene? or maybe pyroxene would be made up of a few kingdoms....hmmmmm...idk yet. regardless, their parents' co-rule their kingdom. but neige is the actual heir of the throne. this could be because vil is technically illegitimate. eric had no wife, he just really wanted to be a dad. and so vil's mother, for purposes of this, is either a vampire or a water nymph, or some sort of enchantress, idk, but regardless, vil isnt going to inherit. (also read @pinkbeeps sympathy for the villain fic and lost my mind over it so, yeah, crewel is a vil dad, so at some point when vil and neige are 7 and 6 respectively, crewel and eric get together.)

meanwhile, sunset savannah was split by a civil war? or a revolt of some kind. leona and falena stop it, but part of the truce that is made is that falena cannot rule all of it. so the elephant graveyard half, and some surrounding land makes up what becomes leona's kingdom. why? idk.

then, when neige is like, 17, vil 18, and leona 20, its decided that neige should get married, so all the suitors from various kingdoms come. cause, heir to the throne. and fairest of them all. falena, who is now married himself and has cheka, suggests leona go, but leona isnt rlly looking to get married. falena bugs him abt it tho, and leona still isnt for the marriage thing but rationales that princes and infleuntial people from all over will be vying for neige's hand. leona can go, but not for purposes of throwing his hat in the ring, (neige is an heir and leona has a kingdom to take care of--neither of them would leave their respective homes) but rather, to make connections to better help his people.

and then he meets vil. guy is SMITTENNNNNNN from the get go, he's like, whoever was giving out the fairest of them all titles, did they like, not see you???? heLLO??????

vil is warming up to leona, but also, lets be real, vil has an insecurity abt being a backup, second option when it comes to neige. he would have been wary considering leona is here in technicality as a suitor for neige. but it becomes apparent leona was not here for that in acuality. cause leona, in true oddysseus fashion, does not even bring a wedding gift, guy was just here to network and then fell in love.

it goes as the story always does. neige's parents are worried abt the influx of suitors and wondering how to choose without angering one kingdom over the other. and leona is like, hey i got a solution, but if you want it, you gotta put in a good word for me with vil's parents, your brother and BIL, and you gotta convince them that its okay if vil marries. and theyre like DEAL.

leona proposes his solution--the oath made by all suitors to defend neige and whoever he chooses if a rival ever takes neige away. they would march against the offender and destroy their city.

neige's parents are like damn thats brilliant and then talk to eric and crewel. who put forth a test for leona to pass. he does.

they marry, leona's wedding gift to vil, the living olive tree bed he makes himself, and they have jack and epel, idk how, surrogates? adoption? not sure. but then, the apple, neige is taken away, and that oath comes back to bite leona in the ass. he pretends he's crazy to dodge the draft but baby jack gets tossed in front of the plough and leona saves them, and is forced to go to war etc etc. they win, and then it takes him FOREVERRRR to get home, and then--well we know how it goes!

wow. sorry for just. dumping this in your ask box. i was just trying to appreciate your art and i ended up dropping the au inspired by your art in here. oops

Alright, let’s process step by step cause this ask just made me go wild when I read it. /p

[deep breath]

First, thank you very much! 💕 It’s always a delight to know that more people are into leovil because of me 8D I feel like a priest in Age of Empires (big old ref here ha ha)

Second, your Epic/ Odysseus/ Illiad AU.

I was flabbergasted cause, a few days ago I saw a new leovil fic about Epic the Musical (yes, I do have an open tab of Ao3 on my phone with the leovil tag that I refresh almost every night. When I say I have an otp, I have an otp.) and, since the name rings vaguely a bell, I asked my theater kid friend about this Musical. I just wanted to listen to it before reading the fic and then, I understood Epic the Musical.

AND

YOU CAME.

:’D

I take that as a sign.

Thank you for sharing those thoughts, that was great! I wish you the best for your AU and hope you write it and maybe post it! Otherwise, it’s fine! No pressure of course, I’m already glad with your ask! x3

Anyway, here for you. I couldn’t help sketching those. They imposed themself. Literally.

Pretty sure Vil’d start to poison the suitors too.

[cablecar-s]

would you fall in love with me again?

It's been a while since the SAGA came out and idk if anyone has done this yet but THIS SONG. THIS. SONG. If you haven't already listen to Would You Fall In Love With Me Again that is part of the recent and last SAGA of EPIC: The Musical by the amazing Mr. Jalapeno. It just fits so well with Jason?? Recommend listening to the entirety of it as well! The music is so beautiful and I absolutely BAWLED. On with the story!! :D

———

"Just... Be safe, okay?"

"I'm Robin, I'm always safe."

And that was the last time you saw him.

If only you knew that Bruce was going to come to your apartment to break the news to you. If only you knew that Jason was going to get himself killed in Switzerland. If only you knew that his boyish smile you always loved would be the last time you would see it. If only you knew that you would never get to voice your love for him ever again once he left.

It ate at you.

Every wonder, every what if, every 'If I had just stopped him'

But that would never bring him back. Jason Todd was dead.

The boy you grew up with is gone. No more running from cops. Stealing tires together. Fulfilling that promise the two of you made under the stars. The dreams you had with him, forever gone.

And yet..

You hung on to those promises. Because he promised you, and he never broke his promises.

–––

You woke up to your alarm, the annoying sound of it buzzing on your bedside table. With a groan, your hand sneaks out from under the warm covers to slam on the reset button.

Wake up, brush teeth, have breakfast, go to work.

That had been your routine for the past few years now. Helped you keep whatever sanity you had left.

You became a journalist. Trying to shed more light to the less fortunate. Make people give a damn even if you knew very well they wouldn't because it was Gotham. And when did Gotham ever give a shit about those who suffered?

You also dabbled in a bit of the underworld. Trying to put crime lords behind bars. You weren't no Batman or Robin, but you weren't going to stand and do nothing while those rich assholes go away scot free.

Bruce had warned you to be careful. That you were practically putting a target on your head if you dug to deep. The only thing he got in return was a finger and a slam to the door.

Begrudgingly though, you had agreed to let him add more security to your apartment. If you were going to be doing something as dangerous as writing articles about said crime lords, it was better to be safe than sorry.

As of recently though, someone new had shown up to the underworld.

The Red Hood.

You had scoffed at first, "Another Joker knock off."

But then news of the mysterious figure spread fast.

He had killed eight drug lieutenants, killed anyone who dealt drugs to kids, and rapists and abusers alike killed with bullets infesting their bodies.

Red Hood: A Hero or a Criminal?

That was the title for your next article. People were skeptical of the Red Hood. Yes he cleaned up crime better than Batman, but technically it was still murder, and technically he was still selling drugs.

An exhausted sigh left your lips, your hands going up to rub at your eyes. You were beginning to see double, and you still needed to buy groceries for the next week and head home to make dinner.

Packing your things, you said your quick goodbyes to your colleagues and left to the store before the sun had disappeared from the sky.

You made sure to shop light to not have any wandering hands or eyes, you would get the rest tomorrow morning.

Your feet trudged up the multiple flights of stairs, the elevator not being fixed for six months now. God how you hated your landlord.

You struggled with your things, the loops of the plastic bags digging into your skin while trying to find your keys in your bag. With muttered curses, you were able to finally open the door.

You were too tired to notice the shadowy figure standing in your living room. Watching as you shut the door with your foot while dropping everything to the ground with relief.

"Nice place ya have."

The voice was deep, a bit gruff and modulated, with a hint of an accent beneath it all. It made you jump with a small yelp. Your head turned, hands fumbling for something, anything, to use as a weapon.

With wide eyes, you stared at the glowing white eyes that stared at you, and the slight shine of a red helmet.

Red Hood was in your home.

Jason felt like throwing up. He knew it was a bad idea. Told himself over and over and over again that he shouldn't see you. And yet, here he was; standing in your apartment, waiting for you to get home from work.

Your place was.. Homey. A bit messy, but you were always messy weren't you?

He couldn't help but snoop around. A fridge with not much (he'd have to go shopping for you some time), a few dishes here (he'll clean it up for you), papers scattered about on the table (you'd probably get mad if he touched those), and a bookshelf.

Filled to the brim with books. Books that he told you he loved. That he read to you. The only things he would gush to you about other than being Robin.

His gloved hand ran over the multiple covers, his hand pausing upon a familiar book.

Pride and Prejudice.

He couldn't help but smile a bit. You had teased him about being a hopeless romantic when you found the book. His younger self was embarrassed beyond belief, but you had convinced him to read it out to you anyways.

He flipped through the pages, his eyes skimming through the many notes you made and the passages you had highlighted. As the papers flew by, something fell out, making him give pause and crouch down to the ground.

It was a polaroid picture of the two of you as teens. You had written the year at the bottom with a pen. What caught him off guard were the words after it though.

'I love him.'

You obviously could have meant as a friend. Nothing but simple platonic love. But he knew better, the both of you did back then. You two were still awkward teenagers, but it was there, your feelings for each other bare for one another.

Hand holding became more than leading the other through alleyways. Sleeping next to each other became more than just keeping warm from the cold. And stolen glances were never unnoticed.

His stomach dropped for a moment, his breathing stuttering.

Maybe he should leave, before he did something he would regret.

Did you even love him still? He wasn't the goofy kid you would hang out with in the middle of the night anymore. He didn't have that pure innocence. That 'Robin gives me magic' bullshit.

Jason was now a man who had been through hell and back. A man who had left a trail of red in every step. A man who took more lives than he can count on his hands.

Would you still love him then?

Would you fall in love with him again even knowing all that's he done?

Before Jason could even have the chance of going out the same window he came in, the lights to your apartment came on, and he froze.

Both out of fear, and out of awe.

You were.. Pretty.

Well, you were always pretty. But you were more.. Mature. Tired, but mature, and pretty, and every word that was synonymous to it.

"Nice place ya have."

He internally cringed.

He watched you jump and try to grab a weapon near you, a smile cracking underneath his helmet when you grabbed the coat hanger.

What were you going to do?

Red Hood was in your apartment. He didn't attack, or kill, those who didn't do anything wrong. Meaning he wanted to talk. But about what?

"What are you doing here?" You questioned, trying to gather all the bravery you had. Your eyes narrowed when he held his hands up, picking up what seemed to be a chuckle coming from him.

"Just wanna talk."

"About what? I don't have anything for you."

You stayed in place, unblinking and on guard, but like you, the Red Hood just stood there.

"I thought you'd be happier to see me." The crime lord chuckled.

Your brows furrowed. Was this guy crazy? If you had met the Red Hood before you would definitely know.

When opening your mouth to say something, all words died on your tongue, time practically becoming still.

He had taken off his helmet, revealing messy, black helmet hair with a white streak at the front. A few scars decorated his face. His eyes an almost glowing green. And a face sharper than it's original round baby one.

It had been years. Years. But you could recognize that face anywhere.

"No welcome back—"

You had practically ran straight into him, Jason letting out a small 'oomph!' upon impact.

"It's— But— You—?" You were at a loss for words. Your arms practically squeezed his torso.

Breathing. He was breathing. You could hear his heart, hammering against his chest.

Alive. He was alive.

He was alive.

"Long story." He chuckled.

Tears were practically falling from your eyes already. You pulled away enough just to look at his face, hands cupping his face.

"Jason..?" You croaked out.

He smiled at you. Awkwardly, but a smile that you remembered all those years ago.

"That's me."

You could only stare at him, him staring back at you. You could barely process him standing before him.

He was real. He was breathing. He was warm.

"What? Am I that handsome?" He tried to joke.

Always trying to lighten the mood.

A broken laugh left you, a smile on your lips. "Shut up."

And you had shut him up. A kiss that was long overdue.

It was messy, teeth slightly clashing, large hands awkwardly trying to find its placement. But it was everything. It was perfect.

And then he pushed you away, hands holding onto your shoulders.

"We shouldn't— I can't—"

"What?"

Your heart shattered for a moment, watching Jason who had his head turned to the side, a frown on his lips.

"Why not?"

"We just can't."

"Jason."

"I'm not—!" His voice raised for a moment.

He closed his eyes, taking a breath. "I'm not who think I am."

Jason braced himself, forcing himself to look at you. "I'm not.. I'm not the same person. I'm different. I'm not..." He paused, inhaling sharply.

"I'm not a good person.."

You stared at him. The silence between you two becoming tense.

God was he dumb even now.

"So what's the problem?"

His grimaced before calling out your name, every syllable rolling off his tongue with such ease it almost made you want to jump him.

"The problem is that—"

"Do you still like chili dogs?"

His brows furrowed, taken aback by your question.

"What?"

You took a step forward. "Do you still like to read your boring classic novels?"

"They're not boring—"

Another step.

"Can you play the piano?"

"Well, maybe, but I might be rusty."

And then you had him in your hands once more.

"Then what's the issue?" You questioned, staring into his eyes.

He stared back at you, dumfounded now. He opened his mouth, before closing it. You spoke for him.

"Jason, I don't care if you killed people, that you sell drugs, or that you're some kind of zombie."

He cracked a smile at the last comment.

"You're still the same boy who promised me the stars on that rooftop. Whatever you've done, whether good or bad, I love you."

Jason stared at you, breath catching in his throat. And then his eyes, his beautiful, now green eyes glistened under the light.

"You mean it..?" His voice cracked for a moment, his hand reaching out to gently grab your wrist, squeezing it to try and reassure him.

Your own eyes began to water again, a broken laugh leaving you. You leaned forwards, pressing your forehead to his.

"Of course I do."

———

Reblogs are GREATLY appreciated :] (please reblog, I worked really hard on this)

[isak-dot-gov]

Mic'd Up Pt.2

Pairing: Kelsey Plum x Reader

Word count: 1208

Part 1 - My Masterlist

.................................................

The next morning, you were jolted awake by your phone vibrating non-stop. Squinting at the screen, you saw a barrage of notifications—Twitter mentions, Instagram tags, and text messages from both friends and strangers alike. Dread mixed with curiosity as you opened your phone to see what all the fuss was about.

There it was: a notification from the Las Vegas Aces’ official YouTube channel.

“Kelsey's Biggest Fan: Mic’d Up!” the title read.

You bit your lip, heart racing as you clicked on the video. The screen lit up with the intro, and it didn’t take long before you saw yourself, front and centre. The video started with a slow-motion clip of you, wide-eyed and jumping out of your seat, shouting, “That’s my girl!” after Kelsey hit a three-pointer. A heart graphic floated above your head, and a cute caption popped up: “Biggest supporter in the house.”

As the video continued, it cut between clips of you and Kelsey’s jaw-dropping plays. Every reaction you’d had—cheering, fist-pumping, gasping at the refs’ bad calls—was captured in vivid detail. Your face flashed on the screen, excitement radiating, while the crowd erupted behind you. The editors had even added a dramatic slow-motion replay of you standing up and yelling, “Let’s go, Kelsey!” during a key moment in the game, complete with epic music in the background.

Your hands flew to your face, cringing at the full display of your emotions. The internet had seen it all. Your love for Kelsey. Your passion for the team. Your inability to sit still for more than five seconds when the Aces were on fire.

By the time the video ended, you were red-faced and laughing, even as the embarrassment settled in. The comments section was blowing up with fans reacting to your over-the-top enthusiasm:

“This is what love looks like!”

“Relationship goals AF.”

“Kelsey's girl is all of us when the Aces play!”

There were even memes already circulating. One showed you passionately screaming with the caption, “When you’re more hyped than the players themselves.” Another zoomed in on your face during a tense moment with the caption, “Me when the refs make a bad call.”

Your phone buzzed again, this time with a call from Kelsey. You braced yourself for the inevitable teasing.

“Hey, YouTube star!” Kelsey greeted, laughter bubbling in her voice. “Seen the video yet?”

You sighed dramatically, still blushing from the experience. “Yeah... I don’t know whether to be flattered or hide under a rock.”

Kelsey’s chuckle was warm, affectionate. “Oh, come on. It’s adorable. I think it’s safe to say the fans love you almost as much as I do.”

“‘Almost’?” you teased. “I think they might love me more after this.”

Kelsey laughed louder, her voice full of mischief. “Don’t push it. But seriously, the whole team’s seen it. A’ja’s been texting me non stop. She’s already planning ways to roast you at practice.”

You groaned, but you couldn’t help the smile forming. “Great. Just what I needed—A’ja Wilson making me the butt of every joke.”

“Oh, it’s not just A’ja,” Kelsey said, her tone almost too gleeful. “Chelsea’s already called dibs on the post-game interview next time, and Kate and Syd are coming up with new chants for you to yell. The whole team’s in on this.”

A notification popped up from A’ja’s Twitter: “Mic’d up AND famous? You’re a LEGEND now! #BringTheHype #CheerCaptain”

Before you could respond, Kelsey continued, “Anyway, we’ve got a team meeting later today. You might want to brace yourself.”

You hung up with a pit in your stomach, knowing full well you were about to walk into the lion’s den. Sure enough, when you arrived at the Aces’ training facility later that afternoon, the team was waiting for you.

The second you stepped into the locker room, A’ja’s booming voice greeted you. “Ayyy, here she is! The real MVP of last night’s game!”

The entire room erupted in laughter and cheers as the team gathered around you. A’ja threw her arm around your shoulders, pulling you into the centre of the locker room. “Y’all seen this video, right? Our girl was more hyped than the entire crowd combined!”

Jackie was right behind her, shaking her head with a grin. “Honestly, I don’t think we’ve ever had this much energy coming from the stands. We might need to mic her up every game.”

AC leaned casually against her locker, smirking. “I’ve been saying it since last night—she’s got more hype than the bench squad. We’re going to need her on the sidelines full-time.”

“Forget the mascot,” Megan added, laughing. “We’ve got our own hype woman.”

You could feel your face growing hotter by the second, but their teasing was good-natured, filled with warmth and camaraderie. The fact that the whole team had seen the video—and was getting this much joy from it—made it all the more embarrassing and heartwarming at the same time.

“Okay, okay, enough roasting,” Kelsey said, stepping forward with a playful smile. “I mean, I think we can all agree that having my personal cheerleader on blast last night helped us win, right?”

A chorus of agreement filled the room, and A’ja, never one to miss a moment, pointed at you dramatically. “You’re the reason we secured that dub! We need that energy every night.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, throwing your hands up. “Fine, I’ll accept the title of unofficial hype woman. But you better believe I’m charging for appearances.”

Chelsea winked at you. “First paycheck is going to be in popcorn and court-side seats.”

As the laughter died down, the team started gathering for their meeting, but A’ja wasn’t done just yet. “Yo, before we get serious, can we all agree that the next time she’s mic’d up, we get to pick the lines she has to yell?”

Jackie nodded, grinning. “Oh, for sure. I’m already writing down some good ones.”

Kelsey groaned, shaking her head but smiling. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

After the meeting, Kelsey found you in the hallway, still laughing from the whirlwind of teasing. “You good?” she asked, sliding her arm around your waist.

“Yeah, I think I survived.” You leaned into her, feeling a wave of contentment settle over you. “Your teammates are ruthless, though.”

“Oh, trust me, I know,” she said, grinning. “But seriously, they love you. You’re part of the family now.”

As you walked toward the parking lot, your phone buzzed again, this time with a text from A’ja: “We need a full mic’d-up session next game. You down?”

You showed Kelsey the message, and she chuckled. “You gonna do it?”

You grinned. “You know what? I might just. But next time, I’m going even harder.”

Kelsey laughed, squeezing your hand. “Deal. Just don’t make me laugh too much while I’m trying to play.”

As you left the arena together, the warmth of being embraced by not just Kelsey but the whole Aces family stayed with you. Sure, you were the butt of some jokes now, but you wouldn’t trade that for anything. Being part of their world—even as the loud, slightly embarrassing cheerleader—felt like you belonged, and that meant more than anything. 

Plus, next game? You were definitely going to be the loudest fan in the building.

............................................................