#tlos fic

[readerghxst]

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 || TLOS Fanfic

A Conner x Bree oneshot 

Edit by me [@readerghxst]

"𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗗𝗢 𝗜 𝗗𝗢?" Conner chanted pacing around his room. His twin sister was sitting on his bed, folding the stray clothes on the mattress. 

“Why don't you start by actually telling me why you called me here?” she suggested, her nose scrunching at his shorts. “Do you not do laundry?” 

He grabbed the shorts in frustration and tossed them to the side. “My clothes are not why I called you here Alex. Okay, that is one of the reasons but still, not the main point,” he took a deep breath before continuing, ''I kinda asked Bree on a date...and she may or may not have said yes. But I have no idea what to do because I didn't think she was gonna agree.” 

Alex stared at him for a moment before grinning excitedly. “Conner! That's amazing! Why on Earth did you think she wouldn't agree?” 

He shrugged in response. Self-doubt would've been the appropriate answer but he wasn't willing to hear a “fairy-godmother-worthy” lecture on self-love and confidence from his lookalike. As much as he appreciated and loved his sister, it just wouldn't help him. 

“I would've asked mom or Bob but they’re both on shifts right now and won't be back till tonight which is already when the date is.”

Alex could tell he was in a state of pure panic. “Alright then, you know Bree better than I do, what does she like?” she asked, looking at him before adding, “And for the sake of your poor carpet, please sit down. You're gonna wear a hole into it.” 

He sighed and complied, plopping onto his chair near his desk. He picked up a photo of Bree he had on his desk. Not like a creepy stalker photo. Just a picture they had taken in Germany. His thumb caressed the picture as the memories flooded through his mind. 

“She loves thrillers. Stuff like murder with a mix of mystery too. She also adores Sherlock holmes. Oh and movies and shows of similar concepts. She's opening up to fantasy though. Her favourite colour is purple and she enjoys music…” he trailed off, lost in thought. 

Alex couldn't help but smile. She loved seeing him happy and even in love. She was also grateful he called her for help. Her constant tasks in the Fairy Kingdom kept her on her toes so she was glad to have a break and hand the leadership role to Emeralda for a while. She would never admit to her brother how stressful the tasks actually were but despite the silent words between them, and unbeknownst to Alex, Conner had a feeling she was under a lot of burden. 

He snapped out of his day dream to see his sister rearranging his nightside table. “HEY-”

“It's filthy Conner. I'm pretty sure this sandwich has been here since you moved here.”

“It's fine Alex. And like I said, didn’t bring you here to critique my room!” 

“Alright alright. Look, you said she enjoys mystery, so why not incorporate some of those elements. Like-”

“A scavenger hunt!” they said in unison with a grin.

The next few hours were filled with extensive planning and communication. With of course a little help from magic too since such an idea wasn't going to work out in just less than 24 hours. Soon it was time for, as Conner put it, Operation Purple Flower.

                                ────────⊹⊱❧❦☙⊰⊹────────

Bree checked her phone and saw one notification from Conner.

                                                       Conner

[Conner]

Are you ready to go?

[You]     

yes

but where are you?

am I supposed to go somewhere?

[Conner]

Yes and no

You are going somewhere 

But I won't be telling you where just yet.

You'll see ;)

[You]

what?

so like a scavenger hunt?

well this is certainly different, but exciting

[Conner]

I shall neither confirm nor deny 

Anyways 

Let's begin shall we?

[You]

we shall 

[Conner]

Endless thoughts in countless phrases. 

Ages young and old wander these mazes. 

Knowledge abundant, joy a plenty-

Many use it as an escape from tyranny.

[You]

oh riddles!

fun

hmmm

this has to be a library

right?

Seen 

Bree took this as a yes. She smiled at her phone. This was different and quirky. She was also admittedly very excited. In fact, she was feeling a rush of emotions. The last time she felt something so exhilarating was when she joined the Bailey twins for their Land of Stories adventures. 

She made her way to the public library, which was not too far away from her house. She waited at the entrance to see what would happen next, tugging at her hair. She couldn't find her beanie, positive her sisters had taken it. She didn't like how empty her head felt but dealt with it for the time being. After a good 2 minutes, she went inside the quiet library. According to the time, it would close in 10 minutes so she had to act quickly. 

“If I was Conner Bailey, where would I want to go?” she thought back on Conner and his adventures. All were revolving around...magic...fairy tales! She made her way to the children's section and took out a book of fairy tales. 

As she flipped through the book, she couldn't help but laugh at some of the illustrations and how different the artists had depicted the people she met around a year ago. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a paper fluttering down gently to the ground. She looked at the page which contained the letter and in bold letters was the title :

                                                     Cinderella

‘Of course. The fairy godmother was their grandmother and now it's Alex.’ she thought, picking up the paper that had fallen. Written on the front was undoubtedly Conner’s handwriting :

To : Bree Campbell, Don’t open until you reach the final destination. P.s. if                               you aren't Bree, then scram kid. This isn't for you.

Bree laughed at the message and took a picture to send, informing Conner of her finds. 

                                                          Conner 

[You sent an image]

[You]

I see you

I'm guessing this isn't the only thing 

what's next?

[Conner]

Your journey is far from done

Only now has the fun begun

Many come yet few enjoy

I can't say I was a golden boy

But I'm pleased to say

Even I managed to stay the whole way

[You]

so… you weren't perfect at this

but you still survived?

oh

oh

oh

school! 

Seen 

This was possibly the first time Bree was happy she was left on read. Since, the situation called for it. She grinned and made her way to the school building. She frowned slightly when she saw the door open. The school was closed. She knew the janitors locked up the school after their night shift so the only thing she could come up with was that Conner wanted her to go inside. 

She entered the building, feeling a small amount of fear. The hallways were dark and almost eerie. She walked around aimlessly. Where did she need to go? She thought back of her and Conner at school. That's when it hit her.

Ms. York's english class. The very first proper class she had with Conner in 7th grade. She grinned in triumph, making her way to the classroom.

Flipping a switch and turning on the light, she looked around for her next clue point. She spotted it a few moments later on her old desk. A small model airplane. She took a snap and sent the new image to her date.

                                                          Conner 

[You sent an image]

[You]

okay this one was kinda cute

I'm pretty sure there's more though 

what's next?

[Conner]

A mother’s love, her intentions dear,

Stories the world didn’t want to hear

The story of a fated slipper of glass

At least the warmth in your stomach will last

[You]

these are getting challenging 

stories and slipper of glass makes me think fairy tale

but the only tale that has a prominent slipper made of glass is…

Cinderella!

of course

the Storybook Grill

you told me her step-mother owned the place!

Seen

She turned the lights back off and quietly made her way out of the school building, closing the large front door behind her before she left. Now she made her way to one of her favourite restaurants. 

Unlike the last two places she had just been to, Storybook Grill was bustling with life. She went inside and was instantly hit with the sounds and smells of the night. She could see Rosemary happily moving from table to table and her sister Petunia doing the same with visibly less enthusiasm. Their mother, Lady Iris, was standing by a table. The same table, Bree noted that she sat at the first time she came to the restaurant. 

She saw Iris’s eyes widen in glee as she gestured for Bree to come to her. Once she made her way there, Iris instructed her to sit down and that should be right back.

She came back a few moments later with a covered plate. Once she placed it on Bree’s table, she left her with the dish. Bree wasn't sure if she was supposed to open it and decided to ask Conner. 

                                                          Conner 

[You]

at the diner

Iris gave me a dish 

am I supposed to have dinner without you?

[Conner]

Just open the lid ;)

Seen 

She curiously took the lid covering the dish. On the silver platter, was a flower. A flower she knew very well. Her mother would enthusiastically tell her daughters of different flora due to her love of botany. Accompanying the flower was a note that was written as followed :

You're doing quite well Bree. Don't worry, you've only got one more place to go after this place.

She took what would be her final clue photo and sent it to Conner.

                                                          Conner 

[You sent an image]

[You]

purple orchids are my favorite

what's the final clue partner? 

[Conner]

Heal your weary bones and heart

Where new life is given, a wondrous start

For all of us, together, drifted past this time

memories of fondness woven into this rhyme

[You]

this might be the easiest one yet

the hospital 

I’m assuming it's Saint Andrew’s one?

Seen 

Getting up from the diner, she thanked Iris for the help and made the walk to the Children’s hospital. Playing by Conner’s rules, she went straight away to the ward where they had kept Conner’s fictional characters from his short stories. 

However she had to admit feeling quite confused when she opened the door. She was expecting to see Conner however she was met with yet another note. She saw the ‘open now’ at the front of the paper and didn’t waste any time opening it. 

You’re probably confused as to where I am. Well let’s just say I told a little white lie. Just the smallest one. I'm gonna need you to walk outside to the entrance lobby, take 23 steps in front, turn right, take 38 steps straight and well, fate will lead you from there :) ~ Conner 

Bree was baffled but shrugged. Following the instructions led her to the entrance of the Willow Crest Public Park. On the ground was something Bree spent hours trying to find, her purple beanie. 

“Wait what-” she bent down, attempting to grab her headwear. That’s when the strangest thing that evening happened. Her beanie moved by itself. She tilted her head in confusion but decided to follow it.

She ended up in a place she never remembered seeing. Her beanie made a turn and there was a flash of light. Bree covered her eyes for a second before going to the source of light. She came across a secluded clearing. Standing right in the middle was the teenager who started the whole goose chase.

Conner Johnathan Bailey 

Who she also noted, was holding her beanie. 

“I see you got my note.” he said with a cheeky grin. 

“Which one? I seem to remember three.” she joked, holding her hand out. He understood and passed her the beanie which she put on her head immediately.

“Much better.” she muttered.

“So,” he said, his fingers fidgeting, “what do you think?” 

He gestured around him and Bree looked around for the first time. There were fairy lights stringed across the hedges. The ground was scattered with flower petals and right in the middle was the dining table. Elegant yet magical. The centre piece was a simple glass vase and a minimalistic candle plus its holder. 

“It's amazing Conner! How on earth did you manage to pull this off?” she asked, turning to face him. He grinned, clearly proud of his accomplishment.

“It was not easy,” he admitted. “I had a ton of help. Alex helped me make the clues, and this place. Your sisters helped get your beanie and convince the janitor to hand them the keys and the library, hospital and school had the objects. I asked Iris to help out with everything in the diner and your mom told me  your favorite flower. Oh and your beanie moving was Alex and her wand. She just disappeared.”

Bree was in awe of how it all worked out. She gave Conner a hug. “This is the most fun I've had in a long while. Sure I was grounded for such a long time too, but seriously, this is incredible.” 

He beamed and led her to the table. He assisted her to her seat before sitting down himself. “The flower goes in the vase by the way.” she smiled and placed it in. 

“Now before we begin, I do believe you have a letter to read?”

She nodded, taking out the first destination’s prop. Opening it, she read out the letter in her hand.

Dear Breanne Campbell,

Yay! If you're reading this, it means you've reached the end of the little scavenger hunt. It also means you're sitting with future me so hello me! 

Anyways, I'm sure you've already noticed, I mean, you are Bree afterall. All the places you've been to have had some kind of significance. The library for the Land of Stories. The Cinderella story for Alex and Grandma. The school since we went to the same school. Of course, Ms. York’s english class being the first proper class together. The airplane to signify our first real adventure to Germany. It could also mean our trip to New York! The diner because...well we both know the owner is Ella’s step-mom. The flower being your favourite flower and color. The hospital for our time with my short-story characters. Oh and meeting Hero. the park, the place you're in right now, being the same place we battled with witches and Alex under a crazy curse. 

Ah the memories. Hopefully, there'll be some new ones. Now I don't mean to drag you into another life or death adventure, but I would like to spend more time with you. Only if it's okay with you and you aren't grounded of course. I've already asked your parents :)

If anyone was to ever ask me what would describe Bree Campbell, I would say a flower. Not because you are delicate or fragile. Because you are a survivor. You take on any challenge and manage to look fabulous doing it. Not to mention how calm you are in any situation. You can do anything, face any battle, any hardship and stay grounded. Just like a flower. 

So thank you Bree, for sticking with me through all these near insane adventures.  For being around through my weirdest thoughts and plans. Most of all, for accepting me and this crazy two-life fiasco. 

Thank you, for being the most amazing, unique purple flower and girlfriend a guy could ask for.

Conner Bailey

Bree was not someone who cries but she could feel tears in her eyes. She smiled at Conner and wiped her tears, so many emotions racing through her, all of which were good ones. 

“Conner, this is so touching. And sweet! Thank you.” she finally managed to say, her voice breaking ever so slightly. 

He seemed quite pleased with himself and bent down. “Now, as a thanks and sorry for dragging you around the neighbourhood, a toast to your heritage.” he announced, coming back up with two plates of food. Specifically that of the German cuisine. 

He poured them two glasses of lemonade and held his glass up. She mimicked his action as he said, “A toast to first dates.”

“To first dates.”

As the glasses clinked, a photo was taken from a certain hiding spot in the trees. Sitting at the top, out of the vision of the two lovebirds, was Alex Bailey. The half-fairy smiled to herself and went down, making her way back home to give them privacy for the rest of the date as she looked at the photo of her twin brother and close friend.

“Operation Purple Flower...was a success.”

                              ────────⊹⊱❧❦☙⊰⊹ ────────

exactly like Conner said, writing this fic was not easy. I wrote this one shot a long time ago, all the way back in August of 2021. And i’m not someone who writes fan fiction often, it’s just not my strong suit. You’ll find that Bree is not exactly very canon…actually none of them truly are canon and I apologise if that annoys anyone. Like i said, not my strong suit.

Anyways, I wanna just add, major credit and thanks to @introvertedwraith for helping with the riddles that Conner prepared. I could not have done it without her saving my ass lol. Also, the texting format…i swear it looks better on wattpad because it is extremely difficult to put it in tumblr lol.

if you would like the see how the fic is supposed to look like in terms of aesthetics/style of stuff like the texting, you can check it out on my wattpad which is linked….somewhere on my profile lol. Anyways, thanks for reading! And here’s to hoping i post more of my writing in the future!

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

random obscure pjo/hoo/etc moments I think about #4:

the time in tlo when percy confronts the minotaur again and imagines himself with red eyes before he absolutely annihilates it?? (and how absolutely cool it would be if they actually did a red glint in walker's eyes in s5)

[aroaceleovaldez]

im really not a fan of Rick's recent trend of recycling bits of his writing that got a good reaction the first time and acting as if that's a valid substitute for. actually bothering to write something original a second time around. It's clearly just there as a callback and nothing more.

It's "Nico's rage exploded" and "Percy's rage exploded" with the exact same paragraph formatting. It's CoTG having titles like "My Singing Makes Things Worse, and Everyone Is Totally Shocked" (reference to TLO, when Percy says he thinks his singing would cause an avalanche) or "Pretty Much the Best Good-Night Kiss Ever" (reference to TLO "Pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time") or any other number of near word-for-word references to the first series. It's Nico calling Percy "seaweed brain" in Un Natale Mezzosangue (when Percy says in TTC that anybody but Annabeth calling him that is a major offense). It's Nico and Will falling into Tartarus in TSATS word-for-word referencing Percy and Annabeth in House of Hades, despite it not making any sense for their characters (and otherwise being written as Percabeth 2™). It's the show making huge changes but keeping random "fan-favorite references" (mostly overusing "seaweed brain" and "wise girl" and emphasizing percabeth) only because they're popular in-jokes and considering that a faithful enough adaptation to market it heavily as such. It's lazy writing.

And it's a disservice to the series and to the audience, because it clearly shows Rick doesn't have original ideas anymore (though given all his writing is heavily derivative to begin with, it begs the question how much was original in the first place and how much he has difficulty when he doesn't have a structured mythological plot to work from) and that there is an expectation that the audience will just sit down and accept that behavior hook-line-and-sinker. Everything recently is clearly such lip-service to the audience, either in retcons that are overt speaking-to-camera acknowledgements of things he's been criticized on or wink-wink-nudge-nudges of community in-jokes that have no business in the actual text (see: over-use of ship names in canon). Especially since Rick tends to be about 5 years behind on the fandom uptake. It's just so disappointing to see.

[decaffeinatedpartymuggoop]

Fanon Percy Jackson is canon Leo Valdez and the sooner we correct it the better

[bradshawed]

Sick Days & Cancelled Dates

summary — poor bobby passing the nasty bug onto you, meaning you lay in bed on a hot summer’s day. don’t worry, you won’t be alone, not for long…

warnings — jacob thomas seresin’s eyes, fluff, disgusting niceness, cooking, mentions of food, no use of y/n, slight tension, more nice stuff, it’s just a cute little one shot really

word count — 1k words

so i completely gave up on adding pictures to this one because i just wanted to get it published but i hope you get the gist. sorry that it took so bloody long to publish, i’ve been insanely busy but hopefully i can get some stuff out every once in a while. hope you all like it and feel free to lmk if you guys want sick jake or dagger squad too xx

the love olympics masterlist.

Waking up with a sore throat you’d instantly felt the telltale signs of a cold as you closed your eyes, laying back in bed with a dramatic groan. Who even gets a cold in summer?

Flashbacks flip through your mind as you roll onto your side burying yourself under the bedsheets, replaying the moment you delivered Bob, a very sick Bob, some homemade soup a couple of days ago. It had only been for a second and yet he’d somehow managed to pass the cold onto you. You still loved him but times like these you hated that Bob got ill so easily.

Falling back asleep, you decided was the best course of action, or it would’ve been if you hadn’t heard a pair of very familiar footsteps running up the staircase to your bedroom waking you up, not even half an hour later. It was definitely a terrible idea to give him a key.

Hiding in your duvet burrito, you grabbed a pillow and flung it in the general direction of the noise in your room, smiling when you heard a dramatic ‘ow’ when you made contact. It was definitely worth the sacrifice of your pillow and the extra comfort. Especially when he fell to the floor as if he’d been acting out a death scene in a play in high school, typical Jake. It did however, make you wonder if he could’ve been a theatre kid..maybe in another life. You smiled as you drifted off to sleep again with the thoughts of actor Jake in your mind.

Seresin, assessing the situation (poking at your body until you yelled at him to tell him to leave you alone because you were sick), decided to go back downstairs to make you something to eat. He had been greatly worried since you were late for the day out you’d planned together and hadn’t answered your phone so he called Bradley who told him to kindly leave him alone on his day off and reminded him to use the key you’d given Jake for emergencies. So that’s exactly what he did…

A couple of hours later, you shuffled downstairs, refusing to give up your burrito of warmth just yet, to meet a snoring Jake on your couch, Mamma Mia playing in the background. The delicious smell wafting from the kitchen made your stomach rumble but you felt bad eating without him so you jumped on top of his sleeping body on the couch, effectively waking him up.

In hindsight, you should’ve anticipated his reflexes grabbing hold of your body which had unraveled from the duvet, holding you closer to him than either of you expected.

“Morning,” you sent a soft reply back, far too flustered from the position you were both in as well as his morning voice. Jake’s hand reached up to move a couple of wild strands of hair away from your forehead as he checked your temperature with the back of his hand with a gentle hum on his voice, “still a little warm but better than before”. You nodded in reply, a little entranced by the flecks of gold in the green of his eyes.

Jake noticed. He always notices. Or more accurately, he always notices you. His grip on your body tightened ever so slightly as he let himself get lost in the moment before gently moving your body off his. He shook his head lightly, reminding himself that he was only here to outdo you on the dates and win (you over), nothing more, nothing less.

You took a minute to breathe, gaining your composure before following him into the kitchen where he began heating and plating up the food he’d prepared.

“So Chef Seresin, what have you prepared for me today?”

“Well Chef, today we’ve got a classic Seresin household Sick Day Soup, I can’t tell you the ingredients because it’s a secret recipe, if I tell you it won’t work. Oh and a cheese toastie made from that sourdough loaf from the market that you like.”

Your eyes widened at that because you definitely didn’t have a single slice of bread in your apartment until that moment so that must have meant that- you punched Jake in the arm, the ‘ow’ was justified for him being too nice and driving an hour to go to your favourite market. God the urge to kiss him or punch him again was getting harder by each passing second.

Jake, sensing some sort of inner turmoil within you chose to move himself to a slightly safer area by grabbing the dishes and moving them to the coffee table, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead as he moved past you.

After you’d both eaten yourselves into a delicious food coma, and Jake had washed the dishes, much to your chagrin, you felt a wave of fatigue rush over you just as he’d appeared with a bunch of painkillers and cold medicine and a glass of water.

“Thank you for today, I really appreciate it. You didn’t have to-” you stopped yourself having seen the look in his eyes, “but thank you. I saw the picnic basket in the kitchen and I’m sorry for ruining your plans. We can still go out if you want, I feel so much better, plus I just took the medicine.”

He sighed sadly at that, you weren’t ruining anything, and Jake made sure to take the time to tell you that before carrying you up to your bedroom. He definitely didn’t have to do that but you honestly did not mind one bit.

Waking up a couple of hours later, you discovered a bouquet of flowers arranged in a vase in your kitchen, as well as a note in his flowy handwriting mentioning that dinner was in the oven waiting to be heated up. The huge smile on your face wasn’t going to disappear any time soon.

Good thing you got to return he favour the next day with Jake soon catching the bug along with the other aviators in quick succession after that.

tags — @waklman @sematarygirls @djs8891 @kmc1989 @dempy message/comment to be added to the tag list xx

[pjo-tvs-version]

Fanfic no. 3 !! Wohooo!!! I never thought it would happen. I am sticking with Annabeth POVs currently as I enjoy writing them. This one's based on @liesmultixxx's suggestion of the day Percy goes missing. Title from Love Story by yet again Taylor Swift. Enjoy!

Beggin' you, "Please don't go, " 

I stand outside by the gates of my school, excited. It was a lovely Saturday afternoon and Sally had insisted on having lunch with her. The crowd around me was buzzing with enthusiasm too. Today was the last day of school. Everyone was planning their summer vacations. I smiled knowing that I had already planned how to spend the entirety of the few days I got. Training at camp, finishing the plans for the renovation of Olympus, helping out with the architecture of the new cabins, teaching the new campers a few tricks, chatting with Sally and of course, spending time with my Seaweed Brain.

I was told by a particular green eyed boy that I often get lost in my thoughts. As much as I hate accepting that, it's the truth I realise now. As I’m happily going over my to do list for this summer, I hear a car’s horn, startling me. It’s Paul’s Prius with Percy in the driver’s seat, wearing his orange camp shirt. “Did I scare you, Wise Girl?” he says mockingly. There is a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and it feels wonderful to observe it without a Greek apocalypse taking place.

I dump my books in the back seat, taking my place beside Percy as we set off to his New York apartment. A lunch by Sally’s and then we will be off to Camp Half Blood. I was eager to go to camp as I hadn't seen it in a while. I am looking forward to seeing the new campers, even the ones from minor gods. Yesterday Chiron had even Iris messaged me about my requirement for building the new cabins. Percy was most probably picking on my thoughts (that was something I realised that he is pretty good at doing since we started dating.)

 “Well someone looks happy today despite her pessimistic attitude”, said Percy. “Let me remind you that you have an English research paper to write a History project to work on and not to mention solving questions from Trigonometry” I replied.  Percy let out a groan and said “Well you take the win on this one but please tell me you are helping me out with trigonometry.” I laughed. It was so funny to see the Savior of Olympus complaining about maths homework. I retorted “Only if you give me an extra blue cookie.” Percy looked aghast and I was just enjoying the banter. I knew I hit the right bargain.

 “You drive a hard deal Annabeth. Can’t we just stick with something nicer like I give you an extra goodnight kiss and you help out with the soul destructive maths?” “Hmm let me think about it” I pause dramatically and pose to be in deep thought and then add “nope.” “Please Miss Owl Head. I am begging you” Percy adds with the cute baby seal eyes. Oh no! I stared at them and it was a mistake. The eyes always got me. “Okay fine the extra goodnight kiss it is in exchange for the maths homework. But I am warning you beforehand, I’ll just teach you the method, you are solving them yourself. Also the good night kiss better be good.” I say with a sigh. He grins and I can’t help but adore his raven coloured hair. The rest of our ride passed with more banters about school, camp and dates. I enjoyed every minute of it.

I waited as Percy parked the Prius. Sally is already standing at the door. I could smell the delicious lasagna bubbling in the oven. As always Sally hugged me. She smelt of cookies and honey suckles. It always filled me with warmth whenever I was with Sally. She was like the parent figure I never had. She always treated me so warmly, like her own family. It always managed to make me feel cosy and warmed my heart every time.

“Come in quick! The lasagna is almost done, my dear. The blue cookies are in the oven right now. They will be ready soon too. "Sally said as she beckoned her inside the Jackson apartment. Percy eyes always glazed with amazement whenever a Sally Jackson styled blue cookie was in a 1 mile radius from him. Percy helped Sally set up the dining table as I went to his room to freshen up and change. 

When I returned to the table, a table was ready for three. Paul I had been told by Percy was in school, teaching. Sally and Percy were seated already and were waiting for me. A dish full of mouth watering Lasagna, Sally’s classic seven layer dip with tortilla chips and a jug of lemonade were kept, ready to be eaten.

“Dig in '' Sally said and that is exactly what we did. Gods, it was delicious. We talked as we ate. Sally inquired about my school, Percy sprouting out facts about marine life and me going over my plans for the summer. There was utter chaos as the three of us ate and chatted and it was soo much fun. When our meal finished, I along with Percy helped clear up the table. It sounds weird but I had fun doing the dishes. 

When everything was done we sat on the couch with the blue cookies. Percy’s eyes rolled up in ecstasy at the sight of them and I was pretty sure that my face was pretty much the same. As I savored my last chocochip bite, I glanced at the watch. It was almost 4. I stand with Percy in tow. We had to leave for camp now.

Sally hugs us goodbye, packing a few cookies for our trip to camp too. We hail a taxi to Long Island. 

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

 Percy and I stood on Half Blood Hill, enjoying the view. Camp Half Blood was buzzing with excitement everywhere. Many of the Apollo kids were doing target practice. The satyrs were playing a sweet tune on their pipes to grow the strawberries. The sun was dipping and the view was breathtaking. “Race you down the hill. Whoever loses doesn't get the last cookie” I shout before sprinting down the hill. “Hey, that's not fair! You went first. But you're on Chase. Anything for my blue cookies.” Percy retorts and he races against me. 

As always it ended as a tie so the cookie will be divided into half. Chiron was there to greet us. After exchanging a few hugs, I went to meet my siblings in Cabin 6. Malcolm welcomed me back warmly. I make my way towards my bed to start settling in. Unpacking took way more time than I expected. “Hey Annabeth, time for dinner. We are even having a campfire tonight.” Malcolm calls out as I stack my last book on the shelf. Perfect timing. “Coming Malcolm," I reply.

After a filling dinner everyone gathers around the fire for a song night. I sit beside Percy, a little at the back of the crowd. We sing, laugh and dance till our throats are sore from shouting and our knees are worn out from the dancing. The crowd dispersed albeit reluctantly since we were having so much fun. Me and Percy walk, hand in hand towards our cabins.

The walk was purposely slow since we were savouring the solitude. As we reach the entrance of his cabin we both halt. A drop of water fell on my nose then another on my shoulder and then on my hand. Before I knew it, I was standing under a mini raincloud. Percy was getting drenched in the rain too but he was smiling, that classic troublemaker smile and his sea green eyes were full of amusement. “May I know exactly why Perseus Jackson is it raining only above us? Considering that you are a Son of Poseidon, it puts you in a quite suspicious position. There is no scien-” I say before I am cut off. 

Percy’s lips are on mine as kisses me soft and slow. As he pulls away grasping for breath, I remember that he kept his promise about the goodnight kiss. Something must have shown on my face as I leapt to the realization because Percy’s smile widened. “So this is your special goodnight kiss I see. Where both of us are drenched in rainwater” I say. “I always wanted to kiss you in the rain. Might be romantic you know. But I kept my promise. So math homework tomorrow?” he replies. He really is a Seaweed Brain. He looked so cute with his hair plastered across his face and pearl like water droplets on his eyes that I could’nt help but kiss him again.

I will begrudgingly admit that it was actually kind of romantic but there is no way I am saying it out loud. We pull away and I say with a sigh “Okay, maths homework lesson in the morning in the strawberry fields. Okay?” “Thank you so much Wise Girl. Good night.” he says with a yawn. “Goodnight Seaweed Brain” I reply, feeling sleepy too. I make my way towards my cabin with my heart content. Tomorrow will be a fresh new day and I can finally enjoy myself after so many taxing years of war.

I wake up to a sunny morning. I freshen up and grab my supplies. Chiron had requested me to meet him first thing in the morning as he wanted to discuss a few new cabin designs for me. As I make my way to the Big House, I am interrupted by Clarisse. “Have you seen your kelp-filled headed boyfriend? He was supposed to spar with me to a death battle.” Clarrise asks. I laughed. So Percy and Clarisse are going toi spar. Guess I’m going to watch a good show. “I’ll go check on him. He’s most probably snoring in his cabin.” I reply. Clarisse nods and goes to her cabin. 

I knock on the doors of cabin 3. No response. I knock again but still not a single reaction. That was weird so I just pushed against the doors to find an empty bunk bed. Where was Percy? He most probably must be playing one of his pranks on me. I step out and call out his name. Still no answer. I find Chiron waiting at the steps of the Big House. I’m sure he would have some idea. “Have you seen Percy Chiron?” I ask. There is a look of concern in his eyes. “Annabeth, dear I thought Percy was somewhere with you though it is unlikely that he would be awake so early in the morning.” Chiron responds. “What no! I just got up and was on my way to your office when Clarrise asked me if I knew where Percy was. I said no and went to his cabin to find him but he was’nt there.” I say, panic seizing me. “Annabeth, you are not the first camper who inquired about Percy. Are you sure you have no idea where Percy is or is it some joke?” he asked me.

“I swear on the Styx Chiron that I have no idea where Percy is.” I say as my dread increases in my heart. “Well this is serious then. I am going to announce this immediately” Chiron said.

Every camper was searching every possible place. I was getting terrified with every passing second. Percy pulled off pranks but they were light hearted. When I find him, I’m seriously going to threaten him about this. He has no right to give me such panic attacks. After a while of searchin everyone gathered in the Amphitheater. “We’ve looked everywhere, only the strawberry fields are left for us to-” Connor says before I cut him off.

The strawberry field, of course he must be there. Maybe he wanted to surprise me by getting up early and being ready to study. I race against the wind. As I reach the entrance of the field I shout out “I’m here Seaweed Brain. Time for maths.” Still no reply. He was’nt there. My heart was thudding against my chest and I fell to my knees. Where was Percy? The rest of camp arrives to find me there in this miserable condition. Malcom approaches and kneels beside me. “Don’t worry Annabeth, we'll find him. He must be somewhere, I’m sure of it.”

I burst into tears not being able to control them. Percy was gone? Overnight? He kissed me goodnight yesterday and now he is gone? There was no trace of him. He wasn't in camp and I realise with a foreboding fear that this isn't a prank. Chiron removes the crowd as Malcolm hugs me fiercely. “He’s gone, he’s gone” I say with shuddering breaths. “I was supposed to teach him maths, go on a date with him tomorrow and…”. “Annabeth, it's okay. He will be fine” Malcolm tries to reassure me. “You don’t understand. Where is he? Is he alive or…….” I didn't complete the sentence. That’s not possible. I was going to search for him until I found him. A part of my brain nags me- what if I don’t. I push that thought away. I stand up with shaky legs and reach for my cell phone and dial Sally. After a few rings she picks up, “Hey Annabeth how are you and Percy? Any issue?”. “Sally is- is Percy at home?” I say even as my heart slows with dread. “No Annabeth! Why would he be here?”. I can’t reply. I lost my voice and I didn't know how to respond. What should I tell her. Sally must have sensed the silence was not a good one because there was concern in her next words “Annabeth honey Annabeth are you okay? Is Percy okay…” If only I knew that my happy, planned summer was going to be my worst possible one….

So how was this? Positive criticism is appreciated. Thank you @liesmultixxx for the lovely suggestion. Hope you liked it!!!

You can read it here on AO3 too

[persnickety-doodles]

Here's a doodle based off of this conversation with @lokfinest and @tlo-avatarkorra 😉

I showed lanagotconed20 that conversation and she was more than willing to help. If you haven't, check out her Road Trip series. I absolutely love it to bits!

[bbyannabeth]

i can see the end as it begins

completed | 29k words

the world is collapsing and percy doesn’t want to waste anymore time without telling annabeth how he feels

read on ao3

[padfoot-lupin77]

I wish I could automatically write the scenarios in my head. Just this past week I would have produced three perfectly good oneshot fanfictions. Maybe four. Like if the scenarios in my head would automatically be written in my notes app as well as my head I would be a great fanfic writer guys because they’re honestly so good but I think of them at the strangest times and can’t write them down and I also don’t have the time or energy or memory to write them later

[jayreyen]

I'm back from the dead with a new artstyle!! This is art for the fic I still haven't finished writing lol

Colored version underneath

[duskwillow]

Lingering Questions

{a short tlos fic about alex returning to the fairy palace after the events of book six}

⚘═≖≖═˖✾°•∘❀∘•°✾˖═≖≖═⚘

The sight was devastating.

Her heart slowed in time with her gentle steps. Alex had to mindfully place one foot in front of the other as she navigated through the rubble and remains of the Fairy Palace. What was once a gleaming, proud, and bright structure was now gray, crumbled, and desolate. Despite recently coming back to her senses, Alex managed to put on a brave face as she led the members of the Fairy Council back into what was left of their home.

No words were said. The only sounds were the crunching of pebbles underfoot, the gentle buzzing of bees, a soft flow of water, and the crackling of low flames. All they did was walk for now. The planning would soon follow, and then the salvaging. Memories, items...

Lives.

They didn't know how much they could save from the remnants of this destruction.

The first thing Alex thought of once she returned to the Land of Stories was the destroyed Fairy Palace. It was a brief flicker in her mind before she focused on bigger matters. Alex was a leader. Their leader. Even after all that happened, she knew they expected her to get to work immediately.

Just like her grandmother would.

Alex wasn't surprised when she followed a set path through the palace. Once upon a time, she had taken this exact route multiple times daily. She climbed the stairs, adjusting her steps to avoid the chunks and boulders that had fallen and peppered them with dangerous holes. The fairies knew better than to stop her due to the clear hazards presented. They were nothing compared to what Alex had faced in the past. She climbed those steps with aching legs and an aching heart as the parade behind her slowed their procession. Unspoken acknowledgment of her task led them to leave her be. She deserved to be the first to witness what remained of her grandmother.

The double doors that led to her grandmother's office used to feel so imposingly professional. Alex remembered feeling a warmth within her chest whenever she was allowed to enter through them. However, only one door remained standing, and Alex greeted the bottom half of the reared unicorn with a stare. Anyone looking at her face would have said she looked empty, that there was no emotion in her eyes, but that couldn't have been further from the case. She was feeling so many things at once that her face couldn't accurately express it. All she could do was stare.

Pushing herself to move beyond the first hurdle, Alex finally focused on the state of her grandmother's old office. Shattered glass covered the floor and made for dangerous terrain, but Alex took care of that with a wave of her hand. Her powers were still heightened and magic came far too easily. She pushed down that disdain for herself as quickly as possible before it overtook her analytical senses. Alex was there to assess the damage, make plans on how to fix it, and eventually get to work. But as she looked around the single half of her grandmother's office that remained, Alex could feel the heat and tension of tears threatening to spill from her eyes and stain her face.

There was a breeze from the nearby cliffside, as her grandmother's office overlooked the sea, and it plastered Alex's hair to her now wet face. She had to push it back and trap it under her headband just so she could focus. The wind rustled rogue papers and flipped through the wrinkled pages of open books. Smashed potion bottles were left with very little liquid in them, most of their substances having washed away with the rain or elements over time while exposed. From her small glimpse of things, she determined that nothing had been left untouched or intact. Almost as if her office had been one of the primary targets, it was completely and utterly unsalvageable.

Alex had to steady herself, her hands wrapping around her arms in some gesture that should have given her comfort but only made her more ill at ease. If only Conner wasn't off helping the others with his own section of the Land of Stories World Repair tasklist. She could have used her brother there beside her. While he didn't have half the memories she did regarding that office, Alex knew he'd share in her pain. It was more than paper and glass. More than bubbles and breathtaking views. The memories that used to be embedded within the now cracked and crumbled walls would need to be replaced alongside the golden foundations.

Physical devastation was such a small part of it to Alex. What mattered to her were the times when she had smiled and learned within those walls. Where she had felt like she finally belonged. How could they take this from her? Why did her pain have to continue even after these terrible events? It felt like a scar she had to look at in the mirror. It felt like a wound she would always be reminded of no matter how much time passed or how lovely the new Fairy Palace looked.

Would it ever go away? Would that feeling ever truly leave her be?

As she stepped further inside, Alex could feel her conscience answer her questions for her.

No.

Answers came so easily to Alex when she stood before the remnants of the fireplace. Bubbles attempted to manifest as she stood by, their comforting visage struggling to help bring her peace. How many times had her grandmother stared into that fireplace feeling the exact same way she did? Alex had no reason to feel hopeless. They were repairing the Land of Stories at that very moment, and yet her sadness would not leave her be. Had her grandmother ever felt this way? How had she overcome it?

As if the room held the answers to her plight, Alex continued to look around. While only half of it still stood, she searched it desperately for traces of her grandmother. She always had the answers. She always provided support when Alex needed it most. Even if she returned to magic, her grandmother had continued to be there for her.

So where was she now? Was this not prominent enough of a situation to warrant her guidance? What were the qualifications she needed to meet to receive assistance?

Alex would never get over the dissatisfaction of being left without an answer. Even if she could speak with her grandmother once more, Alex would have far too much to say and far too little time to say it. 'Goodbye's and 'I love you's would have to suffice, but she still regretted so many things. She regretted not asking to speak with her grandmother more. She regretted not sending her letter after letter every single chance she got. She regretted all of those times when they were apart. While, logically, Alex couldn't blame herself, she still did. She hated that she had never grasped the possibility of someone leaving her so suddenly. Her father had left her feeling so many regrets simply because his passing was so sudden, but her grandmother had taken more time with it. There was something Alex could have done to make their time together count more.

A scoff left her mouth, the first sound she had made verbally since arriving, at the thought of that. Her grandmother wasn't the type to really reprimand her for things, but something told her that she would have been severely disappointed to hear her granddaughter's thoughts. She would tell her that the memories they had made together counted. She would tell her that she enjoyed every single moment with her, her brother, and her family. Each second had been precious, and Alex knew that.

She would tell Alex that even though the palace was destroyed, and even though the physical remnants of their memories were gone, they would never leave her. Alex would never truly forget about them, even if she continued living without expressing her grief over it. Her grandmother would tell her how proud she was of Alex no matter what she chose to do. She would have faith in her granddaughter. Always and forever.

Even if it was difficult for her to admit it to herself, Alex knew her grandmother was there watching over her. She didn't need her hand to guide her at every hard turn, because she had enough confidence in Alex to know she would do it herself. She was the Fairy Godmother. She had all the tools she needed:

Courage.

Grace.

Kindness.

Heart.

She could do this.

Giving herself one more squeeze, Alex imagined her grandmother embracing her in one of her trademark tight hugs. Alex took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and lifted her head. She could feel her grandmother's pride in her through those memories. She could remember her love, lessons, and everything she had done to prepare Alex to keep going. Even through the pain and the sadness. The young Fairy Godmother knew those things would be part of her life until she inevitably returned to magic as well. But she could find happiness. Her grandmother had taught her how to find it.

And with that, Alex turned to the doorway. She left the office behind with its shattered bottles, crumbled gold, and broken walls. However, she had salvaged so much from that room of rubble. She had found the glue to repair her resolve. She had gathered the spackle to patch up her confidence. Alex left with her grandmother's answers to her lingering questions, finding herself much more comforted by what remained of her grandmother's office than she had expected. She felt no more worry about the state of the Fairy Palace. Even if the walls were cracked, the floor was fissured, and the pillars had fallen, Alex made her way back to the council with the determination she had lacked upon her arrival. She now knew they had not lost anything truly valuable.

After all...

Memories could never be physically destroyed.

⚘═≖≖═˖✾°•∘❀∘•°✾˖═≖≖═⚘

[honeyxmonkey]

Jim looked back when he heard Douxie cry out. His eyes widened and his stomach dropped when Douxie fell to the ground, shoulder bleeding.

A changeling Otto leapt back, the sharp end of his tail covered in blood. Douxie’s blood.

Jim saw red. He let out a guttural yell and swung Excalibur in a wide arc to keep back the masses of enemies, standing over Douxie protectively. "Nobody touches him!"

•○•

[magic-biscuit]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Legend of Spyro (Video Games 2006-2009) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Spyro (Spyro the Dragon), Cynder (Legend of Spyro), Sparx (Spyro the Dragon), Volteer (Legend of Spyro), Terrador (Legend of Spyro), Ignitus (Legend of Spyro), Cyril (Legend of Spyro) Additional Tags: Family, One Shot, lots and lots of headcanons, open-ended, rated t just to be safe Summary:

Its the day of the harvest festival and the guardians want to give the children a good day after all they've been through. Ignitus prepares the food, Terrador is in charge of decorating, Cyril has flown off pretending he isn't looking for sweets and Volteer?

Volteer is the one assigned with distracting the little ones.

[reyxlight]

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 || 𝗧𝗟𝗢𝗦 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗖

A Xanthous x Lampton fanfic

TW ;; death, mentions of war

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

𝐗𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔��� 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 the courtyard. It had been a while since he felt this sense of panic. Fear consuming him over the status of his lover. He had to be alive…Xanthous probably wouldn’t be able to handle loss.

Wouldn’t be able to handle it? What was he even thinking? He's lived for centuries, experienced countless deaths…why would this one be any different? He frowned at this realisation. What made this different? Why was Xanthous…scared?

“Sir Xanthous?"

The yellow fairy turned, and it didn't take long for the joy and relief to be seen on his face. “Lampton.” he responded, feeling much more at ease.

The two embraced and for a moment, all that fear that Xanthous felt earlier washed away. He was left feeling the serenity of his lover’s warm hold.

But that serenity didn’t last long. Xanthous pulled away from the hug and looked into the hazel eyes that were in front of him. “Is everything alright in the Charming Kingdom? How are your troupes?”

“Fine as of right now. However I fear the worst is yet to come. Everyone has their guard up. What about the Council? I imagine you are all equally piled up with work.”

Xanthous nodded with a sigh. “Unfortunately so.”

The two sat on a bench in the courtyard, staring up at the night sky. The silence was nice, it felt like someone had put a pause on the problems in the world to let the two men have a moment of peace next to each other. Xanthous glanced over at Lampton as a thought crossed his mind. “Gosh, you’re so handsome.”

Xanthous saw his red eyes in the reflection of Lampton’s hazel ones as the realisation hit. “I think I just said that out loud, didn't I?”

He responded with a wide grin. “Yeah.”

Xanthous leaned down and nestled his head on Lampton’s shoulder. He paid extra care in making sure he was keeping his flames in control so as to not hurt the head of the royal guard. The duo continued to sit in silence before hearing someone call for Lampton.

They got up and brushed off. “I suppose I’ll be seeing you next in battle?”

Lampton nodded. “We will come out of this victorious.”

“I hope so. I do not wish for everyone’s efforts to be in vain.”

“Indeed..” after a pause, Lampton walked off, turning behind before he was out of sight. “See you on the other side.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

The middle of a war is never exciting. Most are used to the constant pattern of fighting day in and day out and nothing seems interesting anymore. So it was safe to assume everyone was very eager for the final battle to commence. That would determine a winner. That would end this whole mess.

So when the literary army announced the final battle to occur that night, everyone felt the anticipation. The eagerness to be free of the tyranny that was the villains’ rule.

After hours of hard work and determination, the literary army saw its demise. Crowds of people cheered as the war came to an end. Joy could be felt all across the kingdom as every village and town celebrated this victory.

The fairy council walked around the Charming Kingdom, checking up on the residents and inspecting the casualties. As they arrived at the Palace, Xanthous heard a familiar voice call his name. Upon the sight of Sir Lampton, Emerelda looked over to the council and said, “We should head into the Palace and check on the royal family. Xanthous, why don’t you check in on the guards?”

She gave him a knowing smile as she led the rest of the council into the throne room. Xanthous prayed that his face wasn't as flushed as he felt it was. He turned to Lampton and smiled.

“We won.” The soldier had a joyous grin.

The two embraced in a hug before pulling away slightly and sharing a kiss. A tender moment for the couple. However as Xanthous looked at Lampton, he watched as the hazel eyes widened in shock. He felt himself get pushed to the side.

His sight was blurry, voices muffled. All he heard was the sound of Lampton telling him to watch out. Xanthous watched as the guard’s body was seen dropping to the ground. Rage consumed Xanthous and before he knew what had truly happened, he watched a member of the Playing Card Army fall to the ground as well. Fairy Council members, the royal guard and the royal family rushed outside to figure out why there was so much commotion.

Xanthous was by Lampton’s side. The soldier had an arrow impaled in him. He was still smiling. Xanthous cradled Lampton in his arms. At that moment, he did not care about his relationship being secretive. None of that mattered.

“Stay with me.” He hugged Lampton tightly. “Please.”

“I'm fine Sir Xanthous, really.”

“Stop saying I’m fine when you’re not.” Xanthous held his clothes close to the wound to stop any further bleeding. “It’s fine to say I’m not fine.”

Lampton felt his own breath slow down. “Perhaps..I’m not fine..”

Xanthous hated those words more. But he didn’t say it. Instead he turned to the Council members. He was met with various faces, none of which were hopeful for Lampton’s survival. “Why would you do that? You had so many years ahead of you. I’ve lived long enough.”

Lampton had a pained smile on his face. “I made a promise when I became a member of the royal guard….” He gasped for breath. “I would put my life on the line for anyone. And I intend to keep that promise. Besides, I would never regret saving your life dear.”

Xanthous took Lampton’s hand and pressed it on his forehead. “Still…”

“I appreciate all of you. Xanthous, thank you for showing me a new perspective on the world. But now I must join the others on a different side. Don’t let our story go unheard Xanthous. So many people lost their lives…they deserve to be remembered. Now, I get to protect them again.”

Those were the last words from Sir Lampton. Selfless, as expected from a top ranking member of the Charming Army. Xanthous watched as he felt Lampton go limp in his arms. He felt the tears and did not attempt to stop them.

He knew what he had to do. He learnt why this love was different from the rest. Sure, he was scared. And yes, he had seen countless deaths over the years. But he learnt through his relationship with Lampton that his purpose was to keep their legacy alive. Xanthous knew that no one would ever forget Lampton, or any of the fighters of the war for that matter, and their service. He would make sure of it. That was part of his role. And he intended to keep his promise till he took his last breath. Just like Lampton did to save him.

Well that was fun :D

This was a fic i wrote for @timecma for his birthday last year (yes…i wrote character death…for a birthday present- listen i gotta stay true to my writing style alright/j). this fic took me…5? months to write mainly because it was during my writing block months right after some of my exams. have i gotten out of writing block? hahaha no. it’s unfortunately…still haunting me….some day…some day.

Anyways another land of stores related post. it’s something i’ve been able to work on slightly more recently thanks to my friends who are tlos fans cause i can get the motivation and ideas easily. and i have stuff to make for the fandom thanks to this motivation ^^

now it might actually be a while till i post next due to mock exam prep but till we meet again <3

[starstwinkleplanetsshine]

Daughter of the Sea

Chapter Twenty-Six: More Tears...More Talking about Death

(Read on AO3 here)

“I’m not afraid, you know.”

Percy’s words floated through the darkness of our cabin from where he laid in his bed, just above the constant sound of the waves. I thought he had been sleeping. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“The prophecy. To do what I have to do…I’m not afraid.” 

“Percy, please don’t—” 

“No!” The tone of his voice startled me. “No.” He sighed. “I need you to listen to me. Please.” I had never heard him sound so desperate yet so sure at the same time. 

We hadn’t talked about the prophecy much before tonight. We hadn’t talked much about the war either. This whole year, most of our conversations had been focused on the happier side of being a demigod—if that was even a thing. Talking about training and myths and sharing stories about all the adventures Percy had been on. Even when we were fighting empousai on the elevated train or demon pigeons in Central Park, we could always find something to laugh about. Whenever the darkness did come up, Percy would get quiet and pull away. And I didn’t like to see him like that. So I tried not to mention it. 

“When I was younger,” he continued, “I wished it wasn’t me. I wanted it to be Thalia, or even Nico, for a while. But then last summer, something clicked. I knew it had to be me. I knew I didn’t want anyone else to have to carry that weight, to have to go through it.” 

“We don’t know what it all means, Perce.” Even I didn’t believe my own words, and I was quiet for a long moment before continuing. “And…” 

“And?” 

“And…it might not be you, after all.” 

“It is me.” 

“But it might—” 

“A single choice shall end his days—” 

“That might not be about you!” 

“It’s me because I choose it. I won’t let you take it for me.” 

“And you think I want to let you take it for me?” 

He was quiet, as if he had never considered that before. 

“Do you think it's been easy for me to watch you go through all this?” I continued, the words running out of my mouth before I could think about them, before I could stop them. “You have no idea how hard this has been. Seeing you waste away, retreat into yourself. You think I didn’t notice that you’ve hardly eaten the past few months? That you haven’t been sleeping? You think it's easy for me to know you’re at home while I have to be here, pretending that everything’s okay? That everything’s normal?” My breathing was becoming ragged. “You have no idea how badly I want to take it all away from you! I don’t—” my voice broke, " I don't want to lose you. Not after I just found you.” 

I didn’t know when I had started crying. 

When Percy spoke again, his voice was low. 

“Angie, I know. And I don’t want to leave you. But…” He took a deep breath, “But I know it's me. I can feel it.” 

I hated it. I hated it more than I had ever hated anything. 

But I knew he was right. 

We sat in silence for a long time. 

“Angie, I need to tell you something—” 

“Percy, please, I’m tired.” 

“I need you to listen to me, Andromeda.” He had never called me by my full name before. “I need you to hear this.” He waited for a protest that never came. “The only reason I can even begin to be okay with this is because I know I’m not leaving anyone behind. Not really. Mom, Annabeth, Rachel, Grover, Tyson, our friends at camp—I know they’ll be okay. When I’m gone, I know they won't be alone.” 

Every word felt like a dagger in my heart. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“They’ll have you, Angie. When I’m gone.” 

“You are not going to die, Percy. Don’t talk like that.” 

“But I might! And if I do, I need to know they’ll be okay. I need to know you’ll watch over them, you’ll be here to lead them.” 

“I’m not a leader, Percy.” My voice sounded weak.  

“But you are.” His voice was so sincere, I almost believed him. “You may not see it yet, but I do. They do. One day, they’ll look to you. And when they do, you'll be ready. I know it.” 

The thought of that almost scared me more than the thought of losing my brother. 

I felt desperate and terrified and angry and terrified. People kept telling me this, kept saying I would be something someday, something I knew I could never be. Something I knew I’m not. I was starting to get tired of hearing the lies. 

“Well that��s not going to happen because you’re gonna be okay.” 

I heard him sigh in the darkness, long and sad. He was quiet for so long, I thought he had fallen asleep. 

“I will be okay. And you will, too.” 

“Percy?” 

“Goodnight, Angie.” 

I bit my tongue and choked back a sob. 

“Goodnight.” 

But I didn’t shut my eyes for a long time. 

Breakfast next morning was quiet and depressing. Percy and I hardly spoke, and the sky was gray and overcast. That was unusual—the magic of camp usually kept rain and bad weather away. It was as if things were so dark, so heavy, so sad, not even magic could stop the clouds. Everyone knew what was coming and people kept glancing at the path to the campfire—and it wasn’t for a sing-along. 

Percy’s morning chore had been to go through Chrion’s reports, but I knew how much he hated doing that. I told him he could go with Annabeth as she inspected the cabins, since she hated that chore, too, and I would go through the reports for him. He seemed grateful, giving me a sincere smile and a hug before jogging along the path to catch up with the daughter of Athena. 

I didn’t love going through the reports, either, but I didn’t hate it as much as Percy. Plus, it was worth it to make his life easier—if only by a little. I knew he hadn’t gotten to see Annabeth much that summer, and I knew how much that was bumming them both out. I walked down to the canoe lake, sitting on the beach and letting the waves lap at my feet, and began to go through the stack of papers next to me. 

There were messages from demigods, nature spirits, and satyrs all around the country, writing about the latest monster activity. They were pretty depressing, and my ADHD brain kept drifting off and wondering if I had made my bed before the inspection that morning.

Little battles were raging everywhere. Camp recruitment was down to zero. Satyrs were having trouble finding new demigods and bringing them to Half-Blood Hill because so many monsters were roaming the country. Percy’s friend Thalia, who led the Hunters of Artemis, hadn't been heard from in months, and if Artemis knew what had happened to them, she wasn't sharing information. I decided not to share that with Percy—he didn’t need more to stress about. 

I took a break from reading and looked out to the water. Usually the sight of the shimmering blue was enough to take away any bad mood I found myself in. But lately, the water had just been making me sad. It reminded me of everything good, which just made me think of everything that might be taken away from me soon. It reminded me of my brother, and everything he’d taught me, and how he had been drifting further and further from me, from everyone. It made me think of how I might lose him in a few days.

It also made me think of my father, which always brought up complicated feelings. I had decided last summer that I did love my dad—and I decided to believe he loved me, too. Even if he didn’t show it very well. Even if I had felt abandoned by him all my life. Even if I felt like he chose Percy over me. Maybe even loved Percy more than me. 

He’s a god, I had to remind myself. The god of the seas. The seas that cover seventy percent of the world. It’s amazing he even talks to you at all. 

Especially now, since he was fighting his own war and had been for a year and Percy and I weren’t allowed to help at all. 

It would be nice if he talked to me more, though. 

A wind blew past and picked up one of the papers in the stack. As I scrambled to save it from the gentle waves, I realized it wasn’t a paper, really, but a huge maple leaf with a hand-written note scrawled on it from a Satyr in Canada. 

"Dear Grover,

Woods outside Toronto attacked by giant evil badger. Tried to do as you suggested and summon power of Pan. No effect. Many naiads' trees destroyed. Retreating to Ottawa. Please advise. Where are you? 

—Gleeson Hedge, protector."

I felt a tightness in my chest. I didn’t know Grover well—I had met him a couple of times at camp last summer and hung out with him whenever he was in New York throughout the year, but I knew how important he was to Percy. The two had an empathy link, and though I would never tell anyone, I had always felt like a shred of the chord that connected the two of them was also somehow connected to me. I wondered if it was because Percy and I were twins—we had begun to joke that we were the same person in two different bodies. The same soul split in two. 

I had heard stories that demigod twins were different. Special, even. And sometimes, when I knew exactly what Percy was going to say before he opened his mouth, or I got a cut on my arm sparring and I watched as Percy winced at the exact moment, I wondered if what they said was true. 

I tucked the maple leaf in my pocket and made a mental note to give it to Percy. No one had seen Grover in two months, and I knew it was weighing on him. 

I heard heavy footfalls stomping along the paths from the strawberry fields to the lake, and the sounds of someone angrily kicking the plants as they passed. I hoped there were no satyrs or children of Demeter around to see the destruction I was sure was happening behind me. I had taken my shoes off and was letting the water lap against my feet, heightening my senses and giving me a pretty good idea of who was stalking towards the water. 

I heard her stop and gasp when she got to the edge of the sand, right when I would’ve been in her view, and then I was positive about who it was. 

“What did he do this time, Annabeth?” I didn’t even bother to turn around. 

I heard the footsteps trudge through the sand. My suspicions were confirmed as the blond girl plopped down next to me, keeping her eyes on the water. 

“Everything!” Her voice was tight, like she was trying very hard not to cry. Knowing Annabeth, I figured we only had about thirty seconds until she lost that battle. 

“How did inspections go?” I tried to keep my voice light, but it didn’t do much. Annabeth let out a groan. 

“Fine. You got a three.” 

“Damn. Did I forget to make my bed?” 

“And Percy’s clothes were on the floor.” 

I nodded and we sat in silence for a bit, neither of us looking at each other, until Annabeth spoke. Her voice was small and tired. 

“I’m just…so scared.” 

I finally turned to her, and I saw streams of tears running down her cheeks. 

“I know.” 

She let out a sob, hanging her head and surrendering to her sadness. I placed a careful hand on her shoulder, and when she didn't pull away, began to rub her back. We had only known each other for a little over a year, but that can be a very long time when you’re a demigod. 

“Why don’t you tell me what happened?” I said, doing my best to keep my voice calm. 

She took a few shaky breaths and sniffled before speaking. “Percy and I got in a fight.” 

I nodded, even though my brain was screaming, duh!

“We had finished inspections and were walking back to the Big House when he brought up a dream he had. A dream about Rachel.” 

She said her name as though she was the one trying to destroy all of Western civilization and not Kronos. I actually liked Rachel a lot—she was cool, funny, chill, and artistic. Plus it was super refreshing to have a mortal friend during these times. But I knew why Annabeth didn’t like her. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. So I kept that to myself. 

“What did he see?” 

“She drew pictures. Pictures that she shouldn’t know about. Pictures that make me very worried.” 

“Pictures of what?” I knew that Rachel loved to draw, and I knew how good of an artist she was. I also knew she was clear-sighted, and could see through the Mist just as well as demigods could. 

“Luke as a kid, just before he ran away. The Empire State Building surrounded by an army, Typhon on his way to destroy it.” She said those words with such little emotion, like she was talking about what she had for breakfast. Like they didn’t hold the weight of the world. 

“What could it all mean?” 

Annabeth buried her head in her hands. “I have no idea.” 

“Well, they must be important.” 

She looked up at me suddenly, her eyes red and puffy, but harsh and stormy. The only eyes that scared me worse when they got like that were my brothers. “That’s what Percy said.” 

I took a deep breath, knowing I needed to be careful with what I said next. “What else did you talk about?” 

Her eyes softened a bit. “He asked me what I would do if I were Kronos, and I said I would use Typhon as a distraction, a way to get the gods away from Olympus, and then attack it directly.”

“Well, yeah. Obviously that’s what he’s doing.” 

“Except Zeus won’t listen to us.” 

I waited for a peal of thunder that never came. 

“And then I told him that we would just have to be ready to defend Olympus and Camp when the time came, with or without the gods. And then he made some stupid comment about his soul getting reaped, and I said we should’ve never told him the prophecy because he always runs from things when he's afraid, and he didn’t like that very much, and then I—” her voice broke, and she took a sharp, shaky breath in. “And then I called him a coward.” 

If anyone else had admitted that to me, I would have drowned them in the lake. I let her words hang in the air, taking them all in. It was so clear she wasn’t just talking about the battle ahead, and it was equally as clear that Percy had no idea what she meant. Or maybe he did—but knowing my brother, he wouldn’t do anything about it. Not now. Not when he thinks his days are numbered. 

“And then I said that if he didn’t like our chances, and didn’t like our company, he should go on that vacation with Rachel.” 

She sounded so miserable, and when I looked over to her, her face was streaked with tears. 

“But you didn’t mean that, did you?” 

Annabeth choked back a sob. “Of course I didn’t.” 

I pulled her into me, letting her cry into my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her. We were the same age—well, her birthday was about a month before mine—but she had always felt so much older. So much wiser. At first, I thought that was just because she was the daughter of the wisdom goddess. But then, after getting to know her, I realized that was just her. 

She was always so strong, so put-together. She always had everything figured out, everything under control. She was everything I wasn't, everything Percy wasn’t. I looked up to her. I went to her with my problems and she always had the answers. Seeing her so broken, so lost and confused and unsure, made me feel like my whole world was spinning out of control. I racked my brain for the perfect thing to say, but then I heard Cady’s voice like a whisper in my head: 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for someone is just be there for them. 

“It’s okay, Annabeth. Just give it some time. We still have time. He’ll be okay.” 

Sometimes they don’t need words—they just need you. 

And so we sat on the beach with our arms around each other, tears falling onto our orange T-shirts, listening to the sound of the waves lapping on the sand and watching Apollo’s chariot climb higher into the sky. 

[bradshawed]

The Love Olympics

summary — jake and chickadee’s competitive nature get the best of them as they end up trying to outdo the other in various romantic gestures. will it end in heartbreak and disaster? (if yes, then bradley says he told you so!) note to self, never make a bet against jake.. you will lose.

pairing — jake seresin x chickadee

warnings — no use of y/n, female reader, doesn’t correctly follow the plot of tgm, naval inaccuracies. collection of one shots and drabbles. fluff, angst, possible smut? bradley being an insufferable best friend

tags — @waklman @sematarygirls @djs8891 @kmc1989 @dempy feel free to ask to be added to the tag list <3

note — credits to @sematarygirls for coming up with the title and for inspiring this idea as well as @waklman for being an inspiration, helping me choose the pairings, and for the layout. ily both sm <3 this was planned to be an original book on wp with drew starkey as one of the faceclaims but i figured that it would be cooler to make a tgm au series out of it

requests for this series: open

original one shots/drabbles:

Masterchef ft. Mama Seresin

Sick Days & Cancelled Dates new

more coming soon…