#we are NOT talking enough about Thalia Grace

[corujalesbica]

I made a Playlist for Thalia Grace, I'm so fucking excited for her to show up in the end of next season. Like. Imagine Thalia sitting Percy, imagine Thalia hugging Annabeth, imagine Thalia meeting Artemis, imagine Thalia guys.

[countdown-til-sanders-take-over]

"percy jackson vs-" it doesn't matter who the second person is. it will always be hydrogen bomb vs coughing baby. have u read the house of hades?

Nico di Angelo

[sincerelyhecate]

you (hit me with a broom and) set my heart ablaze

Title: you (hit me with a broom and) set my heart ablaze (final chapter)

Pairing: Jason Grace/Percy Jackson

Length: 7.9k words

You can also read this on AO3.

∘◦ ☆ ◦∘

Six years later.

On a lovely Saturday morning, in the kitchen of Jason and Percy’s home, it isn’t strange for one to hear the screams of Piper McLean echoing throughout the cosy ambience of the place. Today the sound is shrill and delighted, whistle-like before devolving into banshee cackles, to the absolute indifference of everyone else in the vicinity. In her precarious clutch is a rumpled copy of the Daily Prophet hanging on for dear life, papers on the verge of falling apart from the way it’s shaken this way and that. Poring over the morning news next to her hysterical girlfriend (or rather, trying to), Annabeth makes a face, disturbed by the headline emblazoned on the front page.

Jason, who’s preoccupied with wardrobe preparations for the International Quidditch Gala this evening, which is to be hosted in London this year, cannot be bothered to investigate his best friend’s cause of hysteria. Piper hops on a mission to rupture her close friends’ eardrums at least three times a day, most of the time because of things as small as losing a game of Exploding Snaps, so the effort would’ve been for naught. You can even say it’s a regular phenomenon in his life. Non-indicative of anything in need of serious attention.

On the other hand, he’s dealing with a slightly bigger problem: everything for the gala should’ve been in order before noon, which is only thirty minutes away. His Percy, who is sweet and charming and would probably kill another man for him, has the unfortunate tendency to procrastinate whenever he gets ready (“Can’t we snog for just another five minutes, babe? Please?”); another regular phenomenon in this household. And tardiness is simply out of the question today, when both of them will be the highlights of the event tonight.

Thalia, nursing a cup of tea for her hangover, walks around the kitchen island toward the girls to take a curious look. Jason jerks in surprise, barely managing to catch the bundle of robes falling out of his hold, when she all but shrieks, “JASON, WHAT HAS THAT TWAT DONE TO YOU?!”

Uh, oh.

When he gathers enough courage to glance her way, his sister has collapsed on a nearby chair. Her sharp face paints a perfect mixture of devastation and rage.

“My sweet, innocent baby brother!” she wails to the ceiling, like there’s an unknowable power above that could answer her woes. Her fingers clutch tufts of her black hair in anguish, like he’s about to be boiled inside a bubbling cauldron right before her eyes. “Debauched and corrupted by that filthy, foul beast!”

There’s an internal defensive system in Jason that’s set up for Percy, activating automatically whenever the man is spoken ill of. It doesn’t care for the offending person, whether they’re family, friend or foe.

“Excuse me?” he thus demands, incredulous by his sister’s exaggerated lament. “That’s my fiancé you’re talking about. What’s even going on?”

“He’s what’s going on!” Thalia yells back, but it’s too late. Her words might as well be the passing wind by then. For Jason, a helpless romantic by default, has already found himself scatterbrained by the word he just uttered.

Fiancé.

Isn’t it so telling of his character that, even in the face of Thalia Grace’s unbridled rage, his heart still embarrassingly flips at the word for the nth time? It’s mad. It's invigorating at the same time. Every time he says it, it’s as if the word has been just newly minted into his vocabulary. Like the idea of it is just dawning on him for the very first time.

And really, can anyone blame his tongue when it tastes honeyed mead every time?

His trembling heart, when the man he’s engaged to is the one and only Percy Jackson?

The giddiness overwhelming his chest, when he’s due being wedded to the love of his life one day, the owner of his heart and soul?

Reality still hasn’t set in completely. One in which he’ll be tying the knot with his Hogwarts sweetheart. Promising a lifetime with him. Loving each other till death do them part, then reunite them in the afterlife. Everything feels like a dream still, rose-coloured and hazy, even when three months have already passed since he said yes.

Like second nature, his thumb finds the lovely band wrapped around his ring finger. A sweet reminder that follows him wherever he goes. Counting days, that seem longer the nearer the date of their happy end and new beginning.

Speaking of which, the date has been easy to decide. And Jason, on his part, thinks their choice is perfect. He knows Percy thinks the same too, so attuned with each other they are; two meshing gears in a well-oiled machine.

After all, what’s more romantic than to have your first kiss as a husband on the date you had as a boyfriend?

The story of their engagement day was an incredible one.

The talk of wizarding Britain for a month straight, it made the headline of the Prophet the very next day, dethroned the current It Witch Drew Tanaka in the cover of Witch Weekly the very next week (“The Wicked has fallen!” Piper had yelled), before making its home in the gossip column for at least three subsequent issues of any known wizarding publication.

Representing the UK, Jason had just sealed their victory against Peru in the World Cup finals that very fateful day. When he had presented the Snitch to Percy, as per their very own personal tradition, Percy had in turn knelt on the grass and stolen Jason’s heart once more. His adorably shaky fingers had unclasped the golden ball to reveal the most brilliant thing Jason had ever seen: a ring of rose gold etched in intricate waves, the head mounted with a sparkling aquamarine.

With the same solemnity, the exact sincerity, his voice held when he had first asked Jason to be his lover, Percy had said:

“Jason Grace, will you marry me?”

There was only one correct answer.

A photo, capturing the moment Jason had jumped into Percy’s arms before kissing him like his life depended on it, would make itself a permanent home on one of the walls of their hallway.

Later that night, with the warmth of afterglow still thrumming under his skin, and the sense of security taking form in the arms wrapped around him, he asked his would-be husband, “What would’ve happened if I’d lost the match?”

Percy made a show of humming in thought, complete with a contemplative frown. Apparently, via means Jason couldn’t even try to comprehend, he’d somehow colluded with the organisers to have the Snitch carry the engagement ring the whole game, with the goal of letting Jason unknowingly catch it.

“I wouldn’t know,” Percy decided, “because you didn’t lose.”

As his fingers drew shapeless patterns on Percy’s fuzzy chest, he mused, “I could have.”

“Nah,” Percy retorted, his voice taking on the stubborn edge that Jason was so intimately acquainted with. “I did my calculations, baby. I knew you’d win before you even got to the stadium.”

“Statistically, my darling, there’s always a possibility that I could,” Jason said matter-of-factly. “What would you've done, then?”

“My calculations were perfect, thank you very much,” Percy said, also matter-of-factly. “So, I still wouldn’t have known!”

“Have you already forgotten that time you’d lost a match against Hufflepuff? A team you had been one hundred percent confident you’d win against?”

“Oh,” Percy drawled. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, his eyes glinted like the rippling ocean under the moonlight. “I see how it is.” His lips, swollen from being kissed so much, bit back a smile. “Making your future spouse recall a traumatic experience now, aren’t you, Mr Jackson-Grace? Right after the best fucking sex we’ve ever had of all times? Shouldn’t you wait at least a month after the wedding to show your true colours?”

“Oh, Mr Grace-Jackson,” Jason replied sweetly, burying his nose into Percy’s sternum. He wanted to stay there forever. “You know I’d play all the cards in my hands whenever we argue.”

The throaty laugh escaping Percy’s lips was siren-like in its melody, stoking the fire within his chest brighter. He wished the sound could stay entrapped in his ear canals forever; he never wanted to stop listening to it.

“Well, if you wanna know so badly,” Percy relented. “In the almost impossible, purely hypothetical, higher-chance-Dumbledore-would-sooner-rise-from-his-grave scenario of you losing…I’d be thoroughly fucked!”

Their laughter twirled together in a dance above their heads.

“I’d probably have to steal the Snitch from the other team too,” Percy said amidst his giggles, “before they unknowingly take your ring across the ocean. Luckily for us,” he grinned, so beguilingly handsome. “I’m rather a prolific Seeker myself.”

His heart an ocean of bliss, Jason stifled a yawn and buried himself deeper into Percy’s embrace. How surreal it felt now, even after years of doing it; to lie in the arms of this beautiful man who wouldn’t just be his lover anymore. Who would also be his husband soon, his partner for life. A dream he didn’t have to wake up from, because it’s now the indubitable reality.

As he basked in such loveliness, a question formed itself in the back of his sleep-addled mind. “Darling.”

“Baby.”

“Should we go for the hyphen route, how do we decide the order of our surnames?”

“Let’s just draw lots tomorrow and call it a day,” Percy said.

“It won’t work with just the two of us, will it?”

“We’re hosting the get-together dinner with the Hogwarts lot, aren’t we?” Percy reminded him, finishing his words with a gigantic yawn. “Let’s do it with them, then.”

“Fantastic,” Jason mumbled. Despite the young night, sleepiness tugged at his eyelids. The rising and falling of Percy’s chest made it impossible to ignore. The cool sensation around his ring finger followed him into his dream, of an ethereal painting of rose petals on the sand and an altar by the beach.

The following day was an event in and of itself. After drawing lots five times in rapid succession, a couple of heated arguments between Thalia, Nico and Reyna that almost turned into a duel, and a chaotic coin toss that somebody had charmed into displaying heads on both sides, the decision was ultimately vetoed by the happy couple in the end.

And so, Jason was proud to announce that he would one day be known as a Mr Jackson-Grace.

“Jason! Jason!”

“Er, what?”

“Care to explain this?!” Thalia’s anguished voice pierces through Jason’s fond recounting of his most favourite memory. ”You’d never say stuff like this before! And to the press of all people? Are you out of your mind?!”

She snatches the newspaper from Piper before shoving the front page in his face. A huge moving photograph, of him smiling genially amidst the many blinding flashes of the camera, adorns half the page. In bold capitalised letters, the headline reads: 

GRACE’S SECRET TO PEERLESS FLYING: “I RIDE MY FIANCÉ EVERY NIGHT.”

His jaw drops against his will. Finding the sufficient words to describe the sheer absurdity is a struggle on its own. After a good ten seconds, however, amusement betrays him in the end. It’s hard not to join in on Piper’s shrill laughter, which has yet to cease after five solid minutes, when you also happen to be the reason.

Merlin. The press can be crazy at times, but he certainly didn’t expect it to be this insane.

“What are you laughing about?!” Thalia demands.

“Okay. In my defence,” he takes a deep breath to compose himself, his grin refusing to go away, “I distinctly remember saying to the reporters that I ride with Percy every night. On our broomsticks. Separately.”

“So that’s why people were giving me funny looks at Diagon Alley,” a voice, dear and familiar, says on his right, just as he feels an arm snakes around his waist.

“Percy!” He didn’t notice their fireplace going off when the man in question Floo-ed in.

“Hello, my sweet.” 

Jason sees his amused grin before his green eyes, still gleaming with the same kind of endearing boyishness from six years ago. As easy as breathing, Percy pulls him by the waist to plant a sweet kiss on the corner of his jaw, unbothered by the soot all over himself. As always, his black hair is a handsomely tousled mess, bangs draping over his lovely eyes gossamer-like. Jason waves the shopping bags away to fussily brush the dust off his fiancé.

“For the record, ladies,” Percy says, his eyes full of gratitude as he stares into Jason’s, “it’s actually every two to three nights.”

“Percy!” Jason admonishes, his reprimand ineffective by his own giggle.

“We should still sue the wankers, though! For all their worth,” Percy adds, serious yet unserious at the same time. He rests his forehead against Jason’s, and they share a fond, helpless grin.

“Merlin’s pants, Seaweed Brain,” Annabeth chastises as she pinches the bridge of her nose. “Could’ve gone peacefully without knowing that.” Exasperated, she snatches the offending newspaper back, before flipping to a presumably less crazier section.

“And I would’ve hexed your stupid arse to oblivion if Jason didn't love you as much as he does, Jackson,” Thalia supplies. It isn’t as threatening as usual. Her fondness for their display of affection must’ve mellowed her down.

“Love you too, Thals,” Percy throws a cheeky grin her way, chuckling as they watch her face fight off a smile behind her cup.

Jason’s heart squeezes happily. To see two of his most favourite people getting on is a blessing he won’t exchange for anything else.

Percy lets go of his waist, but not before nipping his lower lip affectionately. The spoils of his shopping float along as he crosses to the kitchen, arranging themselves into the arrays of cabinets and drawers and the large refrigerator.

As a half-blood, Percy has insisted on retaining a portion of his Muggle lifestyle. They purchased a home in a Muggle neighbourhood as a result, a quaint double-storey semi-detached house fondly dubbed as the Cabin, a callback from Percy’s favourite place back in his mum’s hometown in New York. It’s only a twenty-minute drive away from the Jackson-Blofis’, filled with everything you could find in a cosy Muggle household. The only recognizable magic consists of the private Floo connection and the Fidelius Charm, to keep the press and some deranged Quidditch fans away.

Over the hours, more of their friends come over. Grover and his girlfriend Juniper; Leo, Hazel and Frank; Nico, Will and Reyna; and Rachel, the last to arrive with her makeup supplies for Piper’s MUA duties. With every familiar face popping out of the fireplace, Jason can see the ever-present smile on Percy’s gorgeous face growing wider, his own heart soaring higher in return. 

Times like this, when their loved ones are close, are the ones they appreciate the most. With everyone present, the walls of the Cabin would illuminate with the glow of camaraderie. Grover, Percy and Leo would run the kitchen to prepare culinary masterpieces. The ladies, a tightly-knit group as ever, would drag Frank in on one of their shenanigans. Nico and Will would hog the TV to watch some 90s soap operas. 

Jason is content watching from the sidelines, often with a mug filled with hot cocoa in hand, occasionally joining whichever faction that wants him around. He feels happy and included in all of them; it feels like the bond they share transcends lifetimes and worlds over.

Jason probably has the best team of stylists ever. Granted, it’s a ragtag team of his friends who don’t style professionally, only as a hobby, but boy do they come through every time he needs to look good in front of the camera. Their teamwork is a spectacle on its own, working seamlessly like a well-oiled sewing machine whenever Jason Grace needs a look (“Lewk,” Piper would always correct him) worthy of the male celebrities’ section of Witch Weekly. 

The process is simple and well-rehearsed, divided according to each member’s talent. Rachel sketches and colours, Annabeth measures and sews, and Piper paints the face. Hazel and Reyna assist on the side, while Thalia sips a glass of firewhisky nearby, occasionally giving her grunts of approval. The men know to stay clear, though Nico and Will would sometimes chime in to provide helpful input.

The theme this time is robin egg blue. Their suits, tailored to match as always, quality rivalling those of Madam Malkin’s, are embroidered gorgeously in shimmering threads to detail patterns of clouds and waves, illustrating the horizon parting the crystalline skies and the tranquil seas. To distinguish the wearer, Percy’s suit is of a slimmer cut to fit his swimmer’s build, whilst Jason’s tapers at the waist to accommodate his own shape. Instead of flowing around the body like Jason’s does, the shine of Percy’s dress robe magically ripples downwards, to mimic merry waves hitting a summertime beach.

When Percy twirls around to showcase his outfit, Jason has never seen a lovelier picture. How is it fair for him to fall for the most beautiful man in the world? He’s not sure he can survive their first fitting in the future.

Then, it is time for makeup. Though he knew he shouldn’t be looking down on Piper’s skills (which are godly, by the way, despite her aversion to wearing any kind of cosmetics herself), it didn’t prevent his usual unfair presumption: nothing she attempts could ever hope to elevate the perfect canvas that is Percy’s face. Perfection cannot be improved, after all, and Percy’s natural features were painted by the Muses.

But once she’s done, and Percy turns to look at him, lo and behold: once again, she has achieved the impossible. Clever enough to leave the canvas as it is, she’s added subtle yet intricate engravings to its frame, tastefully complementing the existing work of art.

Hazel voices out his thoughts helpfully: “Wow. Makeup is really a whole other branch of magic.”

“Funny, because this collection is all Muggle-made,” Rachel says with a sprinkle of smugness.

When his eyes arrive at Percy’s countenance from their frantic travelling up his physique, whatever air that was left inside his lungs departs in a sharp outtake of breath.

A poet would find inspiration from the glitter that hung from the curve of Percy’s long, rich eyelashes; compose songs in the subtle turquoise blended into his eyelids. A painter could paint flowers of the prettiest pigment if they extract the rose of his lips; sandy beaches from the smooth brown of his flawless skin; and the seashells dotting the sand from the shadows of his stubble. His hair, untameable like the roughest of seas, is now subdued to a windswept look that weakens Jason’s knees.

He's no artist, but a strong urge to get a drawing quill and a roll of parchment suddenly overwhelms his chest. A subject like Percy would only allow masterpieces to exist, even if made by hands as untrained as his.

“Breathe, guys,” Leo pipes up.

Oh. Being deprived of air for quite some time, his lungs have long caught on fire. The adrenaline flowing through his veins is better than Quidditch itself.

When did Percy close the distance between them? He’s a few metres away just a second ago, and now Jason can smell the seaside tang of his breath, its warmth caressing his cheeks like sea breeze. Up close, his sea green irises, left untouched by the makeover, turn out the most beautiful. Bright, earnest and pure, just like how they were in the trophy room a million years ago.

“I would kiss you senseless right now,” Percy says, his grin widening into that of the Cheshire Cat’s, “but I can’t do that without ruining our lipsticks.”

Jason’s own makeover has been nothing special. A dash of glitter here, a few brushes of rouge there, over and out. “Frankly, Jason, Mum would probably be pissed if she ever sees me touching your face up,” Piper says, the meaning of her words escaping his understanding. The mirror seems to agree; he hardly sees a difference after she's done.

Not that it matters in the end. After all, he’s always been a poor judge of his own looks. Though judging from Percy’s reaction, she’s probably done an exquisite job. And he only really cares for Percy’s opinion.

“Er, should we leave?” Grover says. “Looks like they’re about to undress each other again.”

“Ew!” exclaims someone else, but Jason is too entranced at this point to know who.

“Alright, everyone out!” Percy announces with a clap that resounds in his head, kind enough to break him out of his silly reverie. “Thank you so much for pretty much everything, but we’re about to head out, and we don’t want to be greeted by a pile of rubble when we get back.”

“Can’t even trust your own friends with house-sitting?” Nico says.

“I’m gonna fuck him as soon as we walk through the door when we’re back,” Percy replies with a shrug, “and I wouldn’t care who’s there to—”

Half of them are out the door before Percy could finish his sentence.

“Works every time,” Percy said, as soon as Thalia, the last of their friends, Floo-ed away in an angry burst of green flames.

“You’re a walking menace.”

“And you love me for it.”

“And I love you for it.”

Jason walks backwards as he guides Percy by the hand towards the back door, not at all worried of running into anything by accident, every inch of the Cabin long mapped into the back of his mind. The evening breeze greets them as they step outside, its scent a little damp and woody. Their most favourite spot to Disapparate together is the backyard, a shrine filled with all kinds of paraphernalia, big or small, narrating tales of their loved ones. Sally’s beds of roses, Estelle’s mini playground, Paul’s tools for his home projects, Thalia’s archery targets; things to miss when they depart, and to look forward to seeing when they arrive home. He already misses all of them. 

Right at the threshold of the pathway leading to their private Quidditch pitch, Percy loosens his hold to lace their fingers together. Where they've always belonged.

“You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

There’s a hint of a whine in Percy’s next words. “Can’t wait to get home already.”

Jason smiles softly. “I’ll be there with you, won't I?

“Oh!” Percy mirrors his expression. “You’re right.”

Home is wherever they’re together, after all.

Before the swirling darkness of Disapparation takes over, Percy’s warm face, evoking all good feelings within those privileged enough to witness, is the last thing Jason sees.

***

Percy isn’t the most self-conscious person in the room, but they really do make quite the pair before the press.

And Merlin, is he not made to be press material.

“And joining us for the gala this beautiful evening is the thrice world champion, the hottest Seeker in the scene, Jason Grace! And his wonderful beau Percy Jackson!” Despite the Sonorus spell casted directly to his throat, the interviewer somehow finds it necessary to shout his announcement anyway, like it’s the only way to be heard above all the clicking noises of the press cameras. His face, in Percy’s honest opinion, looks exceptionally punchable.

All around the press wall, which bears the logos of the International Association of Quidditch and its various sponsors, white flashes assault Percy and Jason’s visions blind as they try for smiles that might as well be grimaces. The only solace is Jason’s fingers intertwining his, a sweet anchor in a sea of madness.

Right this second is Percy’s least favourite part of this whole semi-famous thing he has going on as Jason’s partner. Not that he has any place he’d rather be other than by Jason’s side. Not at all. It’s just that being the centre of attention isn’t very kind to his temperament, and the noise and the flashes and the heat only serve to make things worse.

Ever his hero in shining armor, Jason does his best to direct all the attention to himself, cutting through the questions quickly so they can move on. In the meantime, Percy tries his best to maintain his dwindling composure and stave off his rising nausea. His vision flies everywhere, in need of something easier on the eye to help. Predictably, Jason’s perfect side profile does the trick.

“Hello? Earth to Percy?” a ping of a voice intrudes his already wobbling mindscape. He barely suppresses the urge to growl like a territorial wolf.

“Er, yes?”

“Other than staring at your fiancé all evening, which is understandable,” the interviewer jokes, like he ever has the right to, “what are you most excited for in this event?”

Deep breaths. Remember your PR training. Make Frank proud.

“Going home, definitely,” Percy says, his next words accompanied with a wink. “Jason and I have our nightly riding to do.”

Jason laughs before playfully pinching his side. “He meant broomstick riding, by the way. No funny headlines tomorrow, folks.”

“Or our lawyer will keep in touch!” Percy adds with a cheeky grin. Jason laughs again as he waggles his index finger at the interviewer—a lighthearted warning of a not-so-lighthearted consequence.

“Cheeky as always!” the interviewer says cheerfully. His posture betrays otherwise, visibly unsettled by the threat lurking underneath their unassuming smiles. “Now, Jason, what do you think of the new faces for this upcoming—”

Despite his discomfort for interviews, Jason glows like the star he is, the perfect picture of a celebrity sportsman. The marvel of his glasses perching on the strong curve of his nose serves as Percy’s distraction for the next few minutes of press torture. Then, before he can give in to Disapparating back to the Cabin on the spot, they’re finally, finally being led towards the heart of the celebration.

As they walk through the grand double doors and into the gargantuan hall serving as the venue, Jason’s hand around his own tightens in a quick squeeze, as if to say, ‘Good job out there.’

It could also mean nothing, but he finds himself preening anyway.

Out of biased nostalgia, he’s inclined to believe that the Great Hall back in Hogwarts is the most magical place when it comes to hosting a grand event. Now that he’s here, this place certainly gives it a run for its Galleons. The ceiling is conceptually familiar, charmed in a way to showcase the astral magnificence above, but the interior design, boasting impressive Ancient Roman architecture, certainly exudes more pzazz. Every inch of it speaks of grandeur, dialled up to eleven, regaled by the marble floor and the pillars of gold, giving off the illusion of an ancient godly residence.

In celebration of Quidditch and the sportsmanship it brings out of every attendee, waiters zoom around on leisure broomsticks, handing out glasses of overpriced beverages to those desiring to drink the night away. Replicas of the Golden Snitch flit over people’s heads, dangling lucky prizes to whoever manages to catch them by hand (no brooms allowed). Tables topped with crystal covers, decorated with swaths of silk ribbons, boast fancy china plates of culinary specialties hailing from every member country of the Association. The aroma hanging over the dining area is enough to make anyone with working taste buds salivate. The festive air is so electric, Percy could almost feel its buzz within his bones.

Merlin, he thinks ruefully, it’s gonna be a long night.

An event like this, in which the majority of its attendees are world-class athletes, can only mean one thing: good-looking people frolicking around everywhere. People whose winks can make the average Quidditch fan blush in an instant, whose musculature can make anyone weak in the knees…for those who are looking, this place is a prime opportunity for a prospective relationship, serious or otherwise. More than once Percy could recognize people he’d seen countless times in magazines, some of them legends whose active years even preceded his time in Hogwarts.

Despite that, it’s funny how nobody holds a candle to Jason. Pale in comparison, pitifully eclipsed, reduced to the shadows, by the walking sun by his side.

Jason’s ensemble for the night seems to agree with him, billowing around his fit body like a cool superhero’s cape. The eye-catching robin egg blue perfectly complements his divine exterior, making every feature pop; his eyes bluer, his lips redder, his hair as if spun from pure gold. Matching robes was probably the best decision they’ve ever made as a celebrity couple. Percy loves how it tells everyone else who he belongs to, who he belongs with.

I’m the luckiest man in the world, aren’t I?

“I heard Albus has already started his first year at Hogwarts,” Jason says out of the blue, eyes casted towards a corner of the hall, unaware of how musical he sounds in Percy’s ears. “He’s grown so big already.”

Percy follows his gaze to see the Potters, who—sans their infamous eldest child—are lounging around a table at the VIP section. Despite drawing every eye in the vicinity to their general direction, they mostly keep to themselves, only making polite conversations with the starry-eyed passersby when necessary. The boy in question, a downright clone of his legendary dad, is particularly gloomy-looking.

“And little Lily! It feels like only yesterday since she’s this small,” Jason says adoringly, hands shaped as if holding an invisible Quaffle.

“You sound like you’re the one giving birth to her.”

“Half of the League players think they did,” Jason agrees. He then sighs, in a longing way that makes Percy’s heart clench. “Having kids must be so lovely.”

“Wait ‘til we get home, baby. I’ll put as many as you want inside you.”

Jason pauses, eyes widening in surprise, before a hopelessly infatuated grin cracks his face.

“Oh my wonderfully vulgar fiancé,” he whispers, chuckling amusedly as he closes the already small distance between them. The azure of his eyeliner sparkles as he blinks at Percy, wondrous, like his offhanded dirty talking is ever something to wonder about. He noses Percy’s cheek, affectionate, as if they’re not at the edge of the polychromatic dance floor about to headline a ball. “You’re lucky I’m beyond head over heels for you.”

Overhead, the emcee announces their presence and implores them to take the floor. They walk hand in hand as they do, soaking in the cheers all over. As the band begins to play the flowy tune of an idyllic waltz, Jason turns around, places his hand over his heart, and takes a bow before Percy. The fabric of his robe flows around him majestically, in tandem with his elegant gestures. 

Mine, Percy thinks.

“May I have this dance?” Jason extends his hand out, offering a beacon of happiness.

Percy takes that warm, solid grip into his own. Goosebumps run down every inch of him as he feels the callouses that have long etched themselves into his own skin. Everything else tunes itself out. It’s a wonderful feeling that never ages: as familiar as home, yet so novel every time.

With Jason Grace, everything is a never-ending loop of a brand new experience.  

Jason’s other hand touches the small of his back. With a slight push inwards, he brings their bodies flush together. Like they’re created so, their fingers connect seamlessly. In a flash, the surrounding banishes itself into non-existence, and they’re left all alone.

“I’m all yours,” Percy replies, right before he’s brought to a twirl for a night to remember.

Ah. Twelve years old Percy would probably cry at the sight of them dancing like this. Maybe wish he’d grow faster just to rush headlong into this moment.

Twenty-four years old Percy is rather simple; he’s the happiest he ever feels.

This happiness will certainly grow when Jason walks down the aisle towards him in the near future, ready to proclaim their sacred, eternal vows.

But now?

To dance in their private bubble of bliss, while the rest of the world ceases to exist?

Nothing could ever compare—past, present and future.

“Ow,” Jason says as Percy steps on his foot.

Way to ruin the moment. “Whoops.”

“Oh, darling.” Jason’s voice is hoarse and thick. “I’m so happy I could cry. Thank you for snapping me out of it.”

Percy decides against admitting that he’s three seconds away from bawling himself. Blinking the sting away, he resorts to giving Jason something better: his most charming, carefree grin yet. “Anytime.”

“I’m the luckiest man in the world, aren’t I?”

Jason yelps a little as Percy pushes him down to kiss him deep.

“Get over yourself,” he says against Jason’s lips. Cradled in his arm, Jason’s broad back is pliant and warm. “I am.”

And thus the dance floor transforms itself into clouds for good. Everywhere around them turns into the vast blue sky, unlimited. Jason mirrors his face, all luscious pink and pearly whites, woven and painted and carved from the finest stuff of dreams, before he takes him for the soaring of his lifetime.

They stumble upon the Potters on their way to sneak out, not even an hour into the gala. It’s one of their signature moves in any event, common knowledge to any organiser at this point. One that Percy finds to be a lot of fun. Accept the invitation, create a spectacle, then ditch the place before the celebration reaches its peak.

He didn’t expect the most famous wizard in the world would also do the same.

“Hello, my good chaps,” says the Boy Who Lived. “Off to escape too?”

“Oh!” Jason exclaims, reverting to an eleven-year-old meeting his hero for the first time. “Good evening, Mr Potter, Ginny.”

“Funny how you call my wife by her first name but not me,” Harry Potter says amusedly. “Just call me Harry.”

Out of kindness, Percy does not point out the second flustered, “Oh!” coming out of Jason. “I’m so sorry. It’s the first time we ever talked, so I wasn’t sure if it’s proper.”

“Don’t sweat it, Jason,” Ginny says kindly. “A friend of mine is a friend of Harry’s.”

“Right,” Harry says.

“Right!” Jason says sheepishly. After a second of visibly collecting himself, he gestures towards Percy with a grand wave, like presenting a masterpiece. Always doing the most during introductions. “And this is my very lovely fiancé, Percy Jackson.”

Percy elbows him good-naturedly before giving the family a small wave. “Hi.”

“Go on, kids,” Harry says. “Introduce yourselves.”

Like Weasley-made firecrackers, so full of life: “Hi, I’m Lily! I’m a huge fan of yours, Mr Grace!”

The way Jason glows with adoration is one for the books. Percy almost feels jealous of a child. Almost.

“It’s an honour, Miss Potter. Please, call me Jason,” Jason says with a princely bow, rewarded with a giggle out of the youngest Potter.

From the other kid, an almost inaudible, “Hullo,” escapes. So faint, like the whisper of wind over the spindly branches of the Forbidden Forest. Percy has to strain his ears just to catch it. “Albus.”

“Hello!” Jason says. “I heard it’s your first year at Hogwarts, Albus. Having a good time over there?”

Wrong question. It doesn’t escape both of them the way Ginny whispers to herself, “Oh, dear.” Harry himself has gone stock still, exchanging a worried look with his wife.

When Albus says nothing and just toes the floor with one of his leather shoes, Jason takes the hint with stride and barely a crack to his charming demeanour. “Don’t worry if you aren’t. Hogwarts isn’t the end-all be-all of your life, and you’re barely starting! I’m sure you’ll get the hang of things soon enough.”

“School sucked for me most of the time too. ‘specially when I started,” Percy adds with a shrug. “You’ll be okay. Just find a cute kid to crush on secretly for five years like I did, and use that as motivation to survive your every day.”

“Percy!” Jason exclaims sheepishly, flustered.

“Fine. A best friend can work too!” He leans in so only Albus can hear. “Nerdy blond boys just worked better in my case.”

Oh, look. There’s a hint of a blush on those freckled cheeks now, barely hidden by the raised shoulders trying to cover equally pink ears. One way or another, his words have hit a mark within the boy. Mayhaps they’re kindred souls; he somehow knows their situations aren’t so dissimilar.

He pushes his luck just a tad further. “As long as they’re there, right?”

Though Albus is still adamant to not meet any of their gazes, a few seconds pass before he finally nods. The looks of relief shared between Harry and Ginny are palpable. Percy gives himself a mental pat on the back. Silently, he wishes the young boy all the best.

Maybe he can manage this whole parenting thing. In the far, unforeseeable future, perhaps.

“James didn’t come?” Jason asks the couple. His question is met with two pairs of rolling eyes.

“Oh, he was here. For all of five minutes,” Ginny explains with a hint of exasperation. “Off with his godbrother as soon as he got the chance.”

“I reckon he’s already home by now,” Harry adds. “Which is good, to be fair, because it’s way past their bedtimes. Well, then.” He gives a nod to each of them. “‘Till we meet again, gentlemen.”

“It’s nice meeting you lovely couple,” Ginny says as they all exchange their parting handshakes.

Lily gives them an enthusiastic wave in parting, and Albus finally works up the courage to look them in the eyes. Percy gives the kid what he dubs as his big brother smile, and is rewarded with another determined nod.

Once the Potters Disapparated in a deafening crack, Jason laces their fingers together. He sighs in fondness once more, blissfully unaware of its effect on Percy. “Kids are so lovely, aren’t they?”

And if that isn’t a blatant hint for what awaits him at home, Percy hasn’t a clue what is.

The moon is reminiscent of its shape during their escapade to the Astronomy Tower a millennium ago. 

There are no stakes this time, however. No risk of getting caught by professors or annoying caretakers and their tattling cats. No need to sneak around telescopes and globes while painstakingly covering their tracks. No sense of urgency of impending deadlines, of running out of time, or of counting days until one of them quit Quidditch for good. 

Because now, they have all the time in the world.

Percy and Jason’s private Quidditch pitch is located in a vast area enlarged by magic, its true form being a measly portion of their gated backyard. The spell, of course, was performed by the joint efforts of the brains of their gang, the pitch itself solely of Annabeth’s architectural prowess despite her supposed disinterest for Quidditch. The structure of the building is an almost one-to-one replica of the iconic pitch at Hogwarts, minus the colours of the four Houses found in the decor (which was replaced by their favourite shade of blue as per their personal wishes). Jason’s current team sometimes use it as their base, but most of the time, it is the only witness to Percy and Jason’s private, nightly riding.

Tonight, Jason has a little bit of a surprise for him.

“You still have that old thing?” Percy says amusedly, as Jason, in an impressive show of wandless magic, Vanishes the dust off a very familiar broomstick.

“It’s the broomstick I used when you beat me for the first time,” Jason says casually, slotting the handle between his legs, familiarising with the sensation of it underneath him. He’s never looked more at home. “You bet I’m gonna keep it forever.”

“And you think that’s gonna help you now?” Percy replies, making a show of looking unimpressed.

By today’s standards, the broomstick might as well be an ancient artefact. A far cry from Jason’s current beast reserved for tournaments, on which he would perform gravity defying moves like the god he is, a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind flying machine handcrafted exclusively for him by the top broomstick makers in Japan.

“If I can’t use any kind of broomstick to beat an old retired school player,” Jason says innocently, “can I even call myself one of the top three Seekers in the world?”

Percy rolls his eyes, prompting an amused snort out of his fiancé. Saying ‘top three’ was just another instance of Jason’s unnecessary humility; he’s officially the no. 1 player, thus the no. 1 Seeker, in the world.

Not that Percy would ever go down without a fight. Especially against the best opponent he could ever have.

Kicking off the ground on one of Jason’s spare broomsticks, which has seen his victory in the World Cup finals four years ago, Percy taunts, “Well, this school player is about to end his retirement just to kick your arse tonight.”

“Fantastic.” Jason’s scar stretches as he grins, the curve of his mouth wide as a hungry wolf's. Despite riding the school standard broomstick, his takeoff is as seamless as ever, like an eagle taking flight. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And just like that, they’re flying in tandem with one another, still mostly dressed from the gala. With the robe out of the way, the waistcoat hugs Jason in such a sinful way that emphasises his tight waist.

Percy can’t wait to strip everything off him.

“Remember this other old friend?” Jason says, unveiling yet another surprise as he unclasps his fingers.

The dark does nothing to diminish the golden shine flitting out of his hand. While every single one of the little buggers looks the same to Percy most of the time, he can tell the significance of this particular Golden Snitch. From the way Jason looks at it with an exceptionally adoring gaze, it’s none other than the one that had witnessed the day they became fiancés.

“You know how some old couples would renew their vows?” Jason asks. Percy nods slowly, his heart in his throat. “I was thinking of us doing the same thing.”

His pulse picks up speed. “We’re not married yet.”

“We aren’t, but in our case, I’m not talking about wedding vows.” A deep breath. An earnest gaze. Then, “I’d like a chance to renew our proposal.”

Percy’s chest is a limitless world, of which his soul makes its oyster. “Oh?”

“I never had the chance to propose to you back,” Jason says, a little sheepishly. “Mostly because I never thought I’d be able to outdo yours—the singular most magical thing to ever happen to me.” At the sight of that smile turning a tad more smug, Percy’s poor mind goes into overdrive. “But that changes now.”

“Yeah?”

In a steady voice, Jason announces: “I challenge you to a Seeking game, Percy Jackson. The first to catch the Golden Snitch shall win the chance to propose the other once again.”

The night can’t get any better. “Bring it on, Jason Grace.”

In this game of their own design, the rules are rather simple. The beginning entails letting the Snitch wander off for five minutes, exploring the nook and cranny of the pitch to find the perfect hiding spot, before the Seeking begins. Then, whoever catches it first wins. Simple and, with Jason as his opponent, bloody fun. After playing this game for probably a couple thousand times, Percy is proud to say he’s not falling off too much behind the best Seeker in the world.

(He has a rising suspicion that Jason is secretly training him to play professionally, but that’s a topic for later.)

The measly five minute period is usually the time they’d have a quick chat about nothing or anything. Which, to him, means everything. Sometimes, they’d taunt each other good-naturedly, or playfully try to jostle the other off his broomstick. Most of the time, though, they just revel in the evening air in companionable silence, soaking in each other’s wonderful presence.

Tonight is a tiny bit different.

Almost coyly, yet very coquettish somehow, Jason flies closer to hold his hand and play with his fingers. Embarrassingly, despite everything they've done in bed together, Percy’s heart skips a beat. Their engagement rings are off for now, carried away by the tiny flying ball for this silly little game.

“You know, darling,” his beautiful fiancé says, “we should try for a baby tonight.”

This is bait, he knows that much. But at this point, after years in this perpetually sweet romance, he might as well be an unassuming fish.

Desire pours out of his lips in a rich tone, sultry and deep. “Yeah?”

“I wouldn’t mind a head start for one before we take our vows.” Jason’s face is so close, their noses are practically brushing against each other. His scent, of butterbeer and strawberries and clouds and invigorating musk, is downright divine. “Build our own little family as soon as possible.”

It's probably bad to have a stiffy while flying, isn't it? That day, Percy learns that wood against wood is rather an uncomfortable combination.

“I’d love that.”

“And you’re gonna make it so good for me tonight, aren’t you?”

Oh, he’ll make it so good for him, alright. So fucking good, Jason won’t be able to walk properly for days. In fact, if there’s even a sliver of possibility that he can, he’ll have Jason out of the game for nine months straight.

“I’ll rock your whole world, baby.”

Like a goddamn puppy, Jason whines needily, before locking their lips together in a searing kiss. Percy momentarily forgets everything. Even himself. “Mhm.”

When Jason pulls back, his face is lovelier than the full moon. His half-lidded gaze is the epitome of allure, his lips a promise to bliss. Percy dies, then comes back, all within a blink of an eye. 

Filthily needy, yet so wholeheartedly sincere, Jason whispers hotly against his mouth: 

“I love you, Percy.”

No paradise could be better than this.

“I love you more—OI!” 

Like a balloon, his reply inflates and bursts into surprised, almost indignant cackles, right after Jason leaves him in a burst of wind. It’s answered with Jason’s own melodic laughter, peals of it ringing into the night, diminishing the farther he zooms away.

Looks like the bloke has some Slytherin in him, after all. Not that it’s a surprise; Percy has poured more than enough inside him, in more ways than one.

Oh, well. While victory is exquisite, he doesn’t really mind losing this time. He has long won. He’s now just indulging the rewards to his endeavours. In fact, there’s little to lose when it comes to loving Jason Grace. His soul is but a measly price.

Letting out a whoop of sheer, unadulterated joy, he presses his torso closer to the handle, summons every bit of his Seeking skills within his body, and rockets after his beloved.

Barreling against the chilly night air, he thinks for the millionth time: what an incredible thing, this love is.

And the world simply agrees. It is pure as the pearlescent moonglow bathing over the pitch, exhilarating like the roaring wind around him. Astoundingly magnificent, like the keeper of his heart soaring over the clouds on a broomstick, unstoppable by none.

Years have passed by, yet Jason still remains the boy that never fails to set his heart ablaze. Everlastingly bright.

The end.

[captain-eppe]

an Introduction

I loved the PJO series. The Kane Chronicles were the first books I read by Rick. Of course I grew up and learned more about the world and the problems presented by the portrayals. But I liked them, then read the Lost Hero and stopped. 

And wondered, why did I find Heroes of Olympus so lacking in comparison?

I decided to reread the first book, and write what I thought about it, chapter by chapter.

I will try to write what I think could be improved. 

I have read the Lost Hero once before, and stopped. I read it all in one go, so this time, I plan to stop and reflect on it, and my feelings. 

It does include roasting, not because I dislike Rick on a personal level, but some days I'm just straight up in a mood to be picky,  and this is a good way to do so in peace. 

I do like Rick Riordian's writing. If I didn't feel the energy to care, I wouldn't be doing this. Yes, it's probably going to involve roasting, AU imagine spots, and comparisons to other characters. The story was not created in a vacuum, and is in fact a sequel. I have expectations, based on his previous works, and one of the things that drew me into it was humor and ADHD. 

In the end, remember that this is a blog personal reflection, and you don't have to share the same opinion, and are welcome to block or unfollow if it makes your blogging experiences uncozy.

Fair warning, this blog will update on random whims, it is very unscheduled.

So that said, what do I remember of the characters? Let's see. 

JASON.

Who is Jason? Jason is amnesiac , for plot reasons, and a Roman Demigod, as well as Thalia Grace's little brother. Hopefully, there will be some nice moments between them down the road, despite their different alliances. We could have seen such a relationship between a sibling in camp, and a sister with the hunters, if the new hunter didn't die in the book she was introduced in. There were some interesting things that could have been done with her character if she were alive, such as exploring why she left Nico in camp to join a girl hunting party, practically the minute she could. Had she been thinking about her orientations, and left the minute she found seemingly like minded people? Was she desperate not to be responsible for him anymore? It just seems like it all happened, to hurt Nico, because she is not explored for very long, or in any particular detail, and it feels like she was killed for the sake of Nico’s character arc. 

But I've gone off topic. Jason does not remember, except when he stands up for the Romans who fought out of the blue, and his relationship with Piper that didn't happen. He's pretty out of his depth, and it shows throughout the book. 

PIPER.

Oh boy. This is a long one. Piper is the second female protagonist Rick has written from the perspective of, and I liked Sadie, a lot better. Piper feels kind of like "I'm not like other girls". One thing I found in the other books, that I didn't find in these protagonists, was a sense of humor, that frankly I didn't feel from the protagonists in this book. Maybe it will show up later. I hope so. 

Back to Piper. A daughter of Aphrodisiac and a native American Celebrity, Piper often feels lonely and wants more attention from her father. To this end, she uses her lvl 50 persuade… er charmspeak, to talk people into letting her do stuff, and gets into trouble, when it wears off, and they realise “wait wtf”. Like all children of Aphrodisiac,  she radiates beauty. On one hand, that's pretty cool, the most beautiful POV character thus far, is of mixed native descent. However, I have to wonder if it will be properly explored. 

*Aphrodisiac is a spelling mistake by spellcheck. I left it because it amused me

Do you remember why Carter always dresses his best, In the first book? His dad insists on it, yes, but they are black men, and he doesn't want to give the cops any more reasons to give them trouble, trouble they will have more than enough of with the colour of their skin. At the end of the first book, Carter moves to dressing more casual, a move that is supported by both Sadie and his parents. 

How does Piper deal with discrimination and stereotypes?  She's a girl, which means it might show up in different ways, and be aimed at her sex out loud? Does she, too, get set off by the term half blood, like Carter? Does it bypass her somewhat, by being a celebrity's daughter? Are people more likely to project spoiled rich kids expectations onto her?

*Do I want to touch her kleptomania here? Hard no. That is a bomb I will avoid going into in introductions.

Piper, like Carter, has thoughts on clothing. Carter wanted to wear normal clothes, and wondered what his life would be like if he grew up a normal kid. Piper has an unrepentant tomboy style, and is someone  who doesn't care how she looks, yet is gorgeous anyways. She seems to look down on girls who dress girly, and act like it, and intentionally does things differently. To me, this is a character flaw, in that she is being judgemental about people with different attitudes  from her, and I think in doing so she is being just as snobby as the people she is looking down on. I wonder if part of her future character growth will be realising that, and changing her attitude towards them, maybe even learning some of the things they can teach her. Even if it's not her thing, that doesn't mean she shouldn't respect people who do like makeup and whatnot. 

While I'm talking about beauty, I wonder if there will be any part in the books that explore the pitfalls of being beautiful. Particularly  as a woman. Women have a long history of objectification, and while things seem more equal among the demigods, children of Aphrodisiac seem to be something of an exception. Apparently, those campers have never been on a quest, and aren't shown to be learning any particular skill at camp. It seems they are stuck in being the stereotype of “the chick.” And are there any sons of Aphrodisiac? Does she just clone herself using males DNA to pad a difference? Or are there two separate cabins for them, and we have not seen them yet? Because off what I remember, the beauty standards seem to be patricary catered. 

Ah, I've gotten a bit off point. The pitfalls of being female, particularly a beautiful one. A big one is guys. You're trying to shop, or just walking, or watching a play, whatever, doing your own business, when a wolf whistle pierces the air. Or a guy asks you out. Or keeps following you, trying to get you to give him your number. Or winks at you out of the blue, groped you as you were passing him on the bus, sends you sexual harassment on a text, or shouts it at you. Or is a “nice guy” who drops you when you won't date him, after trying to pressure you. It's not just strangers. The world judges you on beauty. It makes you likelier to be hired, gives people a more favorable impression of you, and often takes a lot of maintaining. Beauty and brains is considered an exception, guys don't want to date people smarter than them, and can come to resent it in a partner. 

Do we see Piper, having struggles being a beautiful woman? A beautiful Native woman, (many of whom have problems with over sexualization?)Do guys bother her in public? Has she been friends with “nice guys” in the past? Does she have trouble trusting Leo at first because of experiences like that? Does she get frustrated at this treatment, and tell guys off, only to get slapped with the label “crazy bitch?” Does she have trouble getting people to take her ideas seriously,  because she's a woman? Scratch the last one, charmspeak possibly overrides those objections. 

Sadie Kane, was a bit boy Crazy. She had two guys into her, one a god, a conflict which was resolved by having the mortal boy she liked, host the god she liked. Is it a bit wish fulfillment? I won't disagree. But I didn't feel It got overtly annoying, and it was reciprocated, and they managed to make it work for them. I do wish there hadn't been a time skip, and we could have seen them develop more, but established friendships are given pretty good attention, such as Percy and Grover. His friendship with Rachel, was pretty well done, as was Annabeth. Rick knows how to build a relationship up, and Percybeth was well built, so what is he doing here with Piper and Jason? It was built on a lie, subbed in for Jason current relationship with another girl. 

From what I remember, Piper is upset that it was a lie, but also seems possessive about something that wasn't hers. Let's take a shot of water every time Piper thinks about Jason. Take 2 Shots every time she does something romantic coded with Jason, instead of building a friendship with the boy she is fixated on. Drink some juice ,every time she and Leo act like friends. Yah know,cause they were friends before Jason, I'm told. Rick wrote it fine with Percy and Grover. So why can I not recall it here?

I also remember thinking some things about Piper smacked of Mary sue. Now, I know that is unfair, women too should be allowed power fantasy, and sues are good learning experiences, but Sadie never felt that way to me, despite getting magic easily, from the goddess in her head, to the point leather boots didn't impede her. Or how her love subplot ended with essentially getting both boys. Rick knows how to write relatable women, so what's happening here? 

Yah, I have a lot of thoughts on Piper. Maybe more will come later. Idk. 

LEO.

I didn't actually remember much of Leo beyond Dead mom, mechanic, super Mechanic, angsting, and fire. All have shiney rare powers. He and Piper are supposedly besties. I would like to see it.  Still, I've heard hes interesting, so I'll try to keep a sharper eye out. 

[guskinnie]

Another random parody I've been working on (with @a-fucking-tornado): The Campfire Song from The Lightning Thief Musical, but replaced with other demigods that didn't appear

Switches:

Luke Castellan (son of Hermes) -> Will Solace (son of Apollo)

Annabeth Chase (daughter of Athena) -> Nico Di Angelo (son of Hades)

Katie Gardner (daughter of Demeter) -> Leo Valdez (son of Hephaestus)

Grover Underwood (child of Pan) -> Paolo Montes (son of Hebe) (and we actually wrote his verse in portuguese because it's canon that he doesn't speak English)

Chiron (child of Kronos) -> Jason Grace (son of Jupiter)

Silena Beauregard (daughter of Aphrodite) -> Lou Ellen Blackstone (daughter of Hecate)

Percy Jackson (son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson) -> Thalia Grace (daughter of Zeus)

I think the best part in all of the song is that Thalia is like "Jason already said enough about our dad" so someone is like "sing about your mom then" and when she actually sung about her mom everyone was like "you know what just talk more about Zeus"

also there's no timeline of this cause it's after Apollo was turned into a human and then back into a God but Jason's alive ??? idk

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

Gods, I hope in the show they'll pull a Medusa for Circe.

Circe hardly did ANYTHING to warrant being exiled to Aeaea. She was just a girl in love! And when men came to her island, guess what they did? Guess what they all tried to do before she stopped them? That's right, they took advantage of her, the island, and the nymphs. And this has been every single impression from every single human man who came to her island over thousands of years. Of COURSE she started playing offense.

Even if she turns Percy into a guinea pig (which she'd better still do, because it's objectively hilarious), we better get some kind of her backstory. Wistfully, sadly explaining it to Annabeth as she stands behind her, hands on her shoulders as they look at the two of them in the mirror (I have a vision, and I know you guys see it, too). Annabeth standing with Percy on the island's beach, explaining what happened to Circe as her voice breaks. Heck, maybe she even undoes the spell after talking to Annabeth and tells him she hopes he'll give her some grace (haha, Thalia pun).

Remember, and I cannot stress this enough about EVERYTHING: Sometimes, there's never really a true villain. Everyone is just a victim of circumstance, though it can never truly excuse all their actions.

[berylgrace]

being true to my url, i HAVE to talk about the grace family rn and how all three of them were doomed from the start. (ao3 user loverboxd i am kissing u on the mouth btw)

first beryl. even if we only go off what we know of her in canon, which is very little, we know that a) she was an actress desperate for fame and controversy and b) she managed to win the affections of both zeus and jupiter. famously, women who were favoured or hell, targeted by zeus, didn't end up so well. whether they were victimised by his methods of getting to them, his attempts to cover it up or the wrath of his wife, those women end up, nine times out of ten, dead or cursed.

beryl is no different. in getting both zeus and jupiter, she opens herself up to twice the godly wrath. and not only that, but in the deeply toxic world of hollywood elitism, the only way to maintain the high she lives in is through excess - more drugs, more fame, more press, more affection from the most powerful of all gods, with little care for the consequences. if she continues her relationship with zeus/jupiter, she's going to die, but there isn't a world in which this is real enough of a threat for her to stop. if she continues to pursue fame and fortune, partying and doing drugs, at one point she will go too far, and she's going to die. and in my fic (here), if she stays at home and lives the life that is expected of her, her dissatisfaction would be too much for her to live with. beryl's life, through any and all of her choices, is predestined to be cut short. with or without zeus, with or without fame, beryl is fated to die.

then there's thalia. thalia, the firstborn daughter, a child that breaks the big 3 pact that, more than likely, her father was the one to propose, being the king of the gods. thalia is cursed from the moment she's born, through no fault of her own. there are only two outcomes for her - she will, as the (age-wise) oldest big 3 child, reach 16 and die in battle as per the prophecy, or she will run away from her fame-crazed, grief-stricken, drug-addicted mother and sacrifice her life at age 12 in order to save her new family. thalia's story ends in death in every iteration. zeus turning her into a tree saves her, but only temporarily. luke poisoning the tree almost kills her but then leads to her essentially coming back to life - only temporarily, before she turns 16 and is killed fighting kronos. she narrowly escapes her fate by circumventing it, choosing to stay 15 forever. thalia loses all of her biological family, and survives, ironically, by gaining access to her mother's greatest unfulfilled wish - to live forever.

lastly, jason. arguably the biggest victim of them all. jason does everything right when the odds are stacked against him. jupiter is harsher and colder than zeus. juno is even more vengeful than hera. beryl is much deeper into her insanity and addiction when he is born. at the age of 2 he is surrendered to juno and to wolves, trained to be the perfect hero, to command a legion, to save the world. his life is wracked with tragedy but he remains stoic, he's kind and thoughtful, he focuses on justice and duty, even when parts of his mother's endless ambition and his father's power start to shine through in MOA. he was groomed to be a leader but he accepts his position as the right thing to do and tries his best to be a classic, good hero. we don't know if the roman counterparts of the gods made the same oath, but even without that curse, jason is a pawn of juno's, uncared for by his father, and given the weight of the world to carry away from his own family. and he isn't even given the dignity of a mighty hero's death. his life is ended swiftly, violently, and then it's done. his entire life's purpose to help others, and no one to help him.

the grace family were always cursed. every single one of them was fated to die. greek or roman or hollywood bound, they are a tragedy.

[triscribeaucollection]

Summoned

(So my "write a post a new PJO fic each afternoon" got derailed by going out of town, and the next one-shot is going to be significantly longer by the time I'm done with it, but here's the first page just to tide my new followers over for a bit):

Maybe the ocean would always be nice to her, but Thalia was having second thoughts about the camp’s lake.

“MotherFUDGE-!”

“Come on, Thali!” “You can do it, Grace! “We believe in you!”

“Shut UP,” she shrieked, grinning from ear to ear but doing her best to still sound annoyed. “I am never trusting you again, Castellan, never!”

Luke just laughed from the other canoe. Thalia took a chance and swiped her paddle along the top of the water, which did manage to splash the jerk but also caused her dumb boat to wobble wildly again.

“You’re only making it worse!” Percy did not have room to talk, seeing as he kept twisting in all directions on the bench seat in the middle of their canoe. Every time the stupid thing shifted underneath Thalia’s butt, she tensed up and tried to compensate, but then they’d bob the other way instead, and it was all a vicious cycle, okay?!

And she loved every minute of it.

“Just relax!” The big Hephaestus kid in the front spot tried to offer. “It’s like riding a pegasus- or a bike!”

Thalia almost yelled back that she’d never done either of those, thanks very much, but a face-full of water cut her off first. Sputtering, the girl wiped at her eyes, then glared at a highly unrepentant Annabeth gliding by in her own canoe. “You are so getting tickled later,” Thalia swore.

The shrieking-laughing-cussing kept getting louder and louder, until, inevitably, Percy leaned too far over the side to look at something underwater, and Thalia jerked forward to grab him, and the combination of too much weight and movement dumped all of them overboard. At least the Hephaestus kid, Becken-something, didn’t seem to mind: he just grabbed onto the tow line at the front of the canoe and leisurely started swimming for shore. Rather than follow, Thalia enacted her revenge, lunging through the water towards Luke.

“Oh shit-” his alarm got the other two Hermes kids to actually start paddling, instead of just messing around, but they didn’t get away fast enough. Thalia gripped the edge of their canoe, and capsized it too. By the time she kicked away from that mess, cackling, Percy had made his way over to Annabeth. Even if he’d wanted to, the kid didn’t quite have enough bodyweight to dump it over so easily - he just swam alongside instead, dropping his head down underwater every time Annabeth tried to bop him with her paddle.

Hands grabbed at Thalia’s ankle. She kicked back, and was rewarded a moment later when Luke surfaced, coughing and rubbing at his forehead. They proceeded to slap water at each other for a few minutes, gradually drifting closer to shore, until someone shouted their names from the small beach.

“Last one back is a rotten harpy egg!” And of course as soon as she said that, Thalia kicked Luke in the gut, knocking him back with a yelp and propelling her forward.

“Hey! No fair!”

She snickered all the way out of the water and back up onto dry land, where Hailey waited with some towels and a raised eyebrow.

“Chiron asked me to come find you guys,” the older girl said, when Luke staggered up out of the lake as well. “Probably ought to dry off and change first, before you go down to the Big House.”

“Yeah, fine,” Thalia agreed, way more cheerfully than usual. Whatever the old centaur wanted, it was not going to be enough to spoil her good mood. And she managed to keep that mindset, all the way through getting dressed in clean clothes and rejoining her friends and heading down to the camp’s largest building.

But her good mood dropped like a stone when Thalia reached the glass-wall porch, and saw Hermes sitting at the table.

She could tell the instant Luke spotted him too, thanks to the sudden death grip on her forearm. Hermes must have sensed his son in return, because he looked up from talking quietly with Dionysus. He tried to offer them a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Luke. Thalia.” The god’s gaze flickered down and to one side. “And you must be the new Perseus everyone’s been talking about.”

A smaller hand tucked itself inside Thalia’s grip.

“What do you want,” Luke demanded, voice flat and cold.

“Hey,” Dionysus warned, speaking before the other god could, “You better watch it with the tone, kid-”

“It’s fine,” Hermes cut him off. “He’s fine. It’s not worth getting annoyed about.” Thalia shifted her arm, and Luke’s hand slid down to where they could both hold onto one another. If Hermes noticed, he didn’t mention it. “Sorry to drop in unannounced, but you two-” He nodded towards Thalia, and Percy pressing against her side, “-are being summoned to Olympus.”

“No.”

“Luke-”

“No.” Thalia could feel her best friend start to tremble. “You can’t.”

“I have to, kid.” Hermes kept his words soft, but it didn’t make them any easier to accept. “Even gods can get orders from on high. And right now, I’m under orders to bring both of them directly to Olympus. No stops, no detours, no delays.”

Thalia swallowed.Then she turned in place, pulling on Luke’s hand until he met her gaze. “Go find Annabeth,” she told him. “Keep her busy until we get back.”

His face turned stricken in an instant. But he didn’t argue.

[worlds-oldest-teenager]

Because I have to make everything in pjo about my specialest boy, Apollo, I like to think about this AU where Apollo helps raise Thalia and Jason. (Raise is a strong word but he's doing a heck of a better job than beryl). It's also not really an au and could be canon if you squint cause no one said otherwise.

He basically gets insanely worried about the family cause Hera, Poseidon and Hades are going to brutally murder them if they ever find out Zeus broke his oath and had a kid. So in a moment of weakness he ends up in disguise as this punk rocker/med student and moves in next door to the graces. He's also a woman. There's no reason for this.

All this happens before Jason is born.

Things are chill and actually going quite well. Thalia has a safe place to be when her mother gets drunk. They play music and Apollo helps with homework and cooks a nice hot meal (despite having no ingredients in his fridge) for Thalia when Beryl forgets. He teaches her how to drum to get out her pent up rage.

He also trains her cause he knows she's running on borrowed time. It's in a smart inventive way cause he can't tell her she's a demigod but it's enough to give her a fighting chance.

In my au Beryl is struggling hard. Postpartum depression, depression depression, bipolar disorder. I also like to think of her as being a former child star and being on the much younger side cause that makes hers and Zeus relationship so much more insidious.

Apollo being the god of healing would judge her parenting but also see her as a struggling young woman and want to help (Apollo internally: 'Deep breaths. Not everyone can be like Leto'). And they become pretty good friends. She's working hard trying to combat her addiction and put herself back together.

And she actually succeeds.

Everyone is so proud, especially Apollo who's happy that Beryl is in a better place now and can be the mother Thalia deserves. Apollo even jokes about setting her up to get her next big break in the acting world because it's no longer a point of tension for Beryl but something they just can casually talk about.

And then one day Jupiter appears.

Everything goes wrong from there.

Apollo accidentally bumps into him in the hallway Infront of Beryl's home and freaks so bad he bursts into toga Apollo form. He isn't supposed to be here. This is direct interference.

He weaves some tale and Jupiter doesn't really look bothered, just extremely guilty and like he's trying to get away.

And then Beryl opens the door, looking disheveled and half naked.

Understanding hits Apollo like a truck.

He and Beryl get into a bad fight after that. He asks her if she'd just changed to get Zeus back and not for Thalia and begs her to not do this. She demands to know why the hell he even cares. Escalates. She accuses him of being jealous that she could do what his mother couldn't do. Get Zeus to come back.

Talk about a self death sentence.

Apollo doesn't murder her immediately. Just informs her that her decision has sealed not only hers but her children's fate which will all end in tragedy.

I like to think Apollo can see several possiblities of the future and he's just seen Beryl prune her tree of fate into a rootless stub that will die a slow and painful death.

It's just kind of devastating all round. Beryl is manic and genuinely believes she's won over the king of the gods again. Thalia is ambivalent to seeing her father but hopes he won't leave this time. Apollo begs Zeus to not destroy this family but realizes it's futile.

Beryl is pregnant which leads to a very serious conference between Zeus, Athena and Apollo before they realize it's a Roman child.

Zeus: She has to abort the baby.

Apollo : She doesn't want to.

Athena: Why don't we just throw her down the stairs?

Apollo : Do not throw the pregnant woman down the stairs.

Jupiter doesn't like how his quick fling turned into a mess and leaves.

This sends Beryl into the lowest she's ever been in her life. Crying all the time, unable to get out of bed, unable to eat. It gets even worse after delivering the baby.

Apollo sticks around but only to help Thalia with Jason. He tries to get a little food in Beryl and occasionally magics their house tidy but that's it.

Zeus meanwhile makes everything worse by deciding to be a good husband and confess everything to Hera. Hera is pissed off because not only did her husband cheat on her while under a binding oath but Athena and Apollo knew and did nothing. (Sidenote: I like to think of these four as the council's council. The big brains or so they think. )

Apollo and Athena manage to mollify Hera by persuading Beryl to name him Jason and eventually hand him over to wolf house when he's of age.

Years later, a heated fight between Zeus and Hera, Hera goes and tells Poseidon and Hades that Zeus has a child.

All hell breaks loose.

You know the rest.

I think Apollo would seriously hate himself for the decision to come into the graces' life because of how badly they've suffered since then.

Beryl ends her own life speeding drunk, high and reckless. She had nothing to live for anyway. Apollo's the only person to show up to Beryl's funeral.

End.

Additional: I'm not sure if Thalia was at the funeral but this was more dramatic.

I'm also torn between Apollo looking like himself vs in disguise cause if he looked like himself that could have been the reason Thalia got so attached so fast to Luke. Luke doesn't start a war because of Thalia's death but I'm sure that would help.

Also firmly believe Apollo knew Thalia didn't die and told Zeus. For once having good intentions, Zeus makes him swear not to tell the grieving demigods because then Thalia would die for real. This action will have consequences.

This au also primes a huge Apollo vs Thalia fight because he knew the whole time that Jason was alive? He helped beryl get sober enough to let Jupiter wreck their lives? Love you Apollo but you accidentally and purposely enable abusers so much.

[nerdthatsiriuslylovesteaxx]

Helpless part 70, I'm living and loving my life by the sea

Thalia walked up towards the Zeus cabin, she wasn't sure what to expect exactly, but she hadn't imagined she would find her brother making out with Leo Valdez, well she thought that was his name, when she opened the door.

"Thalia?!"

"Think I came at a bad time, sorry about that." She knew he was gay, he'd never told her but even after barely seeing each other for years she'd known. Still she wished she'd gotten filled in on the boyfriend, mostly because she didn't actually think he was capable of getting one but he didn't need to know that.

"What are you even doing here?" He tried to hide his fear, she was smiling but that could easily be faked. He didn't want anyone to know, Thalia was... the only part of his family that cared, he didn't want to lose her.

"Checking in on you, Percy said he was worried. Don't worry, he didn't tell me anything, just said that if I was ever close enough to visit he was worried about you and thought we should talk." Fuck, he hadn't told her anything but now she knew half of what he was hiding. He wanted to hate Percy for calling her but he couldn't bring himself to, he didn't tell her anything and well he missed his sister.

"O-okay...?"

"Leo, that's your name right...?" He nods, still confused by the situation. "Please do not tell me if you are sleeping with my brother, I don't want to know. However do tell me how long you've been together because I was still thinking Jason is completely hopeless." He cracked a smile but didn't say anything, the Grace sibling in the same room was sending him into a pan-ic.

"I was dating Piper when I last saw you? I'm not that hopeless, you're the one that still can't get anyone, unless you want to count Luke?"

"Fuck you, I was tweleve okay? I was an idiot-"

"He's hot."

"This is why I was more confused when I thought you were dating that girl then when I walked in on you kissing your best friend."

"How obvious was it?"

"I knew after three minutes, or maybe you just had horrible chemistry with Piper. Also I've got my eye on someone so you can stop with Luke."

"If it's Percy, like half of camp, he is still taken."

"Oh ew no, I'm not telling you who it is, at least not until you tell me more about this."

"I thought being in the hunt meant you weren't allowed to date?"

"Technically it said free from men, hopefully they won't mind if I get a girlfriend."

"You're gay? Actually thinking about it that makes a lot of sense, dumb question."

"I was gonna say, take a single look at me."

"Previous comment, you getting a girlfriend? Unlikely."

"I can get a better girlfriend than you."

"I'm gay and I was mind controlled, what did you except?" He knew he flinched at the word, he knew Leo noticed because he grabbed onto his hand gently.

"I would say you can do better but you can't, how are you even tricking Leo into dating you?"

"Believe it or not he's here willingly."

"I can confirm that." Leo added, slightly shocking both of them as they'd forgotten he was there. "I'll leave, you two need to talk, properly." He was shocked with how seriously he'd let him say the the last part, he'd meant it but would often cover that with jokes to hide the reality. He wanted to kiss Jason as he left but decided against it, it felt too weird with his sister there. "Bye Sparky, meet me in the bunker later."

***

[writing-oof]

PJO Exchange Extras - Part Four

[TW: Kidnapping, Misunderstanding, Prophecy]

[luke castellan, kidnapping a literal seven year old as a literal fourteen year old: this is my only option

twelve year old thalia grace with a steel chair: you sure about that?]

---

"You kidnapped me."

"Yeah."

"You tried to kill me."

Luke swallows roughly. "Yeah."

The water drip, drip, drips out of the leaky pipe, splatting on the concrete like rain.

Percy sniffles, his bright green eyes wide and teary. *"Why?"*

"You were gonna kill *me!"* Luke defends, but it sounds a lot less reasonable when Percy's looking at him like that, curled up in a ball and whining like a kicked puppy. He's also like three feet tall, which definitely doesn't help.

"I was *not!"* Percy argues, his tiny hands balling into angry fists. "I wouldn't kill my friends, even if you *are* a stinky jerk!"

Luke scowls. "I'm not your friend," he spits like a venous snake, like a pit scorpion.

It's effective, if the immediate onflow of tears means anything. Percy shakes and shudders, going from a few stray tears to downright sobbing into his knees. Luke feels his mouth go dry, as the position they're in really sinks in.

He just kidnapped a kid, a kid who grows up to have mind control powers strong enough to get him to *stab* himself to death, if his visions are right.

---

Luke makes sure to stand far away enough that Percy couldn't even hit him if he wanted to, just in case, his face totally flat.

"Why would I be your friend?" Luke asks, a little curious. It's the one thing he hasn't been able to figure out. Maybe that's what the mind control powers are for? Maybe Percy just wants people to be his friends and then, once they are, he makes them kill themselves for him.

He's heard of gods doing crazier things for stupider reasons, and he doesn't doubt that demigods could be just as powerful and derranged. Even ones as little as Percy.

"What?" Percy asks bitterly, scowling up at Luke from where he's curled up in the corner of the mattress.

"Earlier, when we were fighting," Luke says, trying to stay casual and scary sounding. Scary sounding for a kidnapper, at least. "You said you wouldn't try to kill me because I was your friend."

"I was wrong," Percy snaps, but he really sounds more like a whiny little kid than a powerful demigod. "You're not my friend! You're just an jackass."

"Seven year olds can't say jackass," Luke says automatically, though he has no idea why. He doesn't think he's ever even talked to a seven year old before Percy, let alone one he'd tell not to say 'jackass.'

"They can too!" Percy says, scowling harder. Then, shouting so loud Luke flinches back, "Jackass! Jackass! Jackass, jackass, jackass!"

"Stop it!" Luke shouts, his heart thrumming to life and his hands shaking a bit at his sides, but Percy just gets louder.

"Luke's a jackass!" Percy shouts, standing up now and waving his free hand at Luke in wild gestures, his other wrist straining against chain tying him to the pipes. "Luke's a big ugly jackass!"

"Cut it out!" Luke screams, taking an angry step forward.

Percy flinches back, his mouth snapping shut like a mouse trap, and the room is eerily quiet save for their laboured breathing.

---

"What?" Thalia asks, her face twising like she's bitten into a lemon. "Percy didn't kill you."

"No, I know," Luke says bitterly, "I killed myself *for* him."

"Well, mostly I think it was to stop Kronos from taking over the world," Thalia says with a laugh. Luke frowns, the name like blood between his teeth.

"Kronos doesn't want to take over the world," Luke protests immediately and Thalia suddenly goes very, very still.

"Luke," she asks, her face flat and careful, "where's Percy?"

[f0xgl0v3]

The Camp Jupiter thing.

That is a vague title, but ‘The various reasons that we have gotten fundamental rules about the ascendancy in Camp Jupiter due to the list of characters we were given’ this post has turned into ‘Various reasons I’m sad about canon Camp Jupiter’

I will note I just go off on like 50 tangents through this post, bear with me. And I forget what I was talking about halfway through. But hey! Long post :D also I’m reading through this and note I am not serious about this, I am cannonically a silly Kerropi and Choco cat hugging on the internet that talks about how much I like Rome and this fictional franchise- please don’t take anything I say too seriously, I can’t put up good arguments without actually trying to format my points in a argumentative essay format. This is just me typing words and thinking it’s good enough.

This takes into account that I have not read ToA yet because for some reason the hidden oracle falls under the same problem that I had with reading TLT or tTC; which is very slow first chapters that are hard to get through :[ So nothing other than what I know about ToA Camp Jupiter stuff (which is dubious) won’t be talked about; sadly including characters that are fully introduced in ToA and their issues, though I’ll probably mention them or something.

Okay, these are claims, but I’ve now decided to dedicate my bus ride to this issue that I’ve realized (that probably is well known and whatever) while those are a couple things,

First and the most well-known Camp Jupiter thing is lack of characterization, or at least consistent characterization (the first cohort),

Aside from our POVs I feel that (and I think most of what I’ve seen from the community) the characters don’t have much of any Characterization, and not in a like ‘these characters don’t have complex narratives and that means they suck >:[‘ but in the fact that they don’t have.. much of anything? Comparing them to Camp Half-Blood seems the best, some of the side characters we see there like Clarisse La Rue, Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and Thalia Grace, and more I can’t think about right now all have noticeable to somewhat noticeable arcs, and clear characterization and more than just 2D personalities. (I don’t focus on Camp Half-Blood nearly enough to give rundowns of them and I don’t have room, but note that every single CHB character mentioned has at least 1 B plot and is important to the narrative)

Now, let’s look at Camp Jupiter characters were given (that don’t end up POVs because they obviously have to be given complex personalities.. to which degree it is effective and how they chose to use those personalities is probably a different post) but we have characters that get Characterization like,

Octavian; A character set up to be some form of threat, even though repeatedly we are shown that, despite what traits were told he has, are shown a different character. Who then in the next books is played for laughs because the community didn’t like him enough and is eventually killed off without a solid reason to be killed off. He is set up to be a threat and told to be a threat, but showed to be incompetent and played for comedic value to varying sucess (don’t set up a character as a villain that is said to be hard to deal with if you then turn around and have him beat in the first 5 pages and then continue to beat him again and again without any strain from your Protags)

Michael; We know nothing about him, we are told that he is ripped and that he is meant to be Octavian’s closed ally and confidant (that is slightly exaggerated but he is meant to be close to Octavian) then we see him remorselessly wave and say goodbye as Octavian is murdered and simply walk away (Also and exaggeration, but like- he’s not doing himself any favors)

Dakota; he’s not really given a personality that is distinct, and is played for an addiction joke before being killed off (I have no idea if he is given any character in ToA, but like..)

Bryce Lawerence; given the stereotypical traits for a psychopath, given 2 minutes of screen time to be un-menacing and then to have a horrific death.

I chose some of the worse options (also options of characters I hold dear to my heart and like talking about) but there are probably a plethora of other characters that can also be used as examples. The point is, comparing them to other secondary characters that are presented in the books. They are used situationally, for laughs, to fill in a menacing problem blank or be killed off, and for one of them (*cough, cough* OCTAVIAN *cough, cough*) they fit all of the boxes I have listed. Which sucks because it generally means that when thinking about Camp Jupiter characters, there is digging and a whole lot of interpreting you have to do to squeeze character and possible traits out of them. I’ve been ranting a lot and it’s hard to get what I’m trying to say typed, but I hope when I say ‘most characters were given are nothing burgers’ people understand what I’m trying to convey; that compared to other characters in the same universe that are written by the same author; Camp Jupiters characters are given so much less amazing characterization!

Also I don’t quite know where to put this; but the books treat Camp Jupiter with this mob mentality, but not in a like actual way; but in a ‘I think of them as just a hive mind instead of people with distinct personalities’ where again, in Camp Half-Blood they all have these somewhat distinct personalities and would react differently to situations, where Camp Jupiter, one of the Praetors would say something and then we wouldn’t care because there would be no mixed reaction. There is no CJ equivelant to the Apollo and Ares cabin having a tiff over a chariot, literally it’s just ‘we agree that the 5th sucks haha’. I consider this for one key reason; we aren’t introduced to enough characters in Camp Jupiter who have distinct personalities nor are we introduced to a big variety of characters! And most of the times we get a variety of characters is in probatio’s journal, an extra short story book that people who aren’t interested in Camp Jupiter. THAT I AGAIN MENTION NAMED A DAUGHTER OF JANUS JANICE!!! it’s not a big deal, it’s fine; but it bothers ME. It shouldn’t, it’s fun, it’s a short story but still.

Okay, okay. Second reason is the Centurion/position of power issue. NOT including Probatio’s journal (which I decided not to read before this) almost every single character in Camp Jupiter we are introduced to is or ascends to a position of power. We don’t get a ‘hi I’m Jerry and I’m just a legionnaire trying to work through’ even characters that don’t need to be in other positions of power like my example, Larry.

Larry is mentioned in the Senate scene of SoN, opposing Frank rising to Centurion-hood. Great, he can be one of the 10 elected senators we are told about and then we never have to talk about him again.

But, they had to make him the Centurion of the 2nd cohort. Okay, great, that’s fine- he just was cool enough to be elected as a senator.

But that’s not just it. Every single character that was mentioned there (not including Cato’s ghost which is wild but extremely funny in my opinion- no I will not be elaborating on why it is funny to me) was a centurion or in a position of power. Every named character was a Centurion, Praetor, or someone who ended up being a Centurion or Praetor (I don’t remember if we’re told names of Veterans, other senators, or if there is a character that was just mentioned without a secondary rank).

But, that itself is like, all fine and dandy. If this and the scene right before it didn’t throw around a bunch of rules during it. Which- with the combination of lack of named characters that were purely elected Senators, we ended up with mishaps like thinking the rule for Centurion’s that they had to serve 5 years in camp before being able to.. like be a centurion (if there is confirmation that the rule applies to Centurions somewhere else in the book please tell me) but no, the quote is just in relation to being a Senator. (I just realized but it doesn’t help that Dakota; our in the book closest source of info for Centurions also happens to be a Senator)

But Okay, so that- and then there is the obvious assumption that Centurions just also go and serve in the senate. Though- I don’t believe that is explicitly mentioned in the books- so not confirmed..? My memory is dubious though so this is a little more flimsy- BUT THE POINT-

The point is, that without any labeling or clear-cut rules that are told to us, it’s harder to know. In combination with the rules we were told being muddled up between the two roles, and it’s not helping when all the characters there mentioned in the senate end up being Centurions- it’s a mess.

I at this point, I have lost the whole point I was trying to talk about. But yeah. Camp Jupiter has a lot of problems, and suffers so much (in my opinion) from the lack of utilization. It makes me sad and upset, and now I have to go re-read Camp Jupiter’s parts in SoN to confirm… a lot of things that were wrong. And think a lot harder on things.

But yes. Camp Jupiter makes me so happy and then realizing Camp Jupiter isn’t written the best makes me very sad/upset/angry but yeah. Lets give Camp Jupiter better characterization and actual characters- yeah :D

I say this a lot in recent posts, but I am a little tired compared to when I wrote most of this and I feel like that’s obvious, but Camp Jupiter map is about.. 75-80% ish done. The first draft at least will be done by at the least, this weekend. I’ll probably either finish a Dionysus/Bacchus kids post I was working on, or start on that Michael Varus post, talk more about Larry because he’s so infrequent but is so silly. OR just talk more over Octavian or Bryce Lawerence because those two are genuinely some of my favorite characters and one (Bryce Lawerence) clearly has much less reason and content for me to like about him.

ALSO possibly Outsiders (the book by S.E Hinton) content coming up? I don’t know how much people like the Outsiders, but I like it. And if anyone wants to know; I’d probably be posting about Two-Bit, Dally, really any of the Greasers. Or Bob- the Soc that Johnny murdered. He is my 2nd favorite character. Yes that is so stupid but I love him too much for no good reason one day I just joked with a friend about Bob being my favorite and it came true-

[evadne01]

Crossover Masterlist

Harry Potter & The Vampire Diaries Universe

Reborn from the ashes

Harry James Potter at thirteen years old was adopted by an American family visiting England.

After Pettigrew and Voldemort's deaths, Harry assumed that he would have a peaceful life.

He couldn't be more wrong

Mikaelson Family & Harry Potter, Elena Gilbert & Jeremy Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett & Caroline Forbes & Elena Gilbert, Jeremy Gilbert & Harry Potter, Tyler Lockwood/Harry Potter, Harry Potter & Damon Salvatore, Caroline Forbes & Harry Potter, Bonnie Bennett & Harry Potter, Jeremy Gilbert & Jenna Sommers, Elena Gilbert & Jenna Sommers, Katherine Pierce & Harry Potter, Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore, Alaric Saltzman/Jenna Sommers

Eclypse

When Ashlyn Potter found out she was adopted, she could only think about her twin sister.

She found her after the war. She learned what her birthmark on her shoulder meant.

For years they have been looking for someone who knows something about their parents when they get help.

Unfortunately, that help didn't tell them that, during her one night fling with the big bad hybrid, Hayley got pregnant with his child.

And to think Ashlyn had always wanted to be an aunt

Elijah Mikaelson/Harry Potter, Hayley Marshall/Jackson Kenner, Rebekah Mikaelson/Marcel Gerard, Davina Claire/Kol Mikaelson, Harry Potter & Klaus Mikaelson, Harry Potter & Blaise Zabini, Harry Potter & Hayley Marshall, Harry Potter & Jackson Kenner, Harry Potter & Kol Mikaelson, Harry Potter & Mikaelson Family, Harry Potter & Marcel Gerard, Hayley Marshall & Rebekah Mikaelson & Harry Potter

Merlin & The Vampire Diaries Universe

Immortality shared

Merlin knew his immortality was a burden.

And, somehow, something changes

Percy Jackson & The Originals & Suits

The crazy soulbond

"Okay, and we're what?" Percy asked.

“Soulmates, darling.” Elijah said, glancing at the mark they shared.

“I didn't even know they were a thing.” Percy snorted. "I'll have to talk to Aphrodite about it and ask her why exactly no one knew about the existence of soulmates."

Percy Jackson/Elijah Mikaelson/Harvey Specter

The crazy soulbond

"I found him. I found my soulmate"

Percy Jackson/Elijah Mikaelson/Harvey Specter

Percy Jackson & Merlin

What's the problem, weather boy?

Percy and Merlin meet

Percy Jackson & Merlin, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Leon & Merlin, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Merlin & The Olympians, Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson

What have you done?

Leon has to deal with Merlin and their new friend, Percy Jackson.

Leon isn't paid enough for all this.

Leon & Merlin, Percy Jackson & Merlin, Percy Jackson & Leon

You're just special 

Merlin has a nightmare. Percy is there for him. They trust each other

Percy Jackson & Merlin

Remember that time? 

It's time to ask Nico his help in their research.

Of course, when Percy says 'everything's going to be fine', Merlin should worry.

Percy Jackson & Merlin, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson, Hades & Percy Jackson

Immortal Knights, Old Sorcerers and Demigods 

Percy makes a discord server for their group.

Percy Jackson & Merlin, Leon & Merlin, Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson

The Seer

Merlin finds the first reborn soul.

Percy Jackson & Merlin, Percy Jackson & Leon, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Merlin & Morgana

The Druid 

Thalia and Merlin give memories back to the first reborn soul.

Merlin & Morgana, Thalia Grace & Merlin, Nico di Angelo & Thalia Grace, Mordred & Morgana, Merlin & Mordred & Morgana

The most loyal of them all 

Thalia, Nico, Merlin and Leon find Lancelot.

Merlin & Morgana, Merlin & Mordred, Leon & Merlin, Jason Grace/Piper McLean, Jason Grace & Thalia Grace, Lancelot & Merlin

It wasn't your fault ~ it was my choice 

Jason ~ reborn Lancelot ~ and Merlin talk

Lancelot & Merlin, Jason Grace & Merlin

We left you alone for five days! 

Jason has a competition with his other cousins and he isn't worried of playing dirt to win.

Merlin is amused, Percy has unhealty adopting mechanism and Jason is tired.

Percy Jackson & Merlin, Jason Grace & Merlin, Jason Grace & Percy Jackson, Lancelot & Merlin

The blacksmith's son

Merlin, Percy, Leon, Thalia, Nico and Jason find someone else

Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace & Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson & Hazel Levesque, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Will Solace & Merlin, Will Solace & Leon, Percy Jackson & Will Solace, Jason Grace & Will Solace, Lancelot & Merlin, Elyan & Merlin, Elyan & Leon, Leon & Merlin, Lancelot & Leon

The queen

Hazel got her memories back.

And she uses the situation for the Competition.

Percy Jackson & Merlin, Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace & Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson & Hazel Levesque, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Gwen & Elyan, Gwen & Merlin

I see my reflection in your eyes 

Merlin and Percy discuss about their lives.

Percy Jackson & Merlin

It's movie night!

The new reborn souls, Percy, Merlin and Leon have a movie night!

Nico di Angelo & Jason Grace & Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson & Hazel Levesque, Leon & Merlin, Percy Jackson & Merlin

“Hey, it’s me. It’s just me.”

Merlin and Percy spend some time alone

Percy Jackson/Merlin

If you agree with me that Percy is everyone's type, choose the role 

Percival enters the chat!

Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Past Gwen/Lancelot, Past Gwen/Leon, Past Unrequired Gwaine/Gwen, Percy Jackson/Merlin

Did you send the head where? 

The reborn souls, Merlin, Leon and Percy talk about some quests.

Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Percy Jackson/Merlin, Leon & Merlin, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace

Funny. I wasn't aware of that. 

Merlin has a chat with a possessive parent.

Merlin isn't impressed at all

Percy Jackson/Merlin

It takes a lot more than that to impress me

Merlin finally meets reborn Gwaine.

Percy is amused, Leo is amused, Merlin is amused.

Leon is not amused.

Percy Jackson/Merlin, Gwaine & Merlin, Leon & Merlin, Percy Jackson & Leo Valdez

You need therapy

Leon and Percy talk.

Leon adopts Percy

Percy Jackson & Leon

All the things I never told you

Percy and Grover talk and Merlin and Percy fluff

Or: Grover is a good friend, Merlin is an amazing boyfriend and Percy deserves all of this.

Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson/Merlin (Merlin)

Supernatural & Harry Potter

Happiness can be found even in the darkest moments

Harry James Potter is Sam's and Dean's little brother.

This is how it all change

Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Bobby Singer & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Harry Potter & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester

Join us, we have sweets

“Tea Party and sweets.” Harry nodded. “That could be the new motto for Team Free Will. Join us, we have sweets.”

Harry Potter & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester

You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?

“Hey, Dean, right hand on red!” Harry smiled as he watched Dean and Castiel get even closer.

It had been Bobby’s idea.

Well, Bobby had had the idea to celebrate the end of the Apocalypse in style.

pre-Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gabriel & Harry Potter, Harry Potter & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester

Dysfunctional family

Harry was the only relaxed person at the table.

He was probably also, he mused, the only person who wasn’t there to meet any parents at the moment.

Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Crowley/Bobby Singer, Gabriel & Harry Potter, Rowena MacLeod & Harry Potter, Harry Potter & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Harry Potter/Fred Weasley/George Weasley

We cannot kill him ~ our little brother will be very sad

"He's not a monster!" Harry shouted, glaring at Dean while Sam just stared in shock at his brothers, wondering if that was how Dean felt every time he and their father started yelling at each other. "He's a Trickster! They're called gods of Justice, Dean, not monsters!"

Harry Potter & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Gabriel & Harry Potter

This is unforgivable

Dean did something unforgivable and his younger brothers can't forgive him

A gift for Harry

“I said no dogs in our shelter!” Dean yelled, pointing at Sam and Harry.

Tell me that I'll be fine

And if he died right now, he would come back as one of them, a vengeful spirit.

Would Dean and Sam salt and burn his bones without a second thought?

Would Harry still be their little brother or would he become enemy number 1?

Harry sighed.

He couldn’t really be surprised that he couldn’t sleep.

Overseas Sleepover

“Ron, don't be like that.” Hermione was watching Ronald Weasley, her other best friend, as he tossed his clothes around the room.

Room he had kept tidy, much more than normal, anticipating Harry's arrival.

“It wasn't a secret.” Hermione said again, raising her voice and feeling out of her element.

Harry and Ron usually understood each other much quicker.

Where is his nose?

Dumbledore, Dean, Sam and Harry have a tea party to discuss about Voldemort

Road trip

“Our life is a road trip.” Harry replied. “And I had plans.”

Or when Dean decides to take Harry and Sam in a road trip

In this family line

Bobby watched his three boys.

Sam was running too much, his laps getting longer and his pace faster every morning.

Dean was drinking too much. Not dangerously, but way too much, and too often.

Harry, sweet little Harry, was losing hope. He was eating less, his nails were biting, the bags under his eyes were getting more pronounced.

He was losing his boys.

Christo, I think I have some broken bones

“Well, the younger Winchester comes to die.”

Harry bared his teeth in defiance. “You first!”

Dousing the demon with holy water and hearing it scream had not been necessary, but Harry had felt vengeful, since he had designed the trap to stop it with his own blood.

And, after all, it had been his duty to exorcize the demon.

Can I return him?

Why had Dean wanted another brother, exactly?

Sam had been more than enough.

Could he be returned somehow?

Merlin & Supernatural

There's always a way

Merlin is desperate to see his friends again. He cannot die, so he can only bring them back.

Enters Crowley.

Merlin & The Hobbit

The Protector of the Gentle West

Thorin's Company is left by Gandalf as they enter Mirkwood. But, fortunately for them, another maiar decides to help them.

Even if he isn't a maiar. Nor an elf. Nor a man. Nor a dwarf or a Hobbit.

Well, at least he can control dragons, right?

Go back to the General Masterlist

[halothenthehorns]

Chapter 3: The Explosions Keep on Coming

Thalia startled to her feet the fastest, but Percy wasn't far behind on pure reflex at the new voice.

They turned in unison, and Annabeth screamed.

It was a strangled, broken noise as her eyes landed on his dark hair and shocked face, blurring into the room fast enough Artemis was impressed as she tackled Percy back into his seat still making disjointed, painful-sounding noises.

Percy crashed into the seaweed beanbag with a mass of tangled blonde curls obscuring everything, and it was the best view in the world as finally, finally, it was her squeezing him tight enough to pop his head off. He'd surely have a bruise on his cheek from where her head had collided, but he also doubted that's why all the breath had escaped him.

They'd fallen flat out and rolled onto the floor when time slowed down and reality fluttered in as he leaned back in surprise, a cry of joy on his own lips, only for her to do so too and kiss him.

She was not gentle about it, he could still feel the desperation in her every movement as her lips melded to his. The intensity of it scared him as he tried to push her back, and she did so gasping and looking at him with just as much concern.

"Whoa there Annabeth," Thalia wanted nothing more than to run to Artemis and hug her in relief, but her sense of duty overruled as she swooped in and tried to help Annabeth up. "We need to catch you up-"

"Percy, what's wrong?" She asked, allowing the separation as she briefly hugged her, tight and meaning it in relief for her being okay, but never taking her eyes off him.

"We, um, that was, not how I remember, um, I was going to ask the same," Percy sat up the reddest color ever and talking through his fingers as he covered his lips.

The rest of the room rushed in fast enough she felt dizzy, as she spun around to see the others.

Nico, and for some reason Will, were also down here. All children of the Big Three in one place was never a good sign, she knew something was up!

Then there were two strangers, one of whom stood out for a horrible split second. His dark blond hair, the faint scar in the dim lighting. Luke- but no. He was her age, he looked nothing like her old hero more than the passing resemblance; but still her eyes averted away to someone with strange green hair and- "Magnus?!"

It would have made more sense to see her mom or dad chilling down here than her mortal cousin she hadn't seen in over ten years.

He gave her a cautious wave and an awkward smile as he said, "hey cuz?"

Annabeth was speechless. Thalia took the chance to turn to Artemis and try to ask hopefully, "my lady, I'm so glad you're here! Do you know what's going on, what the gods are planning?"

She gave her lieutenant a fond smile, but then, something was wrong.

There was a shimmering in the water around her, her face scrunched up like she was about to sneeze. Gods didn't do that unless they were about to reveal their true form.

Artemis looked at Jason, and she flickered.

Not by too much, but there was a sudden harshness in her features, her loose auburn hair was suddenly tied back in a severe bun, a power she didn't try to keep as dormant in her now yellow eyes settled on him. "Jason Grace, what are you doing in here young Praetor?"

Thalia startled, but not a word could escape her before the goddess cried out in pain, and her small body grew. Soon she was the size of the room, her camo threads covered in frost, with blue tinged skin, icicles laced into her braided auburn hair, and a yet harsher still gasp as she glowered about the ocean floor with eyes pure white. "How dare I be summoned here!" She drew a wicked sharp hunting knife, and for some reason had a pair of skis in the other hand.

There was a crack, and she was gone, leaving the room glittering in snow.

Annabeth swatted a white flake from her eye and screamed, "what is going on!" She'd been in some weird situations, and this capped them all as Percy stayed flustered at her feet, Thalia looked like she'd been frozen in place, and her cousin was making exaggerated faces and strange symbols with his hands at a green haired girl.

"Long story short," Will offered, his arm casually over Nico's shoulder like they were long-time buddies as they stayed on the couch, which was the least weird thing in a long line of parallel universe things going on in this room. "Percy's memory is a mess and we've been getting them back with books," he gestured to the dark red book sitting in place like Percy's heart had been dislodged out of his chest when she tackled him. Then he gestured to where a neat stack of books was piled in various colors. "Last thing he remembers, is um, heading off to blow up the Princess Andromeda with," he stopped with a sad, deep sigh. She didn't need him to finish. He did anyways, forcing a smile into place, "with Bekendorf."

The mention of his name caused Percy to wince, and yet another crack to appear in the wall, finally erasing that look of stunned awe on his face like he was convinced someone was toying with him.

"I see," she murmured, offering him a hand up.

He still took it without hesitation, but dropped it like a stonefish was attached the moment he was upright. Her orange shirt and jeans were stained and rumpled like she'd been sleeping in them for weeks. Her hair was a greasy rat's nest, and she was so pale it made the dark circles under her eyes look like Ares had broken her nose.

She looked like she'd been on a very long, world-altering quest without him, and all he could think about was that her beaded necklace was gone, the curve of her throat was empty as he just stood there staring at her.

His blushy insecurity was cute, almost, but she straightened her shoulders with a mission.

"Grace?" The unknown blonde would barely be a blip on her radar of going over to the books and finishing this without delay if he hadn't said the one thing that had also speared another shock into her. It felt like she was juggling, something she was more than proficient at, but also while somebody was trying to launch flaming turtles at her while on ice. Keeping everything in one train of thought which was nigh on impossible.

"My last name is Grace?" He sounded ecstatic for five seconds, even fist pumping the air for a moment, until his eyes went to Thalia.

The look on her face was unmistakable.

She tried to erase it, putting up a happy-go-lucky smile, but she was no Zoe. The cold indifference would never come to her as easily. Her strained smile and the look of longing on her face was one of joy and dread mingled into her dark features, and his startling blue eyes.

"You knew?" Something in him was rapidly deteriorating as he took a step back. Thalia Grace. He didn't need to ask, he knew that was her name. Why had it never occurred to him to ask her what her last name was? It sounded so natural, like he always should have known.

"Jason," fear was bubbling up in Thalia, she took a cautious step forward, and he took another back. "I didn't know how, I wanted to and thought-"

"You knew!"

Winds began tugging on their clothes, like strings pulling taught and nearly jerking everyone off their feet. Annabeth cursed as Thalia's next words were snatched away, and a funnel of water was already beginning to form into a tornado.

"Percy," she grabbed his arm and shouted into his ear, "make the water as dense as possible around this room, for as long as you can! Block out all noise!"

He understood instantly, closing his eyes and throwing his hands out to the walls. It didn't seem like anything was happening, but they all felt the pressure it caused everyone else as they gasped in pain and fell flat to the ground along with the vortex as Annabeth struggled to Jason's side.

It wasn't easy, with everything fighting against her to go near him as the elements began to duel back and forth. One minute she was being thrust in a direction only the wind knew, the next she was forced to crawl with the depth of the ocean fusing her spine together. One second she was spitting her hair out of her face and shivering with painful chills as the winds cut her, the next there was a pressure along every inch of her like her skull couldn't hold another second.

She made it next to Jason Grace when Thalia took her hand and yanked her the last foot forward in front of him, her would-be sister pressing her tight into the ground in front of him with a look of concentration. When Annabeth spoke, she knew they could hear her despite everything. "I don't know you," she spoke gently with every word feeling forced, "but I take it you've been getting to know Thalia. Whatever she did or didn't say, trust this Jason Grace, you know she cared. Thalia has always cared about those she shouldn't," she finished with a bleak smile. "If you're anything like her, I'm betting you're the same way. You don't want to hurt us."

His wild blue eyes were the same fractured mess she'd seen in Percy's. Something had been taken from this boy the same as hers, his hands were fisted into his blonde hair, but those sky blue eyes were open and afraid as he looked at her.

Slowly, slowly, the gale force died down.

"Percy," she called. It was the only thing she needed to say as the pressure began to slowly vanish as well.

Everybody sat up shaking themselves off with looks of mild annoyance like this was an everyday occurrence, except Jason, who stayed on his knees glowering at his sister.

"Wooo, your reputation precedes you girl," the green haired girl said to Annabeth with a wild smile like she was about to ask to go again.

"You lied to me," there was still a rumbling danger in Jason's voice that stopped any other levites. "You've been lying to me this whole time!" His eyes flickered to Nico accusingly, and a flash of lightning lit the room, arching upwards from him and leaving a black mark in the ceiling.

Thunder followed faintly in the distance, and Annabeth leaned forward anxiously.

Thalia beat anybody else to it. "It was a hunch Jason," Thalia pleaded to be understood. "You disappeared when you were two," she spoke in short, sharp snap words like launching arrows to quickly get her target under control. "I couldn't be sure, I thought you were dead!" Then she was looking at Nico too.

"Hey, I have no clue what's going on," Nico raised his hands with a sincere enough face. "I knew of another camp and nothing else, swear on the Styx."

Another faint rumbling, but he didn't turn into a puddle of acid so they seemed to believe him while Annabeth's nerves ratched up another notch. Another camp?! Thalia had a brother!? She'd been in here five seconds and disaster was already afoot.

"Guys, listen," her frayed tone instantly had all attention, and she filed that away for later with interest. "Artemis made a deal with Oceanus for me to be here to stop the constant noise, like that!" She needlessly gestured to the wall that looked like one good poke would collapse it now. "Somebody was supposed to go with Artemis before she vanished, and I don't want to know what that Titan's going to do when he finds out that didn't happen. We've all got to take a deep breath and figure this out together, right?"

"You got it Annabeth," Percy said first, a charming smile on his face as he looked hopefully at her.

She held back a sob of relief and got to her feet, going right back to his side and hugging him again. He held her like he'd never let go again, but it was still off. Too gentle, cautious, something of it felt fleeting as he awkwardly patted her back. She pulled back again with a determination that had never failed her to see his cautious look and a touch to his lips again as his arm quickly fell away like somebody was going to slap him if he kept thinking to much about what just happened.

She had to fix this.

[awanderingmuse-fandom]

HYBRID THEORY

Chapter 24

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

Summary: Percy dies in battle.  A very tragic death that wasn’t at all lame, thank you. Unfortunately, the gods aren’t done with him yet. Instead of waking up in Charon’s waiting room as he should, Percy wakes up in the courtyard of Hotel Valhalla.  Thinking things can’t possibly get worse he runs to Carter Kane for help. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Major Character Death, Canon Typical Violence, Off Scene Sexual Content, sex addiction - kinda, Percy’s PTSD, super self destructive behavior

Characters: Percy Jackson, Nico DiAngelo, Piper McLean, Jason Grace, Samirah al-Abbas, Magnus Chase, Sadie Kane, Leo Valdez, Jasmine Anderson, Hazel Levesque, Thalia Grace, Reyna Ramirez Arellano, Thomas Jefferson, Annabeth Chase

Pairings: Percico, Cannon Pairings, Leo/Reyna, Percy/Jaz - kinda, Percy/TJ - kinda

Chapter Preview

"They don't care about music or any kind of noise at all." Annabeth confirms. "I guess the raven makes them too smart to get whipped into a frenzy like that."

It's not what I want to hear. "Ravens like shiny objects." I look to see that T.J, has abandoned the group of single pantheon soldiers to talk with Annabeth and I. He is also a strategist and I am not surprised that he is inclined to join the leadership when a fight is going poorly.

Annabeth takes that tidbit and runs with it. "We could bring out some metals large enough be worth a roc's time. Set them about and ambush the birds that take the bait. It would definitely lower their numbers."

"As long we get it done fast." I say. "Wise Girl, head up coordinating that with rest of the adult campers. The kids stay in hiding. Reyna, Leo and I will distract the monsters with support form everybody else." I try not to mention that we're probably all going to get killed.

"I'm coming with you." T.J. says suddenly.

[dootznbootz]

helloooo about that 101 questions ask game;79, 97, 37, 44, 60 :0

79: What is your most prized possession? Honestly, probably my book collection and the fact that I have my old games that still work. While I'm kind of "rough" with all of them (books are usually filled with sticky notes and some are dogeared. my old DSi is "bedazzled" and kind of scratched) but I'm so happy to still have them and I do deeply cherish them!

97: Favorite word? SCUTTLE! It's sounds funny! >:D

37: Favorite Poem? Can I count the Odyssey? 😅 While I enjoy Poetry, I don't think I have had one that has really resonated with me to be a favorite. I think that's because I'm kind of funky with Poetry in that I REALLY need to "vibe" with the topic and I could definitely say that I deeply resonate with the Odyssey

44: What is the earliest dream you can remember?

Put on your fucking seatbeat, Niko. We're going for a ride >:D

Even my good dreams have always been "stressful" or I usually wake up frustrated with the fact that it's usually people in my dreams behaving irrationally and me needing to get them out of that situation (that's probably NOT trying to tell me something lol) and so I usually wake up "mad". I don't think it's my earliest dream but I definitely remember it vividly.

2 of my friends simply mentioned an "old friend" they wanted to see again but moved to another country. I basically suggested, "hey let's go visit!". for some reason we took a fucking rowboat, battled a bunch of shit, basically was a "quest". (don't remember details). After that we finally met the "old friend". (funny enough, the "old friend" was what I imagined Thalia Grace looking like. 😅 (actually think it was her "official art" at the time???) She had just been "untreed" in my reading so I think that's why lol)

BUT THEN MY FRIENDS LITERALLY JUST WAVED AND THEN WANTED TO LEAVE?! APPARENTLY, SHE DOESN'T "TALK MUCH" so that was it?! I was so mad. I basically yelled at them about how we did all this shit to get here and you're not even going to hang out?!

And then a giant blue cow with horns crashed into the house and I then I climbed on and then left. ( think this cow was a "friend from the quest"? Idk for sure. it's a dream. shit don't make sense. This story was crazy from start to finish)

Then I woke up. I was still mad about it.

60: EArly, on time, or late?

You know how ADHD is. Time is an illusion. I NEED to get there early or I just will never be there.