#yes ward’s the type of husband to take his family on a business trip with him and promise to spend time with them

[futuremrscameron]

elizabeth cameron and baby rafe at their vacation home in italy

[forgedroyalseal]

Happy FanFiction Friday!

Will discusses the struggles of being a new father with Halt

Fatherhood:

Tug let out a short whinny as Halt approached Will’s cabin. He hadn’t seen Will or Alyss for two months. He and Lady Pauline had been there when baby Daniel had been born, but they both had been kept busy since then. Even now, Halt was traveling alone due to the fact that Pauline was required at a series of meetings in Macindaw. Despite having to make the trip to Will’s without his better half, he was delighted to see Will, Alyss, and Daniel.

Halt dismounted and untacked Abelard, leaving him in Tug’s company, a couple handfuls of oats for them to share. As he approached the veranda, Halt could hear the wailing of a baby coming from within the cabin. He knocked on the door, not sure if the mild knock would even penetrate the harsh cries. Sure enough though, the front door was opened moments later by Alyss. Halt couldn’t help but be surprised by how beautiful Alyss looked. For a woman who had recently given birth and had a newborn at home, she didn’t look tired at all. Her eyes were bright and shining, and her fair blonde hair was in a long braid that was secured at the end with a pale blue ribbon. Halt recognized the ribbon as the one Will had bought for her as a gift before their wedding.

“Halt! What a wonderful surprise!” Alyss beamed at him before encasing him in a warm hug.

“It’s good to see you Alyss. You’re looking well.”

The crying inside got louder and Alyss waved Halt in. The cabin was slightly less put together than Alyss was, but not by much. There were numerous mugs with cold leftover coffee on the kitchen table, along with various papers and letters spread out. Halt recognized Crowley’s signature on more than half of them. Crowley had granted Will a month of paternity leave, and was still only sending him work that could be done from home. Halt noticed the crying had stopped and looked up. Alyss had taken Daniel from Will who was sitting in an arm chair, and was now holding the baby and swaying slightly to calm him down.

“Would you like to hold him?” She asked, and Halt grinned. It was a well kept secret that Halt adored babies. Or, it was well kept, then Will had a son. Once Daniel was born Halt couldn’t even pretend to be stoic around him. He cooed and doted on the child, much to everyone’s surprise. Everyone except Crowley, who had claimed to have known about Halt’s love of babies “since forever”.

“I’d love to. Come to Grandpa little one.” Halt reached out and took Daniel from his mother. Halt’s heart swelled as he looked down at the child. Daniel was splitting image of his father. The first time Halt had held Daniel, the deja vu nearly bowled him over. His hands were actually shaking when he had past the newborn over to Pauline. He felt as though he had travel back in time, the past 24 years melting away, bringing Halt back when he carried Will as a baby to the ward in Redmont.

“Looks as though I’ve been replaced as your favorite. You can’t even give me the time of day now huh?” Will teases, coming up behind Halt.

Halt scoffs, “Don’t be so dramatic. You were never my favorite, Alyss was.”

Alyss laughed as Will fake pouted, “I’ve lost my spot then?” She asked.

“Hm, perhaps it’s a tie, you did create him for me.”

“Hey, I helped!”

“Barely.” Alyss and Halt said in unison.

“Betrayed by my own family.” Will clasped his hands over his heart.

“Somehow you’ll manage.” Halt said dryly.

“It’s almost time for Daniel’s nap, why don’t the two of you take a walk into town and pick up some pie for tonight.” Alyss took a sleepy Daniel from Halt’s arms.

“If the two of you wanted to eat at the inn this evening, I can stay and watch Daniel. I didn’t come to intrude, I came to help.”

“You came for cuddles with your grandson and we all know it.” Will muttered as he pulled on his boots.

“We might take you up on that tomorrow morning, but Will’s alrighty got a stew going for tonight and it will be nice to catch up with you. It’s a pity Pauline couldn’t make it.” Alyss replied, ignoring her husbands grumbling.

“She wanted to. Much more than she wanted to go to that dull meeting. She’ll visit as soon as she gets back.” Halt put his boots on, then gave one last kiss to Daniel before following Will out the door.

The two men walked in companionable silence for a while then Halt broke it saying, “So how are you really? I know that it can’t all be sunshine and rainbows.”

Will sighed, “I love Daniel. I really do.”

“I know that. Nothing you could say would convince me otherwise. You can find some aspects of parenthood difficult while still loving your child unconditionally.”

“It’s not just some aspects though. It’s all of it. The sleepless nights, the crying, the constant worrying. I feel like I’m doing absolutely everything wrong Halt. I don’t think I am cut out to be a father.”

“Will, not to minimize what you are feeling, because it’s completely valid, but I think every parent goes through exactly what you are going through.”

“Alyss isn’t. She is gracefully waltzing through motherhood, while I am blindly stumbling along fatherhood like an idiot. Daniel seems to cry every time I pick him up, but the moment Alyss is holding him, he’s all smiles. What’s wrong with me Halt? Why does my baby hate me?”

“Oh Will, Daniel doesn’t hate you.”

“But-”

“No buts. He doesn’t. Does he currently prefer his mother who also happens to be his source of food? Sure. But he does hate you.”

“Then why does he always cry when I hold him.”

“Maybe he can feel your stress. He’s a very intelligent baby you know. He gets that from me.”

Will manages a laugh, “He doesn’t get anything from you, not yet at least. If his hair starts going gray or he has a terrible taste in music, then you can take all the credit you want.”

“I have excellent music taste I’ll have you know. And you are to blame for my gray hair. And Gilan. That’s what happens when you have sons.”

“So you’re telling me that I’ll start finding gray hairs soon?”

“Yes, so don’t go throwing stones.”

There was a pause, then Halt, in a bit more of a serious tone said, “Will, I know that you are struggling, but there is not a doubt in my mind that you are and will continue to be a magnificent father. It’s normal to question yourself when it comes to these types of things.”

“Did you? I mean, I know that it’s different, it’s just”

Halt cut Will off before he started to ramble, “Of course I had doubts Will. I questioned every decision I made regarding you. I never knew if I was being to hard on you or not strict enough,”

“Oh you were plenty strict, believe me.”

“Clearly not strict enough about interrupting others. As I was saying, you are always going to worry about doing right by Daniel, it’s a cornerstone of fatherhood. Worrying and embarrassing your children. That’s what being dad is all about.”

“If that’s the case you must’ve won father of the year every year of my apprenticeship.”

“Oh I did. There was a ceremony and everything.”

They had reached the inn at this point, but before they went in, Will pulled Halt into a quick hug. “Thank you. Not just for the chat, but for showing me what a good father is. I can only hope to be half as good at it as you were.”

“Will, you are going to surpass me in every way. And I will be cheering you on at every bend in the road.”

[xaandiir]

Last Stop to Nowhere - Chapter Two

AO3 Link | FF.net Link

First | Previous | Next

Summary: Ryan and Min got off the train, but spending several months away from home while dealing with a very traumatic experience on an interdimensional judgment train. Recovery is not instantaneous and one good band session does not mean that everything is solved. It’s going to take more work, more talking, and being honest. However, it’s very hard to have an absolutely honest conversation in the 1980s, especially with everything that both boys are withholding.

Warnings: Implied homophobia, micro-aggressions

Word Count: 2036

A/N: The chapters will typically go back and forth between each boy’s perspective, so we’re back to Min-Gi this chapter.

———————————————————————

Min wakes up in an actual bed. He is back in his room. It felt familiar, yet foreign. The sheets smell musty after several months of the room not being occupied. It is hauntingly quiet. Min realizes that it's late morning and not only had he forgotten to set a morning alarm, but his parents hadn't come to wake him up when he didn't arrive for breakfast. It was a kind of quiet morning with lack of responsibility that he hadn't had since he was a child.

When he gets out of bed, Min runs himself through his usual routine pre-train. He changes into his clothes for the morning. It feels great being able to dress in a new outfit rather than the one outfit he'd recycled during his stay on the train. He combs his hair, pushing it back so it doesn't fall out of his eyes. He brushes his teeth and his mouth feels clean for the first time in ages. The minty taste is almost comforting.

It's after Min picks up his phone from his bedside table that his mini-synth catches his eye. He had discarded it that night before bed, feeling too exhausted to put it in its proper place, so it sits on the edge of his dresser. Min picks it up, holding it firmly in one hand. He smiles and uses the pen to click on the keys, listening to the quiet tune. 

His hands slow, hesitating before playing another note. He sighs and sets the synth down again. Min tears himself away and moves down the stairs.

"There you are, Min," his mother says. She's preparing lunch already. She goes over and gives him another hug and kisses his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

Min nods and kisses her cheek back. "It was a great night's sleep. Thank you for letting me sleep in."

"You need your rest after coming all the way from New York," she says. "Lunch is almost ready. Go get your father, will you? He's in his study."

"Of course," Min says.

He walks down the hallway to his father's study. He knocks on the door and pokes his head inside. "Hi Dad," he says. "Mom says that lunch is almost ready."

His father looks up from his laptop and smiles. "Of course. I'm finishing up a report." He points to the other chair at the desk with his pen. "Join me for a moment?"

Min obediently takes a seat. He clasps his hands in his lap. A long silent moment is spent between them. His father types away at his laptop and Min's gaze wanders around the room. He looks at the books on the shelves, some written in Korean and some written in English. His father had to take to learning English more than his mother, since his father worked with a lot of American businesses. Min never learned any Korean while he was growing up. It just never stuck with him.

"How was New York?" his father finally asks. "I know that you were taken there against your will, but, I hope that it was at least a good learning experience."

"Oh." Min hesitates. "Yeah it was...It was really nice actually, Dad."

His father glances at him out of the corner of his eye. "So Ryan really didn't let you call us for months, hmm?"

Min rubs the back of his neck. "It wasn't exactly his fault," Min says carefully. "He...There...It was an issue with our phones. I couldn't get a call out to you-"

"Min-Gi. It's alright," his father says. "Your mother and I understand that Ryan put you in a very difficult position. It wasn't fair that he forced you there and I know he probably did everything he could to keep you from reaching out to us. He knew that we would have taken the next flight out to New York to get you."

"Dad, it's really not as bad as it sounds," Min says. "it was a good thing I went, I think."

His father doesn't seem to really hear what he's saying. "I thought that he was a bad influence on you. Even when you were a child. He always seemed to have this..." He gestures vaguely. "You were really applying yourself before he whisked you away to New York." He sighs and shakes his head. "Ryan didn't even seem to understand the kinds of things he was taking away from you. You'll be lucky if you can get your job at Dumpty's back. Not to mention that you've lost this entire school year as an opportunity to move to college and get started on your higher education."

"I can always go next year," Min replies. He plays with the lower button on his jacket. "Dad, Ryan asked me if I could join the band, and-"

"Absolutely not," his father laughs. "After the stunt he pulled?"

"Dad-"

"You have so much you have to catch up on. And I'm sure you've had plenty of your fill of Ryan. Several months with him? You two spent a lot of time together but you never stayed over at his house for longer than a night. You always had to come home and get your quiet." He shakes his head. "It's better that you didn't stay there long either. I didn't want him getting any ideas." That makes him pause and he looks at Min. "He didn't try to tempt you at all, did he?"

Min blinks a few times. "Dad, no. He. Ryan took good care of me."

"Good care of you?" His father scoffs. "That boy is not someone that you want taking care of you. He can't even look after himself. I'm sure that's why he came to drag you off with him."

Something boils over inside of Min. "Dad, just listen to me."

His father pauses and looks at him fully. "...yes?"

Like a fire that has just been smothered, the words that had danced on Min's tongue suddenly dissipate. "...I'm sorry that I worried you and Mom," he manages to say.

His father smiles. He squeezes Min's shoulder. "We know that it wasn't your fault, Min. We aren't upset with you." He lets go and gets to his feet. "You said that lunch was almost ready, right? We don't want to leave her waiting." He chuckles and moves to wards the door.

Min struggles for his words, but they don't return to him. He can only follow obediently after his father, sticking his hands into his pockets.

The table is set for them when they arrive. Min's mother is just serving up the food onto plates and bringing them to the table.

"Looks delicious, Mom," Min says as he sits at the table. His mother smiles and pats his head before she takes her own seat.

"He slept very late today," she says to her husband. "Got his good rest. He'll be up for any challenge now." She laughs warmly.

"Good. We need you well-rested," Min's father says, giving Min a smile.

Min looks down shyly at his food and moves it around with his fork. He's hungry, but he can't bring himself to actually eat.

It is quiet at the table for several long minutes before his mother wipes her mouth with her napkin. "Min-Gi...Your father and I have been worried. Of course. When you were with Ryan--nothing...happened, did it?"

Min glances up from his plate. "Nothing like...what?"

His parents share a silent look. His mother clears her throat. "You know that we would support you through anything."

"And we would never blame you for something that wasn't your fault," his father continues. "He may have--gotten you drunk or gotten you confused, or forced-"

"Stop, stop!" Min cries, waving his hands. "Ryan never did anything to me. He was great he--we had a nice time in New York. Nothing like--that ever happened."

Min sees his parents visibly relax at the assurance. A sick feeling pokes in Min's stomach and he looks back at the plate.

"We know that you'll need time to readjust being back home," Min's father says. "But I think it would be a good idea to reapply to university soon."

"Reapply?" Min asks numbly.

"You disappeared for months. You were accepted, but then you didn't show up. You'll have to apply again," his father explains. "It's important that you get your education, Min. If this trip was as nice as you say, then I'm happy for you. But your education can't be put off any longer."

Min chews on his lip for a minute. He sets down the fork. "I don't know if I want to go into finance."

Min's mother laughs. "See? I told you he'd rather to go to law school. Not everyone can have a knack for business."

"I don't know if I want to be a lawyer either," Min sighs.

"A mathematician?" his father offers. "Oh! A surgeon!"

This was getting out of hand already. Min looks at his parents and crumbles his napkin in his hand. "I want to do music."

His parents' eyes go wide. It's the longest pause they've had in a conversation in along time. It makes Min's palms go sweaty and he can't help but let his gaze drop.

"Min-Gi," his mother finally says. "The--The viola is a wonderful instrument, but-"

"No, not..." Min's cheeks glow with shame. "Ryan, he-"

"You will not join that boy's band," his father says firmly. "Min-Gi. He kidnapped you for several months. You cannot then just go with him, with no job security, no education! He practically dropped out of high school just so he could escape in that van."

Min rubs his thumb over the fork. "He never got close to flunking any of his classes. He just really loves music."

"It's not a good idea," his father insists. "I will not allow it. You have a plan. You're going to reapply, go to college, get your degree, and then move onto a stable career and starting a family."

"But--But that won't-!" Min's lip trembles. It won't make him happy. He doesn't know how to say that without sounding like a child on the verge of a tantrum.

His mother reaches across the table and puts her hand over his. "Min-Gi. You really think you're going to live on the road? Eat all this fast food and performing in front of people who will judge you based on something you never even properly learned?"

"I--I..." The very thought makes Min's mouth grow dry. If he thinks about getting on stage for too long, he feels the blood draining from his face.

"You're pale at the thought," Min's father points out. "It wouldn't be good for you."

"You deserve to go to university," his mother says gently. "It's a very respectable thing, Min-Gi. Not everyone needs to go out on the road chasing some useless artistic dream. You need stability."

His father sighs and shakes his head. "Ryan really has been a bad influence on you."

"No...No, he's...I've learned a lot from him," Min weakly protests.

"We can talk about this another time," his father says. "Right now, you need to eat. And then you need to reapply to college. We can talk about this music nonsense after you've settled more. Okay?"

Min wants to say more, but his words fail him. He can't seem to form any sentences in his mouth. He just nods. The food looks even less appetizing than it did earlier and his stomach recoils as he brings a forkful to his mouth. But he keeps eating, knowing that his parents will want him to keep his energy up and eat properly. His parents seem satisfied with his silence and the relief on their faces make Min feel even more guilty. They're right. He has a plan. He can't just up and abandon that plan because of--because of what? An absolutely wild experience on a train? He learned things, sure, but that doesn't mean that everything can just suddenly change. He needs to put more thought into this. He can't just decide. He can stay in place and think on it for a bit.

[selenelavellan]

Devil Woman

Hello yes I fell in love with @scurvgirls House Witch AU so I did a bit of backstory for Selene in it <3.

House Witch AU

Serahlin(Mentioned) is @scurvgirls

Dirthamen is @feynites

(TW for Shitty Parenting, Abuse, and Haleir)

Selene is sixteen years of age when her book is traded away.

“How dare you!” She screams at her father, fury and anger and rage pouring out of her. Fists turning white as her hair where they clench at her hips, every muscle tensed in the aftermath of her 'Wonderful Birthday News'. The curtains catch fire and his potions quake in their bottles on the table beneath the wrath of her remaining magic. Des lets out a long, ear shattering hiss from inside of the warded crate in the corner, still trapped where Elrogathe had drugged and shoved him for the 'negotiations'.

Negotiations that had promised away her hand and her firstborn.

His palm connects with her cheek and it is not unlike the deflating prick of a balloon.

She crumples to the ground, knees banging against the hardwood floors as rage gives way to grief beneath the stinging heat of the assault.

“It is an honor,” He tsks, correcting his potions where they have shifted on the table. “A show of loyalty to the coven, to our people. It is your own fault for causing them to doubt your loyalties, child. Be grateful this is all they asked of you; there are far worse fates than marriage and family.”

“You seem to feel cursed enough by your own,” She mutters.

Elrogathe stiffens as a bolt of electricity strikes at the mirror that had been hanging on the wall behind her head.

“Your mother was worth suffering any curse,” He manages through grit teeth before finally turning to look at her for the first time today. “Even a child so devilish and selfish as you.”

–

She is married on her eighteenth birthday.

To the great grandson of their covens founder. A towering, sun blessed witch with long, bright red hair he keeps in a braid laid over his shoulder. He has been well sought after by many a witch; his bloodline after all, guarantees a very powerful child, and his family has no shortage of wealth or prestige in the circles.

She spends most of the reception searching for her book. Trying to find it, to flee, to run before their bond can be consummated. Des darts from room to room in the extravagantly large mansion, searching and scenting for any hint of their magic.

Neither manages to turn up even a scrap of what they are looking for.

The honeymoon has been arranged in one of his families summer homes, hidden away in the thick of an ancient forest.

There is no moon in the sky that night, and Haleir had driven them off before Des could manage to jump into the car. Her book is still gone, and though this was supposed to be a symbol of her loyalty to her coven, to prove her as finally one of them, she feels farther from her magic and her self than she ever has before.

She spends the night outside of herself, like some captive audience to the horrors being committed.

Des finds her in the morning, and curls into her arms. Some small semblance of comfort for what may now be their new reality. She feels better with him near, even through his exhaustion of making the journey back to her.

More like herself.

At the end of the week, she's made to pee on a stick. It's not the way her father tests for children, but Haleir assures her that this is one type of precognition the mortals have figured out.

The symbols on the display screen don't change, and her new husband makes a disappointed sound and says “Well, we'll just try again then. As many times as it takes, I suppose. I have expectations to live up to you know. “

Selene just nods numbly and runs her fingers through Des's fur as she slides into the passenger seat of the car.

Haleir scoffs down at her familiar and makes a comment about fleas and litter boxes, while his toad makes a loud croak from the backseat in what she assumes must be agreement.

As many times as it takes, her mind echoes.

...surely, that can't be too many more times. Right?

–

Selene is twenty one when she finally has enough.

Enough of feeling like only a piece of herself, enough of vacating her body each night, enough of lying there while her husband dreams of other women and she dreams of a day when she no longer has this obligation to fulfill. Far away and isolated from their coven, from any she might once have considered a friend, and with her only source of communication besides her unfaithful husband, vague postcards from her father unsubtly asking if she has managed to produce an heir yet.

Enough.

Haleir is out on one of his ‘business trips’ when she makes up her mind. It is going to be a full moon, and her own moon-blessings will mean the powers she still has may actually be strong enough to pull it off.

Des is uncharacteristically wary of her plans. He almost attempts to talk her out of it before finally agreeing that this may be her only way out.

It is a cruel plan. Cruel, and tragic, and monstrous.

An act of desperation, and her only chance.

The one benefit of her time spent dissociating over the past few years is that her dream walking abilities have vastly improved; a skill that will make what she is about to do far, far safer.

She lights the appropriate candles and pays in her blood and herbs before finally stripping and settling into the center of the circle of the rug she had managed to bring with her from her own home. One of very few items in this house that could be considered hers. Precious to her, but nothing Haleir will notice is missing if anything should happen to it.

Des is slowly circling the ritual, checking for errors, and she gives him a smile before focusing herself, and managing the incantation in a long forgotten language.

Old, and ancient, and very very dangerous.

Several creatures drift past and through her as she sits in the plane of dreams, most frustratingly uninterested in her offer.

But she waits.

And waits.

And waits.

Until something seems intrigued enough to stop.

She shivers beneath the gaze of its eyes. And it has many with which to do so. Selene is having trouble making out the silhouette of the spirit as the shape of it is unfamiliar and ever shifting, edges blending into the darkness around them.

You long for freedom.

She doesn't hear its voice, exactly. There is no mouth to speak of, but she can hear them all the same, reverberating somewhere deep in her mind.

“Yes,” She says aloud. The movement of her mouth is awkward, and her voice echoes in the thick silence of the air around them and she wonders for the first time just how long she has been waiting.

What will you do with the child?

Selene hesitates.

She had been planning to leave. To fulfill her obligation to produce an heir and to find her book and to take back the freedoms that had been stolen from her.

...an easier concept when she considers the creature she will be bearing an obligation, rather than a child.

“My first born has been promised to another,” She admits. “But I will need to produce it before I can fulfill that oath. My current...partner, and I, are having difficulties.”

Do they know you are here?

Selene swallows. “...No.”

The spirit stirs a bit, at that.

You would betray them?

Selene snorts. “There is nothing to betray,” She assures them. “There is no love between us. He would rather be elsewhere, as would I. But he holds my book in some hidden place, and I cannot leave without it.”

The spirit seems confused by the concept.

That does not seem like a very beneficial partnership.

“He's more like my captor at this point,” She says. “But I need the key to my cage; and he will only hand it over if I produce a child he can claim as heir.”

This, at least, the spirit seems to grasp.

Their form shifts again, and a single blue eye as large as her head with lashes as long as the curls in her hair settles in front of her face.

Your first born is already promised, the spirit says as one long tendril reaches out to touch her stomach, So I will take the second.

Her vision blurs, and magic swirls around her. Hers, theirs, others that she doesn't even recognize. Swirling galaxies and the roots of great trees flood her mind, her fire turns to smoke and she is sucked into the creature and feels a terrifying and overwhelming sense of loneliness and age and worlds growing and dying and being torn apart and then forced back together. She sees great depths and clear skies and the world feels at once huge and infinitesimal, like she could hold it in the palm of her hand and drown in it all at the same time.

Her breath is stolen from her lungs and returned to her in great heaves as her soul is ripped out and then carefully placed back into her body.

She is shaking and crying and sweating on the rug her mother had once taught her to read on, on her hands and knees and with a migraine that makes the room around her spin. The candles she had lit are long burnt out, wax melted into large pools and already cooled, and Des is looking at her in fear and concern while pawing at the back of her hand.

“I'm alright,” She rasps, throat dry from dehydration-how long has she been here, doing this?-straightening back up and pushing her hair back, curls damp and clinging to the edges of her face.

Des lets out a soft meow, and she knows exactly what he's asking.

Did it work?

She settles one hand over the slight curve of her stomach and lets out a breath.

“...I think so.”

–

Selene gives birth exactly nine months later.

To twins, one with dark hair, and one with white; both with bright blue eyes.

Selene knows that neither she nor Haleir possess blue eyes; but that the creature she conjured for the fertility ritual did.

Thankfully, Elrogathes eyes are a deep blue and his hair a dark enough blue it is often mistaken for black, and with her own green eyes and white hair she's able to convince Haleir that the children are his. A sure sign of his virility, and that their sons will grow into very powerful, very capable witches in their own rights.

She almost convinces herself of it, too.

Almost convinces herself that in her haste and selfishness, she hasn't damned at least one of her sons to a creature that is almost certainly a demon, in retrospect.

The twins are three days old, and still without names when Haleir comes home drunk from a celebratory night with his friends.

“You can't see them like that,” She gripes, blocking the doorway with her still recovering body.

“They're'my'f'ggin sons,” He slurs, half halfheartedly trying to push her aside.

She holds her ground.

He glares down at her-or tries to, anyways. He's never been very good at holding his liquor, and he seems to be having difficulty figuring out which one of her is real.

“B'tch,” He grumbles, turning and waving like it was his decision not to go in. “F'ggin witch bitch...” He snickers. “S'till powerless witch bitch....”

Selene feels her skin heat, thinks of how satisfying it would be to light him up...and remembers the children, sleeping in their cribs behind her. Of her father, sleeping in the spare room down the hall after making the long trip to deliver his grandchildren, and how poorly it might go for her and the children to upset them both at once.

She sighs.

...She cannot leave the children alone with Haleir. He is unfit, and the oath her father signed for her is not their burden to bear.

Damn.

Damn.

She doubles down on her search efforts for her book in the following months, in hopes that if she found it she could leave with her sons. Selene tears apart the home of every one of Haleirs relatives they visit with the children, tracks down old trade ledgers and tries to see where it might have been sent, or ended up. She thinks perhaps there may be a trail to follow over the sea, but ship ledgers are notoriously unkempt and untrustworthy, and it is a very long journey to take with two toddlers.

Toddlers who are not without omens of their own.

Selene explains the first few ravens that show up at the house with lies to Haleir; after all, who could predict why birds behave the way they do? Perhaps Des tormented a friend of theirs and they are out for revenge. Be sure to throw salt over the back porch, and she'll plant fresh lavender in the front when the weather warms.

But she doesn't miss the way the birds watch her children when they play outside, or the way the shadows shift around them. Haleir is disappointed when neither of his children are sun blessed the way he is, and upset that the twins would rather sleep through high noon than watch him perform simple spells and tricks that have only frightened them in the past.

She only says that they should enroll the twins in swim classes when she finds Darevas sitting in the bottom of the pond in their backyard; curious and unafraid of the cavernous sinkhole growing in the center, and breathing as easily as though it were air in the dark and deepening water.

They are far too young for their magic to be manifesting, she thinks in a panic as she dries the elder twin off, Felasel finishing his muffin behind her.

Not for the first time, she regrets the haste in which she acted. If she knew what their biological father were, she might be better equipped to care for them.

And better prepared to protect them, too.

The twins are still six months away from their sixth birthday when Serahlin knocks on their door.

Selene has known Serahlin for as long as the children have been in school, as their children share a class together.

But when she calls her sister, Selene feels a sense of relief she hasn't known since she was fifteen years old. A sense of kinship, and the sort of gratefulness she thought she was long past.

'Thank the gods,' she praises as she opens her door wide and invites the other woman in 'for Sisterhood.'

[alexsfictionaddiction]

'It is not enough to be the non-racist. We must be anti-racist.’

I don’t think I need to explain too much about what has prompted this post. There may be readers of it who will feel that my sudden creation of it is performative and that I don’t REALLY care all that much about what’s going on. That I’m simply jumping on a bandwagon and cashing in on some internet clout amidst the horrors of what is happening in the world. Hopefully my regular readers will know that I actively seek out Own Voices books and that I’m constantly reviewing them or recommending them on this very blog. Hopefully my regular readers will know that this post is very much in line with my inclusive, diverse ethos and that I am simply using my white platform to amplify those of the unheard.

It’s true that I’ve never written a recommendation post dedicated to one particular marginalised group. I think this is because I’ve always felt like these are not my areas to sway into. That these posts would be better written by bloggers who have direct experience with what these books talk about. Honestly, I’m shocked and incredibly upset with myself for having long harboured this mentality. Yes, these books will affect readers who can directly relate to the characters in a way that they couldn’t ever affect me but why on Earth should that mean that I can’t give them a platform in the first place?  

Of course, I’ve always known about white privilege and I’ve always used it to take down racists both on and offline. In fact, the events of the past few days have caused arguments within my own all-white British family. There are currently protests happening in central London and Manchester but we are not allowed to use public transport at the moment and we don’t have any local demonstrations, meaning actively protesting just isn’t a feasible option for most Brits right now. It does feel like movements such as Black Lives Matter are ‘an American thing’, despite the huge amount of all types of racism in the UK. 

I had never realised (or perhaps never wanted to realise) the amount of extremely questionable attitudes within my own family until very recently. I have had to explain white privilege to my parents, who have actually always been reasonably liberal in their political views, so I was astonished by exactly how much they didn’t know. There is an essence of ‘things aren’t anywhere near as bad as they used to be’ and ‘the police don’t arrest or kill innocent people’. It’s honestly only in the last few days that I’ve realised and therefore had to address the internal racism within my own family and therefore in my own origins and so I think that, as well as what is happening across the Atlantic, is what has really triggered this post. Despite considering myself an ally, I can do so much better than I have been and chances are, you can too. 

Because it is a global pandemic. It’s not something that is only happening in the US, it’s happening here just without the guns. It’s happening in every country of the world and I (and my fellow white people) should not be leaving it up to the victims to sort it out. We have the power to boost their blatantly unheard voices and there is so much we can do, in order to do that. 

Sign petitions, donate money and help in any way you can right here. Buy from Black-owned businesses, read all you can about the Black experience and above all, call out your friends and family on their racism. Of course, if you don’t want to take the advice of a white person like me, I’d recommend you check out these fantastic Black BookTubers and book bloggers:

LaRonda @ flyingpaperbacks

Madeline @ madelinewilsonojo

Jazmen @ lit-erally black

Nox @ noxthereader

Myonna @ myonna reads

I'mogén @ Peace&Cookies

Ben @ Benreadsbooks

Lauren @ The Novel Lush

Jo @ Jo The Great

Ella @ ella’s novellas

Keeana @ Reading in the Clouds

Francina @ Francina Simone

Lucie @ LucieReads

Jesse @ Bowties & Books

Joel @ fictionalfates

Ane @ Ane Adores

Olivia @ Olivia’s Catastrophe

Cecilia @ thatdisneychik

Taylor @ PageScreenTaylor

Tori @ Medusa Reads

Justin @ Ghost Reader

Seji @ The Artisan Geek

Mina @ Mina Reads

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list and I encourage you to please search for and support more wonderful Black bookworms and creators. They will give you more insightful reviews and recommendations than I would ever be able to, so please check them out and show them some love. 

Here are 50 books by Black authors that deserve your attention. While I have read a good chunk of these, I will admit that I have not personally read all of them. This list was compiled following a deep scouring of the internet and reading countless reviews and synopses. I believe I’ve found some incredible hidden gems in here that you will love and pass on to those who need them. Each of them have a link to an online retail outlet that isn’t Amazon, so you can buy these books in quarantine without lining Bezos’ already over-filled pockets. Enjoy! -Love, Alex x

NON-FICTION

1. Stamped From The Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi. This history of racism in America seeks to completely rewrite the way we think of racism and encourages change in the every-day assumptive white ally.

2. Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Told in the form of a letter to his young son, Coates attempts to convey what it’s like to be black in America, using history, personal experience and the hope of liberation.

3. Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. An unapologetic powerful memoir from a trans mixed-race working class woman in America that will teach you how to be undeniably real.

4. Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. Possibly the most widely-read non-fiction book on racism in the UK, Reni Eddo-Lodge’s book explores its links to class, white feminism and the black history we were never taught.

5. So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. Highly relevant to the current situation in the US, this book talks about police brutality, BLM and the N word, answering the questions that no one ever dares to ask.

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

6. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. The winner of last year’s Women’s Prize, An American Marriage is the heartbreaking story of newlyweds torn apart by a wrongful rape conviction. Devastating, urgent storytelling.

7. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. Searingly relatable and timely, you will fall madly in love with Queenie. She is flawed, overlooked and underestimated. You will laugh, cry and scream as you spend a year inside her life as a British-Jamaican.

8. Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. When straight-laced nerd Chloe Brown almost dies, she vows to start living in the moment. Enter bad boy Red and you’ve got the perfect ingredients for a sweet, sexy rom-com.

9. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. Joint winner of 2019′s Booker Prize and shortlister for 2020′s Women’s Prize, this is the combination of 12 very different Black-British characters that paints a very real picture of contemporary British life.

10. I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan. When Georgia Young begins to feel dissatisfied with her seemingly perfect life, she decides to shake things up. It’s the perfect reminder that it’s never too late to make big changes and start living your best life.

11. Well-Read Black Girl by Glory Edim. Showcasing some of America’s best black female writers, this anthology explores the importance of finding yourself in books. Glory Edim is the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, an online book club exclusively for black women, which you can check out here.  

12. The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Daré. At 14, Adunni is a wife and commodity within her tiny Nigerian village but she is determined to get her education and her voice. Original, powerful and unbelievably inspirational.

13. Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid. When Emira Tucker starts dating someone with a direct historical link to her boss, things get more than complicated. This is a very clever contemporary, driven by racial differences, that is completely unputdownable.

LITERARY FICTION

14. The Sellout by Paul Beatty. Winner of the Booker Prize 2016, The Sellout is a black comedy ringing with social satire about one man’s deceit having knock-on effects for an entire community. Controversial and weird but incredibly unique.

15. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Morrison’s debut novel focuses on our obsession with conventional beauty, fitting in and being accepted. Wonderfully written, it addresses race, gender and class in a truly captivating way.

16. Stay With Me by Ayòbámi Adébáyò. Amidst the social and political turmoil of 1980s Nigeria, Yejide's husband takes a second wife when she fails to fall pregnant. It is a heartbreaking portrait of grief, fractured families and motherhood.

17. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward. An epic road-trip novel with hints of supernatural and magical realism, this is the story of a young boy’s coming-of-age within a broken family told in a gorgeously lyrical style.

18. Half Of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Set during the Nigerian Civil War, three very different characters are entwined in a story about colonialism, class, race and love. You’ll want the tissues for this one!

19. Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. This strange unique novel focuses on the split selves of Ada and their gradual rise to power within her. It’s one of the most unique mental health books I’ve ever come across and will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with finding their own inner peace.

SCI-FI AND FANTASY

20. Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James. Dripping in African mythology, the first in the Dark Star trilogy gets off to a gripping start with plenty of unique characters, as hunter Tracker searches for a missing boy. 

21. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. When aspiring writer Dana is pulled from 1976 into 1815, she is assumed to be a slave. After saving a young man’s life, the mystery of their connection kicks off and takes them both on an incredible emotional journey. This is an amazing time travel story that is thoroughly unputdownable.

22. Rosewater by Tade Thompson. Rosewater is a town on the edges of a strange alien biodome which is rumoured to have healing powers but former criminal Kaaro knows the truth and is in no hurry to revisit it. Whilst making subtle digs at contemporary culture, Rosewater offers a fascinating view of the future.

23. Do You Dream Of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh. Ten astronauts leave a dying Earth to find another habitable planet. Set entirely aboard the ship, it’s a coming-of-age story that reaches beyond the sci-fi boundaries and focuses on human relationships and emotions. Brace yourself for tears!

24. Children Of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. Inspired by West African mythology, this magical adventure tells the story of Zélie on a quest to restore magic to the kingdom of Orisha. At the end of every chapter something happens that makes you want to keep reading, making it highly addictive.

25. The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle. Hidden dark magic in the depths of New York is awakened when hustler Tom attracts its attention. With elements of classic horror and mysticism, this is one for lovers of weird speculative stories.

26. Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi. This touching story is a searing reminder of systemic racism and the violence that black Americans face at the hands of the law. When Kev finds himself in prison, it’s only the visits from his magically-gifted sister Ella that keeps him sane and gives him hope of revolution.

27. We Cast A Shadow by Maurice Carlos Ruffin. Desperate to protect his son in a profoundly racist America, a man embarks on a mission to get his boy a ‘demelanization’ to make him white. It’s an original and edgy satire full of suspense and heart.

MIDDLE-GRADE

28. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. This poetic memoir charts the story of Woodson’s own childhood, growing up as an African-American in 1960s and 1970s. These are truly beautiful poems that sing a young girl’s desire to be heard and to know who she is.

29. Ghost by Jason Reynolds. Ghost is a sprinter but it’s only when Coach sees his talent that he really starts to chase his dream but his dark past is hot on his heels. Full of Reynolds’ signature humour and heart, it’s highly relatable to almost any kid from around the age of 10.

30. The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. This creepy magical middle-grade adventure sees fearless Corinne on a dangerous mission to save her home from dark forces. Steeped in Caribbean folklore, The Jumbies is a fantastic gateway into eerie fantasy.

31. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Twins Josh and Jordan are basketball stars, following in their father’s footsteps but hardship tests their brotherly bonds. Merging basketball and rap, this verse novel gives us a stark reminder of what really matters.

32. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Get set for a truly heartbreaking but horrendously timely story. Jerome was shot dead by police at the age of 12 and his ghost wanders the Earth in search of answers as to why he was killed. Not sure I need to say anymore as to why this is a highly important tearjerker.

YA

33. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. When a plane crash brings two sisters on either side of the Atlantic together, family secrets unravel. Exploring sacrifice and identity, this verse novel is a stark reminder that most losses and tragedies are felt only by the families they directly affect.

34. Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence. Marlon has promised his mum that he won’t follow the path of his gang leader brother but when a date leaves him a hunted man, he has some impossible choices to make. Laced with musicality, this pacy urban thriller puts you directly in the shoes of an ordinary boy caught up in very real danger.

35. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta. Struggling with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen, it’s only when he starts university that Michael gains his wings through the power of drag. Tackling both racism and homophobia, The Black Flamingo teaches acceptance and self-love.

36. The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon. Natasha and Daniel meet on the same day that Natasha’s family are about to be deported to Jamaica. Cue an epic quest for love to overthrow the authorities! It’s a sweet romance about fate and taking the future into your own hands.

37. Dear Martin by Nic Stone. When Ivy League-destined Justyce is arrested, he turns to the lessons of Martin Luther King to help figure things out but then shots are fired. Undeniably relevant to today’s America, Dear Martin confronts the blatant racism and injustice within the justice system.

38. On The Come Up by Angie Thomas. Aspiring rapper Bri is desperate to make it to help her family, despite all the odds being against her. Better known for her break-out debut hit The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas’ follow-up is an equally hard-hitting story of standing up and speaking out for what’s right. 

HISTORICAL 

39. The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Escaping an extremely violent and abusive past in the 1930s American South, Celie finds the strength to be her true wonderful self. The Color Purple is considered a staple of black literature and considered one of the most mind-opening books in existence.

40. Roots by Alex Haley. Tracing the story of his own ancestors, Alex Haley’s Roots is a highly educational documentation of African American history during the Slave Trade. Published in 1976, it made a massive impact on the world and Kunta’s story is just as urgent and vital today.

41. Freedom by Catherine Johnson. This historical middle-grade story follows Jamaican slave Nat as he makes his way to London, where he has heard that slavery doesn’t exist, which he soon finds to be false. Freedom is a moving, action-packed look at British slavery that is the perfect starting point for educating pre-teens.

42. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. This classic tale follows wrestler Okonkwo, who returns from exile to discover his village has been taken over by colonials. It’s a difficult read that captures powerlessness and pain in a short, impactful burst and will no doubt force white readers to look at their own behaviours.

43. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Exploring bigotry and racism across the US, our protagonist tries his best to play by the rules but continues to be knocked down. Despite being published in 1952, Ellison’s arguments are painfully relevant to today, indicating that not much has changed at all. 

44. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. Life as a slave in Georgia is hell for Cora but when new arrival Caesar tells her about the Underground Railroad, escape plans are hatched. Cora’s determination and courage are hugely inspirational and her experience, which mirrors that of many real slaves, should never be forgotten.

45. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. This epic story of two sisters’ very different experiences of 1800s Ghana sprawls across generations, clearly showing how history resonates and the ripples are felt long after the original event. A stunning captivating read.

THRILLERS

46. Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas. Highly selective, isolated academy Catherine House sees teenage runaway Ines join its ranks and a strange Gothic mystery unfurls. This subtly unsettling chilly novel is a brand new debut that I devoured earlier on this month and I’m sure you will too!

47. My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. Korede is used to clearing up her younger sister Ayoola’s messes -and disposing of the bodies she leaves in her wake! There is a wonderfully dark tongue-in-cheek tone that makes this fast-paced thrilling celebration of sisterhood truly delightful.

48. They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall. Seven strangers find themselves in a mansion on an island with no contact with the outside world and no escape. With strong Agatha Christie vibes, it’s a highly entertaining mystery whose pages you’ll keep turning.

49. Devil In A Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. When a war veteran is pulled into a search for a mysterious woman, murder and lies are uncovered. Set in 1940s LA, Walter Mosley expertly weaves the natural fears of a Black man of the time into the smoky intrigue, making it extremely immersive.

50. Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett. Broke former actress Dayna didn’t mean to solve a hit-and-run but the reward money would definitely come in handy. Once she starts digging, she becomes determined to find the killer. I love cosy mysteries with amateur detectives and this more than fits that bill.

[newathensrp]

OOC Information

Name: Lest

Age: 19

Pronouns: he/him

Timezone: EST

IC Information

Name: Aodhan Ward

Age/Years At Camp: 20 yrs old, has been coming since he was 15

Pronouns: he/him

God: Apollo

Powers: Audiokinesis - In addition to being able to easily pick up new instruments, he has an ability to put emotions and other feelings into music he plays. for example, he could play a note that gives a positive feel those who hear it that could be interpreted as a yes or positive response to something, or a handful of notes to portray being angry. While the feelings he puts into his music doesn't necessarily inflict that feeling onto listeners (though it can if he has the intent to and puts the energy into it, but it’s much more draining then just portraying a feeling.), it does add another guaranteed emotional layer to music being able to make happy songs inflict a sad feeling and vise versa. His instrument of choice is the irish bouzouki, which he carries on him at all times. Biokinesis - like most of his siblings, Aodhan can heal with his voice, however it's rarely used because he is selectively mute. He has tried to re-purpose this power to work with instruments with no avail. Misc - surprisingly athletic, and while he's skilled in many games he has terrible luck that usually result in him tripping or having his chances ruined somehow. Unlucky - Aodhan is plagued with terrible luck. He tends to carry good luck charms with him in an attempt to negate it and is willing to buy into pretty outlandish stuff in the name of a good luck charm. Selective muteness - not particularly a power, but an important aspect of himself. It stems from psychological problems and not a physical issue, so it can’t be fixed with ambrosia. He can speak to himself when he’s alone, or when he’s with people he feels close to and safe with. He can also sometimes make small humming sounds depending on how he feels in a specific situation.

Personality: Outwardly, Aodhan tries to be polite and easy to get along with, and while that isn’t necessarily a false front, his inability to speak most of the time ends up making him keep most of his thoughts to himself since he typically isn’t around anyone who knows ASL so he’d rather act easy to get along with to avoid tough situations where he’d have to explain himself. he’s a very frank person and isn’t he type to lie to keep someone else happy and he tends to give his opinion whether it’s wanted or not. He’s very expressive with his face and body language to make up for not being able to express himself with words most of the time. He gets bored easily but feels guilty admitting it so he tries not to show it but isn’t very good at it. He feels a drive, pretty much conditioned into him, to fit in with people around him and he’ll sometimes catch himself making slight and subtle changes to himself to fit in easier with whatever group he’s with. Though he tries to ignore it most of the time, the want to conform does win over sometimes so he can sometimes come off as fake or superficial to people. While it’s something he does pretty much unconsciously without realizing it, it’s something he hates doing and if he realizes he’s doing it it can throw off his mood for the entire day. Because of flip-flopping between what the “right” way to act is growing up, he doesn’t always have a solid sense of self and often relies on the way his peers act and follows their lead. When he’s alone he tends to be the most genuine and while he tries to be that around other people, it tends to get lost. As a genuine person, he’s very straightforward and while he’s definitely the type to complain about it later, he’ll put up with pretty much anything. Whiny tweens? He can suck it up and babysit them for the day. Annoying cabinmates? He’ll live, but just know he’ll complain about it pretty harshly later. He can be pretty snarky but typically keeps it to himself. He can be pretty lackadaisical in nature and doesn’t plan for the future, but just kind of takes whatever comes at him. He is actually very talkative when given the chance to be, but is content being in the background of most conversations and is fine going days without talking to anyone. He gets anxious in crowded places and around a lot of people, especially if he doesn’t know them well. He’s very self-reliant and doesn’t like or feel the need to rely on anyone else. He’s the type to not believe anything until he’s seen it himself. He’s very much a morning person. Also he’s a libra sun sagittarius moon if that says anything.

Appearance: short strawberry blonde curls frame a slightly tanned face littered with freckles. He has a very straight nose that's a bit on the larger side, and while he has a very diamond face shape, he doesn't have particularly strong features. His right eye is light blue and his left eye is a gold-yellow color. he has a scar on the right side of his lips and continuing down over his chin. His ears are on the larger side. While he is of irish descent, he was raised in the US and doesn't have an accent for the most part, but it can be heard in some words from being around his mother at home who does have a strong accent. He carries his bouzouki with him at all times, usually strapped to his back similar to a guitar. He has a bit of an athletic look and he doesn’t look particular built or muscular but he’s a far cry but being lanky. He likes loose and baggy clothes and favors more casual looks. He prefers comfort over style.

History: Aodhan was raised believing that he was nothing out of the ordinary. His mother, Cait, didn't want him to know about his father or about any powers he may have had. In their small midwest suburban town and to his mother, conformity was everything. When she remarried when Aodhan was 6, all the couple wanted was a normal family and a normal life and Cait figured that as long as she kept him away from his greek heritage and didn't tell him about his powers she would be able to have the normal life she craved, going to PTA meetings and baking muffins for the local churches bake sale. She had her way for 6 years before things started deviating from her dream of a white picket fence. She may have loved her new husband, but her new husband did not like Aodhan. He was always too loud, too energetic, too something. Cait was so wrapped up in her love and drive to fit in that she didn't notice, or perhaps chose not to. At such a young age the way he dealt with it was that he slowly stopped speaking, eventually dwindling to barely being able to speak at all. Most of the time, he was able to speak around his mother. He began learning ASL through a program at school and his parents were encouraged to learn on their own time, but they never did. There was always something, they were too busy to, they didn’t have time, they didn’t think his bout of muteness would last. When he was 10 years old and only able to speak when he was alone with his mother or with the few close friends he had, he begged Cait to let him pick up an instrument as a means of expressing himself. While she had tried to keep Aodhan away from instruments, fearful that they could trigger some power within him, she felt guilty and blamed herself for his selective muteness so she lent him his grandfather's irish bouzouki. She regretted her decision when within weeks he was playing it like he’d been playing it all his life, but she didn’t have the heart to take it away from him. The same year his mother and stepfather had a baby together. Aodhan adored his baby brother and especially loved to play music for him! He was able to speak around his brother. Aodhans earliest use of his powers was playing music to calm his brother down when he started crying. Aodhan didn’t completely understand what he was doing or how he was doing it, but he knew that he just had a way of playing music that would make his baby brother laugh. He proudly showed it to his mother one day, and she banned him from playing music for his brother. After that, his mother and stepfather began to heavily discourage him playing instruments and their negativity towards his music did make him drop the bouzouki for a time. He’d play along, he thought. He’d try to be the perfect son, despite the fact he couldn’t talk he did everything to be enough for them. Normal enough. Good enough. It worked for a few years, until he was 15. He had a friend over who found his bouzouki abandoned in the back of his closet and asked him about it. He told them he used to play it and told them about he used to play a certain way and it would make his brother stop crying, but his parents told him to stop playing when they found out. They asked him if he could play something to relieve their stress from schoolwork, half as a joke but aodhan said he’d give it a try since his parents weren’t home to hear. It turned out that there was a big upside to making sure that aodhan never used his powers or knew about his divine heritage all these years: he was almost completely off the radar from monsters. Keyword is almost. When Aodhan hard the scream of his little brother downstairs and ran downstairs, the last thing he expected to see was a monster ripping apart his kitchen. His first instinct was to keep his brother safe and ran in without thinking to pull his brother out of harm's way, only to put himself in more danger, earning him a scar down from his lip to the bottom of his chin that he would later explain away to people as “he fell”. They were lucky, very lucky. It was almost as if all the luck Aodhan had to use over the course of his life was used right then and there and he would never be lucky again. A Satyr who had been tailing the monster to find the demigod it was hunting swooped in at the last second and drove the monster off. Aodhan was sure that the boredom from living in the most generic town on the planet was really getting to him when he stood in the doorway of his kitchen, watching as a satyr yelled profanities after a monster out the back door. Turns out, it was much more than just boredom. After being left alone for nearly 15 years, the use of his powers was starting to attract monsters. Unlucky for him, this particular satyr didn’t speak ASL. after a back and forth attempt at signing and frantically looking for a pen and something to write on, Aodhan was left wondering if the leftovers he had earlier had gone bad something. Him, the son of the god apollo? No way, he thought. “That’s the stupidest thing i've ever heard. Im not gonna believe some fuckin goat man in my - there's a goat man in my kitchen. Either im losing my mind of maybe he isn’t spouting bullshit.” When Cait got home she realized she couldn’t hide it any longer and confessed the truth, Aodhan was the son of Apollo and she’d kept it and his powers a secret all these years. After a teary confession from Cait, Aodhan decided to go with the satyr back to camp half blood and new athens. After a lifetime of conformity and doing everything he could to be as normal as possible, he hoped that maybe he could finally catch a break. He typically stays at camp/new athens year-round but occasionally visits his family, but his relationship with his mother and stepfather have never been the same since the secret of his father's identity came out, but he is still close with his brother.