#The Athena Project

[nikoisme]

Athena

[mediumgayitalian]

When Lee and Michael pull him from Chiron's exceptionally dry Ancient Greek lessons, Will is excited. When they drag him down, ducking, behind the stables, as other campers walk by, he is intrigued. When they guide him all the way back to their cabin, sit him on his bed, and then drag two stools to sit across from him, silently, he is still excited.

A little nervous, now.

But excited.

"Will," Michael says, solemn. He presses his fist to his mouth, eyes carefully blank. "Will, you are almost ten years old, now."

Will bounces on his mattress, grinning. "Yeah! I'm nine and fifty-six seventy-thirds." He peers at his brothers hopefully, trying to lessen his fidgeting and appear Regal and Adult. "Am I getting my Dad present early?"

Gods, he hopes so. He has been counting down the days -- every tenth birthday, for every kid, Camp-bound or not, Apollo sends them a gift of gold jewelry, smelted in the heat of the Sun by Holy Hephaestus, jewels handcrafted by the finest artisans on Olympus, blessed by yours truly. Will has been watching in seething jealousy as Michael's signet ring glints every time he pulls back his bow, as Cass' hoops swing when she walks. He hopes the gift is earrings -- he finally convinced Michael to pierce his lobes a couple months ago, and he's tired of the ugly studs. Beckendorf made him promise to let him poke around at whatever Will gets, and Will has been itching to show him.

And to get the jewelry, obviously. That's priority number one.

Lee shakes his head slowly. "No. You will get your milestone when you get it." He exchanges a long, fearful look with Michael. Will picks at last summer's clay bead, with the trident on it. "Speaking of milestones…"

Michael makes a sudden, choked noise, covering his face with his hands and curling forward. Will startles. Lee sighs, looking down for a moment as well. When he looks up again, he meets Will's wide eyes with his teary ones, and places a supportive hand on Michael's back.

"Will…" he looks out to the open window, shaking his head slightly. When he looks back, his face is creased in apology, and his eyes are ringed with pity. Will feels his heart drop. "Have you chosen someone, yet?"

"Chosen?" Will straightens, fists twisting in his shorts. "Chosen someone for what?" Michael makes another strangled wailing noise. Will's breath hitches, and his ears white out. "Lee, tell me! Tell me now!"

"We are a Greek camp," Lee says, finally. "An ancient Greek camp. With ancient Greek customs, kiddo."

He says it softly, apologetically. Like the time a seagull swooped down and stole Will's ice cream, right from his hands, on the beach last week. Will recognizes the hopeless tone of his voice and his heart drops.

"How much did they tell you about…our customs?"

"I didn't listen to the admissions video!" Will confesses, panicked. "I'm sorry! It was so boring! There were a bajillion music numbers and they were all kind of bad no offense and the screen made my eyes hurt and I missed my mom and --"

"Will," Michael says, voice shaking. He meets Will's eyes and Will is horrified to see they are wet.

He has never seen Michael cry before -- not even once.

"It's okay, Will. Some people don't know."

"Tell me," Will begs. "Am I being sacrificed?"

To his great relief, both his brothers laugh, waving dismissive hands as they chuckle. Will sags into his pillows.

"Oh, no, gods no. That would be barbaric." Lee wipes a tear from his eyes. "C'mon, Will, we're a little more civilized than that." He smiles encouragingly. Will smiles, hesitantly, back. "You're getting married."

It takes a long enough moment for the sound to travel and the word to register that Will is sure his hearing aids have gone wonky. He taps them, as though it will do anything, and tilts his head.

"I didn't hear you right. What did you say?"

"Married," Michael repeats. "By age 10, like all people had to do back then." He and Lee exchange another weighted look. "That, or you have to marry Mr. D." He rushes to assure at Will's panicked shriek; "Only if you don't choose someone in time. You have until you turn ten, so don't worry. I'm sure you'll find someone in time. You'll have most of the summer, anyway."

There is a moment where Lee and Michael murmur to each other, nodding. "Yeah," Lee says, mostly to himself. "You'll be fine." To which Michael responds: "Of course, of course. I mean, we did it."

Will sits there, frozen.

"I can't get married!" he cries, coming back to himself. He begins to hyperventilate. "I'm -- nine! I'm a kid!" He looks to his older brothers, blue eyes big and watery. "I don't even know how to file my taxes yet!"

Lee and Michael are sympathetic. They move forward, immediately, one on either side of him; Lee slides a squeezing hand around his shoulders, Michael pats him on the leg.

"It'll be fine, squirt," Lee soothes. He gestures across them. "I mean, me and Michael found somebody. It all worked out."

"You're married?" Will chokes out. His breaths come quick and shallow, despite Lee's comforting hand. "Michael is married?!"

"Watch it, twerp," Michael warns, at the same time as Lee says: "It was a challenge and a half, but yeah, Michael is married."

Will glances quickly down. There is no ring on either of their left hands, but they must notice him looking, because Michael snorts, pinching him on the knee.

"We just told you it's an ancient Greek custom, dumbass. Rings were invented later. We just…" He makes an incomprehensible gesture with his ringless hand. "Followed the book, completed the rite, etc, etc. Boom. Matrimony."

Lee nods. He rubs Will's shoulder a final time, encouragingly, before pulling away enough to give him space to breathe.

"You'll find someone, Will. We just thought we'd warn you because it didn't look like you remembered yourself, and we don't want you to have to…well."

Will shudders. Vaguely, in the back of his blurry, blurry memory, he can recall someone saying something in a video somewhere about partners and their importance in Camp. He had not paid attention, and he curses himself for it, now -- he almost had to marry Mr. D. Mr. D. who is rude, who smells like vinegar, who always has something in his teeth, who sleeps all day and drools more than a waterfall, who scares the satyrs on purpose and never even says sorry. Who is mean and gross and the worst ever.

"Thank you," Will says, tearfully. He grips his brothers' hands in his small fists and shakes from his spot between them, almost-life flashing in front of his eyes. If his brothers hadn't warned him, Mr. D. would have made him rub his stinking feet and feed him grapes for all eternity for sure. There wouldn't even be breaks for episodes of Star Trek. He shudders. "Thank you."

His brothers return the half-hug, although Michal sighs about it. He is too short to see the smirks they flash above his head.

"Anytime, twerp."

-- -- --

next

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Started a new book series, and has been a journey...an Odyssey, if you will.

[grinnames]

EPIC THE MUSICAL MOVIE POSTER

Finally, at long last

I am finished with my sister's birthday present

I am so proud of this

I had to learn to draw ears.

I guess you could say, this was...

EPIC.

Happy late birthday to my sister!!

Hermes is my favorite character btw

Also this is my first contribution to the Epic community, hope y'all like it!

[magical-girl-trucy]

Now listen: I do not ship Junithena. HOWEVER, I like the idea that everyone would think they were in a relationship because of how annoyingly sappy they are. They are very much in love. As friends. Platonic soulmates. But everyone else just sees them say these gay-ass lines and think otherwise.

[linxnnalyn]

Um hello... it is I, the humble lesbian!

May I have some requests please since I'm back from my break :3

CHARACTER LIST | RULES

[brainrotcharacters]

"If that world exists, it's far away from here."

The world in question: the epic cast went to Ithaca

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Something is making my brain itch about this father-daughter (assuming that’s their relationship) and the lack of second parent and the beagle.

There is also the conundrum of the check shirt! Check shirts usually mean impending danger for the wearer and so it has me wondering if whatever happens to this man will be foreshadowing something happening to Eddie?!

But there is also something about this still that is giving me a throw back to Eddie’s introduction to 911 and the 118 - that they’re going to somehow parallel Buck becoming part of Eddie and Chris’s family - something around Buck introducing Eddie to Carla so that he could get Chris what he needed and build a life and a family in LA.

There’s something about the idea that the show might make this parallel at the moment Eddie is leaving the 118 - to really drive it home what Eddie is leaving by moving to Texas - because it would hit hard for both Eddie and Buck - highlighting that they’ve both built their family together at the moment it’s seemingly going to be torn apart.

But in juxtaposition to this, there’s also something about the idea of the beagle metaphorically representing Buck or Bucks abandonment issues more specifically.

Buck rescuing the beagle from a shelter because it has seemingly been abandoned by its family in the same way Buck feels abandoned by his own family throughout his life. Buck getting attached to the beagle is a metaphor for Buck clinging to his abandonment issues because they’re safe because they’re what he knows - what he’s loved with all his life (so being abandoned by Eddie (and Chris) is fine because that’s what happens to him).

Only for him to find out the beagle actually does have a family who miss and love it and they get to be reunited - Buck can make that happen.

So reuniting dog and family is also symbolic of Buck saving himself - letting go of his abandonment issues - and by doing that - by rescuing himself - he can be reunited with his family - Eddie and Chris will come back to him - come back for him.

[backpackingspace]

Wait hear me out Athena with a tapestry cape that penelope made her and owl themed wooden jewelry that odysseus made her

[seasicksilver]

this animatic is going to kill me

odysseus & telemachus design sketch:

[bee8626]

:-)

[asogizer505]

its been past tomorrow but here she is

[linxnnalyn]

From now on I will be accepting prompts too and talk about them as I do requests :3 honestly a big need so I have something else to write when I have a minor writers block

[cassiopeiasara]

I just wanted to say thank you in advance for continuing to write Bobby and Athena fics. I absolutely adore your work and the amazing six seasons we got of this show and I’m so excited to keep reading and supporting your work. 🩵

Listen I couldn’t let go of these two if I tried. I’ve definitely had my share of disappointing and devastating story choices that have stolen my joy and drive but I’ve been determined to not let that happen here. These two deserve happy and hopeful endings and I’m going to write as many as I can.

[professional-d]

[inc0rrectmyths]

𝗛𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮: I don't know how many cookies it takes to be happy.

𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼: *crying while stuffing his face*

𝗛𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮: But so far, it's not 37...