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fairalstar · 2 months ago

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The New Pantheon AU

I've been circling back around to my Percy Jackson phase and I had an idea for what I'm calling "the New Pantheon au", inspired by those "Percy Ascends to Godhood" fics.

Basically, it's one of those ascension fics but instead of just Percy ascending it's the whole Gang! Not only the Seven but a few others too.

It happens slowly at first, no one really notices till it's too late. But after both wars, little by little demigods place their faith more in the Heroes of Olympus, who are tangible and actually help them, over their distant parents. Even if some of them wish to be closer but can't bc of Zeus' stupid rules. Their heroes are more visible, feel more real to them.

People start going to them more, showing them hero worship that lowkey becomes worship-worship. Then people start attributing certain things to them. Those become their domains once they ascend. A lot are similar to their parents but just slightly to the left.

The Old Gods don't fade but become considerably less powerful in the face of people turning their worship to the newer gods, dubbed the New Pantheon. (Although technically they are part of the same pantheon.) The world has changed and continues to change, with that changes the ideas and ideals people worship.

Funnily enough, I'd probably start with Nico's ascension. Once he starts staying at camp more people finally catch on to how cool and powerful he is. He often oversees funeral rites for demigods, and as he gets older becomes something of a grief counselor for camp. However, he's not the most approachable or easy to get close to personally. That distance is what makes it easier for people to start projecting hero worship on him. I mean with a title like the Ghost King how could you not? Eventually, Nico ascends as the main Chthonic god of the New Pantheon as God of the Afterlife. Not death itself or the Underworld as a place, but the one who oversees what actually happens to you once you're dead

The others follow shortly after.

Next would be Grover taking over from his patrons. He's been doing Lord of the Wild stuff for years after Pan bestowed him his blessing and officially faded. At some point nymphs, satyrs and even demigods start viewing him as the second coming of Pan. Tales of his mission to protect nature and rumors of his devastating psychic/mental attack, Panic, spread and help cement his fame. He eventually takes his place as head God of Nature in the New Pantheon. But notice I said patrons. Dionysus, canonically makes some sort claim over satyrs and I think part of his madness domain would shift to Grover due to his ability to use Panic, earning him the secondary title as God of Hysteria, which I think suits him.

Then I would say Leo. His friends honored his heroic deeds during the time he was briefly dead and turns out doing some wild shit like building a dragon-ship and ending a war gains you some street-cred. He'd become the new age God of Innovation.

Next would be Jason. Jason, for all that his cool and stern reputation afforded him, had to do some soul searching to find who he was for himself. His role as Pontifex Maximus put him in a position he was both comfortable (as a leader and guide to others) and passionate (to make sure everyone had the opportunity to be acknowledged). He represents the idea of selfhood and personality. Of character, integrity and identification. Jason gains the title God of Ipseity (i.e. identity).

He's followed shortly by Percy and Annabeth. Their reputations are intertwined as companions from childhood. They are well known and idolized in both camps, it doesn't take long for people to elevate them. Grown up and beyond from Athena's wisdom, Annabeth is known for her logical reasoning, tactical intellect, and creativity. She takes on role of Goddess of Cleverness. Percy is a legend in his own right. His power seems to reach beyond the sea at times and stories of his dedication to his family and friends are well known. He takes dual roles as God of Liquid and Loyalty.

Piper, Hazel and Frank come next in no particular order.

Piper had her own journey of growth, maturity and self-realization after she broke up with Jason. She gained more confidence in herself after learning how to love, accept, and respect all the parts of who she was that she previously tried to ignore. She grew into herself and the ideals she wanted to embody as leader of Aphrodite cabin. Someone who taught them to value themselves, others, and the relationships they developed. Eventually, Piper becomes known as the Goddess of Self-Esteem.

After overcoming her her curse and the mentality it left her with, Hazel is much more confident and comfortable. She grows nicely into roles of leadership and masters her control of the earth, precious metals, and the mist. She draws from Pluto's riches and Hecate's mist and magic. Hazel gains recognition as the next Chthonic deity in the New Pantheon, with the somewhat ambiguous and deceiving title as Goddess of Abundance and Spirituality.

Frank similarly grows into himself and his powers. He becomes more confident in his leadership abilities and battle prowess. He earns a reputation as Praetor for being brave, strong, kind, and honorable. Being demigod of Mars and Legacy of Neptune doesn't hurt his rep either. He becomes known as God of Valor.

Then come the demigods who are a little less well-known but just as powerful in their own rights.

Reyna earns the title of Goddess of Battle. All sorts of battles fall into her purview. Not just in war, but battles to survive, battles against abuse and oppression.

Will's deeds and service to Camp are both countless and priceless. He looks after not only their injuries and illnesses, but their mental states. They hail him as God of Health.

Thalia's story and legacy are found in her tree that protects the camp and role Lieutenant of Artemis, mortal leader of the Hunters. From the beginning she has been strong and certain. A shield. A guardian. Thalia becomes Goddess of Protection.

That's all I really have for now but if anyone else has any ideas or input pls feel free to add on!

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fairalstar · 2 months ago

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Hobbies - Will Solace

Will Solace is head doctor. Easily and often shortened to only doctor. So, he thinks, knowing there’s more snide than there needs to be, who would expect him to have hobbies? Apparently, there’s a phase of dating that relies on their existence.

Nico and Will have only been dating for two weeks. Haven’t kissed yet, have been on a solid three in-camp dates. And Will, on the forest floor with his back to some poor tree, is breathing heavy with the crushing, rock-hard weight of that stupid, too deep question that just. Keeps. Coming. Back.

He’s not stupid. He can see. He knows, logically, rationally, that it’s a standard question. A good and easy icebreaker. An important thing to know about as a partner. Yeah. Totally. Mhm. What do you do in your free time? Solid stuff. Solid. Solid. Good. Solid.

Solid enough to fill his lungs with rocks.

“Shit, what did I- what’s wrong? Will? Fuck. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I don’t- what did I do?”

In. Out. In. Out. In, in, in, in-

He wheezes, embarrassingly, and his forehead hits his knees. He can feel, lightly, that Nico’s hand is above his shoulder. Ghosting it. He’d make a joke if he wasn’t so nauseously panicked. It barely brushes him, hesitant in the anxious, heart-stopped way Will can’t afford to be. That’s a mean thing to think, he berates. You aren’t struggling more than he is. Don’t compare.

He thinks it anyway. I can’t afford that. I can’t have that.

Can’t have hobbies, either.

Will hates when he gets like this.

Nico, next to him and out of his sight, seems to have settled his own breathing. You win, Will thinks, and almost laughs. He doesn’t. “Hey, alright, do you-uhm, do you wanna do the breathing stuff you taught me?”

His hand finally drops to touch his back, and Will feels one finger trace an infinite square on his shoulder. He knows the rules. He’s said them to camper after camper. In for the first line, hold for the second, out for the third, hold for the fourth; in, hold, out, hold, in, hold, out, hold in.

He doesn’t know how long it takes, but his breath does even out.

And instantly, guilt.

He shoots right up and turns to his date. Fuck, his date. A picnic in the woods at the edges of camp. What a lovely way to kill romance. With a pointless panic attack. “Fuck, fuck! I’m sorry, shit, Nico, you didn’t do-”

“Hey, hey,” Nico raises his hands, looking right into Will’s eyes. He looks panicked, like he’s not quite sure what to do. Will likes that, somehow. Not in a sadistic way. It’s calming to seem like he’s not the only one all messed up in the moment. Part of him still bites, why aren’t you fixing it. It sneers about his need to nurse everything back to health. Sometimes Will thinks he was born a contradiction. God and mortal swimming in his blood, with all sorts of emotional opposites moving after that. “We just got you breathing again. You don’t need to apologize to me, Will.”

Will just sort of keeps looking at him. He’s not sure how to respond. Not out of shock or anything, just a lack of words. Luckily enough, Nico continues.

“I said something.” “You didn-”

“Will.” Nico furrows his brows with the name, and Will closes his mouth and cuts off the denial. He remembers, sometimes, that Nico is technically a prince. And the way he ties weights to words really does sound royal. “I’m not blaming myself, or beating myself up, or sad. I didn’t mean to do anything. I’ve got very little reason to get mad at myself. That won’t help. I’ve learned that, by now. I promise.” Lightly, he moves his hand to Wills. He slots their fingers together against the dirt. “But I care about you. A lot. So, if something I did hurt you, I want to know. I want to get at it and learn and- and be good to you. I want to be good to you, Will. Please. Let me?”

He blinks.

And blinks.

And, with tears in his eyes; “I can’t have hobbies.”

A beat. “What?”

And he just fucking bawls, after that. Crumpling impossibly smaller as Nico curses and reassures and gets closer to him, rubbing his shoulders and forearm. Gods. How fucking pathetic, he thinks. You’re supposed to be a doctor.

That line, that last line. It does do something to numb him. He quiets, after another little bit. And eventually he’s just sniffling and leaning half against the tree and half against the sweet, beautiful, surprisingly good with speeches boy he’s supposed to be on a date with.

“‘M sorry,”

“I’m not mad, though.”

“Probably should be.”

He pauses for just a second. “I don’t think so, Will.”

Now, Will’s voice is monotone and devoid of anything in a way he’s a little sickly proud of. “I’m a freak.”

Nico raises an eyebrow. Will can’t see it, with his head on his shoulder, but he knows he does, because he knows Nico. “For what? Not filling your exceptionally limited free time with extra tasks?”

Will rolls his eyes. “That’s not what hobbies are.”

“Isn’t it?”

They both stop for just a little, sitting close and in silence. It's really quite nice.

“Is there a reason this upsets you so much?” You know that feeling, where you’re asked a question, and your whole story just sort of unfolds backwards in your brain. You remember everything, see it all, but it’s behind things. It’s blurred and muffled by glass. That’s what happens to Will, there.

Everything Will Solace has read since he was nine has been in a medical textbook. Because godly gifts aside, he needs to know he’s getting things right. He needs to know how to treat the bleeding and coughing and crying children that are in his care. So the Star Wars novels he’d trek through as a kid are gone. Because he can’t read them without knowing that there’s something better he could be looking at. Something more useful to get into his head.

He is the son of the music god and a renowned country star. And he has not a drop of musical talent. Musical knowledge, sure. He can read any sheet music, he can tell you any fact about a piece by ear, he could probably even teach you to play any instrument with words. But for the fucking sake of him, he cannot put anything that sounds good into the air. He gets stressed in low-stakes situations instead of high ones, like he was anxiously programmed backwards. His hands only shake when they’re presented with something that will distract him. Like a guitar. Like a microphone. Et cetera. There’s no instrument that will give him something he needs to have. So why play one?

When he writes, he subconsciously looks for the line he has to sign. The boxes to check. The space for notes. All he’s written in years has been hospital reports and records. Files upon files of them. How’s he supposed to write something without those little guides that have been leading him almost all his life? How would he pen a story, or characters, when all the ideas in his head are organized by urgency?

Will hates closing his eyes, hates stopping to be with himself. Because then he sees it all. Every mistake. Every brother and sister. Every soaked-through bandage. Every failure. When he looks back into his head, those are the pictures. So what would he paint? Broken ribs? Dead family? Because those are the images he works so hard not to look at. He can’t paint, or draw, because that will bring them forwards.

His hands sewed the shrouds that burned over so many of his siblings. So many. They’ve sewn shut cuts and slices and wounds on almost everyone he lives in proximity to. How can he try sewing, when every needle he’s ever touched has been sticky with blood?

What hobby would you give to Will Solace? Because he really doesn’t see an option.

Still, He’s not really sure how to answer the question.

“How are you gonna care about me,” He breathes, still internally settling on what he’s going to say. “If I don’t even fucking know me?”

Nico breathes something that sounds sort of like oh, and he pauses. Will sits in that silence, thick and dense, and hysterically, somehow, he’s fucking crying again.

“Shit. Hey, no- I’m not, like, contemplating you, or being with you, or anything. You don’t need to worry about that. It’s not gonna change. I promise. ”

Will just laughs welty, still crying. Doctor. Doctor.

The thought isn’t really working, this time. It sort of has a cooldown period. He’s all numb in that cooldown period. He’s good at switching emotions quick, isn’t he? Maybe that could be my hobby. He’s not really present enough to register whether that thought is a joke.

“I’m just, wondering if that’s something people actually need from a partner. I guess that makes sense, when I think about it. but I never really did before now.”

“You’re the one who asked me. You knew, subconsciously, that it’s something people are supposed to have.”

“Well, maybe. But the questions i’m asking you-“ he breathes a laugh before continuing, “They’re because that’s a part of all the advice I’ve got. Ask him what he likes to eat, and do, and what his favourite colour is. That’s what everyone told me I was supposed to do. I don’t know what I’m doing, here. I’m learning. You’re learning, too. But I’m not learning how to, like, figure out your pastimes. I’m learning how to love you. I don’t need you to have a favourite colour for me to love you, Will.”

“Love me?”

His head is raised, suddenly. Eyes still teary and breathing still choppy. But he’s looking at Nico. His face goes red, but stony as ever, Nico doesn’t falter. “You’re my best friend, even if you’re my boyfriend, too. Of course I love you, Will.”

Oh.

He’s still. Crying. And that really just makes him cry harder, dropping his head again, his lungs all full of something that won’t go through his blood.

“Hey. Will. Hey, look at me. Look at me. You know what?”

He looks.

“Neither do I.” Beat. Beat. Beat.

His heart feels like it’s about to burst. Like it’s full of light or tar.

“Huh?”

“I spent, just, so long. I spent so long seeking kiddie vengeance, and looking for some emotional band aid. I’ve been, like, nothing but angry, for years. I don’t do much, Will. I haven’t picked up many hobbies while feeling like that. So if you can’t be cared for, because you don’t know everything about yourself? then I’m just the same. And you tell me all the time I need to accept care. There’s nothing making you any different from me, Will. You deserve this, too. ”

And it’s light.

Light.

It’s a stupid thing.

And he’s not fixed.

But it’s every fear in his body made just that little bit smaller, that little bit less loud.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“I love you too.”

Nico grins. “I know.”

Will raises both of his eyebrows. “Was that a Star Wars reference?”

Nico laughs. “Gods, what have you made of me?”

Will laughs, too. “You do know me.”

His smile softens. “You know me, too. Hobbies or not.”

And they sit with that, for a bit. Will’s breathing is uneven, but not with panic. It’s a good feeling.

They sit next to each other, right until sundown, fingers entwined, and maybe. Just maybe. This is something Will can have. Maybe, he’s not too beat down or busy for that.

He’s one assurance closer to believing it.

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