#[nico starter call.]

[geraniumplant]

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 ~

♡ for a one-liner for Wolfwood from Trigun.

[borbonsg]

𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 . 𓂅 ⠀ ⠀FECHADO;

clique no ♡ para receber uma mensagem do nico ! exclusivo pra muses que não tem plot combinado com ele.

[c0mplex-heroes]

LIKE FOR A STARTER WITH NICO PARKER

If liking for a side-blog or/and for a specific muse on a multi-muse, leave a comment below!

[the-innumerable-heroes]

This is a starter call from anyone willing for one of these 3 muses. Hania Tintreach, Nico Minoru, or Raven Darkholme.

[niicos]

closed starter for @lucashz​

at  this  point  in  the  night,  he  was  tired  of  sitting  down.  he’s  been  sitting  down  for  over  three  hours  already,  and  even  though  the  doctor  told  him  he  should  take  it  easy  for  the  time  being,  he  would  lose  it  if  he  continued  to  stay  in  the  same  place.  getting  himself  up  with  the  leg  not  wrapped  in  a  cast,  nico  hops  on  over  to  where  his  crutches  are  located  against  the  wall.  the  only  problem  is  that  when  grabbing  them  to  try  and  put  them  in  place  for  himself,  he  accidentally  hits  something,  or  more  precisely,  someone,  on  the  stomach  with  one  of  the  crutches.  he  gasps,  bringing  his  hand  over  his  mouth,  clearly  shocked.  “dude,  i’m  so,  so  sorry!”  he  genuinely  apologizes,  using  his  crutches  to  come  closer  to  him.  “fuck,  i’m  so,  so  sorry.  did  i  hit  you  hard?  i  swear  it  was  an  accident.  i’m  like–”  now  he  was  stammering,  not  wanting  to  upset  him  all  because  nico  can  be  clumsy,  “i’m  so  sorry.  i’m  just...  i’m  clumsy  sometimes.  are  you  mad?  sorry!”

[theemporium]

Thanks! My request, please, for Jack is with shy, new to hockey reader, maybe with him getting busted for spoiling her in ways she didn't know (I love every single dynamic you write). After the first game she attends Jack has to brush off Nico's comments that he got her a front row seat, claiming it's just because it was her first hockey game. Especially Luke teasing because Jack just so happened to give her his jersey from his best game, and the skates Jack got her are coincidentally top of the line. All the while he's trying to not seem to desperate to go all in with her bashful self. This is so bad tweak or ignore all of this please and thank you.

thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

.

Everyone had noticed it, yet it was none other than Ellen Hughes who pointed it out.

It was a somewhat surprise to the people in Jack’s life when he told them he had a girlfriend. Like a proper, ‘she’s the one for me’ kind of girlfriend. Ever since he had been drafted, Jack had been hesitant to dive into anything serious, anything beyond a fling or a situationship. 

He was the new face of the franchise. He had the weight of everyone’s expectations on his shoulders. He had to prove that he wasn’t just some pretty boy who was decently good at hockey. He had to prove he deserved to be in the NHL, that he deserved to be first pick of the draft.

And at his age, a serious relationship wasn’t exactly high on his priority list.

Until he met you. 

The boys had noticed a shift in his behaviour in the early stages of Jack’s relationship with you. The way he would be quick to check his phone after games and practices. The way he seemed quick to shrug off any advances in bars, more than happy to nurse a few drinks and giggle away to whoever he was texting before he disappeared early into the night. The way he just seemed…happier.

Luke was the first to notice something really odd.

“Yeah, my job means I travel around a lot,” he overheard Jack one day, when the boy hadn’t realised Luke had returned early from the option skate. “They are, uh, like road trips, I guess? We are heading down to Dallas tomorrow.” 

And then Dawson heard something weird after a game.

“You don’t have to watch,” Jack reassured the person on the other side of the phone, a giddy smile on his face and a blush on his cheeks. “It can get quite long. It doesn’t last twenty minutes, just twenty minutes of actual playing time. It pauses when calls need to be made.”

And then it was Nico.

“No, not a suite seat. I need it beside the glass,” he overheard Jack asking one of the workers at the front office. “Preferably behind the bench. For the next home game.” 

It was easy to piece together that Jack was seeing someone. It was clear that she didn’t have much knowledge on the hockey world or how the sport itself worked. And it was clear that Jack seemed eager to teach you, splurging on you in any way he could without you really catching on.

But that plan quickly failed when you finally met Ellen Hughes. 

It was coming up to almost a year together when Jack asked you to come to the family skate. It wasn’t the first time you would be meeting his parents, but it would be the first hockey event you showed up to outside of the games. It was the first time you would really be setting foot on the ice yourself.

“Are those your own skates?” 

You lifted your head, finding Ellen standing a few feet away with a kind smile on her face. She was already laced up and ready to get on the ice, wrapped up warmly in a similar fashion to yourself. After all, she was the one to give you tips after Jack was unhelpful with his ‘I don’t know, my jersey is pretty warm’ response.

“Yeah, Jack got them for me!” You answered, unable to bite back your smile as you glanced down at your unlaced skates. “He said they were a good starter pair, nice to have a pair of my own so he could drag me out on the ice more.”

“A starter pair?” Ellen questioned, something quite like amusement in her voice.

“What? Are they not?” You asked, a hint of hesitation lacing your words as you glanced down at the skates with doubtful eyes. 

“I mean, they are hell of a pair to start with,” Ellen said with a gentle laugh. “Recognise the brand?” 

You glanced back at the older woman, shaking your head. 

“They are skates for professional skaters, quite a renowned brand too,” Ellen told you, still seeming like there was an underlying joke you weren’t understanding.

Your brows furrowed together. “Oh god, are they…expensive?”

Ellen simply smiled in response.

“Oh my god,” you breathed out, staring down at the skates with a conflicted expression. 

“I think I’ll let my son explain everything,” Ellen said before she wandered off, the silence quickly being replaced by Jack who approached with a huge smile on his face.

“Need help?” He asked, but never gave you a chance to answer as he kneeled in front of you, already reaching for the laces of your skates to begin tying them.

You watched him closely. “Jack?”

“Hm?” 

“How much did these skates cost?” 

The boy froze, his fingers pausing for a few moments too long before muscle memory began to take over. 

“Uh, I don’t remember,” Jack eventually blurted out, making a point of keeping his eyes on your skates. The swift movements were quickly slowed down, like he was purposefully dragging it out so he wouldn’t have to look up. 

“Jack,” you scolded, though your voice was softer than he expected. “You have to let me pay you back.”

His head snapped up. “Baby, no—”

“You can’t just spend insane amounts of money like that on me!” You argued before he had the chance. “Especially on skates I’ll hardly be using!”

“But we could make you use them more?” Jack bargained with a bashful smile.

You shot him a look.

“Baby,” he sighed as he placed his hands on your knees, squeezing them softly. “I want to splurge on you sometimes. I just wanna show you I care, you know? And I wanna share my love for hockey with you. Help you love it just as much as I do.”

“You don’t need to spend stupid money to make me love it,” you retorted, but you melted at his admission as you placed your hands over his. “No more big purchases without telling me, okay?”

He sighed deeply before nodding. “Okay. Promise.”

“Good,” you smiled as you leaned down to quickly peck his lips whilst you had the chance with no cameras on you. “Now, c’mon. Teach me how to actually use these skates and make them worth your money.”

Jack snorted. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“Good because I haven’t even stood up and I still think I’m about to fall over.”

.

[mediumgayitalian]

“I had a dream about you last night.”

“Oh, did you.” Will grins at him over his shoulder, up to his elbows in blood and fluids.

Nico kicks him. “Focus, stupid.”

“Yeah,” snarks Chiara, whose blood is currently splattering Will’s shirt. She reaches over and flicks Will on the forehead. “Focus in stitching the gaping gash in my leg, Solace.”

Nico frowns around his juicebox. “Hey. Lascialo stare. Only I call him Solace.”

“‘S my last name, Neeks.”

“Uh-huh. Everyone else can figure out something else to call you.”

“Possessive, are you.”

Nico smiles. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What’d you dream about, anyway?”

If Nico didn’t know Will so well, he’d take the casual tone for what it was. But he does, in fact, know Will and his horrible poker face, and notices the purse of his lips, the flick of his eyes in Nico’s direction every three seconds.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Everyone would,” huffs Chiara. “I have about forty dollars resting on you, di Angelo, and I will not be losing it.”

Nico sticks his tongue out at her. “Masticare lo zoccolo, zitella.”

“Hey!”

Will’s shoulders shake so hard he has to pause, trembling with the effort to hold back his laughter.

“I am trying to do a medical procedure, you two.”

Nico and Chiara speak at the same time.

“Yeah, in flip-flops.”

“Oh, are you? You’ve been flirting so long my numbing cream has started to wear off.”

That knocks Will back into doctor mode, eyes narrowing in focus. He is especially freckle-y today, not that Nico notices. And the sun is shining out the window at just the right angle to make Will’s curls look luminous. And his tongue sticks out of the corner of his perfect mouth, when he concentrates. And, gods, he’s wearing a shirt but the muscles in his /back/ —

“I can’t work with you oglin’ at me, Ghost King.”

“I’m not ogling at you.” Nico is a beautiful liar. Ignoring Will’s smirk, Chiara’s snickering, and his own flush is easy. “Why would I ever ogle at such an ugly person?”

“Because you’re in love with him, stupido. It’s embarrassing.”

“I think you should check her eyes, too, Solace.”

“How about you check deez fuckin’ nuts —”

“Alright,” Will says exasperatedly, before they can escalate too much and end up knocking a shelf off the wall. Again. “You’re done, Chiara. Take this ambrosia and scram. Don’t do anything strenuous and rip your stitches, ‘cause I’m not doin’ them again.”

She wastes no time bounding out of there. As soon as she’s gone, Will turns to face Nico, grinning.

“So,” he says, stretching out the syllable, grin wide and crooked, “you had a dream about me?”

Nico glances both ways, making sure no one’s watching. Then he darts forward to press a kiss to Will’s lips, relishing in the smell of his herbal shampoo, the chapped skin of his lips. Will grabs the side of his face and holds him longer, far past the quick peck he’d aimed for, kissing him until he smacks his boyfriend’s shoulder and pulls away, laughing. Will grins triumphantly, like he has the upper hand.

And, well.

Nico can’t have that.

“Yeah, lemme tell you about my dream.” He smooths his hands over Will’s shoulders. “This shirt was gone, for starters.”

“Mm. What else?”

“We certainly weren’t in the infirmary.”

“No?”

“No,” Nico breathes, breath hot on Will’s ear. He shivers. Nico smirks. “My cabin, dark, some low music playing…”

Will gasps. “Yeah?”

“…No one to bother us, you looking pretty as a picture on my bed…gagged.”

“Kinky.” Will shudders, hands sliding into Nico’s hair.

“Mhm. My dream come true.”

“That’s your dream?”

“Yes.” Nico pauses. “Dark, comfortable, warm…” He grins, wide and sharklike. “And finally, finally…quiet.”

It takes a second for it to sink in.

“Oh, you jackass!”

Nico cackles, stumbling back at Will’s shove. “Your — your face!”

“You jerk! I despise you!”

“Oh my gods,” he wheezes. He tries to calm himself, but one look at his boyfriend’s bright red cheeks sets him off again. “Oh my gods!”

Will huffs. Despite his embarrassment, he’s visibly struggling to hold on to his scowl, mouth twitching. “I’m breaking up with you. I’m gonna go date someone who appreciates me.”

“Nobody appreciates you more than I do, Sunshine,” Nico says, grinning. He presses a kiss to Will’s glowing cheek. “You’re just so easy to tease.”

Will rolls his eyes. “Whatever. I gotta work. Leave me alone.”

Nico presses another kiss, lingering until he feels him smile. “Okay, okay. I’ll see you at dinner, okay? Te amo.”

“…I love you too. Asshole.”

[king-of-the-ghosts]

Open Starter

Nico was sharpening his sword, his hair pulled back into what Kayla so graciously called a man bun.

Nico swore as he accidentally cut his thumb, pressing it against his camp shirt.

[tagthescullion]

I'm imagining an AU where Nico brought Hazel back from the dead but didn't know about Camp Jupiter, maybe leaving the Underworld with her before Hades told him (the timeline as to when exactly he found out about CJ and how this fits into when he brought Hazel is iffy anyway; we don't actually know which one happened first); maybe he didn't even realize she was Roman.

So instead, he brings her to Camp Half-Blood.

Their cover story is that Hazel is from the Lotus Hotel. Nico went back there hoping to find out more about his family, since he doesn't remember anything about his past and hoped he and Bianca had left papers or photographs or something there, found Hazel there instead, and brought her out. This explains Hazel being from the 1940s and also explains Hades not breaking the oath, since I don't think he'd stand for his honor being questioned if the Greeks thought he'd broken the oath with Hazel's mother.

So Nico and Hazel show up at camp, and he brings her to Chiron. Chiron, who can recognize a Roman on sight, just like he did with Jason.

And Chiron takes one look at Hazel and, just like he did with Jason, says, "You should be dead."

To which Hazel and Nico respond, shocked that they've been found out so soon, "How did you know?!"

anon you inspired me, and I am most grateful, I was having a 20s crisis.

Rating: G+ (a bit of swearing)

Words: 2258

AO3 link

Inconvenient Revelations

“We’re almost there,” Nico said between breaths. 

Hazel couldn’t judge him. They’d been trekking for ages, her legs were going by themselves by this point, she’d lost the feeling in them at least ten miles ago.

“Why couldn’t we take a bus?” She asked. 

Nico didn’t stop, but he slowed his pace so he’d be side-by-side with her. “Hazel, I’ve told you, it’s dangerous. I am like a magnet to monsters. I’ve heard stories of monsters in buses, trains, even planes!”

That was all tragic and all, but for starters, Hazel knew Nico would rather swim across the Atlantic and half-way across the Mediterranean to his native Italy rather than so much as sit on a plane; and secondly, she’d seen the boy deal with four different monsters on the way and the chances of a lone, hungry monster managing to murder them on a bus was almost zero.

She gave him a funny look.

“All right,” he said, raising his hands in an appeasing manner. “I thought we’d get to know each other better if we traveled by foot. Central Park isn’t too far from Camp if you go in a vehicle.”

“And, pray tell,” she said. “What have you learned about me in four and a half days of walking?”

Nico shrugged. “You hate pickles, you never learned how to ride a bike, thinking about the past makes you go on a trance, you lived in Alaska but won’t tell me why, you—” He leaned on a tree and held a hand to his side. “I am so not made for exercising.” He said indignantly. “At any rate, I know a million details and nothing substantial.”

She turned so he wouldn’t see her face. She’d avoided talking about stuff she cared too much about, or was embarrassed about, too. She hadn’t mentioned Sammy, or their father’s visit. She avoided speaking of her mother. She had never told him how she had died, nor how she had almost allowed Gaea to rise to power again. 

“I don’t like sharing either,” he assured her. “That’s okay.”

That was also true. She knew very little of her new brother. He liked soccer, he hated mozzarella. He had another sister who died, he was Venetian —and no, that wasn’t the same as ‘Italian’—. He was also born before the War, and had remained in a timeless trance in a place called the Lotus Hotel —which he had only confessed, she supposed, because it was to be her cover once they arrived at Camp Half-Blood—.

Yet Hazel was sure that they had, for better or for worse, found out substantial information out of each other by accident. 

She knew she’d been rescued from the Underworld by accident because he’d called her Bianca too many times to hide the pain he felt from not being able to have his real sister back. While he now was comfortable sleeping in rough places and out in nature, he had clearly had a rather privileged upbringing  —who  the hell asked for silverware to eat tacos?—. He respected, and probably even loved, their father and yet he resented the god, too. 

“What do you really know about me?” She asked. 

He raised an eyebrow. 

“Don’t play a fool,” she insisted. “I know you know more than that.”

Nico studied her with his soft-brown eyes. His eyes, Hazel thought, didn’t fit his face well. They were too kind, even when he hardened his expression to a cold, unfeeling façade.

“You regret something,” he said. “Probably something about how or why you died.”

She tilted her head. 

“In Asphodel, most spirits forget themselves.” He explained, starting to walk again. “Unless they hold dear memories they stick to,” he continued, “or unless they can’t let go of regrets and guilt.”

“What makes you think I don’t remember good memories?” She wondered.

He scoffed. “No offence, Hazel, but you’re miserable.”

She frowned. “How kind. Spoken like the true ray of sunshine you are.”

He huffed a laugh. “You’re not wrong. I have accepted that I'm not happy. But you have another chance at life. Cheer up, Hazel!”

She didn’t cheer up. 

They walked in silence for a few more miles. Gods, she was ready to drop and sleep for two weeks.

“Over there!” Nico stopped suddenly. He pointed towards the North-East.

Hazel barely avoided colliding with him. She followed her brother’s arm to a hill. There was a lone pine-tree standing on top, with something curled underneath it —too far for her eyes to see properly—.

“That’s the place?” She asked. “Do we have to climb more?”

Nico nodded somberly. “I forgot New York had hills.”

She had wondered, on more than one occasion, how her brother could forget places he had supposedly visited a lot. He had painted this Camp Half-Blood as a haven for demigods in danger, and yet he didn’t seem to know jackshit about it.

“Clearly, you walk here often,” she said.

“I shadow-travel,” he told her. “Much faster, but rather tiring. Especially for long distances. Besides, my aim isn’t great.”

She did recall asking how far he’d ever been from his home, and him replying ‘China!’. It probably had to do with the whole being eaten by shadows thing.

When he’d explained to her what shadow-traveling consisted of, he'd also mentioned it was unwise to use that method not knowing if the shadows would claim her again. Needless to say, she’d been uncompelled to try.

Eventually, treading over their tired feet, they managed to get to the hill. Halfway through the climb —not too steep a slope, thank the gods—, Hazel recognized the thing under the tree.

It was a dragon.

“It’s okay,” Nico said, catching her face. “He’s a good dragon, he guards Thalia’s tree.”

Why did the tree have a name, Hazel didn’t know. Why did they have a guardian dragon…? Well, it must have had to do with the shiny pelt on one of the lower branches.

“Why do you have a carpet on the tree?” She asked. 

Nico looked bemused. “Huh? Oh… the Golden Fleece? It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later.”

The dragon raised his head as they got closer.

“Hello, Peleus.” Nico grinned at the beast. “How are we doing today? Still warm for September, isn’t it?”

The dragon let Nico pet him for a bit, and then he saw Hazel.

Immediately, its demeanor changed. It went still, watching her every move with dark eyes.

“What’s wrong with you, ragazzo?” Nico demanded. “She’s one of us, this is Hazel, my sister!”

Peleus didn’t seem to care much for Nico’s opinion. He followed her with his eyes as she walked past him.

Crossing an invisible wall that appeared to be aligned with the tree, Hazel felt a shiver down her spine.

Turn away. 

Her hands felt sweaty all of a sudden.

Get out.

Nico saw her discomfort and gave up trying to convince the dragon of Hazel’s innocence.

Could this place know what Hazel had done? Nico had called it Thalia’s tree. Was Thalia some sort of protector spirit that kept traitors away?

She crossed her arms around her torso, feeling cold.

“Is everything all right?” He asked. “The barrier may know you’re…”

For a fraction of a second, Hazel froze, scared that Nico had somehow figured out her hand in Gaea’s attempted return. Then she calmed herself, he only meant she had been dead.

“Must be.” She tried to sound certain, but Nico’s face let her know she’d failed spectacularly.

“Come on, then,” he said, offering her a hand. “That over there’s the Big House, we’ll get you acquainted with the activities director and with the camp’s director, too —if he’s here, that is—.”

Hazel got a good look of Camp Half-Blood as they went down the hill towards the house. There were bizarre-looking cabins arranged in a horse-shoe shape, some only half-constructed. A sprinkle of Greek-style buildings dotted the valley between the hills, and a big forest went off towards the East. She could glimpse the ocean in the distance, and a lake not too far from it.

It was idyllic, and yet every step further into the place made Hazel feel more and more uneasy.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” she warned her brother on the porch steps —the blue house looming over them—.

Nico’s face had closed off, making Hazel sure he knew something was off. Regardless, he tried for a smile and said, “Nonsense, everybody’s welcome at Camp.”

Out the door came out a tall, blonde girl, almost running into them.

“Oh, Nico, hi!” She said. She turned to Hazel with a small smile. “You must be new.”

“Hazel,” Nico gestured at her. “This is Annabeth Chase, our leader.”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Percy’s the leader, not me.”

Nico shrugged. “Is Chiron here?”

Annabeth nodded. “Mr D isn't, though, called to Olympus for who knows what.” Turning to Hazel, she added, “It’s better that he’s not here, actually.”

“He’s not that bad,” Nico argued. “He’s an acquired taste.”

“I’ve been here for eons and I haven’t acquired shit,” Annabeth stated. Realizing she sounded scornful, she said in a softer tone. “But then again, perhaps we’re just incompatible people.”

Hazel had absolutely no clue who they were speaking about. Somebody important enough to be called to Olympus so not someone she’d speak of so lightly as Annabeth had. Of course, she was evidently a seasoned veteran of demigodness, and Hazel’s only life achievement had been to almost destroy the world. Different standards, she supposed.

“I’ve promised Clarisse I’d spar with her.” Annabeth interrupted Hazel’s thoughts. “But welcome to Camp, Hazel! Don’t let Nico show you that crappy orientation video.”

She ran off just as Nico retorted a whiny, “Oh, come on! It’s brilliant. It’s fucking ridiculous.”

Nico opened the Big House’s door and waited for Hazel to go in.

The place was quiet, old-fashioned, and had walls that needed repainting.

Nico led her to a room in the back of the place, it had big windows facing the valley.

There was a man sitting in a wheelchair —presumably Chiron—, reading a blueprint that showed what appeared to be a temple. 

He looked up as Hazel and her brother went into the room.

“Nico, an unexpected surprise!” Chiron said. 

His eyes focused on Hazel. His friendliness vanished in an instant. His small but amicable smile turned into a hard frown, and he gripped the table in front of him tight enough for his knuckles to turn white.

“You should be dead.”

Hazel felt faint, she was vaguely aware of Nico taking a step back, putting himself between Chiron and Hazel.

She swallowed. “How— How do you—?”

But before Hazel could finish talking, Nico said sharply, “What do you mean?”

Chiron pushed the wheelchair away from the table and stood.

No, he didn’t stand up. Hazel —amidst her discomfort and fear— stared bemused as the chair rolled back as a horse materialized from Chiron’s waist down.

He was a centaur! 

Ignoring Nico’s question, Chiron faced Hazel. “You know what I mean, do you not?”

She caught a difference in his voice but didn’t have time to consider it as she debated whether to lie or to tell the truth. There seemed to be little point in dishonesty, the centaur had caught on to their charade inconveniently fast. Could he read minds, Hazel wondered? 

She nodded slowly.

“Wait,” Nico held up his hands. “Are you speaking Latin? What are you, a Catholic priest?”

Chiron looked back at her brother. “Where did you two meet?”

“The Lotus Hotel,” Nico said quickly. “I was searching for clues about my family and I ran into her.”

“Are you sure about that?” The centaur insisted.

Nico huffed. “I know you don’t trust me much, but I—”

“It’s okay, Nico,” Hazel stopped him. “He knows.”

Her brother looked between her and Chiron. Realizing, perhaps, that their game was lost, he sighed.

“I can explain,” he said.

“I sure hope so,” Chiron told him, and Hazel didn’t think the chastising undertone was all that necessary. “There’s a reason why Greeks and Romans have been kept separated for centuries. I should like to know what gave you the impression that it was a good idea to bring one of them here.”

That disoriented Hazel. By her brother’s expression, he wasn’t following the conversation either, but she could also see a gleam of relief in his eyes.

“Roman?” Nico inquired. “Like, an Ancient Roman demigod?”

“I’m not from Ancient Rome,” Hazel argued. “I died in 1942!”

Nico shook his head as a warning, but the damage had been done.

“Died!” Chiron cried. 

He glared at Nico, who in exchange took a step closer to him, and put up what Hazel had baptized ‘the diplomat smile’. Fake as plastic, and not yet convincing in the face of a 12-year-old.

“What have you done?” Chiron demanded. “And don’t lie to me, son of Hades.”

“How about,” Nico offered in an almost-calm voice. “We sit down, you tell us what you mean about Hazel being Roman, and then we share the whole story of how we met?”

Chiron looked exasperated. 

“Gods above!” He muttered.

“Actually,” Nico rebutted. “It’s the gods below we should be blaming for this whole thing.”

“I imagine your father has no idea of your… rescue operation.” Chiron speculated.

“I’d be terribly grateful if you didn’t enlighten him,” Nico said. 

Chiron let out a long, exhausted breath.

“Let’s sit down,” he agreed. “We’ll talk. Then we’ll decide what we do from here.”

[greatersuffer]

STARTER CALL. ( let's put the test in test muse! ) muse list for those on mobile: Kitty Pryde Tandy Bowen Nico Minoru Molly Hayes Jean Grey Mantis The Vision Alison Blaire Wanda Maximoff May Parker Darcy Lewis Ororo Munroe Yukio ( DP ) Vanessa Carlysle ( DP ) Felicia Hardy

[cams-cozy-corner]

The people have spoken (Thalia and Annabeth agere fic)

This is a completely unedited rough draft, literally just as is in my docs. Head up this one is LONG

————————————————————————

Thalia never thought much of her past, let alone talked about it. Usually it only made her feel worse.

She went to the only place she knew would understand; Annabeth's house.

It was Percy’s house too, but Annabeth was the real genius behind it. They had more guest rooms than they could keep track of, but they had put in a room just for her. Since she was traveling so often, they wanted her to feel like she always had a place with them if she was in the area.

She hadn’t stayed there very often, and she hadn’t personalized it a whole lot, but it was her room. It was the middle of the afternoon,

Annabeth was familiar with the sinking feeling. Her relationship with her mother was quite different, but they both knew what it was like to feel abandoned (though Annabeth would deny this, emphasizing Athena’s wisdom and intellect).

Annabeth had grown so much since she had first met her. She had her ups and downs, highs and lows that she pushed through. For starters, she was a real adult. She had a real job, a house, a partner; not that Thalia wanted any of that for herself, but the point stood.

“Annie?” She slipped through the crack in her door.

She usually only called her that when Annabeth was feeling small, but it just slipped out. Annabeth and Percy were lounging on their bed together.

“What’s up?” she put her sudoku puzzle book down on the nightstand. Percy gave her an acknowledging glance from behind his gameboy.

“Could we go to my room quick?”

“Oh, sure Thaly,” she said, giving Percy a quick “be right back” peck on the cheek.

————————————————————————

Thalia never opened up much with anybody, even Annabeth. Her problems were always too much for such a little girl to handle hearing, so she just kept them to herself. Annabeth wasn’t so little anymore.

Thalia liked to think she had gotten more mature since becoming immortal. She knew she’d never age physically, still looking about 15 or so.

Technically 15 at least. She would have been somewhere in her mid to late 20s if she was keeping track. Maybe even early 30s if she counted half of the tree years. As the years passed, she started to wonder if she had been aging mentally at all. She always felt (?)

She sat on her freshly made bed, annabeth following right beside her.

“Did I ever tell you about the quest I went on, with Percy and Nico?” She said.

“No,” Annabeth said curiously, scooting in closer.

Now she has to tell her.

“It was years ago, but We were in the underworld—and I saw… I saw my mom—but it wasn’t her it was Melinoe.”

“Oh,” Annabeth sighed sympathetically, “and that was scary?”

“It was terrifying.” “My mom, she…” “she said I was ungrateful, for running away. She needed me, and I still left.”

She had always carried that guilt with her.

“No, you don’t ever blame yourself for any of that, okay?” “You put up with so much more than you should have had to. We were all too young for any of that.”

“I was 9,” Thalia said, “when I first left, I was 9. I should have left sooner, and I would have if I didn’t have Jason. I couldn’t leave Jason alone with her, I just couldn’t.”

“It was so awful, seeing her just made me feel all…” She hunched her shoulders over, sinking into herself. Smaller. “y’know, like there wasn’t anything I could do, I couldn’t fight back. I was just frozen.”

“I just wish she was the kind of mom I could feel bad about missing. That was all I ever wanted. For Jason, for me, just a nice mom who would give me a hug and tell me everything would be okay.”

She couldn’t help but hold a grudge. Why did everyone else have moms and dads who . Why couldn’t she have that mom?

Annabeth gave her a sympathetic sigh as she vented.

When Annabeth was feeling small, she always had something to fear. Spiders, being alone, losing somebody she loved. She could always assure her that nothing was going to get her, that she’d keep her safe. For her, it couldn’t have been more different. She didn’t need protection from something, her mom wasn’t out to get her, that wasn’t it. It just weighed on her.

“How do you know?” Thalia dared to ask, “When you’re feeling little, how can you tell you are?”

“I usually don’t, it’s not very easy to tell. Why’d you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“Do you think you might have been? Down there, when you saw her?”

“Maybe. I think so.”

“Are you right now, just talking about it?”

She took a moment, as if she were trying to piece together the answer like a puzzle. Was she? She shrugged her shoulders.

If she had to be vulnerable around anybody, Annabeth was the one person she’d choose.

“You wanna know what I think?”’ Annabeth breaks her out of the trance, “I think you’re a very brave little girl.”

Even before Jason came along, her mother was always making her paranoid. She always had to worry about what she would do, or rather wouldn’t do. She would pass out on the couch in her makeup instead of tucking her into bed. She would always reek of alcohol and vomit on her breath, she never wanted to kiss her goodnight. Her moods and fits made her completely intolerable to be around, meaning she spent most of her time alone in her room.

“Cmon, you know you can have a hug. I can take care of you now.”

Annabeth pulled her into a tight hug and onto her lap. She held her close like a baby, tucking her head under her chin. She couldn’t fight back against it anymore. Her mother rarely held her so gently.

She thought feeling so small and vulnerable would make her want to run, but it didn’t.

Her mind drifted at the strange feeling. She hadn’t given her own childhood much thought in a long time. She tended to ignore it, block it out, because if she didn’t give it any thought, it couldn’t hurt her anymore. If she didn’t think about it, it couldn’t have affected her.

After so long, it was finally catching up. She didn’t know why it was hitting her now of all times, now that she finally had a home to come to. Her friends were her family, they were her safety. Why did she have to mourn her childhood from so long ago, when she could just move on from it?

“You don’t have to take care of anybody else. You're still too little to be worrying about all that, okay?”

“Okay,” she fought off the urge to cry, repeating to herself in a daze of overwhelming comfort, “Okay.”

She let go of her heavy breath weighing her down,

“Should we go do something fun today?” Annabeth prompted her.

“Fun like what?”

“Anything you want.”

Thalia smiled. She knew exactly where she wanted to go.

————————————————————————

“Ah, hand,” Annabeth reminded her, grabbing her hand before she ran across the parking lot, “hold Mama’s hand when we cross.”

She kept a firm but gentle grip on her, slowing her down.

“I know.”

She was too excited to be truly annoyed by her overprotectiveness.

Thalia looked around in amazement. She hadn’t gone to the mall in forever, all her memories of the place fuzzy. It was just like on tv and in the magazines. She never went with Annabeth and Luke when they were younger. They never had the time for elaborate shopping trips. All her black hair dye and makeup and nail polish always came from the drugstore. Her jewelry pins and jacket she took the utmost pride in were thrifted. She loved them, she really did, but she wanted something new. She wanted the experience she always missed out on.

The welcoming entrance beaconed to her.

She practically dragged Annabeth by the hand to all her favorite stores. She gave her the freedom to wander around, but made sure she didn’t run off without knowing where she was. She was like a real mother, caring and attentive. Even her purse on her arm had everything she could ever need, from bandaids to loose candies.

She felt like a kid in a candy store, digging through a bin of button pins, trying not to skewer her fingers.

She sprawled the things she wanted out on the counter, giddy and bouncing on her heels.

“So nice to see that parents still tag along with their kids.” The cashier said, an older looking woman with heavy makeup and a coarse voice, “How old are you hun?”

Thalia almost laughed. She was used to being mistaken for younger than she looked. Even at eternally 15, she still looked 12. It didn’t help her case that while Annabeth was in her late 20s, and roughly 6’, Thalia would never find herself reaching anywhere over 5’1”. Annabeth had always looked older than she was, wisdom and maturity coming to her faster than any of her peers.

“She's 11,” Annabeth said, teasing her hair.

They exchanged a few mischievous looks. They knew Thalia was older than Annabeth, most mortals were none the wiser. It always made for a fun little inside joke between the two of them. She used to find the fact a little annoying, but now she’s completely fine with it. She could let them all see a good kid for once.

Annabeth paid for her things, and handed her the bag to carry. They made their halfway stop at the food court, where Annabeth ordered them a cup of bite sized soft pretzels to share.

“Here, drink up,” Annabeth handed her an insulated water bottle. It had a pretty pattern of suns and clouds with rainbows. Not exactly her style, but she popped open the sippy cup style straw, to smell it. It was warm and floral.

“What is it?”

“It’s just hot tea.”

“Yuck.”

“Come on, it’s good for you,” She encouraged, “I even put sugar in it.”

“I thought you said its good for me?”

“It was good for you,” she corrected herself, “you’ll like it, trust me.”

She decided she’d humor her. Immortality meant she didn’t need to worry about her health as much. Vitamins and minerals and the like were never an issue. She was always free to eat as many cheeseburgers as she liked when she got the chance. Annabeth on the other hand was always trying to eat healthy. It was annoying, but in an endearing way.

“You’ll be a good mom,” Thalia said around the straw, carefully sipping the hot drink, “when you and Percy have kids.”

“Gods, I hope so. I want to be a mom someday, I just don’t want to screw anything up.”

“Does that make me the test run?” She said with an infectious laugh that Annabeth caught quickly.

“Never. You’re just the favorite.” She tapped her nose affectionately.

————————————————————————

Back at annabeth's house, back at home, she finally got to dig through all her shopping bags. She planted herself on the couch to open all her new accessories, toys and clothes, practically bouncing with excitement. She wasn’t usually into placing so much value in her material possessions, but this was different.

She had two twin bracelets, thick black studded cuffs, and a new belt to match. The shirt she bought was black and blue striped with long sleeves to go under her usual graphic tees. She had blue hair dye (which Annabeth would hopefully help her with) and pretty star shaped clips she couldn’t wait to show Reyna. She got a few new pins for her jacket.

Annabeth was the one who insisted she buy a toy or two.

While she had spent most of her time buying herself Annabeth had picked up some things of her own for her.

“What’d you get?” Thalia curiously peaked in her bag.

“Just some things for you,”

“For me?”

Thalias eyes lit up as she pulled out a gray plush wolf.

“I know, it’s silly, I just figured—I dunno. I always had my favorite teddy bear.”

Thalia hugged it tightly, propping it up against her collarbone under her chin. It was soft and slightly heavy against her chest. It was perfect. She already wanted to carry him everywhere.

“It’s perfect Annie. Thanks,” She said, the comfy couch and low dim lights around her drawing out a small yawn, “I like him.”

Annabeth looked at the clock,

“10:00 already?” “Looks like somebody’s up past her bedtime. You ready to go to sleep?”

Thalia had never had a set ‘bedtime’ before. When she decided on her own that it was time for bed, she would have had to find her way back to her room by herself. If she forgot to brush her teeth, or put on pajamas, it was always on her. Her own mother would have left her alone without so much as a hug or kiss goodnight.

“I guess.”

Annabeth took her back to the privacy of her own room and helped her into her usual pajamas, a big black t-shirt and pair of shorts. It was the same thing she always wore, but it felt different having Annabeth there helping her. She let her hold her shoulders for balance when she stepped into the shorts, and tugged the shirt over her head. It was more reassuring that Annabeth was there. Just the fact that she was looking out for her, the way her mother never did.

She went to get into bed herself, but Annabeth quickly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“You don’t have to sleep in your bed, you can always sleep in with mommy and daddy If you want.”

Her own room was great, but it did feel a little empty. It wasn’t as lived in, it didn’t feel quite as homey, even though it was hers. Probably due to the fact she never stayed there often, especially for anything other than sleeping.

She took her gently by the hand, and led her back to her room. Annabeth towered over her. Everything about her was more mature, the way she carried herself. She was wiser, which she didn’t think was even possible. She was wiser in a way that just seemed so grown up in a way she’d never be herself. She’d always be 15. The thought of that made her feel even smaller than she already was.

“Thalias gonna sleep in here with us tonight, okay?” Annabeth said, to Percy.

“Oh, sure,” Percy scooched over to make room for her in the middle of them, “of course she can.”

She never had the same bond with Percy as she did Annabeth, but she still trusted him. He was always so attentive to keeping everyone safe. Even though they fought sometimes, he’d always come back for her.

Annabeth shuffled under the covers with her, sitting up against the headboard. Thalia clung to her side as she did, and she pulled her in to lay across her lap. Her gentle hand washed over the back of her head, scratching at her short hair.

“Here,” Annabeth grabbed the baby bottle of water from the nightstand, slipping it to her lips.

Her initial instinct was to push her off, she held her hands up defensively, grabbing onto Annabeth's wrists nervously. As she took the bottle in her mouth, Annabeth softly cooing at her, she lowered her hands to cross over her chest. She could trust Annabeth. She could take care of her.

When she was finished with the bottle, she rubbed her eyes, which she could barely keep open.

“I think somebody’s ready for lights out,” Annabeth said to herself, reaching over to the lamp, cutting the light. “Sleepy baby.”

Annabeth hugged her tightly as she settled in herself, like she never wanted to let go. She knew Annabeth was always protective of the people she cared about.

Annabeth ruffled her hair again, and Thalia shuffled off of her lap, back under the covers. She liked the dark when she slept. It gave her a chance to use her other senses better. The sound of Annabeths steady heartbeat beside her. The plushness of the comforter under her chin. The clean smell of the air, the laundry they had left folded on the chair.

[c0mplex-heroes]

LIKE FOR A STARTER WITH NICO PARKER

If liking for a side-blog or/and for a specific muse on a multi-muse, leave a comment below!

[nicocastillo]

closed starter for @itsronniebish where: rock climbing (pairing event)

·✥·

They'd opted for the climbing wall over bouldering, which was Nico's preference anyway, and so far there hadn't been too much discomfort. This at least, one on one and doing something he genuinely enjoyed, was easier even with the awkwardness of being near strangers. The sun was hot on the back of his neck as he kept an eye on Ronnie, partway up the wall, and he couldn't hide his surprise when he saw her attempt to pull herself higher, only to have the hold snap off in her hand. "Oh, hey, was that loose?" Nico called, as he held the line steady from the ground so she didn't fall. "Maybe come down if it doesn't look safe up there, we can get someone to check it out," he suggested.

[comiiical]

In honor of Upload season 3 being out, like for a starter from:

Stephen (Robbie Amell, Froy Gutierrez, Oliver Stark, Rudy Pankow, Chris Evans, Casey Deidrick)

Luca (Max thieriot) - His Twin

Bellamy (Grant Gustinm Rome Flynn) - Younger brother

Preston (Matt Cornett, Ed Skrein, Grey Damon) - His younger brother (although he has his own starter call so for him that one may have priority)

Allen (Brant Daugherty) - His next younger brother

Eric (Chris Wood, Lucien Laviscount) - His babiest brother

Jace (Dominic Sherwood) - His adoptive brother

Phillip Halliwell-Ward (Paul Mescal) - His son

Eri Halliwell-Ward (Danny Griffin) - His son

TJ Halliwell-Ward (Will Poulter) - His son

Sebastian Halliwell-Montgomery (Jack Gillinsky) - His son

Roman (Luke Mitchell) - His best friend

Astor (Mason Gooding) - His best friend

Frey (Dacre Montgomery) - Past life’s lover

Colt (Ryan Reynolds) - His brother-in-law

Prue (Jensen Ackles) - His dad

Andy Jr (Chris Hemsworth) - His cousin from dad's side

Piper (Murray Bartley) - His uncle

David Nolan (Josh Dallas) - His uncle

Wyatt (Jeremy Allen White) - Cousin

Mel (Tom Holland) - Cousin

Phelan (Frank Grillo) - His uncle

Teddy (Max Riemelt, Joshua Orpin) - Cousin

Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) - Cousin

Phoenix (Matt Daddario, Joshua Bassett) - Cousin

Percy (Greg Sulkin) - Cousin

Parker (Brenton Thwaites) - Cousin

Peyton (Gavin Leatherwood) - Cousin

Page (Tahmoh Penikett) - Uncle

Owen (Tom Hardy, Pablo Schreiber) - Cousin

Joel (Glen Powell, Michael Provost) - son of Owen

Tanner (Jacob Elordi) - Cousin

Keith (Nico Greetham) - Cousin

Henry (Ronen Rubinstein,Karl Urban) - Cousin

Brendon (Leo Howard, Oliver Jackson Cohen) - Cousin

Kody Jr (Tanner Buchanan) - Son of Tanner

Piers (Christopher Meloni) - Gramps

Alan (Tom Welling) - Distant ancestor

Charles (Craig Parker) - son of alan

Ken (Wes Chatham) - Son of alan

Xander (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) - distant relative

Colt (Ryan Reynolds) - Brother in law

Clive (Jake Aunstin Walker) - Son of Dacre

Yorick (Ryan Gosling) - His familiar

Penn (Oliver Jackson Cohen) - Long distant relative direct descendant from his uncle's past life

Porter (Max Irons) - Long distant relative direct descendant from his uncle's past life

Pascal or Prescott (Robert Buckley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan) - direct descendants from his father's past life

Patrick (David Harbour) - ^^ and the uncle of the ones above

Xavier Johnson (John Krasinski) - second uncle once removed

Bruno Johnson (Charlie Cox) - second uncle once removed

Gerard Johnson (Derek Theler) - second uncle once removed

Dacre Ward-Johnson (Boyd Holbrook) - second uncle once removed

JJ Johnson (Dylan OBrien) - second uncle once removed

John Johnson (Drew Starkey) - second cousin once removed

George Johnson (Harris Dickinson) - second cousin once removed

Because It is impossible for me to have them all open, I will stick to the few first set that are chosen, and stop there, if someone else is chosen and I don't haev a back and forth reply, then I will close that and make the starters for those I haven't made. I may do exclusively one liners as my brain is not in the right place right now though.

[dvsconocvdo]

closed starter for Jasmine (best older sister ever) @cantfightmoonlight

"Open the fucking door." Noel called out as they attempted to open the door using their elbow instead of their hands. After getting shot in their left arm, using their left hand had proven to be difficult. Still, a few days had passed and Noel was used to it. The problem was that both of their hands were full with a wedding gift for Jasmine and Nico. A new record player. It was the only thing Jasmine fessed up to needing, and while Noel had done the best to get a high tech one, one that fit Jas' aesthetics, it was still not enough. Being in this family is going to give me high blood pressure, she thought before knocking again. "I swear if you lovebirds are preoccupied after I texted you letting know I'd be here, I'm burning this house down." An empty threat that Noel made on the daily.

[showtoonzfan]

This is just me personally, but I have noticed a lot of critiques towards the Lackadaisy pilot on how newcomers feel like they need to read the comic to understand what’s going on and honestly? Not really, at least to me. For starters, the pilot for Lackadaisy was confirmed to be separate from the comic and non canon, so they’re both their own things. In my opinion, you don’t need to read the comic to understand the characters or what’s going on. For example, I know a lot of people were surprised or turned off by the sudden personality changes in Rocky and Freckle when they become unhinged, but that’s something the comic didn’t even explain. We never really get a backstory or insight to WHY they’re like this, they just are because they have issues, and it’s up to the show to explore that. Then there’s Mordecai, who they hint is somehow connected to Lackadaisy, if you read the comic you’ll know he used to work with them, but the pilot itself hints towards that through Serafine’s line to him, and how Mordecai lowers his gun. While some of Mitzi’s introduction dialogue sounded expositional more than natural, we do learn that her husband is dead and see that she’s struggling to run the underground speakeasy due to prohibition. As a viewer, you’re able to pick up that Rocky, Freckle, and Ivy are working for Mitzi, while Mordecai, Nico, and Serafine are working for the guy in the end credits, who’s name is Asa.

While I will admit that comic viewers have more of an advantage to watching this since they don’t need to try to understand the characters and conflict, we need to keep in mind that pilot’s aren’t really supposed to spoon-feed everything to you, they’re supposed to get your attention, get you thinking, and wanting more. They’re a proof of concept, and I do think some people forget that since pilots nowadays are treating their proof of concepts as if they’re the first episode, like Murder Drones and Hazbin Hotel. This is why they’re not comparable because not only are they all different, but Murder Drone’s and Hazbin’s pilots were clearly written as a S1E1. Don’t get me wrong though, I can see why people had a hard time pinning down what the characters are like for Lackadaisy. In my personal opinion they could have done a better job at introducing Wick and Pepper since they’re important characters and have WAY more to them in the comic compared to the animated short, as well as I wish the short itself was a little longer just to give the characters at the bar more flare and layers. I won’t call the Lackadaisy pilot 100% flawless and perfect but I will say I personally think it did a good job at giving you a taste of what the characters are like, what the conflict is, and the proof of concept, smuggler gangster cats running a speakeasy and trying to get by.

Examples of pilots that I think did a good job at setting up the characters and concept is “Cliffside” (a cartoon series pilot that I think was scrapped completely since the same team worked on Murder Drones but dammit I enjoyed it) the “Helluva Boss pilot”, and “Long Gone Gulch.” Pilots like those didn’t spoon-feed everything to you, they set up the characters and some of the world, (though world building in pilots is mainly rare since they mainly reserve that for the show) but I’d honestly put Lackadaisy in that same category, because they’re all pilots that serve as the proof of concept rather than a full on episode of a series. In some areas the Lackadaisy pilot could have been a little better but I think it did the job, and as I’ve said I really hope that it becomes a series. But yeah, anyways, writers for pilots really need to stop feeling the need to cram so much in and tell you everything lol.