#Odysseus: shell KNOW

[backpackingspace]

Mmmm thinking about a time loop/time travel fic for the odyssey/epic

[floralbug]

My dad would tell me stories of greek mythology as a kid and a lot if it was the wonders of the heroes, and growing up is realizing the women in those stories are the real wonders because how the fuck did they put up with the bs they did

[kdpartworks]

Ok so

1. Since Odysseus doesn't have an uterus (i guess, at this point i'm not even 100% sure)

...Where are the eggs incubating?

2. Since the way Poseidon's body works could drive someone mad, are the eggs in Ody already fertilized or would they have to be fertilized after he's released them?

when Poseidon chooses to reproduce through eggs, the host’s body – even if male, like Odysseus – adapts to his divine will. It’s not magic in the traditional sense; it’s more like an instinctive, deep response: the body simply obeys the god’s nature, as if it knows what to do.

The fertilized eggs aren’t laid right away. They implant themselves in a part of the abdomen where the body spontaneously forms a kind of gestational chamber, similar to a uterus. It’s not something Odysseus naturally has, but something his body creates because it becomes necessary – and it does so without pain or rejection.

During the pregnancy, the eggs absorb nutrients and oxygen directly from the body, almost like a placenta. That’s why the abdominal swelling resembles a typical pregnancy: the body is nourishing the eggs, which grow until they’re fully developed.

Once they’re ready, the eggs are expelled into water – being submerged is essential – where they remain briefly. During that time, they adjust to the external environment, adapting the consistency of their shell before hatching. Shortly after, they open.

It’s a hybrid system, but it works because when it comes to a god like Poseidon, the human body doesn’t resist: it obeys.

[reginadeltrash]

Since I've had some free time I would like to present you a new little AU that I affectionately call 'Percy Jackson!Athena is Epic!Athena with brain damage'.

The idea is simple, Zeus' real reason to strike down Athena, during god games was that he's scared, let's remember that there's a prophecy about the child of him and Metis dethroning him, and he always assumed it was gonna be a son, because obviously, it was his father who dethroned his grandfather, and it was him who dethroned his father.

But now he's starting to realise that the prophecy never said 'son', it said 'child', and Athena just demonstrated that she's successfully able to get people on her side, both people that generally like her like Hephaestus, but more dangerous, people that usually don't like her like Aphrodite and Hera.

This is dangerous, so for the first time Athena isn't his favourite little girl, she's a threat to his throne and so he strikes her down to reprogram her; this all started because she met that mortal, she was so perfect and emotionless before, so he's gonna make sure that she never really remembers Odysseus.

But doing it immediately is dangerous, the guy is still alive, he may upset the scheme, so he waits and when both Odysseus and his son die he starts subtly gaslighting Athena, also in this version Zeus is the one who wrote the Odyssey to make Odysseus look a lot worse, and also to make himself look better (he never make the Ody decide between him and the crew and he immediately says yes to his baby girl when she asks him to free him, also he omits the argument in My Goodbye, he just makes it seem like Ody and Athena were never that close to begin with)

He also gets Hera on the plan, he tricks her saying that they have to tarnish Odysseus' memory or else the poor little owlet is gonna be devastated and so non-useful, remember how useless she was after Pallas, glancing at the void for hours.

So, yeah, Hera is the reason Odysseus so blatantly cheats in this universe's version of the Odyssey, because that's the worst thing someone can do in her eyes.

So with the constant gaslighting and the lightnings that are still buzzing inside of her, no matter how much Apollo tries to help, Athena quickly becomes a shell of herself, she reverts to being very lonely, harsh and all together like we meet her in the Percy Jackson's series.

Zeus even agrees to cleanse her scars, just because she was such a good little girl and Athena doesn't even know anymore why she had those scars in the first place.

She tries to fill this void that she has, but doesn't know what it is (a friend, the answer is a friend) but misinterpreting that she believes that it's a romantic connection cause it's basically what everyone around her is doing, thus her mind's babies.

And then, suddenly, after the trial of Apollo, the god of the sun insists that everyone else spends at least a little time with their children, Athena makes sure to do everything in private, she can tolerate a child at a time, nothing more.

And so the moment to go to Annabeth arrives and honestly Athena was sure the Poseidon boy was gonna be there too, they're a bit guarded at first, but she promises she comes in peace, she talks with Annabeth, normal deadbeat mother and daughter stuff (How is school? And your boyfriend? Still like sculpture, sorry it was architecture?)

And then Percy just casually arrives with his baby sister Estelle and he's like 'Annabeth can you hold her for a sec? I need to call my mom for something very important and I don't want her near when a monster inevitably attacks!'

And her daughter laughs, shaking her head 'C'mon, Seaweed brain, I'm sure that the important thing is literally just you wanting waffles'

And Percy laughs like a dork and hands her the baby.

And for a moment Athena is sure that she saw this scene somehow and for a single moment she's in Ancient Greece again, seeing Penelope and Odysseus joke with each other with baby Telemachus being passed around, and for only a little moment she wonders how she knows so much about it, she was merely an acquaintance to the Ithaca royal family, wasn't she?

So yeah, this is the idea, if you have questions I beg you let me know, it would make me the happiest girl, because I have too many ideas!

[thecloudsaremyhome]

Okay y’all I’m sorry but I’m a big fan of epic so here’s some odyssey platonic Headcanons before I post Yandere cult!

• well Odysseus met you during the Ithaca saga you were in the palace as one of the many servants when the bloodshed took place. You unlucky came across one of the hallways were Odysseus mercilessly killed one of the many suitors in the palace, of course you not recognizing him, since you have never seen the king before, you were shell shocked to say the least.

• you just froze their taking in the scene as you tremble in anxiety and fear as you dropped the laundry you were carrying to dry, Odysseus takes note of your prescene having never seen you before, he scans over your figure realizing you are no older than maybe 14 or 15, with that he lets his tense shoulders let loose as he carefully approachs you with a soft gaze, which causes you to back up in fear of being killed, but he’s quicker as he puts his arms around your shoulder and pushes you into a hug.

•which then leads to you crying fearfully as he shushes you like a baby carefully cradling your face, muttering along the lines of”it’s going to be okay don’t worry I won’t hurt you baby.” He coos

• you see Odysseus has been away from home for 20 years havung witnessed so much death and destruction and suffering it’s like a refreshing thing to see someone as young as you, that their is still innocence and good in this word and he plans on to protect till his last breath

• we all know Odysseus is pretty much Yandere for his wife and his son but with you in the mix makes him even more protective it doesn’t matter of your statues if your mortal or not all he wants ti do to protect you and his family which he will till his last breath

Good luck 👍

[nebbyy]

Hi! Could you please do a part two to the lester/apollo x reader fic you posted?

Apollo x reader - Eternal Bonds

A/N: thank you so much for your request, anon! Sorry if this took a bit more than the time I usually take to write my fics, but as I said the past weeks have been really tiring for me🥹 

Anyway, I hope you like this fic, I personally like it better than the first part, but as always let me know your thoughts on it<3

Aaaand as always, painting is "Springtime" by Pierre Auguste Cot for anyone interested!

Summary: Having regained his immortality and prestige, all that remained for Apollo was to stabilise something in his life was one thing: you. It might sound easy, but he honestly would disagree.

Warning: it is implied that Athena has a great admiration for reader, but they’re not their child. This reconnects with my own personal thoughts on how Athena’s cabin should work, so the goddess’ relationship with reader in this fic should be seen as the same as hers and Odysseus’ (if you want further explanations on what their dynamic was let me know:))) Also I must say, I haven’t read any of the trials of Apollo books in ages so I took it as an occasion to interpret Apollo’s return to Olympus how I see it more fit to this little scenario of mine.

And lastly, not a warning but this fic starts just a bit before the end of the first part, if anyone was wondering:)

Word count: 3813 (longest fic yet omgg)

Apollo stood there, standing on the elevator that would take him home. How strange, he had dreamed of this moment for months, eager to return to his home and be welcomed as a glorious hero, with restored dignity, free of the mortal shell in which he had been confined all this time. He had imagined himself proud, tall and triumphant as he entered the gates of Olympus.

Yet as he stood on his way home, he could not prevent the continuous movement of his foot against the elevator floor. There was no trace in him of the security typical of a hero, in him at that time reigned only the same anxiety and nervousness that had characterized his mortal form. First it was Apollo inside Lester’s body, now Apollo had his body back, but Lester was inside of him. That Lester had become an integral part of him? Or maybe it didn’t add up, maybe it was always there, unable to make its voice heard under the omnipresent spirit of Apollo.

Okay, maybe he was rambling, but he couldn’t help it when he felt like his nerves were about to make him explode!

The point was, he wasn’t just going home, he was going to convince his father, the king of the gods, the exact same person who kicked him out of Olympus, to make the love of his life immortal so that he could stay by his side for eternity. It was not a situation in which one could easily remain connected to reality.

Finally, the elevator slowed down its run, until it stopped completely and opened its doors with a characteristic "ding".

Slowly, one step at a time, Apollo stepped out of the elevator and advanced to the throne room, walking up the path that would take him directly there. His performance had an air of regal composure, but it was nothing more than a method of masking his tense nerves. He walked until he reached the first areas inhabited by the Olympians and some other immortal creature.

"Apollo? I didn’t know you were already back. We thought it would take you millennia to make it up to Zeus!!" He hadn’t heard it in a while, but there was no way he could ever forget the sound of Nike’s voice. The winged goddess came to meet him flying curiously, also attracting the attention of the entities that had not paid attention to the scene so far.

Some approached, recognizing the face of the beloved god, while others ran to announce his return to the major gods. First came Hestia, who with that loving family attitude, embraced him gently. "Oh Apollo, you were so good! I never doubted you could do it." 

"I can’t say that with as much confidence, but I must congratulate you, Apollo, you have exceeded all my expectations." It was the authoritarian voice of Athena who spoke, who wore a smile on her face, a more unique than rare event. Apollo was so surprised by this unusual compliment from her that he hardly paid any attention to her questioning his chances of success.

For a moment he felt his eyes almost come out of his skull when a large hand was planted on his shoulder to pat him. " Well done, little brother, aren’t you as soft as you look, eh?" Massaging his shoulder, Apollo smiled faintly at the mountain that was his half-brother. "Thanks, Ares, it means a lot I guess..."

He was about to receive the coup de grâce, if it were not for Aphrodite, unconscious of her intervention, she had put herself right in the middle, affectionately placing one hand on Apollo’s shoulder while the other not very secretly found place in that of Ares, to the delight of Hephaestus who observed snorting away from the scene, but thumbs up at the sun god to express his joy.

He didn’t know how long this lasted, or exactly how many gods surrounded him at that point, but when Nike was about to hold a banquet in his honor he couldn’t control his reaction: "No wait!" His tone sounded so panicked that he caught everyone unawares. For a moment the gods almost had the sensation of speaking a mortal, so much his voice had squeaked in the air. Realizing that he had drawn even more attention to you, as if it were even possible in that situation, he gently shrugged his shoulders, to mitigate the gaze of the Olympians his nerves more tense than ever.

"Um I-" he made a false cough to try to regain his posture before starting to speak again, illuminating his companions with a dazzling smile, "sorry, mortal’s pollen, am I right? Anyway, much as I would be... ecstatic to attend a banquet, I’m afraid I must first have a discussion with Zeus about some... matters of utmost urgency! If you’ll excuse me, now.”

With little pomp, he made his way through the crowd stunned at his unusual behavior. "Poor thing, the Earth has changed him." Someone shook their head resigned, someone else did not even notice his abrupt exit, simply saying goodbye and congratulating him as he got smaller and smaller in the distance. The attention to him lasted just before each god went for their merry way. After all, when you have a whole eternity to live, there are few things left for you for a long time.

Everyone resumed doing what they were doing before Apollo’s return, all except Athena. It was in her nature to predict the rival’s moves- or rather, the moves of anyone around her. She may not have been born with the ability to see the future, but her intellect allowed her to come to conclusions almost as apt as an oracle. Silent as night, he followed the solar god, whose aura seemed to be clouded by some heavy burden.

The closer he got to the heavy bronze doors of the throne room, the lighter his head felt, as if his brain had gone numb. He was mathematically certain that he had NEVER felt so nervous in his entire existence. Not even his many figures in human form could compare to how he was feeling at the time. But it’s not like he could back out now, not after all the way he’s come, not after promising you not to leave your side. Not now, that had arrived in front of the doors.

He didn’t even have to knock, or announce his own name. No use, Zeus was waiting for him. Apollo took a breath, pumping his chest to emulate some sense of confidence before making his way into the vast hall. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked around and looked at the empty thrones, each with small inlays reminiscent of its owner. He passed by his own throne, and a sense of longing pervaded him to the thought that in no time he would have sat there again. Maybe you could convince Zeus to put a similar throne for you next to his own..

No, stay focused, Apollo, first of all he had to convince Zeus to make them immortal in the first place.

Without even realizing it, he was so taken by his own thoughts, he had reached the end of the room, finding himself a few feet from the king of Olympus. Now he could not afford to show himself weak, fearful. Come on, it had to come easy for him, he was also the god of the theater after all! As if a thread pulled him from above, he felt himself erect tall and proud, his chest out, his muscular back straight; a slight halo of light surrounded him, reconferendogli a little of that shine that has always distinguished him from the rest of the gods. He smiled at his father before bowing down gracefully. "It’s good to see you again, Father."

“Apollo, I see it took you no time to get used to your old life once more. I trust you have learned your lesson.”

“Indeed, father. And I came here to thank you for it all. It was… better than I expected.” Zeus lifted a brow suspiciously, eyeing his son as if trying to make out what’s in his mind just by his appearance. “Mmh I hardly believe that you only came here to thank me for your punishment.” Okay, even if he had second thoughts, it was DEFINITELY too late to back out. Yet despite the seriousness of the situation, Apollo no longer felt the same anxiety that had accompanied him throughout the climb to Olympus. He felt powerful, confident in his words, in his actions, but above all confident in you. He knew that if ever there was a mortal worthy of immortality, it was most certainly you. He looked up at his father, this time his smile had become less dazzling, almost a little nervous.

“Heh, you’re not wrong, father. I came here to make a request.”

“Depends. What is it that you desire?”

“How do you make a demigod immortal?”

Total silence fell in the room. The expression of Zeus was intelligible, and not being able to read the true emotions of Apollo, moreover in such a silent environment did not help to calm his nervousness. Zeus slowly blinked, covering his icy eyes for a moment before opening them again as he breathed in just as slowly. " Few mortals have earned the gift of immortality throughout history. He must deserve that honor with out-of-the-ordinary feats," he paused, as if to reflect, then resumed speaking, in a neutral but glacial and authoritative tone, "this is not impossible, but I count on one bare hand how many times a mortal has been added to the abode of the immortals over the millennia."

"I am aware of this, Father, and that is precisely why I believe that the person I speak of is the most deserving of this honor." Zeus did not answer. Not immediately, at least. He seemed confused and intrigued at the same time, as if he had not expected such a response. " My son, what do you mean by that?" Apollo could not avoid the smile that spread on his face having an opportunity to talk about your countless qualities, which in his eyes were endless. It was one of his favorite activities even when he was mortal, actually.

"You see father, they are a demigod of qualities worthy only of an immortal god. They are strong and wise, although they are still at a young age. They fear nothing but the limits imposed by Olympus, which they have served since the day they set foot inside Camp Half-Blood."He took a little dramatic pause, perhaps expecting to be interrupted by the divine father, but he gave no sign of wanting to intervene in words; he preferred to remain silent, peering at his son while he justified his reasons for satisfying his will.

"And they are beautiful, Father. They shine with a beauty far beyond that of an ordinary mortal. Even on the battlefield, soiled with blood and filth of all kinds, their beauty always resembled that of Aphrodite and Eros and all the gods of all the Pantheons of this world who possess the gift of supreme beauty." To this the father could not suppress a snort of derision, not trusting the words of the son in fact of beauty, "If I remember well such words were spoken by you also for Hyacinth, and before him Daphne, and before her still such a long series of river nymphs and mortal beings that I lost count."

Apollo lowered his head in resignation, sighing gently before looking up to speak again, "I realize this, Father, but I mention their beauty only because it would be a crime against all that is right to omit. However, it remains only one of the many qualities that characterize them, which none of my past lovers can say. But that is not the greatest reason why I consider them worthy of immortality."

"Speak openly then, you know I don’t like to wait." The blond-haired god nodded and took another step towards the king of the gods, his eyes even brighter than before, inflamed by his longing desire to obtain what he most desired in his entire existence. You, at his side. Forever.

"You see, they have done a great service to the goddess of wisdom and the manual arts. They have done the will of Athena and have done such glorious deeds that they have increased her honor. I myself was able to attend only some of their quests, but I assure you that they were so great as to justify the support and blessing of a goddess so hardly affable." To these words, Zeus seemed completely incredulous. In Olympus it was well known that Athena was the beloved daughter of the king of the gods, who always kept her close to him and always made all her will an uncompromising law. It seemed impossible to him that any mortal had been able to win the favor of the goddess, and he strongly doubted the veracity of Apollo’s claim.

The young god opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a voice echoing from behind him, "As much as the idea of supporting Apollo’s petty whims, this time I must agree with him." Athena had followed Apollo to the throne room, suspicious of his strange behavior. He had to be honest, Apollo literally had no idea what to say at that moment; he did not expect to get to that point with his interview and certainly did not expect Athena’s support in his intent. But this was a real blessing, for she herself could bear witness to your worth.

She only gave him a scowling look, like a silent admonition to avoid yelling at him, pick up your mouth from the ground and be a god, genius! But his silver eyes were enough to relay the message, and after a moment Apollo had returned to his usual divine bearing. She blinked slowly before turning her eyes again to Zeus.

"Y/N Y/L is a demigod of undeniable quality, which also left me pleasantly surprised. It is true, they have diligently served Olympus and have especially served me, and I have let them fight in my name precisely because their wit deserved such honor. If only it were possible, I would claim them as my own child, for only twice in my existence have I met two mortal men of equal virtue, and those mortals were the king of Ithaca and your son Hercules, to whom you rightly granted immortality.

You know that I do not speak in vain when I express my opinion, and that is why I consider them worthy to also obtain the gift of immortality, especially when to these incredibly successful quests are added the love of a god and the admiration of another." 

Now Zeus observed the two with two comically wide eyes, mostly due to the unexpected intervention of Athena. Even Apollo could not hide his amazement from that sudden help, but he certainly did not complain at all. Three beats passed, then Zeus cleared his voice and I speak in a more serene tone than before, though still authoritarian, "Very well, if you yourself, Athena, consider this mortal worthy of so many honors I want to believe you. Your lover will be granted immortality, Apollo. This will happen at sundown, when you bring your chariot back here to Olympus. Lead them with you, and they can live forever here with you."

"Yes!!" Apollo threw a fist in the air for joy, a small habit he had taken in his stay on earth, but soon after he realized that perhaps it was not quite the right place to give free rein to his happiness, judging by the unimpressed face of Zeus, "Um, I apologize. I thank you father, for this wonderful gift. I assure you that you will not regret it!" He slowly stepped back as he spoke to him with the biggest smile on his face, extending his arms and bending his knees in a farewell bow. Zeus, for the first time in what seemed like centuries, smiled at Apollo and nodded slightly.

"Enjoy this concession of mine, my son, and may it remain in your mind as your reward for having demonstrated your qualities, even without the intervention of your divinity."

"I’ll never forget it. They’ll never let me!" With some other ceremonious thanksgiving, which they had little given the haste and irrepressible joy of the sun god, Apollo rushed down to Olympus, hastening as much as possible to reach his beloved in the place where they had met. He looked at a clock to see how much time he had left. 7 P.M., he still had some time left. He ran like a madman, until he saw the entrance of the familiar Campo approaching. He ignored everyone around him, his perplexed children, his disappointed fangirls, his friends not too surprised to see him running like a bullet through the field, with the biggest smile they’d ever seen on him. Only Meg had a vague feeling about what exactly happened, but even if she did, she didn’t say anything and just looked at him smiling before going back to her things.

Apollo entered the forest next to the Camp and continued to run. Lucky he was back in his cool form, if he was still Lester would have collapsed out of breath for half an hour. And then finally, he finally arrived at your rendezvous point. She found you there, gently lying on moss, slumbering from the weariness of the activities at the Camp and from the worries you had freed yourself of the previous day, in that exact same place, when you had finally found your beloved. Apollo was quivering, thinking how you would react to the awakening, among the golden blankets of his heavenly palace. What would you have said seeing your body invigorated and illuminated by immortality. What would you have felt seeing that his declarations of eternal love were not fallacious, but promises that he had dedicated himself body and soul to keep.

He gently picked you up, taking care not to wake you. He invoked his golden chariot and rode with you to your new home. He kept you close, as much as he was physically allowed by the confined space. The journey did not last long, being facilitated by the godly transport; once arrived right in front of the golden gates of the Apollonian abode, he took you back in his bridal style, leading you to his- your bed. You were stretched out just as he saw your skin begin to shimmer gently, its color gradually became richer and filled with eternally vital sap. He stood by your side, filling your neck and shoulders with kisses as he crouched behind you, eagerly awaiting your rebirth as a deity.

In the morning you woke up with a strong light that dazzled you. You thought it was Apollo, who since he had returned to his true form had regained all the lustre of his nature. But no, it wasn’t him; it was you, whose skin emanated a faint light that bounced against the various gold inlays that were in the bedroom. Yeah, you didn’t remember falling asleep in a bed, the last thing you remembered was lying in the forest moss while you waited for Apollo. Wait a minute, this isn’t even a room in Camp Half-Blood! 

You did it to snap up to the alert, but then you stopped when you felt the familiar touch of Apollo caressing your shoulder, sliding towards the back of your neck and passing through your hair, which had been twice as long as the day before. Normally you would have yawned, but it didn’t seem physically possible to experience any fatigue in the state you were in. You felt... almighty. You finally turned your attention away from your body and turned it towards Apollo, who was already looking at you with a loveless look.

"Good morning, beautiful." You smiled though still confused by the situation you were in. Tempting your luck, you took a sigh and then you spoke, your melodic, honey-sweet voice even though you just woke up, "'Chicken, where are we?"

"We are in Olympus my dear. I promised you that I would not forget you, that I would love you forever. And I meant every single word I said, which is why I had a little conversation with Zeus earlier, and well... let’s just say with a little help I was able to convince him to give you immortality." He said it with the biggest and most satisfied smile I’d ever seen on him, and meanwhile he hugged you and held you and caressed you all over his body, as if to confirm himself that all this was true.

You were utterly speechless, incredulous at what this god had just done in the name of love for you, but at the same time you felt a warm feeling pervading you from within, filling you with joy and happiness, as if that of him had infected you like a disease. You held your hands to his face and laughed in disbelief and said, "You’re the biggest crazy idiot I’ve ever met, Lester!" 

He laughed with you, feeling pervaded by this joy that moved him from within, almost pushing him to tears by the power of these feelings. Holding you tighter, she stroked your silky soft hair as she chuckled happily, "I guess you’ll have to get used to the gold and clouds here." " Still better than a bunk bed to share in five."

Laughing together, you held each other so long as you had time, before he had to take off and lead the sun across the sky. Before he got on the golden chariot, he touched your face with his bronze hands and kissed you gently. " I still can’t believe I’m gonna be able to kiss these lips forever, Y/N." You smiled at him before you grabbed him by the shoulder to push him towards you, and kissed him again. " Then hurry up and leave, so you’ll be back soon and I’ll have a chance to convince you that everything is real." Winking at him, he laughed loudly and heartily, a more melodic sound than any lyre or flute.

"Then I shall not be long in returning to your arms, my lord" And so he departed towards the horizon, and you smiled as you watched him disappear into the sky, thinking with satisfaction of the world that will look up to him with longing and admiration, knowing that he will never again stop for anyone but you, once his daily duties are over. 

[dreadbow]

Inspired by @irunaki Egg! Athena au

(I created this in honour of you Irunaki, love your drawingsss)

Odysseus was busy enjoying his walk outside and is on his way back to his home until he found an egg.. A pretty big egg that couldn't come out of any type of birds.

He knelt down to examine it and then it started shaking, he jump back in utter confusion and then he saw the shells of the egg cracking. He's practically glued to his feet, stuck in shock as whatever is inside starting to break free out of the shell.

When the top fully comes out, a... Bird? Come out of it.

Odysseus is torn between leaving the egg behind and immediately running back or bringing it back home.

The bird... Looks up to him, it looks like the form of a human infant now that he inspected it further - just has way more feathers, so many feathers that resemblance an owl. Is it a harpy? That's the only connection he could make.

Odysseus went back to kneeling - he doesn't think he could leave the poor animal alone, it has only been born.

"Dada!" The bird says and Odysseus jump back.

WHAT THE HELL!

It can talk! It just called him 'Dada'!

Those were the thought running in Odysseus head. The bird baby can apparently speak.. And it just called him dada...

The baby bird tilt it's head sideways while still staring at him.

"Dada!" It chirps happily again, reaching out it's arms.

Odysseus looks around hastily as if he could get an answer on what to do in this situation. Well, Leaving it alone would be cruel, after all it called him 'Dada'

Odysseus picks up the hatchling carefully, and it immediately clings on to him.

The little being let out a soft yawned and bury itself in the crook of his neck, and Odysseus felt his heart melt at the adorable gesture.

Guess he's a father now.

He continued his walk back to his castle and then remembers his beloved wife Penelope. What will she says to him bringing a random creature home? She knows that his wife has a kind heart and that's one of the many reasons he loves her, but he know that she will probably question him a lot.

"It'll be fine." He thought cheerfully while humming a song to the little thing that is now sleeping on his shoulder.

(At the Castle)

"And that's what happened." Odysseus tells the whole story to Penelope who looks at him with a still confused look.

"And you adopted it?" She asked.

"It called me Dada." He sniffled, and hold out the sleeping infant to show to Penelope how adorable it is, "Can we keep it?"

Penelope breathe a giant sigh and smiled softly, "Well, I don't see why not."

"Well di you hear that little one!" Odysseus laugh warmly, "We're keeping you."

It simply smiled with it's eyes still closed, and Odysseus keeps on softly laughing and hugging them closer.

"Well, what should we named it?" Penelope ask with a smile and Odysseus stops to think.

"Uhh, well, It's a girl, so what about Theai?" Odysseus suggested.

"Hmmm, what about Athena?" Penelope gave another one and Odysseus immediately fells in love with the name.

"Yes! Athena would be a wonderful name for her." Proclaimed Odysseus loudly. He hold Athena upright, like how a father would hold their daughter, well he is her father.

"Your name shall be Athena." He chuckled

And Athena simply chirp.

[wajjs]

can i just say that for all the times hal has been portrayed as a joke by comics, media, and the fandom, it never warped my perception of how powerful he is and how sad his circumstances are as a hero and a human who has to leave earth for so long. sorry for being serious, but he's such an interesting character, his origin, his power coming from an alien ring, him being the first among the earth lanterns so he was probably a veteran to them. i love him, he needs more appreciation posts lol

Hal is at the intersection of wanting to go home and having no home to come back to.

Hal is at the intersection of knowing he's only human but knowing he's far from human.

He wants to be back on Earth with those who are just like him, and when he's in space that's all he can think about, all that he misses and needs... but then when he's on Earth, all he can think of is space, the stars, the planets and the things out there in the big universe waiting for his smallness, waiting for his tiny vestiges of humanity to shine and carry a message of resilience.

He is at the intersection of wanting everything and thinking he doesn't deserve anything. He is the hero who dreams of home but cannot return home, because home is forever changed as much as he himself has changed, too. And so he doesn't fit in his own bed, which is ridiculous, he should, the indent in the mattress has the shape of his body, but he doesn't fit because that indent belongs to someone else who died three months ago, out in space, and he gets to return to the memories of what he was like before the things that changed him happened.

Hal wants to return home, like Odysseus. He's desperate for home. His teeth ache for home. But he doesn't have a home to return to. First, it was destroyed when Coast City was destroyed. Then, he was destroyed when Coast City was destroyed. And he keeps getting destroyed in the journey.

The journey is changing him. Sometimes he thinks his home hasn't actually changed, it's him. It's him, he has changed, and now the places that were his own aren't anymore because he's no longer the Hal he used to be. That Hal? That Hal is dead, floating frozen cold somewhere out deep in the deepest furthest sectors of space, desecrated, forgotten, an empty shell of an equally empty living.

Being a hero transforms him into something that's no longer human. But he bleeds like one. But he breathes like one. But he longs for love and acceptance and family and home and home longs for him but the more they chase each other, the further away they get from one another.

Hal is at the intersection of being full of himself and being in a perpetual state of starvation because he's not enough for himself. He's not enough. He's starving. His teeth ache. But he's fine. He's really fine.

[hanespiritu]

DON’T TEASE THE WAR DADDY

(Diomedes x Odysseus) (R18)

written by: Han Espiritu

Note: Modern AU. Odysseus is a high-end escort. Diomedes is a man with power, control… and a very dangerous amount of patience.

---

The room smelled like leather, cologne, and something darker — expensive sin, maybe.

Odysseus strutted in, hips swaying like he owned the penthouse, even though he was the one being paid.

He wore sin: a silk robe clinging to olive-toned skin, nothing underneath. His lips were slicked with red gloss, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. “Daddy Diomedes,” he crooned, dragging out the vowels like they were honey. “Long day at the office? Or are you just happy to see me?”

Diomedes didn’t respond at first. He stood by the window in a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, veins like rope down his forearms. His hair was damp from a shower, and his expression was carved in stone.

When he turned, it was slow. Dangerous.

“Take the robe off.”

Odysseus smirked. “No wine, no dinner?”

“I didn’t pay for dinner.”

He swallowed that spark of fear — or was it arousal? His nipples hardened under the robe. Slowly, he undid the knot, letting the silk slide down, baring smooth thighs, a sculpted waist, and a whole lot of attitude.

“Gods, you’re pretty when you obey,” Diomedes muttered, crossing the room with the weight of a war god. “Too bad you’ve been acting like a spoiled brat.”

“Oh?” Odysseus batted his lashes. “I thought you liked brats.”

“I like disciplining them.”

Diomedes didn’t touch him. Not yet. He circled him slowly, letting his eyes rake across every inch of bare skin. Odysseus’s cock twitched under the weight of that gaze, and his breath hitched when rough hands finally grabbed his hips — hard enough to bruise.

“I heard what you said to Menelaus last night,” Diomedes growled in his ear. “Said you wanted a real man. Not some tight-assed military type who only knows how to bark orders.”

Odysseus giggled, but it caught in his throat when Diomedes licked the shell of his ear.

“Guess what, baby,” he murmured. “Tonight I’m not just barking.”

He bent Odysseus over the table with terrifying ease, one hand gripping his nape, the other slapping his ass so hard the sound echoed.

Odysseus whined. “F-fuck, D—di-Diomedes—!”

“You want to be used, right? Whined about it in those little group chats with Achilles, calling me ‘War Daddy’ like a dumb slut.”

Diomedes slapped him again, and again, until Odysseus’s ass was glowing red, twitching under every strike.

Then—fingers. Slicked with something cold. Odysseus gasped as two slid in at once. “You prep yourself, or are you trying to be difficult?”

“I prep like a professional—ah—fuck—deeper—!”

“You are a professional,” Diomedes rumbled, fucking his fingers in slow, punishing curls. “And you’re mine tonight. So stop whining.”

Odysseus moaned in response. His back arched, hips pushing back into the intrusion. “Harder. Please. I want your cock. Not your fingers.”

Diomedes pulled out.

And Odysseus whined louder.

“You don’t beg well enough.”

“Please.” He turned his head, eyes wet, lips parted. “Please, fuck me, ruin me, split me open—”

“That’s better.”

Diomedes unbuckled his belt with a click that made Odysseus shiver. He pressed the blunt head of his cock to that eager hole and paused.

“Last chance.”

“Don’t make me beg again—fuck—”

He pushed in. All the way. One long, brutal thrust that made Odysseus scream into the polished wood table, fingers clawing at nothing.

“Oh—oh gods—Daddy—!”

“Shut up,” Diomedes grunted, pistoning into him with merciless rhythm. “Or I’ll make you.”

Each thrust was a thunderclap, deep and possessive. Diomedes bent over him, wrapped a thick hand around his throat, and whispered filth into his ear.

“You want to be filled up, you little temple whore? Want to be dripping with me for days?”

“Y-Yes—”

“You’ll walk home leaking my cum. I’ll make you wear a plug. Show everyone who you belong to.”

Odysseus sobbed. “Yours—yours—oh fuck—Diomedes, I’m—gonna—!”

“Not yet.” Diomedes pulled out, flipped him over, and thrust back in. “I’m not done ruining you.”

He jerked Odysseus off in time with every thrust, squeezing the head until the poor thing squirmed and gasped. “So sensitive. Just a needy little mouth and a hole to fill.”

Odysseus clawed at his back, legs locked around his waist. “Harder—please—wreck me—”

And wrecked he was.

Diomedes came with a growl, spilling deep inside him. Odysseus followed seconds later, moaning like a temple priest on sacrifice night.

They stayed tangled, sweaty, heaving.

Diomedes pulled out slowly, watching his cum leak down Odysseus’s thighs with a satisfied smirk.

Then he picked him up bridal-style.

“Where—?” Odysseus blinked.

“Shower. Then round two.”

“...You’re insatiable.”

“I didn’t pay for one round, whore.”

Odysseus grinned, boneless and ruined. “Yes, Daddy.”

•┏────────────────────━

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[lunette-png]

Waves of Ithaca

Interlude 3: Coin in the Wind

art by zeiru on youtube

It had been a simple stop- the ship needed fresh supplies, and the crew longed to steady their feet on solid ground. Pylos welcomed them with sun-baked stones, accompanied by the hum of a crowded market, where voices tangled in a web of trade and rumor. (Y/N) moved among them, her hood drawn low, as she blends seamless into the crowd with practiced ease.

She had always been good at being unseen. It was a skill learned young—watching from shadows, slipping through gaps, listening when others spoke too loudly. Her father’s daughter, but not his mirror; Odysseus had been a storm in a room, a presence that bent light. She was the breeze through an open window, the quiet that made others fill the silence.

Her path wove through stalls draped in worn silks and cluttered with trinkets, past merchants with sharp eyes and sharper tongues. She paused at a table cluttered with small treasures—beads, coins, shards of amber that glowed in the light. The merchant, a wiry man with bronze skin and restless hands, never stopped moving, his fingers dancing over his wares.  

"You’ve the look of a sailor," he said, not looking up, his voice worn- a stone smoothed by the river. "And not just any sailor. You walk like you know how to leave without being seen."  

She paused, her fingers brushing a strand of amber beads. "There is wisdom in silence."  

Something her father taught her.

His fingers plucked a coin from the pile, flipping it through the air. "Perhaps. But even shadows can catch a light they do not expect."

Her grip tightened on the beads, the warmth of them grounding her. "Meaning?"  

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "There’s a god among us—a thief of moments, a breeze that slips between the stones. They say he walks these stalls, unseen but always felt. His laughter is as light as this." He flicked a coin, and it spun through the air before vanishing into his palm.  

A chill threaded through her veins. "Hermes."  

The merchant’s smile was thin, a sliver of moon against the sun. "The very same. He is a god of travelers, of thieves. Of those who wander and those who hide."  

She glanced over her shoulder, her senses sharpened. The market moved around her, an ever-changing sea of faces and colors. She saw nothing but the ordinary: traders haggling over fish and cloth, children darting between stalls, the sun pooling in the cracks of stone. But there was something else—a current beneath the noise, a soft rustle where there should be none.  

Her heart stumbled, then found its pace. "And what does Hermes want in Pylos?"

"What all gods want," he said, his fingers threading through a necklace of shells. "Amusement. Devotion. And sometimes, something rare enough to catch their eye."  

A gust of wind slipped through the market, cool against her skin. She shivered, her mind churning. She had felt it before—the strange tilt of luck, the way her feet found safe ground when others faltered, the sense of being nudged just when she needed it most. She had thought it was the sea’s favor, Poseidon’s blessing, but now she wondered. 

"Take care, sailor," the merchant said, his voice sinking into the hum of the market. "Hermes walks softly, but his footprints remain. And he never leaves empty-handed."

She stepped back, the spell of his words unspooling as the crowd closed in around her. She moved through the market with purpose, her instincts pricked, her senses stretched thin. Every brush of fabric, every shadow beneath the awnings felt like a hand reaching, a breath against her neck.  

At the market’s edge, where the stalls gave way to the sea, she paused. The wind curled around her, playful and cool. She turned, but only the blue expanse greeted her, the soft shush of waves against the pier.  

Her pulse slowed, the tension easing from her shoulders. She let out a breath, her fingers slipping into the small pouch at her side. But it was empty.  

Her head snapped up, a laugh catching on the breeze, light and careless. She saw nothing—no figure, no shadow—only the sunlight dancing on the water, and the distant cry of gulls.  

She bit back a curse, but a reluctant smile tugged at her lips. "Well played."  

Turning back to the ship, she felt the weight of unseen eyes, a presence just beyond the edge of sight. She moved with a lightness she hadn’t felt in weeks, as if a part of her had been drawn into the game—a pawn among gods, but a player all the same.  

And somewhere, beneath the canopy of the market or drifting on the wind, Hermes watched, a coin dancing between his fingers, his laughter threading through the world as soft as a secret.

AN: surprise- wow, an update :00 reminder that (Y/N) isn't related to Hermes in this fic ㅠㅠ Hermes being Ody's grandpa isn't canon here

[differentnerddiplomatopera]

Odydio? Maybe 🤔

*Preparing for Palamedes Stoning

*Odysseus is rambling about something or the other*

-“Odysseus”.

-“Diomedes”.

*Diomedes looks towards Palamedes

-He was dead the moment he arrived on your shores. No. Oh no. Poor man, he was dead the moment he was considered to bring you to the war effort.

-Hm.

-Odysseus. When will you kill me?

-I’m sorry?

-Early apologizes, I see. When will I meet my end, disgraced, bleeding at your feet? 

-Are you mad?

-Mad enough to understand you. 

-Hm. 

Pause.

-I will tell you.

-Tell me what?

-When you have become so insignificant, such a pathetic person. No more than a man, less than a dog. A shell of a once powerful man. I will tell you.  And then, then I will ruin you. Because you became but an empty shell of maggots and death; nothing behind those eyes, nothing meaningful coming out of your mouth. You would have become so foolish. If you try to screw me, I might add. Crossing me, as you and I have seen, is the worst mistake man has made since men were made. I will tell you Diomedes. You would have become so dull that when I ruin you, you wouldn’t know. There. Happy?

-Very.

-Are you not going to respond in kind? Diomedes, don’t tell me that head of yours is-

-You love talking, do you ever shut up? 

-If asked nicely. And given something special to earn my silence.

-I do. Have something, an idea of what I'd do.

-Please share.

-Hm. Fine. Odysseus, in the time I’ve known you, I have observed your love for games, tricks, schemes, machinations and the like.

-Oh wow-

-Hush. I will ruin your games. Tear your silks, shatter your masks, crash your festivities. I will slow down my pace, always two steps behind you, and I will drag you down. I will ruin your games, Odysseus. I will rip back the layers, peel the curtains, pray to Apollo to shine his light to expose for who you truly are. Who you are, what you are, I have no clue. But you must be dreadfully disgusting to hide behind those masks of yours. Ones that I am starting to differentiate and mark down into memory and notice. 

Be proud of me Odysseus.

-I am.

-Quiet, an interesting look on you.

*Palamedes screams fill the background.

-Promise it. Diomedes, swear it to me.

-There it is. 

-What?

-Your face, unabashed, naked. 

-You’re the monster and the most beautiful creature, Diomedes.

-The poison and the remedy, all the same, Odysseus.

-All the security I lack, and all the danger I crave.

-Somehow constant, even though you are ever changing.

-Delectable, tasting of the most beautiful wine with the sharpest after bite.

-Uncomely, vile you are, Odysseus. And the most beautiful, perfect example of magnificent I’ve ever laid my eyes upon.

-Hm.

-I never stood a chance against you.

-And it would still be true, even with your poison down my throat.

-Poison you would let me feed you, because  for some reason, you choose the option of suffering.

-Projecting your traits on me isn’t a good look.

Long Pause

-I would. Let you. He didn’t stand a chance.

Pause

Neither did I. 

Found a post, can’t find the original poster. If you find it, please let me know. Here it is.

[little-cereal-draws]

We don’t get much backstory for Polites besides he’s been friends w Odysseus since he was a kid so I thought of a few (progressively angstier) options

1. (Normal option) He’s the son of some noble and spent a lot of time in the palace as a kid. He befriended Odysseus and they’ve been inseparable ever since

2. (Angsty option one) He’s not of any particularly great lineage and his parents died when he was young. They’re the ones that gave him his philosophy of kindness and he’s been clinging to it as a way of remembering them even though violence is everywhere in Ancient Greece. Somehow he makes it to Laertes’ palace (probably with the intent of offering himself as a soldier or servant in exchange for room and board) and Odysseus befriends him.

3. (Even more angsty option) He’s not actually from Ithaca at all. He lived in a neighboring city state that Ithaca waged war against. His parents were killed and he was brought back to Ithaca as a war trophy by a noble. He lives a while in the noble’s house as a slave and is really reserved (read: traumatized). One day the noble gets invited to dinner at the palace and he brings Polites as a display of status/wealth/whatever. Odysseus notices him during the dinner and catches him in the hall later. They’re alone and poor Polites is shaking with stress as he tries to answer all of the princes’s questions. At the end of the dinner, Odysseus asks the noble if he can have Polites. He can’t outright take him bc that would be an insult to the noble’s honor but it’s also unwise for the noble to upset the prince/future king. So with gritted teeth, he gives him over. There’s a series of funny misunderstandings over the next few months as Odysseus tries to get Polites to relax and play with him (race, wrestle, climb trees, swim, etc) and Polites is never quite on the same page bc that’s not how he interacted with his old master. It’s a slow process but but the end of the year, he’s come out of his shell and developed this philosophy of kindness. Odysseus’ one act of kindness drastically changed his life for the better. Why couldn’t everyone be like that? On his birthday, Odysseus announces that he was freeing him. Polites cries. Odysseus wraps him in a bone crushing hug and giggles, “Now we can just be friends!” Polites smiles through the tears and hugs him back. (This also adds a layer of angst/irony to Open Arms. Over the course of the Trojan War, he’s watched Odysseus becomes more violent and jaded. It’s eating Polites alive bc what happened to the boy he used to know? The person who gave him his whole optimistic outlook on life has given up on it. He has to fix this.)

[nobody-jorges-version]

Ithaca fam + the goddess they adopted incorrect quotes

Athena : Remain CALM! *slaps Odysseus multiple times*

(Penelope left them alone for 1 minute)

Odysseus : I will beat all of you in Rock, Paper, Scissors. You go first.

Athena : Rock.

Odysseus : Paper.

(Mind of a genius ladies and gentlemen)

Odysseus : God has let me live another day and I'm going to make it everyone's problem.

(Cue everyone quaking in their sandals)

Penelope : So what, now I’m just supposed to do everything that Athena does? What if they jump off a cliff?

Odysseus : If Athena were to jump off a cliff, they would have done their due diligence regarding the height of the cliff, the depth of the water, and the angle of entry. So yes, if you see Athena jump off a cliff, by all means, jump off a cliff.

Penelope : You jump off a cliff.

Odysseus : Gladly, provided Athena did first.

(Let’s ignore Love In Paradise for this one)

Odysseus : Thank God you were there. Athena. I knew you wouldn't let your best friend die.

Athena: I'm still gonna arrest you. I just can't do that if you're dead.

Odysseus : Whatever you gotta tell yourself. Baby steps. It's hard getting them out of their shell.

(Denial is a river in Egypt Athena. This man’s your bestie)

Odysseus : Don't worry, I've got a few knives up my sleeve.

Telemachus: I think you mean cards.

Athena : They did not.

Odysseus , pulling out knives: I did not

(Ody I know you want to bond with your son but knives are not the way to do it)

*The squad is playing a team sport*

Telemachus: Are you upset you don’t get to be on the same team as Athena ?

Penelope : Have you ever played a game with Athena ?

Telemachus: No…

Penelope : Have you ever been trapped in a cage with a wolverine?

*Meanwhile, on the other side of the field*

Athena , chasing Odysseus : I SAID FASTER! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORD “FASTER” MEANS? IT MEANS MORE FAST!!!!

(Athena falling back into old habits smh)

Telemachus: Helpful grammar tip: “farther” is for physical distance, “further” is for methaphorical distance, and “father” is for emotional distance!

(Someone has daddy issues)

Penelope : What do we say when life disappoints us?

Athena : Called it!

Penelope : No.

(😑 Thena)

[just-a-mer]

MARINE

Rp starter!

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 193

Tw / Cw: None!

"This is a leaf sheep," Odysseus explains, holding his hand out to reveal a rather small sea slug on the tip of his finger, mostly bright green. Yet, looking closer, one would be able to see the purple tips and little grey bunny-like ears on their head. "They're one of my favorites to observe. Unique little creatures with the ability to photosythesize like the plants on the surface. The sea bunny is also quite adorable - but the lack of color was never as intriguing compared to this species. At least for me."

It is clear the siren is rather excited to share this information if the sway of his tail was any indication. Or the bright shine in his eyes, those of which he revealed flickers of red and blue merging and creating a purple hue. Carefully, he lowers the creature back into the water at a safe distance until it is nearly invisible to the eye as he makes his way back to the shore to rummage through his bag. "Some of the marine life that I consume even leave behind some rather amazing sights. Plenty of pattered shells and little things."

@thrpr0phetuseek @carousel-anon-aka-alexander @jump-into-my-op3n-arms / anyone else! (If you don't wish to be tagged, let me know please!!)

[hoeforsirius]

Amphitrite's Agony

This is my version of if Amphitrite was more in love with Poseidon especially when Odysseus was attacking him.

______________________________________

She felt the strike echo through the ocean floor.

It rattled through coral and bone, reverberated through the bones of whales and the shells of sea creatures. The current itself tensed, trembling under the weight of something not mortal—something ancient and raw and breaking.

The fury.

The pain.

His pain.

Poseidon’s roar echoed through every current. She knew his voice in every form—laughter, command, the heavy quiet of his moods—but this…

This was agony.

She surged upward before she could think. The sea parted for her, obedient, fearful. It had known her soft and loyal and quiet for too long. But now it knew her afraid.

She broke the surface, salt clinging to her skin.

And she saw him—her husband, her king, the god of all tides—brought low. Blood, his ichor, pooled in the waves like spilled gold. He was on his knees. His trident had fallen. And standing over him, spear raised, was a mortal.

Odysseus.

His eyes were wild, his arm raised for one final strike.

She didn’t think. She couldn’t.

“NO!” She cried. Her voice tore through the storm Poseidon had summoned. “Please—stop!”

Time stilled.

The mortal froze. His arm faltered. She stepped between them, the waves quieting around her. Her hands trembled—not from fear of Odysseus, but from the sight of her husband bloodied and broken behind her.

“Please,” She said again, softer now. “He is the man I chose, the god I vowed myself to. I love him.”

The words were salt on an open wound. She loved him. Even now. Even when he was reckless and cruel and burning with spite. Even when his fury swallowed islands whole. Her love for him had never once wavered. Not even in his darkest storms.

“You love Penelope,” She told Odysseus. “Would you stand by and watch someone do this to her?”

He flinched.

And slowly, the rage in his eyes flickered. His grip on his weapon loosened.

But then he said—voice raw, bitter, full of exhaustion and truth:

“He’s hunted me for years. This storm wasn’t a slight punishment—it was meant to kill me, to stop me from reaching her.”

Her expression changed into a mixture of confusion, disappointment and hurt.

Odysseus understood, he asked, his eyebrows furrowed, "Did you know?"

And she— 

She couldn’t answer.

Because no. She hadn’t known. She hadn’t wanted to know.

She had known only fragments: Polyphemus. That was all she let herself hear. A son blinded. A god’s pride wounded. The rest? She had shut her eyes to it. 

She trusted him. She had let herself believe that Poseidon’s revenge would be swift and just.

But this— this was no justice.

This was a man with nothing left to lose, tormented and hunted and forced to crawl through death to reach the one woman who still waited for him.

And it was her husband who had done this.

She turned to him, her heart cold.

“Call it off.”

His brows drew low, the god still thundering in his bones. “You would order me?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation. “Because I stood by you while you became this. Because I trusted you. Because I loved you.”

Her voice rose—not in volume, but in finality.

“Call. It. Off.”

He held her gaze for a long moment—then flicked his fingers. Poseidon had released the storm. The clouds began to thin. The sea gentled.

And as Odysseus turned to leave, Poseidon—still bleeding, still furious—spoke through his teeth.

“After everything you’ve done, how will you sleep at night?”

Odysseus did not pause. Did not flinch.

He simply said, “Next to my wife.”

And then he was gone.

The sea was still. Not calm. Just still.

The silence that followed was not peace. It was the hush that comes after something has been broken too violently to ever be made whole again.

She moved to Poseidon’s side. He did not look at her.

She knelt and her hands reached for his wounds as they always had. She bathed the blood from his skin, wrapped the torn muscle. Ritual. Habit. Love.

It was not forgiveness.

It was love. Quiet. Steady. Unyielding.

But something had changed.

Later, in the quiet of their palace, she sat beside him and began dressing his wounds again. The salt of the sea could not wash away the ache in her chest.

“You didn’t tell me,” She whispered. “That you wanted him dead.”

Still, silence.

“You could have let him go home. To his wife. After everything.”

“He blinded my son.”

“And you drowned his crew,” She met his eyes. Her voice did not shake. “Hundreds of them.”

Silence, again.

“You hunted him. You condemned him for a wound he gave your son, after your son devoured his men.”

She looked up at him.

“I stood by you. For centuries. Through all your storms. Through all your silences. I never once raised my voice.”

A pause.

“But today, I saw you bleeding. And I realized it wasn't just Odysseus who brought you to your knees. It was everything you’ve become.”

His jaw clenched. He still refused to meet her gaze.

“You took his side.” He said finally.

“I took a side.” She leaned back, the ache sitting sharp in my chest. “Because I was tired. Because I was ashamed. Because I didn’t want to lie to myself again.”

She paused.

Then, quieter, “I cleaned your wounds today not because you were right… but because I love you,” She said. “Even when I no longer understand you. Even when I do not like you.”

He looked at her like she was a stranger.

Maybe she was.

Maybe she had become someone different the moment she chose to speak.

She stood, the weight of grief curling in her spine.

“I will never stop loving you, Poseidon. But do not ever ask me to be silent again.”

She walked away then, leaving him in the quiet.

The sea did not stir. 

The storm had ended.

But the damage had been done. 

And even in the deepest part of the ocean, silence could sound like heartbreak.

[xandoria]

Penelope is Spartan

An overanalyzing of 'Would you Fall in Love with Me' from someone fascinated by the more domestic aspects of Sparta.

Something that I haven't seen Epic fans talking about is the fact Penelope is Spartan. They talk about the war effort, and how sometimes, a Spartan would kill a lover's enemies as an expression of love. They talk about Sparta's efficiency in battle and how Penelope could defend herself if necessary. But they don't talk about the other aspect of Sparta.

Penelope would have had an extensive education like most Spartan women, and she would have seen what happens when soldiers come home. Young girls were often the caretakers of physically able-bodied but mentally unwell soldiers who had just returned from the wars. She would have seen the night terrors, the shell-shocked, the flashbacks. The violent outbursts towards even family followed by the guilt when they return from the war in their mind. She would have seen the afterwards of war firsthand.

In 'Would you Fall in Love with Me Again?', Penelope is seeing her husband come home, haunted by things he did on the journey home, decisions he had to make in the Trojan War, the final screams of his crew and enemies alike. She knows he is different in spirit and body, but she also knows the horrors of war do not change who you are at heart if you are strong (Spartan belief, not my own).

His question is not a glorified 'would you still love me if I was a worm?' It is a beg for her to love him as a monster, because he truly believes he is a monster. Penelope doesn't see the monster. She sees her husband hurting and lashing out because while he was as prepared for what the war would do as someone could, no one could have been prepared for the journey he experienced coming home.

She sees her husband who has watched everyone he knew and loved die. Who lost their mother (and just found out according to Penelope). Whose son is over 20 years old, who he never got to see grow up. Who came home to find himself disrespected and betrayed by people he trusted to keep his kingdom, wife, and son safe: came home to another battlefield. His question is more like 'Is this another battle I must face to come back to you?'

But Odysseus has never been moved by words alone, and she knows from experience just telling someone the 'war is over' is not enough to ground them in reality. So she poses him a question for herself and him. 'Would you take our wedding bed away?' She knows it's impossible without destroying their bed, without destroying a symbol of their love. If he would do such a thing, he truly is not her husband: the war had damaged him too much, and she could not bear to face that battle, because it would be impossible to win.

But he doesn't try. He starts breaking down, getting angry at the mere thought of her asking him to do such a wicked act in his eyes. That is their love she is asking him to destroy. Penelope can work with anger: she's been toying with suitors for 20 years at this point and likely had to deescalate situations many times herself. And she knows her husband in ways he has forgotten he exists.

She matches his anger. She shouts right back at him, snapping him out of the spiral his mind is going through at the thought of her rejection, because to him, it was a rejection of his return. He is reeling from being tricked, because it was a trick. It has been 20 years: he remembered his wife was clever, but not how much cleverer she was then him.

She's saying 'you have committed acts of war, your hands soiled by blood I cannot imagine. But I do not love your hands on their own. I do not love the monster in your eyes alone, but your soul that remains full of love for me. Your hands have committed atrocities in the name of our love and returning home, your eyes' monster roars for me. No amount of anger, time, nor the gods themselves will take you from me.'

TLDR: Penelope has experiences with PTSD from warfare, and she won't let trauma keep her husband away from her.