#with the exception of the virgin goddesses

[green-x-reaper]

"Can I hear the pros before the cons?"

[agnesandhilda]

my professors mentioned aphrodite lashing out at anchises out of shame out of having had sex with him, a mortal man, in the homeric hymn to her, and I was gonna ask why that's considered shameful when male gods seduce/rape mortals all the time and that never reflects on their worth in-story. and then I realized I already knew the answer and it's misogyny

[mask131]

I want to briefly adress another BIG misconception about Greek gods that has (quite recently) been going on around the Internet. And it is again part due to the Percy Jackson TV show. I insist on the "TV show", because as we now know, the TV show made some changes to the book's original plotline when it came to the gods interacting with their children (like Athena's move with Echidna *cough cough*), and as a result here is what I have been hearing here and there.

"Yeah, well the Greek gods were all assholes, right, but what PJ REALLY got right was that they were especially assholes to their own children and the worst abusive parents ever".

... No?

In fact this is almost a counter-interpretation of Greek mythology, because in Greek myths and legends, the whole point was that, when a god was being an "asshole" as you say, they were an asshole to everybody... except their children. One of the reasons the Greek gods can look "bad" by modern standards is precisely because they had an habit of favorizing their own children, and taking care about them more than about other beings.

The most famous of these myths is of course Demeter's immense love and hyper-protection of Persephone - just look at the trials she went through to find her back after she disappeared.

Another famous example is how Poseidon turned on Odysseus and plagued him with curses and monsters for blinding his son - Polyphemus the cyclop (and the whole point here is that Poseidon favorized his son, despite his son being the actual criminal and monster in the case)

Ares, who was not one of the best gods, still went on an avenging mode every time his children were attacked, from the dragon slain by Cadmos to the rape of Alcippe.

There's how Apollo went berserk after the death of Asclepios. There's how Herakles had planned to be favorized by Fate since his birth thanks to Zeus, and how the entire reason Zeus inflicted on his wife the atrocious torture of hanging chained up by the sky was because he had enough of her constantly tormenting Herakles in the worst ways possible. Even Athena ended up taking care of Erichthonius as her own child despite her not being his true mother - showing that even the virgin, sexless, childless goddess has a mothering side to her.

It all goes back to Gaia, and how she keeps turning against Zeus for each time vanquishing her children - from the Titans, to the Giants, to Typhon - despite these children being again, bad news and even hurting Gaia herself. Another example of "primordial motherhood": Nyx shelters Hypnos from Zeus' wrath in the Iliad, and not even Zeus would dare anger such an elderly mother-goddess. And if we push beyond the boundaries of Greek mythology and into the very late Roman literature, we see this trend continues with Aphrodite's smothering-mothering of Eros during the Psyche legend.

A good lot of conflicts and feuds and problems in Greek mythology was precisely due to how much the gods loved their children, and how protective they were of them - with the problem that the god had the tendency to be blind to whether their children were good or evil, victims or criminals.

This is why, for example, Zeus and Hera's relationships to their children were especially important and unique in Greek myths, in the light of this god's tendency to favorize and spoil and protect their own children.

On Hera's case, her action of, for example, throwing Hephaistos into the sea at birth just because he is "ugly" is meant to come off as massively shocking. Remember that in a good bunch of Greek myths, Hera had a negative, evil, dangerous side to her, that popped up in various ways - from her jealous, vain, angry personality to how in some versions she literaly gave birth to Typhon... Unlike Zeus, who was the "ultimate father", Hera wasn't (in myths, I insist) seen as a postive mother, and was more of a mother-of-monsters avatar (after all, she did command a lot of Greek monsters), or an anti-mother (she was the one who prevented Leto from giving birth, a powerful symbol).

On the other side, Zeus was also seen regularly punishing or being very harsh to his children, but there was the secret to his character: Zeus had to act both as a father, and as a king. He embodied the all loving ancestor and the all powerful father, but he also had to act as the embodiment of law and of justice, and those two aspects of his personality clashed a lot. We see him punish his divine children regularly, but almost always because his role as the enforcer of the law primed over his role as a father - for example when he wanted to throw Apollo into Tartarus because he had caused a Cyclop genocide out of anger. But he still had this same "over-parenting" side as the other gods. Again, Herakles was one of his favorite children and he tried to arrange everything so that he could have the greatest life ever - but his official side as the "political" and "civilization" god caught up to him when Hera tricked him into swearing away the gifts he had intended for Herakles. Despite Zeus' immense love for his son, his oath and the law he embodies took over and prevented him from sheltering Herakles from Hera's hatred. The most revealing case of this "father vs king" aspect of Zeus' personality comes from the Iliad: it is the death of Saperdon.

When Zeus looks upon the Trojan War and sees that his son will soon die, he is very heavily tempted from interfering. He explicitely wishes to save him, and to change the scales of fate to avoid his impending death (because remember in the Iliad Zeus was still the god of fate who literaly weighed humans' destinities in his scale). That's his "father" side showing up. But then Hera, who is by his side, who is his queen and thus his "political" side, reminds him of his duty as a king and of his role as ultimate judge of the world and ruler of the gods. She points out he would break the very own law he imposed of not interfering with the mortal conflict. She reminds him that, as the setter of examples, if he saved Sarpedon, he would create a precedent and other gods could also start saving their own children from the war. She reminds him that he has a role as the god of law and fate, and that he can't allow his personal feelings to interfere in the matter, else he would be unfair and unjust. And thus, Zeus resignates himself to let his son die before his eyes - but he still shows his immense love for him by both sending a shower of blood as a sign of his grief, and then ordering Apollo, Hypnos and Thanatos in person to carry Sarpedon's corpse away (predating future legends about great kings and heroes taken into the afterlife by supernatural figures, like Arthur collected by Morgan and the ladies of Avalon).

In conclusion: having the gods act as if they were all bad, abusive, absent parents not getting involved in their children's life or not caring about them is actually going against what the mythology originally said in terms of characterization. The untold rule of Greek mythology was that, if gods were bad parents, it would be because they were too loving, too protective, too smothering, too spoiling, interfering too much. Not the other way around - unless you were Hera, of course. Meanwhile, having the gods act as "assholes" and bullies towards OTHER GODS' children, now that would be accurate to Greek mythology (this is the very basis of Hera's cycle of legends as a persecuting goddess). But the gods usually stuck by the side of their own children - a bit like how in a school's football or soccer game the parents end up fighting each other because of what their children did or did not do in the game.

[naoristerling]

Beomgyu fanfic recomendation | Tumbrl ao3

moonstone (why didn't you tell me) - choi beomgyu

|11,4k @healingpage casamento de best

After a painful betrayal by her fiance and a backstab with her close friend, Y/n is heartbroken. When her best friend, Beomgyu, discovers her called-off wedding, he brings her to the land of Japan, believing that over the course of the four day trip, he can convince her to come home happy, or to at least move on from the guy. But his plan goes south when Y/n finds a note on his phone, about his actual feelings on her previous relationship.

i can't swim, idiot ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ choi beomgyu | 11,7k @beom-pyu bests fingem ser casados

choi beomgyu x fem!reader , tags: best friends to lovers au , beomgyu is annoying(ly cute) , fake dating? nah... fake married? bingo! , reader is so fed up with beomgyu how is he still alive , fluff , black cat x golden retriever dynamic ??? , hinted bisexual!beomgyu happy pride month , hinted pining , nsfw , some cliche moments bc who doesn't love a good cliche

the only exception | beomgyu x reader | 12k @byeomtori

love at first sight au, summer love thingy, lots of reference to paramore's the only exception and txt's our summer, pda

white dress | 3,8k @fairyyeo

Beomgyu encontra s/n e a chama pra sair depois do seu turno, motoqueiro

➵ sk8ter boi -> c.b | 4.5k @gyusrose

you never thought in a million years to be attracted to a boy like beomgyu. His baggy clothes, scrappy shoes, long hair just wasn’t a click with your elegant dresses, tight skirts, ballet dancer- self , but somehow he managed to steal your attention.

ditto / cbg | 3.5k @huenation

the day arrives where beomgyu, your angel, is leaving you, you realize you have nothing left to lose

FESTIVAL | 7.7k (I can't @ the author, but she is in the comments)

you thought this year's festival was going to be a bummer like last year's, until you found yourself stuck spending the three whole days of it with that pretty guitarist boy that caught your eye.

「 Camera Shy 」 | 14.4k @koqabear

“You’ve always tried to live an honest and responsible life; never spending money on anything ridiculous, scoffing at the things other people would be so willing to drop their paycheck on. But when life gets hard, you’re bound to give into your guilty pleasures, right?”

Hey Emo Boy! | 9.4k @koqabear

He worked at the Spencer’s store in the mall— you worked at the Claire’s store right in front. What can you say? Match made in heaven.

You Are My Queen Now | 194k @wildernessuntothemselves

Growing up as a child of a minor lord, you had it instilled in you since a young age that you needed to find yourself a rich and affluent husband that would not only provide a comfortable life for you, but would also help further your family’s position in the court. So it was of the utmost importance that you remain a virgin in order to land such a coveted husband. 

The problem lies when the man you secretly love, Prince Beomgyu, suddenly and unabashedly propositions you. 

Rare and Pure (cbg) | 21.5k @elix8r

“But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.“

- Patrick Rothfuss

Choi Yeonjun was the love of your life, the one you were unequivocally sure the Moon Goddess had chosen for you. His younger brother, Beomgyu, on the other hand, didn't even register on your radar as mate material. But fate, as it often does, had other plans. One night was all it took for your entire life to flip around as you found yourself accidentally mated to your childhood friend. Now, you're left grappling with the emotional wreckage of it all as you are not only struggling to feel the unbreakable connection that mates are supposed to share with Beomgyu, but you're also dealing with the harsh reality that your dreams of forever with Yeonjun will never come to fruition. It's a bitter pill to swallow, and it's forcing you to reevaluate your very sense of self. Your wolf clearly had some serious explaining to do.

idle town | c.bg + the city that never sleeps | c.bg

| 40k @petrichor-han

it’s always been beomgyu and (y/n), (y/n) and beomgyu. the two of them against the world... well, against the mean old cashier at the local grocery store anyways. (y/n) has always dreamed of leaving her small town and travelling the world, but beomgyu has always been more than comfortable in the only home he’s ever known. when (y/n) gets the option to finally live her dream and live in a big city hours away from their hometown, beomgyu has to choose between loving her and letting go.

brand new, full throttle! | 5.2k @hwangyu

beomgyu finds out you're the perfect way to get under his stepfathers skin.

모기 / MOGI — [c.bg]. | 14k @hannie-dul-set

in which all of your life, you and beomgyu have been stuck together like glue whether you liked it or not. and as much as you want to change that, life seems to have different plans.

Series

「 PRETTY PRINCESS 」 part IX ─ 'do you trust me?' @beomiracles

taking a wrong turn in the 4th dimension Beomgyu finds himself two centuries behind his own with no way back, though meeting a pretty princess like you, does not seem so wrong.

to know him is to love him, and i do | 9,8k @niningtori

you love beomgyu more than anything. you just wish he loved you, too. or you finally break up with beomgyu and move on, but as for him? maybe he's starting to realize too little too late.

[alwaysmicado]

save your tears

4.6k | 18+ MDNI | Dieter Bravo x f!reader

Warnings: dubcon (sex while high), alcohol & drugs, unprotected piv, rough sex, choking, loss of virginity, mention of blood, degradation/praise, hurt no comfort, mean!Dieter Summary: It’s your lucky night! Your favorite movie star, Dieter Bravo, picks you up at a club and takes you home. You don’t want to blow it by telling him you’re a virgin, do you? A/N: Never meet your heroes...and please don’t fuck Dieter Bravo raw without seeing a notarized STD test first. I’m super excited to share this fic with you and I really hope you’ll enjoy it!! Let me know your thoughts! ♥︎

Dieter Bravo masterlist ♡ main masterlist

Another kiss with a stranger, another fiery shot of tequila, another night immersed in the opulence of a luxurious club in the heart of Beverly Hills.

The pulsating beat of the music reverberates through the venue, drowning out any coherent thought. A sea of bodies sways in a synchronized rhythm, lost in the intoxication of the music, the free-flowing drinks, and the swirling lights.

You and your friends are no exception, caught up in the vibrant chaos of the dance floor, laughing and moving to the infectious energy of the night.

The tight dress you’ve chosen for the night clings to your every curve, a sleek fabric that accentuates the enticing contours of your body. Its deep, midnight black hue embraces you like a second skin, tracing the delicate curve of your breasts, descending sensuously over your torso, and accentuating the gentle swell of your hips.

As you move, the straps, delicate and barely there, become ethereal threads, caressing your skin with each sway and twirl on the dance floor. The dress’s neckline is daring, a subtle plunge that hints at mystery and allure, inviting the eyes to linger for just a moment longer.

Your choice of footwear is equally as captivating. The heels, sleek and strappy, elevate your posture and add a tantalizing sway to your every step. The ensemble not only looks exquisite but feels like a second skin. In this carefully chosen outfit, you feel an undeniable sense of confidence and allure – you feel like a goddess.

As the night progresses, and a few shots later, you find yourself losing inhibitions with each beat. The alcohol warms your veins, and the euphoria of the moment takes over. The atmosphere inside the club is charged with excitement, the air thick with the scent of perfume, sweat, and anticipation.

And then you see him.

Amidst the crowd, your gaze collides with a pair of intense, dark eyes that seem to cut through the chaotic haze. Recognition strikes you like a bolt of lightning – Dieter Bravo, the famous Oscar winner, stands at the fringes of the dance floor, his gaze fixed on you.

The look in his eyes is predatory, stirring desire deep within you. He gestures with a subtle nod of his head towards the exit, a silent command that sends your heart racing.

You excuse yourself to your friends, your words lost in the overwhelming discord of music and laughter. They barely register your departure, the night unfolding in a blur of colors and sound. The crisp air outside is a welcome contrast, a momentary escape from the heated chaos within.

You take a deep breath.

Before you know what’s happening, a strong pair of hands seizes you, pushing you against the cold exterior wall of the club. It’s Dieter, his eyes burning with desire as he takes in the sight of you. His words come out in a low, husky whisper that sends shivers down your spine.

“You’re so beautiful, baby, I couldn’t take my eyes off you,” he confesses, his breath hot against your ear. You’re trembling slightly as he pulls back a little to look into your eyes, one hand planted on the wall next to your head, the other gently cupping your hot cheek. His touch sends a jolt through your entire being and your skin tingles beneath his fingertips.

“Why don’t we take this party to a more private setting, hm? My place is just around the corner,” he murmurs, his gaze searching yours for a sign of rejection.

His proposition hangs in the air, a surreal moment that seems too fantastical to be real. Dieter Bravo, a man renowned for having his pick of any woman he desires, wants you to come home with him?

You hesitate for a fleeting moment, the thrill and exhilaration of the unexpected encounter mingling with a feeling of unease. Is this a good idea?

Oh, fuck it. 

With a breathless nod, you give in to the magnetic pull of his desire. You’re never gonna get a chance like this again in your life.

Dieter’s eyes flicker with satisfaction at your willingness and a self-assured smirk plays on his lips. “Smart choice, beautiful,” he murmurs, his voice low and seductive, intertwining with the rhythm of the music coming from inside.

With a confident yet gentle touch, he guides you to his waiting car, his warm palm resting on the small of your back.

His driver awaits, a stoic figure leaning against the passenger door with crossed arms, well-acquainted with the routine of escorting the renowned womanizer and his conquests. The man looks a few years older than Dieter, and as you approach, you can’t help but ponder the untold tales and silent observations this seasoned driver must harbor as living witness to the enigmatic world of his famous boss.

Dieter leans in to whisper something into the driver’s ear, a private exchange that ends with a wink and a grin directed at you. With a confident saunter, he rounds the car, slipping into the back seat from the other side.

“Good evening, Miss,” the driver greets you with a practiced courtesy, opening the back door and gesturing for you to step inside. In that fleeting moment, as he meets your gaze, you detect a subtle flicker of concern in his eyes, swiftly masked before you fully register its presence.

You swiftly dismiss the uneasy feeling that briefly fluttered within you and gracefully slide into the luxurious car, taking the seat beside Dieter. The plush interior envelops you, a cocoon of opulence that showcases the movie star’s wealth. As the door closes with a muted thud, the insulating quiet of the vehicle amplifies your anticipation.

The car ride is a blur of sensations.

Dieter pulls you onto his lap, his lips finding yours in a fervent kiss. His hands explore the contours of your body, a mix of escalating desire and urgency palpable in every touch. 

Glancing at the rearview mirror, the driver is a silent witness to a scene that unfolds with unsettling familiarity. Dieter’s reputation as a notorious womanizer is well-known, but the silent driver remains impassive, steering the car towards your destination.

“Fuck, baby,” Dieter whispers against your lips, his erection straining painfully against his pants. “You wanna sit on my cock right here or wait ‘til we’re home?”

You sensuously roll your hips, and he responds by squeezing your ass, a deep, guttural groan escaping his lips at the tantalizing friction.

“I want you to take me in your bed,” you purr, as the champagne and tequila flowing through your veins embolden you.

“Alright, beautiful,” he murmurs between sloppy kisses to your neck and jaw, his hand tracing the delicate skin of your shoulder before sliding down the strap of your dress with practiced ease. “I’ll give you anything you want.”

Every word Dieter utters, every caress of his hands, the heady scent of his cologne—the fact that your idol, a man larger than life, is currently drunk off your beauty—adds fuel to the intoxicating fire that courses through your body, making you acutely aware of the pulsating ache and growing wetness between your thighs.

You’ve never wanted to fuck anyone this badly.

Dieter slides down the other strap of your dress, the fabric yielding to his touch as he pulls it down, leaving it to pool around your waist and revealing your naked chest.

“Goddamn, your tits are perfect,” he whispers in awe, his hands tracing a delicate path from your shoulders down to your breasts, cupping one in each hand. “I almost forgot how good real ones feel.”

Your smile widens in response to his comment, relishing the sensation of Dieter Bravo praising your tits.

He massages them, softly at first, his touch a gentle prelude that gradually escalates in intensity as you wrap your arms around his neck, deepening your kiss, moaning against his lips. Your body responds eagerly, writhing on his lap, your swollen clit rhythmically rubbing against his hard bulge, each movement eliciting a wave of pleasure that has your eyes fluttering shut and your back arching.

Dieter leans in, spurred on by the movement of your body and your little moans of pleasure, pressing your tits together with a hunger that mirrors his escalating passion. His kisses are sloppy, a mixture of lust and possessiveness as he licks and sucks on your nipples, twirling his tongue around them.

The sensations alternate between pleasure and a tingling pain as he bites down, eliciting a desperate whimper from you that he hungrily absorbs by pressing his lips against yours once more. 

“This your first time fucking a real movie star, baby?” he murmurs, trailing kisses and bites down your sensitive neck.

Your head is spinning, and it takes you a few seconds to register what he just asked you. Even if it weren’t true, you’d be smart enough to stroke his famously big ego and tell him what he wants to hear. But, in this case, it is true.

“Yeah,” you breathe, your fingers tangled in his now-disheveled curls.

God, his hair is soft. The thought crosses your mind that being a millionaire must afford you great hair care. Just one of the perks of being one of the chosen ones, you muse with a smile.

“I promise you’ll be thinking of me every time you fuck someone else after I’m done with you, darling,” he smirks at you, satisfied with the fact he’s the first man of his stature you’ve experienced.

If he wasn’t already rock-hard before, he would be now.

You giggle and bite your lip, your dilated pupils telling Dieter everything he needs to know – you want him as badly as he wants you.

“I’ll hold you to that,” you purr, leaning in to suck and nibble on his neck while rolling your hips again.

“Oh shit,” he whispers, letting his head fall against the headrest and gripping your hips with his hands. “I knew you were a bad girl the second I saw you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Good girls don’t rub their needy little pussy on some stranger’s cock minutes after they met.” His breathing is strained, and he needs to concentrate hard to not come in his pants. “Good girls also don’t let me do a line off their perfect tits.” 

You pull back a little to look into his eyes, and he raises an eyebrow.

Against your better judgment, you nod, and he reaches into the right pocket of his pants to retrieve the biggest coke baggie you’ve ever seen. Goddamn, how does this guy get any acting gigs done if he does massive amounts of coke like this? His manager must be nothing short of a god.

“Push them together, baby,” he says, watching hungrily as you take your tits and press them together to create enough surface for him to put his powder on. “Fuck, that’s it.”

He pours a generous amount onto your skin, creating a line with his finger.

“You’re so fucking hot, baby,” he murmurs, planting a kiss on your warm lips. His gaze drops to the line of coke on your tits before he lowers his head, presses a finger on his right nostril, and inhales the powder in one swift motion.

The lewd, forbidden feeling of letting him do drugs off your body has your pussy clench around nothing. You’re beyond turned on.

“Phew!” He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “This is some primo shit, holy fuck. You wanna try?”

Dieter’s eyes find yours as he wipes his nose and tilts his head. “You’re never gonna find something this pure again.”

“Sure, why not,” you coo, succumbing to the excitement of the moment. One more bad decision’s not gonna kill you, right?

“Such a bad girl,” he murmurs with a smirk, then pours some coke on the back of his hand. He arranges it in a line for you and brings it closer to your face.

The fine white powder lies on his skin like a whisper of the night, and with a quick, controlled motion, you inhale. The sensation is immediate, a rush that starts from the point of contact and spirals into a heady euphoria. The sharp intensity sends a tingling sensation through your nostrils, a mix of heat and exhilaration.

In that fleeting moment, the world seems to shift.

The pulsating lights of the city take on a surreal glow, and the hum of the car’s engine becomes a rhythmic accompaniment to the rush coursing through your veins. The nightclub’s music, still echoing in your ears, melds with your newfound energy, creating a synesthetic experience that blurs the boundaries between the external world and your internal sensations.

You’ve never felt this much like yourself and not like yourself at the same time before—it’s surreal.

A tingling warmth radiates through your body, a sensation that is both invigorating and disorienting, like an electrifying surge that momentarily disconnects you from reality.

Dieter watches in real time as the coke takes effect and your pupils dilate further, your features signaling an intensified awareness of your surroundings.

“That’s it, baby,” you hear him purr before you feel his hand on the back of your neck, pulling you into a messy kiss.

You’re not entirely sure how you made it to Dieter’s bedroom.

– – –

His sheets are incredibly soft, some sort of luxurious fabric that feels heavenly against your naked skin. You’re clad only in your panties, lying on your back with Dieter on top of you, your legs spread to accommodate his hips. 

You hear music coming from a speaker somewhere in the room – he must’ve put it on when you got in. You moan as he kisses your neck, his warm tongue and lips tracing your skin, nibbling, biting, marking you. 

He props himself up with his forearms on the bed beside your head, the soft hair on his belly grazing against your skin with each rhythmic movement of his hips.

“Look at me, baby,” he tells you, breathless, eager to finally bury himself in your pussy. You open your bloodshot eyes, biting your lip at the delicious pressure he’s putting on your clit.

“Tell me you want me.”

He caresses your cheek, his fingertips leaving a tingling sensation on your hot skin. You nod in response and moan when his hard cock rubs against your sensitive clit once again.

“Hey,” he taps your cheek not so gently and bores his eyes into you. “Use your words.”

You’re startled, but a grin forms on your lips as your foggy brain registers what he’s asking.

“I want you, Dieter,” you coo, your nails digging into the meat of his ass. “I want you to fuck me.” His lips crash against yours in an instant, and you whisper, “Please,” against them as your mind drifts off into another realm again.

“Don’t worry, baby,” he murmurs as he straightens up to take off his boxer briefs. “I’m gonna give you exactly what you need.”

Your eyes follow the movement of Dieter’s hands, mesmerized, watching in slow motion as his cock springs free. Fuck. It’s a lot bigger than you’d imagined, and it’s so…beautiful. You wish he’d put it in your mouth for you to taste it, but since you can feel him pulling down your panties, you guess he’s gonna go straight to fucking your pussy.

You feel his hands on your thighs as he positions himself between your spread legs. Then, you watch as he spits on his hand and strokes his cock. You moan at the sight, wanting nothing more than for him to take you, to ravage you, to become one with you.

“Fuck, you’re so wet, baby,” he murmurs more to himself than to you, haphazardly swiping his fingers through your dripping wet folds. You can’t hold back the moan that escapes your lips when he brushes your clit.

He scoots closer, and you can feel the hairs on his thighs against yours as he guides the tip of his cock to your entrance. It’s warm, slippery, feels kinda nice. You close your eyes and turn your head.

This is it. You’re gonna have sex for the first time. 

And with none other than Dieter fucking Bravo – Oscar winner, movie star, womanizer extraordinaire. If you weren’t so out of it, you’d laugh at the ludicrousness of the situation.

He pushes in with one slow, deliberate thrust, savoring the feeling of each inch gradually disappearing into your body.

You inhale sharply, your breath catching at the initial discomfort of his cock stretching you. Your brow furrows in response, and you instinctively grip the sheets with your hands, a mix of pleasure and mild pain coursing through your body.

“Holy shit, your pussy’s tight,” Dieter groans, his hips stuttering at the sensation of being completely sheathed in you. “Feels so fucking good.”

He withdraws again just as you begin to acclimate to the girth of his cock inside you, leaving you whimpering at the sudden loss. Your hypersensitive system is so overloaded with sensations that it compels you to moan, whine, and writhe under his touch, uncertain of how to process everything you’re feeling and experiencing.

Dieter chuckles at your desperate little noises, more than ready to give you as much of his cock as he can, and to show you pleasure you didn’t know you were capable of.

If there’s one thing he takes pride in, it’s leaving his sex partners thoroughly satisfied, mind empty, covered in cum, and wanting more.

He spreads you open again in one smooth movement, your pussy eagerly devouring every inch. Pleased with your moans and the tight grip of your walls, he grabs your thighs and shifts his weight, pressing them against the mattress to penetrate you even deeper.

“Fuck,” is all you can get out as he sets a brutal pace, pushing your body up the bed repeatedly. His cock relentlessly strikes a deep spot within you, each thrust accompanied by the rhythmic slap of his balls against your ass.

“That’s it, baby. Take my fucking cock. Fuck, you’re the best slut I’ve had in a while.”

Dieter wants you to scream his name and come all over his cock. Sure. But he’s greedy and craves more than your physical surrender. He wants to etch his name into the very fabric of your desires, your being, a memory that will linger in your thoughts for the rest of your life.

The initial discomfort you’ve experienced slowly gives way to raw, carnal pleasure, a drug-induced dance of sensations that leaves you breathless. Dieter’s movements are harsh, designed to bring you to your limits, and you find yourself meeting his thrusts with an eagerness that surprises you.

The vast expanse of Dieter’s bedroom is filled with the intoxicating sound of your moans and smacking flesh, creating a dizzying symphony that envelops you in the throes of ecstasy.

“Look at me,” you hear him growl somewhere over you, and when you don’t budge, you feel his bruising grip on your jaw. “Hey, I’m not telling you again.”

You open your eyes, your eyelids so heavy you need to summon all of your strength to pry them open. Dieter’s face hovers close to yours, his breaths ragged, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, tracing a path down his temples.

His eyes are dark, hungry, dangerous. He gazes at you like he wants to devour you, to consume you wholly. You sense the intensity of his desire, and you’re more than ready to surrender to it.

You feel his hands tighten around your neck, the diminishing flow of oxygen to your brain heightening your senses even more. As your vision blurs and your pulse quickens, you’re caught in a paradoxical dance of ecstasy and fear, an exhilarating moment that pushes you to the brink.

Dieter deliberately hits your G-spot over and over again, his cock throbbing and leaking precum at your increasingly loud moans and spasming walls. 

“Is this what you wanted, huh?” he pants, intensifying the grip on your neck and the force of his thrusts. Instinctively, you start clawing at his arms. “What a sick little thing you are, getting off on me hurting you.” 

Your eyes roll back and you feel yourself slipping away as Dieter’s pelvis puts enough pressure on your clit to bring you closer to climax with every roll of his hips.

“Oh fuck,” you faintly hear Dieter’s voice, “you’re choking the shit out of me, holy–”

You don’t hear the end of his sentence as an abrupt, violent orgasm takes over your body and mind in waves. Your walls spasm and contract uncontrollably around Dieter’s cock, every single muscle in your body tensing as you release a silent scream, caught in a tumultuous mix of ecstasy and distress.

Dieter lets go of your neck and bites down on your shoulder as he comes, emptying himself deep inside you with a guttural groan. His cock pulsates as your pussy eagerly milks and swallows up every last drop of his seed. 

He pulls out of you and collapses onto the mattress, his chest heaving, heart racing, utterly spent. His cum leaks out of you, pooling on the sheets between your thighs.

The room is heavy with the lingering scent of sex as Dieter finally catches his breath. Sweat glistens on his forehead and chest, and his erratic breaths permeate the air. You lie there, silent and still, your body sore, and your mind in turmoil.

The reality of the moment slowly dawns on you – every heartbeat sobering you up a bit more, tangled emotions leaving you disoriented.

Shit. What have you done?

“That was…holy shit,” Dieter chuckles beside you as he props his head up on his hand.

His face falls immediately as he glances at the bloodstains on the sheets. His eyes widen in shock, and a pang of guilt hits him deep. He wasn’t gentle, and you never spoke up. The room is silent for a moment before he breaks it, his voice sharp and accusatory.

“You’re bleeding.” His eyes meet yours, and the storm within them is unsettling. Your heart beats rapidly, fear coursing through you. “Tell me this isn’t what I fucking think it is.”

You look away, a lump forming in your sore throat. “I...I didn’t expect it to hurt so much,” you admit, your voice barely audible.

“Oh my fucking god.” Dieter’s tone is harsh, his face contorted with a mixture of confusion and anger. He swiftly rises from the bed, the mattress shuddering under his abrupt departure. His pacing is agitated, a restless back-and-forth that adds to the already palpable tension between you two.

You sit up against the headboard and pull up the covers to shield yourself from the chilling air that envelops you. You’re shivering. 

“Why the hell didn’t you say something? Are you trying to ruin me?”

Your heart drops. “Wha–”

His accusations hang in the air, and the room feels suffocating. Deep down, Dieter knows he should feel remorse for his actions, but instead, he redirects his hurt feelings towards you. The drugs and alcohol coursing through his system amplify his irrationality and paranoia.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” His voice rises, echoing off the walls. “Is this some sick ploy to get your fifteen minutes of fame or some shit? To expose me?”

You’re left stunned, the whirlwind of pain, confusion, and the sting of betrayal clouding your mind. The vulnerability you shared just moments ago morphs into an uncomfortable reality, a hurtful reminder of what you were to him — a warm, nameless body he could fuck.

And now, you’re a nuisance at best, and a PR nightmare at worst. 

“Dieter, it’s nothing like that," you say, pleading, attempting to diffuse the escalating tension as the walls close in on the shattered remnants of a fun night. “I didn’t know how to tell you and…it’s not a big deal, I’m okay.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he shouts, shaking his head in frustration. “I wouldn’t have fucked you like that if I you’d told me you were–” he cuts himself off, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

The resentment in his gaze sends a shiver down your spine, making your blood run cold.

“Dieter–”

“Get the fuck out of my house.”

“Please, I’m sor–”

“Get the fuck out!” he roars, the anger in his eyes intensifying.

You immediately get up and scramble to get your clothes back on, your hands shaking. You grab your belongings, trying to maintain a shred of dignity as you hastily dress.

Dieter, seething with anger and regret, roughly hands you a wad of cash from his nightstand when you’re done. 

“Here, take this. Get a Plan B or whatever the hell you need, and keep your mouth shut.”

You stare at the money in your hand, then at the man who’s throwing you out in the middle of the night after taking your virginity. The bills are cold in your hand, and you crumple them up, throwing them back at him.

“I’m not your whore, Dieter. Go to hell!”

Heels in hand, you make your way past him and out the door. You don’t stop as he calls after you, his voice strained with genuine remorse.

“I’m sorry!”

He really is.

– – –

The cold night air hits you like a slap, tears blurring your vision as you stumble away from Dieter’s mansion, the weight of what just transpired inside heavy on your shoulders.

His hurtful words echo in your mind, the throbbing pain between your legs intensifying with every step you take. Your breath falters in the frigid air, and you clutch your arms tightly around you as you make your way toward the waiting car.

The driver, standing beside the sleek vehicle, regards you with a mixture of concern and pity. His eyes have seen this scene unfold countless times before – another half-naked girl leaving his boss’s home in disarray.

You hate the way he looks at you, as if he knows more about your vulnerability than you’re willing to admit.

He opens the car door for you, and you gratefully sink into the plush leather seat. The warmth inside the car is a stark contrast to the chill outside, but it does little to ease the ache spreading through your body.

The driver takes his place behind the wheel, stealing glances at you through the rearview mirror.

“Where can I take you to, Miss?” His voice is gentle, filled with a practiced sympathy that makes your stomach churn. You hesitate for a moment, wrestling with the words you don’t want to say.

“Home,” you finally mumble, offering your address with a numb detachment. It feels like a betrayal, a surrender of your secret world to this stranger who witnesses the aftermath of Dieter Bravo’s fleeting affections.

The car glides through the silent streets, and you find yourself staring out of the window, the city lights blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors.

Your head is spinning, and the pain in your body intensifies with each passing moment. Tears escape as you touch the bruises on your neck, tracing silent paths down your cheeks. You wipe them away with the back of your hand, hoping the darkness conceals your shame.

The driver glances at you in the mirror.

“Are you alright, Miss?” he asks, his tone a delicate inquiry into the depths of your distress.

“Just…drive me home, please,” you whisper, your voice cracking with the weight of unshed tears. You don’t want his pity, his judgment. You just want to escape the haunting echoes of what happened tonight.

But you know that will never happen. Dieter got his wish after all.

You will forever remember him.

– – –

♥︎ Thank you for reading!! ♥︎

Dieter Bravo masterlist ♡ main masterlist

[sarahsartistportfolio]

SAGAU: A Rumor Spreads

Xiao’s addition to this

Forewarn: female reader, reader is virgin, so sorry there is no spice in Xiao's chapter but he is yearning for us hard, I shamelessly use my own name in this piece but hey isn't that the point of a self indulgent fantasy

And there’s no stopping these nosy rumors once they start going. What happens when they reach the ear of…

Xiao

“The goddess Sarah? A virgin? But she must be over thousands of years old?”

Xiao almost chokes on his sip of tea as he overhears the words spoken by two traders at Wangshu inn. He quickly regains his composure and although he’s tempted to just get up and walk away from this mendacious gossip about you, something completes him to stay. 

“I can't imagine going that long without any. Hmm I wonder…do you think she’s accepting consorts to share her bed?”

The two men laugh and the look Xiao casts them over his shoulders is nothing short of pure disgust. 

He hates it. Although he mostly avoids people, now when he does come within close enough range he has to listen to their dishonorable gossip about you.

He hates it because he knows you. He sees you, without delay, every time you are in Liyue. 

He knows your favorite tea, knows the sounds of your footsteps, knows that you fidget with your necklace when you’re nervous, knows that you are lonely.

Disgusting. He thinks as he overhears the townsfolk talk about such an intimate part of you. 

Do these rumors surprise him? Hmm mostly yes. Because while Xiao does know you to be reserved and shy he does see you as otherworldly beautiful. When you spoke about being human in your past life he naturally assumed someone like you must have had admirers fawning at your feet. 

So to think all this time you’ve been alone like him

He’s nervous to see you again. You’ve been away in Inazuma but you’ll be back soon, at his side. 

Surely he can just…pretend he hasn't heard these rumors. Feign ignorance for your sake.

“Sarah’s ship has arrived back from Inazuma earlier. Aren’t you going to greet her?”

But Xiao has no response for Zhongli.

There you are again, the same night you arrive back in Liyue you waste no time. There you are on the terrace of Wangshu Inn waiting for your adeptus. He can see you from miles away, leaning over the railing, white shawl wrapped tightly around your shoulders from the cool air. 

“Be careful.'' He speaks as he teleports and approaches you from behind.

Your eyes immediately light up when you see him, the way you say his name feels like a caress. 

“Xiao!”

He wears his usual stern expression with arms crossed.

“How was your trip?”

It's strange how freely and openly he talks around you. He doesn't know why. When the two of you are around each other it's like two introverts become extroverts.

He sits at the table that stands outside on the terrace. That was put there by you, so you two could enjoy tea together in privacy. 

You pour him a blend of Inazuman tea that you’ve brought back with you, as you recount your trip to the land of eternity.

Maybe Xiao can avoid the awkward topic of the rumor floating around. 

“...I know you must have heard the rumors Xiao.” 

Or maybe not

He stutters, golden cat like eyes widening at you for a second before turning his now red face away from you. 

“I-I’ve heard no such things.” He responds way too quickly.

You suppress a giggle as you tilt your head a bit trying to get a look at his flustered face.

“It's ok Xiao, although having something so private talked about is embarrassing.” You lean back in your chair, hands fidgeting with each other in your lap.

“If it's you, I don't mind if you know.”

His heart skips a beat, as he shyly brings his gaze back to your face. Or at least he tries to, occasionally glancing at your glass tea cup.

“I mean by the way I act around you, you probably already concluded that I have no relationship experience.” 

No I haven’t. You are far too exceptional to have not been taken already.

“But um…” You pull your shawl tighter around your shoulders, hands moving to rest around the hot tea cup to warm your fingers.

“This, this information, it doesn't change how you see me right?”

He catches the anxiousness in your voice. 

“No never.”

Again he answers uncharastically quickly. Like you have a string tied around his heart that you pull. His gaze meets your eyes and although the top of his cheeks are pink his gaze is unwavering as he spoke those words.

The smile you return to him stalls his breath in his lungs.

“I’m glad, that’s reassuring.”

….(small time skip to when you two have finished your tea idk how to convey this lol)

“I’ll stay with you tonight as you fall asleep.” 

“Awww.”

What to do. What to do. The phrase excruciatingly heavy at the back of his mind. You’ve long since fallen asleep. He stands over the side of your bed, lost in thought looking over your peaceful figure. You’re just…exceeding his expectations of what he believed the creator to be. He doesn’t deserve you. He does not. And yet he subconsciously finds his hand drifting towards your face, just barely brushing over your hair. You do not stir. Like you welcome his presence even in your sleep.

He can’t have someone like you. He was never meant for that. Your heart is too pure. It's like the physical world is reminding him of his thoughts as a wisp of green smoke curls down from his arm and touches your hair. Xiao immediately retracting his hand. If all he can be is a blade to protect you then so be it. If sharing a cup of tea and listening to you recount your day brings a smile to your face, he will allow it. But to dare wish for more than that is not his place. It's painful, as he prepares to leave your room, looking at Dihua Marsh from your window. Every instinct in his body begging to look back at you one more time. Its painful, he tells himself, but he can shoulder it just as he’s done many times before. 

Would this new information change anything? No, not really. 

Becomes a little more protective of you(if that’s even possible). Oh but unlike Cyno he does now actively try to dissuade you from entering a romantic relationship, mostly with mortals. 

In the sense he’ll say things like,

“Don’t trust them.” “They’re just using you.” and maybe a tender “In the end you’re just going to end up getting hurt…and I don't want to see that.”

!! Oh but like I said above he would find it extremely disrespectful to find anyone talking about you in a sexual way(even if that other person was actively your own partner) 

Like literally in the most threatening sharpest tone ever “Do not speak of such undeferential matters concerning our god in my presence.”

110% that character that does not tolerate blasphemy spoken about you. Will defend you verbally even when you’re not there. 

[daily-rayless]

Dionysus and Ariadne, after Ariadne has been abandoned by the hero Theseus and discovered by the god of revels.

One thing I learned in my research over the past months was that while people tend to think of ancient Greek women worshiping goddesses like Artemis, Demeter, or Hera, Dionysus was actually a (male) god of women. And while I'm not going to argue that his wild rites were totally safe and positive, it feels very significant that they were some of the few opportunities Greek women had to enjoy a measure of freedom.

Now, taking things out of the realm of actual worship and into the myths and lore surrounding the gods, another thing I learned is that the gods most honored by the ancient Greeks -- Zeus and Apollo -- were the two who most often violated and hurt women. Even Athena, goddess that she is, sided with men against women.

But Dionysus is different. While my research didn't account for every legend about him, these two quotes from scholar Sarah B Pomeroy stood out to me.

When speaking of goddesses rescuing human men, she notes:

"With the exception of the rescue of Ariadne by Dionysus, we do not find the reverse situation of a male god going out of his way to aid a mortal female."

And:

"the sole divine exception to male dominance and exploitation of mortal females was Dionysus … Dionysus rescues [Ariadne], marries her, and remains a faithful husband. Dionysus, of course, was a popular rather than an aristocratic god."

As I said, I don't know enough to confidently claim that there are no legends of Dionysus ever stepping out on Ariadne, though I can tell you that ancient Greek husbands were expected to sleep around, as long as their partners were slaves or sex workers. So Dionysus' fidelity, or at least relative fidelity, is remarkable.

What also stands out to me about the Dionysus-Ariadne story is that Ariadne has been abandoned by Theseus, implying, to me at least, that she's no longer a virgin when Dionysus finds her. In the ancient Greek world, this makes her far less attractive as a bride. But it doesn't seem to bother him.

[tarantula-hawk-wasp]

The scene from the Odyssey that lives the most rent free in my head is when he gets shipwrecked and Athena gives him a makeover and he’s like naked except for a branch and he needs to approach Nausicaa and her girlies playing catch in the stream while bathing and he needs to establish that he’s aware of how bad this looks but he’s not a threat to her so he blatantly and effusively compares her to Artemis to make clear that she is in the role of untouchable Virgin goddess and he is no threat to her.

It’s just a fascinating interaction and meshes so well with the power of epithets and titles and analogies in Greek Epic, not just in the description of scenes but even in the dialogue and how the characters think. It’s also interesting to see Odysseus self aware of how uncomfortable this meeting is for both of them and mitigating it through mythic comparison

[gotstabbedbyapen]

Remember the sister trio? Well here are some headcanons about them!

Athena is the responsible oldest sis, Persephone is the funky middle sis, and Artemis is the wild youngest sis.

They are childhood best friends, raised together in Sicily. Demeter looked at two rowdy girls, said, "Yep, they will be good companions with my daughter", and adopted them.

Compared to the trio Apollo - Hermes - Dionysus, they are pretty tame... in front of the elder Olympians.

Persephone introduced bio-warfare to Athena and Artemis. She was the one who suggested they rubbed poison on the tip of their weapons to increase damage.

Athena will be sitting in the garden and reading her wisdom books, while Artemis and Persephone are dancing like monkeys in the background.

Athena always scolds Artemis and Persephone for not having any table manners. The next day, she sees them eating with THEIR FEET ON THE TABLE.

Athena and Artemis always visit Persephone's grove for refreshment after their battles/hunts.

Athena and Artemis usually have playful sparring that can get intense fast. Persephone has to sit aside with a first-aid every time they "practice".

Athena is low-key jealous that Artemis and Persephone still have mothers (Metis was eaten by Zeus). But don't worry, Leto and Demeter doted on her just as much.

Persephone keeps olive and cypress leaves with her, as they were Athena and Artemis' sacred plants.

Artemis is still salty that Persephone never became a virgin goddess like her and Athena because Persephone had already fallen head over heels for Aphrodite.

Artemis: But why???

Persephone: *sitting on Aphrodite's lap* Sorry girl, but I can't pass up those titties.

One time the male gods propose to Persephone as a joke, Artemis freaks out because her brother is hitting on her best friend!!! Persephone eventually turned them all down, but Artemis keeps a close eye on Apollo for an entire month just in case.

When Persephone was kidnapped, Athena and Artemis witnessed it. They tried to tell Demeter, but Zeus shushed them. They had to reluctantly obey their father.

As Demeter grieved and walked the earth in search of her daughter, Athena and Artemis were on Olympus convincing Zeus to help her and Persephone. He listened to neither.

It wasn't until Demeter's grief caused winter in the Mortal Realm, that Athena finally talked sense into Zeus.

After returning Persephone was so traumatized that she shunned herself from everyone except Demeter. Athena and Artemis tried to visit her, but she never came out to meet them.

It took Persephone a whole year before she could open up again with her best friends. Athena and Artemis never left her side on her journey to heal.

Athena and Artemis had a short feud during the Trojan War since Athena favored the Greeks and Artemis aided the Trojans. Persephone was neutral, so she stood in the middle to make sure they didn't fight each other.

When Hera beat Artemis into oblivion, Athena felt bad for her and comforted Artemis later on.

Persephone created the Golden Delicious to tease Athena about that one time she fought two other goddesses over the Golden Apple.

[kittyt-hexxed]

Conquered

Yandere!Goddess!Ambessa x Virgin!Priestess!Reader

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: Dub-Con, Possessive behavior, Owner/Pet, Bondage (Chains), Face fucking, Crying/Saliva, Choking, Collar & Leash, Sadism/Masochism, Nudity, Womb Tattoo, Alcohol, Rough strap-on use, Vaginal bleeding, “breaking the hymen”, Loss of virginity, Talk of murder, finding your friend’s dead body, jealousy leads to someone’s death, attempted poisoning, blood, religious stuff

Summary: As a newly pledged Priestess, you’re given the day to bond with your Goddess and talk about what your new job will entail. Ambessa’s quick to take you into her hands and show you the things war takes from people - their innocence.

Author Note: This is not proofread. Not at all. I’m sorry this took so long, it’s been chaos and I’m about to pass tf out. After one more one-shot this week, I’ll be on a two week break!

You can still feel your heart pounding in your chest from your ceremony. You were warned that choosing a patron was a very intense moment, but you didn’t think it’d be that intense! Waiting for Goddess Ambessa to accept or deny your pledge felt like an eternity. You knelt in the middle of the Mirror Pool, water soaking into your white dress, as you held your breath waiting for the water to change colors. It didn’t help that the other Priestesses had broken out into whispers when you declared who you’d wish to serve. You knew they were confused by your decision, and you’d be explaining your choice to them later.

Ambessa is the Goddess of War. She was known to be one of the fickle Goddesses when it came to her Priestesses. They had to keep her entertained or she’d grow bored of them and their service to her. Your heart had stopped beating when you watched the water turn blood red, showing that the Goddess had accepted you. It reminded you of the day you found Piper dead in the fountain room, her body slashed and blood mixed with the purified waters. You screamed so loud that you strained your voice and couldn’t speak properly for a week. The other Priestess had ushered you away from the scene, consoling you in your hysterical state, and explaining what had happened to your best friend. Piper’s patron had evicted her, as evident from her blood-stained white dress, and she had done something that incensed the Goddess. It was not common for someone from the Pantheon to kill their Priestesses, but it did happen over the decades. Piper, unfortunately, became one of them.

You felt called to the Temple of the Isthmus - same as all the others here - which is how you ended up joining your sisters. You had never imagined you’d become a Priestess and leave your acolyte days behind, but the memory of Piper’s body had sat with you for months. You couldn’t help but feel as though it was something you were meant to see. Tending to the fountain was your job: purifying the waters, caring for the plants, keeping the marble clean, and spiritually cleansing anyone who came seeking it. You were a magicborn with the ability to sense the energy fields in the human body and that aids you in your work. Except, you couldn’t forget the feeling of terror in the air that Piper had felt before her death. What had she been doing in the fountain room so early in the morning? You were the second one to arrive in the mornings after your friend, Kira, another acolyte who tended to the temple offering chambers. So, Piper was here hours before she normally came in. But, why?

The thoughts had eaten away at you and Ambessa had remained without a Priestess the entire time. All of those questions lead you to that moment. Now, you were Ambessa’s Priestess and that filled you with trepidation and curiosity. Those two feelings had followed you all the way to her private chambers, water still dripping off of your dress when you stop outside of the ornate doors. You weren’t allowed to dry off. Your patron will change your dress and mark you as hers when you enter her private chambers. Drying off would prove that you do not need the patron you pledged yourself to, and that would be disrespectful. You don’t want to get on the Goddess’ bad side before you even formally meet each other.

You take a deep breath before you knock and push the door open. Your eyes widen and you let out a small gasp as you take in the room. The walls were covered in a mixture of fine art and depictions of great battles. Mounted on the wall is a beautiful spear and an interesting-looking blade of some kind. You knew nothing about the weapons that your Goddess uses, but it interests you.

The room itself felt as though you were standing in the temple’s reception hall. A large domed ceiling, sparkling gold trim, and white marble flooring did not give off the sense of a Warlord. It was elegant, but perhaps the Goddess herself is elegant in her own way. You’ve caught glimpses of her conversing with Piper over the years, even walked in on the occasional… compromising position. You chose to keep your mouth shut on that, only bringing it up when Piper told you about it outside of the temple. She had given you a mischievous smile and teased you about it, making your face turn red. At least, that’s what it felt like. You hated to admit it, but you were a bit of an innocent woman. You’ve never had a relationship, much less had sex with someone. You knew about it. Piper talked extensively about kinks and whatnot, but you’ve never experienced it.

“Marvelous, isn’t it?” That deep, rich voice you’ve only heard in passing purrs from behind you. With a startled squeak, you whirl around to see the Goddess lounging on her bed with a glass of red wine in her hand. ‘Has she been here this whole time?! Have I already disrespected her?!’ You drop down to your knees, shame flooding through you as you try to fight back tears. There’s a strict protocol to these things and you were horrified that you might’ve just screwed it all up.

“None of that.” Your breathing hitches when you feel her fingertips under your chin, tilting your head up to look at her, “You have not disrespected me. Do not be ashamed of yourself.” The Goddess is a sight to behold. Her skin is marked with scars, but they only add to her beauty. You find yourself entranced by her, speechless as she meets your eyes and the words can’t leave your mouth.

“I-I…” Your voice fails you, making her chuckle.

“Come. Stand.” She guides you to your feet, her fingers still underneath your chin and making your skin tingle. Your stomach flips when you realize that she’s massive. Ambessa towers over you like a mountain, clearly over a foot taller than you. Her very muscular physique does nothing to help with it, only making you feel tiny in comparison to her.

“You are my Priestess, Y/n. Aren’t you supposed to say something to me?” Ambessa gives you a teasing smile that makes your legs go weak.

“Ah- Y-Yes.” You take a step back, brushing down your dress as you let her hand fall away from you. ‘I had this whole thing prepared, and things are not going according to plan.’ You clasp your hands in front of you and bow deeply, “My Goddess, it is an honor to be chosen by you to be your Priestess. Waiting for your response felt like an eternity, and I am relieved you accepted me. I beg of you to claim me so that all who lay their eyes on me know I am yours. As such, I vow to uphold your image and serve you in every way that you see fit.”

“Do you?” Ambessa raises an eyebrow, “Do you truly wish to serve me in every way I demand? Would you accept every order I give you even though you don’t know what your service entails?”

“Yes, Goddess Ambessa.” You respond, feeling curious. Piper never spoke about any jobs that Ambessa gave her. In fact, she told you that the deity didn’t give her any so you were wondering what you’d be doing.

“Then, I shall claim you.” Ambessa nods, turning and striding towards the bed, “Come.” You find yourself mindlessly following her to the bed. She has you stop at the end of it and turn to her as you nervously smooth down your dress under her appraising gaze. You didn’t know what was to come as you can’t sense the aura coming from the Goddess. Your abilities don’t work on divinity.

“Kneel where you are.” Ambessa says, “Hands behind your back.” You follow her orders, jolting when you feel something enclose your wrists. You turn to see that your hands are cuffed to the end of the bed with long chains. ‘What? What does this have to do with claiming me?’ You furrow your brow.

“My Goddess… is this… necessary?” You hesitantly ask. You feel so tiny now that you’re kneeling on the floor and looking up at her. It sends a shiver up your spine when you realize that you’re at crotch-level, so you try hard to keep your eyes on her face.

“Tell me, pet. What’s the one thing war takes from an individual?”

“Most of the people caught up in a war lose their lives.” You answer.

“That’s true.” Ambessa undoes her belt, the clinking sound drawing your gaze, “But, not correct. You see, pet. War takes people’s innocence, in more than one way. And what better way to teach you than to show you, hm?” Your breathing hitches as her hand dips into her pants, pulling out a thick, black strap.

“Teach me?” You squeak pathetically, eyes widening as her words settle in, “M-My Goddess, I’m a virgin. I’ve never-!” You gasp as you’re suddenly yanked forward, blinking in surprise at the leash intertwined with her fingers. You can feel the collar around your neck, tight enough to know that it’s there but loose enough to breathe comfortably.

“I am aware, Y/n.” Ambessa’s eyes are dark with something akin to lust, as she pulls you closer to the head of the strap, “And I intend on taking it for myself.” Your lips brush against the strap, and in the next second it’s being forced past them. The taste of the silicone on your tongue distracts you for a moment only to be forgotten as you gag around it. It presses to the back of your throat, making you gag and attempt to pull back from it. Unfortunately, the grip Ambessa has on your leash keeps you right where she wants you.

“Struggling?” You hear her chuckle darkly, “Don’t worry, it’ll get easier.” She pulls back and you’re able to take in some air before she thrusts back into your mouth. You choke, feeling it get forced down down your throat and it burns. Your eyes tear up as you choke and struggle to get a breath in. She fucks your throat, forcing the strap down to the base and making the aching in your throat worse.

You’re shocked about the position that you’re in, but more so about the burning between your legs. If your underwear wasn’t wet from the Mirror Pool, you’d be soaking them. The way she was using your throat, making tears roll down your cheeks and cause saliva to drip down your chin, did something for you. You weren’t sure what it was, but it made your body feel hot.

When she completely pulls the strap from your mouth, it slips from your lips with a pop and a strand of your saliva. You pant, taking in ragged breaths as the burning in your throat demands your attention. Except, you’re being guided to your feet by the hand holding your leash. The chains rattle, falling away as you’re walking backwards until your knees hit the bed and you fall back. A soft grunt leaves your lips and you watch with wide eyes as your clothing vanishes and leaves you naked. All you have on is the collar around your neck. The warmth of your body does nothing to stop a shiver. ‘I’m completely exposed to her.’ You blush heavily, knowing that no one has seen you this vulnerable before. She takes your wrists and your arms are restrained above your head instead.

“I’m the first to lay eyes on such a gorgeous body.” Ambessa purrs, sweeping her hand over the swell of your breast, down your body and stopping at your abdomen.

“Now where to put my mark on you…” She moves slightly higher than your abdomen, tapping an area of your skin with a smirk, “Here will do. Right above your womb.” You gasp, arching your back off of the bed as a searing pain flares under her finger. You can feel each individual letter of her name tattooing into your skin. ‘A.M.B.E.S.S.A.’ A mark that will remain on your body for as long as your service lasts.

You feel her leave a kiss over it, confusing you, but you’re not able to think on it further. Ambessa opens your legs and steps between them, holding you by your thighs as her strap presses against you. Your lips part to say something when you remember that you can’t. Ambessa had fucked your throat raw and saying anything would be impossible. You could only hope that she gives you something for it when she’s done with you.

“Don’t worry.” Ambessa coos, “I won’t be so rough with you right away.” Is the only warning she gives you. Your mouth opens in a silent gasp as she pushes into your tight pussy. It’s uncomfortable and slightly painful as your walls stretch to accommodate her girth. You take in some deep breaths as she stops, trying to get used to the feeling of something so big inside of you. She rubs your thighs as she waits, a small mercy for what you’re anticipating to come.

A groan leaves your lips as Ambessa starts moving, a few gentle thrusts to get you used to the feeling. ‘Ah, fuck. This feels so good.’ You think to yourself, the pleasure sending tingles up your spine. You relax into it regardless of the ache in your throat. Ambessa praises you softly and you’re almost lulled into a sense of calm… before you hear her chuckle.

“I’m being softer with you than I should be.” Ambessa’s eyes shine with amusement as she leans down to kiss you, “That won’t be the case any longer.” You cry out as she thrusts faster, your hands curling and uncurling into fists as she does. With a hard thrust you feel something pop, the pain from it making you breathless as the Goddess bottoms out.

“This pussy is mine. Do you understand me, pet? Not yours. Mine.” Ambessa growls, powerful thrusts rocking your body. You can only frantically nod, moans falling from your lips as you’re fucked senseless. The pain had dissolved into pleasure quite quickly and you were overwhelmed with it. You’ve never felt anything like this before, and the snap of this Goddess’ hips are brutal. There’s no breather from the amount of pleasure she’s sending through your body. Along with that, she’s saying things that make your head spin.

“I’m the only one who can touch you like this.”

“Your tight little pussy was made for me.”

“I own you.”

“You’re my pet, who I am free to do whatever I please to.”

“You’ve pledged your life to me.”

Your mind was too fuzzy to realize that your orgasm was teetering on the edge, but Ambessa was well aware. Your first orgasm crashed through you violently, forcing a scream out of you and making the pain in your throat worse. But, Ambessa didn’t stop. She wouldn’t stop until she was satisfied with using your body. By the time she did, your thighs were trembling. In your dazed state, you notice some redness on her strap but you disregard it.

Ambessa wastes no time in cleaning up, wrapping you up in a blanket and holding you close to her chest. She has you sit up and coaxes you into drinking something that helps with your throat. When you finish the liquid, she cuddles you and you find yourself fighting sleep as she runs a hand through your hair. But, the exhaustion in your body wins and you succumb to it.

“Wake up, pet. You must eat.” You feel Ambessa’s fingers caressing your face, slowly pulling you out of your sleep. The throbbing between your legs makes you whine but your throat is thankfully not hurting anymore. You slowly sit up, accepting a plate of food from your patron. She insists on feeding you, so you let her as you blush at the action. There are a few kisses exchanged in the process, reminding you that Ambessa has taken your first… everything.

“Piper’s death was meant for you to see.” Ambessa says casually, wiping a droplet of strawberry juice from your lip.

“W-What?” You freeze, everything flooding back to you. The reason you got so fascinated with the War Goddess in the first place. Piper.

“I know you’ve been wondering what happened. Piper’s dead because she went against me. I’ve become enamored with you, my Priestess.” Ambessa gazes at you with a dark adoration, “Piper spoke highly of you, laughing at your innocence, and ranting about your dedication to your work. How could I not fall for you? I’ve watched you bless dozens of people and bring them a peace of mind, not charging for a penny. I see a lot of the horrors of the world as the Goddess of War. But, you? Watching you has brought me a small moment of peace.”

“What did… What did Piper do?” You ask quietly. ‘She’s in love with me? A Goddess? THE Goddess of War is in love with me?’ You’re surprised by her confession, even after what transpired earlier.

“She was going to poison you. The stupid girl.” Ambessa scoffs, making you tense, “She realized that you had my attention and took action herself. Of course, as the Goddess of War, I knew of her plan. I struck her down before she could put it in the water.”

“You killed her because she…” Your voice fails you. Your best friend at the temple was going to kill you. She was going to kill you because you caught the attention of her patron. The thought made tears spring into your eyes and Ambessa’s hold on you tightens.

“You are mine.” Ambessa whispers, “Anyone who tries to take you will end up dead. No one can love and care for you like I can. Who can hold a candle to a Goddess of my caliber?” Her lips brush against yours and the tears fall out. You lost your best friend from something as silly as jealousy. It was foolish to think that your patrons wouldn’t be interested in others. Pledging to a deity meant that you accepted every part of them, choosing to serve them until something happens. Piper would have rather lost you than left her patron.

“I do have affections for you.” You swallow nervously, “Although, I squashed them knowing that it wouldn’t be right since my best friend was your patron.”

“So those lingering gazes weren’t by accident.” Ambessa raises an eyebrow, making your face heat up. ‘Of course she saw me lingering when I caught sight of her.’ You groan internally.

“No, my Goddess.” You say flusteredly, “I do have feeling for you.”

“Good.” Ambessa smirks, grabbing a hold of your collar, “You’re not going anywhere. No matter how you beg me, I will never release you from this contract. You are my conquest and now that I have you… you’re mine forever.”

[syrupsyche]

Enjolras as a reverse Galatea (and as Remedios the Beauty!)

Reading the Les Mis letters as well as @cliozaur 's points on how Hugo keeps making Enjolras prettier and prettier as the barricades go on made me realise that Enjolras is basically a reverse Galatea.

Galatea, if one doesn't know, is the statue from the myth of Pygmalion. She comes to life after her sculptor Pygmalion falls in love with his creation, and prays for the goddess Aphrodite to bring her to life, thus transforming her from marble to flesh and blood.

Enjolras, in contrast, goes from life to...well, un-life? He becomes less human and more heaven-like/statue-esque as the chapters progress; here's just a snippet of his gradual changes:

Prepping the barricade:

"his beautiful, austere face" (4.12.3)

"said the handsome Enjolras" (4.12.7)

The execution of Le Cabuc (4.12.8):

"Enjolras' cold, white face"

"with bare neck and dishevelled hair, and his woman’s face"

"His dilated nostrils, his downcast eyes, gave to his implacable Greek profile that expression of wrath and that expression of Chastity"

"His virgin lips closed"

Afterwards:

"fresh and rosy in the growing whiteness of the dawn" (5.1.3)

"his blond locks fell back like those of an angel on the sombre quadriga made of stars, they were like the mane of a startled lion in the flaming of an halo" (5.1.4)

The killing of the artillery sergeant (5.1.8):

 "a tear trickled slowly down Enjolras’ marble cheek."

Enjolras goes from simply being "beautiful" and "handsome" to being compared to angels, the dawn and, of course, marble- a perfect, reverse Galatea. It also isn't surprising that many of his physical changes happen when Enjolras does something that brings him closer to condemnation- killing Le Cabuc and the artillery sergeant, for instance. As I've mentioned in the tags of cliozaur's post once, the closer Enjolras is to death, the more unreal he becomes. He, as Galatea's opposite, slowly transforms into something so unreal and heavenly that there is no other option for him at the end of this fight but to quit life altogether, and return to the heavens.

A similar comparison would be Remedios the Beauty from Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. Remedios was so beautiful that her looks would cause men to kill themselves; she "was not a creature of this world", instead, she was a "creature of exceptional purity" and did not seem to know or care about anything regarding love or sex (Sounds familiar?). In the end, her beauty had bloomed so much and so dangerously that she began to rise into the air and quite literally ascended to heaven.

Though she's not quite the revolutionary leader like Enjolras, interestingly enough Remedios was also described to be "as if she’s come back from twenty years of war", similar to Enjolras' glance that looked as though "he had already, in some previous state of existence, traversed the revolutionary apocalypse" (3.4.1). Both Remedios and Enjolras are also surrounded by death (Remedios and the men who killed themselves for her; Enjolras and the men whom he killed), and both become so pure and chaste that they can no longer exist on earth and instead, must leave it altogether.

[mask131]

Some people are very confused about why, in the myth of the Judgement of Paris, the three goddesses who fall for the Apple of Discord trick are Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. They usually understand why Aphrodite and Hera would fall for the trick of "the most beautiful" - one is the goddess of love, sexuality, romance and beauty ; the other is the queen of the goddesses. But when it comes to Athena, they tend to have a hard time seeing the goddess of wisdom, war, peace, intelligence and virginity get enroled into a "I'm more beautiful than you" petty feud.

... Except it is very much in line with her character, and yes, these three deities are in classical mythology the most vain of the goddesses.

Now, I will here use both Greek and Roman example mixed together because I do not have time to do a thorough split and explanation for everything - so rather let us take an overview of the goddesses' legends as a whole, throughout the centuries.

Aphrodite is vain, this is something that has been established regularly. She is a being of seduction and love, she is the most beautiful of the goddesses since birth and if it wasn't enough she had her husband create a magical belt for her that makes her attractive to anyone who sees her (a husband she cheated on with one of the worst gods of Greek mythology just because said husband was ugly and the other god was hot. Hated but hot.)

One version of Echo's legend has Pan's unrequired love for her caused by Aphrodite as a punishment for not giving her the "most beautiful" award (and turned the other contestant who won into a shark). Aphrodite persecuted Psyche because she was said to be more beautiful than her. Myrrha was cursed by Aphrodite to fall in love with her father because her mother claimed she was more beautiful than the goddess. And there's a lot of other tales like that - so it is well established that not only is Aphrodite the most beautiful goddess, she makes al lot of efforts to stay that way and will be VERY angry if anyone refuses her this title (sounds a bit insecure if you ask me but what do I know?)

If we go to Hera, we have again a certain case of pride and a status to be held. Hera is renowned for her beautiful eyes (the famous "cow-eyes" which no, are not an insult, but were an Ancient Greek compliment, because cow-eyes were deemed to be beautiful), and she is the queen of the gods, Zeus' eternal queen, THE first goddess among them all. That's a certain status to hold - and since she is known to have a bad temper, this comes of as a form of vanity and jealousy. The fact Herakles was named Herakles, "the glory of Hera", was precisely in an attempt to appease the goddess' wrath by appealing to her with flattery (turns out it didn't work). Remember: when Zeus had children of his own, without female help, such as Athena (or rather when it looked like he produced Athena on his own), Hera got pissed off because she saw this as a personal offense and tried to have a child of her own without Zeus just to prove him she could do it too (and the result was always disastrous, ranging from Hephaistos to FRIGGIN TYPHON).

This also ties into the whole idea of Hera persecuting Zeus' lovers and "bastards" out of jealousy. Note that she does not persecute ALL of Zeus' lovers, nor does she persecutes all of his extra-marital children... She always picks up those that Zeus seems to favor. That's how it all started with Herakles: Zeus was boasting about how he was going to shower his son with great gifts and a glorious destiny and all that, and Hera wouldn't have that. But she did not persecute Herakles' mother in any way... Just the son that Zeus clearly favoritized. And it becomes VERY obvious Hera's jealousy is not just related to a case of "cheating" in the case of Leto. Hera persecuted Leto for bearing Zeus' children and being deemed more beautiful than her by Zeus... When the myths are clear that Leto was Zeus companion (and possible wife) BEFORE Hera married Zeus. Before this whole story became another one of Zeus' cheating cases, this was a tale of Hera, unmarried to Zeus yet, simply being jealous of Leto being deemed more beautiful than her.

So this was all quite well established... But what about Athena, then, you ask?

Athena is also vain. I am sorry to announce it to you, but all the goddesses of Ancient Greeks have a flaw in myths (not in religion though, in religion all the goddesses are perfect and benevolent, but in legends and texts they are human-like with flaws and vices), and Athena's personal vice is vanity. The whole Arachne myth has sometimes been interpreted as a manifestation of Athena's personal pettiness, as in she cannot stand that someone is better than her at weaving. (It is a bit complicated since as I said before the legend of Arachne is purely Roman not Greek but I also told you I was going to mix Roman and Greek today so you have been warned). Even outside of the legend of Arachne, there is the legend of the flute - how Athena invented the first flute, but then cast it away and cursed it because when she played it, she looked ugly and people mocked her. This is probably the most famous legend about her vanity. And as I posted a long time ago - while this version of Medusa's legend was mostly lost to time because we lack the text, and it was preserved in scholia, we know that by Classical Greece the legend of Athena turning Medusa into a monster was quite popular... but it was all about Medusa being more beautiful than Athena, hence her being turned into a monster.

There's also a legend of a Meropis turned into an owl for mocking Athena's eye-color...

Anyway! Conclusion, it makes sense in the wider scope of Greco-Roman mythology to have these three goddesses be the one to fall for Eris' scheme, because they are the three most vain Olympian goddesses. Now it would have been weird if the candidates would have been, I don't know... Demeter or Hestia. These goddesses are not renowned for any vanity. But Athena? Yeah, makes sense.

EDIT: @teamrocketsfatknockers made a quite important point in a reblog and so I will add a point to my article.

I will insist that all I present to you above is from an "in-universe" point of view and a literal reading of the story. We are here talking of "humanized characterization" for the goddesses, and from a purely narrative, fictional point of view. That was my angle of attack: Why would Athena be considered "vain" in-story when we typically deem an "asexual virgin who hates romance and is more into war and high-intellects" as someone someone not much into superficiality or appearances.

But as I repeatedly said before, each myth has at least three levels of interpretation and three meaning warped in one. A religious meaning (though the one in the Judgement of Paris is... unknown to me so far), a literal meaning (as in we have a story, with characters, and this is a fiction) and a metaphorical or philosophical meaning. So I need to highlight that the myth of the Judgement of Paris can be read in a philosophical way as such. Why are these three goddesses searching for the Golden Apple aimed at the "fairest of them all"? Because all three of them embody the most attractive and seductive concepts a Greek man can ever hope for ; they are all three the ideals of Ancient Greek mindset and society. As such Paris' choice and the goddess' quarrels isn't about just satisfying the petty vanity of superficial divas anymore - it becomes a deep debate about which ideal, which dream is the most desirable for a Greek hero, and by extension for a Greek man. Hera is royalty, supremacy, political power and domination ; Athena is peace and wisdom, heroism and cleverness ; Aphrodite is romance, love, beauty and sexuality. And this all reflects within their gifts to Paris - which are in fact extension of what the goddesses themselves embody and represent.

You could sum it up as: Do you want to be a king, a hero or a lover? What would reward you most in life, a crown, a sword or a wife? What allures to you more, power, glory or romance?

Again, that's the beauty of the Greeks myths - and of all myths in the world. They depict simultaneously the gods as the pettiest more vicious selfish and flawed persons you ever met, basically warped caricatures of humanity... and as deep, profound, essential principles of human nature and human society, whose every interaction with mortals causes philosophical debates, ideological questioning and existential crisis.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Loki 🤝 Macaque 🤝 Wukong:

Being usually-men who gave birth to (at least 1 of) their kids

They gossip about their kids and share baby + pregnancy stories (Loki is VERY sympathetic to Rumble and Savage's "womb fights" cuz Skithblatnir or however you spell it had 8 LEGS on top of BEING A HORSE so it's 4x the kicks + at least 3x the strength cuz Horse)

The Mother goddesses and Deities Who Are Mothers also join in on the pregnancy/baby stories. The others are Concerned, except for the Norse gods because they were literally there for Loki's Horse Baby thing and Loki In General desensitized them to a LOT of things XD

Loki, showing off Slepinir: "I love him, but I'd never have another horse." Macaque: "I... I would have to agree." Wukong: *petting Slepinir happily* "Aww, I bet he wasn't the worst. Lao Tzu's mom was pregnant with him for about 62 years." Loki & Macaque: "OOF." Loki: "I know of a guy a pantheon over who's mom was preggers with him for centuries [Väinämöinen], but she's a virgin primordial sky goddess so I'm not sure about how she feels about it."

Izanami (Shinto mother goddess) wins though.

Izanami: "So when I gave birth to Kagutsuchi, his fire powers burned me from the inside and killed me. My husband slew our baby and abandoned me in the Underworld after he came to get me back. So now I remove 1000 people from the census each day in anger." The Other Mother Gods: 0_0 Princess Iron Fan: *nods in sympathy* "Lets just say... there's a reason Red Son is an only child."

Mythology don't hold its kicks with moms.

[gabessquishytum]

hi, I'm the girly girl who sent the ask about Dream forgoing pleasures of the flesh to save himself as a virgin sacrifice, and you gave me the inspiration for the update. The moon goddess is mad at Hob. First for rescuing her next consort from the alter, then having the nerve to take his virginity (That she bereaved was rightfully hers to take) on HER alter. Hob has done the divine version of sleeping with the moon goddess' husband in her bed. So now, Hob and Dream have to fight off a very pissed of moon goddess

Yaaaasss. Here's the first virgin sacrifice thingy teehee.

At first Hob is convinced that Dream is joking - yes, ahaha, ill fight the moon goddess, whatever makes you happy. Dream is not joking, however.

Thank goodness Hob is pretty nifty with a sword! He's not going to put up with any more nonsense from this moon goddess - he has a very low opinion of her way of getting a husband, and he certainly isn't going to let her get hold of Dream again. He tells all this to her face, which does not go down well. But she does assure him that she's not here to kidnap Dream. He's sullied goods, now. She's just here for revenge against the humiliation of having her future husband stolen from under her nose.

Hob holds his own pretty well against the goddess. She breaks the fight to ask why he won't hurry up and die and he's just like, i dunno, I'm built different? In fact the fight would probably be at risk of going on forever, except that she finally works out that Hob is immortal! He got cursed/blessed by some other divine being, so she can't kill him! Ugh.

Meanwhile Dream is like oh?? 👀 he may not have been able to marry the moon goddess, but apparently his new boyfriend??? Is immortal??? So that's kind of a turn up for the books, isn't it. Maybe he'll stick around and see what happens. If nothing else, Dream has been very much enjoying the sexual education that Hob has been giving him. If Hob is immortal as he says, he must have a lot more the teach Dream. So maybe being liberated from the altar of the moon goddess wasn't the worst thing that could've happened to him 😌

[jelzorz]

lady justice and Vestal Virgins: religion on the human side of the border

Hoping to keep this relatively short BC I'm like 90% certain I'm the only one who cares

We don't get a lot about religion in the show, particularly on the human side? The most obvious reference we have to any known religion is the royal family being pretty heavily Jewish coded but whether that's Judaism in terms of religion or culture or both is unclear. How far it extends in-universe is something different, and the only religious figure we actually get is Lady Justice, but again, how far she extends into the religion of Katolis is to be seen.

Some things we (I) have had to assume include:

That Lady Justice is a religious figure

That she's supposed guide morality and decision making

That she is served by her clerics

That Opeli and her torchbearers are the Katolis equivalent of nuns

However there are some things in canon we have observed that we can make note of including:

The role of fire in their religious rites (specifically funeral rites)

That fallen kings are supposed to be mourned for 7 days before a funeral

That Opeli, as high cleric, is the one who performs these rites (coronation and cremation)

That there are (minimum) five clerics (Opeli + the four torchbearers at Harrow's funeral)

I lied this got long

This meta has no point except that I've been listening to a podcast called The Ancients and there was a whole episode dedicated to the Vestal Virgins and also worldbuilding is fun, but there are some real-world practises we can note here.

I mentioned above that the royal family is pretty heavily Jewish coded which is inclusive of the the tradition to mourn for seven sunsets after someone's death, but Judaism, generally speaking, doesn't have an equivalent for nuns. Women in Judiasm don't have particularly large roles outside of the family (I think??? I did do a pretty good google before I wrote this but I'm not Jewish, so please correct me if I'm wrong), so it's probably safe to say that the coding doesn't extend that much into Opeli et al in their religious roles, HOWEVER, I do want to bring your attention to another group of women who bear some similarities: allow me to introduce the Vestal Virgins.

Vesta (Greek equivalent Hestia, at least probably) is the Roman goddess of the hearth, home, and family in ancient Roman religion. She is a virgin goddess but rarely depicted in human form, and more often represented by the fire in her temple. Sources say that her worship predates the Roman Empire (Kingdom, even!), and her temple (before it was moved by Augustus) stood in the very heart of Rome, a literal hearth of the city. She was served by six virgin priestesses who tended to her fire and guarded her sacred hearth, whose attire is described on Wikipedia as:

a long linen palla over a white woolen stola, a rectangular female citizen's wrap, equivalent to the male citizen's semi-circular toga.[69] A Vestal's hair was bound into a white, priestly infula (head-covering or fillet) with red and white ribbons, usually tied together behind the head and hanging loosely over the shoulders.

So, like. We don't actually know if Opeli and her girls made vows of celibacy, it's just something we assumed? But like, if she has, then yeah, it would track. The Vestals also held some political power: they were personnae sui iuris, or sovereign over themselves for one, which was a pretty exclusive right for Roman women, and they represented the State of Rome themselves, and so could give testimony in trials without swearing the customary oath to the State, pardon the condemned by touching them, and were the only women able/allowed to address the Senate directly.

So like. There's stuff there. Vestals were powerful, politically involved priestesses who performed religious rites for the State of Rome. We should note too that Opeli and her torchbearers are women. We've never seen a male cleric, so we can only assume that this role is exclusive to women, and if we run with the idea that they serve Lady Justice, a female religious figure, then this would track also. It's not uncommon for female deities to only be served by female clerics/priestesses/what have you. The role the Vestals had in the politics and justice, in trials, in addressing the senate, and in the pardoning of the condemned, feels pretty relevant to Lady Justice also.

I did also also briefly mention the role of fire in Katolis' religious rites, specifically their funerary rites. Once again, we've only ever seen this scene in regards to their other ceremonies, but something else to be noted is how the novelisation refers to the other clerics:

So they're not just clerics, they're also torchbearers, which may or may not just be for the ceremony but they're referred to as torchbearers twice in this scene and not even once as clerics. We can probably assume that this isn't the only time they carry torches either, and that the flame represents something sacred to them.

A quick caveat: Fire being a sacred ceremonial thing is obviously not unique. Fire's been special to us as humans forever, because it's hard to make without the right tools, and if you stole it from like, a forest fire or some other existing source, then you would 100% treat that as something you had to keep burning a la sacred flames in many cultures—but it's the combination of priestesses and flames and red and white robes that make me wonder if there was inspiration taken from the Vestals.

Then there's the circlet. Very few people in TDP are ever seen with one. There are the rulers: King Atticus, King Harrow, and then King Ezran (Viren too, I guess, but he's a jerk); their consorts: just Queen Sarai to our knowledge so far; and then, for some reason, Opeli???

This has a couple of implications: the first is that she's on a separate ladder. Opeli demonstrably has a fair amount of power over the council and the Katolis army (see: 2x09). She can't overrule anything Ezran says (which is fair, as he is the King), but she seems to be the default substitute for the Kingdom of Katolis when he's unavailable. The second is that this is likely Katolis' way of separating the State from the Church and the Judiciary (which may or may not be the same thing in Katolis). If we refer, once again, to the Vestals, this also tracks: the Vestals performed the religious rites under the the Pontifex Maximus or supreme pontiff. The guys on the Senate were purely just the senate and left the religious stuff up to the guys (and girls) in charge of religion. Idk what the go is in Katolis, but it's pretty well implied from the way Opeli does the crowning of new monarchs that ceremonial things are her jobs, while ruling is the king's.

One last Vesta thing: Vesta (or Hestia) is the goddess of the hearth and home. When everyone else has gone, when everything has gone to shit, the hearth remains. She is, as Rick Riordan likes to call her, the Last Olympian. As long as Vesta's hearth is going, Rome still stands (which is why it's such a big deal when it goes out). And when our heroes are out on their adventures, who remains?

Anyway, in case it wasn't clear, Opeli is my favourite adult and I Love Her, your Honour. This exists because I like history and meta-analysis, but also because world building is fun and people rarely worldbuild on the human side of the border. If you're wondering about other goddesses that could exist in Katolis, Rome had Iustita (Justice), who often appears in a pair with Prudentia (Virtue), Clementia (Mercy), Pax (Peace), and Ananke (Necessity), among many, many others. Happy world building! Hope you found this fun and interesting!!

[notdexterousatall]

An angst idea that I really love when it comes to Batman and Jason Todd is Bruce (and/or other people) separating the idea of Jason-the-boy-wonder and Jason-the-Red-Hood into two different people. Not in, like, an identity-reclaiming way on Jason's part, but in a hurtful, delusional way against Jason's wishes. Jason always having known himself as himself, but Bruce being unable to handle the idea of his son coming back "wrong", killing people, and coming to believe that this man, the Red Hood, must not really be his son.

An aside - here's a fic series rec if that's something you also like: Abraham Fails His Test by chucklesbuckles on Ao3. It's very good.

So I've got a fic idea I'm putting together for this premise:

Batman, the various Robins/Batgirls, perhaps even the Justice League, are fighting some sort of large-scale threat. In the course of this, Bruce does something to, presumably, earn the gratitude of one of DC's Greek gods. This god/goddess tells Bruce that in exchange, they will grant him a gift - a son for a son. (Let's say Bruce saved the life of one of their demigod children at the cost of injury to himself.) And so, after the battle is over, they snap their fingers and before the Justice League appears Jason. Jason as Robin, specifically, as he was before the bomb went off. Still gravely injured but not so much that he couldn't live with prompt medical care - the son that Bruce had lost.

Meanwhile, off to the side, stands the Red Hood, who still isn't really on speaking terms with his family but agreed to help out with the threat (secretly hoping to rebuild a few bridges he'd burned, as he's been doing for a few months at that point.)

Now, the god/goddess who does this isn't someone inherently untrustworthy, like Eris. This is a deity with a good(ish) reputation. Someone who could actually pull a miracle like that off with just a snap of their fingers. Maybe Zeus, Hades, Athena, Hera, Hestia, or Aphrodite. (It's a bit hard to pick Hera... because of her whole THING with demigods, or one of the virgin goddesses, if I go with the "saving a demigod son" idea, but they could be made to work.) Either way, someone with a bent towards justice, family, or love. Believable granters of the gift of returning a dead son to life. (I'm leaning towards Hades.)

(Note: this is the point at which I admit I know nearly nothing about DC's Greek gods other than what their Wikipedia articles includes, so I'm probably leaning hard on more Percy Jackson type depictions of the gods and what Wikipedia says about their actual depiction in ancient Greek myths. I feel no guilt in ignoring whatever DC comics says except for what I like. Maybe this is where I go with my Jason-Todd-son-of-Aphrodite-AU?)

So everyone looks at Robin!Jason, seemingly brought back from the dead by the god of the dead, and at Red Hood!Jason, murderer and breaker of his family's hearts, and goes, "oh, the Red Hood is an imposter! That makes sense, considering everything about him." Then someone arrests Red Hood for all those murders he committed (and also for impersonating Robin.)

Red Hood gets carted off to Arkham and Bruce gets his presumably-real Jason to the hospital, to be joyfully reunited with his father, older brother, and new younger siblings (although Tim may be older than him since he's about fifteen, and Cass is also older than him but is in Hong Kong, probably.)

Red Hood Jason knows he's the real deal, however. (At least, he thinks he is. Right? Holy identity crisis, Batman!) Shortly thereafter, he breaks out of Arkham and sneaks back to the manor to confront imposter Robin in the dead of night.

But imposter Robin seems to know everything Jason did when he died. And he acts just like Jason did when he was still a stupid fifteen year old. And he's just as horrified by the Red Hood as Jason always figured he-as-Robin would be if Jason ever got punted backwards in time (not an unreasonable confrontation to fear, Jason tells himself, considering the multiversal road trip bullshit he recently had with Donna and Kyle.) Jason is almost convinced.

And then imposter Robin tells Jason that, considering how Jason as the Red Hood has let his anger and hatred consume him, he has decided to forgive the Joker.

And that's BULLSHIT. Jason's identity crisis is over - he's 100% positive that Robin is an imposter. Because Jason, especially right after his beat down in Ethiopia, would NEVER forgive the Joker. Because the Joker is evil, and Jason knows that he can't forgive evil and live with himself.

But Jason has to leave or he'll get arrested again - and now that Batman doesn't think he's his son, he won't be pulling punches, especially if he catches him near his "baby". So Jason heads for the one person he knows will believe him: Talia, because of her involvement in Jason's real resurrection.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Bat clan are desperate to (re-)form their familial bonds with the REAL Jason Todd. But, while they don't know it, over time, it becomes clear that the new Jason isn't a gift. He's a punishment - a lesson - a haunting - for failing to show sufficient gratitude for the return of a lost son from the grave.

(Because of the BATARANG, Bruce, Hades let Jason go for reasons-to-be-revealed and you try to send him right back??)