I feel like people who think Percy should have done more to convince Nico to stay in the the 4th book, don't fully realise that Camp isn't a safe place for those who aren't accepted. Not only had Percy been initially shunned by his fellow campers when his parentage had been revealed, being at camp had put him under the radar of the gods, and in close quarters with one god. Percy hadn't had a choice when it came to his first Quest, he either had to leave Camp or get turned into a dolphin. It was lucky that he chose to go on the Quest, because nobody, except maybe Grover, would have helped him if he'd been forced to flee. Not only would Nico have had to deal with the campers' fear, he would have been a sitting duck for the gods, either to use or destroy. That's why, when Percy got the chance in The Last Olympian, he advocated for him, and got him a place in Camp, so nobody could doubt that he belonged there, or was worthy of respect.
Exactly. Percy had a pretty bad experience at camp for the first three summers he was there for three different reasons (being claimed that first summer that set him apart from the crowd, getting bullied in the second summer for having a cyclops for a brother, and Thalia coming back made people completely ignore him in favor of the daughter of Zeus, the new shiny prophecy kid). He knows what it’s like to be an outlawed demigod and he wouldn’t force anyone else to live the same circumstances he did. Especially since Hades already doesn’t have a good standing with the gods or their children. Notice how he was immediately blamed for the theft of the master bolt. And of course he would have had to stay there full time since he doesn’t have a mortal address so like you said he’d be under the gods’ thumbs 24/7 and made to prove his loyalty to Olympus by going on stupid quests, if not outright killed. In ttc, the Olympians almost had Percy executed just for existing, the only reason they didn’t is because Poseidon threw his weight behind him. Somehow I don’t think they hold Hades in such high regard and even if they did, Hades himself didn’t hold Nico in high regard until much much later so yea he’d be dead one way or the other.
But yea no dumping on Percy for knowing all of this is and recognizing it as a sad reality because it was his sad reality as well is not the hot take that some people think it is.
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being single in your late 20s & 30s is so fucking wild bc on one hand it's fun and flirty and you skip a lot of the bullshit because you know what you're looking for and you know how to spot a red flag from a mile away and you've learned to set boundaries and communicate your own and be upfront about your needs and most of the time they've learned it too - and if they haven't, you can tell after the second date that they haven't been to therapy
and every time you feel lonely and dried up and an ugly husk there's a whole community of other single people out there who are just as unhinged and want to hang out with you because they just need a plus-one like you do and you get introduced to like. people in their 60's and 70's and 80's who are all like - nope, single life is my choice and i love it and you feel warm and seen and like okay, it's not the end of the world if i'm not seeing anybody. and yeah it's hard and sometimes exhausting but part of getting better is that you do make like so many friends and do so much wild shit because you made a promise to yourself that you'll actually get out there and try shit and actually work on your hobbies and skills and friendships because to be honest in relationships you wouldn't push yourself this hard and it's actually been super rewarding because it came from you and from what you wanted
and yes of course the apps such and dating in general can suck but after one of the bad dates you go back to your apartment and call up those friends you made and make jokes about what the other person said and it rolls right off your back and you have plans for self-care in the morning. you prioritize yourself and your happiness and you really actually don't mind it, a lot of the time, unless it's like at a wedding and they're doing one of those couples-related things. most of the time it's not even a problem except when you can tell people pity you for it and you're like - i'm actually fine, babe, even without a partner i am still, like a person and yes of course it would be nice to have a partner but you have established yourself as a person and as an adult in a way that feels really hard-won and well-earned and you're protective of that and of the life you're living and honestly you're pretty happy, all things considered
and at the same time you do have to tell your father that you are single on purpose right now and that, yes, believe it or not, they're letting women be single past the age of 30 these days without burning us at the stake (can you imagine!) and you have to kind of sit pretty while people make jokes about how you're losing your marriageability and you're like, a little too old for the bars and the clubs and whatever but you do still want to go out dancing and it's like. the other day you went to a board game party and had the time of your life and then your mom calls you and says she's worried because what if you never find the one, shouldn't you be spending more time looking? and you're like - trying to balance this place where you're actually, like, perfectly okay? except you hear this thing over and over and over - oh no. that's so sad. i hope you find your lover. and you weren't really upset about it until someone suggested that you're running out of time and until someone said that it's so miserable that you live without someone to kiss and you're like why can't anyone believe that i'm genuinely happy. like. joy. like. bliss.
and then they look at you and they look at their partner and the look passes between them that says - poor thing. you're just lying to yourself about this.
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Giving Ghost a Music Box
Since I didn't receive any requests for once, I wrote something I've been wanting to write, which is just reader giving Simon a music box as a gift. I think he'd love something like that, with the small tune calming him down whenever he needs it. This is just self indulgent, but someone else might enjoy it as well, so I'm posting something for once.
A rather cold winter evening it was, the sun having kissed the world goodbye quite some time ago. With the final moments before dusk finally faded in its entirety, you looked at the blue sky, a blanket of clouds draped over it. A lovely sight, really, one you had seen a thousand times already. Not much snow was left, with a few piles serving as reminders of the cold that once was a week ago, but that, if nothing else, meant that you wouldn’t slip on the remaining ice anymore for there barely was any. You sighed as you waited at one of the traffic lights, having turned red just as you thought you could still make it. What a bother. Glancing at the small wrapped box on the passenger seat, you smiled. In your eyes, it was a rather special gift for a special someone, a person you had adored for years now. It may have been something small, but it held a lot of meaning to you. In fact, you had desired something like it for a long time yourself, but you knew it would make for a special gift for that special someone.
It was a music box, the wood adorned with carvings. It didn’t seem like anything extraordinary, and that it wasn’t, but it had a place in your heart. You played its melody in your head, remembering the metallic sound that came from it as you turned the handle slowly enough for it to be in tune with the actual song. You hoped Simon would love it as much as you do. And even if he didn’t want it, you’d be more than happy to keep it for yourself.
The light turned green once again and you hit the gas pedal, driving for another few minutes before you finally got home, watching as the lanterns automatically turned themselves on as it grew entirely dark outside. But it didn’t matter, nothing did in that moment. Not the dark, not the cold, not you shivering as you weren’t wearing clothes fit for such a cold evening. Soon enough you’d be inside anyway, reveling in the warmth of a nicely heated room during January. With the car parked in the parking lot nearby, you headed on home, not forgetting about the small music box.
You’d been thinking of getting Simon a gift for a while now. It wasn’t necessary, he always assured you, but you wanted to anyway, just to show your appreciation for him. He was a lovely man, a lovely boyfriend, who you could always count on, no matter what. Even when he wasn’t home, he’d try his best to talk to you whenever you needed it, listening to your woes as you rambled about a day, at first so sweet, gone sour due to the wrong people. Even though you could be quite the handful, something you were aware of but simply couldn’t help, he always stayed by your side, always making sure you were well. Sometimes he would neglect going to bed just to talk to you over the phone. Simon was a sweetheart indeed.
You held the wrapped box tightly in one hand, fumbling with your keys in the other as you tried to unlock the door of the apartment. It took a while, but you got it to work eventually, with the only obstacle left being a few flights of stairs until you could finally see the love of your life. As you were in no hurry, you opted for the elevator, pressing the button and waiting for it. Your mind wandered to the last time you and Simon made a small trip away from where you lived. Mind you, you were simply visiting his friend Johnny in Scotland, but you recall the sweetness of him defending you from some drunken people wishing to pick a fight with you. It definitely had its perks, having a boyfriend in the military, even if there were just as many downsides to it all.
You stepped inside the elevator, letting the door close behind you as it took you upwards. When you had gotten sick recently, he wouldn’t leave your side, unafraid of catching the flu himself. It was always a treat when Simon cooked, and that time he made you the best chicken soup you had ever had in your life, followed by a hearty vegetable stew as well. Even when you whined about being cold, when the three blankets weren’t enough, he wrapped you in his arms and made sure you stayed warm with him around, despite you sleeping all day anyway. And yet, somehow, he never got sick himself, getting away with a light cough and nothing else.
As you made your way up the final flight of stairs you thought about how he carried you back home when you had gotten injured. Hiking, while it could be a fun thing, could also be quite dangerous. And such a thing had happened as you barely had entered the forest. You slipped and twisted your ankle, unable to move up the entire mountain. You apologized over and over again, feeling shame and guilt upon not being able to go up the mountain with Simon. But instead of being angry with you, he picked you up, kissed your forehead and told you to be more careful next time. He even waited at the doctor’s office with you, just so he could keep an eye on you.
There are many things that can be said about Simon Riley. He’s a heartless killer, he’s a scary guy who knows how to end someone’s life with his bare hands, he’s stern and objectively scary to have around. And yet, at the same time, that man with an expression usually so cold has the warmest heart you’ve ever seen. If you had to, you would make every single mistake in your life again just to get a chance at meeting him, a chance at being with him, once more.
Finally, you stood in front of the door to your apartment. Quickly, you unlocked it and took off your shoes inside, the door simply falling closed behind you.
“Simon,” you called out, “I’m home!”
It must have been around 8pm, so it wasn’t very likely he was out anymore. No store would normally be open at such an hour. And soon enough, you heard something big get off the couch, the movement making its way towards you. The door to the living room was opened, revealing him. He seemed a bit out of it, a bit groggy even as he stared at you. Seems like he took a nap while he waited for you.
“Hey, love. How are you doing?” His voice was lower than usual, a bit more gruff as well. Although adorable, his hair was also a bit messier than usual. Seems like he genuinely was sleeping for a little bit. You granted him that, considering it wasn’t always a given he’d sleep well at night, even if you did feel a twinge of guilt for waking him up. As you took off your coat, you put down the small box, which Simon spotted immediately. “What’s that?”
Hanging up the jacket, you chuckled. “Open it and find out. It’s yours anyway.”
And that he did, carefully peeling off the tape to reveal what was inside. It took him a while to realize what it was, considering he just woke up from a relatively deep slumber. Setting down the wrapping, he looked at the small wooden box from every angle before taking the handle in his fingers. It was cute how small the box really was in his hands. When he turned it, he jumped a bit as the first sound played, stopping in his tracks before continuing. He let the entire tune play out, a smile forming on his face as he recognized it. “You Are My Sunshine”, something that held true for the both of you. A second time, he played the tune, listening intently as he seemed to be lost in thought, but happy regardless. It wasn’t much, but it conveyed how you felt about him.
“Thank you, lovie. It’s so very sweet.” Music box in one hand, he wrapped his free arm around you, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.
“I’m glad you like it, I was worried you’d think it to be childish.” You wrap your arms around his large frame, taking in his warmth, the scent of his body wash wafting in the air.
“There’s not a single reason I wouldn’t love it.”
As you let go you gave him one more kiss on the cheek before heading off to the bathroom to wash your hands. It seemed to have been a good gift as, from time to time, you can hear him play with it. A smile etches across your face every time your hear a small, metallic version of “You Are My Sunshine”, knowing fully well he appreciates the gift as much as you hoped he would. Every time he thinks you’re not around, not listening, he’d play the small melody, and every time it would warm your heart. Simon was a sweetheart, it showed in his actions and the way he appreciates everything you ever did for him, how he treated every gift you ever got him.
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