the problem with the pjo fandom is that the majority of people who really like rick are stupidly annoying and ignorant and like half the people critical of the series are the most pretentious fucks who think they're the hottest shit for being able to see flaws in a children's series and they're literally wrong half the time and both of these groups are equally but differently bigoted
lowkey i forgot how to color but it's ok we live laugh love
ficlet under the cut:
A crick is forming in Ethan's neck. He doesn't move. He could, if he wanted to, but Alabaster is settled on top of him like a particularly lanky greyhound, long limbs snuck between the narrowest spaces possible—arms looped around where Ethan's back met the couch armrest, legs stubbornly squeezed between Ethan's thighs.
He's heavier than he looks, Ethan thinks, as though he's ever forgotten the ridiculously large broadsword Alabaster wielded effortlessly, or the way he never seemed to run out of breath in combat despite twisting incantations down and around his tongue. So much power in a single, frail-looking demigod two years his junior.
"He's not ready," Nemesis had said to him acerbically, "despite what Hecate thinks."
"He's easily the strongest demigod on our side."
"It's not his power that concerns me. It's his ability to bear it, rather. He's young—" Aren't we all? Ethan tiredly thought— "and recent events haven't quite helped. Hermes' son was a hard loss on all of us, but sacrifices must be made. He does not quite understand that."
Ethan had tried his best to not flinch as his mother's voidlike presence brushed against his back.
"But you do."
"Then what would you ask of me?"
He hadn't dared look, but something like a smile curled the edges of her words. "That you... help him understand.”
The tip of Ethan's finger pushes down into something damp and soft—he looks, and it's the seam of Alabaster's mouth.
A terrible heat coils in his stomach, and his other hand balls into a fist.
Alabaster is snoring soundly—tired from his latest mission, most like. A mission that he'd argued against but ended up leading anyway because Ethan had advised as much.
An opinion Alabaster listened to and actually mused over rather than ignoring it like he always could, being a General now, because Ethan did things like letting him sleep close at night, when the silence deafened Alabaster with doubts and nightmares. Because unlike the other older demigods, Ethan didn’t try to be smart with Alabaster out of insecurity about their ranks.
Because Ethan saw how Alabaster looked at him, blazing green eyes adoring instead of haughty and scrutinizing, and said nothing, just let him step a little closer.
Alabaster’s soft breaths are barely audible against the roar of Ethan’s pulse in his ears. It pounds even against what feels like a piece of lead expanding where his neck’s positioned awkwardly.
It’s for the cause. And if it’s for the cause, it means it’s for his own good, too.
Ethan’s day clothes scratch at his skin. The muscles around Ethan’s empty eye socket twitches against the sweat gathering underneath the eyepatch he doesn’t take off.
It’s not that I’m enjoying it…
The hand that’s wrapped around Alabaster’s head remains where it is, fingers lingering near the corner of his mouth.
imagine working hard and losing an eye to make sure kids like you get the recognition they deserve from your peers and absent parents and then dying by falling thousands of feet from the air. oh wait
I have contemplated this a few times actually. I really enjoy the implication and how growing up in the militaristic CJ would affect him and how he could be a parallel to the romans like how the greek ta demigods are. Hecate/Trivia is the main problem with roman Alabaster as she seems to be Hecate in all of their interactions. But. Consider the potential drama of Trivia and Hecate disagreeing on how to treat their kids and how that could be a whole seldom discussed topic of titan army kids lore. Also consider - Alabaster and Jason interactions and how little we really know about jason in the war… so so much potential
Y'all wasting opportunities with Alabaster, I swear. Seriously, all hed need is a penny, nickle, dime, quarter, one of each dollar bill, like a one, a five, a ten, so on, and a duplication spell. He is not above printing money and you know it. On top of that, he would willingly hand a large corporation a piece of paper, bend the mist so it looks like money, then fuck off before he gets caught. My boy does NOT respect large corporations. Put him in a small buisness, okay he'll copy money so they'll still get paid. Hes not heartless. But do not look at me and say hes not willing to essentially make a magic money printing mini scheme for his own benefit, cause I will have to call bullshit.
ethan actually did a favor for a wind god once years before the war started actually and they actually repaid him to assure balance by carrying him safely to the ground when kronos tried to kill him actually so actually he’s okay actually
imagine working hard and losing an eye to make sure kids like you get the recognition they deserve from your peers and absent parents and then dying by falling thousands of feet from the air. oh wait