Contemplating writing some PJO fics now that I've revamped my OCs and re-evaluating their oc/canon ships and relationships with other characters. Already have two three fic ideas in mind :)
The Plague of Locusts
The Circean Gambit
The Purple Wedding
Dipping my toes in the waters of fanfic writing again. Love to hear people's thoughts :) the fandom side here on tumblr has been so lovely
I'll prolly delete this later but I'm doing a little "It's you!" / "Despite everything, it's still you." art with Nico and Rudo as kids vs teens. Here's a lil info about their relationship :)
Rudo has been a camper since they was 9 years old, so when Nico arrived, they were already comfortably established. Their siblings were wary of him at first and warned their little sibling to give him a wide berth. However, Rudo has always been kind and warm, and saw him as a new potential friend. They bonded quickly, considering they were the same age. Rudo expressed an interest in Mythomagic and Nico taught them all about it, and when they weren't playing anything else, they'd be found somewhere on the camp grounds playing Mythomagic.
At this time, Rudo presented more feminine, as one would expect of a young girl, and went by she/her. Romantic feelings for Nico did not develop until later, but they did have a small childhood crush. Besides that, as kids, Rudo purely saw Nico as her best friend.
Hello everyone! I am so happy and excited to present my OCs to you! This was a labor of love, as I have overhauled these guys completely. I have had them since I was 13 years old, and as I am now in my 20s, it was time for a fresh coat of paint.
Also I think it'd be cool to do a li'l Q+A with these OCs! Have a question for one of them? Send me a message in my inbox or comment in the chat and I'll draw something for the responses!
Please check out the space below if you're interested in learning a bit about these OCs! We will be going from left to right!
Note: these characters contain CANON/OC ships. Please be kind and remember: this is all fictional, and has nothing to do with the canon ships.
Ruth Ann Holt
Gender: intersex nonbinary, afab
Pronouns: they/them (starts with she/her and then gradually changes as they discover their identity)
Age: 15 years old
Height: 5'2 / 157.48 cm
Primary bloodline(s): British, Nigeria (Yoruba tribe), South Africa (Sotho tribe), South Sudan (Dinka tribe, association and not by blood)
Pairing: Nico di Angelo
Ruth Ann Holt, or Rudo, is a child of Hephaestus and a legacy of the Yoruban orisha, Ogun. Their stepfather is a native of the Dinka tribe in south Sudan, and their mother has roots from the Yoruban and Sotho tribes due to her lineage from South Africa. Despite being the product of an affair, their stepfather still deigned to give them a tribal name — Nyimak. They have four older half brothers, and is a distant cousin to Carlisia "Charlie" Rädler.
Rudo was born intersex, and was assigned female at birth. They did not know until they routine bloodwork prompted their family doctor to perform more tests, and it was discovered then.
First name means "friend, companion," middle means "favor, grace," surname means "forest"
Additionally called Rudo ("love," Bantu) or Nyimak ("little fire," Dinka)
Mixed, mother is primarily European / white South African
Considering the variety and the beauty of black hair, Rudo styles their hair in many, many different ways! the picture above is just one style
Dresses androgynously and leans more masculine in attire, however sometimes a dress or skirt now and then never hurts
Carlisia Isolde Rädler
Gender: demigirl, afab
Pronouns: she/they
Age: 18 years old
Height: 5'7 / 170.18 cm
Primary bloodline(s): German
Pairing: Percy Jackson
Carlisia Isolde Rädler is a child of Tyche and a legacy of Hermes through the Argonaut Aethalides. Much like how Frank has Pericylmenus' ability to shapeshift, Charlie has Aethalides' ability of "perfect memory." Additionally, despite centuries having gone by, Charlie has retained some of Aethalides' past memories; they are fragmented due to the stretch of time and the lack of successful migrations of body and mind to next of kin. She is a distant cousin of Rudo.
Charlie is also disabled. She has a prosthetic. Her left shoulder was disarticulated after a hellhound attacked. She now has a white prosthetic arm in its place, made out of celestial bronze and iron (can hurt mortals, too!) As this is also Charlie's dominant arm, there is a build in slot in the arm to store her dagger and it allows the dagger to be ejected partially into her palm/wrist for stealth attacks or completely to be held.
First name means "free man," middle means "ice battle," surname means "wheel, wheelmaker"
Nicknamed Charlie
Guinevere Luna Balch
Gender: cis, afab
Pronouns: she/her
Age: 16 years old
Height: 5'3 / 160.02 cm
Primary bloodline(s): Welsh, Brazilian
Pairing: Leo Valdez
Guinevere Luna Balch, or Genesis or Guin, is a child of Hebe. She is the second child to a man named Johannes Balch, a motorcyclist who also fathered a child with Nemesis (see below). She is the perfect blend of her mother and father.
Guinevere is disabled. She is completely blind.
First name means "white phantom/magical being," middle means "moon," surname means "proud"
Guinevere has Stargardt's disease, aka Stargardt macular degeneration, a genetic eye disorder that causes progressive vision loss
Her father's favorite band was Genesis, leading to her affectionate nickname
Aneirin Malachi Balch
Gender: cis, amab
Pronouns: he/him
Age: 18 years old
Height: 6'2 / 187.96 cm
Primary bloodline(s): Welsh, Brazilian
Pairing: none
Aneirin Malachi Balch, or Aaron, is a child of Nemesis. He takes more after her mother and takes after her biker aesthetic.
Aneirin is disabled. He is partially blind. His right eye is missing and in its place, a glass eye fashioned out of marble stone. He lost his eye during a game of Capture the Flag.
First name means "honor, esteem, dignity," middle means "my messenger, my angel," surname means "proud"
Primarily goes by "Aaron" as most people just won't say his name right (a-NAY-rin)
Despite being 6'2, he still wears platform boots
Katherine Lee Stone
Gender: cis, afab
Pronouns: she/her
Age: 8 years old
Height: 3'11 / 119.4 cm
Primary bloodline(s): Japanese
Pairing: none
Kiyoko Ishi, Americanized as Katherine Stone, is a Japanese born child of Hades. Her mother did not know she was pregnant with Kate until her return to Japan. She spent eight years of her life in Tokyo before returning to the States with her mother, and found herself at Camp Half-Blood.
English is not her first language, but she is learning at the camp. She is additionally affectionally known as "Nico's shadow," as she imprinted on him like a duckling when they first met after her claiming.
Her Japanese name contains the kanji for "pure, clean" and "child," and her surname contains the kanji for "stone." Her Americanized first name follows a similar meaning, and her middle name means "protection, haven, sanctuary"
She likes to dress in a Lolita-like fashion, like a doll
Nico helps her with her hair
Scarlett Bernice Van Der Geer
Gender: cis, afab
Pronouns: she/her
Age: 16 years old
Height: 5'7 / 170.18 cm
Primary bloodline(s): Dutch
Pairing: Will Solace
Scarlett Bernice Van Der Geer is a child of Ares. She is often described as "Ares' little princess" due to her blonde hair and blue eyes. She does still have that muscular build that Ares kids have. While her siblings are more brutish, Scarlett prefers to spend her days helping in the infirmary and teaching Kate English. However that innate Ares nature comes out during camp games or sparring and training.
Scarlett also has carpal tunnel in her right hand and wears a brace for it.
Her first name means "red," middle means "bringing victory," and surname means "from the headland," and can also be translated as "spear"
She's a military brat. Her mother met Ares on a military base, and Scarlett was born on that base
Émilie Hollyhock Desrosiers
Gender: cis, afab
Pronouns: she/her
Age: 16 years old
Height: 5'5 / 165.1 cm
Primary bloodline(s): French
Pairing: Jason Grace
Émilie Hollyhock Desrosiers, or Holly, is a child of Demeter who accidentally wound up at Camp Jupiter. While going to Camp Half-Blood with her father, an incident occurred in which she ended up fleeing to and finding Camp Jupiter, where she was taken in and has been ever since. As a result, when discovering Camp Half-Blood, she found it hard to fit in. She didn't fit in with the Romans because she was Greek, and she didn't fit in with the Greeks because she had learned the ways of the Romans.
Émilie has a garden she was given permission to grow in Camp Jupiter. It is her safe haven. One can often find her there, tending to it and relaxing.
Her first name means "rival, striving, emulate" and surname means "from the roses"
Émilie's middle name, Hollyhock, is a kind of flower of the alcea genus. Considering their famous red coloring, and with her red hair, most just call her by her middle name or "Holly"
Émilie speaks fluent French
Marelle Heidi Winther
Gender: cis, afab
Pronouns: she/her
Age: 12 years old
Height: 5'1 / 154.94 cm
Primary bloodline(s): Danish
Pairing: none
Marelle Heidi Winther is a child of Poseidon. This confuses many, as she has extraordinary intellect would lead many to believe she should be a child of Athena. Her intelligence is unparalleled and she is very proud of that.
Marelle wears "Harry Potter glasses" and has astigmatism. She is a tech geek, and prefers to wear more loose and casual clothing with her hair in a messy bun.
Her first name means "star of the sea," middle means "nobleness, nobility," and surname means "winter"
Her favorite subjects are math and science, and she often helps Percy with his homework
She has skipped multiple classes and is already a college attendee
Her intellect and personality were inspired by Dr. Ratio from Honkai: Star Rail
Evander Sebastian Petrakis
Gender: cis, amab
Pronouns: he/him
Age: 19 years old
Height: 5'10 / 179 cm
Primary bloodline(s): Greek
Pairing: Antonia Santos-Rivera (friend's OC)
Evander Sebastian Petrakis, or Soren, is a legacy of Apollo through Iamus. He is a seer of the Iamidae lineage, who operated on Olympia. He has Iamus' gift of prophecy and has the power to "understand and explain the voices of birds." Think Percy, but with birds. He grew up in an orphanage after the deaths of his parents.
Soren considers himself a simple seer rather than an Oracle, as Apollo already has four and five might be "too many." However, he very much is an Oracle, much to his chagrin. Sometimes interpreting signs is much more preferable than spewing out a prophecy...
Soren is disabled. He suffered brain trauma due to an incident at the orphanage (shoved down a flight of stairs) and has epilepsy as a result. Additionally from the fall, he broke his left leg and has developed a permanent limp. He uses a forearm crutch to help him get around.
His first name means "good man," middle means "venerable, revered," and surname means "little stone/rock"
His chosen name is Soren, a Danish name meaning "strict, stern, severe"
Soren has brain trauma related epilepsy and mobility impairment
When a prophecy comes to Soren, he has seizures
One of Apollo's sacred birds is a crow. Soren has a crow. Her name is Maggie
Hi there! So it's been... years since I've interacted with this fandom. I remember getting into this fandom at age 13 (I'm now in my 20s, I'm old) and, as someone with Greek heritage, I immersed myself in the world of PJO and I loved the books and the art and the fandom and the characters, and I'll admit: I was a bit of a slut. Had so many ocs shipped with so many characters, and those ships are near and dear to my heart.
Now little anxious me would like some thoughts, some guidance, some advice.
Recently a friend of mine and I have been talking about the PJO series and world and, while it may be fleeting, I'm comfortably getting back into PJO (I definitely need to re-read the books), but what does that come with? Art, writing, and revamping old OCs... and revisiting old OC/Canon ships.
Now here is where I want to hear some opinions.
I adore Nico di Angelo. I have loved him since The Titan's Curse. Prior to Riordan's announcement to Nico being confirmed gay, I was one of but many who believed him to be bi. I had him shipped with my daughter of Hephaestus OC, Rudo Azikiwe, a mixed race girl with familial ties in Africa.
Now with Nico being gay and years having gone by since I last touched PJO, Rudo naturally needs a revamp.
With this overhaul, Rudo is now an intersex enby who presents more masculine and has a more androgynous appearance with a female physique (assigned female at birth). Depending on how I plan on writing Rudo forward, this definitely could open the way for Rudo to become trans masc.
I would still like to pair Rudo with Nico, as this is a ship that is years old and holds a special little place in my heart. I have also spoken with several gay men in my life and what their thoughts are about dating an intersex person and their preferences, and their takes on the matter.
My biggest question is... is this okay? How could I better develop this? I don't want to diminish the fact that Nico is gay, and his struggles to embrace his homosexuality as well as come out as gay. I would also love to maybe write something for AO3 and I want to make sure that as a gay woman myself, I am taking the best step forward and writing as respectfully as I can.
Thank y'all much, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions.
— Courier
P.S. How does the fandom like OC/Canon ships in general? As much as I'd like to indulge and share my OCs, I'd also like to not be ripped apart.
Gift art for my friend on discord! Here are our DND characters, Severo Cennabane (red male, friend's), and Inihiri "Pyoni" Lavant (blue female, mine), with some gun practice!
The two are found family and have a "big bro, lil sis" bond. Severo is our ranger/fighter and he likes to teach her how to use his flintlock rifle.
Note: Pyoni's outfit is the bard attire from Final Fantasy XIV! Fitting, as she's a bard herself :)
Synopsis: on the boat ride back to Paradis after the Rumbling, Saoirse and Mikasa comfort each other regarding the events of the past and the loss of Eren.
Content: angst and comfort, mentions of pregnancy / unborn child, mentions of decapitation and character death, season 4 characters are 18+
Word count: 3k
A/N: Women supporting women! This time, I wanted to focus on Saoirse and Mikasa's relationship, and the friendship that they've forged over the course of the show and manga. I should mention that in my AU, Mikasa still loves Eren. I think I'd be doing her a disservice if I removed / ignored that aspect of her. As always, proofread by me and Grammarly.
as a reminder SAOIRSE'S SURNAME HAS BEEN CHANGED. It is now Wolford-Blackwell.
Borders by @thecutestgrotto
They say counting stars
You play the part of a soul missing home
Time's not a problem, do you think we were moving too fast?
Guess we weren't meant to last
My love, where'd you go?
Where'd you go?
/ / /
The boat rocked gently as the waves lapped at its sides. Seagulls cawed outside, soaring next to the vessel. An uneven desk kept wobbling with the boat’s movements. A few crates slid side to side slightly, scratching at the floor… and it took everything in Saoirse not to throw up.
She hated boats. Sure, the idea of sailing sounded nice, and with all the different kinds of boats, it seemed fun and romantic, but the seasickness – coupled with her morning sickness – made Saoirse want to die. As much as she wanted to accompany Mikasa above deck, she knew very well she’d just end up spilling her guts over the railing.
She couldn’t wait for this part of their journey to end.
She stayed below deck in the small cabin the two were sharing, sitting on one of the cots with a black blanket lazily wrapped around her. Calling it a cabin was a bit of an overstatement – it was more like a storage room with some of its belongings taken out so that the two had a place to sleep. It wasn’t much, and the cots weren’t the comfiest, but it was enough for now.
She was protectively cradling a small cardboard box in her arms – the box that held Eren’s decapitated head. It was the only thing Saoirse could find to contain his head. She hated it. She hated that she even had to put his head in something, much less a cardboard box that she happened to find at the harbor, or what remained of it. It was so… plain, and she felt like she was being disrespectful for putting his head in it – despite the fact she had done so to prevent anyone from trying to take him away.
The box made it all too real, too. Once they returned to Paradis, his head would be placed in another box, and buried under the tree that held such significance to Eren. She wasn’t ready for it. How could she be? She hadn’t even digested the recent events, memories, and thoughts racing like a tumultuous storm.
Their final moments together kept replaying in her mind. How he expressed his displeasure at the idea of her finding another man, of another man raising his baby. How his biggest regret was not being able to be by her side. How he swore they’d be together again. How he swore he’d love her forever, and even after that.
He smelt like seaspray and sunshine.
Saoirse looked back at the porthole near her cot and caught a seagull passing by. The sun was still out. It looked like a lovely day. Maybe if she went outside, she could smell that seaspray, and for a moment imagine that he was by her side again… no, she’d throw up. She shook her head and looked away from the light, sighing softly.
She felt she had no more tears to shed, no more words to scream, no more demands to beg. She felt numb and hollow. She must have looked like a living corpse: alive but unmoving, pale and stiff. She felt like it, too, like there was an empty spot in her chest where her heart once was.
She held the box close to her, her eyes fixed on nothing as she maintained her stupefied vigil. The only thing keeping her tied to this world, to this moment, was the box in her arms and the baby in her womb.
“What am I supposed to do now?” she asked no one, her question fading as quickly as she asked it. There wasn’t an answer, at least not one that was immediately obvious. She and Eren had planned to settle down, rebuild his childhood home in Shiganshina, and raise a family – your standard “white picket fence and two and a half kids and a dog” plan.
This wasn’t her plan all along. Saoirse never saw herself as a mother, or capable of falling in love. Her early years gave her the notion that she was not fit for an “ordinary” life. She wasn’t human; she should be shunned. Originally, she planned on serving her time as a soldier, joining the Garrison Regiment so she could help her adopted family. When she finished her duty, she’d return to the family’s farm and keep working for them until she died, unwed and childless.
Yet loving Eren profoundly changed her. She wanted a family. She wanted love. She wanted to share a bed with someone and to wake up beside them. She wanted to cook and share meals at the table with a family she helped build. She wanted to have a hand to hold and a shoulder to cry on. She wanted to grow old side by side with someone. She wanted a wedding with a white dress and a cake… she hated dresses.
But she would have worn one for Eren.
Saoirse would have done all of that for Eren… and all she had to show for it was his head in a cardboard box, an illegitimate child, and a broken heart.
How did life end up this way? Why did it end up this way? Saoirse felt like the laughingstock of the universe. The butt of every joke life could have thrown at her. Born premature, sold off like livestock at a kill auction, experimented and tortured and abused… and just when her life seemed to turn around when she was adopted, the Walls were breached and she became a soldier.
And before Eren died, she learned how he had altered her thoughts to preserve her. He even admitted that he did it in the beginning because her abilities helped serve his goals, and he hadn’t even expected to fall in love with her.
How was she supposed to go home now? How was she going to explain to her adopted parents that not only was she pregnant, but that the father was the Devil of Paradis? The man who brought the world to its knees? How was she supposed to tell them about the years in the military? She knew she would have no choice but to bring up the experimentation she was forced to endure as a child, and the Titan she bore because of it. How would they possibly handle the idea that the little girl they adopted had not only been a monster but now grew the child of a monster in her womb?
She couldn’t blame them if they rejected her. Who would want to keep her around? A part of her didn’t want to try and go home. Her adopted mother was so sweet and so kind, the idea of seeing her with a broken heart and crying made Saoirse wince. And her adopted father, a gentle giant… the more she thought about them and what her story would do to them only made her less and less confident about going home.
She wasn’t even angry anymore. She was just so tired. Maybe it would be best if they thought she was dead.
The door creaked open and Saoirse snapped back to reality. Her arms wrapped the box tightly, pressing it closer to her body. She glared at the entryway, trying to make herself look threatening in an attempt to ward off whoever entered the room.
Mikasa looked on, unfazed by Saoirse’s aggressive display. Upon seeing that it was Mikasa, Saoirse slowly relaxed and inspected the box gently to make sure she hadn’t damaged it in her fierce grasp.
“I’m sorry,” she sighed as she looked back at her friend, satisfied with the state of the box. “I… didn’t think you’d be coming back so soon.”
“It’s alright,” Mikasa replied as she closed the door behind her.
Saoirse’s fingers gently ran over the top of the box, her thumb tracing along the edge of one of the flaps. She resisted the urge to open it, knowing she’d break down upon seeing Eren’s head again, but she just wanted to see him one more time.
Mikasa approached and gently touched her wrist. In a fit of desperation, Saoirse smacked her hand away and held the box closer. She stared up at Mikasa with a wide eye, her breathing quickening.
“No! No, you can’t have him!”
“Saoirse… Saoirse, it’s me,” Mikasa said quietly, her voice tinged with sorrow. “It’s alright. No one will take him.”
Saoirse hesitated and her face flushed with embarrassment. She stuttered an apology, and she leaned down, her forehead pressed against the box. She felt like a caged beast, a cornered animal. She felt wounded and weak, and everything was a threat. Everyone was her enemy and wanted to hurt her.
“I must be going mad,” she whispered before looking up again. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Despite her grief, Saoirse knew the consequences of Eren’s actions. He would be both glorified and vilified by the people of Paradis. He’d be the hero who tore down the Walls and eliminated their enemies (or at least eighty percent of them) to many, and the villain who only made things worse for others. She lived in constant fear that someone would come into the room and take the box, and either keep it to be venerated or throw it into the ocean.
Was it a good idea to bring him home? Of course, Marley wouldn’t give him a proper burial. She didn’t want to imagine the things they would have done with his head. Yet with the prospect of how people would view Eren on Paradis, she was frightened of people robbing or desecrating his grave.
It killed her more to know that she didn’t have his full body to bury. Just his head.
“I don’t know how I’m going to do this,” Saoirse whispered.
Mikasa remained silent before moving to sit on a nearby crate, listening to Saoirse… or maybe she was contemplating. After all, she had been the one to stop the Rumbling with Levi.
Saoirse could only imagine how Mikasa had felt about the situation. The two had a strong bond and were always side by side. Alongside Armin, the three were a tight-knit group.
Admittedly, Saoirse was a bit jealous of that. She always wondered what it was like to have a close group of friends, people you trusted and grew up with and loved. She couldn’t necessarily say that about their comrades: she trusted and cared for them, but she wasn’t particularly close to anyone.
“I can’t imagine what it was like,” Saoirse spoke up. “What it was like to… to kill Eren. To end the Rumbling.”
There was a heavy silence between them. She knew she had made the mood worse, but it was the only thing she could think of to talk about. There were no pleasantries to give.
“I’m glad it was you,” Saoirse continued. “I couldn’t have done what you did… but if anyone was to do it, I’m glad it was you.”
Mikasa inhaled deeply and looked up at her, her dark eyes trained on Saoirse. She gave a soft nod and crossed her arms, placing her arms on her legs.
“I didn’t want anybody else to do it,” Mikasa replied. “Eren was… is very precious to me. I wanted to protect him, and I had for so long… it only felt right that it was me.”
Mikasa was silent for a moment and then her eyes widened. She looked at Saoirse and gasped softly as she understood what the other woman meant. Not platonic love. Not even just familial love. No, something much more – a deep, profound love that blossomed from romantic feelings.
Saoirse gave her a weak smile. It wasn’t hard to see. It wasn’t something that she was blind to. A woman in love could spot another a mile away. She looked down at the box for a moment before looking up at Mikasa.
“I’m sorry – ”
“Why are you apologizing?” Saoirse interrupted quietly. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
Mikasa stared at her, perplexed. She must have been expecting Saoirse to be angry, to berate her. How dare she love a taken man, someone who had chosen another person. Someone who he had fathered a child with and planned a life together. How dare she long for another.
“... because I do,” Mikasa managed. “I do love him.”
“I know.”
“... how are you not angry? Don’t you hate me?”
“How could I ever hate you? You… are probably the only friend I have in this world.”
Mikasa blinked in surprise at Saoirse’s gentle response. Of course, Saoirse didn’t hate her. She wasn’t upset that Mikasa loved Eren, too. For one, Mikasa and Eren had more history together and had a story that she didn’t have. She didn’t have that with Eren. She didn’t have that history or rapport with him.
“Do you hate me?”
“For what?”
“For loving him. For him loving me. For him choosing me,” Saoirse said. “Do you hate me because we were partners?”
“No,” Mikasa replied immediately. “I… I wasn’t happy when you two began dating. I wasn’t happy with the idea of him being with you because I… I didn’t like you. I didn’t think you were good enough for him. I thought you were trouble… I thought that ever since we met as cadets.”
Saoirse laughed dryly, looking down at the floor. It was true. When she was younger, she was rude, blunt, and aggressive. She cared about herself and only herself, and often got into arguments and physical altercations with Eren. The two were certainly an unlikely pair, and no one would have thought they would have grown close… especially close enough to form such a bond. A bond that resulted in a new life.
She didn’t blame her for that impression. She would be the first to admit she was an absolute shithead.
Mikasa stood and moved to sit next to Saoirse, wrapping the blanket around her too. They sat in silence for a moment, basking in the other’s presence. Saoirse adjusted the box in her arms and she inhaled shakily as she ran one hand over her belly, feeling the subtle bloat.
“In the end, I’m happy he loved you,” Mikasa added.
“What? Why?” Saoirse asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“Because you made him happy,” Mikasa explained. “You had matured from when we met, and he loved spending time with you. Even before you two began dating, I could see it in his eyes, hear it in the way he spoke about you. He cared about you. Above all else, all I ever wanted was for Eren to be safe and happy… if he had found it with someone who wasn’t me, I had to learn to accept it.”
Saoirse wasn’t expecting such a response, but it gave her peace of mind. It gave her peace of mind to know that Eren was happy with her, that he cared for her to an extent that others noticed before they became a pair. It gave her peace of mind to know that Mikasa was happy for them, that she was happy with her being Eren’s chosen partner.
“And I’m happy you’re my friend, too.”
Mikasa looked at Saoirse and then reached for the scarf that lay folded nearby. She gently touched its fabric and a light smile curved onto Mikasa’s lips.
“... Eren wrapped this scarf around me when we were kids,” she said. “It’s an invaluable gift. It’s a part of him that no one can take away from me.”
Mikasa turned to Saoirse and wrapped the scarf around the both of them, ensuring it was secure. Saoirse blinked in surprise and she looked down at the scarf, feeling the fabric against her skin. Her nose wrinkled a little as a wave of emotions washed over her.
“No… no, I don’t deserve this,” Saoirse spoke shakily. “I don’t deserve to be wrapped in this scarf.”
“Yes, you do,” Mikasa countered. “Let me share this with you. Let me wrap you like he did with me… let me be there for you and the little one. Please.”
Saoirse felt hot tears fill her one eye, her thick eyelashes immediately becoming soaked and glossy. Looking into Mikasa’s eyes, she saw sincerity. She saw kindness and warmth. Love and care.
“I don’t deserve it,” she croaked. “I don’t even deserve your friendship or your kindness… or even the kid… I don’t deserve anything.”
“You do,” Mikasa whispered. “You do… please, Saoirse. I love you.”
Those three words made Saoirse burst into tears. Mikasa lay one hand on Saoirse’s back, and the other on her arm. She leaned close and rested her forehead against Saoirse’s head, closing her eyes as she offered her silent comfort.
Saoirse closed her eye and held the scarf to her face, burying her nose into the fabric. Tears steadily streamed from her one eye as she wept, grief and gratitude washing over her like waves on the beach. With her eyes closed, she pictured the day they all first saw the ocean, dancing in the waves and feeling the sand between their toes. How Eren looked when she smiled at him that genuine smile for the first time.
“You won’t ever be alone,” Mikasa whispered. “I promise.”
“And neither will you,” Saoirse rasped, sniffling.
Mikasa remained by her side, continuing her silent comfort as she began to softly weep, tears trailing down her cheeks. The two remained in their warm embrace, weeping and mourning the man they both loved and lost. They both knew when they returned to Paradis, they would have to face the new world Eren had ushered in.
There was much to do, but for now, they had each other. The world wasn’t perfect, it was cruel… yet it wasn’t that bad, and it was beautiful. Saoirse knew Mikasa would be there for her, and she would be there for Mikasa… and at this moment, there was no other way Saoirse would have wanted it.
