Divider creds to @/strangergraphics. More Tyler Galpin! I love him.
Tyler Galpin x Shade!Reader. I have elaborated on Shades in a different post if you're curious, but basically an outcast with Umbrakinesis/Shadow Manipulation. Not explicitly stated, but story takes place before season 1. So, he's relatively untraumatized. Sorta meet-cute?
WC: 1,120. No beta or proofreading, I die like Isaac Night.
His dad didn’t like outcasts; that was abundantly clear. But that didn’t stop Tyler from accidentally befriending one, a really nice and attractive one... With some self-admitted creepy powers.
It had started when you came into the Weathervane during the weekend, a few Nevermore outcasts dotted around the cafe quietened and tensed. You didn’t notice, or you did and didn’t care; he couldn’t tell. You simply looked around the cafe in interest, before looking over the menu.
“Could I have a banana nut muffin and a hot chocolate to go?” You had requested, finally meeting his gaze. You’d tilted your head as he briefly stammered before finishing your order and taking payment. You thanked him quietly, gloved hands unintentionally brushing his as you grabbed your to-go bag, and then you even put some cash in the tip jar before leaving.
Once the door closed, the outcasts in the cafe seemed to let out a breath, returning to normal quickly.
You popped up more at the Weathervane, usually on weekends, sometimes on a weekday. You always wore gloves: black or brown leather, dark suede, white fabric occasionally, and purple once. And you almost always ordered the same thing, a banana nut muffin and a hot chocolate.
And even though Tyler had a feeling from the way a few outcast customers reacted to you, the first time you visited during a weekday, you wore a Nevermore uniform, somehow appearing before most other regular students were even near the cafe. The only response to his small talk attempt about it was a hum.
Then he started to see you around town, usually observing everything and keeping to yourself. And whenever he looked away, you seemed to vanish into thin air, though whatever dark places you were near always looked strange just for a few moments.
It wasn’t until he ran into you in the forest that you two actually talked, not typical customer service small talk, a real conversation.
Tyler had found you, gloves on as always, picking through trinkets you’d found. Small bones and skulls, pins, broken pendants, a pretty rock, feathers, and even an interesting little flower. You looked up when a branch snapped under his boot, curious but not scared, as if you already knew he was there.
“… You’re the Weathervane barista, Tyler, yes?” You noted, head slightly tilted in intrigue.
“Yeah, and, uh, you’re the Nevermore student that always wears gloves,” Tyler replied, watching as your attention returned to your items.
“Most likely. I don’t know of any other students who wear them as often as I do,” You said, glancing at him for a second before telling him your name.
“Um… What are you doing out here?” He asked, hands resting in his jacket out of awkwardness.
“I could ask you the same.” You started, a small smile quirking at your lips. “I come out here to forage, I collect things.”
“Anything specific?” Tyler questioned, tentatively stepping closer to look at your things.
“Not really, just anything I consider… Neat,” You shrugged softly, your gaze following him as he approached, sending a shiver down his spine. But it didn’t feel horrid, and you didn’t move away.
You two continued talking for a while, the longest he’d ever been in conversation with you, about anything and everything. It was easy, comfortable. It wasn’t until the sun was starting to set that Tyler realized how long both of you had been out there.
And upon noticing the same as him, you offer the pretty little flower you had scavenged to him, the petals stark against the black leather of your gloves. “For you, until next time.” You said, observing as he carefully accepted the gift, quietly admiring it.
“Thank you, I—” He cut himself off when he looked at where you were just a second ago, to see it empty. A tree’s shadow warps ambiguously and faintly. “… ‘Til next time,” Tyler muttered to thin air, gaze returning to the flower.
You popped up a lot more often, in favor of him instead of the Weathervane’s treats. He’d accompany you on your foraging trips to the forest, sit down at your table near closing time, and even manage to sneak you into his house, though that hangout was cut short due to his dad coming home early.
You became unlikely but good friends, and you even procured a book on Shades as a gift for him when he got curious about your outcast type and abilities, warning him that they could be ‘creepy’ to some… Well, to most.
Which is why he wasn’t the most surprised when the shadows at his window started writhing like something straight out of a Lovecraft tale, something you do to make your presence known and a request for entrance, so as not to scare him.
When he steps over to the window, he watches the shadows reveal you, crouched on the branch near his window. You softly smile and wave at him through the glass, hands devoid of your usual gloves, an increasingly common occurrence he finds.
A smile overtakes his lips and he opens his window. "Bold, coming over when my dad's home. Makes me feel a bit like Juliet," Tyler jokes, helping you climb in.
"And I'm supposed to be Romeo in this example?" You play along, dusting yourself off once you're on solid, carpeted ground.
"I could see it," He shrugs, returning to his seat at his desk.
"Being tragic star-crossed lovers?" You chuckle softly, leaning against the edge of his desk, idly watching over his shoulder. He tries to ignore the way his heart does a weird little thing at your words and proximity.
"More you fighting valiantly for someone's honor and heart, but a lot less tragic," Tyler says, glancing over at you, noticing the way some shadows curl around his legs unconsciously, a habit of yours.
"Well, thank you for the vote of confidence" You smile, your gaze meeting his for a few moments, the slight flush of the tips of his ears doesn't go unseen.
"Yeah, of course" He swallows, "So… Is there a particular reason for your risky visit?" He asks, leaning back in his chair.
"No. I simply wished to see you" You answer, inky fingertips fiddling with a trinket on his desk.
"Miss me?" Tyler teases, smiling when he makes you laugh.
"I did, yes" You say, the words leaving your lips easily, like they didn't make his heart skip a beat.
It's something he'd been noticing a lot recently, the way you affected him, seemingly unintentionally. You say things so sincerely, almost blunt, and you're always making sure he's alright, be it around your abilities or just in general.
Your hades gods x shade was AMAZING! Can you consider doing one with the chtonic gods too? (Im probably like, the only hades simp out there, but please add him if you can asdasda)
YOU BET YOUR ASS I CAN, DEAR-
So, this is only the first part of it because I... I got really carried away
ALSO IT BY THE TIME IT CLICKED IN MY HEAD THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT LIKE HADES HIMSELF- I HAD ALREADY FINISHED HIS THING SJFKJDSLF (my dumbass thought you were talking about the fucking game in general and I was dead ass like "omg that's not true- I'm a ho for the characters too-") SO I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT JLKFJSDLFKJF
Feel free to send in another ask when the requests are open again if you wanted a more romantic answer :')
And Hypnos anon:
Cthonic Gods x Shade! Reader (Part 1)
Those who’s mortal clock runs out all end up at the same place, no matter what they were in life- be them royalty, warrior, or civilian. They shall all end up drifting down the River of Styx (or trapped along its banks) to end up at the awe-inspiring House of Hades. The vast home of the Underworld. Where they end up from there is entirely up to the head of the household: Lord Hades himself.
You, a freshly dead Shade, stood in line, your eyes wondering about the ornate decorations about the house. You feel yourself small in this place as you try to think of how you’ll fit into your new life in the Underworld. Waiting as the line slowly moved up…
Hades
Cause of Death: Crushed
When you had finally made it up to the desk, Hades didn’t think much of you- just viewing you as another Shade. So, when he glanced over your document- he had to take a moment to reread it: (Y/N) (L/N)... Despite being a hero in the war and giving their whole lives to their city-state; they were exiled to the outer reaches of their home. Cursed to walk the barren land in isolation. Their only companion, a small boy who they found…
He’s even more surprised at your claim.
“Tartarus?” He parrots, his hulking form leaning over his desk to get a better look at you: you aren’t old. If anything, you looked to be as old as his son if he were a mortal man. “It says here you were a hero. Why not Elysium?”
Your gaze never wavers from his own. “I may have been considered a hero at one point, your Lordship, but…” a shadow seems to cast itself over your eyes as- what Hades could assume was- a memory surfaced in your mind. “I was not one when I died. So, please- if I may take a claim to Tartarus-”
“Denied.”
Hades is even surprised about his own answer, but continues on smoothly as he tells you to stand to the side while he decides what to do with you. You nod, following his instructions and taking a stand at the right side of his desk. As he continued his toiling- he realized that he felt a strange sort of peace as you filled the empty space next to his desk (that wasn’t occupied by the three headed beast he adored so much)- acting as a tiny, human version of Cerberus as you watch over the Shades with a piercing gaze.
He decided to set you as a permanent resident of the house. Despite the forlorn look that crossed your features you nodded and thanked him. He gave you new robes: dyed a deep red and black, a laurel- matching his- taking a place on your head, and a clip on holding your robes together, with his sharp red symbol gleaming with pride sitting on your shoulder. A uniform he says, showing you a once over of all the responsibilities you had, what with you being appointed a new guard of the house.
He is pleasantly surprised at how much of an efficient worker you are: you’re almost on par with Thanatos. You’re quick to pick up on his ques and instructions upon hearing them; even go so far as to extend help to the other Shades that are swamped with work. He’s quick to praise you in that unique way of his: deadpan and… hard to tell, honestly. But you manage to pick it out and thank him either way (which he also appreciates).
You actually brighten up his day (night?)- you fill a strange hole that he had forgotten about. As he watches you mill about, doing your job without a complaint and standing by his side when you finish your rounds.
There’s only ever been one time where you denied him his orders and even then he couldn’t truly blame you after he learned why you refused to follow them: it had been when he ordered you to get in Zagreus’ way. Your sharp eyes remained on his as you shook your head. He was honestly surprised at the blatant disobeying of his orders. You usually would do them without so much as a fuss. Why now? He looms over you, waiting for your answer. You reply that you know what it feels like being locked away from someone very important to you, fighting to see them everyday. It hadn’t been your entire families’ wish to see you exiled. You were a hero- one who was a prodigy in their own right. You had given up so much for them at such a young age, and yet- it still wasn’t enough. They dragged you away from your home- your sisters weeping for you, as well as your mother. You continued to say that you can only imagine what his mother feels as well. Your hand clenches at your chest and it’s the first time you look away from him, a crack in your usually stoic demeanor.
Hades hesitates, before telling you nevermind, that he’d send one of the Furies out instead. At least where you draw the line is an easy and simple fix. He doesn’t really bother you for anymore information after that, but he does ask you about the little boy that was with you in your mortal life and he learns that he was a baby that you found when you were first exiled and you had decided to take him with you, seeing as he was all alone. You had raised him and gave up your life saving him from a landslide. Being crushed from the sheer weight of the rocks and mud. He nods solemnly at the way your eyes gloss over with the shadows he saw when the two of you first met.
Hades also doesn’t miss the way that his son always seems to find you, giving you a gift each time he dies. He always scoffs at the display, rolling his eyes as he continues his work. As long as the boy wasn’t bothering you, he supposed it was fine.
When you bring him a bottle of Ambrosia, he’s surprised and it takes him a moment to register that you’re actually giving the bottle to him.
“Is this for me?” He almost feels dumb for asking. Who else would you be giving it to? You’re holding it out to him.
You nod.
He stiffly holds out his hand and you press the bottle into his awaiting palm. He brings it up to his face to study the slightly glowing liquid. “Thank you…”
A small smile plays on your lips as you nod back at him. “Of course, sir.”
He asks where you got it and you shrug, telling him that you were wondering about Tartarus in your off time and ran into a bottle. He shakes his head and says of course.
Hades had never thought that he’d feel this sort of… kinship with a mortal soul. You two understand one another on an emotional level that most wouldn’t even begin to and he treasures this bond that the two of you share. His gift to you is a spear, much like his own. He tells you that it shall serve you well and that it will never break. It also acts as a guide to help you find your way back to the Main House of Hades when you find yourself lost in the maze of the Underworld. Hades also begins to give you regular updates on how the boy is doing- he’s always happy to see the delighted gleam in your eyes.
Nyx
Cause of Death: Burned Alive
When she had met you- she immediately felt a strange sort of attraction to you: your eyes looked distant, like you weren’t there in the present, your hands latching onto the robes that cloaked your chest like you were trying to hold onto something dear- and she couldn’t help but want to reach out to you.
“Hello.” Nyx said, her elegant form coming to stand next to you.
You jump taking a moment to stare at her with wild eyes before you squeeze that shut and take deep breaths. She waited as you gathered yourself. She’s happy when your eyes seem to adjust, looking like you weren’t relieving an awful memory. “Hello,” you say, your voice soft and gentle.
She took a moment to study your gentle and fragile form before she spoke: “you are new here, are you not?”
You nod.
“If you need anything-” she rests a hand on your shoulder, something grounding. Her heart bleeding at the way you shudder under her palms and she almost pulls away until she realizes that your tense shoulders are loosening- “just come and find me, yes?”
You smile at her, your eyes flickering with some sort of delicate emotion. “Of course, thank you, my lady.”
She sends you off with a nod, watching as you drift back into the mass of shades. Even as your silhouette disappears into the mass- she still feels this hollow hole open up in her chest
The next time she sees you, you have that distant look in your eye and she can’t help but approach you again. She greets you before asking if you’re alright- that, if you need an ear to listen to your story, she’s more than happy to offer hers. You blink up at her, a flicker of… something fragile flashing across your eyes. You smile at her and shake your head, saying that the time isn’t right yet. You still need to push past the memories on your own. She nods and instead asks you how your stay here is.
Each time you talk to her it’s a very gentle time. She’s an extremely empathetic person, despite her rather deadpan expression, she’s also very motherly so she always asks if you’re doing alright and depending on your answer she allows you to stay by her side while she goes about her work.
She’s always happy when you stay next to her- it’s been a while since she had someone that she simply enjoyed the presence of a person who held no perception of her aside from the fact she was a friend- a safe haven.
Her feelings for you soon begin to soften- and they begin to give way to something vulnerable and innocent as she slowly gathers the story of your death from the few times you spoke of it: you were the oldest of your six siblings, your mother and father died soon after your youngest sibling was born. You took care of each of them- along with the brother that was closest to your age. But your sister- a young, spritely thing- liked to tempt fate and that fate came in the form of a man who she tempted one too many times despite your and your brother’s warnings. He had locked you all in your home late one night. You had mentioned how you still remember the smell of smoke that assaulted your senses as you woke up. You had held onto her hand as you sobbed that you had gotten them out- that you had managed to crack a window open wide enough that they were able to squeeze themselves out- but you weren’t able to make it as the roof collapsed and crushed you under heavy clay and reads. You just wished that you were able to say goodbye- that you could make sure that they were alright and happy now that you’re in the Underworld. You just want to know that they’re alright.
Nyx holds you for a long time after that. Her voice soothing as her chin rests on your head, hands threading themselves through your hair; she reassures you that all is alright, that you were strong and she’s more than convinced that you raised those children right to take care of themselves and each other.
She wiped away your tears, dark eyes solemn as she gazed into yours, she promises that you can always rely on her and she’ll always be there for you.
After that, it becomes common knowledge that the two of you are a pair- one not far from the other. You two are together so much that Hades even appoints you as Nyx’s right hand helper (really you just become her glorified emotional support shade). It is also noted by many of the residents of the Underworld that Nyx is much more… vibrant than she was before: her smiling more, the way her eyes twinkle down at you with a sort of gentle affection, and the way she laughs more often-
You are extremely confused as Thanatos, Hypnos, Zagreus and even Charon come to voice their happiness and blessings to you and their mother. It never fails to make you flustered when Zagreus or Hypnos ask when the wedding is, but Nyx never corrects them, simply ecstatic with their obvious approval for your relationship if you’d ever like to take it a step further.
When you get her a bottle of Ambrosia, she’s in a state of panic from not knowing where you were prior and sheer awe that you took the trouble to get her something so precious.
“You-” she gulps, gazing at the golden liquid- “you got this for me?”
You nod, a bashful smile on your lips as you play with your robes. “Yes, I couldn’t help but want to give you something for how much you’ve helped me… so I thought getting you some Ambrosia was the least I could do.”
“How?”
“Ah,” your gaze drifted to look behind you: four sets of eyes peered at the two of you from around a pillar, all familiar even as they tried to duck out Nyx’s line of sight. “I had help.”
Nyx blinks as her sight becomes watery. She covers her eyes with her hand as tears begin to drip off of her bottom lashes.
When your trembling arms come to wrap around her, she buries her head into the crook of your neck. “Thank you,” she whispers. “Thank you.”
She holds that bottle close to her heart and refuses to get rid of it. She only opens it for special occasions and will share it with you and her sons. They’re very special moments to her and she treasures each and everyone of them. Her gift to you is a cloak made of night itself, the stars twinkling bright in the darkness of the Underworld when you choose to wander around.
Zagreus
Cause of Death: Sword Through the Stomach
Zagreus had actually been the one to approach you- taking the time, when he wasn’t trying to break out, to say hello to the many Shades that wandered the house, he’s taken by surprise when he stumbles upon you, a sword hanging from your hip and a shield latched to your back.
“Well, hello there, Stranger.” Zagreus says, eyeing the heavy looking blade that hangs off your hip. “Never seen you here before- I hope you’re enjoying your stay despite… well-” he scratches the back of his head- “how dreary it is.”
You shake your head, waving him off. “It’s fine. Not the worst place I’ve been in.”
He nods, already liking your easy going demeanor. “That’s good to hear.”
The two of you end up chattering for a bit until he finally pulls himself from the conversation so that he could try his luck today (tonight?). You wave and wish him luck.
The next time the two of you meet, you notice that he’s running a little more ragged than the first time you met him. Almost like he lost a little bit of his chipper attitude.
When you go to check on him, he’s a mix of emotions: his eyes sparkling with something like awe and his heart swelling with a strange sort of excitement towards the concern you show him. He feels awful lying to you about why he wants to get to the surface (and honestly, he’s a horrible liar), but you choose not to push him and instead ask if he would like some help to get up to the surface.
It takes him a moment to play around with the idea in his head, arguing that he doesn’t want you to get hurt for his sake. But when you insist on helping him- he can’t help the crooked smile that breaks across his lips. He nods.
The first time the two of you launch yourselves through the window together, Zagreus is a little… intimidated at the sheer prowess you held in combat, to say the least. He accidently got himself killed by a horde of Numbskull in Tartarus because he was staring at how you seemingly danced with your blade: it was the most polished and pristine piece of metal that he had landed his gaze upon. It almost seemed to glow in the throws of battle-
He allows himself to float a bit in the pool of blood as he tries to force his embarrassment down. Zagreus gets thrown back under as something comes and pushes against his back- he hears a loud gasp and the blood swishing around as he reamerges. “Damn.” He heard a familiar voice, a teasing tone interlaced within the words. “If I knew you were that clumsy- I would’ve asked if you wanted me to go with you when we first met.”
“Yes, well,” he runs a hand through his hair, chuckling. “I don’t usually get taken out by Numbskulls on the first run.”
“Not with me there!” You sling your arm around his shoulders, pulling him along with you as you make your way to the stairs. “I’ll watch your back, eh?”
He smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’d like that. A lot.”
Hypnos had the time of his life and Zagreus almost keeled over when the sleepy god let out a loud, strangled noise as he declared that you had killed yourself (“you’re scary, you know?” He says, his droopy eyes looking back to you. “Not many people can just- you know- stab themselves and all that without blinking-” You were going to reply when a voice in the back called out ‘I can!’ Hypnos is quick to turn around and yell back: “I know! You’re my strong Shade after all!”).
He makes you promise him that you won’t do that again.
From there, though, the two of you become a force to be reckoned with. The two of you learn the others weaknesses and strengths and build off of them. Enemies who know of the two of you tend to shy away when they see you two coming.
The two of you also bond by training together and Skelly is elated to have another person use him as a punching bag. Though, you felt a tad conflicted at first about it, but you soon came to agree once the skeleton assured you that this is what he lives for, bucko!
On the off chances you happen to not be there, Skelly and Zagreus talk about you: offhandedly mentioning how pretty the arcs of your swings are, how you execute certain moves with an unreal precision- Skelly also remarks how, if Zagreus isn’t gonna ask you out any time soon, that he will. The godling always turns beet red and ends up turning the skeleton into a pile of dust (much to the others pleasure, especially with the dramatic “I’ve been slain!” left in his wake)
Zagreus ends up telling you why he’s really going to the surface right before the two of you enter the coliseum of Elysium. He told you about how he needed answers and how he wanted to see his mother- he begs for your forgiveness for lying to you when you clamp a hand on his shoulder, a bright smile on your face as you hold up an arm, the back of your forearm facing him as your eyes glint with something so- so foreign to him it makes his heart ache. You promise that you’ll help him- no matter how long it takes.
His eyes glisten with unshed tears and he taps his forearm against yours.
When the two of you enter Elysium, Zagreus watches as the champion of Elysium- the King- chokes on his own spit. He had to rest his hands on his knees as he tried to dislodge the ball of saliva that he had inhaled, Asterius patting his back.
“(Y/N)? You’re-” Theseus wheezed- “why are you with that Hellspawn? Why are you dead? When did you die? Is that why I couldn’t find you any more?” Theseues’ voice climbs octaves with each question as he takes staggering steps towards you.
“Ah, hello, Thes!” You say, bouncing from foot to foot in excitement.
Zagreus’ gaze keeps flicking between you and Theseus until he finally blurts: “wait- wait, how do you two know each other?”
“My Ya Ya was a witch!”
“Her grandmother was a witch, blaggard!”
Zagreus blinked, slowly. “But, why- how did she…?”
You turn and explain to him that when war had begun to bubble at the borders of your village, your Ya Ya had summoned a great warrior to teach you how to fight and defend yourself. That hero happened to be Theseus himself. You continue to add that Theseus is kinda like the dad you never had since yours had walked out on you when your mother ran away with a younger man. It was always just you, your Ya Ya and whenever she would summon Theseus when you were younger and before the war finally burst and flooded over the border of your humble village. “Kept it safe for a long time.” You say, throwing your sword from one hand to the other, twisting your wrist so the heavy sword twisted in the air and landed in your worn hand. You smile up at Zagreus, “it was all thanks to Thes’ teachings you know?”
“Do- what other weapons do you know?” The young god asked, eyes sparkling.
“Enough!” Theseus points his sword at Zagreus. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but I refuse to allow you to taint their pure, righteous soul, Hellspawn!”
“Thes-”
“No- shush! This is between me and him, my dear warrior!”
You glance towards Zagreus with a sympathetic look. “Good luck, Zag.”
He nods, readying his stance as you do the same.
The two of you didn’t manage to beat Theseus and Asterius the first time, but after you do manage to beat them, you try your best to keep up with Zagreus as the two of you push forward through the realm of Styx. When the two of you finally get the Satyr Bag for Cerberus, there’s a moment of tense silence between the two of you until you two nodded towards each other, bumping your forearms against one another and pushing through the doors.
When you both see Hades on the other side of the door, the both of you are immediately on edge. Zagreus had a feeling he was going to be there, but he was really hoping he wouldn’t. Hades had choice words for Zagreus about bringing you with him to thes surface and he feels his chest thrum as you stand in front of him and tell Hades to leave him be, leveling your sword at him.
At that moment he really felt that the two of you could win. But, as the fight went on, you began to stumble, your figure flickering in and out, almost like you were disappearing. It gave Hades enough time to slam a fist on the back of your head, the other flinging Zagreus across the snowy field. By the time he scrambled to his feet, he was witness to the end of his father’s spear plunging into your heaving form: red spreading across the white expanse of snow like liquid flowers in bloom- it was so haunting.
His father looked at him with a glare, his words haunting Zagreus even as he was sent back to float down the river: “you did this.”
After that incident, Zagreus started to avoid you, feeling guilty about getting you so brutally killed. You wanted to sit and tell him it wasn’t his fault, but he would just dash off every time you tried to corner him. You actually end up bonding with Achilles, Nyx and Cerberus due to this though, seeking the three out to see if Zag had been by- or just to check how he’s been doing.
Together, they orchestrated a way for the two of you to talk. By locking you guys in one of the several vacant rooms and forcing Zag to have to confront you.
This is also how you tell Zagreus how you died: you tell him that you carry no ill will towards him. You don’t mind dying for someone as special as him- you had done it before after all. He’s surprised at your words, but says nothing, allowing you to continue. You tell him that he reminds you of your home: something warm and, sure, it was a bit rugged and had it’s points, but it was so, so kind. That’s why, when you made sure that that soldier that sunk his blade deep into your gut also had your blade sunk deep into his chest. You also made sure that the other soldiers before him had met a fate similar to his even as you bled out. You smile bitterly as you tell him that your Ya Ya, with her frail body and knobby legs, had been the one to toddle out and lead your shaking and battered form back inside- she had washed your face even as you were dying and your eyes were becoming unfocused, humming you a lullaby from your childhood, and had placed a coin under your tongue as she gently pushed you back to lay on your bed. She had been the one to run her worn hands through your hair as you slowly drifted down, down to the River of Styx.
Zagreus had pulled you into a tight hug, burying his face into your shoulder as tears dripped off his nose and seeped into the sleeve of your shoulder. He asked, his voice warbling along that of teasing, why you weren’t in Elysium- you were an eudaemon, no? You both began to laugh, squeezing each other close and weeping together.
After that, the two of you become even closer much to Hades’ disappointment (but he doesn’t kick you out- seems he has a soft spot for you-) and the rest of the house's excitement. Zag goes out of his way to try to introduce you to Achilles and Nyx and Cerberus without realizing that you’ve already met them- he’s only minorly miffed when he finds out that you had introduced yourself to them already, but he’s also glad that you get along with them.
When you bring him a bottle of Ambrosia, he rubs the back of his head as he pulls out a bottle of his own, a blush spreading across his cheeks (he doesn’t tell you but he had to fight Theseus tooth and nail for that thing “I’m not giving you my blessing, you Hellspawn! Not as long as I exist!”).
“Seems you beat me to it, huh, mate?” He says, a giddy giggle following his words.
“Sure did.” You say, equally as excited.
He holds your free hand in his calloused one and rubs your knuckles, his eyes softening. “I’m… I’m so glad that I met you.”
“Me too, Zag.”
That bottle is his treasure and he has to fight the urge to carry it everywhere with him. He tried once but it almost broke and he immediately ran down the realms to put it back in his room- he is not losing that thing.
His gift to you, aside from the bottle of Ambrosia, is a place in his room! He doesn’t think it’s much but he always lets you use his bed when you need to rest or just want to lay down. He also gets you a ring that he stole from his dad, it’s actually a dainty little thing of gold wheat and he thinks it looks so wonderful on you- it reminds him of his mother and when you wear it- it just makes it ten times greater because that just means he has two of the most precious people mixed into one happy little package (he also manages to convince Athena to protect your little village for you and she is more than happy to oblige).
Charon
Cause of Death: Falling
Charon first, technically, met you when you were ferried down the River of Styx by him- but he doesn’t really count that as you were so quiet and he had to stop another Shade from throwing themselves off of the boat and whack another upside the head with his oar (some sorry fellow who didn’t have a coin and thought that he wasn’t looking).
So when Charon officially meets you, it’s when Hermes decided to plop you down in front of him- the god chattered about you, only pausing when he realized he didn’t know your name, and then continuing with it right after he got it. He watched as the impatient God zoomed off, saying he was going to be late and leaving the two of you alone with each other.
Charon stared at you from under his hat, his unnerving gaze doing nothing to throw you off of your calm demeanor. “Hi.” You say as you send him a wave.
He liked how gentle your voice was and offered you a polite groan back.
You gesture to the spot next to him, “can I sit there?”
He takes the time to glance at the empty spot beside him before turning back to you and nodding.
The two of you almost instantly fell into a peaceful silence as you took your seat next to him, watching the shades drift by.
Charon is pleasantly surprised that he and you mesh so well together: your quiet- he’s quiet- the peaceful silence is aplenty between the two of you and it’s something that he finds that he adores.
Hermes also comes by and chatters both of your ears off- Charon is actually quite convinced that he talks more now that you’re also here to listen to the mouthy god.
He does keep an eye on you in the beginning of your stay with him since he doesn’t want you swiping anything from him without paying- but you always do. He finds it incredibly endearing that you save up what little coin you can get your hands on just to give it to him when your eyes catch some food that you’ve been craving from your time alive.
Speaking of that: as time goes on, he tries to get you simple pleasures that you enjoyed when you were alive: desserts to fruits to clothes- he tries to grab a little of something for you each time he makes a trip up to the Overworld to ferry more souls to the Underworld.
He likes seeing you and Zagreus interact; it’s just such a small and tiny thing that has his hollow cheeks warming up, especially if he catches himself imagining you, him, Hermes and Zagreus as a little, estranged family. He’s quick to groan to himself and hide his face under the brim of his hat. Zag always asks him what's wrong and, more often than not, he almost gets whacked with an oar.
Charon begins to give you a little “allowance”- it’s more of a paycheck if anything because you become his unofficial helper when ferrying the other, newly dead Shades down the Styx. You really have a way of calming them down and keeping them from acting up- though he deals with the ones trying to come on to the boat.
He makes you sit next to him now just in case one of the Shades acts up since last time one of them had just about clawed your eyes out when you were trying to help her calm down. The ferryman had been quick to throw her off the boat- a silent warning to the rest of the passengers that he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to them.
He doesn’t realize just how… attracted he is towards you until Hermes points it out one day: you had convinced Charon to take you into the Stadium in Elysium so you could cheer for Zagreus, Hermes decided to join without you realizing, sitting back with Charon in the shadows.
The little wings that sit on the side of his head twitching and fluttering in a giddy sort of way and his dark eyes twinkling with mischief and knowing as he watched the ferrymen absorb the meaning of his words: “you like them, don’t you, Charon?”
Charon’s single, glowing eyes turned into a pinprick before it widened again and he let out a groan, slouching in on himself.
Hermes began to cackle. Once he regained the slightest composure, he rested a hand on Charon’s boney shoulder. “It’s alright,” his eyes softened as they drifted to your fluttering form, jumping up and down by the arena seats and cheering for Zagreus next to another little Shade. “I like them too.”
They both felt something warm expand in their chests as you screamed (you were never loud- only when you were chattering with, or in this case, cheering for Zagreus, they had learned) as the boy had beat Asterius and Theseus.
As time went on, Charon learned that when you were alive, you were a chef- owning a small, quaint restaurant in the middle of a homely town that didn’t see much war or fighting (“save for the drunks that went stumbling about once in a while,” you had said, smiling to yourself as you picked at the fresh meat he had brought). He also learned that you loved cooking for people and you genuinely enjoyed your simple life.
He ends up getting you a cooking set so he can try out your food. Turns out your an amazing cook and he’s mad you sold yourself short.
So, when you told him how you died, he was a tad… disgruntled.
“It’s the truth.” You say as you catch him performing the equivalent of a side eye at you as you finish making him a gyro. “I couldn’t let that kitten die- I’m glad that I was the one to fall instead of her.” You hold out the sandwich to him.
Charon lets out a wispy huff, taking the gyro. His other worn hand coming to ruffle your hair, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that you fell off a cliff saving a kitten. What a bleeding heart, he thinks, though his heart fills with butterfly wings as you lean into his touch.
Charon takes you to his treasure room when you need some time away from the Underworld- or just somewhere where you two can be together in peace (also, you have a front row seat for when Zag gets a little sticky fingered and ends up “stealing” a certain bag of Madol).
When you manage to get him a bottle of Ambrosia, he’s so utterly faltered, but he’s also in a dazed state of having watched exactly how you got it.
“Hrrrrnnnggg-” he groans at you, his single pupil darting back and forth, between you and the damn, beautifully wrapped bottle of golden liquid.
“It wouldn’t have been any fun-” you leaned forward on your knees, trying to catch your breath- “if I just bought it from you.”
“Hhhhhhhh.”
“It would have been safer but again, no fun.” You wince as you rub your side, the uproar still being heard from outside the arena.
“Hggggnnrrrghhh!” He hisses, wrapping arm around you, leading you away from the ruckus.
“Where did I learn how to fight-” you lick your lips, eyes darting everywhere except him- “you know those drunks?”
“Hhhhhhhhhhhh!”
He holds that bottle as his prized possession- gods forbid anything happened to that thing, everyone would pay. He only sips on it occasionally and Hermes will bring his bottle down with him so they can gush about you (well, Hermes is gushing about you, but Charon nods and agrees with just about everything the god says about you).
His gift to you is a golden pouch that allows you to put anything that you treasure in it and it’s transported to a similar realm to his, so you can keep everything that’s important to you in there! He also gives you a mini version of his oar so you can whack people over the head when he’s not there to do it himself.
Hypnos
Cause of Death: Being Impaled
[So, a bit of a preface before I get started: I HC (it’s practically canon tbh) that Hypnos has a type, and that is buff people who can pop his head of like a damn grape (same bitch-), so the reader is written to be muscular in this- how muscular is up to you, but know you can murder someone.]
When you first walked out of the pool of blood, Hypnos was a little startled at the scars that littered your exposed skin and the sheer confidence you ratiated in your steps.
You raised a brow at the spindly man with fluffy hair, waiting for him to say something as he gawked at you. He suddenly shook his head, fumbling with the scroll in his hand as he collected himself. “I- uh- w-welcome to the house of Hades! Let’s see you’re... (Y/N) (L/N) and you died of…” his eyes scan the paper with practiced ease and he has to gulp as his cheeks rise in a blush as he reads: “being driven through with a spear. Huh, that’s- ah- that’s brutal. Being turned into a shish kabob is one for the books, huh?” He awkwardly laughs.
He’s delighted at the laugh you let out, crossing your arms over your chest. Hypnos watches the way your defined muscles shift under the skin of your forearms. “It happens more often than many think. Especially in war. Seen many warriors get skewered, their heads popped off, their chests crushed under foot- all ends that Lord Ares would be quite proud of.”
He nods, his mind feeling dreamy. “Yeah, sounds like something he’d be into.”
A shade behind you huffs and nudges you. You’re quick to apologize and ask him where you have to go next, he tells you to just go up ahead and talk to the big man at the desk and you’ll be right as a fiddle!
He almost implodes on himself when you send him a smile and thanks before continuing on your way towards the impatient Lord of Death. It takes him a bit to regain his composure and deal with the rest of the shades who are lined up and waiting for the line to move. But he really hopes he sees you around again- he’s sure he is, you are dead after all, but he hopes that you remember him well the next time your paths cross.
Hypnos was more awake than he had ever been when he noticed you come jogging up to him, your tattered robes having been traded out for deep black and red ones. He has to withhold the screech that fights to claw out of him as he sees the muscles in your legs flex as you make your way towards him. He greets you with his usual chipper attitude, praying to the Fates that you don’t notice the nervous sheen of sweat building on his skin.
Lucky for him, you don’t seem to notice, or if you do you don’t bring it up, as you tell him that you’ll be working with him from now on as an escort for the Shades that get to go to Elysium. He almost physically vibrates at the news and he cheers with you; jokingly saying he’ll show you the ropes, hesitating for a moment before he gives you a friendly nudge with his elbow. He’s really hoping you don’t get mad at him and is over the damn moon when you laugh and offer the gesture back. The two of you chatter for a bit longer before Hades calls for you to take the first group to Elysium and you give him a pat on the arm before you’re off, slinging your battered sword over your shoulder.
The god feels himself tremble, before he curls into his cape and lets out a muffled squeal, kicking his feet. The young prince of the Underworld walking up to the scene with a confused look as he waits for Hypnos to pop his head out, a wide, bashful smile on his face that soon turns into something more flustered as he notices Zagreus. “How much of that did you see?” He asks and Zag shrugs, replying, up to the point where he started kicking his feet like a maiden in love.
He lets out a laugh hoping that Gaia would swallow him whole- but, then, he realizes that he wouldn’t see you if that happened so he decides against it and just deals with Zag’s new found teasing.
The two of you tend to hang out when the two of you have any sort of break, so Hypnos has plenty of time to get to know you. Even asks you to elaborate on your time as a warrior on the surface after the two of you bond enough. You gladly do so, recounting your many endeavors and adventures- how you fought for Kings and Queens, shifting to and fro between wars and fights for entertainment. You took great pride in being the top warrior for a long time. No one being able to best you until the end of your life- even then it took four men to do the job. One of them dying at your spear point and another losing his eye and hand. Your smile turns bitter as you mention that you had always wanted to be a farmer instead- to worship Lady Demeter than walk the path of Lord Ares, not that you were complaining- your God treated you right. He was kind enough to you, keeping you alive for so long on the battlefield- even as a young child, when you were first drafted. You mention how you wish you were able to give thanks to Ares for watching over you all those times.
Hypnos hangs onto your every word, eyes sparkling with energy. You were so brave, and his sudden want to share your dream of a farm burning deep in his stomach in the form of giddy butterfly wings. Before he even thought to stop himself he wrapped his hand around yours and squeezed it in his grasp. He floats closer to you as you squeeze his hand back, a smile on your face as you shoot off into chattering about the friendships you had in the many armies you had been in.
As your friendship grows, the casual touches grow as well- even to the point that the two of you start to share naps in the cradle of his cape. The two of you start to lean against each other as you both make your rounds, very rarely seen without the other- even holding hands for no other reason than feeling each other's warmth. It doesn’t go over anyone’s head about your growing relationship- Zagreus being a prime suspect for light hearted teasing. You take it in stride, winking at Hypnos causing the sleepy god to descend into a mad blush and let out a nervous laughter.
He’s very talkative with you and can chatter on and on. He gets a tad panicky if you die coming back down- never going up, you swore that you would never die leading the groups Lord Hades gave you to protect and lead. It was a personal code that had Hypnos swooning. You were so damn dreamy to him.
When you get him a bottle of Ambrosia, you’d gotten an autograph from Asterius to go along with it, he actually lets out a loud scream that startles half of the Shades into disappearing for a good handful of moments. Even causing Hades to slam his knee on the underside of his desk letting out a groan and fighting the urge to smite Hypnos right then and there (but for once he schools in his anger as he sees the sweet scene unfold). He’s quick to say sorry to everyone and take the bottle with tears in his eyes.
“Is this really for me?” He asks, hands trembling as he holds the Ambrosia and reads over the note from the great bull.
You nod, grinning at him. “I had to get something for my favorite companion, hm?”
He lets out a tiny sob and hugs them close to him with one arm and makes a grabby hand motion towards you with the other. You happily comply, wrapping your strong arms around him. “I-I-” he blubbers before descending into a fit of hysterical crying.
Hypnos was already smitten for you before- now he just wants to propose at this point. He’s so ecstatic and excited to have a friend of his own that he can’t help the way his feet start kicking every time he thinks of you. His adoration for you growing. He’s enamored with your story of challenging the champions of Elysium, how you fought tooth and nail against the two warriors until Theseus announced that you were his and Asterius’ equal and he gave you the Ambrosia- even offering you a seat next to them as Champion. Of course you declined- you wouldn’t be able to see Hypnos if you were in Elysium (or do your job! Lord Hades would kill (?) you!).
His gift- actually gifts- to you is a bridge to your Lord Ares through dreams so you can thank the god like you’ve always wanted to. He watches happily as the God of War recognizes you instantly, a smile spreading across his face as you bow to him and give him your thanks, apologizing for not having a proper offering to give him. He laughs and says that if you were to recount your tales of battle that’d be all the offering he needed from his favorite warrior. You’re quick to comply and- despite Hypnos having heard many of these- he still listens with rapt interest along with Lord Ares. His other gift to you is a pillow shaped like a cloud- big, yellow stars decorate the deep navy blue and purple of the fabric. It’s made to ward off any sort of nightmares that threaten to sneak up on you in the middle of the night, and it’s softness is unrivaled.
He just hopes that, maybe, one day, he’ll be able to grab a bottle of Ambrosia for you as well to confess his overwhelming feelings to you.
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‘Shades’ are a rare Outcast Type, most commonly known for their ability to manipulate shadows, or Umbrakinesis. Which can include many different forms, for example. One can create shadowy tendrils, using shadow to create corporeal forms that can interact with objects and even people. One can “Shadow-walk”, a term for using shadows as a sort of portal, traveling through the absence of light to get from one point to another, or in plainer terms, limited Teleportation. One can also “Scry”, which means spying or peering through shadows, again also limited to a certain distance. They can also see in the dark.
Shades can often be discerned by physical signs; most of the time, a Shade’s fingertips will be entirely black, nail and all, like they dipped their fingers into an ink pot. The severity of such depends on how much they use their abilities and how much rest they get, for example, if a Shade were to shadow-walk more than one person, then (depending on their mastery), their entire hand could turn black. There have been old reports of one or two Shades that overworked themselves, and their entire arms turned into the inky side-effect of their abilities. Although after a while, with ample rest, these effects will return to only affecting the fingertips, most often bleeding into their natural skin tone around the first and second knuckles.
And if a Shade used their powers to the absolute max, whether on their own volition or forced, they would dissolve into the shadows, forever one with the dark that "birthed" them.
