Slightly out of place, like a character that was supposed to be killed off, but was kept alive instead.
Adrift with no friends and a family thats absent, Steve wastes most his life working a retro video store in a dying mall.
Nothing feels real. Has felt real, ever since a party he threw in high school got wildly out of hand.
Until some guy named Eddie shows up.
Eddie, who slaps down a copy of some former major TV show everyone used to binge.
Eddie, with his wild hair and wilder eyes and an outfit that looks like he himself came out of the stupid 80s show.
Eddie, who worms his way into Steves heart, the only bright spark of his day, and who no one else seems to be able to see.
It's easy to ignore at first. Easy for Steve to dismiss the weird looks and quiet questions--especially when Eddie flirts like he does.
Kisses up Steves neck in the work closet, whispering assurances that they can be quick.
Its a little harder when his concussions are brought up. His brain damage diagnosis thrown at him.
That it's his fault that girl drowned. It's his fault he sacrificed her to save himself, even if the lack of oxygen is the entire reason he's different now…
Steve is certain Eddies not a hallucination, or some kind of--imaginary friend.
So sure hes furious with it when confronted--until that night.
When Eddie sits Steve down and informs him no one else can see him because he is from the stupid tv show.
And so is Steve.
In fact it's not a tv show, its reality and Steve is caught in Vecna's evil mindtrap--except his very real brain damage caused things to go a little differently.
Steves trapped apparently, and El has sent Eddie to go get him--and Steve wants so badly to believe it.
That he's not this lonely.
That this--dull, friendless, family-less life he's barely living, is the fake one.
Except….
“So how do I wake up then?”
“That's the hard part, Stevie.” Eddie tells him, thumb running soothing little circles on overheated skin. El thinks you need to drown--just like Barb did.”
I don't remember who but someone here posted about avians getting their wings when they're in the most danger, and I had a thought: people intentionally binding their wings. It's not easy, it's painful, and often they have to make their clothing specifically to hide them. The two people I think that would do this are c!Jimmy and c!Tommy.
For c!Jimmy, it's because he thinks he doesn't deserve it. Wings are meant to come in to protect you, to make you strong when you need it, and it didn't happen for him, right? He's still weak, his friends still make fun of him, he's not strong enough to actually have wings, so it must have been a mistake. He isn't really meant to have wings, he doesn't have the strength for it, so it's better to just bind them under his clothes with whatever available so no one can see them. It's more honest that way.
For c!Tommy, he doesn't want people to pity him and pretend like they actually care. After all, they've never cared about him before, he was always alone, and that's not going to change because of some stupid wings. They didn't care when all that shit happened to him, they certainly didn't fucking help, he doesn't need them to act like they give a shit because he's got some useless fucking wings. Besides, it was his fault anyway, right? And it's not like they're useful, anyway. Just like everyone else, they didn't save him, because he doesn't deserve saving, and he doesn't need faux care to satiate a feeling of pity. He's learned his lesson, they'll pretend they're gonna help then disappear once that pity runs out. He doesn't need them anyway, and he certainly doesn't need the stupid fucking wings.
Hercules is aware of ‘Greek Mythology’ and the stories told on Earth about his relations and fellow Gods. It confuses, stresses and upsets him, he does not like to talk about it and he himself finds its very difficult to process, especially when it comes to his birth parents.
Aceleme and Amphitryon were the perfect parents, even though they didn’t quite know how to handle raising a God they tried their hardest and rooted for Hercules all his life. They are good honest people who raised Hercules with excellent manners, patience and kindness. Hercules loves them very much and calls them everyday even if there isn’t much to talk about, he wishes to make them proud.
Hercules has a complicated relationship with Uncle Hades, mostly because he had Hercules kidnapped as a baby, took away his birth right and tried to have him killed, however Hercules has another reason to pick a bone with Hades and that is the treatment and imprisonment of Megara. While Hercules does not have a bad bone in his body the anger he feels towards his uncle is unsettling. The vengeance he carries keeps him awake at night, sick to his stomach knowing deep down he has to be the one to destroy Hades.
Philocetes is the uncle Hercules wished he had, a protective father figure who stepped up to show him the ropes and teach him the ways of life. Hercules looks up to Phil with a great deal of respect, he is another person Herc wants to make proud, he feels as if he owes Phil that much.
RELATIONSHIPS
Dating in Greece was hard as Hercules was the ‘weird kid’, always feeling like the odd one out, being the butt of the joke, having people actively avoid him didn’t do much in helping his self esteem. Hercules had been on a few dates but always ended up getting nervous and falling onto a table, or pressing on a fork too hard and smashing a plate in two pieces. When he got to Elias he found it was easier to get dates.. but soon realized it was only because of how he looked, nobody wanted to get to know the real Hercules, the guy under the abs. This set him back in the dating game as even though women were throwing themselves at him it was lust.. and he wants love.
Hercules didn’t have any friends at all when he moved to Elias, Philocetes helped him get set up at the gym and after he got a job he began to socialize more often. Things changed quickly for him after he met the Charmont Brothers, three lovely guys who helped him out of his shell and gave him the confidence boost he desperately needed. Without their compassion and companionship Hercules would have been lost and definitely wouldn’t have had the confidence to continue making friends; like Fred, Reagan, Buzz and Thackery.
ELIAS
Hercules lives alone in a small apartment in midtown Elias. It has a kitchen/living space, a small corridor with a bathroom on one side and a bedroom on the other, there’s a little balcony where he keeps his weights, some succulents and airs out his gym trainers. There’s a small bookcase that’s missing a shelf where he keeps DVD’s, books and a nice smelling candle. There is a chunk missing from his coffee table and his sofa is made up of a washed out blue fabric. He is always hitting his head off the light hanging down over his kitchen.
One of Herc’s favorite places in Elias is the docks. He likes the peaceful view of watching the boats come into the harbor to the sound of waves. Ideally he would like to take a girl on a date there, get some ice cream and watch the sunset together. It’s a special place in his heart and he doesn’t really know why, it brings him comfort.
Hercules jogs on the Walt Academy athletic track, sometimes when he visits the campus he wonders what it would be like to have gone to college and live the life of a regular mortal. He takes brochures and trains with the athletic team and sometimes likes to pretend he’s on a sports scholarship to Walt, Phil tells him its a waste of time.
Hercules joined the firefighters not long after he arrived in Elias. He loved the idea of learning first aid, the physical side of training and the sense of pride and overwhelming relief that is felt after you have saved a person’s life. There is nothing more heroic than throwing yourself into a burning building for a civilian and Hercules was born to save the people in need of a savoir.
SOCIAL MEDIA & MISCEALOUS
Hercules has an instagram account and a youtube account. On his instagram its mainly selfies, work out videos and pictures with friends. He mainly uses it to like other people’s photographs or promote Phil’s gym. He likes to hype up his friends. On youtube Herc teaches basic self defense, first aid and work out tips. He doesn’t really get the time to do it often but he likes to think that somewhere in the world he has made somebodies life a little easier with his videos. He is very awkward on camera.
Hercules can be seen alone at movie theatres or at plays. As a teenager he spent a lot of time on his own and found it hard to make friends, his parents tried but they didn’t like the movies he did so he would often go by himself. At first it was lonely but as he got older he began to enjoy the peaceful quiet time of shutting off from the world and engrossing himself into art. He also likes not having to explain to someone the plot, because that is annoying.
Hercules has a very basic sense of style, growing up he just wore what was comfortable he already stood out so he tried to blend in wearing jeans and dark t-shirts. He tries to experiment with bold colors and patterns now that he is older but sometimes it makes him feel insecure. He is still trying to figure out what makes him feel good.
Hercules isn’t very tuned in to pop culture or whatever is mainstream. His playlist is mainly lots of old songs, stuff he work out to and soft alternative rock. He streams some tv shows but he doesn’t watch a lot of television or is invested into tv series. He likes to read books at nighttime and prefers a phone call to texting, however he really does like emojis and adores facetime. He facetimes his parents almost everyday.
NEXT GEN
Hercules is the most faithful man you will ever meet, during their relationship Hercules never faltered or strayed. Everyday he tells Megara how lucky he is to have met her, he constantly admires and praises his wife. He is not insecure, even when men stare at his beautiful wife or flirt with her he keeps his cool, he loves his family and his life. He trusts Megara with his whole heart.
Hercules loves his daughters with all the warmth of the sun. When the girls were young he would spend hours with them learning how to braid their hair, having tea parties, teaching them to use crossbows and playing dress up. He throws himself wholeheartedly into the role of being a Dad and adores every single minute of it, he thought he needed to be a hero and receive the praise of millions but nothing compares to the feeling of his three children look up to him for fixing the door on the dollhouse.
The day Adelphie came out to Hercules was after dinner on a Friday night. He just smiled wistfully, placed an arm around her, gazed towards Megara and said “I get it-- women are enchanting.” Meg slapped him with a wash rag and Adelphie cried a little. He was the last to find out.
I think the hardest thing I've had to learn in the past year is that I'll never be important to anyone.
I always tell myself I need to stop reaching out to people who won't reach out to me but then I realise I'd have no friends and no one would talk to me
It’s strange experiencing early life without friends, and then reaching secondary school and making friends.
Only to lose them all when you finish college, and going through early adulthood without friends again.
At a young age, you’ve not really experienced friends so you learn to be okay by yourself, but then you make friends and suddenly the world is a little brighter because you have someone to share it with.
Then you’ve grown up, your friends and you don’t see eye-to-eye anymore so you go your separate ways.
The problem is, now you’re alone again.
And you’ve got to learn how to be okay with that, because,
