PEACEFUL DEATH

Vincent Sullivan x Thrity-Two Son of Thanatos, of House Pali Part of GSDR

[thanatosullivan]

baggressive​:

Josh’s answer to the question was made clear by the fact that he purposefully didn’t respond to it. Well, he didn’t respond verbally. The look he shot over at Vince said don’t without him even opening his lips. The only “unpacking” the son of Ares wanted to do was what little stuff he brought with him to camp. He hadn’t even gotten enough time to get comfortable before coming down here. Now, he wasn’t even sure if he’d make it to see Olympus again.

“Who says you’ve gotta become a better person?” Josh leaned back, resting on his good arm while letting the tainted one stay in his lap. “A lot of the gods were fuckin’ horrible. As far as I’m concerned, we’re huge ass upgrades over them.” The bar was set pretty damn low when it came to his father in particular. “Why beat yourself up over not being your best self when there’s already shit down here ready to beat you up just for existing?”

The look earned Josh another grin, hands briefly lifting in mock surrender before turning his attention away, listening to the way the other spoke. It was a valid point, none of the gods seemed particularly good, but that wasn’t who he was comparing himself to. He wasn’t even good in terms of basic human, completely ignoring the divinity in his blood. A long silence, idling over thoughts, weigh shifting further forward to get another look below them.

“How much of what you’ve done do you justify as survival?” It’s rhetorical at best, hand lifting in what was a typical ‘lemme talk’ movement without looking at him. “Wanna know what my big, glorious reason for joining camp was, my driving force behind becoming somebody willing to try and save the world?” A soft snort, features drawing in to a bitter smile. “To save my own hide. Again. A job went wrong, didn’t have quite as much background as I usually do, but I went ahead with it anyway. Wanna know who you don’t steal from? People with big, juicy wallets but contacts that kinda put yours to shame, and friends in very dark places. Last time a job went this badly I ended up bleeding out in an alleyway, and legally dead for twenty seconds on an operating table.”

People learned from moments like that. Took it as a sign to turn their lives around, because they’d been given a second chance at life. Vince... Had cheated death, apparently. Not all that surprising, he’d cheated plenty the rest of his life.

“The whole saving the world thing didn’t even factor in to my thought process. Going somewhere near enough separate from the entire rest of the world? That was a get out of jail free card.”

[thanatosullivan]

svnxrxse​:

“It’s fine.” Greyson assured, not mad about being caught of guard, it was something he kind of expected from Vince, the guy was all stealth so, it made sense. He just hoped the elder demigod didn’t judge Grey too harshly for his own lack of awareness and his very undemigodlike squeak of surprise. 

Grey was surprised to hear Julian talked about him a lot. He knew his fellow healer cared, they were good friends after all, but Greyson never expected to be brought up in conversation, he wouldn’t consider himself all that interesting to talk about. “He does?” He asked, the surprise pretty clear on Grey’s face before he focused on the more important matter. A frown of worry pulled at the son of Apollo’s brow when he heard Julian had gone down. No, Grey wasn’t prepared to lose anyone else. “I don’t know if I’m any good at comforting people but I can try especially for Julian, he’s important to me too. I’ll make sure he’s okay, promise and if he needs any healing, I’ll be sure to see he gets it whether he wants it or not.”

Honestly? The other’s reactions had done more to ease whatever tension had been building in the son of Thanatos’ shoulders than to give him reason to judge. He was too used to keeping his guard up at all times, it was nice to at least catch somebody that had found a way to relax a little down here.At first, Vince had been less on edge, finding some comfort in the depths of the underworld. That... Was long gone.

The other’s surprise at hearing about Julian just encouraged an easy smile from Vince, head briefly dipping in a nod. “You and Bash mostly, feels like you’re his boys.” A playful tint to his voice, poking fun at the fact Julian definitely felt like the Dad of Voithos. The minute Grey agreed, Vince allowed his posture to relax fully, one of his concerns alleviated for the minute. It left plenty of other questions buzzing through his head, but he at least did his best for Jules. He didn’t know how to comfort not without using it as a tool. Grey... Didn’t seem to have a bad bone in his body. “Thank you.”

[thanatosullivan]

VINCENT SULLIVAN PLAYLIST

DEATH

Angel Of Small Death & The Codeine Scene by Hozier

‘Looks like I strayed to the arms That were open No shortage of sordid, no protest from me.’ (Old Lifestyle)

Heaven by Julia Michaels

‘They say "all good boys go to heaven" But bad boys bring heaven to you’ (Old Relationships)

Whims Of Fate from Persona 5

‘Champagne flutes and Dinner Suits that Keep your focus Away from the cheating hands’ (Home)

Carrion Flowers by Chelsea Wolfe

‘Hold on to the pain Of love taken from you’ (Mentality)

LIFE

In Case You Don’t Live Forever by Ben Platt

'I follow your steps with my feet I walk on the road you started I need you to know that I heard you Every word' (Mom)

Safe and Sound ft Civil Wars by Taylor Swift

‘ Hold onto this lullaby even when the musics gone’ (Jules)

Symphony ft Zara Larson by Clean Bandit

‘I’ve been hearing symphonies Before all I heard was silence’ (Camp)

FINALE

Brave Enough by Lindsey Stirling feat Christina Perri ‘You stripped away the walls I built Like no one ever has The hardest part's we'll never know If we were meant to last What we had was beautiful I didn't want to wreck it all Every day I think about the truth’

[thanatosullivan]

baggressive​:

“Which is why the doctor is down there and I’m up here.” Josh grinned, nodding in Julian’s general direction. “He doesn’t have to worry and I don’t have to deal with the worry.” It all sounded like a win-win in his book. If the last couple of fights were anything to go by, his wounds would heal on their own soon enough. These aches and pains would just interfere with his sleep at best. 

“My head is never clear.” The words were a knee jerk reaction to Vince once again seeming to read his mind. It was after the words left his mouth that Josh realized that he was more talking about himself. After taking a deep breath, he conceded to the question without being defensive. “But it helps cut through all the noise I guess, yeah.” He looked over at the other demigod, taking in what he saw and trying to figure out what was going on with him. “You shaken up with how things went down?”

“Or you’re just letting his worry grow over time because you’re avoiding him.” Yeah, Vince was just poking fun, gaze finding the son of Asclepius below them, who was busy fussing over somebody else. Looking like he was mostly unphased by the events of the day before, but Vincent knew better. He’d seen him the night before, and here he was, still thinking about himself. The other’s words were enough to prompt a snort, finally flicking his gaze back toward Joshua with a raised brow.

“We going to unpack that, or skip over it?” Still teasing, poking fun, drowning what was swirling through his own head in favour of continuing to nudge the son of Ares. Not that he was really expecting the turn around question, offering a scrunch of his nose, and turning his gaze back toward the group below. All fine. All healthy. No aura’s flaring to life, signifying their mortality. No sickly glow around his own form, to remind him of his own. “Questioning if I’m actually a better person than before I got to camp, or just getting better at lying to myself.”

[bigkuzdra]

Oscar

[thanatosullivan]

bigkuzdra​:

[thanatosullivan]

svnxrxse​:

When Vince seemed to materialise from the shadows Greyson tried hard not to jump from the sudden appearance, but yeah he definitely did startle and maybe even squeaked a small amount. Great way to look like a tough demigod in front of one of the toughest demigods Greyson… He didn’t know Vince hugely well, but they’d sparred together before and been on a couple of quests so it wasn’t like Grey had never talked to him. 

“No worries, weird questions are my specialty.” Grey joked lightly, trying to downplay how he’d been spooked. Just looking at the son of Death and he could tell he was…nervous? Awkward? Both things seemed very not Vince things so Grey was starting to wonder about this question. Julian? Oh…Oh! Maybe Grey was reading too much into it but they had seemed particularly close. Now he needed to interrogate his fellow healer some. “Of course I’ll check in on him. I’ll bring him some stew, but uh….sure you don’t want to do that yourself?” Grey asked, mostly just innocently curious, he’d still check on Julian anyway. 

“Sorry.” The apology was almost immediately escaping the son of Thanatos when he caught the startle and squeak from Greyson. He’d just... Been on edge since their most recently fight. Unsettled. He couldn’t put his finger on why, it just lingered. So, yes, stealthier approach to pretty much everything, even if they were in one of the safest places they could be underground. Although Vince definitely would’ve snorted at being called one of the tougher guys here. Julian, at least, got to see that wasn’t as accurate as he wanted it to be.

The question definitely had him looking more awkward, a hand even lifting to rub at the nape of his neck.

“Done... Pretty much all I can on that front. He cares about y- Well. He cares about you, but he talks about you a lot.” Shifting his weight a little, he still couldn’t really look at Grey. “He went down in the last fight. I’m not good at the comforting people thing.”

[thanatosullivan]

baggressive​:

“You and me both.” Joshua hadn’t expected to see Vincent show up on the rooftop but he wasn’t surprised. The man moved around on the battlefield with such agility that it rivaled (if not surpassed) the amount of brute force the demigod of war used to carve through it. There was also the fact that Vince seemed to have him pegged from the beginning of their first conversation. If the two of them hadn’t worked together not too long ago, he might’ve felt a little defensive about it all. That and he was way too exhausted to do anything about it.

“To get away from the crowd. And the healing guys hounding me to let them work their magic.” He looked over at Vincent, the slight tilt of his head being a bit of a no offense since he’d caught the vibe that he and Julian were close. “And to think, yeah. I guess. You here for that too or were your Josh senses tingling?”

Even with Josh’s eyes on him, Vince’s own gaze remained on the other demigod for only a moment, before swinging himself around to find a comfortable perch, leg’s hanging off the roof with an ease which suggested he had spent a lot of time on the edge. He hadn’t really found anywhere in camp that gave him this same sensation. It was why he picked his spot by the lake. Not quite the same reaction, but good enough.

“I mean, one of them does happen to be a doctor. Don’t think he likes anybody being in pain around him. And then starts worrying even after they get patched up. Or just... Worrying in general.” Caring about people. There’s the softest hint of fondness in his tone, adjusting his posture a little. Straighten up. “Something about just... staring out, being up like this, just helps clear your head, right?”

[thanatosullivan]

@svnxrxse​

He was worried about Julian, which meant he only really had one person to go to at the moment. Loitering around, it didn’t take him long to spot the son of Apollo, pushing himself away from the wall he’d perched against to instead stretch his back a little, and offer a small wave. He was at least familiar with the other, but mostly just... Knew Julian cared about him, which was about all Vince needed to know.

“Hey, sorry, about to hit you with a weird request.” A pause, a breath, a shift because asking for help was new, and he didn’t entirely like it but he knew his own shortcomings and comforting somebody was definitely high up on the list. “I’m... Worried about Julian. During our fight with the hellhounds, he went down. One of them tried to... It nearly finished him off. I just... Can you check in on him?” By the time he finished rambling his way through his request, he was pointedly not looking at Grey. Because caring was weird, asking for help was weird, this entire situation was weird.

[thanatosullivan]

@baggressive​

“You know, a rooftop was pretty much the last place I was expecting to find somebody.” It’s hard to hide the surprise in his tone, but he was quick to tame his own reaction, even as he finished clambering up the wooden surface. He didn’t even know if he’d be able to see anything from up here, he just... Wanted space. Thought sand emotions brought in to conflict with seeing Julian going down. Left questioning his own mentality, risk and reward, how he was meant to handle that fucking despair at seeing somebody he cared about hitting the floor. What if he wasn’t there to stop it the next time? Along with the Gideon revelation it...

Well it made him realise just how dire this all was. And he didn’t like that feeling.

“Lemme guess. Up here to think?” At least he offered a distraction to the newly discovered spiralling.

[thanatosullivan]

asher-jones​:

@thanatosullivan​

It was an anxious feeling, just sitting around, waiting for the chosen few to come back after their mysterious fight with Cerberus. Asher was honestly not used to feeling this helpless by now. Typically when he cared about a situation, about people, about an outcome, he would take matters into his own hands. So the fact that all he could do was sit around and wait for Yves and Dexter to come back put him on edge. Would they make it out alive? 

Oddly enough, he found himself on the stoop of the abandoned house he knew Vince and Julian had taken. Honestly, at that point he didn’t care which one came out, both of them had seen him at his best and probably at the worst he was willing to show. He needed some one to bounce his thoughts off of, and this house seemed the safest place for him at least. As the  front door behind him opened, he cast a glance past his shoulder and offered wry grin. “It took you long enough. As neighbors go, this household has a lot to work on,” he teased, flashing a playful wink. “You good, Vince?”

Thinking. It was what had mostly been taking up Vince’s time while the other’s were off dealing with the giant guard dog of hell. Time spent with Julian, but there was only so much comfort he could provide for the other’s concerns for peoples safety, while Vince was mostly distracting himself with... Well, his typical thought processes. It’s why he needed to get a breath of air, to try and sort his thoughts out in a better way than spiralling.

He hadn’t been anticipating Asher to be perched on the porch in front of him when he nudged open the door, but he didn’t raise a complaint. Instead, he just leaned himself against the not necessarily completely stable wooden beam next to him, and offered a brief snort of amusement at the comment from the other. “Could be worse. Could be having to call in a noise complaint.” His own tone was filled with easy teasing, briefly poking his tongue out toward Asher, before offering a brief shrug of his shoulders at the question. “Alive. About as close as to good as I think we’re gonna be getting. What’s on your mind? You’ve got the ‘Need to talk about somebody but feel the need to do the whole ‘idle chitchat’ thing first’ look going on.”

[thanatosullivan]

scaledmedic​:

It wasn’t surprising Vincent snuck off, somewhere, to decompress. Vincent was adaptable as ever when it came stealth and keeping himself away from prying eyes. His past was barely known to Julian, but their history in quests and at camp were all the context he needed to put the two together. After his own quests, he found himself trying to help the infirmary or returning to Voithos to cook his house a meal or two or three. People called that distraction, Julian called it relaxing. He managed a feeble smile when Vince’s greeted his eyes. 

Smirk? It was better than anything else. Julian didn’t want to be pitied; he knew what had happened and tried his damnedest to make sure no one else had to experience it. He closed his eyes, focusing on the warm lips to his temple, just shy of where his circlet was. It felt far better than the circlet in his hair; a kiss was its own crown, bestowed with feeling and heat rather than metal and hands. Julian kissed Vincent’s cheek and propped his chin on his shoulder. He slowly forced out a sigh, just a little more steady with Vince’s arm around the small of his back. 

He wrapped his own arms around Vincent and slid his cheek so it rest on his shoulder, “I know. I didn’t want to do anything until you got here.” Julian smiled and it rest gently on his features, whereas his eyes were distant. Dim, almost, for what had happened. “Thank you. I don’t think I would be here if you hadn’t helped me, Vince.”

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. It was hard for Vince, relying on anybody else, and when he felt he was at his weakest, most at risk... He needed to be by himself. He needed to be able to effectively clear his hand, look and address what had gone down, put things together in a way that just made sense. He smiled a little at the brush of lips to his cheek as his own found a patch to settle against, taking the time to steady his breaths.

“I’m not convinced any of us would be if I hadn’t.” He wasn’t used to being the hero in any situation. He’d been scared, yes, but... It didn’t change the fact it was also the smart choice. Julian had been the only one there that could help all of them stay alive. “Besides, you’d have done the same for me. Or anybody.” Head shifted, making more than enough space for Julian as he made himself comfortable, easy pressure to guide the other toward where their sleeping bags were set up.

[thanatosullivan]

scaledmedic​:

The last hound died, and no one else went down. A little victory however short-lived, but he’d take it. After Persephone left and the group reunited, Julian worked to bring their sleeping bags into the abandoned house and setting up a room for he and Vincent to use. Working away his shaking reality helped. He was more than aware, more than accustomed, to death. Rarely was it a concern over his own. 

Julian was busy trying to keep himself together and check on the others’ health when he heard Vincent nearby. It didn’t take long for him to recognize the footsteps. He froze up with his quarterstaff at hand, then looked over his shoulder. It was taking a lot for him to even breathe. “Vince,” he whispered. Slowly did he turn around, using the staff to help him cross the way and embrace his lover for what he was: a hero. His hero.

@thanatosullivan​

By this point, it was near enough tradition for him. Battle, keep calm, hold his nerve, and then lose it once the fighting slowed down and he could get rid of the adrenaline spike. Come down somewhere away from people, sort through his head and weigh everything up again. Risks, rewards, pros, cons. There was no point running a job when the risks so far outweighed the rewards. Yet, here he was still. Thankfully, the roof of the abandoned home they were staying in seemed stable enough for that, eventually clambering down once the shakes had subsided, and the pain had at least eased off some.

There’s palpable relief, seeing Julian busying himself with trying to look after others. Distracting himself. He knew what it was, even if it was also just an excuse for the other to be doing what he did best. Care for others. An easy smile quirked his lips at the other’s whisper, not really needing to answer considering how quickly the other had hobbled his way over and tucked in against him. Instead, he locked one arm firm around the other’s lower back, lips pressing against his temple. “C’mon, even you need to get some rest.” Julian’s hero was an interesting title but not one he deserved. Purely selfish reasoning behind his actions. But, if he it got him this? He’d take it.

[revgmh]

[thanatosullivan]

scaledmedic​:

He smiled a little more, snorting softly. Couldn’t? “I’m a horrible liar. I never lie, especially not to you.” Julian had a home, once. Not his mother’s apartment in Chicago nor he and his fiancée’s, but the woman herself. At some point, the hospital became his home. Not for his coworkers, but having patients there or a streamlined purpose at hand. In Norway, in camp, his house was Voithos.

But his home was with Vincent. Julian continued to run his hand down his back, gentle so nails led the way and palm followed suite. His head tilted to the side, before he gave another kiss. It was gentle like before, with a little more weight thrown towards the end. The free hand slid up to comb through his dark curls and then caress that scruffy cheek. “You’d know if I lie, trust me.”

The fact Julian was a terrible liar shouldn’t have prompted a grin from Vince, managing to hold back the laughter for a few beats, before a small snicker escaped. And then he was gone, laughter bubbling free, an easy sound that... Well, hadn’t happened in a long time. “How does this even work? I’m your polar opposite.” But he’s smiling, laughing, relaxed even in the middle of the underworld.

It’s only when the laughter quietens down, head still shifting and pressing against Julian’s hand, that he feels it slipping free. Because, really, he can’t think of another word for how Julian made him feel. What he invoked in Vince with every touch and word.

“I love you, too.”

[thanatosullivan]

baggressive​:

Josh opened his mouth, ready to cut Vince off and tell him that he didn’t care about what the others could do. That he didn’t need them. But then those exact words came out of the other man’s mouth, beating him to the chase. Instead he just exhaled so loudly that it was somewhere between of huff of frustration and a belabored sigh. Why was this conversation actually getting to him? This wasn’t an argument. This wasn’t like when the others circled him, trying to feel him out.

He rolled his eyes at the idea of getting attached. He didn’t care about who was actually a good guy under the surface. “Sounds like you had a grand ole time but your experience isn’t universal, man. No one is gonna get attached to me… whatever that even means.” He paused, turning to look more directly at Vince. “Why do you even care?”

There really wasn’t any denying the sudden spike of smug as he watched the other’s mouth open, and then no words came out. People made sense to Vince. Motivations, feelings, he got them. Didn’t particular care about most of them, but he knew how to get what he needed from people and generally care little for the consequences. He didn’t know whether he was getting anything through to the son of war, but he was damn well trying. Better that than just letting him wander off and get himself killed because he was too proud to let somebody else in yet.

“If they managed it for me, trust me. You’ll have easy sailing.” Because Josh didn’t seem as bitter as Vince. Didn’t seem as beaten down by the world and turned it in to getting back at the world like Vince had. The questioned, however, earned an easy shrug. “Maybe I think you’ll make a decent weapon in my arsenal. Or I’m just old and you remind me of when I was a young man. Who can say?”

[thanatosullivan]

scaledmedic​:

Julian smiled. His heart spread warmth over him in a way rivaling his healing touch. Green faded from fingertips but the heat didn’t. No, with Vince, it never would. He enjoyed touching and using said touch to communicate. With him, it was both appreciation and love, feeling the layers of scars and history run under his hands. Julian trusted Vince with his own; after their first night together, he noted that some level of trust was placed in himself, too.

‘You’re definitely a hero, Jules.’ He tried to be, in a perfect world he’d save everyone. Not all people could be saved, not all lives could be redeemed from the dead. Julian knew that and Vincent, too. More than many others, too. He smiled with the snort and stayed connected through his lover’s gaze. Deep browns, just like he remembered.

He kissed back and pressed that gentle touch for something a little fonder, affectionate. He pulled away a centimeter so their eyes could linger on one another while warm breaths passed between them, “I will say it again and again, Vince. I will always mean it, and I have, when I say that I love you.” He whispered and his hand slid down the scruff to thumb Vince’s neck. There, it lingered further down so nails gently raked against his back. 

Home was a person.

It was a strange sentiment to him, the first time Vince had heard it. He didn't understand how somebody could feel that way about... Well, pretty much anywhere or anybody at that point, but especially about a person.

But this? The familiar comforting sensation brushing over his skin, the warmth of Julian's palms. The soft brush of lips against skin, of comfort in action more than words. This was home. This was where he felt safe in a way he hadn't allowed himself to feel for years.

"Good, because I can't read you well enough to tell if you're lying to me." Apparently feelings fucked with what was typically a well practised capacity to read people. His voice was still tinged with amusement, easing himself in to that sliding hand. The gentle graze of nails enough to prompt a pleased sound from the Son of Thanatos, slow breaths escaping him.

[thanatosullivan]

yvesderosesexy​:

“Maybe.” Yves keeps his dignified cold stare on, but his cheeks pick up on some color. “It’s not about the audience, it’s about feeling unstoppable passion for that person. Why would you want to control it?” It made absolutely no sense. The thing to control was logic, not feelings. “That just sounds like a very miserable way of existing, Vincent. I suggest you loosen up for a change. Might do you some good.”

“Evidently we love in very different ways.” Emotions had to be controlled. It was just as simple as that for Vince. He’d lived his life long enough to see how easily something so wild and uncontrolled could blow up in your face, or just straight up destroy. So he kept himself in control, saved it up for the moments he could fully indulge. “And you could always learn to control yourself better. Very different people, very different ways of handling it. Or do you think your way is the only way of showing somebody you care?”