THE WRITING IS SO GOOD WTF

THE WRITING IS SO GOOD WTF

˒ ⌕ THIEF

parings: luke castellan x poseidon!reader

summary: the one where you're percy's older sister, and luke has a crush on you.

an: not ironically, I'd let luke steal my heart.

( my last work for riodanverse || go to main masterlist )

"Hey there, Y/N," Luke greeted, leaning casually against a cabin wall.

Y/N glanced up, a questioning eyebrow raised, "What's up, Luke?"

"I couldn't help but notice you've got the sea in your eyes, and I thought I'd come over here and tell you that I'm planning a heist," Luke said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Y/N chuckled, "A heist, huh? What's the target?"

"Stealing your heart," Luke replied, offering a playful wink.

Percy, overhearing the conversation, couldn't believe his ears. Storming over, he shot a glare at Luke. "What do you think you're doing, Castellan? She's my sister!"

Luke chuckled, undeterred by Percy's protective stance. "Well, Percy, if she finds me charming, what can I say? Can't blame her taste."

Percy's sea-green eyes darkened with irritation. Without a word, he summoned a water sphere and sent it crashing down on Luke, drenching him from head to toe.

"Stay away from my sister, Castellan," Percy warned, his voice low and menacing.

Y/N, caught in the middle of the clash between the two, couldn't help but find the situation both amusing and perplexing. She smirked at Luke, "Better luck next time, thief."

Percy, satisfied with his watery retaliation, shot one last glare at Luke before turning to Y/N. "Seriously, you think he's charming?"

Y/N burst into laughter, "Oh gods, Percy, you're jealous!"

Percy crossed his arms, feigning indifference. "Not jealous, just looking out for my older sister."

Karen Page Appreciation Week

↳ Day 4: MCU Females

Other women in the MCU I would like to see Karen team-up with:

Yelena Belova

2. Wanda Maximoff

3. Kate Bishop

4. Trish Walker

@karenpageweek2022

interruptions || leo valdez x fem!reader one-shot

anon requested…

can I get a Brother!Percy x reader x Leo? Percy doesn’t like Leo dating his little sister cuz he’s protective but fluffy in the end but. fire and water might be interesting…

and…

Idk if someone else requested this but jealous Percy x reader x Leo please

t/w: cursing. angst, lots of angst. crying :’)

word count: 1.6k

There you were, dangling your head off of the comfortable Poseidon cabin bed and listening to your oh-so-loving brother Percy lecture you for the millionth time.

“So stay away from him, understand?” he huffed. “I don’t like Leo. I don’t think I ever will.”

Leo Valdez, your funny, charming, and hot “best friend” who Percy seemed to especially detest. It only made sense since the two of you were always giving each other heart eyes and Percy was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to go off on Leo for getting within two inches of his precious little sister. But of course when someone disapproves of something, that only makes you want to do it more, right?

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” you replied, waving him off. He kept talking as you started to exit the Poseidon cabin, but you didn’t hear the rest of what he said. His words seemed to go in one ear and out the other.

You were a mere 3 steps out the door when you bumped into the eager Latino boy whose demeanor you knew so well. He was leaning against the cabin post, his lopsided grin making butterflies fill your stomach.

“Hey chica,” he said, leaning into you so his face was a mere centimeter away from yours and your noses were barely touching. You jumped back, face red.

“Leo, not here!” you shouted, pulling him away from where you’d be visible from the cabin windows. “Percy would murder me if he found out about us. He just finished reciting a speech about how I have to stay away from you.”

“Guess he’s intimidated by me, then,” the Latino replied, a cocky smile plastered on his face.

You smacked him in the arm. “Don’t get a big head about it.”

“Whatever you say, cariña. To the bunker?”

“To the bunker.”

Time passed rapidly as you two ran through the woods, giggling and ramming into each other like the careless teenagers that you were. It was only natural that you were so caught up in the euphoria of love that you didn’t notice an angry Percy following behind you.

Once you finally arrived at the bunker, Leo pressed you against the outside metal wall and delicately pushed a piece of hair behind your ear.

“Alone at last,” he said, pulling you closer by the waist and burying his face into your neck.

“Away from camp, Chiron, and… crazy older brothers,” you laughed, playing with the curls in his hair. “I missed you.”

“I missed you more, mi amor. Now where were we?”

He leaned in and you closed your eyes, ready to feel his familiar warm lips on yours. What you weren’t expecting was to feel Leo freeze in your grasp, and to hear the voice of someone you thought was long gone.

“I had a feeling you’d be here,” Percy snarled, emerging from the trees where he was hiding.

Leo protectively put an arm around you as Percy drew closer, a deadly expression on his face.

“Perce, it’s-it’s not-” you started.

“What? It’s not what it looks like? I’m pretty sure it’s exactly what it looks like, Y/N,” he said, glaring in Leo’s direction. 

Leo balled his fist which started to catch fire. “Okay, so what? We’re dating. What are you going to do about it?”

You held your arm in front of him, holding him back.. “Leo, stay out of this. I have it covered.”

Percy closed his eyes, and with a burst of energy, caused holes in the dirt to erupt like geysers around him. “Oh, you’ll see exactly what I’m going to do about it, hot head.”

“Bring it on, water boy.”

Leo shook himself from your grasp, and the boys raced towards each other until they were standing inches away. Percy held water in his hands, increasing the intensity of the eruptions behind him. Leo engulfed himself in flames, growing flaming hot balls of fire in each hand. They raised their hands to each other’s faces, ready to strike. The sight was terrifying, and you knew if you didn’t do anything now, the two would rip each other to shreds.

“Stop, both of you!” you cried. “Step away!”

The second you made a sound, they both were snapped out of their trance and sheepishly walked away from each other.

“You!” you brokenly shouted, pointing at Percy. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you were going to react like this. Don’t you see? If I told you any other way, you would have just tried to kill him sooner. Are you trying to get your own sister to be scared of you?”

Percy looked like he had just been punched in the gut. “I-”

“Save it! I don’t want to hear your excuses!” you breathed, trying to stop the tears from streaming down your face.

“And you! Leo, I told you to stay out of it!” you wailed. “I said that this was my battle, and we said before that if we ever got caught, I would be the one dealing with it. Why didn’t you just listen to me? If you did, this all could have been prevented and maybe you wouldn’t have been a second away from lighting Percy’s face on fucking fire!”

Leo looked at the floor, unable to meet your eyes. He opened his mouth, but you stopped him before he could speak.

“I don’t want to hear your pitiful excuse either.”

The boys shuffled in place, now scared of you rather than each other.

“I’m going to my cabin. I’m pissed at the both of you. Think about how if the both of you weren’t so obsessed with being better than the other that maybe I wouldn’t feel so hurt right now. Think about that.”

You got up to leave and trudged through the woods, not daring to look back.

Hours passed as you cried to yourself in the cozy cabin, covered in layers and layers of blankets. Your friends didn’t dare check in on you, knowing how mad you were and knowing how you’d rip their head off if they tried to talk to you. Besides, this was something you needed to figure out by yourself. The choice of love or family. Why couldn’t you have both?

It started to get dark outside, and you heard a faint knock on your door as you were getting ready to go to sleep.

“Go away,” you slurred.

“It’s me, Y/N,” Percy called. “This is my cabin too.”

“Sleep on the porch for all I care,” you yelled back. “I don’t want to see your stupid face.”

He sighed. But honestly, what was he expecting?

“Can I please come in? I brought someone.”

You looked up to see Leo hesitantly wave through the window. Not wanting to see his stupid face either, you buried yourself deeper in the covers.

“I’m still mad at both of you.”

“Will you at least hear us out?” Leo pleaded.

You hesitated before answering, coming to the conclusion that you were too tired to argue. “Fine.”

The boys entered, seated on the foot of your bed. You sat up but still refused to look them in the eyes. 

“Oh wow, the two of you in the same room and not trying to cut each other’s heads off? Surprising.” you muttered. They just glanced at each other.

“So, um, we came here to say something,” Percy started, looking to Leo for support.

“Okay, and?”

“And, we came to a consensus.”

“That consensus is-”

“-that we’re both going to put our differences aside,”

“For you, because we care about you,”

“-and we love you, and we hate to see you hurt like this.”

“Yes, we fucked up, and yes, we let our emotions and egos get the better of us.”

“But we promise that won’t happen again because from now on we’re going to try to be nicer and better to each other.”

“For your sake.”

“Because we both agree on one thing-”

“-And that thing is that you’re important, and you should never feel hurt, or sad, or mad, because of us.”

“So yeah. We’re really sorry, but we get it if you don’t want to forgive us just yet.”

For the first time since they got here, you looked at the boys. You saw the sincerity in their eyes, and the genuinity in their hearts. You imagined them rehearsing this, making sure they got the words and the order right just for your sake. You decided that maybe if they spent so much time preparing something to make sure you were okay and you didn’t go to bed upset that maybe they really did care about you. Maybe they would try to be better for the future.

You broke into a smile and tackled them in a group hug. “Come here, you dorks. I can’t stay mad forever.”

They smiled, and Leo breathed a sigh of relief. “Great, so you’re not going to break up with me?”

“Of course not, hammer brain,” you reassured him, then intensely glared at the both of them. “But if you two ever go all firebender vs waterbender again, you’re dead meat.”

“Yes ma’am,” Percy said, leaning into the hug.

leo taglist: @florleo @slytherindaughterofposeidon0

What about a Yandad! Poseidon with his mortal/ demigod daughter??

❝ 🌊 — lady l: I got carried away and ended up writing a mini imagine. This is not canon and is based on the voices in my head lol, but I hope you like it and forgive me for any mistakes! 💙

❝tw: threats and a slight yandere!Poseidon, but other than that, nothing else.

❝🌊pairing: platonic yandere!poseidon x daughter!reader.

❝word count: 683.

You grew up at Camp Half-Blood, surrounded by other demigods and learning to control your divine powers. Your relationship with Poseidon was complex; on the one hand, you benefited from his protection, but on the other, the shadow of prohibition hung over you. The sea god, your father, had a clear interest in your fate, and the other demigods couldn't help but feel the aura of power that surrounded you.

Your relationship with Percy Jackson, the already known hero and son of Poseidon, was a highlight. The two half-sibilings trained together, shared experiences, and supported each other in battles against monsters and other threats. The bond between them grew, consolidating a formidable partnership, feared by many enemies. Poseidon was more than pleased to see his two favorite children get along so well.

In the years that followed, Poseidon's presence in his daughter's life was constant. He guided you in training, sharing secrets of the seas and teaching you how to control your aquatic powers. As time passed, your abilities stood out among the rest. Poseidon's influence ensured that the instructors at camp also paid special attention to you, preparing you for even greater challenges. However, the constant gaze of the god of the sea also generated distrust among your fellow demigods, fueling rumors and jealousy.

Life at Camp Half-Blood wasn't easy. Monsters constantly threatened the perimeter, and quests were often assigned to the most skilled demigods. Poseidon, in turn, began to discreetly intervene in your life, providing help at crucial moments and ensuring you were one step ahead of impending dangers.

However, your relationship with the sea god was not just one of benefits. In dreams and visions, you began to receive cryptic messages and warnings from other gods and titans, warning you of the implications of being so close to Poseidon. A god can never be involved in his children's lives, well, the demigods children at least.

Tension between the gods grew as your bond with Poseidon deepened. Zeus, in particular, viewed the increasing influence his brother had over you with suspicion. The warnings from the other gods increased, and the shadows of destiny began to manifest themselves more clearly.

One night, during a vivid dream, Triton, the son of Poseidon with his wife and your half-brother, appeared before you. His eyes expressed concern as he warned of the consequences of ignoring divine warnings.

"Proximity to our father can bring blessings, but also curses," Triton said, his voice echoing like the waves of the sea.

Quests abroad became more dangerous, with more powerful monsters and mythological creatures challenging the demigods. Poseidon continued to intervene subtly, but now his help was under the scrutiny of the Olympian gods. Zeus, in his wrath, explicitly prohibited any divine intervention in your quests.

Once, during a battle against a colossal sea beast, you found yourself on the brink of defeat, your companions also injured. Desperate, you silently cried out for Poseidon's help. He responded, sending a furious wave to defeat the monster, but the price of this intervention was high. On Olympus, Zeus' anger became uncontrollable.

The situation reached a critical point when an oracle prophesied that the proximity between Poseidon and you would trigger a catastrophe that would affect not only the demigods, but the entire balance of the mythological world. The gods' prohibition on interfering in the lives of their children became an unbreakable decree.

Poseidon, however, didn't care one bit. You were his daughter and he would help you if he wanted.

greener grass | luke castellan

i recommend reading bleedin me dry before this as this is the au to that!

summary: what if you left with luke that day in the woods?

a/n: would just like to give a HUGE thank you for the massive amount of support on my luke fic!! and another huge thank you to all you angst demons because why do you want more of it. i mean i get it but why. anyways here’s a different path of actually accepting luke’s offer like so many of you said you would instantly fold lmao i hope you enjoy

wc: 3.2k

warning(s): fem!daughter of demeter reader. luke is his own warning. kind of unhealthy relationship, weird vibes all around

The stars were brighter than ever tonight. 

It was one of the first things that stuck out to you when you got to camp, and it was one of the first things that you noticed when you first got on the road with Luke. 

You’d always loved the stars. They were a rare sight coming from the city, such a sign of nature and purity that it honestly shouldn’t have been a surprise when you were claimed. You still remembered the shock that went through you when you first saw what a night sky free of pollution could be, and you still remembered the first time you risked your life with the harpies just to spend the night star-gazing. 

And you could never forget the first time you dragged Luke along with you, his wry protests falling on deaf ears though he grinned the entire way down to the beach, his hand laced in yours.  

Gods. 

Luke. 

Even the thought of him these days was enough to make your heart clench, a slight shiver run down your spine, and you weren’t fully sure as to why. 

You loved him. You ran away with him. Every path that led you here, you willingly chose to walk down. 

But you still questioned every second of every godsdamned day if they were the right decisions. Especially now, as you sat alone in front of the fire, carefully stoking it with one of the few dry sticks you’d been able to find after taking shelter—in your own haphazard tent made of vines and tree trunks and any other bits of nature you’d managed to sprout from the ground with your powers—to wait out a rainstorm. 

You decided to spend the night, deciding that traveling through the darkness was too risky after the last monster attack, but the minutes couldn’t have been creeping by slower. If being in nature didn’t quite literally fuel you, you knew you would be far more miserable than you already were.

You loved Luke with all your heart, and if he was willing to potentially throw off his entire plan just so he could bring you with him, then he had to love you the same. You owed him this, at least, to not abandon him. 

You— you didn’t want to serve Kronos, but you didn’t want to serve the gods, either. Your mother abandoned you before you were old enough to know what the word meant, leaving you on your father’s doorstep swaddled in blankets and with a note that he still had to this day. 

Demeter left your father to raise you on his own, left you to live the half-life of a half-blood, and hardly paid attention to you since. She didn’t help you when you were on the road to camp with your satyr, wondering if every bump in the night would be your end, and she let you feel worthless for an entire year before she finally decided you were deserving of her claim.

Or maybe she just finally remembered you existed. 

You understood Luke’s anger—you felt it yourself more than you liked to admit—but the path he was on was a dangerous one. You doubted you could take him off of it, but you could keep him safe, and you could prevent more damage. That was all you cared about at this point. 

How long you could walk this line was an entirely different question. 

You sensed him before you heard him even lost in your thoughts, but the snapping of twigs still made your breath catch for a moment. You kept your gaze on the fire as you spoke. 

“Anything?” 

“These woods are surprisingly bare for the time of year,” Luke said as he set his backpack on the ground, kneeling down to rifle through it. “I feel like Artemis is punishing me.” 

“Well, she doesn’t exactly have a reason to help you,” you said wryly. You gestured with your head towards the miniature orchard you’d been making at each one of your camps—one pro of your parentage was that you—hopefully—wouldn’t ever starve on the road. You’d been growing plants since you realized you could, so it was practically second nature at this point. “Fruit’s on the menu, if you’re interested.” 

Luke chuckled as he walked over, and as he plucked a perfectly ripe strawberry, he glanced at you. “Feeling nostalgic?” 

You shrugged. You wondered which of your siblings would be in charge of the strawberries with you gone. You hoped Mr. D wouldn’t give it to one of his kids. “Do you blame me?” 

“Not at all.” He popped it into his mouth then took an apple from the smallest tree you’d been able to grow. “It was home for us both, for a while.” 

You bit your lip. It still was your home—it had been for the past four years. You wanted to go back eventually, but you felt like you had sealed your coffin by going with Luke. Would they ever welcome you back, knowing you willingly followed him into the darkness?

“How long do you think we’ll be on the road?” you asked, finally looking over at him as he sat down across from you. “Not that I don’t enjoy being with you, but… it’s not exactly the safest.”

“At least another week or two,” Luke said. You tried your hardest to keep your expression even as he settled the full force of his gaze on you—you couldn’t deal with the scrutiny. “I need to make sure they’ve lost our trail. The last thing we need is a questing group on our asses.”

You huffed a laugh. “You think they’ll actually send anyone after us?”

Luke shrugged. “If all went well, camp is in total disarray. If it didn’t, they still know I’m with Kronos. I can’t imagine Chiron would take that lightly. And,” he inclined his head, “I did kidnap you.”

You scoffed. “You didn’t kidnap me.”

“They’ll probably think so,” he said, and there was something strange in his eyes. “Doesn’t make sense for you to come with me willingly.”

This again. “Luke—”

“I know,” he said, a slight smile on his lips. There wasn’t much heart in it. “You don’t have to explain yourself again.”

“I just don’t want you to think I’m not with you,” you said. “I— I am. I’m only here for you, Luke.”

His eyes softened. “You mean it?”

“I do,” you nodded. “I couldn’t just leave you.”

“I don’t take any of this lightly, you know.” His eyes never wavered from yours, the orange light flickering across his face and casting a devilish shadow. “You being here means the world. Nothing’s gonna happen to you—I’ll make sure of it.”

“I’m not just gonna lay you out to dry, either,” you said wryly. “We’ll protect each other. Like we always have.”

“Exactly,” Luke affirmed. He bit into the apple he’d seemingly forgot about, and you looked up at the sky in the resulting silence.

It felt like your mind always drifted back to camp, back to your siblings and friends and the victims of Luke’s crusade.

Your summer siblings who would come back next year and wonder where you went, your year-rounders waking up the next morning and all the mornings after with a discontented glance at your bed. 

How long would it take for them to forget you? For you to just be another lost demigod in the camp files?

And poor Annabeth Chase. Luke practically raised her, and he walked out on her without a word—you considered yourself lucky he didn’t do the same to you, and you had no idea what awaited you on your path together. 

The gods had never been one for listening, and certainly not to you, but you hoped at least one of them would look down on you. Maybe your mother could provide some of that wizened second child advice, shine her favor on you for the first time in your life.

Well. You doubted Demeter would very much appreciate your quasi-support of the titan that ate her. The thing you should have considered yourself lucky for was that your powers still worked. 

Luke brought you back to Earth by saying your name, and your gaze snapped back down to meet his. His scar seemed especially grisly in the firelight, at odds with the softness of his expression—something that felt all too rare these days. 

“What’s on your mind?” he asked. 

“What else could possibly be on it?” you asked wryly, tossing the stick you’d been fiddling with into the fire. It crackled as the flames devoured it, something so out of its realm thrust into it anyways. 

“Stupid question,” he admitted. 

“We’re practically fugitives, Luke,” you said. “We have monsters after us, and possibly people from camp. We left everyone behind. I’m with you, trust me, but— but I can’t just get over it all as easily as you.”

“And I get that,” he said. “This—” he sighed and shook his head— “you really don’t know how much you being here means to me. I thought I was going to be out on my own on all this.”

Your throat bobbed. You’d never tell him, but you didn’t even know what your answer was going to be until the words left your mouth.

“And you’re telling me that you’d still choose them over me?”

“No,” you said. “I wouldn’t.”

Luke’s eyes softened and your throat felt like it was closing up.

“Then come with me,” he whispered. “We will change the world together.”

“I can’t,” you asserted. “I can’t just leave everyone behind— I’d be leaving my entire life behind, Luke!”

“You’ll help them more this way,” Luke insisted. “The gods aren’t on our side—we’re here so they don’t have to pay attention to us. If we want anything to change for the better, we’re gonna have to do it ourselves.” 

You bit your lip, and he brushed a strand of hair out of your face. 

“I wouldn’t ask you this if I didn’t think you were right for it,” he murmured, tilting his head as he gazed into your eyes. “Your mother’s never bothered to see you before. I’m gonna make her see you.” 

“How?” you asked, hating the hints of desperation coloring your voice. 

“You’ll see,” he said. “But we’re gonna do something so big that no one’s going to be able to ignore us.” 

Memories of the past four years flashed through your mind, but the two at the forefront were ones with Luke and ones without your mother. 

He’d always been there for you, even when Demeter—especially when she wasn’t.

You couldn’t just leave him on his own. Not when he was baring his soul to you—not when his quest for greatness included it for you too. 

Not when he was the first boy you ever loved, the one who brought you back from the god-induced edge. 

“…Okay,” you said, the word feeling like an ultimatum the moment it left your lips. “Okay. I’ll go with you.” 

He stared at you for a second like he didn’t hear you, or rather like he didn’t actually believe it. And then he broke out into a grin. 

“Really?” 

“Yes, really,” you said. “Have I ever lied to you?” 

“Go to your cabin and pack your bags,” Luke said, still unable to control his exuberant expression. We’ll meet each other at the top of the hill.” 

“Right now?” 

Luke nodded. “Only a couple hours until we’re harpy feed. Everyone’ll think we’re just leaving for the school year.” 

“You’ve always been a year-rounder,” you said. “Won’t people—” 

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “No one’ll think anything of it. We just have to get out before anyone asks any questions.” 

“Luke,” you murmured, “are you—” 

Luke cut you off with a blazing kiss, the same kind of fire in his eyes when he pulled away, a slight smile on his lips at leaving you breathless. 

“I’m sure,” he whispered. “You’re not going to regret this. I promise.” 

It was all you could do to stare up at him, his grip on your arms the only thing keeping you upright for a solid moment. 

“Go,” he said. “Take your time—don’t draw any suspicion. I’ll meet you there.”

“You’re really sure?” you asked, finally able to form words. “Really really sure? About this, a— and me?” 

He cupped your cheek, tracing his thumb along your jaw. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life than I am about you.” 

Leaving camp was insane—when Luke told you of Kronos’s plans, it was even more insane—but it had always been you and Luke. He’d been such a huge part of your life, ever since you first came to camp, that you couldn’t imagine yourself without him. 

And when you looked back at him, illuminated by the fire, you were sure of at least one thing. 

You weren’t leaving any time soon. Not when you could still fix all of this. 

A yawn got the better of you, and you felt Luke’s eyes on you as you covered your mouth with a fist. 

“You should get to sleep,” he said. “It’s been a long day.” 

“It’s been a long day for both of us,” you said. “We both had to get here—and you were the one who wandered around in the woods for two hours trying to hunt.” 

“How do you know I wandered?” Luke asked, setting the apple core down on the ground next to him. “You weren’t there. Maybe I had a very respectable saunter and just came up with nothing.” 

You chuckled. “The trees speak to me.” 

“Really?” he asked, clearly amused. “And what did they say?” 

“That you’re an awful hunter,” you mused, “and you should be very thankful that your girlfriend is good at everything.” 

Luke smirked and got up to start walking towards you. “Your ever-knowledgeable trees should know that I already know.” He kneeled down in front of you, a slight smile curling on your lips. “And that I am very thankful.” 

He pressed a heated kiss to your lips, and you reciprocated, looping an arm around him to keep him close before you pulled away. 

“It’s always good to hear it,” you murmured. 

“I’ll say it as many times as you need,” he assured. Luke stole another kiss then gestured towards your makeshift tent. “But you do need to get some sleep. We’re picking up at first light.” 

Your smile wavered. “We’ve been moving break-neck for a week already. Are you sure we can’t ease up?” 

“Soon,” Luke promised. “I told you, I just want to make sure we’ve lost any tails. We can’t afford that right now.” 

He must have seen the change in your expression, because his eyes softened and he took your hand. “It won’t be like this forever, babe. You can handle it.” 

“It doesn’t mean I want to,” you said dryly, but you sighed as you squeezed his hand. “I’ll turn in if you do too.” 

“Anything for you,” Luke said with a smile. You chuckled and shook your head as you stood up, and Luke grabbed his backpack before he went over to the tent with you. 

Your meager belongings weren’t much. You’d stuffed all the demigod essentials, some outfits, and a sleeping bag in your pack before hightailing it to Thalia’s tree, and Luke hadn’t packed much more—but at least it was light traveling. 

Every night had been spent in the same way, sharing your sleeping bag as you got what precious sleep Luke allocated before you were back on the road again. You were sure the only thing that got you through each early rising was his soft touches and easy murmured words. 

You laid down, staring up at the roof of brambles and bark, and you twisted your hand just so to make them twist away from each other for a small opening. 

Luke raised an eyebrow at you as he zipped his bag up, still crouched on the ground. “What’s that for?” 

You shrugged. “I’ve always liked sleeping under the stars.” 

Again, that small smile. It could still make you melt, even now. “I remember. I just hope it doesn’t start raining again.” 

“Like rain’ll be the worst thing we’ve dealt with,” you said wryly. “Besides, I can feel it in the air. We’re gonna be fine.”

“Yeah,” he said. “We are.” 

You glanced over and he was looking at you. You patted the spot next to you. 

“C’mon,” you said. “I’m cold.” 

“Oh, we can’t have that,” he said, amused, and he huddled in next to you. You let out a contented sigh as his body heat sunk into you, and he draped an arm across you to pull you closer. 

“That better?” he asked. 

You hummed in response. “Thank you.” 

“Always.” 

You closed your eyes as you exhaled deeply, trying your best to unwind the tension in every part of your body. You weren’t used to trekking miles every day, eating rations you’d packed from camp or gas station food from whenever you ended up close to town, only having the woods and the sky and Luke for company. It was starting to wear on you, but you weren’t going to let Luke know. 

“I love you,” Luke said suddenly, breaking the silence, his breath tickling your neck. Your eyes snapped open. “You know that, right?” 

A moment passed before you murmured, “I know.” 

You could feel some of the tension leave his body, and he adjusted his position to be closer to you. 

“Good.” 

His curls brushed against your skin as he rested his head in the crook of your neck. Luke was a comforting presence behind you, like an anchor in the choppy waters you’d thrown yourself into, but it… it just felt different than the countless other times. 

But that was only natural. You were back on the road, living the way you did when you first made the trip to Camp Half-blood with your satyr. Of course it felt different than the crowded chaos of the Hermes cabin, or the beach underneath a tapestry of stars, or your own bed at the behest of your siblings. The only thing that stayed the same was the scent of nature, and the scent of Luke. 

Things were different, yes, but you knew that would happen. Luke was different, but you knew that would happen—half the reason you came along with him was because you wanted to make sure he had a lifeline, a way to come back to shore when he decided his crusade was over. 

Because it had to be over eventually. He would decide that there was no way you could beat the gods, that it wasn’t worth killing himself over some meaningless mission. The gods had never cared about you before—you didn’t know why they would care about some half-baked rebellion by two of their least favorite kids. 

You loved Luke. He loved you. You told yourself that was all that mattered, because you were in this together now. 

For better or for worse. 

The Umbrella Academy (2019-…)