249 BOOK TWO: SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL

by SunshineBoy742

Summary:

Octavian is going back to the games with the love of his life, Leo Valdez, who he's had an odd casual-friends with benefits-off and on relationship with. He's determined to prove High-King Jupiter wrong and embarrass him again, and with the help of his sponsors and a few tribute friends he gets close to finishing his goal and setting the districts free from the hunger games.

Until the capitol throws a wrench in his plan, due to taking a risk on live TV, and now he's fighting the games to make sure that Leo makes it out alive.

And the fight's not over until he says it is.

Will he get lucky again and survive? Will the six months of training prove good to him?

Only the gods know.

Chapter 1: THE PROBLEM WITH LEO VALDEZ

There was a problem with Leo Valdez.

Well, two problems really.

Octavian swung a sword at a practice dummy he had set up in his and Leo’s yard. Ever since he got his cast off, he’d been training himself with the sword for the next games. Sweat was pouring down his back in the early spring heat.

He paused briefly, dull pain flaring up through his wrist. He groaned, sheathing his sword and rotating his wrist gently. He’d need to wrap it again.

“Hey, kid,” a voice slurred behind him. “Where’s Leon?”

Octavian sighed. “Hello, Dionysus.”

Dionysus was clinging onto the railing on the stairs going into Octavian’s kitchen door. He was wearing his usual outfit; a gaudy silk shirt that Caenis had given him in the style of a cat-skin and pants that were just a little too small. His hair was greasy. He needed a bath, but so did Octavian.

“Where’s the boy?”

“Where he always is.” Octavian shrugged. “He’ll be back soon.”

They never said any details. Symptom of being constantly watched in the games. Leo was in the woods, working on his traps. That’s all he did anymore. He was allowed in the orphanage again, but he hadn’t visited in the whole four months since the games, always murmuring something about how he couldn’t look at children anymore because of Harley. Octavian didn’t blame him, he’d never blame him.

Dionysus nodded. “A couple of your school friends are in the house. They want to talk to you about dumb teenager stuff.”

Octavian nodded solemnly. He slipped past his drunk friend and into the kitchen of the house, depositing his sword next to the door. He grabbed a wet rag from the sink and wiped his face. His wrist wrap was waiting for him on the counter and he made quick, practiced work of wrapping his left wrist up tightly until the pain subdued for the moment.

He walked into the sitting parlor and bowed to the two men there.

“No need for that Octavian.” Ganymede shook his head in his typical nervous fashion.

Despite his on-stage appearance, he was a usually jittery and nervous man. The smiling was a practiced act from doing Jupiter’s dirty press work for so long.

Beside Ganymede was Pothos, a man with thick brown hair, much like a lion’s mane. He was gentle-looking, with stern eyes. He was proving himself to be a kind man, taking more after his mother, whom Octavian had yet to meet, than his father, head of the games board, Eros.

“Hello Ganymede, Pothos.” Octavian shook hands with the two men. “Will Himeros or Caenis be joining us this time?”

Eros rarely made an appearance during these visits, citing work on the next games in two months' time, so Octavian assumed he was out of the picture for now.

“My brother is busy aiding our father in preparing the game,” Pothos spoke sharply. “The map is almost complete.”

“Any chance I might be able to see it?” Octavian smiled.

Pothos shook his head. “We can’t let you know, or it will be apparent that we have had some influence with you.”

“And Caenis?”

“Working with Hermaphroditus on their next line. They’ve had a huge boom since your victory, and of course, they’ve been working solely on pieces that anger Jupiter. Even Queen-Consort Europa has begun wearing Hermaphroditus’ pieces.” Ganymede explained.

“Well, my congratulations to them. Now, what is the purpose of this visit?” Octavian sat down on one of his couches and prompted the others to do the same.

Ganymede sat back, picking at a loose stitch in his perfectly made pants. Pothos instead leaned forward.

“Tomorrow, you’ll be leaving for your tour. I’m tourmaster, so I’ll be in charge of all of your activities and visits. You’ll be spending a day in each place. With districts Hera, Ares, and Hephaestus you’ll have to spend extra time apologizing to the families of the people you and Leo killed. For Gideon, Bella, and Jack, you’ll just be apologizing to them in their next mirror and we’ll set up private meetings for them, as well as Charles Beckendorf’s family. Of course, you know the protocol for mirrors?”

“Yes. Leo knows them too.” Octavian nodded along.

“Good to know. I’m sure you’ll be happy to see your allies again. I believe their new names are Mason, Julie, and Amir. You may of course call them whatever you are comfortable with when not on camera,” Pothos spoke, adjusting his suit cuffs briefly.

“Is there anything else you need me to know?” Octavian asked. “I understand our interview is coming soon.”

Octavian looked to Ganymede who nodded and continued picking at his clothes.

“There’s two more things. It is imperative that unless I give you the ok, you stay on script. Leo has become this sort of odd symbol to the people across the nation because of Harley. We cannot risk you becoming the same. Jupiter has a call out for Leo, but Leo’s unkillable. If he puts out a stronger call for you, you will die.” Pothos became gravely serious.

Octavian swallowed nervously and nodded. That was the first problem with Leo. Whatever had happened while Octavian was going around with the blessed ones had severely influenced lower states, like Hades, into forming small rebellions. The country loved Leo, and he was becoming the face of everything.

And Leo hated it. He spent most of the time in the woods now, trapping, even though Octavian couldn’t imagine stepping in a forest again after the games.

“The other thing is that you need to at least pretend that you two are in a very stable relationship. We need you and Leo to get married. It’ll upset the capitol if their favorite couple are separated.” Pothos looked at Octavian with those stern eyes.

“No.” Octavian returned easily. “I’m not going to force Leo to do anything that he doesn’t want to do.”

That was the second problem with Leo. Leo had requested that privately, not in front of the cameras, that they were purely casual. Every night they slept against the other? Casual. Every small touch of hands or hips? Casual. Every early morning kiss? Casual. Every brief moment of hormonal teenage pleasure? Casual.

Pothos sighed. “I understand Octavian.” He held up a hand to stop Octavian from retorting. “I really understand. You need to tell him the plan up to that point. The only way you two can survive is if you get married.”

Octavian groaned and leaned back on the couch, looking to the ceiling. He spoke through gritted teeth, “I will ask Leo.”

“Very well. I shall see you tomorrow.” Pothos stood up. “I shall be in my quarters at the city hall. Please do not retrieve me unless necessary. Ganymede, come along.”

Ganymede followed suit. “I’ll be back here in an hour. If you would, take a shower and dress in the outfit Hermaphroditus gave you.”

Octavian sighed as the two men left his home. He peeled himself off of his couch and up the stairs, pulling off his tank-top as he did so, chucking it into his open bedroom. It’d probably rot in there for at least a week considering he rarely slept in that room, usually sleeping where he preferred; curled in Leo’s arms, surrounded by Leo, listening to Leo breathe as if it were a lullaby. If he fell asleep, which usually didn’t happen.

He slipped into the shower-room and turned on the spigot, not waiting for it to warm up before pulling off his pants and boxers before shocking himself into the cold water. He made quick work of scrubbing off the sweat of training, making sure to carefully wash his hair, which was now hanging just below his ears. Not exactly the rapunzel he had imagined, but it was a start.

Once he got cold enough and felt just clean enough to be presentable to the cameras, Octavian got out of the shower, drying himself with a towel.

Next to the shower was a mirror covered in a cloth. Leo’s request of course. Octavian had agreed, citing that it was weird to have a mirror next to the shower. Completely useless. It’d just fog up.

Octavian was the reason it hadn’t been removed completely. His hand hovered over the cloth before grabbing it. He pulled the cloth down to the floor of the bathroom.

Just like every time he pulled the cloth down, a nauseous feeling stirred in his stomach.

Octavian didn’t look wrong.

He was tall. Fair-skinned. Fair-haired. His eyes held the blessing of Jupiter, blue. Prior to the games he hadn’t had any scars.

Octavian forced himself to focus on the scars. There was the wrap on his dominant wrist, made of water proof material, a gift from Caenis. Then the large ugly pink scar down his abdomen from when the doctors had to physically scrape the damages of the rubbing alcohol he had drunk off his failing organs. A smaller, white scar was directly on his sternum, from Frank’s second misguided arrow. Octavian turned slightly to look at the first arrow scar, which was larger and spidered out along his shoulder blade. When he flexed his muscles he could see the small screws and plates keeping his bone together.

Frank had, via Jason’s weekly letters, apologized many times for the injuries. Octavian had forgiven him and warned him to stay away from berries.

But the scars weren’t the problem. Octavian turned back fully in front of the mirror and looked at his whole body, even the area he skipped over so often.

He often spent late nights wondering how he would feel if he had just been born without the defect. Would he be like Leo and become a man through other means? Or would he be content? What if he was born fully a boy? He had spoken to Hazel about being a girl during the games and had just assumed he was curious about Leo at the time.

He wasn’t sure if he was a girl, a boy, both, or neither.

Octavian heard the door open and close and made quick work of throwing the cloth back over the mirror and wrapping a towel around his-her-their-Octavian-does-not-know waist. In the moment of panic he makes the same decision he makes after every one of these moments of doubt in who he was – he likes going by he/him. It’s all he’s ever done and he wasn’t uncomfortable before learning about his defect.

Ugly word.

He slips out of the bedroom, barely remembering to grab his discarded pants and boxers and chuck them into his bedroom, before seeing Leo.

Leo was at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in an army jacket, t-shirt, and pants. In his hands was a bottle of alcohol.

Maybe there was a third problem with Leo.

“Leo!” Octavian groaned out.

“What?” Leo held up the bottle and shook it, making some splash onto his hand. “I’ve barely had any. Just some liquid courage.”

Octavian pinched the bridge of his nose and said some very choice words.

“It’s fine. I’m not drunk.” Leo swayed.

“Yes, you are!” Octavian shouted, before reeling back when he saw Leo flinch. “I’m sorry. Leo. You are drunk. Please put the bottle down, take a shower and change into the clothes that Hermaphroditus made for the interview.”

Leo set the bottle down harshly and walked up the stairs. He sent a strong glare to Octavian.

“When you stop sucking Ganymede’s cock maybe I’ll stop drinking.”

“I am not sucking his cock!”

“You do anything he tells you to do. Dress this way. Say this thing. Whatever.” Leo walked into his own bedroom, which was more of Octavian’s and Leo’s bedroom. “If he asked you to, you’d drop to your knees.”

Octavian felt hot and angry. “I wouldn’t. The only reason I listen to any of those capitol jerks is because of you!”

“Yeah and the plans you’re not allowed to tell me.”

“For your safety!”

“My safety? I saved you! You were going to die! You got a one!” Leo snapped back and slammed the door.

Octavian yelled in frustration and stomped his foot on the carpeted floor which did not have the impact he thought it would have. They’d had this argument before. Several times. It always went the same way, with no winners every time.

They’d apologize to each other that night, before Leo fell asleep.

Octavian went into his own room and closed the door. He could hear Leo through the wall, bumping around in his room. Octavian calmed himself and threw his towel on the ever-growing pile of laundry. He’d have to clean it tonight before leaving for the tour.

He opened his closet and pulled out the outfit that Hermaphroditus had made him. It was a tastefully loose canvas shirt in blue. Hermaphroditus had hand-embroidered waves in an ancient style along the edges and seams. The pants were plain white, canvas as well.

Octavian took a deep breath. He dressed in the clothes. They felt comfortable, and they were what he had asked for. Something that didn’t give away any gender. His face was surely giving away that he’d never be comfortable anyways.

“Boys!” Dionysus called from downstairs, sounding a bit more sober than an hour earlier, but who really knew how drunk he still was. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah!” Octavian called, followed by a muffled, “Give me a minute!” from Leo.

Octavian sighed, ruffled his still-wet-ish blond hair, which just made it look the tiniest but more lively.

Showtime.

Chapter 2: SHOWTIME

“Welcome back onto the air, Mr. Valdez, Solace.” Ganymede smiled, which made his skin stretch uncomfortably.

Leo chuckled, clinging onto Octavian. “Thank you, Ganymede. We’re glad to be back.”

Octavian was, as always, clinging back. He stared at Leo with all the admiration that he never lost. Sometimes he still got giddy that Leo wasn’t unattainable. Leo was next to him, touching him.

Leo looked effortlessly handsome too. A silk shirt with fire motifs– Hermaphroditus had spouted some nonsense about Phoenixes and an ancient practice of prescribed fire– as well as black slacks that hung low on his jutting hip bones. The neck of his shirt hung low, so low that it was basically opened. It was obscene.

Every time that Leo gently rocked forward or back, the shirt would give way to the very private bits of Leo’s chest. Octavian could peer down into the short at just the perfect angle and see the scar that decorated Leo’s left pectoral. Octavian had once described the darker scar as an upside-down T, and Leo had remarked that Octavian didn’t know what he was talking about. Clearly, according to him, it was a bow and arrow. Octavian didn’t like that interpretation very much.

“Tavi,” Leo interrupted his thoughts, voice light with joking, “my eyes are up here.”

Octavian flushed red and looked at Leo’s face. He was still boyish, with his curls now substantially longer (how Octavian wished he had those hair-growing genes). His eyes were that perfect shade of brown, and when he smiled, Leo’s gap in his teeth took the forefront.

“Of course, dear.” Octavian cleared his throat. “What was the question?”

“I hadn’t asked one.” Ganymede smiled.

Octavian blushed harder.

“But that leads into the perfect segue. The 250th games are approaching fast, and we know that you two are up for reaping once more. Have you been doing anything to prepare for the games?” Ganymede asked and gestured towards the camera.

“Well, it’s guaranteed that I’ll be fighting, so I’ve been training with a sword. I’ve gotten pretty alright at it. I’m not perfect, but it’s a start.”

Leo laughed and somewhere a wind-nymph grew their wings. “Don’t listen to him. He sword fights as if the sword is an extension of his body. He is fast and strong.”

“What about you, Leo? What have you been doing to practice?”

Leo thought for a second. “I’ve been researching plant identification. We don’t know what kind of arena we’ll be in next, and the last thing we want is a repeat of the last games with the cocytusbane berries. We also don’t know if I’ll be going to the games. All I can do is pray that another miracle happens. Either we survive the games together, or he comes home to me.”

Leo squeezed his hand that was resting on Octavian’s hip and looked up to him again. Octavian leaned down and kissed Leo on his lips, the two melting into it. There was still the slightest hint of alcohol still on Leo’s warm lips, but it never mattered in the moment.

They were only broken apart by Ganymede. “Well, I’m sure the folks at home are enjoying this!”

Octavian stood back up, still looking at Leo. “I hope it’s the latter. I couldn’t bear to see you in the arena again.”

Leo’s lip quivered and he pressed his face into Octavian’s chest trembling. He spent a minute there, before pulling away and taking a long shaky inhale.

“I just wish we didn't have to return. We already won the war, why fight another? It’s either me or Dionysus who get chosen. I don’t want Dionysus in the ring because of his age. And he doesn’t want me in the ring because of what happened last year.” Leo swayed forward and his sentence was punctuated with a creak.

Octavian rubbed his hand on Leo’s back. It had taken him so long to be able to stand on his own with the prosthetic. It was shamefully bad to have come from the capitol, but it’s all they had. The metal was implanted into Leo’s bone, so it’s not like they could somehow replace it in the short time they’d be at the capitol. Octavian had badgered his “school friends” about it for weeks with no avail post implantation.

“Yes, you both were badly injured after the games, correct?” Ganymede urged. Sympathy.

“I was shot twice by arrows and had my wrist broken, as well as my incident with the rubbing alcohol. Leo…Leo lost his leg and his chest was cut severely by another tribute.” Octavian rolled his wrist, which was situated on Leo’s shoulder, for emphasis and Leo nodded along.

“Why, that’s terrible.” Ganymede feigned shock. “You two are in no place to be fighting again.”

“We hope once this is all over to just settle down. Maybe start a family.” Leo smiled up at Octavian.

Octavian smiled back. Perfect. He could ask Leo about marriage later on.

“Any plans for marriage? Children?”

“In the future. I want to get married and maybe adopt a few children. Our home should be as lively and safe as my childhood home was.” Octavian hummed.

“I want to adopt children as well. I was in an orphanage for much of my life, and I know what that’s like,” Leo said. “I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else.”

Octavian pressed a quick kiss to Leo’s forehead, which made Leo giggle.

“About your victory tour tomorrow, what district are you most excited to visit?” Ganymede asked.

Leo beat Octavian to an answer. “Demeter’s district. I want to meet Harley’s family. He was a good kid and taken too soon.”

“And I would like to visit the blessed states. See how my allies were raised.” Octavian filled in quickly after Leo stopped speaking.

Ganymede sent Octavian a quick nervous look before wrapping up the interview. He returned to his living quarters in the city hall as the rest of the attendants dispersed.

“Do you need any of your laundry done?” Octavian asked.

“No, I should have enough clothes for the trip. I need a bath, though.”

Octavian snorted. “I can tell.”

“Ugh! Asshole!” Leo lightheartedly punched Octavian’s arm.

“I’m just saying, I can tell you were fucking around in the woods the whole day.”

Octavian hummed and walked up the stairs, dipping into his room to collect his dirty clothes in his arms. Leo slipped past him and into his bedroom. Octavian’s heart fluttered when he saw the small look that Leo gave him before closing his bedroom door.

He did his laundry and made some food. It wasn’t very good, Leo had proven himself to be a much better cook than Octavian, but it was his night.

He carried the two bowls of rice and broth up to Leo’s room. Leo was lounging on the bed, reading a small book on birds.

“Whatcha reading?” Octavian sat on the bed.

“Just trying to learn how to identify these birds.” Leo turned the book so that Octavian could see.

On the page was a gorgeous painting of a grey stork with a reddish-brown beak. It looked graceful on its long legs and had a long train of feathers coming from behind it.

“This one is a-” Leo tapped the top of the page, which in bold letters it said, ‘Whispering Bird - Ciconia Stympalian’, “-and it’s only from Athena’s district.”

“What’s so special about it?” Octavian handed a bowl to Leo once the book was set down.

“I’ve heard they can mimic voices. And their smaller cousins, the Screaming Ibis are known for their pure bronze beaks,” Leo spoke around a mouthful of rice and broth.

“So, I have something important to talk to you about.” Octavian finished his own bowl.

Leo sighed and put his bowl down. “I’m sorry for saying those things to you earlier.”

“I’m sorry for yelling, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. We should get married.”

“What?”

“Ganymede-”

“Ok, this conversation is done.” Leo picked up his bowl again and began shoveling food into his mouth.

“Leo, please just listen,” Octavian pleaded. “Ganymede wants us to get married for our safety.”

“Let me guess, part of the plan you’re keeping a secret.” Leo rolled his eyes.

“We’re hoping that us getting married will pull us away from the games. Appeal to the capitol. And if that doesn’t work, then we consider the pregnancy route.” Octavian drew patterns on the sheets covering the bed.

“So it’s marriage or I get forced to be pregnant. Great.” Leo huffed.

“We don’t have to get you pregnant. It’s easy to fake that,” Octavian said. “We escape the reaping and pretend that you lost it or something. Then we’re home free.”

“And it’s hard to fake a marriage?”

“The marriage is up to you. If you don’t want to get married, then Ganymede and the other guys and I will figure something else out while on tour,” Octavian mumbled.

Leo paused briefly. “Do you want to get married to me?”

“Of course. Whether it be now or years in the future. There is no one else.” Octavian smiled to himself.

“Then, let’s get married.”

“Really?”

“We don’t have years to live. And right now, I couldn't imagine anyone else.” Leo matched Octavian’s energy.

Octavian jumped and wrapped his arms around Leo, knocking the wind out of him. “When should we get married?”

“How about the solstice? If we make it that long, we’ll be married then.” Leo said. “It’s still before either of us turn 18, but after the games.”

“Of course. Whatever you want, my love.”

“I don’t want a big wedding. Just you and me, ok?”

“But a big reception, right? In our backyard with my family and the kids from the orphanage.” Octavian asked.

“Sure.” Leo giggled, and both boys suddenly had their heads filled with childish fantasies of a wedding.

“I’ll get you a nice ring from the blacksmith. Something gold to match your eyes.” Octavian laid down with Leo still in his arms.

Leo snuggled up against Octavian, holding him close. “I think silver would look better on you. It matches your skin tone.”

“I love you.”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

Notes:

welcome back everyone!!!!!!

I have returned with book two, which means more games, more romance, more evil from the capitol, more characters!!!!

Leave me a comment if you want, I'm gonna work on the tour chapter because currently it is fighting my brain.

Chapter 3: THE TOUR P1

Notes:

Return of the Google translated languages.

A reminder that I do not speak Spanish or Afrikaans. If you do and feel the desire to correct me, please do. It is so easy to edit it.

Tremors and deep gasping woke Octavian from his slumber.

He blinked his eyes open to darkness. The only thing he could really see was the shaking form of Leo sitting up.

Octavian grabbed his glasses and clicked on a lamp, which caused Leo to flinch so hard he nearly fell off the bed before regaining himself.

“Leo, it’s alright. Just a terror.” Octavian kept his voice low and soft and Leo shook his head, tears streaming down his face.

“I’m the only one here. There’s no one in the house.” Octavian gently scooted closer to Leo.

“Check.” Leo’s voice came out garbled. He was still hyperventilating.

“Of course, my love.” Octavian stood up. He pressed a quick kiss to Leo’s temple before leaving the room, making sure to close the door behind him.

He made quick work of checking every room in the house. His bedroom, the guest bedrooms, the laundry room where he switched his laundry, the bathroom both upstairs and downstairs, the sitting parlor, the kitchen, the dining room, and living room.

Then he walked back upstairs, and carefully opened the door to Leo’s bedroom.

Leo had stopped panicking fully, and was now just anxiously tugging on his hair. He sat cross legged on the bed, trying to avoid Octavian’s eyes.

“You shouldn’t have woken up. You have a hard enough time falling asleep and we need to leave in a few hours.”

“It’s fine really. You needed me up.” Octavian stretched and laid back down on the bed, curling his long limbs slightly. “The house is clear.”

Leo relaxed just a bit more, but stayed upright. It was silent for a while and it was around the time of night that Octavian was fighting sleep.

“Maybe we shouldn’t get married.”

“Hrm? What?” Octavian’s eyes were closed now.

“Maybe I was drunk or something when I said yes.”

“You weren’t.” Octavian was really fighting sleep now. “Just lay down and hold me again.”

Leo complied, but was still awake a few minutes later.

“Why wouldn’t you want to get married?” Octavian tried to force his eyes open, but failed.

“I’m me, Tavi. You’re so perfect and I’m just Leo.” Leo’s voice dripped with an equal mix of love and hatred. “You have Jupiter’s blessing and you’re tall and you’re handsome. You were raised in a normal family. I’m nothing like what you should want to marry. I’m transgender, I was raised by a family I never knew and the orphanage. I have nightmares every night about what happened. And everyone wants me to be this great person because of what happened and I’m just not.”

Octavian waited quietly for Leo to keep talking before responding. “You think I’m handsome?”

Leo chuckled wetly. “Shut up.”

“I’ve always thought you were more perfect than me. You have this potential to be something great and I was always doomed from the start. And it’s not like my family is normal. I pretend that my uncle is my twin. And I’m intersex, so there’s no reason I would look twice at you being transgender. And you’re the handsome one. Everyone in the whole country would be ecstatic to have you as their husband.”

“I just don’t know.”

“Then I don't know. I haven’t told anyone. We don’t have to get married.”

“I want to get married…” Leo trailed off. “Just, I don’t know.”

“We can always be engaged for as long as we want. Our supposed wedding date is June 21. That’s post-games. If we’re still alive by that point we can always just postpone until you feel comfortable to marry.”

“Ok.” Leo whispered, holding Octavian tighter. His metal leg hit the back of Octavian’s fleshy one, sending a shock of cold up his spine.

It took a few more minutes, but Leo was asleep again and Octavian just listened to his breathing for any hitches, any hints that he might be having another nightmare.

=🝗=

The two were woken up in the morning by Pothos knocking on their door incessantly. What followed was a chaotic hour of throwing clothes into a suitcase, cleaning anything and booking it to the train station.

Once on the train, Iris surprised them with two simple rings, golden and in the style of laurels.

“How…how did you know we were getting married?” Leo examined the ring on his finger.

Dionysus choked on his liquor and Pothos patted his back as Iris’ face morphed into shock.

“You are? I just got these because you are my victors!” Iris gasped, before gathering both boy’s hands in hers. “This is wonderful! When’s the date?”

Leo and Octavian looked at each other having a silent conversation.

“June 21. After the games.” Leo spoke softly, looking into Octavian’s eyes. It made Octavian’s head swim.

“How romantic! Pothos! Call Ganymede! The news needs to be spread!” Iris smiled, grabbing Pothos and dragging him out of the room.

“Are you really getting married?” Dionysus asked, looking up at the two boys through his eyelashes.

Octavian pressed his hand into Leo’s. “Yes. I asked last night.”

“I see. Well, Leon, I wish you had better taste, but nothing I can do about it. Probably for the better, games-wise.”

Octavian gawked. “Better taste?”

“I have perfectly normal tastes. Who wouldn’t want a chance to have Jupiter’s blessing on my family?” Leo frowned.

“Is that all you see me as?” Octavian placed a dramatic hand on his chest, lights glinting off the newly-acquired engagement band. “A device to move up a class?”

“No. You make an alright cake.” Leo’s face split in a grin and Octavian gasped pompously.

Dionysus shooed the two of them away, muttering under his breath about ‘proper courting’ and how ‘Will and Nico know how to do it’.

Octavian smiled fondly at the mention of his twin, Will. Over the past few months, ever since Octavian revealed that his twin and the heir of the state were secret lovers, Will and Nico had begun the elaborate courting dance. King Pluto may have been quick to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, becoming number seven out of twelve legal states, but he still insisted his son go through the proper rituals and paperwork.

Will had moved from angry at Octavian for spilling his secret information to settling on empty teasing, especially when the Solace family received a DVD of Octavian’s playing in the games and suddenly Will had plenty more blackmail on Octavian than he did on Will.

Will and Nico were not allowed to be married until both had surpassed 18 and Nico had been crowned the official prince and successor to King Pluto. They wanted to get married next January 29, the day after, and Octavian had tried to convince Will that it would be hell to plan all of that.

Planning a wedding for June 21 would be hell too. And Will would be a bit upset that Leo and Octavian got to marry first, but screw him.

Leo wrapped his arm around Octavian’s shoulder as the two watched the forests of Hades whip away into the thick swamps and fields of Demeter.

Octavian thought that Hades was warm in the early spring, but Demeter was thick with a heat that Octavian had never felt. It stole his breath away the second he stepped out of the train and Leo had an accompanying gasp for air. Everyone else seemed to adjust quicker, with the only noticeable differences being Iris sporting a fan, Dionysus sweating through his shirt, and Pothos’ hair being frizzier.

“Gods, this place is miserable,” Leo mumbled.

“Agreed.”

“Welcome to Demeter’s district,” Pothos said.

“Is it always like this?” Octavian wiped the gathering sweat from his brow.

“Yes. Now here are your cards. Do not deviate from the script while giving the speech.” Pothos handed each of the boys a card.

Leo looked over his script before turning to Pothos. “Can you tell me what this says? The script is difficult to read.”

Pothos stared blankly at Leo for a second and Leo tried offering the card back.

“Leo, do you know how to read?”

“I can just speak-”

Pothos interrupted Octavian. “No, Solace. Leo, do you know how to read?”

Leo wiped his face of moisture before looking at the ground ashamedly. “They tried to teach me, I promise.”

Pothos sighed sternly. “Fine. Octavian, you speak. Leo, just stay quiet. I’ll look into getting an earpiece for you.”

“I want to speak about Harley. Is that on the card?” Leo returned with his own sternness.

“No. Just be quiet. We cannot have anything impulsive happen.” Pothos instructed.

Leo furrowed his brows. Under his breath, he uttered, “Leer no importa, perra.”

Leo looked up to Octavian and Octavian read his eyes; Harley would be mentioned, even if it meant Leo’s death. It was the kind of intense stare that sent a shiver down Octavian’s spine and made him wish he had access to a bed that wasn’t a cramped train bunk.

It took a few more moments of anxious waiting in the city hall for Leo and Octavian to be released to the open air, which was tenfold more sticky and heavy than the air inside.

Standing in front of the hall was as many people as could fit into the square. On two raised platforms were the families of the murdered children. To the right was just one man standing underneath a banner of his daughter, Meg. To the left was a mother, father, and gaggle of children of all ages beneath a banner of Harley.

Octavian had seen this setup before. With the bakery in the middle of the square, he would spend a day a year leaning out the windows of the apartment floor, watching the proceedings. Every single year there were two platforms for two grieving families set up. Will had nearly fallen out of one of the windows watching the procession one year which had earned them both a beating from their father.

If he wasn’t being choked by guilt and the humidity, Octavian might’ve chuckled at the memory.

He approached a microphone and snuck a look at his card.

“Dear residents-” Octavian stepped back as his voice came over the square way louder than intended. “Dear residents of Demeter. As victors, Mr. Valdez and I would like to formally apologize for what happened to your children.”

Ok, this was bullshit.

“They were young and should not have been taken from you. We should not have…” Octavian paused, blood starting to boil over. The capitol wrote these cards and for seventeen years, Octavian had believed these words. “We should not have taken part in their deaths.”

Octavian crumpled the card in his hand, wrist flexing painfully. He was hot from anger and the general heat. They didn’t have a choice in whether they got to participate. He struggled the final line out. “We, too, are sorrowful about what happened.”

He breathed heavy into the microphone before looking to the platform dedicated to Meg. Fuck whatever Pothos and Ganymede said, he’s going off script.

“I didn’t know Meg. She wasn’t long in the arena and I watched her die. I cannot imagine what you must feel. She was way younger than most of the other tributes and there’s no fairness to that fight. That’s not how it’s supposed to be. That’s not what should’ve happened. She should’ve been given the right to live past childhood.”

Octavian turned from the sole man to Harley’s family. “I think Leo would be better suited to speak on Harley.”

Octavian stepped away from the museum, seeing Leo’s quick smile of relief thrown Octavian’s way as he stepped up.

“Harley was my friend,” Leo opened. “I felt kinship with him as I had the children I grew up with in the orphanage. He was scared, alone, and young. He may have died scared and young, but I refused to let him die alone. What happened to him was tragic, and I’m sorry I couldn’t have protected him better.”

Leo’s voice broke on the microphone and he excused himself with a soft, “Sorry.”

The square was silent and Octavian could feel Pothos glaring at both boys.

“Ashes!” one of the brothers of Harley called. “Ashes!”

The word grew like wildfire. The whole square screamed the word, centurions readying positions as brawls broke out between them and the townspeople.

Pothos grabbed the two of them. “Come, quickly, we must get back on the train.”

Leo was sobbing at this point, clinging onto Octavian’s arm.

Then they heard gunshots. The screams of bravery turned to terror.

Octavian glanced behind him as Pothos tried to direct both boys' heads to look at the ground. Centurions were opening fire onto the crowd. They had already killed seven.

Pothos forced Octavian to look down until the train was moving.

“What the hell!” he yelled.

“I’m sorry,” Leo blubbered, still sobbing. “I didn’t mean-”

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen either, but that script was utter bullshit. We needed to say something to the families.” Octavian shot at Pothos.

Pothos groaned and rubbed his hands on his face, speaking in a foreign language that sounded nothing like the Spanish that Leo often spoke around the house. “Both of you stay on script in Poseidon’s city-state. Leo, you can have an earpiece. Mal kinders.”

Pothos left the car with a very distraught Iris and a getting-drunkier Dionysus behind him.

Leo continued to cry, and Octavian led them back over to the couch, where Leo pressed himself so deep into Octavian he was sure it would leave a Leo-shaped bruise.

“He said- he said that he would hurt them if anything happened on tour!” Leo sobbed out, hands gripping Octavian’s shirt.

“Who?” Octavian’s eyes squinted behind his glasses in concern.

Leo took a shaky breath. “Jupiter. He said he’d kill every child in the orphanage if something like this happened!”

“Jupiter talked to you?” Octavian’s voice raised a notch. “When?”

“Yesterday. While I was trapping. He found me in the woods.” Leo pressed his face into Octavian’s side, muffling his words.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Leo shrugged.

“Leo, I have a family too! What if he goes after my family? Fuck!” Octavian threw his head back angrily and it bounced slightly off the back of the couch.

“I’m sorry.” Leo began to cry heavily.

“No, Leo,” Octavian sighed. “Just tell me next time. Please. And I guess we should stay on script. If we want our families to survive.”

Notes:

Guess who's backkkkkkkkkkkk. The ao3 curse is real, my wall caved in in my apartment, so it's been a second.

So if it wasn't obvious yet, Pothos and Himeros are meant to be biracial, with their mother Psyche being from Africa and Eros being the scariest thing alive; a white man.

So Octavian and Leo are making a scene across America starting in the south, we'll see what happens in the other districts next chapter. Also I really don't like the previous chapter, which is why Leo's having some thoughts on marriage.

Comment whatever you want!

Chapter 4: THE TOUR P2

Notes:

More google-translate Spanish. Correct me if needed.

The first thing Octavian noticed about Poseidon's domain was that it was just as hot as Demeter's. The only thing that permeated the heaviness of the air was a cool salty breeze.

Octavian had never been to an ocean, always tucked away in the woods. He didn't know how to swim either, so the idea of moving, strong water frightened him. But the smell finally made him understand why Jason often praised the beaches in Hera.

The second thing was the chatter. It didn't feel like the depression and poverty of Demeter or Hades. There were people laughing.

“They're speaking Spanish.” Leo gasped when he heard them. “They're speaking my language.”

“Maybe this is the district you were originally from.” Octavian joked, nudging Leo in the shoulder.

“Is there a translator?” Leo asked Pothos.

“No, I don’t believe there is. Most speak the glorious language as well as Spanish, so they’d be able to translate it themselves.” Pothos snuck a drink of regional alcohol that Dionysus had already located. He hissed when it hit the back of his throat.

“But, wouldn’t it be nice to hear from someone that speaks the language they do?” Leo asked.

Pothos shook his head. “There is no need, trust me. And since we don’t have anyone who speaks Spanish on our team other than you, we cannot have you causing a ruckus like you did a few days ago.”

Leo frowned deeply, but still accepted the earpiece that Pothos gave him.

Octavian was let off with just a card and both were pushed into the sun.

Poseidon’s city square was much simpler than either Demeter’s or Hades’. It wasn’t a town, more of a village, with all the shops and houses being one story and slightly lifted off the ground. The whole area was painted in gorgeous colours, and Octavian could actually see the sea in the close distance.

And most of the people looked like Leo. They weren’t carbon copies. Some had the same nose shape. Some had his big doe eyes. Some had the same shade of curls. Some matched his skin tone to the exact hex number.

Leo held onto Octavian’s hand in excitement.

The majority of people in Hades looked like Octavian, and here there was a whole crowd of Leos.

Octavian scanned over the crowd and locked eyes with the only person that actually looked like him. Mostly because that person, blue eyes and mop of golden curls, was staring bullets into Octavian. He looked away quickly, terrified of whatever the man was planning.

Leo and Octavian made their speeches and tried their hardest to sound like they were interested in the propaganda coming out of their mouths. Murmurs went over the crowd and Leo and Octavian were led away to meet King Neptune.

Neptune was a warm presence in the city hall, greeting both boys with hugs, which cracked Octavian’s back uncomfortably. He was a fat man with an impressively long beard that suddenly made Octavian want to grow one, despite never being able to grow much hair on his face. Neptune’s hair was jet black and he had expressive green eyes.

“Leo and Octavian! ¿Como estas?” He sat at his desk with a creak of wood.

“Bien, ¿y tú?” Leo answered.

“Bien, siempre, siempre.” Neptune chuckled. “¿Octavian? ¿Como estas?”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Octavian turned bashful and looked to the ground.

“No worries, boy.” Neptune’s voice was thick with an accent Octavian had never heard. “How are you?”

“Alright, thank you.”

“Now two victors, very special. Have you been preparing for the next games?”

“Yes sir.” Octavian answered and Leo shrugged.

Neptune sighed mournfully. “I wish it didn't have to be this way. Our punishment has gone on long enough.”

“What do you mean?” Leo leaned forward in interest.

“The games are our punishment for testing the strength of Jupiter.” A sudden knocking on the door interrupted the king. “Know the fisherman’s district stands with you Leo. You are our kin after all. You and your husband will always have refuge here.”

The door creaked open and Neptune forced a smile. “Victors, meet my own praised victor.”

Octavian looked to the doorway where the intense man from the crowd was. He was a little bit shorter than Octavian, but still made him cower in fear. His piercing blue eyes raked over the two of them.

“Padre, quería permiso para hacer una pausa en mis deberes para visitar a Tyson y Ella.” Percy straightened himself up.

“Octavian, Leo, this is my son, Percy.” Neptune smiled. “He’s also been training for the upcoming games.”

“Do you think you’ll be chosen?” Octavian asked.

“With my luck, I will be reaped and win again.”

Both boys looked at Percy with uneasiness. Percy snapped his eyes back to Neptune.

“Padre, déjame irme. No deseo ver a mis enemigos antes de la batalla,” Percy said.

“Sí, vete, vete. Te veré mañana.” Neptune waved his hand lazily.

Percy bowed shortly before exiting the room.

“Now, please enjoy your time here, victors.” Neptune smiled.

=🝗=

None of the rest of the districts had anything particularly interesting go on.

Pan brought them up out of hot stickiness of the lower states and into the mountains and twice the train tracks had to be cleaned of foliage, which made Pothos quite a nervous man.

Aphrodite was made of rich woods that were in full bloom, full of flowers and gentle animals. The many heirs and heiress of Queen Venus took it upon themselves to greet Leo and Octavian which led to one very awkward night with the heir Mitchell.

Artemis’ land was evergreen with a large population of deer and wolves, which made sleeping terrible for both boys as the howling mimicked that of the tributes-turned-wolves from the previous games. Octavian spent most of his night awake watching Leo suffer through nightmares only to fall into a terrifying slumber himself.

Hermes was positioned right in the middle of the country and had the second largest metropolis, close to the size of Zeus itself. With supervision, the boys were able to walk around the city and explore, which led to Leo somehow adopting a bearded dragon from a shop. Octavian hasn’t warmed up to the animal totally, especially since it likes to curl up on Leo’s shoulder and sleep on his chest.

Hephaestus was right by a huge lake and was covered in forges. Leo was taken from the train one night to especially apologize to the family of Charles Beckendorf. He came back and cried in Octavian’s arms about meeting the boy’s betrothed, a girl named Silena.

Apollo spanned across a desert covered in mountains and fancy plants called cacti. While in the city of health, Octavian bribed a boy in the city hall to buy a book of medicine for Will.

Athena’s city was stark and uniform, situated in a forest of bushes and small trees. Octavian could swear he saw Luke in the crowd with his ruined eye, but he disappeared as fast as he appeared and Annabeth was nowhere to be found, although her family mourned her.

Ares was even starker. All the citizens wore uniforms chosen especially by Mars himself and both Leo and Octavian were glad to leave, especially when told that ‘Mason’ and ‘Julie’ would be awaiting them in Hera.

Hera itself was the largest district. Mostly desert, with mountains piercing half of the city. On the other side of the mountains were fertile forests and crop-fields. Just a little farther was the Capitol, the final stop on the tour.

The crowds created a ruckus when Octavian and Leo stepped aboard the stage, showering them in lily flowers and celebrating their upcoming marriage more than their victory. Hera herself even steered every conversation away from the games.

The final day of their rest, they dressed in nice suits that were awaiting them in the morning, both white with gold and purple accents.

They were led away from the docked train to a dining room right at the city hall, which was considerably better than Hades’ funeral rooms. Waiting for the two was Julie, Mason, and Faith, better known as Hazel, Frank, and Thalia.

Octavian was taken back by the appearances. Compared to the year prior they looked weird, like they weren't meant for those bodies. And their eyes…they looked like they weren't supposed to be there.

Hazel now had lighter skin and slightly less coily reddish hair. Her eyes were the same kind brown, framed by dark freckles. She was now tall, nearly as tall as Octavian and wore a long gown.

Frank had almost completely changed. He was still Asian, just as Hazel was still Black, but instead of his previously impressive stature, he was a wiry, short boy with huge glasses. He was also wearing a similar white suit, just like Leo and Octavian.

Thalia was now darker skinned with curly black hair. Her eyes stayed the same disconcerting blue as before and she was a bit shorter than her previous incarnation. She wore a black dress in the same style as Hazel’s.

As soon as Hazel saw Octavian she jumped up and ran to him, nearly knocking him over in a hug.

“Oh my gods Octavian! You haven't changed a day,” she cooed, brushing some of his hair out of his face.

Leo squeezed Octavian's hand gently. “That's Bella, right?”

“Oh, you can call me Hazel.” Hazel smiled, wrapping Leo in a hug as well.

“Leo, this is Hazel, Frank, and Thalia. Everyone, this is Leo.” Octavian introduced his fiance.

Greetings were passed all around and the teens were sat at a table. A beautiful dinner with the finest beef and herbs was served to them and both Leo and Octavian knew they’d go back to the train full.

“So, I suppose the reason for this meeting is to apologize,” Leo said in a quiet break. “Hazel, I’m sorry for killing you.”

Hazel chuckled lightly. “Oh, that’s nonsense. You were scared and angry Leo and I just happened to be there. Besides, of all the people to kill, it’s better to kill one of us. We’ll just come back again.”

“Although the stint as a wolf was a little unnecessary,” Thalia grumbled.

“It made Jason happy.” Frank shrugged. “I still feel weird that you ate me though.”

“Ugh! Don’t remind me while I’m eating food!” Thalia pushed away her plate abruptly.

“Jason always seemed so interested in wolves. The research papers he sent me by mail were more than I ever wanted to know about the animal.” Octavian shook his head dismissively. “Where is he, anyways?”

The blessed ones looked between themselves with unease.

“Octavian, have you gotten his most recent letter?” Thalia kept her voice low and leaned across the table.

“No, it would’ve been sent while I was on tour.”

“Shit.” Thalia got up abruptly and walked to the corner of the room to pace.

“What’s wrong?” Octavian asked the other two.

“We were hoping that his letter might’ve had some clue about what happened. You’re his greatest friend and closest correspondence.” Frank explained.

Leo’s brows furrowed. “What happened?”

Thalia walked back up to the table. “Jason’s been missing for a week now. He just vanished into thin air.”

“He’s been missing?” Octavian asked. “How-”

“The only reason that I came to this stupid dinner was because I thought you would know!” Thalia began to cry angry tears.

“I think it’s time for us to go. Octavian, wonderful to see you again, please write soon. Leo, it was great to meet you.” Hazel got up and wrapped her arm around Thalia, Frank following close after.

Notes:

So, this was originally written prior to the announcement of the TV show, so my Percy head cannon for years and still my book Percy head cannon is that he is Latino. I usually oscillate between Cuban and Costa Rican, but since I had been going with the show descriptions, I've made him the only white boy in the entirety of Mexico. I also was going over a map of Panem I found online and district four (Poseidon/District 10 here) is like half of Mexico, so I made the citizens all Spanish-speaking and Mexican. Sue me.

Also welcome Walker Scobell and Tamara Smart to the 249 roster!!!!!! Good luck!!!!

Comment your questions, concerns, or predictions. I've got this book finally fully planned out and can't wait to see what you cook up on your own.

Chapter 5: THE GRAND BALL

Notes:

Return of the Google translate Afrikaans. Correct me if anything is wrong.

The train jolted to life away from Hera just after midnight. They’d arrive in the Capitol for their final stop in the morning.

Octavian swayed on his bunk as the train began to move, before settling. Leo didn’t wake from his slumber, only mumbled something and wrapped his hands tighter around the sheets for stability.

Octavian stayed sitting up, instead allowing his hand to splay over Leo's warm uncovered back. He kept his hand there, feeling every breath that Leo took. It was calming, feeling how his muscles contracted and loosened and his spine shifted gently.

Octavian looked at the book in his hand and finally flipped it closed. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of the bunk, just staring.

Eventually that got boring, so he retreated from the bed after making sure that Leo was fast asleep. He grabbed his sheathed sword from under the bunk and slipped through the train cars until he found the storage room, where he had pushed aside boxes.

He swung the sword around, working on his footwork. He had to be graceful, yet strong.

He had to, for Leo.

=🝗=

The victor’s ball was held at Jupiter’s mansion, and unsurprisingly Leo and Octavian were the only victors there. Even Dionysus was denied entry.

They had met up with Hermaphroditus earlier for their ball outfits and Hermaphroditus looked like they had been working themselves raw on the new line of clothes and the outfits for the next round of pre-games appearances.

Both boys were given wedding suits, both pure white, with matching purple capes with gold chains holding them onto the boys’ shoulders.

“You look handsome.” Octavian murmured to Leo as they walked behind Iris and Pothos.

 

Leo looked up to him with those perfect brown eyes. “And you look beautiful, Tavi.”

Octavian blushed a deep red and Leo chuckled.

“Your victors, Leo Valdez and Octavian Solace!” An announcer boomed from nowhere shocking both boys into a twin flinch.

The crowd in the courtyard erupted with applause and awkwardly, they both bowed.

The courtyard was about as extravagant as it could be, as if it was a temple to Jupiter himself. Large marble columns line the yard with depictions of the old gods looking regally upon the mansion. Octavian couldn’t recognize all of them, but he knew Helios and Rhea.

The mansion was the same marble, with red curtains blowing in from the open windows. In the courtyard were a few fountains as well, and a large feasting table that guests were taking food from.

Both Leo and Octavian slipped through the crowd as unnoticed as they could be, before making it to the feasting table. They loaded up plates and retreated to a fountain, where they sat on the side of the water and ate their food. They kept quiet.

Octavian felt out of place. Here were all these capitol dwellers, all partying without a care in the world. Without the fear that they might lose someone they love.

Octavian pressed a kiss to Leo’s cheek.

“What was that for?” Leo kept his voice soft and low.

“Just love you.”

Leo smiled a little. “Love you too.”

Two capitol-dwellers came up to the two. “Would our victors like any wine?”

Leo quickly accepted a glass.

“Careful, it’s strong,” one of them said.

“I can hold my alcohol,” Leo murmured and downed the whole glass in one go. It was quickly replaced.

“Mr. Solace?”

“I’m alright, thank you.” Octavian refused.

“But wine is good for you! Jupiter’s doctors said so!”

Octavian pushed away the wine as it was thrust into his face. “I don’t drink.”

The two people finally left, complaining about how Octavian wasn’t fun like his counterpart.

“They were right, this stuff is really strong.” Leo leaned on Octavian’s shoulder. “I think I’m drunk already.”

“Gods.” Octavian cursed under his breath. “We should leave, this party is making me uncomfortable.”

“No, I like it.” Leo hummed. He felt warm and rosy against Octavian’s shoulder.

“You’re drunk. You’ll like anything.”

“Maybe.” Leo sang out.

“Let’s just go.” Octavian stood up and offered a steadying hand to Leo, who started to tip back into the fountain.

Suddenly all the lights flickered off and redirected to a balcony where King Jupiter himself was standing.

“I want to thank you all for joining us at the grand ball this year.” He smiled. His face looked like it was contorting painfully as he smiled, that fake youth about him.

The crowd, excluding Leo and Octavian, cheered loudly.

“On this, the eve of this glorious nation’s semiquincentennial, I want to thank the great people of this country for keeping our traditions alive. We would be nothing without our glorious language, our city-states, and nothing without the games,” Jupiter spoke into a hidden microphone.

Octavian let his blood boil, but kept his head on.

“It’s because of these traditions that we can live a safe, healthy, and prosperous life. It’s because of these traditions that our children-” Jupiter picked up a small child, just a toddler “-children like my youngest son, Sarpedon, get to grow up in the best country in the world!”

More cheering and Jupiter laughed as his son slipped his face into his coat, smiling shyly. Jupiter put Sarpedon down, and he ran to hold the legs of his mother, Queen-consort Europa.

“Now, in these times our traditions are being tested. We have riots and violent protests popping up all over the lower states. In order to keep our country for our children I’ve implemented a task force of centurions to each of the states to keep control. Rebellions are no joke, and I’ve seen first-hand how they tear countries apart and turn people into their worst selves.”

Jupiter stepped back and invited a man to the stage to stand beside him.

“That is why I am entrusting my eldest son, Minos, to lead the centurions in the most treasonous state. If we are keeping this nation for our children, we should let them learn how to inherit it.”

The crowd clapped for Minos. He was a muscular man, clearly trained in the military, with a shining medal pinned over his chest.

“We will return this country to tradition!” Jupiter pumped his fist in the air and the capitol-dwellers joined in.

Now, Octavian needed to leave. He leaned Leo against himself, feeling the drunk stumble on his prosthetic before getting a little balance. He quickly found Iris, bumping his way through the crowd until Octavian got to her.

“Hey, Iris, we need to leave. Leo is very drunk and-”

“Nonsense!” Iris shrieked. “You two haven’t even danced.”

“Leo is too drunk to even stand on his own, much less dance!” Octavian argued.

“Then you dance! I’ll take care of Leo.” Iris quickly took Leo from Octavian’s arms and plopped him down on an empty chair.

“I don’t know how to dance and I don’t have anyone to dance with,” Octavian grumbled in annoyance.

“Pothos!” Iris interrupted the man mid-bite. “Can you find Octavian someone to dance with?”

Pothos sighed and set down his plate, leading Octavian away. Octavian protested, but soon enough Pothos dumped him in front of an older woman with dark skin and gray braids.

“O, my seun, wie het jy vir my gebring?” she asked in the language that Pothos sometimes uttered under his breath.

“Die oorwinnaar. Asseblief, dans met hom, Ma. Hierdie kinders gee my hoofpyn.” Pothos sighed and the woman laughed.

She got up and took Octavian’s hand as Pothos walked away.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I don’t really know how to dance.” Octavian tried to apologize as he was led onto the dance floor.

“It’s alright, son. We can just sway,” she spoke with an accent that seemed two steps from familiar.

She placed her hands on Octavian’s shoulders and directed his hands to her hips. Octavian felt sweaty and uncomfortable as he stumbled over his own long limbs.

“You’re a sweet boy, Octavian. I wish you didn’t have to fight in these silly games.” She sighed.

The woman leaned in, close to his ear and whispered. “They will rig it so that Leo will be in the game. They want him dead, and you soon after.”

Octavian swallowed nervously. “How do you know?”

“My husband is on the board, but they are excluding him from the meetings. They don’t suspect an old, confused, foreign woman, when she comes looking for her husband.”

“What do I need to do to protect Leo?” Octavian kept his voice impossibly low as the woman started to waltz them.

“Keep him breathing until the second midnight.” She pulled away and smiled. “You’re doing it, following my waltzing instructions. You’ll be a capitol dancer yet.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Of course. It’s a useful skill, even if your betrothed cannot learn it now. At least my husband gets to entertain yours.” She chuckled and nodded her head towards where Leo was sitting, sobering up.

He leaned on his elbow, picking at his cape, boredom evident on his face. Eros sat beside him, Pothos and Himeros and a girl who shared similar features to them were locked in their own discussion with Iris and Ganymede.

“Eros is your husband?”

“Of course, son. What, you didn’t think he could bag me?”

“No- you’re Psyche?”

The old woman – Psyche – nodded. “And with him are my three beautiful children, Pothos, Himeros, and Hedone. Have you met them?”

“I’ve met Pothos. He’s my tour guide.” Octavian nodded. He couldn’t reveal he knew Himeros, and he had never met Hedone.

“Oh, he was so excited to lead you. He blabbered for weeks on end about plans and everything like that.” Psyche smiled. “Himeros, he takes after his daddy. This is Eros’ final year as gamesmaster, and Himeros is next in line. And then, Hedone is a nanny for Queen Europa’s children. I think she’s raised Sarpedon more than the queen even.”

“Wow, your children are important. You must be very proud.”

“The proudest. What about you? Are you thinking of children?”

“Yeah. Leo and I want to adopt some later in life.”

“Why not have any?”

“I can’t. I was told by the doctors here that I’m sterile because of my defect.”

Octavian got lost in his own head as Psyche frowned. He’s a boy, it’s fine. He’s always been a boy, even if it feels weird even to think that.

“Surrogacy is off the table.” He took himself from his own thoughts.

“I see. What about careers then? Any thoughts on that?”

“Well, victors don’t have to work.”

“Lucky dogs, you lot are. But what if you weren’t tied down as a victor?”

“I suppose I’d just continue working in my parents' bakery.” Octavian spoke softly, body filled with the gentle warmth of ovens. “And Leo is the most excellent cook I’ve ever met, so I’m sure he’d be an important chef in King Pluto’s personal kitchen.”

“You praise your husband well.”

“He means the world to me. I’m going back in for him.”

“Good man. I think it’s time for you to leave now.” Psyche redirected Octavian’s attention to the table.

Pothos and Iris were shaking hands with everyone else at the table and Leo was waving Octavian over.

“Thank you for the dance Psyche.” Octavian attempted a bow.

“Thank you, son. Please, go. Enjoy your journey home.”

Notes:

RAGHHHH Psyche!!!!!!! I love her!!!! Her children are made of love!!! She's a Black woman in a sea of white men!!! Praise be to her!!!!

Also things are advancing...Psyche is a head conspirator, I love her. And we get to finally hear something from the elusive High-King Jupiter. Who knew he had kids? All sons, too! Minos, Rhadamanthys (not mentioned lol) and Sarpedon.

Comment any questions, concerns, or predictions.

Chapter 6: JASON'S LETTER

Dear Mr. Solace,

You bitch! Why didn’t you message me that you were getting married? As soon as I heard the news on the television, I knew I had to write to you. Gods above, how did you even convince Leo to say yes? From your letters it seems that he’s as difficult as they come.

In other news, I finally got the go ahead from my mentor, Lester, to begin taking University classes. I’ve decided I’ll only work in semesters and we’ll fabricate the credits I lose when I die. I’ll just win the year before my graduation year, so that my career is uninterrupted by all of the nasty business to do with the games and I can live my life in peace. Maybe by then, the games will be over.

I have attached some more training papers for swordwork as you requested. It’s one of my specialized weapons, as you know, and I’ll be sure to give you some hands-on training when we meet up for dinner at the palace. I’m sure my queen won’t mind if we slip away.

I hope you’re already writing me my wedding invitation,
Amir Wilson
℅ Jason Grace

Notes:

>:) Sorry!

Chapter 7: THE FIST OF JUPITER

Notes:

WARNING: Semi-Graphic depictions of torture.

The ride home had been uneventful, aside from Leo’s two day hangover and his bearded dragon, named Festus, going missing for several hours, only to show up and plop itself on the already suffering Leo’s face.

Once home, late in the night, the two collapsed on the couch and fell asleep for a day, exhausted from travel and all of the things that had happened.

Octavian surprisingly woke up before Leo, who had gripped himself tighter onto Octavian than ever before. Still, he managed to slip away, grabbing the book he had bought for Will and heading out into town.

Victor’s street was a while away from the heart of town, but it was early enough that Octavian felt safe enough to wade through the streets of the city without being bombarded with questions about things like his marriage and the tour and all that other stupid stuff.

The only thing in the world was his twin brother right now.

Octavian unlocked the back door and immediately he was greeted by his family working in tandem. Mark and Quinn worked the two ovens simultaneously, replacing dough as fast as it was baked into bread and stoking the fires. His father was mixing, sending every batch that finished proofing over to Will who was kneading. Olive and his mother worked on separate cakes.

Octavian watched them for a second before seeing his mother, and her hands that kept getting shakier as years went by, sigh as her frosting slipped slightly on the otherwise impeccable cake.

“Mother, please, allow me.” Octavian took the piping bag of cream frosting from her and finished the spiral, following her instructions on how the client wanted it decorated.

Once he was finished, the ovens had ceased and the majority of the family had left towards the storefront, to organize for opening hours. He carefully brought the cake over on its stand to the window of the shop to advertise the business before the client, old Mnesarchus the tavern-keep who had his daughter’s birthday today, was to come around to pick it up.

“So, what’s the reason for your visit, little brother?” Mark asked, gently punching Octavian’s shoulder once the cake was down.

“I’m not allowed to visit my family without being held accountable? I just got back from a trip around the world!”

“Man, you are so stupidly lucky for that.” Quinn huffed.

“I wouldn’t say lucky, it’s just payment for not dying.”

“More pay than we’ll ever get.” Quinn groaned. “Where’s my stipend for not dying yet, Jupiter?”

“I think you’re here for more bread to restock.” Mark implied.

“Well, some would be nice.”

“I knew it! He wanted something! Father! Double the prices for him!”

Octavian’s father came and gave a swift smack to the back of his elder boys’ heads. “Keep it quiet in the shop.”

Mark and Quinn grumbled before taking down Octavian’s order and going to arrange it.

Olive attacked Octavian in a hug. “Why didn’t you tell us you were getting married?”

“It was kind of a last minute decision.”

“Last minute decision? We only have a month to prepare! We have to throw a wedding!” his mother scolded him.

“We’re not having a big wedding. Just us and the documents. But we’re having a big reception. We’ll need cake.” Octavian smiled.

“Oh, we’ll get the sweetest cake, and we’ll organize the orphanage kids to help. They like to hang around our building now because of you and Leo.” His mother turned into a gentle smile.

“Octavian, I’m so proud of you.” Olive squeezed her hug harder.

“Thanks Olive.”

“I’m proud of you for keeping it in your pants. Quinn got his girlfriend pregnant.” Octavian’s father grumbled.

“You got Missy pregnant?” Octavian chuckled.

“Yeah- well yeah. The doctor said we’re having a girl,” Quinn said sheepishly, joy on his face.

“Quinn, that's amazing! I get to be an uncle!” Octavian smiled. “I’m sure Leo wouldn’t mind converting one of our guest bedrooms into a playroom for her and any other nieces and nephews.”

“That’d be kind, brother.”

“Hey, where’s Will?” Octavian asked.

“He’s upstairs with Nico,” Olive said, pointing to the ceiling above her.

“Why’s Nico here?”

The family exchanged looks.

“You better go upstairs, Octavian,” Mark grimaced.

Octavian looked at the uncomfortable looks on his family’s faces before going back into the kitchen. He grabbed the book for Will and headed upstairs, passing by his parent’s room and into the boys room.

On Will’s bed was Will and Nico deep into a makeout session. Will was on Nico’s lap, leaning into the kiss, hands on his courter’s face. Nico leaned on the bed, propped up on his elbows.

“Ew! Can you two not do that in the public bedroom?” Octavian placed a hand over his eyes and heard both of the other boys scrambling to get off each other.

“Octavian, what are you doing here?” Will asked.

“I wanted to give you this book.” Octavian thrust the book out in front of him.

“Take your hand off your face!”

“Are either you or Nico naked?”

“We never were!” Will was exasperated.

Octavian took his hand off his face and gave the book to Will. “I got it from Apollo’s district. It's basic first-aid and basic medicine.”

Will’s hand ghosted over the cover. “Octavian…thank you so much.”

“Of course.”

Will hugged Octavian, which was only broken apart by Nico clearing his throat.

“Should I leave?” he asked.

“No!” Will lowered his voice, “No, stay.”

Nico shrugged. “Nice to see you again Octavian.”

“Nice to see you. Have you been treating my twin well?”

“I’d never treat him badly.”

Octavian looked to Will, who nodded in confirmation. “I’ll allow it then. But, why are you here, especially so early?”

Will and Nico locked eyes.

“There was a task force stationed here two days ago.” Nico dropped his voice to a whisper.

“They announced it at a party I was at,” Octavian similarly whispered.

“They haven’t done anything drastic yet, but they set up flogging poles in the town square.”

Octavian peeked out the window. There were three poles, all with loops on the four sides for restraining someone. No one was in them. Yet.

“And they’ve taken up living quarters in my father’s house.” Nico pointed to the city hall. “No one is allowed in or out other than me, my father, and my stepmother. Not even Will is allowed in.”

“I don’t think you should even go back in.” Will bit at his nails.

“I can’t lead them here to you.”

Octavian pursed his lips. “There’s a shortcut through the woods to my house. If you or anyone else in either of our families is in direct danger, then take that. It’ll work for the time being.”

Both of the betrothed nodded.

=🝗=

“So, what’s the plan?” Leo asked, lounging on one of the couches. He tore into a small loaf of bread with his teeth.

Octavian paced. “Well, we no longer have direct access to our capitol allies.”

“Your capitol allies.”

Octavian shot his fiance a look and Leo raised his hands in surrender. He resumed pacing. “We are imprisoned here until the games, that is if the new taskforce doesn’t identify us as targets.”

“What do we do then? Wait for them to reap you?”

“And you. They're rigging it so that one of us has to die, probably you.”

Leo just sighed. He was weary.

“And the whole marriage thing didn’t work. There wasn’t enough outlash tied to sending the sweethearts of the country to their deaths. We might need to break out the fake pregnancy.”

Leo shot Octavian his own look. “Or, there’s a break in the fence in a deep part of the woods. We leave and cross Hestia’s district and make it to the glaciers up north. We build a boat and sail off somewhere else.”

“Where else exists?”

“There has to be someplace that isn’t this.”

Octavian frowned. From what he knew, the rest of the world had fallen. Destroyed by nuclear bombs, like Hestia’s district had been long ago.

“While you think it over, I’m going to actually go check on the fence. Who knows if this taskforce has messed with it.” Leo sat up, walking out of the room. Octavian grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t-” Octavian paused. “Don’t leave without me.”

Leo interlocked their lips. “Never.”

Leo left the house and Octavian grabbed his sword, stepping into the backyard. He hadn’t practiced on his dummy in a few weeks and he could tell. Hitting the sawbags felt clunky and hesitant.

He must’ve worked on it for over an hour before finally starting on the techniques that Jason had sent him by mail, trying to push his friend’s disappearance out of his head. He just hoped that Jason was safe, and uninjured.

If Jupiter got to Jason, there’s no telling what he’d do to Jason. Octavian hated that thought.

The door to Octavian’s kitchen slammed open, and Will held onto the door frame trying to catch his breath.

“Will? What’s going on?”

Will’s breath hiccuped with a sob, tears streaming down his face. “They got Nico! They’re hurting him!”

“Will – Will listen to me – where are they hurting him?”

“The square. They’ve started flogging people starting with him.” Will gasped for air.

Octavian tightened his hand around his sword and began running. He didn’t have time to think. Will was right behind him. They weaved through the streets and the amassing crowd.

Octavian broke through into the square, sword at the ready.

A centurion stood behind Nico, and struck him. Tiny droplets of blood rained from Nico’s back onto the cobblestone. Nico was slumped, easily unconscious and back ripped apart by the bone, metal shards, and glass capping the twenty strands of leather.

Octavian pulled the centurion away as the whip connected with Nico’s back again. He pushed the male centurion away and pointed his sword at him.

“Have you no sense?” Octavian yelled. “That is the heir to the state! What would the high-king think of you beating him?”

The centurion laughed and Octavian finally got a good look at him, leaning his head down to avoid the sun’s glare on his glasses. The man was tall, muscular, and had a medal pinned on his chest.

“Why should I? These little kings and little princes are nothing compared to me! I am the heir to the entire country! I am Minos, Son of Jupiter!” the centurion yelled proudly.

“It will not reflect on you well when your eternal father tries to give you the throne. That you beat and attempted to kill one of your kings. That sounds like rebellion.” Octavian started to circle the man.

“I am here to kill any rebellion before I become High-King. This dirty mini-prince broke the law. He must be punished.”

“How’d he break the law?”

“Tried to enter the hall without permission.”

“The city hall? You mean his house? You’re beating him for entering his own home?” Octavian snarled.

“He broke the law.” Minos stood his ground. “And unless you want to be beaten for trying to stop an officer’s work, I suggest you let me finish him off.”

“Beat me then. In place of him. He’s nearly dead. I will not have you kill him for your own sick pleasure.”

“So be it, victor.” Minos smiled and Octavian realized he had sharpened all of his teeth into sharp spikes. “Drop your sword and strip your shirt.”

Octavian nodded, handing his sword, glasses, and tank top to his brother, Mark. Minos barked orders at his lower centurions to untie Nico and Will rushed to help his boyfriend up. Passing by to meet the flogging pole, Octavian whispered instructions to get Leo from the woods to help heal Nico.

Octavian kneeled on the ground and let a centurion tie his hands tightly to one of the loops. Minos chuckled behind him.

The first strike came fast. It broke skin and the seeping blood burned the other cuts. But it just felt like the vaccines they had given him at the capitol before his first games.

Then the second strike came. Octavian gritted his teeth. He would not scream, no matter how much it hurt.

The strikes kept coming and blood rushed to Octavian's ears as he bit down on his arm to stop his noises. He could barely hear Minos laugh over the crack of the flog.

It kept hitting and Octavian could feel the blood loss started to affect his head as spots danced in his vision.

“Stop! What are you doing?”

Octavian smiled around his grip on his arm. Leo.

Leo yelped and Octavian felt Leo fall and lean against Octavian. He groaned when they collided.

“What the hell?” Octavian heard Dionysus yell. “You can’t hit these two! These are the capitol’s darlings! And you kill them, there’s no games.”

Minos cursed under his breath.

“Thank you. The rest of you go home!” Dionysus addressed the crowd.

Octavian's hands were untied and he was lifted up, draped over the shoulders of Leo and Quinn. They dragged him to Octavian’s house, bursting in.

“Put him on the kitchen table! Quickly!” Olive yelled and Octavian was lifted and rested on his stomach. They began dressing and preparing the wounds.

Octavian finally screamed as disinfectant touched his cuts. He gripped the edge of the counter top.

“I’ve got poppyblood!” Will announced.

“Quick, hand it over,” Octavian’s mother ordered.

“What is it?” Octavian groaned as an area was prepped for a needle.

“Opium. Painkillers,” Will hovered the needle above Octavian’s skin.

“No!” Octavian screamed “No! Don’t give it to me!”

“You need it!”

Spittle came out of Octavian’s mouth. “No. I don’t. I’ve made it through worse. Never give me that. Give it to Nico, he needs it more.”

Will left the room with the needle and Octavian kept his screams to pained groans so that they wouldn’t stick him.

Leo came up underneath the counter. He held his hands around Octavian’s face and rubbed his coarse pads over Octavian’s face in comfort.

Octavian resisted screaming in his face, but he saw red when he saw the stripes of red going across Leo’s face from the flog. His tears dripped down on the floor and Leo’s face which caused his fiance to wince.

Notes:

Oooooooooh...whoops? Been planning this one for a while. Sorry.

So in the original hunger games there is that ever-famous love triangle, but I don't have that here, so, Nico and Octavian got the Gale treatment.

We did get to see more of Octavian's family, which is good though! Mark and Quinn had no speaking lines at all before this chapter. Why invent original characters if you're not going to use them, amirite?

Comment how much you hate me and anything else you like.

Chapter 8: THE DRAGON

Octavian woke up laying face down on his kitchen counter. Every movement ached the forming scars on his back. He blinked open his bleary eyes and attempted to search for his glasses before remembering he gave them to his brother.

In front of his face was the dragon, blinking slowly. It didn’t seem too bright for an animal.

Festus skirted closer, just to stick its tongue out and lick at the sweat on Octavian’s face.

“Eugh!” Octavian scooted back as best he could. “Leo, come get your lizard.”

Leo padded into the kitchen, grabbing Festus and placing it on his shoulder. “Good morning, Octavian. Are you feeling ok?”

“No,” Octavian grumbled. “Is my family still here?”

“Your older brothers, mothers, and father went back to the bakery, but Will’s upstairs with Nico.” Leo gently started aiding Octavian to stand.

“Are they in a guest room?”

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure Nico’s still unconscious, and Will should be asleep. Everyone was up pretty late trying to help you two.”

Octavian stood up, groaning when his spine straightened and his cuts ground against each other. Leo handed him his glasses and he situated them on his face.

“Gods, Tavi, why did you do that?” Leo's voice quivered.

“They were going to kill Nico for trying to go into his own home. I needed to step in.” Octavian painfully wrapped Leo in a hug.

“They want you dead more than they want Nico dead.”

“They won’t kill me. They want me in the games.” Octavian looked Leo in the face.

Octavian’s lips twitched downwards. There were several ugly thin cuts on Leo’s face where he had been struck by Minos. Octavian lifted a shaking hand to Leo’s face and pressed his thumb to a free area. He caught the flinch that went through Leo’s body.

Octavian began gently rubbing his thumb over Leo’s unoccupied skin, gently looking his fiance over. Both of his eyes were missed by the cuts, thankfully. And it was mostly on the left side of his face, meaning that Octavian could plant a kiss on Leo’s right cheek.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to get hit.”

“It’s fine,” Leo whispered. “Just don’t do anything that stupid again.”

“No promises.” Octavian hummed. “Can you help me up the stairs? I want to take a shower.”

Leo nodded and wrapped his arm around Octavian’s hip, trying to avoid the cuts. On the way up the stairs, he did brush against Octavian’s wounds briefly, but Octavian kept his pain in.

“Do you need help in the shower?” Leo asked softly.

“Leo! Not with my twin brother in the room beside us!” Octavian scolded lightly.

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Leo rolled his eyes and Festus shook its head on Leo’s shoulder.

“I know. I’ll be fine on my own.” Octavian pressed a quick kiss to Leo’s lips.

“Yell if you need anything. And after your shower we need to talk about something important.” Leo left and Octavian carefully let himself into the bathroom.

Waiting for him was his towel, hanging up on the door, so he grabbed that and left it on top of the closed toilet. He turned the water on to warm and slipped in.

He braced himself against a wall when the water hit his back, keeping his breath short to avoid having Leo come to his aid. He avoided using soap on that area, bending over and slicking his hair towards his face with shampoo.

He carefully picked his body wash around his body, avoiding any problem areas. The water hitting his back still made him hiss quietly, but the water was starting to run clear.

He turned the shower off and carefully dried himself with the towel, patting down his back. He dropped his towel to the ground and reached for the cloth covering the mirror before stopping.

Perched on top was the dragon.

“How did you even get here?” Octavian addressed Festus.

It just flicked its tail in response.

“Well, move.”

Festus shook its head.

“I just need to look at the damage done.” Octavian picked up the lizard and set it on the sink.

Festus skittered around briefly before settling behind the faucet. Octavian removed the cloth and turned around quickly to avoid the big problem area.

As best he could he looked at his new cuts. Most weren’t deep. They would heal in a couple days probably. There was one that ran deep and he could see the metal of one of the bolts keeping his shoulder blade together. He would need stitches.

Octavian turned himself back around towards the mirror. He was a boy, clear as day. Right?

Festus hissed from the sink and Octavian threw the cloth back on the mirror. He pulled his towel around his hips, and grabbed the dragon and held it, peeking into the different guest rooms until he found Will.

Will was awake, thankfully. Nico was still out, laying on his chest, Will carefully cleaning up the cuts that were easily triple Octavian’s with a warm cloth.

“Will?” Octavian whispered.

Will looked up and placed the rag in a bowl of steaming water, going up to the door. He looked exhausted.

“Am I interrupting something?” Octavian kept his voice small.

“No. I’m glad to see you on your feet.”

“Thanks. Do you know how to do sutures?”

Will nodded hesitantly. “Do you have anything to do it with?”

“I have some fishing line downstairs.”

Will and Octavian slowly made their way downstairs and grabbed the line and a needle and sat down in the kitchen.

Octavian pointed to the cut he needed stitched and Will began with shaking hands. Octavian bit down on his lip until it was finished.

“Are you sure you don’t want poppyblood?” Will asked. “I have more.”

“No. It’s just like alcohol. I can’t risk getting addicted when I’m already at risk for addiction because of the incident at the last games.”

“I know you’re in pain, Octavian. Why do you hide it?”

“I don’t want Leo to worry about me.”

“He already worries about you.”

“Worry more.”

Will sighed and cleaned up his supplies. “I’m going back to Nico.”

“Good luck, Will. I’m sure he’ll make a good recovery.”

Will nodded silently.

Octavian carefully sat up, holding the lizard in his hands still. It had curled up and pressed against his abdomen comfortably, sleeping there.

Maybe he was just warm in that spot.

Octavian sat on the couch across from Leo with a puff of breath.

“Oh, there’s Festus!” Leo cooed.

“Did you put it in the bathroom? It interrupted my shower.”

“Festus goes where Festus wants.”

“What did you need to talk to me about?”

Leo’s face fell. “They moved the reapings.”

“What?”

“Ganymede had it on the television last night. They moved the reaping to next week.”

Notes:

Yay dragon!!! Definitely not a transgender-affirming dragon specifically!

Also yeah...my friend told me the torture might've been too much. Unfortunately, I will be making it worse.

The timeline is that it's currently like Mid-May. The games were supposed to be in June but it looks like they've been moved up.

Comment whatever you want.

Chapter 9: WHAT BLOOD DOES TO A MAN

The sun burned. The sweat burned. Every step. Every swing of his sword. Every move of a muscle.

Octavian had been training for seven hours straight at this point. Every minute was a minute closer to being on the steps of city hall getting sentenced to death.

Psyche’s words repeated in his brain every time he got fatigued or the pain ebbed a little too far into debilitating. Keep him breathing until the second midnight.

Leo was upstairs in the house, taking care of Nico. Will had gone back to the bakery in tears to blow off some steam.

Nico had woken up the day before, but he was…different. No matter how many times they tried to explain that Nico was in Octavian’s house, that he had been hit badly, that he was to marry Will next January, he could never figure it out. It was like he was in a constant state of confusion. On top of that his speech was delayed and he no longer had any balance on his own two feet.

And he was so tired. He spent most of the time either sleeping or half-asleep.

There was still some real Nico under the damaged exterior. He lit up whenever Will was in the room and would try harder to talk to him. And once he had called Leo a winner.

But there was no telling if his state would be permanent.

When Nico had first woken, Will had cried for hours because of his state.

Octavian had tried his hardest to comfort his twin, but Leo had really stepped into the role of caregiver. He said something about seeing Octavian in a similar state last games and that had seemed to help Will a little bit. And Leo was able to care for Nico medically because of his on-hands training with Octavian.

Gods, Octavian got himself in trouble a lot.

Octavian slashed his sword, cutting a deep gash in his training-dummy’s arm. Straw fell out of the hole and he sighed. He needed time with the dummies at the capitol. They were much more like a human. If he kept practicing on this, he would be unprepared to protect Leo.

“Tavi?” Leo’s voice was light and quiet.

Octavian swung around, nearly clipping Leo with his sword. He stepped back and sheathed the sword. Leo didn’t move from his spot, unimpressed.

“Gods, Leo, I’m so sorry. Did I hit you?”

Leo grinned shakily. “You? Never. Remember, you’re the trophy husband of this relationship.”

“Hey! I killed a guy once!”

“Frank doesn’t count. He’s immortal, Nenito.”

“He does too!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Is there something you want?”

Leo nodded tiredly. “Can you watch over Nico? I need a nap.”

“Of course.”

Leo kept nodding and walked back inside. Octavian dragged his dummy over out of the sun and walked into the house, trying his best to be quiet.

He went up the stairs, peeking into Leo’s room where Leo had already fallen asleep under the light blankets on the bed. Octavian smiled lightly at the little puffs of breath that escaped Leo’s lips every few moments.

He turned and walked into Nico’s room. Like usual, he was asleep as well, laying face down to not agitate the many lashes he had received. At least he had enough brain to register pain and form patterns off of it.

Octavian sat in the dining room chair Will had moved to the bedside, his sword clattering on the ground briefly. He leaned his elbows on his knees and sat, watching the sleeping form of Nico. Leo and Will had usually taken charge so that Octavian could heal, so he was usually just on duty for one or two hours while Nico slept.

He hadn’t even heard Nico talk.

Nico began to stir and turned on his side about two hours in.

“Where am I?” Nico looked around the room lazily.

“You’re in my house,” Octavian responded, looking towards the door for either his twin or boyfriend to magically appear.

“Why am I not in my house?” Nico sat up slowly.

“You’re just staying here for now.”

“Why?”

“You got hurt.”

“Where’s the other one?” Nico’s eyes drifted around the bedroom as soon as he was fully sat up.

“Leo’s taking a nap, and Will’s at the bakery.”

“No! Not them! The other one!” Nico’s face grew red with frustration.

“Nico, I don’t know who you’re talking to. Can you describe the other one to me?” Octavian scooted his chair closer.

Nico paused. His words came out slowly. “Long hair? And brown eyes. I want her.”

Octavian thought for a moment. Leo’s hair wasn’t super long. It touched his shoulders, but it wouldn’t be described as long. But he was the only person other than Nico in the house with brown eyes.

“Leo’s not a girl. And he’s sleeping.”

Nico covered his face with his fists as if he was about to cry angry tears. “Not him! I want the girl!”

Octavian sighed sharply. What girl was Nico talking about? “Do you remember her name?”

Nico groaned in frustration. “She played card games with me!”

Ok. Not a name, but a start.

“What kind of cards?”

Nico clammed up. Wrong question.

“Ok, fine.” Octavian got up. “I’ve got a pack of cards downstairs. This guy I knew as a kid, Dakota, taught me golf. We’ll play golf.”

Octavian stood up.

“You’re not a girl.” Nico narrowed his eyes at Octavian.

Octavian sucked in a breath, and decided not to unload his thought process in front of the mirror on a guy who couldn’t remember his own boyfriend. “Yep. I’m Octavian.”

Nico frowned and looked at his lap, starting to zone out.

“Just stay there.” Octavian held his hand up towards Nico as he left.

He ran down the stairs and grabbed the card deck from the sitting room and dashed back up the stairs into Nico’s room.

Nico thankfully hadn’t moved.

Octavian shuffled the cards and dealt them out as Nico watched languidly. Octavian flipped Nico’s top two cards for him and started his play.

Once he discarded his card (an eight of all things. There was no heart of cards for him), Nico followed suit.

Nico knows golf. He knows a card game but not that he got flogged.

Octavian was going to lose his mind as the game continued at a snail’s pace. Even when trying to teach the game to Leo, did it ever go this slow.

“It’s your turn, Bia.” Nico looked at Octavian’s cards.

Octavian had one more card to finish his suit.

“Bia?” Octavian asked quietly, before he remembered.

Oh shit.

Why out of everybody in this stupid town, would he have to explain Bianca to Nico?

Octavian still remembers her reaping. She was 12, and Nico was ten. He had run on stage and tried to pull her away, screaming and kicking and throwing his fists at the guards who tried to keep him in check.

It was Octavian’s first reaping too. Bianca didn’t make it far into the games. She was crushed by the crumbling wall of a house in ruins.

“Bia. Your turn.”

“Yeah.” Octavian picked a card from the pickup pile.

A king. Equal to zero. He switched his last hidden card for the king and sighed.

Nico grabbed his final card and exchanged it for a jack.

Octavian calculated the scores in his head. “I win. I have seven points and you have ten.”

“Where’s the girl?”

“Bia?”

“Yeah.”

Octavian bit his lip. Nico was already unstable. If he told Nico that his beloved ‘Bia’ was dead, it might make him worse.

“She’s working with your dad. She’s his advisor, remember?” Octavian kept his voice clear.

Nico nodded slowly.

“Why isn’t she here?”

“She’s working. Like Will is.”

“Why isn’t she here?” Nico’s voice raised, frustrated.

“She can’t visit right now.”

Nico’s brows furrowed. He looked at his cards. They were a mess.

He had been lucky enough to get a joker (-2) but had put it next to a five (+5). He only had one matching pair, an ace (+1) against an ace (+1), which equaled zero. It would’ve been better to separate them and lighten the load of the other cards, but Nico hadn’t. Then his final pair was two (+2) and a three (+3). A total of eight.

“Do you want to play again?” Octavian broke the silence.

Nico kept quiet, still looking at his cards. Octavian reached his hand for the cards laying on the bed, but Nico pushed it down, holding it on the bed.

“Where’s the other one?”

“I told you where Bianca was.”

“No! The other one!”

Octavian sighed, pulling his hand from Nico’s grip. “I don’t know who you mean, Nico. Let's just play again.”

“No! You’re lying to me! You’re lying to me!” Nico screamed in rage and started kicking under his blanket.

“Nico-”

Nico kicked Octavian in the jaw and Octavian held the spot where he had been kicked, quickly pouncing on Nico to hold him still as Nico flailed and screamed.

“Octavian? What’s going on?” Will yelled for the doorway, now back from his shift.

“He kicked me and he’s going crazy!’ Octavian grunted. “I’m trying to calm him down!”

Will opened a drawer in the dresser and rummaged around, pulling out a capped needle full of poppyblood. Will came over to the bed and pulled up Nico’s sleeve, injecting him with the drug.

It took a few seconds, but Nico calmed down, going back to his now normal state. Like he had been weighed down comfortably. Nico’s head lolled to the side and broke out in a smile.

“The other one! I told you.”

Will looked to Octavian. “The other one? What does he mean?”

Octavian shook his head. “I don’t know? He’s changed the answer every time.”

“I-” Will looked at Nico. “I can take care of him from here.”

“He knows how to play golf.”

Will nodded. Progress. “I’ll try to play more with him.”

Octavian nodded back and left the room.

=🝗=

Octavian sat on his front porch in a rocking chair, eating the food that Leo had made for dinner. Soup with chicken and rice. It was divine.

Will pushed open the screen door and sat on the porch swing, own bowl of soup in hand.

“Do you need me to look over Nico?” Octavian asked.

“No. Leo’s up there, and Nico’s sleeping. He won’t wake up again today.”

“Oh. Alright.”

The two brothers ate their soup in silence for a while.

“Gods, Octavian, what am I going to do?” Will asked quietly.

He looked tired. His hair was greasy and knotted. His eyes were dull.

Octavian frowned. “Will, whatever is bothering Nico, we can figure it out together.”

“You leave in a few days. I won’t get you again, and what happens then? Do they raid the place and kill Nico? Kill me?” Will asked, bordering on hysterics. “What if they don’t and you and Leo die and I’m alone trying to get the love of my life back?”

Octavian kept still in shock.

Will took a shaky breath.

“Will. Ok.” Octavian set his bowl down.

Octavian hesitated, before leaning close to Will. “There’s a hole in the fence in the woods. It leads to Hestia. After the reaping, take Nico there. Leo can tell you where it is.”

Will nodded. “Thank you.”

“Leo and I are going to escape the games again. We’ll meet you again someday.”

Will smiled. “As long as I see you again, brother.”

Notes:

So... I gave Nico ABI, or Acquired Brain Injury, which can happen when someone loses a large amount of blood while unconscious. There is no cure, only therapy and rehabilitation.

So, Nico will never be the same again and Will is losing hope. Octavian and Leo are headed to their deaths.

What fun!

We're almost to the games. I'm so excited for them. I'm going harder than the original hunger games book. The games will be designed to kill and torture the group I lovingly refer to as the "Core Four" in unique ways!

Comment what you want, or maybe your ideas for who might be in the "Core Four". There's technically six members and they come from four total Riordan series.

Chapter 10: HARMLESS

Notes:

TW: Gore, just a little.

The morning of Octavian’s second reaping was different from his first.

Leo woke him up with kisses. They were sweet and Octavian and him spent an hour in bed just kissing each other’s faces.

They got ready slowly. Octavian was more pleased that his shirt actually fit. The two ate a small breakfast together. To anyone else, in any universe, this would be a quiet domestic morning if it wasn’t full of dread.

Leo and Octavian exchanged teary goodbyes with Will and Nico, who were going to stay in the house and make their escape during the reaping.

They walked hand in hand to the square, where the rest of the city was standing, waiting for them. Dionysus and Iris were already on stage, along with King Pluto, who had seen better days, and Minos.

Minos made Octavian’s breath catch in his throat. Minos smiled a cheerful grin at Octavian, showing off his shark teeth.

Leo and Octavian walked through the crowd, which parted for them. Octavian saw his family crowded against the whole orphanage. They all peered at them with glassy eyes.

Octavian tightened his free hand around the hilt of his sword. He was to bring it to the capitol again to train.

They descended the steps of city hall, the whole square morbidly quiet.

Octavian and Leo took their places, separate from each other. As he looked over the crowd, he saw the flogging poles being surrounded by wide circles. He had heard that they got used daily since the first flogging done of Nico.

It made Octavian queasy.

“Thank you for coming to the reaping of the 250th Games!” Iris announced into the microphone.

Silence from the crowd, as usual.

“On this very special day, that of a quarter quell, we are here to reap existing victors for another chance at glory!”

Iris cleared her throat and reached into the bowl in front of Octavian, holding one piece of paper. Octavian rolled his eyes. The formality of it was terrible, everyone knew he was dead already.

Iris pulled the paper and opened it. “Octavian Solace!”

Octavian nodded once and stood in front of the open doors of the city hall. He looked to King Pluto, and saw the pain on the man’s eyes.

Iris reached into the bowl. Another stupid formality, but no one else knew the vote had been rigged in the disfavor of-

“Dionysus Bacchus!”

Octavian felt himself beaming. Leo was safe! He was going to be alright! He would go with Will and Nico to Hestia. He would live!

Dionysus wilted and began walking back towards the doors of the city hall, when Leo stepped up.

“I’ll volunteer,” Leo said confidently. “It’s the gods' will for me to fight.”

“Very well.” Iris said and Leo went back to stand with Octavian.

Leo squeezed Octavian’s hand and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you, everyone. Our tributes must get on the train now,” Minos announced.

“Now?” Octavian asked.

“We get to say goodbye. We always got to say goodbye.” Leo radiated anger.

“Not this time.” Minos smiled again.

Leo shook with anger, raising his fist to punch Minos in the jaw. He swung, only to halt the inch before Minos’ face.

Leo crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Octavian dropped to his knees to see if Leo was ok.

“Oh, little sacrifice. Don’t you know not to hit your elders?” Minos chuckled.

Octavian held Leo’s pulse point. It was silent. He wasn’t breathing. It was like he just dropped…dead.

Tears clouded Octavian’s vision. Leo was dead.

“Ugh, remove this thing from my city hall.” Minos scoffed and kicked Leo’s body.

Octavian jumped up from Leo and drew his sword. “Don’t touch him. Don’t call him that.”

“What? A thing? That's what he is. Not even a man. Not even a pure citizen, like you or I Octavian. He is a dirty nomad. He’s not even human.” Minos taunted.

Octavian thrust his sword, piercing the blade through Minos’ cheeks, blade visible through his open mouth. Octavian took the sword back, covered in Minos’ blood. Minos’ gasped, holding his jaw.

Minos turned towards his centurions, snapped his fingers and the centurions were on them, dragging all three victors through the hall and onto the train, all while Iris went hysterical. Once on the train, Octavian collapsed next to Leo’s body.

He pulled Leo into his arms, holding him close. He was starting to lose his heat already. Octavian cried brokenly. His voice strained with the cries.

Then Leo gasped and his eyes shot open. He coughed and sat up.

“Leo!” Octavian squeezed him tighter.

“Tavi? What happened, Nenito?” Leo asked, voice raw.

“You died! You died!” Octavian was still crying.

“I don’t feel dead. I just tried to punch Minos out and passed out or something.” Leo shrugged.

“You had no pulse. You weren’t breathing. You got cold, Leo. It was like someone flipped a switch and you dropped dead.”

“Ok, you two. Stop crying on this carpet. It’s an antique.” Iris sighed, but she seemed relieved that Leo wasn’t dead.

“You sure you feel alright, kid?” Dionysus asked.

“I feel fine. Really.” Leo said.

Octavian hugged him harder, kissing his lips.

Notes:

Short chapter because the next one is long and very lore heavy.

I wonder what happened to Leo? (I mean -- I don't. I know what happened, I wrote it. But you, dearest reader don't!)

Comment any questions, suggestions, or predictions.

Also Minos getting stabbed was not in the original story, but people wanted Octavian to stab someone, so he stabbed someone.

Chapter 11: THE TRIBUTES AS TOLD BY DIONYSUS

Lester Padadapolous – Hera’s Male Victor 243

Lester was a mirror three times, and it was easy to see why. He's scrawny, ugly, and snivellish. He didn’t start that way. He was a popular kid with the ladies at his first games, but his general incompetence with his signature weapon, the bow and arrow…dampened his popularity. But with each game he played, he grew stronger.

His victory was the most impressive we’ve seen from him. He killed every victor within two days.

 

Pandora Lee - Hera’s Female Victor 244

Pandora was never a mirror, although she is acquainted with the idea of them. She was 15 years old when she won, helped largely in part by the amount of sponsor gifts she received. Medicine, weapons, clean water. Everything she could need.

The final kill was by her hand with a gifted dagger she “lovingly” called Hope. She still carries it to this day and loves to show it off to the other victors.

 

Achilles Warden - Ares’ Male Victor 221

Achilles is now in his 50s and happily married and has a position on King Mars’ personal cabinet. That isn’t to say that he’s not one of the most dangerous people on the whole roster. He hasn’t been able to control himself, ever really. And when a boy he befriended from a lower state died, he went on a rampage. He hasn’t been the same since. He was a mirror two times.

During his final games during that rampage, he spent a day and a half dragging his friend’s killer around the arena. As a warning.

 

Helen McCroye - Ares’ Female Victor 234

Helen was a mirror eight times before she perfected her way of winning. She was another girl to rely on sponsorships, this time by collecting food until she ran a monopoly. She had every scrap of food in the whole arena under her control and made deals with every single person in the arena. She sold her food for oaths of protection. She was untouched the whole time.

The final guy tried to kill her, but she disappeared and starved him out.

 

Lord Erichthonius Athenason - Athena’s Male Victor 224

He was never a mirror, either. He won the games prior to my games because of his specialized training he got from Queen Minerva. He’s the sole heir to the kingdom, but volunteered for these games. A bit self-righteous if you ask me.

He’s known for a sword that he likes to lather in poison paste from crushed berries and plants. He’ll talk your ear off about poisons too. Never been a fun guy at parties.

 

Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano – Athena’s Female Victor 248

She was a mirror once, during her final game. She won it before my mentees. Quick with a spear and apathetic towards killing, she’s an unstoppable force on the battlefield. I haven’t really talked to her much, since she tends to be kind of scary and doesn’t like to open up.

She’s a true Athena girl, stoic face and everything. I’d watch out for her.

 

Magnus Chase – Apollo’s Male Victor 199

He was a healer. Focused on himself, just treating his own wounds he got in battle and sword fighting. He’s quite the opponent with a sword, usually vying for a heavy gold sword. It’s like the sword talks to him and tells him exactly where to step and what to do.

He ended up being allies with his final opponent at first, even healing her wounds, before in the end slaying her.

 

Samirah al-Abbas – Apollo’s Female Victor 236

She’s handy with an ax, although I’ve seen her pick up any weapon and master it in seconds. She’s an intuitive learner and a now-military trained official. She took the training after her games to become a heli-pilot and she knows her way around any mobile machinery.

She knocked her opponent off a cliff using the ax she grabbed from the cornucopia.

 

Daedalus Alice – Hephaestus Male Victor 150

This guy is ancient and mostly held up by automaton parts. He’s more machine than man at this point, and I’m surprised he can even be on his own feet without crumbling to dust. He was the only male victor from Hephaestus still alive, so he had to be reaped. Shame too, because I doubt he’ll make it to the games.

He was another quarter quell, like us. His was set in a manufactured city and all of the fighters were boys that year. Because of his handiness with machines, he won by creating an army of automatons that wiped out the rest of the competition easily.

 

Arachne Johnson – Hephaestus Female Victor 232

She’s mean. She doesn’t even have to try and kill you and you’ll already feel depressed from her words alone. She knows every piece of gossip and she will use it against you during Victor’s dinner. I can’t tell you how many times she loudly told newcomers that I was transgender and “technically a girl” wherever that bullshit came from.

She works with nets. She’d trap people in them and then just stab them in the throat to get it over with. I heard once she drank the blood from a guy in her games, but there’s no way to prove it. Something about it being too dark for TV. She likes her meat red, and that’s enough to go off for me.

 

Carter Kane and Sadie Kane – Hermes’ Male and Female Victors 231/228

Ugh. The siblings. These guys are about as weird as they come, always talking with whispers in themselves and they’re part of some cult that King Mercury lets on his land. They’re supposed wizards, keepers of magic or something like that, but I’ve seen their tricks. It’s all slight of hand.

Carter uses a khopesh, this kind of ancient sword that is rarely ever seen in games, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he was weaponless this time around. Sadie, however, is skilled with a staff, so anywhere there’s trees she’s got the higher ground. Give us a desert and we might have a chance.

 

Orion Grant – Artemis Male Victor 238

This guy lost an eye during the games and had it replaced by a prosthetic that can actually see, although the coolness factor does not help the creepiness when you look him in the eye. Just try and keep your view on his real eye, and don’t worry you’ll be able to tell the difference.

He’s another archer and it’s a miracle he could hit his shots after he lost his eye. He ended up relying more on sound than vision when the games started to stretch.

 

Zoë Nightshade – Artemis Female Victor 226

She’s another archer, but what makes her different is her sniping abilities. She’ll shimmy up a tree and get any target from a mile away. She’s also a tracker, and when I say the games are a hunt, it’s real for her. She’ll memorize how deep your foot falls in the dirt, and once she sees your bootprint, it’s over.

She’s weirdly into ye olde timey speak, which sometimes makes it hard to understand her, but she’s usually chill and her political views are anything but old. She’s the one who convinced Queen Diane to sign the same-sex attraction/ no attraction protection laws. She’ll rave and yell about the states who haven’t signed any chance she gets, with a lot of thee/thy/thous.

 

Paris Hilton – Aphrodite’s Male Victor 240

Oh, this is a pretty boy. I like him, and not because we’ve hooked up before. He got by solely on sponsorship packages. His weaponry has much to be desired. But I can forgive him whenever he gives me a smile.

He’s also a runner. Faster than any man today. The second his feet touch the ground, there’s no way you’ll catch up.

 

Calypso Skye – Aphrodite’s Female Victor 238

Calypso is a sly girl. Her strength lies in alliances and manipulation. She has some weapon training, but she’d much rather cling to whomever is strongest and use them, only to disappear when they get in too much danger. I think she hopped five alliances in her games.

When she speaks, the whole room listens. She’s a pretty face and a sweet voice. I’d be wary if she approaches your group begging safety.

 

Grover Underwood – Pan’s Male Victor 229

Grover is one of the nicest fellows I have ever met, although a bit of a people pleaser. It’s easy to see how he became second-in-line to the king of his state. Cool-headed and slow to anger, I love to share a conversation with him. One of my friends, I would say.

He’s a master of camouflage. You won’t even tell that he’s two inches from you.

 

Meliae Gaekin – Pan’s Female Victor 213

Gods, this poor woman. She has no skills anymore, reduced to a husk. We’ve all tried to get her some help, but she can’t be helped. After getting injured in her games, she got addicted to poppyblood.

Poor thing.

 

Percy Jackson – Poseidon’s Male Victor 245/233

This kid is going into his third games at age 18. He was born in his first games, in which his mother, Sally Jackson, was the true victor. They’re the reason it’s illegal to be in the games while pregnant. The capitol found it too unnerving to watch a live birth. When he won his second games he was 12 years old, the youngest to win ever (again). He’s handy with a sword, but his true strength is with a trident, which he was gifted by sponsorships. It’s like Oceanus guides the weapon himself. If Percy misses, it’s on purpose.

He does have one weakness, his co-tribute, Alex Fierro. He was basically raised by the other tribute when his mother couldn’t.

 

Alex Fierro – Poseidon's Victor 217

Now, Alex volunteered for Sally Jackson, so I’m assuming she’s going by her today. Alex is an interesting person. She’s the reason people like me and Leo can even be considered as part of the gender we are. And she’s the reason that as long as you are trans or intersex, you can volunteer for any tribute’s spot. The capitol is a slow learner, but Alex is popular enough that they started to listen.

Alex is quite the killer. Full of manic energy, that she usually puts towards pottery (my house is full of her works), she rampages with her trusty garrote, a thin, sharp wire. When I watched her games, she decapitated four different people and cut a guy in half as well.

 

Atalanta White – Demeter’s Female Victor 221

She’s another archer. I suspect bows and arrows will be hard to come across. She’s also a pretty impressive runner. She’s happily married now with a couple of kids. She’s intense, sure, but she loves her kids and loves the hunt equally.

She’s also quite handy with animals. She’ll set a worm out to kill you and it will happen.

 

Demophon Aldebrand – Demeter’s Male Victor 214

This guy is basically immortal unfortunately. Made it through his whole games without a scratch. He was a farm boy, so he’s strong too. His party trick is picking up several people at once.

He’s a sword master, but usually doesn’t like to talk about the games.

 

Octavian Solace – Hades’ Male Victor 249

You wouldn’t think it, because he’s built like a school pencil that’s been chewed on by a kid with attention issues, but Octavian can tank a hit. He survived two arrow shots, a broken wrist, and his own stupidity. He didn’t seem very impressive his first games, getting a one in score and kind of being wimpy and moronic, but he’s packing a punch this time. He trains daily with a sword.

He’s the reason that he and his fiance won the games. He threatened to remove any victors, and Jupiter had his hands tied.

 

Leo Valdez – Hades’ Male Victor 249

Leo is a beast when it comes to the games. He killed the most people single-handedly in his games, on top of caring for a younger tribute and his loser fiance. He’s a master trapper, able to build a trap from any materials, and his signature weapon of a sling with handmade spike balls. Love the kid, even though he hasn’t warmed up fully to me.

Once the child he was caring for died, riots began popping up over the districts, repeating a nursery rhyme that Leo had told the boy. If you hear “Ashes”, people are supporters of him.

Notes:

Gods I hate this chapter. I literally could not stand writing this, even though it's important. But world-building like this just bores me to tears.

If my math is wrong, whatever. I don't want to touch this again and I'll plead dyscalcula.

Please comment on anything you want. I do want to see who people think the Core Four (technically six) will be, so put your predictions in!

Chapter 12: THE FATHER DILEMMA

The train ride was full of dread. Octavian stayed close to Leo in case he collapsed again, but he showed no signs of dying. Dionysus had explained all of the other victors as they came onto the TV.

When they got to the final district, their district, the program skipped past the fight that had happened. Typical. Leo had fallen asleep around that point, holding Octavian around his middle. Octavian sighed, rubbing his hand along Leo’s back.

“It’s…illegal to be pregnant in the games.” Octavian turned his head towards Dionysus.

“Yes. And you should be glad. That rule is the only reason you’re alive today.” Dionysus drank a sip from some beer he had procured somewhere.

“What do you mean?”

“Your ‘sister’ -” Dionysus used air quotes around the bottle, “- was pregnant with you when she was reaped and because she could prove she was, you got to make it past two months.”

“You’re not supposed to know that information,” Octavian grumbled.

“Everyone in Hades knows. Don’t be ridiculous.” Dionysus shrugged. “And I do listen in on the gossip when I go into town for more booze.”

“So, I guess you know everything about me.”

“Yep. Even who your dad is.”

Octavian sat straight up, accidentally waking Leo. He apologized quickly and Leo settled down again. Octavian leaned forwards, elbows on his knees, looking deeply into Dionysus’ face.

“You know my biological dad?”

“You don’t need to know who he is, man. You don’t want to know.”

“I want to know. Olive won’t tell me. No one in my family will tell me. No one in the entire district has told me.”

“You should drop it, Octavian.” Dionysus’ eyes darkened.

“It’s fine you don’t know your dad. I don’t know mine either.” Leo mumbled from Octavian’s side.

“Listen to your fiance. He’s got his head on.” Dionysus leaned back on the couch he was sitting on. “Why’d you bring up the pregnancy law?”

Leo stiffened on the couch, holding Octavian tighter. He was definitely awake now.

“The game board talked to Leo prior to the quarter quell being announced. They wanted him pregnant, for media purposes. If he were pregnant now, would he be out? Would we be out?”

Dionysus paled. “Is Leo pregnant?”

“No. I can’t be.” Leo shook his head. “There’s no possible way. I mean, Octavian even-”

“Alright, I don’t need to know anymore. A ‘no’ would’ve sufficed.” Dionysus held his hand up to silence Leo. “But, you’re positive that you’re not?”

“The only time we…I got my hands on hibiscus flowers.”

“What does that do?” Octavian asked.

“It’s a way to get rid of anything you left.” Dionysus answered Octavian.

“Oh.” Octavian couldn’t keep his heart from falling. He knew Leo would do this, but he still wanted to know and maybe talk about it.

“There’s no way that I’m pregnant, and I hope I never will be.” Leo said, decidedly.

“Well, since we’re here, I think we should pretend that Leo got pregnant. He won’t be pregnant, but it might get both of you out of this,” Octavian said.

Dionysus looked up at the ceiling and clicked his tongue before looking back down. “How far along is Leo’s pretend baby?”

“A month. We got married a month before the interview to avoid the spectacle. And on our wedding night, when we consummated, Leo got pregnant.”

“That is too early to appear on any scans. How would you know?”

“I asked my older brother Quinn about his girlfriend’s pregnancy with my niece.”

“Cousin.” Dionysus coughed into his drink.

Octavian glared at him. “Quinn said she started having morning sickness pretty much immediately. Throwing up, feeling fatigued, etc. Leo just has to play the part. At the interview, Leo talks about the marriage, and since I go second, I talk about the baby.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Dionysus turned to Leo. “How do you feel about it, expecting father?”

“It’s…fine. Whatever gets us out of the games. But, Nenito? What about you?”

“I’ll make alliances. I think I could connect with some of the stronger players, maybe Lester because we can connect about Jason, or Magnus, because he’s a healer like my twin.”

“Uncle.” Dionysus murmured.

“Dio, if you don’t shut the hell up. My family is none of your business." Octavian snapped.

“Oh, it’s my business, alright. You wanna know your dad? You wanna know why Olive has dedicated her life to keeping you safe and hiding you away under Python and Stheno’s name?” Dionysus took a brief drink. “I know Octavian. I know everything.”

Octavian went red with anger.

“Do you know anything about me?” Leo dropped forward with curiosity.

“I know you were dropped off at the orphanage by a woman who didn’t speak our language. She was dragging you by your arm, and you were shivering in the cold. I know you blame yourself for your mother’s death and never knew your father. Your family is nomads, coming up from beneath Poseidon's district in Mexico. Why they came to the glorious nation, no one knows. They disappeared from Hades as soon as they came.”

Octavian felt a shiver go up Leo’s spine. He stood up.

“I’m going to bed. Tavi, I need you to sleep.” Leo left the room abruptly.

Octavian followed after he was no longer hot with anger. He slipped into their sleeping car, seeing Leo sitting on the edge of the bunk, rubbing the area where his flesh turned into metal. Octavian dug around in the suitcases, bringing up pain reliever cream that he had special ordered from Apollo when the pain first made itself known.

Leo uttered a quiet thanks, applying the ointment conservatively. They didn’t have a lot left. Octavian stripped out of his shirt and pants and slipped into the bunk, Leo curling around behind him.

Octavian jumped when the cold metal hit the skin on the back of his knee. Leo giggled, before squeezing him harder.

Leo sighed. “I don’t want to have kids, Tavi.”

“I know, love. Trust me, if it was any other situation, I wouldn't even propose something like this. But the capitol wants you dead. They’re going to send everything out after you. After the games, after we make it out, we lose the baby and that’s it. Years in the future, we adopt the whole orphanage, if that pleases you.”

Octavian could feel Leo smile against him. “It might. Love you, Nenito.”

“Love you more.”

Notes:

Little Spoon Octavian Truther over here.

Also, I know it hasn't been on anyone's minds but hints at the families prior to Octavian and Leo. I'm not going to reveal their bio-dads yet, but Leo's will get revealed soon, and Octavian's later. I don't think you'll like the answers, honestly.

Next chapter will be the parade, I'm pretty excited! We get to see Percy a bit more!!!!

Comment anything you want about the chapter (I'll allow who you think Octavian's dad is, but not Leo's)

Chapter 13: THE SUGARCUBE

Notes:

TW: Body Dysmorphia

And more google translate Spanish. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Once off the train, Leo and Octavian were again led down the wide hall towards the stylist’s stations. The hubbub was much louder than the year prior. Once the two got to Hermaphroditus’ area, they pulled both boys into a hug.

“Gods, it’s awful to see you two back.” They sighed, looking at the two.

“Awful to be back.” Leo cracked a grin.

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry.” Hermaphroditus’ drawl came out. “I’ve got outfits for you, when you’re ready. I think Caenis wants to fix your hair, and then my assistant Danny is going to do your makeup.”

Hermaphroditus gave both Leo and Octavian a hug again, before disappearing down into the dressing rooms. Then, they were separated and swarmed.

“We should cut your hair again.”

“No thanks,” Octavian responded.

“Make sure to contour his nose. It’s just on the side of a little too big.”

“My nose is fine.” Octavian huffed.

“And he needs a mud mask. His face is too oily. And we need to get rid of that acne.”

Octavian touched his face nervously before his hand was gently smacked away.

“Do we have time for braces? This overbite is atrocious.” Finger prodded into his mouth. “Someone get me the teeth whitening strips!”

Octavian pulled the fingers out of his mouth, running his tongue over his teeth to make them feel normal again.

“At least he put on some weight this year.”

“Is it too much weight? We could give him a quick loss pill, so he could fit into his outfit.”

“Go ask Hermie.”

A couple stylists left him and he could peer in the mirror. Gods, he was ugly and fat. It was like as soon as he was looking in the mirror that he had become repulsive. Thank goodness he was still clothed so that they wouldn’t notice how horrifying he really was.

“Hermaphroditus says no on the pill. His costume will fit, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he popped a seam or two. Such an expensive outfit, too.”

The stylists did their work, poking and prodding with hands and tools until he was a degree removed from himself and he was stuffed into the dressing room with Hermaphroditus.

Octavian looked around the room, suddenly terrified by the mirrors on every wall. He started to hyperventilate and cry, Hermaphroditus immediately coming to comfort him.

“What’s wrong, hon?”

“Please-please-please… the mirrors. I don’t want to look at them.”

Hermaphroditus left and pulled curtains over the mirrors. “It’s alright, Octavian. They’re covered now.”

Octavian nodded, tears still falling from his eyes and breaths still coming out in gasps. Hermaphroditus led him to sit on the floor with them to calm down. Once his tears had dried red and splotchy, Hermaphroditus started talking to Octavian.

“Hon, are you ok to tell me what’s wrong?”

“I don’t like looking at myself in the mirror. I feel wrong and disgusting and ugly and fat.” Octavian sniffled. “And I’m intersex and I know and it hurts to look at myself naked.”

Hermaphroditus pushed Octavian’s hair away from his face. “Hon, I know how it is. Being told you’re one thing or the other, even though you’re nothing but yourself. And you’re nowhere near repulsive. Leo looks at you as if he were a priest and you were his god, just like how you look at him.”

“But it’s wrong to think I’m awful. To not know what I am.”

“No one can tell you what you think about yourself. And it’s perfectly fine to have these feelings. You aren’t broken for not feeling comfortable in what you see. And you shouldn’t push these feelings down, even if it’s confusing, even if it’s hard, even if it’s not the time to act upon them.” Hermaphroditus cooed.

Octavian nodded. “Am I going to be too fat for your outfit and pop the seams?”

“No, never. It’s loose, just how you like it, so even if you had gained ten pounds since I last saw you, it would still fit. And the weight you gained? Just muscle.” Hermaphroditus got up and presented the outfit.

The outfit was beautiful, white and light pink. Upon closer inspection both the blazer and pants seemed to be made of soft scales. The shirt beneath the blazer was a light shimmering green and blue, and the tie was a yellow spiky pendant with two black strings. The shoes were laceless boots, the same white as the lighter parts of the suit, with floral designs on the sides.

“It’s gorgeous.” Octavian gasped.

“The outside of the blazer and pants are lotus flower petals. They symbolize your marriage and rebirth. You can’t sit down in these pants, they’ll just crush the petals.” Hermaphroditus gently lifted the sleeve on the blazer.

“Thank you, these must’ve taken so long to make.”

Hermaphroditus groaned in fatigue. “You have no idea, hon.”

Octavian stripped, casting his eyes away from Hermaphroditus as they dressed him.

“Alright, you need to be careful with your right sleeve. Inside - do you feel it?- there’s a button. If you press that button the outfit is ruined.” Hermaphroditus stepped back to admire their work.

Octavian gently rubbed his finger on the button of the blazer. “Why add it, if it’ll ruin the outfit?”

“That’s the point.”

“But, you worked so hard on it!”

“When you ruin the outfit, hopefully it’ll horrify a few more citizens and we’ll have more hands in the protests. That’s more important than the outfit, isn’t that right, ashes?”

Octavian nodded. “Ashes.”

“When you get up near Jupiter’s stand, both you and Leo need to look at him and press the button. Leo has the same instructions,” Hermaphroditus instructed. “Now, I believe my mentor is waiting for you in the barber’s chair.”

Octavian nodded. “Wait, how am I supposed to get styled if I can’t sit down?”

“Both Caenis and Danny have platforms to stand on. You’ll be fine, hon.”

Hermaphroditus shooed Octavian out of their dressing room and to the awaiting hands of Caenis.

Caenis was a fat man and wholly happy. His black hair was spiked out, and under the sheen of the florescents, iridescent strips of rainbow light bounced off each peak. He held scissors in his right hand, loosely as he laughed at what Dionysus was saying to him.

“Octavian!” Caenis held out his unoccupied hand for Octavian to shake. “How have you been? How’s the wrist?”

“Oh, just fine. Hasn’t been bothering me too much.”

“Sounds perfect. Alright, stand beneath the platform. Dio, go shoo. I need to not be bothered.”

Dionysus laughed along before leaving the area.

“Remind me, Octavian.” Caenis ruffled Octavian’s hair, seeing how it laid. “What’s your pronouns again?”

Octavian bit his lip. “I don’t know.”

“That’s alright. Mostly everyone here has asked themselves that question once.” Caenis prepared his scissors.

“Please don’t cut my hair, I want it to be long.”

“Alright. I’ll just get your dead ends, then style it." Caenis hummed and began snipping, holding chunks of Octavian’s hair up at a time.

Dread filled Octavian’s body every time he saw a strand of blond hair flutter down to the floor, convincing himself that by the time Caenis had finished, he would be bald again.

Caenis set down the scissors eventually, ruffling the hair again, before rubbing an oil into Octavian’s scalp. He then styled and shaped until he was satisfied.

“Alright, howzit look?” Caenis held a mirror in front of Octavian’s face.

Octavian was surprised. His hair was still getting longer, but it looked fluffy and soft and perfectly clean.

“What’d you put on my scalp?”

“Hair growth oil. It’ll help get you longer. I’ll send some to your penthouse after the parade. Just apply after washing every night.” Caenis put his tools away. “Now, Danny’s ready for you.”

Octavian wandered away, his head feeling lighter. He stumbled upon the next platform that held a young man. He had brown curly hair and banging facial hair. He was smiling, and prepared to do Octavian’s face up.

Danny worked as he chattered, although Octavian couldn’t really move his face as it was done up.

“I’ve never been in a parade before. Is it fun? Your boyfriend said it made him nervous, but I think it would be so cool.”

“Last year it made me so dizzy I got sick.” Octavian shuddered, remembering throwing up in the trashcan.

“Oh, that sucks. I’m sorry. What made you sick?”

“The noise? Or maybe the movement of the horses.”

“I can’t help with the movement of the chariot, but…” Danny dug into one of his pockets, pulling out two black buds in plastic wrapping, “you can have these earpro.”

“Earpro?”

“Yeah, dulls the sound. Super helpful for this stuff, trust twin.”

“Thanks.” Octavian held the buds in his hand as Danny finished the look.

“All done! Have fun on the ride, twin!” Danny announced.

Octavian left, unwrapping the earpro and massaging the foam. He walked towards the chariot, where Leo was standing with his arms crossed. As always, he was divinely gorgeous. He was wearing an identical outfit to Octavian’s, but he was sure Leo looked so much better in the tailored suit. His hair had also been cut, this time the sides shaved down, so that the curls stayed on the top and back of his head. The slit through his eyebrow had returned, which was good, since Leo had complained about his hair growing back weird.

Leo was deep in conversation with a blond-haired, blue-eyed man, who had both of the Hades horses crowding him. Once Octavian got close enough, he heard both men talking in Spanish, a language that he was still struggling through learning by way of Leo.

Octavian finally recognized the other man as Percy, who was feeding the horses sugarcubes, as well as eating them himself. He said something which caused Leo to furrow his brows and frown, before offering Leo a sugarcube, like he was a horse. Octavian approached, placing a possessive arm around Leo as Leo refused the sugarcube.

“Relax, Nenito.” Percy used Leo’s recent nickname for Octavian in a teasing tone. “I’m not interested in your boyfriend like that.”

Octavian stared Percy down. “Doesn’t matter. Leave him alone.”

“Fine by me. Leo, si alguna vez quieres hablar sobre los juegos, llámame. Creo que serías un buen aliado en mi equipo. Tal vez si quieres dejar caer a tu Nenito también. No me parece alguien con quien quieras asociarse en la arena.” Percy started to leave.

“No tienes idea de lo que quiero, Príncipe Bastardo.” Leo spat in his direction.

Percy shot Leo a glare, before continuing to walk away, grumbling something under his breath at Octavian couldn’t quite catch, but it made Leo’s nostrils flare in anger. Leo turned towards Octavian.

“I don’t need you to interject in my battles, Tavi.” Leo huffed.

“You looked uncomfortable. I wanted to help.” Octavian argued.

“I’m fine, I promise. Just let me argue with the stupid people here on my own.”

Octavian frowned and he was about to argue back about how stupid Leo was acting and how much stupider Percy was, but the horn sounded for people to start getting into their chariots. Leo waved the argument away and loaded himself into the chariot. Octavian followed after, stuffing the gifted earpro into each of his ears, surprised out how little he could hear.

The chariots started filing out and Octavian caught Percy glaring out of the back of his at the two boys from Hades. Their chariot started and both boys lurched for the side of the chariot for safety. They started out of the tunnel, their horses pulling them. Octavian felt much less dizzy with the noise as the crowd cheered. Leo looked a little sickly, gripping onto the side so hard, his knuckles were turning white.

Octavian’s eyes scanned the crowd, slipping his hand into Leo’s. He spotted Jupiter and gave Leo’s hand a light squeeze. Leo squeezed back and Octavian hit his button, suddenly shivering at coldness spreading from his back, front, and left wrist. Liquid dripped down his spine and his hand uncomfortably., but he kept his gaze on Jupiter, who eventually met his and Leo’s eyes.

The chariot made its circle and disappeared back into the stylist’s area, where Caenis, Hermaphroditus, Dionysus, and Iris were waiting.

“Beautifully done!” Hermaphroditus clapped his hands together.

Caenis nodded. “Great work, Hermie.”

Octavian looked down at his white outfit, which was now tainted red with fake blood. The blood came from his sternum, which bled into his abdomen. His left wrist also had red dripping from it onto Leo’s hand. He could probably guess that there was another spot from his shoulder blade.

Leo had blood going down in an X from where Jason had cut him with the javelin, as well as blood covering where his prosthetic was.

Octavian popped the earpro out, and he could hear the crowd screaming, and caught a few cheers of ‘ashes’. Hermaphroditus puffed their chest out in pride, as they should.

“Oh, your marriage outfits are ruined,” Iris whined.

“That’s the point.” Everyone else answered and Iris shut her mouth with a blush of red embarrassment on her cheeks, bright enough to rival the fake blood.

Notes:

Octavian, someday you will be happy. Today is not that day, unfortunately.

Also Percy, stop being an asshole. His momma needs to scold him for being weird to Leo and mean to Octavian.

I absolutely adore the outfits for the parade and think they look so cool. BTW, the tie is a bolo tie and the laceless boots are cowboy boots. Maybe I'll make a cowboy au someday. Bandit Leo and Ranchhand Octavian anyone? Or vis versa?

Comment whatever you want! Questions, suggestions, or concerns! Even hate! I'll take it all!

Chapter 14: IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE BABY

“Why exactly do we need to do the interview first?” Octavian and Leo sat on the couch as Ganymede paced the room, basically pulling out his hair.

“I don’t know! Everything’s mixed up this year! I don’t even have all of my questions ready!” Ganymede rounded the room. “Gods, this is a mess.”

“You should probably finish your job then.” Leo rolled his eyes.

“I just need confirmation that you’ll stick to the plan.” Ganymede sighed shakily.

“Yeah. Leo will talk about the marriage and I’ll drop the baby bomb. Easy.” Octavian shrugged.

Leo locked eyes with Octavian and did the cock-sucking motion with his hand and tongue.

“Stop that,” Octavian hissed under his breath. Leo cackled out a laugh.

“Ok, thank you boys. I’ll see you tonight, then.” Ganymede left for the elevator. “Just need to get the questions. Ashes, later.”

=🝗=

When Octavian entered Hermaphroditus’ dressing room before the interview, they were asleep, leaning on their palm, basically sitting up on their stool.

“Hermie? You alright?” Octavian asked gently.

Hermaphroditus awoke with a start, sitting up. “Gods, sorry Octavian. I had to crunch the last two nights to finish these outfits.”

“Well, Leo’s looked gorgeous.”

Octavian wasn’t lying. Leo had slipped out of the room a few minutes prior in a tan suit with a green snake eating itself wound around his whole body. It was impressive stitching.

“Thank you, hon.” Hermaphroditus yawned. “I made yours how you asked, don't worry.”

Octavian looked to the ground in shame that his outfit probably took longer to make because of the conversation he had privately made with the stylist earlier.

Hermaphroditus pulled the clothing out of the set up wardrobe. It was creme-coloured, with a similar ouroborus winding itself around the body. It was a dress, with a canvas top that buttoned up. The skirt had an undersew of canvas, but it was layered with a light lace that the snake was embroidered into.

Hermaphroditus helped Octavian into the dress. It was cool and surprisingly smooth against his skin. They handed Octavian the same boots from the lotus outfit, which he put himself in.

“There. Give us a twirl, hon.”

Octavian clumsily twirled, fascinated by the way the skirt spread out and curled around itself whenever he stumbled or stopped. It reminded him of Olive when she would play dress up with him and Will, her the princess and them the knights.

“Perfect! How do you feel?”

“Good.” Octavian answered, joy blooming in his chest. “Really good.”

Hermaphroditus smiled tiredly. “You want anything like it in the future, consider it done.”

Octavian blushed. “Thank you so much, Hermie.”

“Now, get out there, hon. I need a nap.”

Octavian left the dressing room and slipped as inconspicuously into the line of tributes. Leo turned to see him and his jaw dropped in shock.

“Tavi…”

Octavian dropped his eyes, lips starting to quiver, the blooming joy leaving.

Leo tucked a strand of hair behind Octavian’s face. “Tavi, you look beautiful.”

Leo hugged him, kissing his face when he returned the hug. The giddy joy returned.

“I think we should talk about this later,” Leo whispered as the line started moving quickly, Ganymede’s voice booming and the crowd cheering.

“I don’t know if I want to. I don’t know anything yet.” Octavian struggled to pull the words out.

“We should still talk, but we can take it slow.” Leo hummed.

Octavian nodded, grasping onto Leo’s hand for support.

The line moved quickly, and soon enough Leo had to pull away from Octavian.

Unlike the time before, Octavian couldn’t see Leo, just hear him and Ganymede speak.

“So, Leo, one of our victors of last year. We recently got the announcement that you were to be married, correct? To Octavian, the other victor?”

“Well, not anymore. We’ve been married for a month now.”

The crowd broke out in gasps.

“Really? Why not tell us then?”

“We wanted a wedding without the spectacle and we wanted to go into the games married, in case we don’t make it out again. It was a quiet ceremony. We signed the papers and broke bread.”

“Well, congratulations! Do you think you’ll both make it out of the games again?”

“One has to hope. We did it last year, and I would want nothing more than to escape again with him.”

“Well, congratulations again. Shall we hear from your husband?”

The crowd cheered, and Octavian’s heart fluttered at being called Leo’s husband. It warmed his body in the most comforting way.

Octavian stepped on the stage, looking up to see the other tributes lined up on a balcony above him.

“Octavian! Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Ganymede exclaimed.

“Please, I’m married now. Leo’s the only set of eyes I care about,” Octavian joked lightly, causing the crowd before him to chuckle along.

“Now, as we last heard, you’ve been training for these games?”

“Of course. I plan to train even harder here in the capitol, since now I have access to better technology.” Octavian nodded.

“We knew you were either fighting to get home to Leo or fight for him. Are you still planning to fight in his name?”

“I’ll put my life down for him without hesitation. And I know now that I’ll have to be extra on guard because of…” Octavian looked up to Leo, who gave him a curt nod.

“Because of what, Loverboy?”

“Because - well - if it weren’t for the baby-”

The crowd erupted in chaos and Octavian couldn’t even finish his spiel about the baby before all of the tributes were unceremoniously shoved off the stage and told to go home.

Leo and Octavian got back onto the train with Dionysus, Iris apparently in an emergency press meeting.

The train ride was full of nervous energy and Octavian couldn’t keep himself from smoothing out the skirt of his dress over and over again. When they arrived at the penthouse, they loaded into the elevator, only to be joined by Alex Fierro in a ruffly checkered blue dress.

“Alex, good to see you. I’m assuming…” Dionysus trailed off.

“She/Her. Good to see you too, Dio. Zipper.” Alex turned around, brandishing the back of her dress to Dionysus, who unzipped it.

She began to shimmy out of the dress as she talked. “So, Valdez. How many weeks are you pregnant?”

“Just four.”

“Just so you know, everyone thinks you’re hot.” Alex grunted.

“Oh, thanks?” Leo said, looking at Octavian.

“No, not you. I’m into blondes.” Alex met Octavian’s eyes.

Octavian blushed deeply, especially as the dress dropped to the ground and Alex stood completely naked. He averted his eyes, looking up.

“I know.” Alex groaned. “They always put me in blue because of stupid Neptune. I look much better in green and pink. I wish I had your stylist. They seem like fun.”

The elevator dinged and Alex said goodbye, dragging her dress behind her.

“So…” Leo started.

“She’s very comfortable in her body.” Dionysus chuckled. “Our floor is soon and you can go wash your eyes out if you want.”

“I don’t think I want to.”

“Leo!” Octavian chastised, only to be met with laughter.

The elevator stopped abruptly, centurions forcing the door open. “Mr. Valdez. Mr. Solace. You need to come with us.”

“Why?” Leo asked defensively.

The centurions grabbed the two, ripping them apart from each other.

“Tavi!” Leo yelled, pulling against the soldiers holding him.

Leo struggled, and started a hefty kick to one of the centurions, before going boneless, landing against the hard floor with a crack. Dead.

“Leo!” Octavian screamed again, voice cracking with tears, before he was fully pulled away.

Notes:

I need you all to know that almost every single tribute thought Octavian was hot in the dress and Leo actively was thinking about having Tavi to himself later that night.

Also Alex!!! Yay!!!

Octavian "if it weren't for the baby" Valdez/Solace

Comment any shocked questions you have!

Chapter 15: JOY OF JOYS

Notes:

Warning: NSFW themes. No Explicit scenes, but heavy implications.

“You want me to do what?” Octavian looked incredulously at the container on the rolling cart in the hospital, where he and Leo had been taken.

“We need your DNA sample. So we’re going to have you ejaculate in this cup,” the doctor explained again.

“Why can’t you take blood? I won’t scream, I promise.” Octavian brandished his arm.

“We want ejaculation from all male specimens, and blood from all female specimens. Orders straight from the top.”

“But, I’m intersex! I was going to be born a girl, isn’t that enough?”

“You have male presenting exterior organs, and it’s much easier to extract your DNA from your sperm.”

“That’s disgusting.” Octavian’s nose wrinkled.

The doctor handed Octavian a remote connected to a TV on the wall. “We have plenty of programs that can aid with the process, but you won’t be allowed out of the room until you present this cup.”

Octavian watched the doctor and frowned deeper once he heard a heavy lock fit into the door.

No way he was doing that.

=🝗=

Leo had woken up in the hospital after his second death incident, but told Octavian that they had put him under anesthesia to take his blood, to avoid another episode. He didn’t have any recollection, other than a bandaid now on his inner elbow.

Octavian laid in his and Leo’s bed, Leo asleep next to him. Leo was fine again, no longer feeling any bit dead.

Leo was holding Octavian as he always did and Octavian was admiring that he got to see this side of Leo, rather than anyone else seeing it. He let his hand ghost over Leo’s chest, tracing his surgery scars, noticing when Leo’s skin jumped from the ticklish sensation.

It started maybe a month after the games. Leo had come into Octavian’s room, maybe drunk, maybe not and they had started having sex. It started sloppy, but as it became more regular, they had gotten better at knowing what the other and what they themselves liked. Leo had been terrified of pregnancy at the time, but they made it work.

Leo mumbled in his sleep and let go of Octavian, rolling over to get away from his touch. Octavian slowly got up, back aching in a sudden flash of pain that had him leaning onto the bedside table as he got up.

He heard rustling behind him as he slowly made his way to the door. “I really did a number on you, huh?”

Octavian chuckled from the doorway. “Go back to sleep, Leo. I’m just going to practice.”

Leo’s arms wrapped around Octavian’s middle, dragging him back to bed. “Not like that, you aren’t.”

“I’m not the one who went hard tonight.”

“Not my fault you looked incredibly hot this evening. I can’t help but make sure you feel as good as you look.” Leo spun them around, pushing Octavian on the bed and landing on top of him. “Besides, don’t we have to talk?”

“Oh, right,” Octavian mumbled.

Leo rolled off Octavian with a plop onto the comforter. “Sorry for going so hard, Nenito.”

“It’s ok, I kind of liked it, even though it hurts a little bit.” Octavian shrugged.

“Now, do you want to tell me why you requested a dress from Hermaphroditus?”

Octavian went silent.

“Leo, are you gay?”

Leo barked out a laugh. “What do you mean?”

“I’m serious, love. Are you gay?”

Leo calmed down. “I mean- yeah. I’ve only ever been attracted to boys.”

A lump formed in Octavian’s throat and he tried to clear it away with a cough.

“But, I’m more attracted to you than anyone else. Tavi, if there’s something you need to tell me, I understand.”

Octavian nodded, lump still stuck in his throat. “I’m just confused. About myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, like, I felt fine as a boy for my whole life but as soon as I knew I was intersex, it was as if I suddenly felt disgusted and uncomfortable in who I am, both as a boy and as intersex. And everything and nothing seems to work. I loved wearing the dress, I love being called your husband, I like being referred to as nothing but my name or just Solace.” Octavian spilled. “It just feels weird.”

“Do you think you might be a girl?”

“Would you still love me?”

“Of course, I just want to know.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I’m a girl, or a boy, or like Hermaphroditus. I’m everything but also nothing?” Octavian groaned. “I hate it.”

Leo hummed, before he began carding his fingers through Octavian’s hair. “I can’t say I relate, unfortunately, Tavi. But I still love you.”

“I just wish I could be anything I want, not put in a little box.”

Leo placed a kiss on Octavian’s lips. “As if you could fit in a box, tall ass. If you want I could call you by different pronouns? To try them out?”

“Not yet.”

“Not yet, then.” Leo’s lips moved to Octavian’s jaw, mouthing there.

“But If I do change, you won’t leave?”

“Would never think of it.” Leo started on the base of Octavian’s neck, working a mark into the skin.

“Leo!” Octavian curled his fingers in Leo’s hair. “Stop that! The other tributes will see!”

“I want them to see.” Leo pulled away, flipping so that he was pinning Octavian down gently. “I saw how they looked at you and I think everyone needs a reminder that you are mine alone.”

“And you’re mine alone, too love. But the capitol will also see, which means it’ll be broadcast to the districts. And you know how my siblings are.” Octavian rolled his eyes.

Leo laughed lightly at the reminder. The Solace family had been granted a tape of the games, unedited to a degree, which is where their teasing of the sex tape came from. Apparently there had been several cameras in the underground lake Leo and Octavian had been hiding in, and after the ambrosia was delivered…well they were going to die, why not go out with a bang?

Octavian was left with the mortifying ordeal of being reminded of this, almost always in a public setting by his brothers.

“Oh, please, they’ll be able to tell you’re ok. It’s a comfort knowing that you have a healthy sex life.” Leo’s eyes twinkled.

“Ew.”

“Ew, yourself. Skip training for tonight, please? I want to be with you.” Leo leaned down and kissed Octavian again.

“Maybe I can skip one night,” Octavian mumbled into the kiss.

“Unless you’re too tired from jacking it to shitty capitol videos to give them your DNA.” Leo grinned.

Octavian gently pushed Leo off in annoyance, who laughed at Octavian’s embarrassment.

Notes:

Uhhem. Let's ignore that this is the closest we will get to actually dirty scenes and talk about Octavian questioning his gender. I still haven't fully placed him on the spectrum, but he's either pangender or agender or both. He's queer and I won't put my final decision in until book three. And I'll continue using He/Him pronouns for our little chewed pencil until then.

Also I wonder why the capitol wants his DNA? And everyone else?

Comment what you want.

Chapter 16: EVIL OF EVILS

Notes:

TW: Vomit

The next day, way later into the morning than usual, the boys stumbled into the kitchen together, eyes still wanting sleep.

“Aren’t we supposed to-” Leo paused himself with a yawn, “-aren’t we supposed to be training today?”

“Yeah. We gotta go to the green. And wrestle people.” Octavian picked at a piece of bacon.

“Can’t wait to beat some 40-year-old’s ass.” Leo mumbled, slumping onto his arms on the table.

“Or another teenager… Percy? And Reyna? They’re 18, right?”

“I think so.” Leo spoke into the table.

“Well, it will disappoint you to know that training is cancelled today and will resume tomorrow.” Iris sipped some green drink that moved like toxic sludge.

“Why?” Octavian asked, waking up more as he ate more food.

“You should really watch Ganymede’s new announcement,” Dionysus spoke from the couch.

Leo finally sat up as Octavian walked to the living area, standing behind the couch as Ganymede presented the latest news on the games.

“Jupiter has pressed the games back a month as a temporary fix to the issue of the Solace baby. As we all know, it’s illegal to have a pregnant woman in the games, but there's an argument about whether or not Leo counts as a woman despite the pregnancy. On top of that, protests of the games have begun popping up around the area to remove Leo from the games. The question is if they will let him fight or substitute the victor Dionysus in his place.”

“A month?” Octavian asked.

Dionysus muted the TV. “Yep. But, that just means you have a month to train for the games. The green will be open 24/7 for your training pleasure. I’m sure that means that you’ll be there all day, Octavian.”

Octavian nodded slowly.

“And they apparently want your DNA once a week. So be prepared for more hospital visits.” Dionysus spoke. “All the other tributes are having the same issue. I went to meet Paris and Calypso this morning and they had their DNA extracted as well.”

“Great.” Octavian sighed. “Just what I want! Masturbating weekly for Jupiter's sake!”

“Yeah, I’m lucky for that,” Leo said from the table. “Just have to be put down like a dog so they can get my blood.”

Octavian returned to the table, plopping down. “What do we do today if training is cancelled, then?”

“We could…mess around.” Leo poked Octavian’s side.

“You have run me ragged, Leo. I need a break.” Octavian rolled his eyes and Leo held up his hands in surrender.

“We could request Octavian’s room be turned into a mini training room,” Iris spoke. “It’s not like you’re using it anyways.”

“That sounds good.” Octavian nodded. He had abandoned his bedroom in favor of Leo’s, just like their house in Hades.

“Or you could be making alliances. In fact, I invited a few other tributes over here so you can make friends, including Percy and Reyna.”

“Ugh, you invited Percy?” Leo’s head thumped on the table again. “Uninvite him.”

“He’s a powerful man. You should consider keeping your friends closer and enemies closer,” Dionysus reminded.

“He’s a bratty asshole is what he is. All he does is show off that he’s Neptune’s favorite son and the capitol’s favorite victor.” Leo glared at Dionysus.

“You might want to keep your thoughts to yourself unless you want a trident through your brain. And he has an interest in you, since he is the arena baby.”

“Oh, yeah. ‘Baby Solace’. Let me tell you, if we’re doing this whole pregnancy thing, it’s Baby Valdez. And my husband is Mr. Valdez.”

“Not Mr. Solace?” Octavian quirked an eyebrow.

“Fine. Valdez-Solace.” Leo got up from the table and shrugged. “I need to go get dressed.”

The elevator dinged. Dionysus got up from the couch. “That might be them.”

The elevator opened and Octavian returned to his breakfast, until Dionysus called for him. Octavian went to the elevator, just to see a centurion, who handed him a letter.

“What is this?” Octavian opened the letter.

“Summons from High-King Jupiter.”

Octavian skimmed over the letter. It was vague, just describing a meeting about national business. “Can Leo come with me?”

“Mr. Valdez’s appearance would not be turned away. Everyone is welcome at the High-King’s home.”

Octavian nodded, before speed-walking to the bedrooms, catching Leo in the middle of getting dressed.

“We need to be fancy. I got a summons from Jupiter.”

“A summons?” Leo pulled on a shirt. “What for?”

“I don’t know, but I requested you to be with me.” Octavian hurriedly pulled a pair of pants on.

They finished getting dressed and followed the centurion down to the train, which sped them to the mansion’s entrance.

They were led inside, which was decorated in mosaics of the King of the Gods, Kronos and all of his victories. It seemed way too bloody for a family home to Octavian.

Standing in one of the doorways was a woman with her dark hair tied into wide knots on her head. Octavian recognized her as Psyche’s daughter, Hedone. Behind Hedone the youngest prince, Sarpedon, was clutching to the edge of his nanny’s skirt.

Jupiter himself strode down the hall, practiced smile lighting up his face. “How are my favorite victors?”

Leo and Octavian remained silent and Octavian could sense Leo tense up for a fight. He held Leo’s hand to calm him down. Octavian couldn’t risk Leo getting into a fight and having another episode.

“I didn’t know you would be joining us, Leo, and unfortunately this meeting is private. I’m going to trust you with meeting my son, Sarpedon. You’ll help his nanny care for him.”

“But-” Leo’s brows furrowed.

“It will be good practice for Baby Solace.”

“It’s Baby Valdez.” Octavian interjected.

“Ah. Well, regardless, I give my blessing for a son. An heir to the strongest of the strong.” Jupiter waved his hand dismissively. “Octavian, if you would follow me.”

 

Octavian looked back as he was led by Jupiter at Leo, who looked heart broken. Leo turned into the room with Hedone and disappeared from view. Jupiter opened the door to his study and let Octavian in.

Octavian sat across from Jupiter at a desk. Up close his eyes were a pale blue that sent shivers down Octavian’s spine. His face was fully fake, in that capitol way.

“Are you a mirror?” Octavian asked suddenly, as Jupiter called over a servant with wine.

Jupiter chuckled. “I am not, although it makes sense to assume so. Wine, Octavian?”

“No, thank you. I don’t drink,” Octavian said.

The wine glass was placed in front of him as Jupiter drank his own.

“And it’s a little early for wine, don’t you think?”

Jupiter shrugged. “You’ll drink this wine eventually. Please, try some.”

Octavian pushed the glass away. “What’s the reason for this meeting?”

“Well, as you might know, I keep tabs on my citizens, especially my City-Kings.”

“I am sure you do.”

“There seems to be two missing citizens from my district of Hades. One of them is the heir, Nico di Angelo-Pluto. The other is your twin brother, William Solace.”

“Will is missing?” Octavian put on his best shocked expression.

“Yes, unfortunately. I was wondering, do you know where they are? You are William’s closest brother.”

“No.”

“Octavian. If you tell me where they are, I will not hurt them.”

“I don’t know where they are.” Octavian stood his ground, not believing that Jupiter wouldn’t hurt them. With Nico already in such a fragile state it was imperative that Will wasn’t found.

“It’s just that Pluto needs his heir, or else his kingdom will fall.”

“King Pluto is more than capable of producing another heir.”

“Tell me where they are.” Jupiter’s voice was strained with anger and Octavian felt all the hair on his body stand straight up.

“I don’t know where they are.”

Jupiter sat back and sighed, rubbing his temples. “You are a stubborn one, Octavian. You don’t know how to pick your battles.”

“Is this meeting over?”

“Have a drink of wine.”

Octavian stood up. “Thank you for your hospitality and summons, Jupiter. Leo and I will be going now.”

“Yes, enjoy your last month with your wife and unborn son.”

“He’s my husband.” Octavian swung open the study door and let it slam behind him, finding the room where Leo had been held.

“What did he want?” Leo asked.

“Just wanted help finding a missing person. I didn’t have the information he wanted.” Octavian shrugged and Leo nodded.

Will and Nico had made it out, but now they were still far from safe. Octavian just had to hope they could make their escape fully.

=🝗=

The green was set up so that people could flit between different activities over the month-long training process. Once they got to the green, Leo and Octavian split up. Octavian watched Leo wander over to an area where there was a table set up for making traps, where the old man Daedalus was building something with shaking hands.

Octavian kept a hand on his precious sword and walked towards where some training dummies were. These ones were more-human like and some could even fight back. But for now, Octavian focused on a stationary one.

Swing, stab, swing, thrust, parry, spin to get more power.

Octavian leaned against the dummy after several hours of fighting the stationary object. He looked back over to Leo, who was engaged in conversation with Daedalus, building something intricate with his hands. From the distance, Octavian still had to squint despite the thick frames on his face, he could tell Leo was pale and tired.

He tried to lean closer to see if his mind was playing tricks on him, when shiny gold metal sailed through the air and hit the dummy Octavian was leaning on. Octavian stared at the dizzying trident, before following its path up to the top of a hill, where Percy was standing.

Percy strode down the hill to the training dummies and braced his foot against the dummy before pulling his trident out. “I think you’re lying, Octavian.”

“Lying? About what?” Octavian readied himself to fight the dummy again.

“Leo isn’t pregnant.”

Well, shit.

“What makes you say that?”

“They’d kick him out of the games if he was. And you mentioned in several interviews that you’re sterile.”

“You watched my interviews?”

“Nevermind that. Leo’s not pregnant, is he?”

“Leo’s pregnant. I was told I was sterile last year, but the doctors were wrong. And the board is deciding on whether or not Leo counts for the law since the letter of the law is “No Pregnant Women” and Leo is a boy.”

Percy frowned. “My mother didn’t suffer just for you to abuse the law.”

“I’m not. I want Leo out more than anyone.” Octavian slashed at the dummy, cutting a thick like through the front of it’s neck.

Percy readied his trident and held the point to Octavian’s neck. “You better pray to the gods that I don’t catch you lying.”

“You never will.”

Percy’s nostrils flared and he swung the trident, scooping up Octavian’s left hand between two of the tines and driving the trident into the ground behind Octavian’s back.

Octavian fell to the ground pulled down by the trident spearing into the dirt. The pressure against his left wrist hurt. He’d need to wrap it later.

Percy kneeled down by Octavian’s face, whispering in his ear, “You should watch your mouth. I want an alliance with you and Leo but I need to like you first.”

“You should watch where you put your trident.”

Percy stood up, displeasure evident on his face. He mouthed, “Ashes,” before pulling his trident out from the dirt and walking away.

Octavian sat up, rolling his wrist and sheathing his sword. He looked to Leo, who was leaning over the grass, vomiting on the ground.

“Shit,” He whispered under his breath before running to comfort Leo.

Notes:

Shit is kinda going down. Jupiter's threatening Nico and Will and they want to keep the tributes' for a month for DNA extraction and other mysterious reasons.

Comment anything that you noticed during this chapter so we can piece together this terrible mystery's solution.

Chapter 17: I THINK I'M DYING

Notes:

TW: Vomit

The following week had nothing to help the anxiety boiling beneath Octavian’s skin. Leo hadn’t gotten better.

Leo threw up daily, and he wasn’t even eating anything anymore unless Octavian forced him. Then, he would just throw it up again. If he wasn’t vomiting, he was sleeping or lying down. His whole body was sore and he was always just a degree too hot.

Octavian stayed with him as much as possible during the days, only to go and train at night, which meant he hadn’t been able to make any meaningful connections with the other tributes.

During their hospital visit, Leo had asked the doctor about feeling sick, only for the doctor to brush it off as a common stomach bug from the lower districts. He must’ve gotten it from Hades before coming to the games. Then he was put to sleep to take blood again, while Octavian bitterly had to fill a cup.

They gave Leo these thick pills to swallow down with whatever food he kept down. They hadn’t done anything yet and it had been a few days.

Octavian peeled himself away from Leo once the sun set and Leo would be asleep for the night. They had pumped the cold air up to make Leo more comfortable, which meant that Octavian usually slept in a gray sweater and training pants. He walked out of the room, grabbing his sword and tying the sheath around his waist. He got into the elevator, saying a quick goodbye to Dionysus who was on his third bottle of the night.

He took the speed train by himself, napping lightly on one of the couches provided. He woke up when the train rolled up to the green. It was practiced at this point.

The green was always empty at this hour. Everyone else, if they were training (Paris and Melinae hadn’t shown up to any sessions apparently), took the daylight hours. The green was barely lit, floodlights training on whatever area was being worked in. As soon as he stepped into the sword fighting arena, cool light illuminated the area.

Octavian shed his sweater, draping it over a stationary dummy before approaching a fighting one. Using a pad on the back of the dummy, he set it to the highest difficulty level and began his training. Sweat glistened on his bare chest and back, all of his scars on display for the no one who walked by.

The robot fought hard, and Octavian was tired. He was getting pushed back into a line of trees, the same where Leo had taught him how to start a fire in the woods the year prior.

He parried, clashed, and struck as he was pushed farther into the woods.

For a brief second he saw a pair of eyes, amber and dark staring at him through the trees. It caught him off his guard and he was struck by the robot’s fake sword. The dummy declared the battle won and returned to its station.

Octavian cursed loudly and sheathed his sword.

“So is that what you look like under the dress? Sorry for startling you.” Alex’s voice curled out from the dark as she approached Octavian.

“It’s…fine.” Octavian felt frustrated.

“No it’s not. You need to work on your attention.”

“You should see Leo. He’s worse.”

“Where is Leo?” Alex asked.

“He’s been sick.”

“Is that why you’re training at night?”

Octavian nodded curtly. “I stay with him during the day.”

“You must be tired.”

“Why are you training at night?” Octavian snapped.

“There’s good qualities to being able to work at night. More battles than you think happen in the dark. I set up traps around camp during the night.” Alex started to walk away from Octavian. She turned back to him. “Watch your step.”

Octavian followed Alex closely to avoid the traps. She sat cross-legged onto the forest floor and started messing with a string, pulling it taunt between two sapling trunks.

“What are you doing?”

“Touch it.” She motioned towards the string.

Octavian plucked it with his finger, hissing as it dug into his skin. He brought the tip of his finger to his mouth, suckling at the blood that the garrote brought to his finger.

“Anyone who approaches will let me know they’re here.” Alex leaned back on her palms. “Leo’s sick because he’s pregnant, right?”

“No. He caught a bug.”

“Hm.” Alex admired her work. “Does he like being pregnant?”

“No.”

“I figured.”

Octavian rolled his eyes. “What would you know? You’re a trans girl, not a trans man. You wish you could get pregnant.”

Alex’s eyes snapped to Octavian in fury. “You don’t know anything, do you?”

“I know enough.”

“What’s my pronouns?”

“She/Her. People keep reminding me too, like my husband isn’t trans.”

“My pronouns right now. What are they?”

Octavian stared at Alex blankly. “She/Her?”

Alex sighed in exasperation. “Ask me my pronouns.”

“What are your pronouns?”

“Right now? He/Him.”

“But-”

“But what? Usually yes, I prefer She/Her. It’s safe to assume those pronouns. But they are not always and not exclusively my pronouns. I’m gender fluid, not gender static like you or your husband,” Alex said. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak to any trans person like you’ve spoken to me.”

Octavian gawked. “You can switch?”

Alex laughed. “You know nothing.”

“I’m learning,” Octavian mumbled.

“Then learn. What are your pronouns?”

“I’ve always been comfortable with He/Him,” Octavian spoke the practiced lie.

“I don’t think so. Your tone says otherwise. What are your actual pronouns?”

“I don’t want to talk about this.” Octavian dusted his hands on his knees and got ready to leave.

“Fine, then.” Alex smiled, his eyes glittering. “Let’s talk strategy.”

“Let’s.”

“Your sword work is impressive. You’ve grown since dropping your knife at every sign of danger in the last games.”

“Thank you.”

“But that can’t be your only skill. I’d suggest coming to the training for the day, at least for a few hours and working on other skills with masters while you have the chance. Make traps with Daedalus. Train arrows with any one of the archers. Learn to actually camouflage well with Grover. Brush up on survival skills like sourcing clean water, building shelters, and fire."

“I can’t leave Leo.”

“Bring him. Kid needs some sun anyways.” Alex stood up. “Remember, Octavian, a well-rounded victor is an alive victor. And you need allies. At least more allies than Percy and I.”

“Why does Percy want me as an ally? Why do you?”

Alex looked at Octavian, weighing his options.

“You can’t know that yet. Once this is all over, you’ll understand. Watch your step.” Alex disappeared into the dark.

 

Octavian picked his way out of the woods and back to the speed train entrance. He rode the train back as the sun rose over the city. He was dropped off back at the penthouses and rode the elevator back up to his floor before realizing he had forgotten his sweater draped on a training dummy.

He got into the bedroom and goosebumps rose on his skin in the cold. Leo had left the bed messy as he had left a little earlier. Octavian followed the chaos to where Leo always was at this time of day.

Leo was lying, sweaty on the floor of the bathroom, cool tiles probably doing wonders on his skin. He shivered, more from fatigue than anything else.

“Hey, Tavi,” He rasped.

“Hello, love. Did you throw up already?”

Leo nodded weakly.

“Do you need a shower?”

Leo nodded again.

Octavian gently helped Leo up and onto the edge of the bathtub, being gentle as he helped Leo get undressed and into the shower as he turned it on cold. Once it was appropriately frigid, Octavian stripped his pants and boxers before hopping it, gritting his teeth through the pain of the cold.

Octavian helped Leo to stand slowly and began washing him. He rubbed soap through Leo’s hair, making sure to tease every curl around his finger. He soaped down Leo’s body, ignoring the tremors that wracked through Leo’s skin.

While rinsing out the soap in Leo’s hair, Leo leaned heavy on the wall of the shower. His eyes rolled back into his head and he started to crumble before Octavian caught him.

“‘M fine.”

“No you’re not. Come on, sit down.”

Octavian lowered Leo to the floor of the bathtub.

“How the tables have turned.” Leo laughed weakly. “I took care of you when you were like this.”

“That’s different. I was just being stupid. You’re genuinely sick.”

“Not going through organ failure, either.” Leo grinned like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Octavian stayed quiet, quickly washing himself.

Leo pulled himself over the edge of the bathtub suddenly and emptied his stomach onto the bathroom floor, tears springing from his eyes.

“Leo, you alright?” Octavian kept his voice calm.

Leo shook his head, avoiding opening his mouth so he didn’t start crying harder.

“Ok, Just stay there.” Octavian gave himself a quick rinse and stepped out of the shower, leaving it on to keep Leo cool.

Octavian went to work cleaning the vomit off the ground and scrubbing the floor of any stench. Leo stayed in the tub, watching tiredly as the water droplets swam down his body.

Octavian turned off the water and helped Leo out and onto the toilet. He carefully redressed Leo, before brushing Leo’s teeth.

Octavian threw his own sweatpants back on before helping Leo back into the bedroom and settling him down. Leo fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Octavian backtracked out of the room and onto the couch. He sat down, and the tears finally came to his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Octavian?” Iris’ voice came from one of the other couches.

“I think Leo's dying. And I can’t do anything about it,” Octavian gasped through the tears.

“Oh, darling.” Iris cooed. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“He just keeps being bad. And he needs to fight soon.”

Iris pursed her lips. “I think I can do something. Why don’t you take a nap? You’ve been awake all night.”

Octavian didn’t fight it, just laying down and falling into a restless sleep.

Notes:

So, something's really wrong with Leo, right? Why would he be feeling this way? And why won't the pills help?

Also both Alex and Octavian need to stop being creeps in the dark. And Tavi needs to take another dose of respect trans people juice because the transmisogyny is not it!!! The transphobia is not it!! Both external and internal!!!

Also reminder that Octavian is a flawed character. He's gonna make these mistakes and will need to learn lessons from them. He's not perfect, but he is not pure evil (at least here anyways. we won't know about canon until he shows up in a potential HOO show)

Comment what you want!!

Chapter 18: THE MEDIA

Octavian’s hands shifted up Leo’s naked chest, rubbing over his scars. Leo pulled away from Octavian’s lips, a little line of spittle connecting them. Leo laughed and pushed Octavian’s hands away.

“Stop that!” Leo giggled. “It tickles!”

“I’m just happy you’re not dying anymore.” Octavian reconnected their lips.

He wasn’t lying. After whatever Iris had given to Leo, he had suddenly improved. That wasn’t to say he was perfect, still needing a nap and throwing up immediately after he woke up, but it was better than the full week of stupidity that had been going on prior.

“Boys!” Dionysus threw open the door, causing Octavian to hurriedly push Leo away.

Leo landed on the floor with an umph, scowling up at Octavian. Octavian gawked at Dionysus.

“Can you get out?” Octavian yelled. “We’re busy!”

“Now, Octavian, that’s no way to treat a pretend pregnant man! Throwing him on the floor could hurt the pretend baby.”

“Yeah, Nenito, or you could hurt me!” Leo followed up Dionysus.

“What are you even doing here?” Octavian asked Dionysus as Leo got up and struggled on a shirt.

“You two should read this.” Dionysus threw a tablet at Octavian.

Octavian barely caught the electronic before zooming in on a news article.

“‘VALDEZ CITIZENSHIP BROUGHT INTO QUESTION; CAN WE TRUST ALIENS IN OUR GLORIOUS NATION?’” Octavian read aloud. “This is a bunch of bullshit-”

Leo swiped the tablet, scrolling. “Where’s the video? They always have a video.”

Leo continued to scroll in silence before throwing the tablet gently onto the bed scowling. “These people are stupid. If I wasn’t a citizen, do they think I would be here? ¡Regresaré a México ahora mismo! ¡No quiero estar aquí!”

“Leo, so you want me to read it for you?” Octavian offered, picking up the tablet.

Leo shook his head. “It’s fine, Tavi. It’s all the same shit I’ve been hearing my whole life. I’m a nomad, so I don’t count for any stupid benefits of the ‘glorious nation’, but boy do I get to experience the punishments.”

“Uh, thanks, Dio.” Octavian awkwardly handed off the tablet to Dionysus.

“There’s thousands of these articles about both of you.” Dionysus clicked the tablet off. “Jupiter’s doing the smear campaign of the century.”

“What are they saying about us?” Octavian asked as Leo fumed.

“Mostly things about your genders and the whole controversy. And about your families. The whole world knows that you two never knew your fathers.” Dionysus turned to Leo. “They found your father, Leo.”

Leo took the tablet back and looked over a new article, titled, ‘LEO VALDEZ’S FATHER; SON OF THE CAPITOL’. Octavian’s eyes widened when he saw that.

“Son of the capitol?” he asked in wonder.

“The article compares your DNA with a man from the city, someone named Prometheus,” Dionysus addressed Leo.

“Like the god? Is Leo godblood?” Octavian asked, brimming with excitement. It was always his pleasure to learn about the gods and heroes of old.

“No, but he’s a war hero. You should be proud, Leo.”

Leo stared at the screen, before handing it to Octavian. “I don’t care. He didn’t help my mom. I don’t care.”

Leo left the room, bumping past Dionysus.

“I’m sorry, boy. They don’t know anything about yours, but that’s a blessing, trust me.” Dionysus shook his head.

Octavian frowned. Leo was godblood. He was of Prometheus! God of life and fire! And Octavian’s dad – his real dad, not Py – had to be kept a mystery. He followed Leo, grabbing a shirt on his way.

The two made their way to the training grounds via train, both stewing the whole way there. Neither spoke to the other, both lost in their own worlds. Octavian could only imagine what was going through Leo’s head. It was probably going two million miles a minute if he knew anything about his fiance.

His own mind was going at a similar pace. If they could carbon-match Leo’s DNA, they probably could his too. They probably knew who his bio-dad was and just wasn’t telling him. In his mind, Octavian drafted a letter he would write home to Olive — to his mom.

The train let them out on the green and they wandered away from each other, Leo gravitating towards Daedalus, who was at his usual spot on the bench. Octavian walked towards the archery section. He had been taking Alex’s suggestion, focusing on a different skill each day, and spending his time sword fighting at night.

Archery had never been his strong skill. Of all of the weapons, he chose archery to practice in the last games and it went nowhere, except to introduce him to Frank. He grabbed a bow again, feeling the cool wood in his grip. He saddled up the matching quiver and picked a target.

Octavian began practicing his shot, missing every time. Usually he hit a few yards before the target, implanting deep into the ground, but sometimes he threw it far past the target and into the woods. After about an hour, he still had never hit the target.

“Thou is doing it wrongly,” a female voice chastised behind him.

Octavian spun to look at the woman, Zoë Nightshade. She held her own bow and had a quiver tied around her waist. Her eyes pierced into him.

“Again.”

“What?” Octavian asked.

“Shoot an arrow. Again.”

Octavian spun back around, notched an arrow and let it fly and watched it thunk into the ground again.

“I see what thy is doing wrong.” Zoë came up next to him and notched her own arrow, shooting it and hitting the bullseye. “For one, thou has picked an inverted bow, much more difficult to use than a regular one. Secondly, thou has not learned proper technique. Draw the bow to your cheek, squint down the shaft, and pierce the target.”

Octavian readied his bow again. He pulled the string taunt, lining up the arrow with his eye, staring towards the target in the distance. He let the arrow go, and it finally hit the target, this time lodging itself in the lower right corner.

“Better.” Zoë hummed. “Thou still has much work to do.”

“Er, thanks, Zoë.” Octavian nodded.

“Is it true?”

“Is what true?” Octavian readied another arrow.

“The article. That neither Leo or thy has a father. The article assumes that thee will never be men, but I assume that was falsities.”

Octavian lowered the bow. “Stupid, fucking Jupiter and his campaign. It doesn’t matter.”

“I think it is brave to have thee raised by two mothers before Pluto approved of it.”

“I don’t have two mothers– well I do, but I also have a dad!” Octavian frowned.

“I see. Thou has two mothers and one father?”

“My birth mom, Olive, she’s my sister. My grandparents raised me.”

“I understand. Stretch thy stance before thee take the next shot.”

Octavian put his legs shoulder width apart at Zoë’s instruction and his arrow sailed true, hitting the target once more.

“And, I am a man, no matter what those stupid reporters say.” Octavian huffed.

Zoë pursed her lips before turning to leave. “Thy husband is feeling sick once more. Return to him.”

Octavian sighed, dropping his bows off at the table, before going to Leo, who had been sick on the lawn once more.

Notes:

Ughhhhh I'm so tired. Wrote this at a party like the loser I am. Remember, kids, you can still be an uncool weirdo as an adult.

This chapter had ???? idk I forgot

Comment please...

Chapter 19: A LETTER FROM OLIVE

Dear Octavian,

Your biological father shouldn't mean anything to you. He was never a good man. He never wanted good for me or for you. Mother and Father took you in, thankfully. If he had gotten his hands on you, I don’t know what I would’ve done.

The news will tell you your father was a bum. He died on the streets, blood replaced with liquor and poppyblood. Believe them.

I wish you well in the games. Please give Leo and my grandchild a kiss for me.

You know better,
Ms. Olive Solace

Notes:

So, Olive is hiding something...who is Octavian's bio-dad? Why does everyone want to hide it?

Comment what you think ;).

Chapter 20: I WILL LOVE YOU THROUGH LIFE AN DEATH

Octavian stumbled back into the penthouse after training his swordsmanship. He met Alex once more at night and she had told him that Percy was willing to work with both Octavian and Leo as long as both of them agreed to work with Percy. Octavian agreed immediately, but convincing Leo would be tricky.

Octavian pushed into their bedroom, shedding his clothing and slipping under the blanket. Leo stayed asleep, puffing out those little breaths he did. Octavian pressed into him, using Leo kind of as a blanket as gently as he could.

He settled into sleep, worn out from the training, hoping that he would just sleep easily. Leo's sleeping grip tightened around him, until Leo shot awake stumbling back from Octavian.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Octavian shot up as well, grabbing Leo in a hug as Leo attempted to claw at Octavian’s back.

Octavian held tightly even as Leo’s claws hitched onto the recent scars of his back, just whispering calming things until Leo calmed down.

“Octavian?” Leo whimpered after a few minutes.

“Yeah, it’s me. You’re ok.”

“Oh my gods, Octavian.” Leo leaned into his chest, body hiccuping with sobs. “I’m so sorry, I could’ve hurt you.”

“I’m fine, love. Did you have a terror again?”

Leo nodded into Octavian’s chest. “Someone was attacking me – I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m right here. No one is in the room with us.”

Leo stayed silent, trying to calm himself down and Octavian frowned. What if Leo had a night terror in the arena? Octavian’s insomnia, that’s useful for a night guard, but if Leo wakes up screaming and clawing, he could attract other tributes, and it won’t be safe to move him. Leo could die.

Leo looked up towards Octavian before spinning around to look at the clock. “Shit.”

“What?”

Leo smiled at Octavian. “What day is it?”

“Tuesday. Tomorrow we have the doctor’s visit and training.”

“Today’s Wednesday. It’s midnight. What’s the number?”

“June 21.”

Leo’s grin was inescapable on his face.

“What’s so funny about June 21?”

“It’s not funny. Dead serious.” Leo shook his head jokingly.

“Oh! Happy Solstice! I think we’re exchanging gifts on Thursday, though, right?”

“What other holiday is today?” Leo rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

Octavian sat back, racking his brain. He was too tired for this.

“It’s our wedding today!” Leo pushed Octavian gently.

Octavian took a second, before his own smile came. “Oh my gods, we’re married.”

“Well, kinda. We never got those rings or that reception.”

“You know what we could get?” Octavian slipped out of bed and into the kitchen, which was dead silent. Iris usually ordered the food, but Octavian had watched her do it many times. He pressed a small button and whispered something into an intercom. In a few minutes, one of the employees came up to the room with what he wanted; a loaf of bread.

It was still hot in his hands as he brought it back into the bedroom, where Leo was waiting. Together they broke the bread, Leo coming off with the larger chunk.

“To death do us part,” Octavian whispered.

“To death,” Leo responded.

They kissed for the first time as husbands and ate their bread.

“So, Mr. Valdez, how about we consummate the marriage?” Leo asked once they were done eating.

“Absolutely, Mr. Solace.”

=🝗=

The next morning, the husbands were dragged out of bed to board the train to go to the hospital. They had mastered the way to do it – both had comfy clothes, Octavian had pants that could be unbuttoned or removed easily, Leo had short sleeves, both had access to snacks, and since it was early morning Leo had a bag to vomit into.

Once they got to the hospital, hand in hand, Octavian stepped up.

“We were wondering,” he spoke to the doctor, “if we could be in the same room this time? Since Leo’s sick, it’ll be easier for me to do my duty if I’m in the same room as him.”

The doctors talked amongst themselves, before letting both boys into the same room. Leo’s room had a lot more technology than Octavian’s usually did, none of which he recognized. Leo was situated onto the bed and Octavian was given a chair next to Leo’s bed.

A nurse came up to Octavian and cleaned a portion of his arm with a wipe before quickly pricking him.

It wasn’t a few seconds until he was out like a light.

Octavian started to force himself awake. If he could come out of sedation on the surgery bed, he could do it here. He lolled his head towards Leo and opened his eyes, which took a lot of difficulty.

He squinted his eyes. His glasses had been removed from his face, so he could just barely make out what was going on. Leo was asleep, an air mask over his face probably pumping his lungs full of more anesthesia. His chest and abdomen were naked, his shirt had been pushed up, with little pads all over his body, and there was a headaching pumping noise filling the room.

“What are you doing to him?” Octavian’s lips felt loose and he was definitely drooling. The doctors scurried around the room quickly and he was given another sedation shot.

When he woke up a second time, Leo was awake now, although definitely loopy. He noticed his glasses on the table next to him, as well as a cup.

“Hi Octavian. Time to jizz in the cup.”

“Shut up.” Octavian told his high husband, who giggled floatedly.

Notes:

Yay! Mazel Tov! Congratulations! Whatever else you say during a wedding!

Short chapter, but next will be long because it's the final chapter prior to the games. I'm just gonna put it all down there.

Also, some of you know, but I wonder what they're doing to Leo. Octavian didn't see them drawing blood, but Leo does come him with a scab every time, so surely they're drawing blood, but what's going on with monitoring his chest area?

Comment what you want, and it's your last chance to guess the Core Four (AKA seven in total, ik confusing).

Chapter 21: KILLING JUPITER

Much to Octavian’s disappointment, he couldn’t kill Jupiter.

The test had been different from the one before. Rather than catch a rabbit and kill it, Octavian was allowed to choose any skill and show it.

He chose the bow, and seeing how Jupiter foolishly had chosen to again sit in the corner and somehow wasn’t injured, shot it at him. Octavian had promised to kill Jupiter, and he would keep his promise. Just like the promise of the engagement ring still on his finger. Wedding ring, now.

Unfortunately, Jupiter came prepared. The arrow simply thunked onto an invisible wall in front of Jupiter. The High-King didn’t even flinch.

Upset, Octavian changed his idea, and shot twelve arrows into the invisible wall, all aimed at Jupiter, before ‘giving up’ (what? he was making a statement?) and beating up a dummy with his sword for the remaining amount of time.

Leo didn’t tell Octavian what he did, but it would be revealed in the interview he, Leo, and every other tribute were sat at.

Hermaphroditus, as always dressed them impeccably, although the odd large brimmed hats situated on his and Leo’s head left much to be desired. Funeral attire, in the style of something they called, “old west, from before the glorious nation.” And the wedding boots, which had recently gained steel toes and lost the larger heel. Now they were designed for war.

Ganymede stoked the crowd, as he gave truth to everyone's score and how they achieved it. Nearly everyone scored high, rarely anyone below a seven.

“Now, Octavian, our Loverboy, he got his score from excellent skill with a bow and sword. Quite an improvement from last year, with a total of 10!”

Octavian’s face furrowed in confusion as the spotlight turned on him. A ten? How?

“What a face! Truly an improvement over last year!” Ganymede laughed along with the crowd. “Now, Leo, our little fire-cracker. He was our top dog last year, but this year he has fallen far. Nearly swapped places with husband Octavian! Leo got out with a score of 2 for displays of building techniques.”

The spotlight shone on Leo and Octavian looked at him. Leo looked so small in the light. He was small of course, barely making it to 5’6”, but he seemed like an insignificant speck. Octavian placed his hand into Leo’s squeezing tight.

The harsh light left Leo’s face and he seemed less washed out as Ganymede continued to talk.

“Are you alright, love?” Octavian kept his voice low.

“Fine. The light made me dizzy.”

“What’d you do to get a 2?”

“I just-I – I built a toy. A little wind-up toy. My mom used to make them for me when I was little.”

“Why not show off your skills?”

“I was showing off.”

The spotlight returned to Leo. Leo froze in the conversation.

“Leo, have you heard anything about your pregnancy recently?” Ganymede asked.

Leo floundered, “No. I haven’t heard anything.”

“Do you have any symptoms?”

“Just fatigue and cramping.” Leo shot Octavian a look. He did not want to be in this position.

“And going into the games, are you afraid for your baby’s future?”

“Anyone would be, but I don’t think there is much of a future.”

“May I ask why?”

Leo squirmed in his seat. “Jupiter wants me dead. And if that means killing a baby, too, he’ll do it. Octavian and I are the youngest here, so clearly Jupiter already has no issue killing children. If he truly cared about unborn children I wouldn’t be here. But he doesn’t.”

The crowd spilled over with yells from both sides of the argument on behalf of Leo.

=🝗=

“What do you think the arena will be like this time?” Octavian asked, staring into the ceiling.

“I don’t know.” Leo sighed.

They both stayed still, laying on their bed. They both watched the ceiling with intent, both too anxious to fall asleep.

It was just after the interview, which had ended in disaster. It seemed to follow the two, but Percy had at least been civil to them, displaying righteous anger for sending a pregnant person into the games despite the law that was created because of him.

“Who do you want as your ally?” Octavian asked.

“Is this about Percy again?” Leo groaned, rubbing his face in his hands.

“No. I’m asking you who you want.”

“Daedalus. He’s my friend.”

“He’s a million years old.”

“He’s useful in his own way. He knows how every machine in the whole capitol works. He built every single one.”

“Ok, so Daedalus. Anyone else?”

“You.”

“That’s a given. I’d be hurt if you didn’t ally with me.”

Leo snorted a laugh. “I don’t know about anyone else. What about you?”

“Well Alex and Percy-”

Leo rolled his eyes.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Your eyes said it. Anyways, Percy and Alex, and I like Zoë. She helped me with archery.”

“Ok, pending that Percy isn’t a jerk and I am woefully forced to kill him,” Leo flipped on his side, looking towards Octavian, “Then on our team we have Percy, Alex, Zoë, and Daedalus.”

“Sounds great to me.” Octavian shrugged.

“You’re impossible.”

“I am not!” Octavian leaned up onto his elbows.

“Fine. Back to the arena. I’m guessing Eros and Himeros didn’t give you any hints as to what the arena looks like.”

“I was hoping that they would’ve told you.”

Leo scowled. “Can’t do their jobs, lousy-”

“Look, love, I was given instructions by Psyche to just keep you breathing until the second midnight. We just have to survive two days. And with everyone on our team, surely we can scrap by until then.”

“What happens the second midnight?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll be safe then. Maybe forever.”

“I hope forever. Then I will stop pretending to be pregnant.”

“What if they want Percy to come with us?” Octavian cracked a grin. “He’ll kick our asses once he knows we're faking.”

“Not if I kick his ass first,” Leo hummed. “I think I could take him.”

“He’s got a fair three inches and at least 50 pounds on you.”

“If I can take you down, I can take him down.”

Octavian’s face flashed with confusion. “You can’t take me down.”

In a second Leo lunged and was on top of Octavian, pinning him down. “3, 2, 1. And Leo wins the match!”

Leo jumped up onto the bed.

Octavian rolled his eyes. “You know, wrestling matches were historically done nude?”

Leo towered over Octavian in this position, smirking. “You want me to wrestle you naked?”

Octavian’s whole body flushed red. “No.”

“Answered a little too quickly there, Nenito.”

“Shut up.” Octavian reached, grabbing Leo’s legs and pulling him to the side, making him fall. “I recall winning a match against Jason last year anyways.”

“One, out of three. Very impressive.” Leo huffed from where he had fallen onto the mattress. “Speaking of Jason, have you heard anything?”

Octavian’s mood crashed down and he went silent, looking away from his husband.

“Heard.” Leo whispered, situating himself so he could pull Octavian into a hug. “Let’s just try and sleep before tomorrow.”

Octavian nodded. He couldn’t dare talk, or he would start crying.

=🝗=

They never ended up sleeping, just laying there. Once during the night, Leo’s shirt rode up and Octavian watched the rise and fall of his stomach. He could almost imagine the pretend baby being real, being there in Leo.

He didn’t know how it made him feel. He wanted children with his husband, almost to the point of desperation in the face of death, but it would break Leo. Leo could never trust Octavian again. On top of that, only once had they been in a position where it was possible.

And it wasn’t likely to happen again.

A stupid idea had come into his brain. Maybe he could get pregnant. Maybe it was impossible, since he lacked the external organs to facilitate that type of intercourse, but it was the internal organs that mattered right? Maybe there was a way to inject himself with sperm and get pregnant. And then just have a cesarean operation.

Octavian touched his stomach briefly before pulling his hand away. No, that was stupid.

That morning, they had been whisked away to the train and separated, as per usual. Octavian got his sleep then, lying on the couches.

He was dumped into a room after an untold amount of hours on the train and ordered to get dressed. The outfit was simple, clearly not designed by Hermaphroditus. They were a plain black t-shirt, green camo pants, a belt, and Octavian’s wedding boots. He assumed that was the only part of the outfit Hermaphroditus had any say in.

Octavian got dressed quickly and he was let out of the door into an awaiting hallway. Standing there was Himeros.

Himeros looked incredibly similar to his brother Pothos. His skin was a little darker, although Octavian assumed more from the sun than anything else. Pothos hated being outside. Himeros’ hair was of a similar texture to Pothos and Hedone’s, although his was braided back, unlike Pothos, who let his coils frizz out around his head. Himeros smiled kindly.

“Any way you can tell me about the arena?”

Himeros clicked his tongue as they began walking. “Can you swim?”

Octavian paled. “No.”

“Well…can Leo swim?”

“Yes.”

“Then stick with him. Try and get him as close to you as possible.”

Octavian frowned. “How much of the arena is covered in water?”

Himeros sucked a breath in. “A good…fifth. Sometimes that moves to a sixth.”

“Sometimes?”

“You’ll see. Just be wary of Neptune’s time.”

“What?” Octavian couldn’t understand a word the man was saying.

They approached the elevator.

“Now, don’t forget the midnight.” Himeros seemed overly cheery. Octavian hoped it was because he helped design the arena and not a more insane reason.

Octavian stepped into the elevator and the glass door closed. Himeros waved shortly, a smile still present on his face.

A door opened behind Himeros and a centurion stepped out. Octavian yelled, and pointed at him and Himeros turned. The elevator splattered with blood and Himeros slumped down against it, sliding down to the floor. The elevator began to move up as Octavian was frozen in horror, bringing him into the light of day and the hot stickiness of the tropics.

Notes:

UGhhhhh finally! It takes so long to set up the games this book. It's been over the amount of chapters the entirety of book one was. I am exhausted.

Oh, my little cowboys. Unfortunately a cowboy au is occupying a part of my brain, so expect to see that after book three. Lord knows I don't need to start another project. I already got the whole of 249, the Casino, and the Home to work with, we don't need Brokeback mountain but historically accurate and more gay thrown in the mix!

Anyways, I'll see you in the games! The arena will be the same as hunger games book two, although some punishments will be changed (sorry blood rain lovers). And we're going to see every Punishment! Many will die!

Comment what you like, what you hate, or any questions you may have!

Chapter 22: THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE

Notes:

More google translate Spanish. You know what to do.

Octavian was still frozen when he was lifted up through the elevator and deposited on a podium. The other podiums were thrown evenly around a rocky island with jetties connecting the cornucopia to the mainland.

Then there was the water. Octavian couldn’t tell how deep it was, but he assumed Jupiter was not going to make it easy for him and make it come up to his knees or waist. He was surrounded by it.

Octavian looked up from the water to the other podiums, scanning them. His eyes finally landed on his husband, in an identical outfit. Leo looked at him as well. Only the gods knew what plan Leo was concocting.

The cannon blared through the arena and everyone jumped into the water. Everyone except Octavian. Himeros, late Himeros, had warned him about water. He could just hope that Leo got the same message. Leo had dived in the water as well and was making a break for the cornucopia as Octavian stayed put.

Leo nearly slipped on the jetty’s slick rocks, before finally making it to the cornucopia. He seemed to have his eyes set on a bag.

Octavian tried to keep his eyes on Leo before the podium below him rocked, and started to sink. It was only a few seconds before the water was up to his ankles. He looked around wildly, seeing all of the other platforms retreat into the water. He spotted Leo coming up on the jetty closest to him, bag over his shoulder.

“Leo!” Octavian yelled.

Leo looked at him. “I’m-”

Leo got knocked down by a solid punch to the face from Erichthonius. His head hit the rock with a crack and he slipped off onto the other side.

Octavian tried to scream, but his voice just came out in a defeated squeak. He couldn’t see Leo anymore. Was he dead?

Another splash came from that jetty and Octavian watched as Calypso swam to Octavian’s podium. She clung onto it, grabbing onto Octavian’s ankle. Octavian attempted to kick her off. He didn’t have a choice in what he did, and jumped off the opposite side of the podium.

Octavian sunk like a rock. He peeked his eyes open. The salt stung his eyes. He could see Calypso above him, diving off the podium into the water. Octavian attempted to kick his legs and flail his arms, anything to get up and out of the water. Calypso caught him in the water and drove him down onto the sandy bottom. The pressure made Octavian’s ears ache and his lungs burn.

Calypso kept driving him down, even prying his lips open. Water flooded into his mouth. He was going to die, right here. His vision grew spotty as his lungs filled with water.

Suddenly, he felt Calypso wretched off of him. He turned best he could to see Percy wrapping his arms and legs around her and holding her head before jerking it to the side. She lost her fight and Percy let her sink beside Octavian.

Octavian weakly reached towards him. Percy looked like an angel in the water, with the sunlight reflecting off of him. Octavian’s eyes slipped closed and he lost consciousness.

=🝗=

Octavian awoke with a spluttering cough, heaving as water removed itself from his lungs. He was on land again, on a beach. The sand was itching his skin and his clothes stuck uncomfortably wet to his skin. Percy was above him, hands loosely on Octavian’s sternum.

“You ok?” Percy asked.

Octavian nodded lazily. He had too much water in his ears and it made everything hazy. He touched his face and felt his glasses. That was a miracle on its own.

“Get away from him!”

Octavian heard his husband before he saw him. Leo launched himself over Percy and started beating him.

Percy yelled out in surprise, and Octavian got up, pulling Leo off of Percy. Leo still swung at him, but was being held away by Octavian, like a disobedient cat.

“What the hell?” Percy shouted, holding his eye where Leo had caught him and given him a healthy shiner. He also had bruises developing around his jaw and his…bare chest.

“Where’s your shirt?” Octavian asked.

“I took it off. I was getting hot.” Percy huffed. “Can you tell your psycho boyfriend off?”

“He’s my husband.” Octavian frowned.

“Doesn’t matter. He tried to kill me for saving you!”

“You were kissing him!” Leo accused Percy, still trying to tear his face off.

“I was performing CPR! If he has no air in his lungs, I have to give him some!”

“Leo, please, relax.” Alex appeared out of nowhere. “This fighting gets us nowhere. Percy wasn’t kissing Octavian.”

Leo finally stopped trying to escape Octavian’s arms. “Tavi, can you put me down?”

Octavian complied, setting his husband down.

“Can you swim, Octavian?”

“No,” Octavian answered Alex.

“Then we’ll go deeper into the forest.” Alex decided.

“Alex! We can’t leave the water!”

Alex shot Percy a look and he immediately shut up. “We’re sitting ducks on the beach, Perce. We’re going in.”

Percy frowned, but began following Alex into the woods. Octavian finally turned to Leo.

“Are you ok? I saw that-”

“Yeah.” Leo grumbled. “Got punched, but Percy caught me in the water. I told him to get you.”

Leo’s face was messed up from that one punch. His nose was celery broken and still bleeding. He had lost two more teeth, his lateral incisor and canine on his left side, meaning he had an awkward tooth gap of three teeth. There was a gash on the side of his head that was still bleeding from where he had hit the rock. Leo adjusted the bag on his back.

“There wasn’t any good supplies in the cornucopia. There weren't even any weapons. This bag just has medical supplies.”

“When we stop, we’ll have to use them on you.”

“I don’t think there’s any fake teeth in this bag,” Leo grumbled.

“No, but there could be something for your gash and nose.”

“My nose is broken?” Leo tentatively touched his nose and yelped when he made contact. “That bitch! I am going to kill him.”

“Leo, your nose will be fine-” Octavian gasped in a breath and held his chest. It was like all of his bones were on fire and moving on their own, like his ribs were going to rip out of his chest.

“Nenito? What’s wrong?”

“I think my chest is broken.” Octavian coughed, which only made his chest hurt worse.

“I broke his ribs and sternum while giving him CPR,” Percy said, loosely, like it didn’t matter that Octavian was doubled over in pain.

“You what?” Leo growled.

“I had to. If I didn’t break his chest, as he so eloquently put it, he would be dead right now.” Percy retorted.

“All of you quit it. Once we reach the edge of the arena, we can rest and fix all these injuries. Unless you’ve forgotten, you’ve got a cut on your leg Percy. The faster we get there, the faster you’re patched up.”

Percy looked at the ground in shame and Alex offered an arm for Octavian to lean onto. Octavian took it, using it to straighten himself.

“I’ll be fine.” Octavian gave an unconvincing pained smile.

Alex nodded and began walking again. The three teenagers followed.

“Alex, what are your pronouns?” Octavian asked.

“She/Her, thanks for asking.” Alex nodded. Octavian smiled.

“Percy? What about you?”

“He/Him. And those are indefinite, unlike my mom’s.”

Alex snickered. “I’m not your mom, Percy.”

“You act like it.”

“Sure, but my relationship with Sally is none of your business, Perce.”

Percy crossed his arms. “Fine. Octavian, what are your pronouns?”

“I don’t know.”

“Great, I’ll just never refer to you again. Leo?”

Leo just glared at Percy.

Percy smiled sarcastically. “Great! I can ignore both of you.”

Percy forged forward.

The rest of the group followed, pulling farther and farther from the beach. They walked for around an hour until finally reaching the end.

“Small arena.” Alex muttered, when she stopped them.

“How can you tell?” Octavian asked.

“It’s the wall.” Leo pointed to nothing. Octavian squinted his eyes in that direction, but couldn’t tell what the hell Leo was talking about.

“Leo’s right.” Alex picked up a small rock and threw it in front of her. It bounced off the wall with a crackle of electricity, sending ripples of blue light from the impact. It was the same effect that shooting the arrows towards Jupiter had.

“These can be penetrated. I did it before.” Octavian watched as the ripples dispersed and disappeared.

“It’s electrified. We can’t get near it.” Leo shook his head. “As far as I know, no one can withstand 9 or more volts.”

“I probably can.” Percy got a cocky look on his face. “I’m here for the third time. Nothing can kill me.”

“Percy,” Alex warned from where she was setting up a fire area. She mumbled something under her breath in Spanish.

Percy rolled his eyes. “We’ll camp here.”

“You aren’t the boss of us.” Leo sneered.

“We’re camping here.” Alex said from the fire pit. “Leo, get the med supplies out.”

Leo nodded, pulling the bag off his shoulders. He gave the bag to Octavian, who began organizing the supplies. Leo would need nose tape and some sort of gauze for his head. Percy had a cut on his leg, so bandages.

“How do you heal a broken rib?” Octavian asked aloud.

“You don’t.” Alex started a fire, her supplies never having gotten wet in the initial fight.

Octavian frowned, before he began carefully patching Leo up, wrapping his head in gauze and taping his nose. Octavian kissed Leo when he noticed the tears springing from Leo’s eyes from the pain of the nose. He tasted like blood.

“Percy, go get patched up.” Alex ordered Percy.

“I can patch myself up. Octavian, throw me the gauze.”

“No, go get patched up by Octavian. He needs to repay you for saving him anyways.”

Percy grumbled, but obeyed, shedding his pants to reveal a pair of blue boxers. Octavian chose to train his eyes on the cut going down Percy’s right calf.

“So, you gonna disinfect it first or just bundle up my leg, dirt and all?” Percy asked.

“I’m not really comfortable with rubbing alcohol,” Octavian murmured. He had strategically left it in the bag.

“Fine.” Leo huffed, grabbing the glass bottle out of the bag and dumping an unreasonable amount of Percy’s leg.

“¡Maldita perra! ¡Eso duele!” Percy shouted.

“Cuida tu idioma.” Alex chastised from the fire.

Percy bit his lip to keep his cries in as Octavian worked quickly to bandage his leg.

Once everything was settled, Alex called the three teenagers over to the fire and ordered them to use the heat to dry off. They sat for hours, mostly in silence.

It seemed to get hotter as the day went on. Octavian originally chalked it up to just being tropical.

But then Percy asked to put the fire out. He was from the tropics, and he was hot.

The hour seemed to tick by as the heat suffocated them all.

It seemed like the sun was trying to kill them.

Then the ground began to boil.

“Alright, we’re leaving,” Alex said urgently, wrapping up her pack.

The teenagers followed her as it only got hotter. Octavian had sweat out his body weight at least twice over, and Leo wasn’t looking too hot. Or really, he was looking too hot.

It was too hot to think, but they began trekking faster.

Then, Percy fainted. Alex held him up and they crossed a metal line just as the whole forest behind them caught fire.

The fire raged for a few seconds before the temperatures dropped again, dousing the flames. The jungle seemed fine, like nothing had happened. The same couldn’t be said for everyone else. Both Leo and Octavian were hot pink, blisters covering them. Alex was also pink, and while there wasn’t a noticeable change to Leo’s skin colour, he was covered in blisters like the rest of them.

“What the hell was that?” Percy asked when he came too. His whole body was sunburned, aside from the parts covered by his boxers and bandages.

“I don’t know.” Alex murmured, watching the sky as gifts came down onto them.

Octavian caught his box, pulling it open. Inside was the knife from his last games, the sacrificial one. He looked around. Percy had a trident, Alex had a garrote, and Leo had his sling.

“It’s our weapon. From our games,” Percy noticed.

Octavian sighed. Great. He had trained with a sword for seven months, only to be given the stupid knife.

He didn’t have time to complain as glass walls rose from the ground in front of them.

Notes:

Leo: Gash on head, broken nose, missing teeth, sunburned
Octavian: broken ribs and sternum, sunburned
Percy: Cut on leg, heat stroke, sunburned
Alex: sunburned

Also the reason Alex is being so weird is because she promised Sally she'd protect and control Percy.

Awww, they hate each other <3. I wonder why the arena's like that? Why'd the walls go up?

Comment what you want. I'll probably cover only two or three hours per chapter because these games are not long.

Chapter 23: LIQUID METAL

Notes:

Vomit Warning

The walls rose and Percy moaned out. “Why does it never end?”

A metal creak came from behind the group. They spun, seeing a metal man, one of the dummies armed with a sword. Octavian brandished his knife, putting himself between the machine and Leo.

The machine swung, and Octavian lunged, getting closer into the automaton’s chest, stabbing it quickly in the chest and wrenching his knife down. The machine shorted out and Octavian pulled his knife out as it fell.

“Impressive.” Percy huffed. He readied his own trident as the group made their ways through the jungle, or until they ran into the other wall, if that even existed.

They went stealthily through the forest.

“We need water.” Leo noted.

“We can go back to the beach.” Percy was leaning on his trident. His whole body shook.

“We can’t,” Alex said. “We’re already weak. There’s water here in the jungle, I promise you.”

“It’s salt water anyways. You can’t drink that.” Octavian huffed as he walked, which didn’t help with his broken chest.

“It’s fine.” Percy hummed, before he slumped and passed out again.

“Shit.” Alex leaned down next to her companion. “He’s out again.”

“Maybe…maybe we should go to the beach. It’ll cool us down,” Leo slurred.

“No!” Alex snapped. “No.”

Alex hefted Percy up onto her back, and started walking again, but it was easy to see that she wasn’t well either. They all had been affected by the heat, they all needed water.

“We need to rest.” Octavian finally announced. “Alex, put Percy down and just rest for a second.”

Alex sent Octavian a look, but he kept his ground. Alex finally relented. She let Percy down, and sat down next to him, gently carding her hand through Percy’s now tangly hair.

Leo also sat down, leaning against a tree, looking half-dead. Octavian stayed standing, not wanting to risk bending with his broken ribs.

“I feel the best, so I’ll just look around and try and find water for Percy.”

“Wait, you can’t go alone.” Leo interjected. “I’ll go with you.”

“No, Leo, you should stay here with me and Percy. You’re two months pregnant now. We can’t risk you overexerting yourself. You’re already burned. Just stay with us.” Alex instructed.

Leo shot Octavian a look. He despised the position Octavian was putting him in. Octavian just turned away and started going through the jungle alone.

The jungle was fairly quiet. He just tried to make a wide circle around the small camp, before he was forced to widen his circle, and widen it again. He kept going in a wider and wider circle, eventually hitting the glass wall that faced the beach. It was like a slice of the arena was blocked off. Octavian made another circle, skirting the walls.

He halted when he heard voices. They weren’t from Leo, Alex, or even Percy. Octavian brandished his knife, carefully picking his way towards the voices. He stopped when he was close to them, peering through the foliage.

In front of him was Sadie and Carter Kane, surrounded by decommissioned automatons. And they had many canteens of water spilling from one of their cornucopia-won bags. They had another bag, this one holding trapping supplies. And in their hands were their signature weapons, a khopesh and a staff. They kept their voices impossibly low.

Octavian kept his hand firmly around his knife, but took the risk and stepped towards them. The siblings startled and jumped up, holding their weapons. Octavian cleared his dry throat.

“I don’t come in violence. Me and my allies need water. Please, may I have a canteen to help them?”

The Kane siblings lowered their guard.

“Please.” Sadie flashed a smile. “Sit with us.”

Octavian flopped down, clutching his ribs once he was on the ground. Carter handed him a canteen, urging him to drink it all. It was astonishing how fast he guzzled it down.

“What happened to you?” Carter asked. “You look sunburnt.”

“The area we were in got extremely hot. It burned all of us.” Octavian wiped the dribble of water on his chin.

“And, how many are in your troupe?” Sadie hummed, looking toward the canteen bag.

“Four, including myself. One of us is unconscious from it.”

Sadie and Carter’s voices dropped to whispers again. Despite the fact that Octavian was right next to them, he couldn’t hear a thing.

Sadie suddenly stood up, staff in hand, and walked over to the bag of canteens.

“So, who’s on your team?”

Octavian barely noticed Carter’s grip on his khopesh tighten. “Alex and Percy from 10 and my husband.”

“Heavy players.”

“Yeah…” Octavian watched Carter closely.

Then Carter tensed and Octavian was up in an instant, reinvigorated by the gifted water. Carter swung his khopesh dangerously close to Octavian’s chest. Octavian stumbled back and into Sadie’s range, who spun and swung his staff powerfully at Octavian’s head.

Octavian dove to the ground, barely avoiding the swing and grabbing the bag of canteens. He scrambled up, turning to them, holding his knife in front of him protectively as he swung it over his shoulder.

Sadie turned and swung her staff again, and in hindsight Octavian should’ve remembered she had a mid-range weapon and he had a short-range one as he barely closed his eyes before the tip smashed into his eyeglasses.

That was when Octavian ran, his vision splintered in his right eye as he ran towards the camp.

He ran until his feet nearly gave out next to the camp. He rambled over the explanation of what happened as the crashing noise of the Kanes got closer.

“Shit!” Alex cursed, grabbing her garrote. “Leo, you take the water, med supplies, and Percy and go to the wall.”

“But-” Leo began to argue, but silenced, once he remembered that Alex was readying her garrote, took the bag of water from Octavian and woke Percy with one of the canteens.

Octavian braced himself with his knife, holding it steady as the Kanes broke into their camp, eyes wild. Leo and Percy were already gone, thankfully.

Alex attacked first, immediately knocking down Carter. Sadie swung at Octavian and he backed up, dodging from her when he could. He swung his knife wildly, eventually, somehow nicking her in her face.

She screamed at him and swung at his legs, somehow nailing him in the knee. Octavian fell to a kneeling position from the force. Sadie advanced and Octavian stabbed strategically. Sadie choked, feeling where the knife hit her in the chest. Octavian ripped his knife down and Sadie fell, dead.

Octavian kicked her off of him with his good leg and struggled to his feet. Alex was standing on top of Carter, having fought her own battle. She breathed hard, garrote handles in hand. Below her, Carter’s head had been removed from the rest of his body.

Octavian threw up, not being able to handle the sight. Alex helped him up, and he limped alongside Alex, leaning on her. They slowly crawled to the wall, which was lowering in front of Percy and Leo.

“Tavi? What happened?” Leo deposited Percy on the other side of the lowered wall before scooping Octavian up.

“‘M fine, love.”

“I need to make a splint for him. His knee is broken.” Alex sighed. “Leo, drink some water and try to get these two farther into the jungle.”

Leo nodded, keeping Octavian steady.

“We should go to the beach.” Percy reminded.

“Just walk ten minutes into the jungle.” Alex shook her head and walked off to find supplies for a splint.

Leo carefully picked his way through the jungle with the two blonds to his sides. They went slowly, for Octavian’s knee.

Finally they stopped, and Leo helped Percy drink, before finishing off a canteen himself. Octavian took a few drops as well and rested his knee out.

Leo came up next to Octavian and quickly held him in a hug. A breeze ruffled through Leo’s curls, and he just tightened his grip.

“Love?” Octavian asked, his voice low. “Is something wrong?”

Tears sprung to Leo's eyes and he began to cry. He pressed his face into Octavian’s chest and just cried quietly. Percy thankfully looked away, deciding to interest himself in the foliage around him.

“Can you tell me what’s bothering you?”

“It’s just like last time.” Leo sniffled. “You’re hurt again. You’re sick again. I can’t do this again.”

Octavian rubbed a comforting hand over Leo’s back, rubbing in circles. It wasn’t long until Leo was snoring lightly, having tired himself out.

“You’ll have to deal with that a lot.” Percy chuckled.

“Huh?” Octavian whispered, not wanting to wake his husband.

“Mood swings. General moodiness. It’s the hormones that come with pregnancy.”

“You know…a lot about pregnancy."

“As much as my dad likes to pretend he reared me, I was raised by my mom and Alex. I was taught about this stuff. Sexual health, general health. I grew up waiting to get my period and transition.”

“Your what?”

Percy grimaced at that. “You’ll find out eventually. But yeah, these crying spouts are pretty normal for pregnant people. Just don’t judge him for it.”

“Oh.” Octavian looked at his husband.

It was a weird moment for him. Leo rarely cried unless it was because of a nightmare.

“The other symptoms. What are they?” Octavian’s voice shook.

“Like in general?”

“Leo’s not far along.”

Percy shrugged, believing the lie. “Fatigue, temperature imbalance, morning sickness, increased libido…and a lot of other things. Like a lot. You should read a book before you get smacked.”

Octavian swallowed dryly. The naps. The cold rooms. The vomiting daily. The need to jump Octavian’s bones at least once a day.

And the doctor’s visits. They took Octavian’s sperm. During Leo’s they put him to sleep and hooked him up to machines. Leo would fight for his life if they tried to artificially inseminate him, unless he was asleep.

Shit.

Leo was pregnant.

Not a lie. Not a strategy. Real life.

How could Octavian break this to Leo?

Octavian looked down to his sleeping husband. The wind was whipping their hair now, along with Percy getting difficult to hear.

Octavian looked up to the sky. It was weirdly…green.

Then the noise came. It sounded like the train arriving at the station.

The wind began to rip branches off of trees and Percy jumped up, suddenly shielding the couple with his body.

“What’s going on?” Octavian screamed over the wind.

“Tornado! They happen in the upper parts of my state! We need cover!” Percy yelled back.

“We don’t have any!”

“Then hold on!”

Octavian wrapped his open arm around Leo and a nearby tree as their clothes whipped in the wind. It was too loud to think.

Octavian squeezed his eyes shut as his hair started to poke his eyes. He squeezed Leo tighter as the wind tried to move him.

He wasn’t sure how long the wind lasted. He heard Percy shout at one point, but he couldn’t tell why.

The winds died down eventually, finally. Percy crumbled from above the two, breathing heavily. He now sported another gash across his back, although not as bad as the one on his leg.

“Is he,” Percy panted. “Is he still asleep?”

Octavian looked down at his husband. Leo was still sleeping, breathing out those cute little puffs of air from his open mouth.

“Holy shit.” Percy began to laugh and Octavian joined in too.

In a second, Alex came through the foliage. “What the hell happened here?”

Notes:

Leo: Gash on head, broken nose, missing teeth, sunburned
Octavian: broken ribs and sternum, sunburned, injured knee, broken glasses
Percy: Cut on leg, heat stroke, sunburned, cut on back
Alex: sunburned

Ok, the reveal, finally! Leo is pregnant! About a month along now. I won't tell you what sex he's expecting, that will be for next book! And Leo is not going to be happy about this. Although Octavian might be, the weirdo.

Comment what you like! See you soon!

Chapter 24: MIND OVER MATTER

Notes:

Mentions of abortion

Octavian had to wake Leo up to get the splint onto his leg, and Alex helped set the injury.

Then Percy and Alex got into an argument in Spanish as Alex bandaged his back. Octavian just had to look at the ground awkwardly as he tried to understand any of what they were saying. Leo just stayed silent next to him, clearly listening in.

“We should stay here for the night.” Leo suggested during a break.

“No. We should keep moving until dark.”

“Octavian can’t move right now.” Leo argued.

“I can move, love, don’t worry. I just need help getting up,” Octavian told Leo.

Leo looked nervously towards Alex, who shook her head. “If Octavian should move, we should try our hardest to get to an empty section, preferably somewhere right after a disaster happened. They seem to be happening one after each other. And it’s two hours til dark.”

Leo frowned, but didn’t say anything. He helped Octavian up, and they began working slowly through the woods as a group. It took about thirty minutes for them to reach another section, which was coming out of the tail end of another disaster. Frost was melting off of the leaves, and as they walked through the jungle, Octavian was glad for the cool air, as it soothed his pink skin.

“It must’ve frozen here?” Percy shivered, still not entirely dressed.

“Yeah..” Alex murmured, before stopping short. In front of her was the frozen and very dead body of Arachne. If they had been there maybe ten minutes before, they would’ve shared the same fate as her.

The group kept going after that, morbidly silent until they got to the next area. This one had noxious pink gas dissipating that made everyone’s eyes water and choke.

At this point, it was getting dark, but Alex pushed them on.

They made it to the campsite Alex wanted, and the people who could stand hacked away at carnivorous plants that nipped at their feet.

Octavian took first watch, but first he had to endure Percy and Alex arguing in their language again. This time, Leo joined, getting angry in his own way. Octavian strained to try and figure out what they were saying, but nothing really came to him. When Leo would talk to Octavian in Spanish, it was always slow and deliberate. This was fast and loud and over each other.

“¡No puedes decir nada! ¡Tienes un nenito del que preocuparte!” Percy yelled and Octavian caught the pet name that Leo used for him.

He assumed by the way that Percy pointed at Leo’s stomach that Percy was not talking about Octavian, however. Percy was talking about Leo’s baby. Octavian looked to the ground. He felt like he was on eggshells. He could just tell Leo, but every time the opportunity arose, he clammed up, like an idiot! This was something that Leo needed to know.

Leo started yelling back at Percy, still in Spanish, and Octavian caught them point at Octavian from time to time. That was universal.

Then the yelling got softer, and they began to laugh as a group, collectively calming down as the sun slipped behind the wall. Leo went up and snuggled next to Octavian.

“You’re…touchy.” Octavian said nervously.

“Is something wrong with it?”

“No, it’s a good thing. Just something I noticed.”

“Are you ok? You’re being weird.”

Octavian looked at his husband, searching his face for anything other than concern. A lump formed in his throat again. Just say it. Just say the stupid thing. Just tell Leo he’s actually pregnant.

“Nothing.” Octavian squeaked out.

Leo frowned deeply but didn’t push it. It wasn’t long until everyone but Octavian was asleep and Octavian was left with his thoughts. Alex and Leo had ringed the area with traps, so there was no reason to stay up, but it wasn’t like Octavian could sleep anyways. He even let Percy sleep when it was his turn to be awake.

In the dark, a mile or two away, he did see a massive lightning storm, but it never came close to the group.

Octavian did fall asleep eventually, after alerting Alex. He slept for a few hours before he was woken up by Leo shifting next to him

“Tavi, you can go back to sleep,” Leo mumbled.

“It’s fine, love.” Octavian rubbed his face with his hands, trying to get rid of the sleep.

The sky was turning grey as Leo and Octavian sat in the jungle.

“Hey, Leo?” Octavian swallowed his nervousness.

“Yeah?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“Don’t tell me there’s something between you and Percy.”

Octavian laughed lightly. “No. I’m not into blonds. It’s something a little more serious.”

Leo hummed. “What is it?”

Octavian gripped his fists. “You’re pregnant.”

“Yeah. ‘Pregnant’.” Leo used quotation marks.

“I’m serious. You being sick and tired and moody and just everything.”

Leo’s breath seized in panic and he began to hyperventilate. “But– but we didn’t do anything. The last time that you topped was the last games! I can’t be seven months pregnant!”

“I think they impregnated you during the first doctor’s visit,” Octavian said sadly. “That’s why they wanted my sperm. They must’ve injected you with it then.”

Leo gripped Octavian’s shirt as he panicked. “I can’t be! I can’t be! Not here! Not ever!”

Octavian pulled him close to whisper in his ear. “When we get out, we can get rid of it. It’ll never be our problem again.”

Leo nodded, but still kept in panic for several more minutes, only calming down a few minutes before Percy and Alex rose with the sun.

“We should continue walking,” Alex said after drinking some water.

“We need to find a healer,” Octavian said.

“You can walk, it should be fine”

Octavian looked up to Alex pleadingly. “Alex. We need a healer.”

Alex looked at Octavia blankly before cursing and turning away, shouldering one of the bags.

“Octavian, you should know. This is the games. We don’t have doctors here.” Percy scoffed.

“No.” Alex sighed. “Magnus is still alive. We can talk to him.”

Notes:

Bit of a small chap today, but I just needed to get this out. Leo knows now!

We'll be getting some more punishments in the next chapter, they kind of weren't the focus of this chapter.

Comment what you think will happen when they meet Magnus.

Chapter 25: TWO INTERTWINED SOULS

It took a while, but much to Percy’s happiness, they had made it back to the beach, where the Blessed One’s camp was. Magnus had somehow wiggled himself into the Blessed One’s alliance, much like Octavian had his first games.

Octavian shuffled awkwardly through the sand as his splint prevented him from walking normally. Alex and Percy stood at a distance, making a wall between Magnus and the other three of the Blessed Ones; Pandora, Achilles, and Erichthonius.

“So, what brings you here?” Magnus lazed on the beach, against a palm tree, carving into the wood of a coconut shell with a rock. “That leg, I’m assuming?”

“Ah, no.” Octavian subconsciously rubbed his knee. “We want to check on the baby. We’re scared that the stress of all of this did something.”

Usually Leo would knock Octavian with his elbow for the lie, but Leo had been completely out of it since Octavian had told him he was pregnant. He just watched the waves lap at the beach, a forlorn look on his face.

“You know what? I’ll do ya a two for one. I’ll fix your leg and do a prenatal checkup, all for a pretty package. I do have a price, of course.”

“What is it?”

Magnus turned to Leo, who snapped to attention. “I want your weapon.”

Both teens remained silent. Taking Leo’s weapon could mean he was out of the game. He was a devil with traps, yes, but they only had so many supplies for that.

Leo frowned, mumbled a few choice words, and dug the sling out of his pants pocket. “Just get it over with, doc.”

Magnus smiled, setting the sling down next to his own sword. “Now, leg first. That’s an emergency.”

Octavian looked at the splints covering his whole right leg. “Not much you can do. It’s broken.”

Magnus went to his knees and massaged it, before taking the splints off. “It’s not broken, just dislocated. Breathe in.”

“Alex said it was- OW!” Octavian rubbed his knee ferociously, trying to ease the pain after Magnus popped it back into place.

“Alex isn’t a doctor. You should be able to walk fine now.” Magnus got up. “Now for the baby. Do you allow me to touch your belly?”

“Uh, I guess?” Leo mumbled, still out of it.

Magnus smiled and began feeling Leo’s stomach, noting every wince that crossed Leo’s face. Magnus dropped to his knees and pressed his ears to Leo’s stomach. Leo sent a nervous glance to Octavian, who just shrugged.

Magnus pulled away. He sat under his tree, and looked at the two. “Heartbeat is quiet, but it’s there. Baby’s definitely too small, but should grow. It’ll be fine.”

Octavian wrapped his hand around Leo’s and gave it a squeeze.

“Uh, Octavian, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you grab Alex, I want to speak to him.”

“Uh – I think her pronouns are feminine today.”

Magnus gave a small smile. “Think again. Go grab him.”

Octavian let go of Leo’s hand and walked to Alex and Percy. “Hey, Alex. What are your pronouns today?”

“He/him.”

“Oh.” Octavian flushed from embarrassment. “ How did he– whatever– Magnus wants to talk to you.”

Alex looked past Octavian and bristled. Octavian spun around and saw Magnus holding his sword to Leo’s neck. Leo took heavy breaths as his throat pressed against the blade. His hands were being held behind his back by Magnus. Leo’s eyes were wild, flashing between the blade and Octavian.

“Unfortunately, you four have a high bounty on your heads. Especially this one. Should’ve stayed in the jungle.” Magnus smiled a smile that was a tick too wide.

Octavian stepped tentatively towards Magnus, hand reaching for the knife that was tucked into his belt. He pulled it out as Percy and Alex scrambled to collect their own weapons.

“I wouldn’t come any closer unless you want Leo’s throat to split open faster.”

“Please, let him go.” Octavian said slowly as he approached.

Magnus pulled the sword tighter against Leo’s throat and he choked. Octavian broke into a sprint and pulled his knife out. Magnus stumbled back in surprise and Leo fell to the ground, clutching his throat as it bled. Magnus deflected Octavian’s first swing with his sword, before tripping over a root coming out of the jungle. Octavian plunged his knife into Magnus’ chest, until only his hilt remained on the skin.

Magnus chuckled. Blood started to pour from his mouth. “You know your anatomy. You hit my heart and a lung.”

“Mag?” Alex whispered, voice heavy with sorrow.

“Hey Alex.”

“Christ, Magnus, why’d you do this?” Alex fell to his knees.

“Needed the money for my research. I wanted to fix my dad finally. So that he’d never be burned again.” Magnus laid his head down on the forest floor.

“Fuck Blitz! That’s not worth this!” Alex wiped a few stray hairs away from Magnus’ face.

“Love you, Alex,” Magnus mumbled before he finally choked on his own blood and went still.

Tears poured from Alex’s face and dripped onto Magnus’ body as he quivered in his mourning. Alex leaned down and kissed Magnus on the lips, coming up with blood on his own.

“What did you do to our healer?” Erichthonius yelled from the camp.

“Shit.” Percy cursed, and grabbed Alex’s arm. “Alex, come on, we have to go.”

Alex let himself be pulled away from his lost lover, and Octavian finally remembered that Leo still existed. He pulled his knife from Magnus’ body and dashed over to his husband.

“Leo? You ok?”

Leo looked up to Octavian and removed his hand from his neck. He had a thin cut across the entire front of it that was leaking blood onto his shirt. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Good, because we have trouble.” Octavian handed Leo his knife, the sling gone missing in the sand and grabbed Magnus’ sword, preparing to fight the Blessed Ones.

Notes:

Sorry to everyone who thought Magnus was going to join the Core Four...whoops. His death was one of the first planned.

Next chapter should be long, because I'll have a battle and a punishment. Yay!

Drop a comment of whatever you want! Any questions?

Chapter 26: THE ART OF SUFFOCATION

Leo followed behind Octavian as they jogged over to the closest jetty. Percy and Alex were already in the fray of it, swarmed by Pandora, Achilles, and Ericthonius. Alex still had tears streaming down his face.

Octavian’s foot slipped briefly as he went down the jetty, causing him to slow and Leo was able to slip past Octavian, scrambling over the rocks like a professional rock scrambler. He joined the fray, pulling Erichthonius away from the fight, taunting him.

“Come on!” Leo yelled. “You couldn’t finish me off before! Now’s your chance!”

Leo brandished Octavian’s knife at Ericthonius as he advanced along the slick rocks. Alex and Percy split up, Alex taking on Pandora, who was a much worse fighter than Alex, even in Alex’s shaky state. Percy was against Achillies, using his trident to deflect every blow made by the older man.

Achilles swung his sword, only to be blocked by the metal staff of Percy’s trident. As useful as Percy’s weapon was, it wasn’t the best as close-hand combat. He was being pushed back along another jetty.

Octavian finally came up to the cornucopia island, which still had stocked supplies from the beginning of the games. It halted Octavian to remember that it was yesterday that the games had even started.

He swept by Alex as cautiously as possible, pushing Pandora to the ground before going back down the other jetty, behind Achillies. Alex shouted out a thanks from the island.

Octavian swung his sword up and butted Achilles on the head with the hilt. Achilles cried out, slipping briefly on the rocks, clutching the back of his head.

“Oct! Get him onto the land!” Percy yelled, turning and scrambling over the rocks back to the mainland.

“Don’t call me that,” Octavian grumbled under his breath, but prepared his sword regardless.

Achilles spun around, holding his sword in front of him. “Well, well little victor. You were a friend of the blessed ones last game, right? Before you spilled your first blood. Why not have mercy now?”

Octavian swung his sword. “I have no time for mercy!”

Achilles blocked his amateur swings easily. Magnus’ sword was still foreign in his hands, but he was thankful that the grip was left-handed. It could be worse.

Slowly Octavian worked Achilles back. It was almost painful and he kind of wished that Percy would get it over with by throwing his trident, but he must’ve been preparing for something.

“You know the mirrors?” Achilles asked.

“Shut up.” Octavian grunted along his latest thrust.

“I’m one of them. Death is a sweet mistress to us. You’ll never understand. You get the embrace forever, but only we can pull away. Only we get to live on.”

“I wasn’t aware any mirrors would be making it out of this.”

“I will be. I am the champion of this glorious nation. The champion of Ares.”

“And what of your teammates? The other Blesseds?”

Achilles threw his head back in a laugh, letting Octavian take a swing that finally knocked him onto the sand.

“Them?” Achilles laughed louder. “They do not know Death as I do! They have not felt her kiss! His hands on their skin! They are nothing to me. Every game of chess sacrifices pawns.”

Octavian turned back to the island. Alex had Pandora wrapped up in his garrote, squeezing her with the thin blade. Leo and Ericthonius were nowhere to be found, which filled a pit of dread in the center of Octavian’s core.

In the distraction, Achilles was able to swipe Octavian’s legs, causing him to tumble in the sand. Achilles began wrestling him, pulling the breath away from him and filling his facial orifices with sand. In a moment of desperation, Octavian bit into Achilles’ arm. Achilles roared, letting go of Octavian and he wiggled away, breaking for the woods.

Achilles grabbed his own sword and ran after him, slashing at every vine that got in his way. Octavian ran until he hit a wall, stopping short in front of a rocky face covered in thick vines.

“Nowhere to run, rabbit boy. Once I win, your bounty will fund my retirement forever.” Achilles readied his sword.

In a flurry of vines, a person came out from behind the vined wall and caught the blade in their chest, weapon cutting clean through. They fell to the ground as Achilles let go of his sword and Octavian caught the face of his savior, the man from the Wilds. Grover.

Time stood still for a moment as he looked at the lifeless body of a man he hadn’t even talked to.

Then Achilles grunted and Octavian looked up to see the trident lodged in his side, thrown from in the woods. Percy came out of the foliage as Achilles collapsed next to Grover.

“He saved me.” Octavian whispered.

“He was a good man.” Percy squatted down and carefully closed Grover’s lifeless eyes. “One of my friends after I won.”

Octavian swallowed down the lump in his throat.

His feet started to sink in the mud. He looked down at his boots and saw water starting to quickly creep up. “Hey Percy?”

“I see it.” Percy nodded, ripping his weapon out of Achilles.

Achilles rolled onto his back as the water came faster, washing away his blood. “Pat…I’ll be with you again soon.”

The water began to rush, covering Achilles fully. He breathed his last breath, lungs full of bloody water.

“Come on!” Percy yelled, starting to run. The water was waist-high now.

Octavian ran after him, pulled back by the water. Every sound he made splashed the water. Octavian could hear Percy yell out a curse in the distance, which only pushed him to go faster.

When he got to Percy, he could see the reason behind the expletives. Separating the beach from them was a thick glass wall. They were in a fishbowl. The water was chest-high.

Octavian looked out to the island and saw Alex and Leo together, slowly picking their way back to the beach. Leo was leaning on Alex like he was hurt.

“Is Leo hurt?” Octavian gasped aloud.

“We have other problems!” Percy yelled. He was already treading water, being a bit shorter than Octavian.

“I can’t swim!” Octavian shouted, remembering.

“I’m aware!” Percy dropped his trident. “You’re learning now!”

“What?”

“Do you want your child to grow up with one parent?”

Octavian stopped short and the water covered his head.

Percy gripped his arm and pulled him up, struggling against Octavian’s lack of buoyancy. “Ok! First lesson! You have to kick your legs!”

Octavian began flailing, hitting Percy in the process, who went under for a second before popping back up. “Stop that!”

Octavian tried to stop flailing, opting to instead grab onto a tree branch.

“Just! Kick lightly and use your arms to make big circles underwater.”

“But my glasses! They’ll get lost!”

“Who are you? Velma?”

“Who is that?” Octavian asked.

“I…actually don’t know. My dad mentions it a lot in concerns to my brother, who struggles with depth perception. I assumed it was another word for hard-of-seeing people.”

“Ok, well I still need my glasses.” Octavian grabbed a branch above him and pulled himself up farther as the water continued to climb.

“Just give them to me and I’ll put them in my pocket.” Percy held his hand out.

“How are you doing that? You need your arms!”

“Practice! Now give them to me!” Percy yelled.

Shaking, Octavian pulled the glasses off of his face. He handed them over to Percy who dipped under the water to shove them in one of his velcro pockets.

The world was suddenly a lot more difficult to see.

“Ok, what do I do?”

“Kick lightly. And stretch your arms out. Make horizontal waving motions with them,” Percy tried to explain calmly. The water had to be 100 feet tall now.

Octavian hesitantly began to kick his legs and move his arm like Percy instructed him to.

Now he just had to do that for however long it took for the water to slink back into the earth.

Percy tried to keep the mood light. Eventually everything would be normal again. They’d be back on dry ground. He tried to get Octavian to swim, but without his glasses, he couldn’t really gauge anything. He just sank every time and Percy had to get him before he drowned.

“How long have you been swimming?”

Percy chuckled, floating on his back lazily. “I grew up in the swimming district, buddy. That’s all we do.”

The water was quiet again aside from the sounds of Octavian treading water.

“I was, uh, born in water.” Percy cleared his throat weakly and turned back into a treading position.

“What?”

“My Mom couldn’t afford to let anyone else know in the games that I needed to be born. So she found a pool of water in a secluded area. I was born into the water, so my first second of life was swimming, I guess.”

“I don’t get how they let your mom compete while heavily pregnant.”

“It was different times. I wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone again.” Percy swam in a circle gently. “How were you born?”

“This is a weird conversation.”

“You’re gonna be a father by the end of the year. Gotta be prepared.”

“Well…I was born in my family’s house like the rest of my siblings. I was a month early. I don’t think I was supposed to be alive past a few days. I was really little.”

“Clearly you got over that.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“If you ever get a chance to watch the footage from the games my mom won, I was the fattest baby possible. All chub and cherub cheeks and little curls. Kind of a miracle. I was also born exactly on my due date. Maybe the only time in my life I’ve been punctual.” Percy continued to swim. “I think you should try to have your and Leo’s kid born in a hospital.”

“Hades doesn’t have one.”

“It doesn’t? I knew Demeter and Hades were struggling, but that’s dire.”

“It’s life. My brother wants to be a doctor. So I think I’ll just have him deliver the baby.”

“Huh. Well, you could always pull a few strings to go on a honeymoon or something to Poiseidon around when it’s due. Boom, baby's the safest it’ll ever be.” Percy threw his hands up to the air as if he was the smartest guy ever.

“That’s stupid, they’ll catch us.”

“Whatever. Ask your mom about more birth stories when you get back to her.”

“When?”

Percy winked coyly. “When.”

The water began to drain rapidly. The two floated down slowly as the forest returned to normal. The glass wall opened, pouring out the remaining water and the two boys out.

“Octavian!” Leo gasped. “You’re ok!”

“Yeah, I’m ok!” Octavian locked onto a blurry something next to a fire. “Uh, Percy? My glasses?”

“Oh, right.” Percy handed the wet glasses over and Octavian situated them on his face.

“Did Ericthonis hurt you?” Octavian asked Leo.

Leo and Alex looked nervously at each other.

“No…” Leo grabbed the pant leg over his prosthetic, showing off the shattered metal, “but he did break me.”

Notes:

Yay! My little guy finally learned how to kind of swim! And Percy and Octavian bonding kind of. One thing about being around pregnant people is that people immediately want to share their extremely traumatic birth stories. I am someone who does this as well, it's natural to give carriers the fright of their life on a Sunday afternoon.

Also I have a tumblr - sunshinecandyboy. I share ideas, updates and sometimes art.

Comment whatever you would like -- next chapter is a doozy don't worry. I think it'll be only three more chapters until the epilogue so place your bets now as to what the big twists will be in the epilogue because...holy shit none of you are prepared for what I'm about to lay down on you.

Chapter 27: IT HURTS

Notes:

Tw: for blood and graphic descriptions of wilderness surgery.

Also this one was written on my phone, please excuse any mistakes.

“What do we do? Is the rest of it somewhere around here? Can you rebuild it?”

“It’s too scattered now, Octavian,” Alex interjected. “We don’t have time to fish all of the parts out of the water around the island. We’d be there all day. We don’t have that time before midnight.”

“What happens at midnight?” Leo asked.

Alex looked to Octavian.

“Leo…it's when everything ends. Can you use the prosthetic at all?” Octavian asked calmly.

“The main pole is shattered the whole way down. The metal is splitting in my leg. We need to remove it now, or it’ll pull my bone apart,” Leo explained, shaking his head. “We just need to remove it.”

“So can you just pull it out?” Percy asked.

“No.” Leo shifted uncomfortably. “The capitol doctors screwed it into my leg. Like they did for Octavian's plate in his shoulder. We’ll need to do surgery.”

“Can't it just wait until we get out of here?” Octavian asked.

“No. We need to act now or it'll break my bone from the inside and I'll need to get another amputation. I can't do that again.” Leo dug his hands into the sand of the beach. “Octavian, can you please just do it?”

Octavian nodded slowly. If he knew Leo less, he might refuse, but the fists that Leo has formed under the sand and sweat lining his brow told Octavian that Leo was in more pain than he let on.

The group formulated a plan. Percy would stand guard beach-side and tend the campfire, while Alex guarded from the jungle. It was getting hot already, so Octavian and Leo would stayat the edge of the tree line where it was cool. Octavian went to the island, where Ericthonius and Pandora lay dead. The bodies hadn't been picked up at all. Everyone dead was find-able. He scavenged around until he found the necessary supplies – a wrench, a pair of pliers, a metal rod, and a sharp clean knife.

Leo cleaned the tools with rubbing alcohol just in case as he sat on the sand with his pants off. The metal rod was placed with a tip in the fire.

The procedure would be as follows: Octavian would cut into Leo's leg a total of four times, three for the screws and once for the main pole. He would then remove the screws using the pliers and wrench, then pull the main pole out. He would then cauterize the wounds before helping Leo into the water to wash the area and relax before bandaging the area.

Percy patted Octavian’s back as he poked the cauterizing rod into the fire before turning away. Octavian swallowed a nervous rock down. It burned his whole throat.

“Are you ready?” Octavian asked, holding the knife above Leo's leg.

“Yeah, I'm ready. Gods, I wish I had some anesthesia.”

“When we get out of here, we’ll go to the hospital in the capitol. And you'll have a real surgery and I'll tell them to give you a removable leg this time.”

“I want to go back to that hospital even less. They wanted to add more eggs to me.” Leo’s face curdled.

“They what?”

“They made copies of my eggs and tried to put more in me, but Dionysus was able to interject. I'm stalling, Octavian, please just start.”

“I-ok.” Octavian dipped the knife down to right above where he had felt out the first screw.

Gently, blood pooled at the top of the knife and Leo's breath hitched as it plunged deeper and deeper. Octavian hit the screw and Leo screamed before clenching his mouth shut, grinding his teeth.

“Kee gon.”

“What?” Octavian's hand shook in the knife.

“Keep going!” Leo snapped. “I'm fine.”

Octavian blinked what he hoped was sweat away from his eyes. He carefully carved a hole in Leo's leg, noticing every jump that wracked through Leo's body. Carefully he removed the knife, clenching the soft, rubbery hilt between his teeth as he readied the wrench. Again he plunged the tool into Leo's leg, shocking the boy. Carefully, he caught onto the screw and began an arduous process of twisting it until it came loose.

He let out a heavy breath when he finally popped, and Leo whimpered as it was removed. Octavian let the bloody screw fall into the sand, and grabbing a roll of bandages. He ripped off a sizable amount and scrunched it up, pushing it into the hole to slow the bleeding.

Then he started on the next incision.

“Gods, it does not get easier!” Leo shouted, laying fully back and burying his hands in the sand.

“I'm trying, please, Leo,” Octavian begged. He finally made the final carve and shoved the knife hilt back into his mouth, ignoring the drip of blood and flesh onto his shirt and pant legs.

Leo groaned as the wrench re-entered and tugged at the screw like it was a loose tooth that needed pulling. He wiggles it loose and dropped it into the sand once more, stuffing the wound again.

He moved faster, switching the wrench and knife in his mouth, letting the metal grind away at his teeth. He pushed the knife into Leo's leg.

Leo screamed, his whole body jumping in pain. The knife tore through his flesh, opening a hole big enough that Octavian could switch his tools again, pushing the wrench in

The wrench slipped against the bone and Leo sobbed, hands digging deeper into the cool sand beneath him. Octavian steadied his hand, pushing his right against Leo's leg gently to keep him still. He locked onto the screw and quickly twisted it out, throwing the wrench into the sand and packing the wound.

He began the final incision, a circle around the leg of the prosthetic, which Leo's body wracked with sobs the whole time.

“Leo?”

Leo let out an ugly sob, turning away from Octavian to look at the leaves blowing in the wind.

“I'm going to pull it out now.”

Leo nodded once and Octavian wrapped his hands around the thick metal. It had three large cracks pulling the metal into pieces.

Octavian began to pull, slowly, pulling the flesh around the pole with it. Leo screamed in pain.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry,” Octavian whispered it like a mantra.

“Just pull it out! All of it! Now!” The sweat on Leo's face mixed with the tears in his eyes and mucus coming from his nose.

Octavian closed his eyes and yanked as hard as he could. Leo yowled in pain, shouting in Spanish. The metal split in Octavian's hands, into three long pieces.

Octavian dove for the metal rod in the fire grabbing it, despite it being pretty hot and began burning all of the wounds as fast as possible, tearing out the bandages of the smaller holes.

Leo screamed, surely alerting the whole forest and Octavian put the thought out of his mind that Leo's burning flesh was making him hungry. He hadnt eaten. He was so hungry.

Once the cauterizing was finished, Octavian wasted no time scooping his husband up and walking him down the beach and into the water, where it was deep enough that up to their chests would be submerged when sitting down.

Leo choked our another scream when his leg made contact with the salt water before turning fully to crying. He leaned against Octavian and cried himself tired.

The hiccuping stopped and Leo relaxed for the first time in an hour. He clung onto Octavian's shirt and leaned into his chest.

“Octavian?” Leo's voice was weak and quiet.

“I'm sorry my love.” Octavian presses his face into Leo's soft curls.

“What's today Octavian?”

“The second day of the games.” Octavian looked up at the sun. “Around noon.”

“No.” Leo let out a shaky breath. “The number day.”

“July six.”

A fresh round of hot tears began streaming down Leo's face. “It's my birthday tomorrow. I become an adult tomorrow.”

Octavian just squeezed Leo tighter, unable to say anything. In the background, he heard the breaking of leaves and turned as two people tumbled from the forest, covered in yellow dust.

Percy strode up to them, holding Octavian's sword. “Please, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”

“Perseus! If you step one more step closer to me, I will kill you!” One of the pollen-covered people yelled, stomping past him to the water and dunking themselves in.

The other person coughed loudly, hacking up bright yellow mucus. The first person emerged from the waves and pulled the other in.

“Thou must clean thyself.” She huffed, turning towards Leo and Octavian. “Oh! Thank the gods, I finally found thee.”

“Zoë?” Octavian asked, standing up slowly. Leo used Octavian's shoulder to help himself up to.

“I have been through hell the past day trying to find thee.”

Leo poked his head past Octavian to look at the other figure. “Is that Daedalus?”

The other person was indeed Daedalus, washing the pollen off of himself. Percy sneezed, before yelling for Alex.

“How is he still alive?” Leo was smiling wide.

“I kept him alive. For thou, Leondias.”

“Leo is fine, Zoë.”

“Why'd you do that?” Octavian asked.

“Leondias wanted him as an ally. His choice comes first,” Zoë explained. “Now, if thou would excuse me, I am covered in pollen from this terrible death trap.”

Zoë returned to the water, digging the pollen out of her dark hair. Daedalus sat on the water, mumbling to himself. Leo nudged Octavian's back.

“Can you help me to him?”

Octavian nodded and let Leo lean on him as they went up on the beach to where Daedalus was stationed. He aided Leo down and hesitantly turned away, going back up to the fire and grabbing bandages.

“So are they joining us?” Alex asked Octavian, retying up his hair.

“Yeah. I don't see why not.” Octavian gathered his supplies. “Daedalus is harmless and Zoë seems dedicated to Leo.”

Octavian headed back down the beach, and to Leo, carefully starting to wrap his leg.

“Octavian.” Leo jostled Octavian once.

“Hm?” Octavian came out of his own little world.

“It's a clock! The whole arena is a clock!” Leo smiled.

“Which is why we need to be in the twelve hour at midnight. A window will open for us then.” Zoë nodded.

“So we get to the window and then what?” Alex asked. “We haven't been given much information.”

“We go out the window,” Zoë said. “We need to be there when it opens, which means we need to start moving now, especially with these two.”

Zoë pointed an accusatory finger at Daedalus and Leo.

“Then, let's get going.” Percy agreed. “I'll handle Daedalus, Leo can you go with Octavian?”

“This is a lot of work, if the 12 hour is right there.” Alex pointed to the jungle a little ways away.

“Many have died, dear Alex. The majority left are motivated not by what is right, but by what the capitol will feed their pockets. We must make the circle before hitting midnight. We cannot afford to stop moving again,” Zoë said seriously.

Notes:

I adore this chapter. Why is it that my favorites are when one of my little guys is going through the worst pain of his life? Idk.

Anyways, we're getting down to thick of it! I wonder what will happen next 🤔🤫

Comment whatever you want!

Chapter 28: THE HOTTEST HOUR OF THE DAY

“I need a break.”

Leo's fist was clenched in the back of Octavian's shirt as Octavian supported him. He was weak on his left leg from months of walking normally.

It has only been a few hours, but the sun has baked the sand to an uncomfortable degree and it was difficult to skirt the treeline with Leo's injury.

“We’ll take a break then.” Octavian whispered to Leo, breaking them away from the group.

“Can you put me under the shade?” Leo asked.

“Of course.” Octavian nodded.

Carefully, he helped his husband to just behind the treeline and under a fern plant. Leo laid down, tired from the pain, crying, and hours of shambling down the beach had worn him down too much.

“Are we stopping?” Percy asked. “Oct?”

“Please, don’t call me that. Just me and Leo can stop. He needs to rest.” Octavian sighed. “The rest of you can continue on.”

“He is weak.” Zoë scoffed.

“He isn’t weak!” Octavian strode up to her. “In no world is all of this considered weak! He just had surgery! He’s in pain and you’re forcing him to walk around the beach aimlessly!”

“Get out of my face, Octavius.”

“That is not my name. Leo and I are stopping. If you want to walk in circles, be my guest,” Octavian hissed.

He turned away from them, plopping himself down on the treeline beneath a weepy palm tree bearing round, hairy, brown rocks. He sighed as the other people in his alliance discussed their next move. He pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his face between his knees as he watched them.

They were terrible people. All of them. Right now Zoë was the worst, obviously. Percy was a close second. Alex was being stupid and how joyfully he partook in the sacrifice of others in the arena wasn’t unnoticed. And just looking at Daedalus’ stupid face made Octavian feel pissed off.

The only person in the whole arena who was a good person was Leo. No one else.

Octavian got up and checked on Leo, stomping angrily the whole way there. He stopped above Leo’s hiding spot, looking down to his husband. Leo was sleeping peacefully, for maybe the first time in the whole game. He didn’t have any worry on his face, just the occasional flutter of his long eyelashes on his cheeks. He was gorgeous like this and Octavian suddenly felt like a huge creep staring dumbly at Leo as he slept.

A crash sounded through the forest. Octavian whipped around to see one of his allies running through the forest as fast as he could.

“Percy?” Octavian called.

Suddenly, his vision tunneled and in the distance, he heard screaming. The words were garbled at first, but then, something clear broke through. Calling his name.

Will.

Nico.

His breath caught in his throat. They were being tortured! Screaming for him to help.

Octavian looked down at Leo. He whimpered in his sleep, curling into himself, like a baby.

Another crash in the woods. A man ran to Octavian, before grabbing his arm, pulling him away from the fern where Leo was fully hidden.

“Let me go!” Octavian screamed. “Will!”

“It’s not real! Whoever you’re looking for isn’t real!” the man yelled back, dragging Octavian towards the beach.

Octavian fought against him, trying his hardest to pull away before the man dropped him on the beach. Octavian made a break for it. Will and Nico were still in there! Leo was still in there! What if they got him next?

Octavian ran as fast as he could, but he wasn’t fast enough as the glass wall rose, blocking him off from his family.

Octavian sobbed, slumping against the wall.

“Octavian, did you see Percy in there?” Alex approached, worry clear in his eyes.

Octavian’s eyes burned as he stared up at Alex. He got up and shoved Alex to the ground. He turned away, walking down the beach, bubbling over with every bad feeling ever.

 

He returned a few minutes later. Alex approached him again.

“Do you have something to say to me?” Alex asked, crossing his arms.

“No.” Octavian said back, walking past him.

He sat down against the wall again, feeling the hum of the machinery on his back. Alex sighed, going to sit on the shore with Zoë and Daedalus. The strange man approached Octavian.

“I’m sorry, dude, but I needed to get you outta there,” the man said.

“It’s fine,” Octavian grumbled.

“What’s your name?”

“Octavian.”

“Well, I’m Lester.”

Octavian looked up to him. “Lester? Were you Jason’s mentor?”

Lester’s face broke out into a grin. “Yeah! Miss him alot.”

“Do you know anything about what happened?”

“Unfortunately, no. Thalia already tried to get information out of me. Mind if I sit?”

“Go ahead.”

Lester sat down. “Not sure what you heard, but I heard one of my old friends in pain, but he’s been dead for years. Had to be fake.”

“It’s fake?”

Daedalus lumbered over to them taking a slow seat onto the sand in front of the two. “The birds.”

Octavian rolled his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall. “Ignore him, Lester, he’s senile.”

“Look at the birds.” Daedalus admonished, pointing behind Octavian.

Hesitantly, Octavian looked at the birds, now covering the trees. They looked familiar…storks of some kind.

“What kind of bird is that?” Lester asked.

“I think…I know it.” Octavian hesitated, racking his brain.

“Ciconia Stympalian.” Daedalus said beneath his breath and the information crashed into Octavian.

“Whispering birds.”

“Yes!” Daedalus smiled. “From my home.”

Octavian looked up at the birds again. “They can mimic voices. Lester, did your friend die painfully?”

“He died in the games…so yeah.”

Octavian’s heart stopped. He heard Will and Nico. That meant the capitol had recordings of Will and Nico in pain.

They had been captured. They never made it to the fabled Hestia district.

Octavian went numb. For all he knew, his twin brother was either dead or under constant torture.

For a second, he wondered what Leo was hearing. The capitol might’ve captured Octavian getting flogged? Or maybe something from the last games? What if Leo heard him?

His thought was interrupted by a large thump, causing him to scramble back from the wall. On the other side was Percy, desperately trying to escape the area. Alex immediately ran up to the wall, pressing his hand against the wall, where Percy’s was. Percy covered his ears and laid against the ground, pushing his palms so hard against his head that he might crush his own skull.

“We’ll just have to wait it out,” Lester said calmly. “The birds can’t hurt him. He’ll be fine.”

=🝗=

It was a grueling half-hour until the walls finally fell and Percy pulled himself into Alex’s embrace, crying. His words were blubbered together incomprehensibly.

“Is it safe now?” Octavian wondered aloud.

“I don’t hear anything.” Lester shrugged.

Hesitantly, Octavian went into the jungle. He quietly walked along the ground until he came upon Leo’s hiding spot. Leo was awake, sitting up, face blotchy from tears.

“Leo?” Octavian kept his voice low.

Leo came out of his stupor.

“Are you ok?”

Leo shook his head. “How did they get the sound of that?”

“The sound of what?”

“It was my mother. When I killed her. How’d they-” Leo stopped himself.

“Let's go back to the beach.” Octavian helped Leo up.

They went back out into the sun and sat down on the beach again. Percy was still crying, being rocked in Alex’s lap as his mentor rocked him and whispered soothing words.

“It was my mom. They have my mom.” Percy sobbed into Alex’s shirt.

“After some deliberation, I think I made a mistake. It would be better for us to go to section 12 now and wait until midnight.” Zoë cleared her throat. “I apologize for my earlier slip. We should leave now.”

The whole group agreed and began the walk.

“Tavi?” Leo whispered into Octavian’s ear as they walked.

“Yeah?”

“Who’s that new guy?”

“Lester. He’s my friend.”

Leo thought for a moment. “Isn’t he a Blessed One? Shouldn’t we be worried?”

 

“No. He was Jason’s mentor. He’s a good guy.”

Leo pursed his lips. “I know Jason is your friend and all – but he is capable of bad things. He’s the one who killed…”

“Lester is a good man. You don’t need to worry about him.”

Notes:

I have an allergy to giving Percy a goddamned break from it. He will aways fall into the traps. I get sneezy if he doesn't.

Also Lester!!! Hi Lester!!! He's our final member!! Yipee! 2 Chapters before the end we finally round out the Core Four.

Comment your predictions for the end and I'll give you a ?/10 score.

Chapter 29: THE FINAL HOUR

It was dark out when Zoë decided to split the group up.

“Leondias and Daedalus will stay near the border. Perseus will guard them personally. The rest of us will form a semi-circle 50 paces away,” Zoë ordered.

“50 paces away? Zoë are you insane? I’m not leaving Percy alone like that,” Alex argued and Percy agreed, still shaken from his earlier encounter with the whispering birds.

“And why can’t Octavian stay with me?” Leo asked, gripping Octavian’s shirt tighter behind his back.

“It’s better to separate our best fighters to protect the weakest of us. Leondias can’t walk and Daedalus is burdened by age. Perseus is the best choice to be close to them.” Zoë frowned.

“Who made you the leader?” Octavian grumbled, wanting to stay right next to his husband.

“No, Octavian,” Alex sighed, “Zoë is right. She’s not the leader, but it’s the best option. Percy can help Leo and Daedalus through the window then have the energy to collect the rest of us.”

Octavian pursed his lips together.

“I trust Percy,” Daedalus spoke up.

Percy beamed at that, although it was more difficult to see in the dark.

“I do too,” Leo whispered.

“Then it is settled.” Zoë threw her arms into the air before walking off, cursing under her breath.

“I wish people would stop treating me like I’m fragile. If I had my leg, I’d be in the semicircle," Leo grumbled.

“I’m sorry, my love. I’ll be back soon.” Octavian hugged Leo tightly.

“I love you, Nenito,” Leo said into Octavian’s shoulder.

“I love you, Leo Valdez. I’ll see you out the window.”

“Leo Valdez- Solace. And I will see you there, Solace-Valdez.”

Despite the intensity of the situation, Octavian’s heart still fluttered, and his chest swelled with joy. Octavian kissed Leo, wrapping his hand around Leo’s head and into his curls. Leo kissed back, holding on tighter to Octavian.

“Octavian, let’s go.” Lester rested a hand on his shoulder.

Reluctantly, Octavian broke away and stood up. He looked back at Leo once more, his husband, his one love, the man carrying his child, the man who loved him back more than anyone had before.

He turned and walked away.

50 paces came and went in Octavian’s direction. He was along the wall, holding his knife. Percy had kept Magnus’ sword after the surgery, and Octavian hadn’t felt like asking for it back. So, he was back where he ended the last game. In the dark, holding a knife, ready to kill for Leo.

He waited for something to happen. At the smallest noise coming from where Leo was, he was ready to run to him and kill anyone who came near him. His ears rang briefly. Maybe from tiredness? Or lack of water? Lack of food?

He stayed at his post. Vigilant.

“Octavian!” The scream broke through the trees.

In a second, Octavian was running towards it. It was in front of him. When did he get so turned around?

The flash of golden metal glinted as he came across the scene. Leo lay on the ground, lifeless and bleeding out as Percy drove his trident in and out of his body again and again.

“No!” Octavian’s voice cracked. “Stop it! Stop it!”

Percy turned to him, blue eyes glinting with primal evil.

Octavian readied his knife charging at him, but in a blink he disappeared, along with Leo’s body. Octavian fell to the ground, searching among the leaves for Leo. He could hear shouting in the difference.

A cry broke through the noise, a baby. The wail was unmistakable. Octavian tore himself from the ground, and began searching for the baby, until he found it, lying on the ground, swaddled in a t-shirt from the games.

Octavian stared at the baby, trying to decipher it. Their features kept changing. Sometimes it had dark curls. Other times it had blonde curls. Sometimes when its eyes peeked open, they were blue, others brown. Their skin tone changed from brown to pale every time Octavian blinked.

Behind him, he heard Percy, “Octavian?”

Octavian spun around, holding his knife up. “Get away from the baby.”

“Octavian? What baby?”

Hesitantly, Octavian looked behind him. The baby was gone.

“Look, Oct-”

“Don’t call me that,” Octavian growled.

“Octavian.” Percy held his hands up as if Octavian were an animal to be tamed. “You wandered away from your post. We’ve been looking for you. The window’s closing.”

“Where’s Leo?”

“Leo’s gone. I-”

Octavian snapped and launched himself at Percy, dropping his knife. He knocked Percy to the ground and began beating him.

“Octavian!” Percy yelled.

“You killed him!” Octavian screamed.

Octavian wrapped his hands around Percy’s neck and squeezed. Percy’s flesh cracked under the pressure, and he clawed at Octavian’s hands as his face turned red, then purple, then blue.

“He’s…waiting…” Percy struggled before going limp.

Octavian stood up, breathing heavily. He didn’t come this far for Leo to be killed, like that. By one of their allies. By a man Leo trusted.

“Octavian. I found you!” Lester said from behind him and Octavian spun into a defensive position.

Lester leaned casually against a tree. He smiled under the moonlight.

“You know, Percy was right. Leo was waiting for you at the window.”

“No…Percy killed him.” Octavian stepped back from Lester, stepping over Percy, who was slowly getting his breath back while unconscious.

Lester chuckled, reaching up into the tree and pulling down a speaker. “Really?”

“What?”

“Auditory-Induced Hallucinations. Genius, really. Designed to turn the reaped against each other. Works pretty well, huh?”

Octavian glanced down at Percy. “Leo’s alive?”

“Very.” Lester stepped towards Octavian, reaching behind him. “It’s unfortunate, really. I wanted that bounty. You and Percy will just have to do.”

“The window.”

“Closed.” Lester brought a gun out. “They shut it once they realised that I was aligned with the capitol. I attempted to kill Leo, but only managed to knock him out before his bodyguards caught me and chased me off.”

Octavian backed into a tree.

“Hope you liked your time in the games, but it’s over for you.” Lester aimed the gun.

The shot rang through the air before the bullet hit Octavian

Notes:

Short final chapter! We only have the incredibly important epilogue left and I think...I think you guys will like it. It'll be something new.

Other than that some crazy stuff just happened. Lester, a traitor, Octavian crushing Percy's windpipe, etc. And I just finished the third movies of the hunger games, so I'm raring to go for the final book in the series.

Leave a comment of what you think!

Chapter 30: EPILOGUE

Everything hurt. His head was swimming as he slowly forced his eyes awake. There was a deep pain in his chest.

He was…he was shot, that's right. Octavian shook his head groggily. He was sitting in a chair, arms bound behind him, making him slump over awkwardly.

Carefully, he sat up, hissing in pain as his chest straightened and the new wound ached. He looked around, sleep still heavy in his eyes.

The room was pure white, which didn't help with his blooming headache. He was seated at a metal table, which had an empty opposing chair and a glass of deep red wine in front of him.

As he took in his surroundings, he saw a man by the door. At first he didn't recognize him, but then he saw the twin scars on his cheeks.

“Minos.” Octavian's voice was slow and scratchy.

“Hello, Mr. Octavian.” Minos smiled and Octavian flinched.

“Why am I here? Why am I alive?”

Minos’s face morphed into a sheer. “That dirty nomad you foolishly call your husband escaped the country. You're our bait to bring it back.”

Octavian smiled. “Leo won't answer your call.”

“No, but it'll answer yours.”

“Leo isn't an it. Stop calling him that.”

Minos scoffed. “Really, Octavian, I don't know why you associate with it. You shouldn't mix snow with dirt. You're already dirty as it is.”

“What?” Octavian looked at Minos in disgust.

“You haven't figured it out yet?” Minos laughed. “You're a mixed man. You'll never be fully capitol.”

“I'm not capitol. I'm from Hades!”

“Your mother's from Hades, but not one of the city-states whores can resist the king.”

“Olive is not a whore!” Octavian yelled, struggling against his bindings.

“She deflowered for my father, a married man. Then she coasted herself and you by the status.”

“No!” Octavian's voice cracked. “You're lying! My dad was a bum! He died drunk and high in an alleyway!”

“Don't be so dense, brother.” Minos approached the table. “Do you drink wine?”

Octavian glared at Minos, clamping his mouth shut.

“Right. I nearly forgot, your first drink was pure poison. Makes that bum father story that more believable.” Minos raised the glass to Octavian's lips. “You'll like this better.”

Octavian turned his head away from the fragrant scent of wine.

“I see you've chosen the hard way. Stubborn aren't you? You get that from dad.” Minos set the drink down and pressed his fingers into Octavian's face.

Octavian shook his head, trying to rid Minos. Minos persisted and finally hooked his fingers between his lips and behind his teeth.

Minos pried Octavian's mouth open wide until it hurt. Octavian kept trying to shake him off and waited for Minos to remove one of his hands so he could snap his jaw shut and bite off Minos’ fingers.

But Minos kept pulling. Octavian’s skin stretched.

“STAH!” Octavian yelled in a pathetic attempt to lessen the pain.

Minos ignored him. The skin in the corners of Octavian's mouth was beginning to tear, he screamed as the pressure kept increasing.

Snap!

Octavian wailed as Minos removed his hands from the teen. He curled in on himself, attempting to hide as his jaw now hung from his face, broken off of his skull.

Minos fisted Octavian's hair, pulling his head back. The glass of wine rested in Minos' other hand and he tipped it forward, down Octavian's throat.

Octavian choked before he was forced to swallow. Wine dribbled out of his useless jaw and down his face.

Minos released Octavian and he slumped forward again, crying. The wine tasted awful. He felt worse, heart breaking.

Minos stepped behind Octavian and undid his hands from their position, before stepping a few places back.

Octavian massaged his wrists before slowly standing up, muscles achy. He stumbled once before locking onto Minos and charging, ready to beat him.

Before his fist could make contact with Minos' face, Octavian's world went completely dark and silent.

==

When he woke up, he was nearly rocked back to sleep by the gentle rumble of machinery. Long gone were the days of sleeping next to the orphanage’s water boiler, but it still felt comfortable.

Leo forced himself up though. He was on a large plane, in the back with the cargo. Beside him sat Daedalus who smiled.

“Dae…what's going on?”

Daedalus cocked his head towards a room in front of Leo. The door was closed, but Leo could see Dionysus inside.

He got up and awkwardly hopped to the door before pulling it open. Inside was Dionysus, Eros, Zoë, and Alex. Alex was sitting against a wall, eyes puffy, while everyone else was surrounding a table with a map on it.

“Kid? You feeling alright?” Dionysus asked.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Where's Octavian? I want to be with him.” Leo kept his voice soft, a mysterious headache clouding his brain.

The room looked at each other.

“Er, Leo. Octavian didn't make it. He got captured by the capitol.” Eros cleared his throat.

“What?” Leo's world crashed.

“We were advised to close the window after a traitor made themselves known. We could only rescue you,” Zoë said.

Right, Lester had hit him on the head. That explains the headache.

“You…left Octavian.”

“It was-”

“They took Percy too,” Alex interrupted Zoë. “They took him too.”

“How could you let this happen? You designed the games!” Leo turned to Eros. “How could you let them take Octavian! They'll kill him!”

Leo shook with anger. And he was crying, great. Zoë already thought he was weak and now the rest of them. Eros approached.

“We all had to make sacrifices.” Eros leaned down to be eye-level with Leo.

Leo snapped and used his unoccupied arm to throw a hasty punch at Eros. He didn't feel the hit land.

Leo woke up on the floor, rushing in a breath. Shit. He had another episode. A girl was kneeling on the floor above him.

“Will he be alright?” Alex asked.

“Fine. The effects are wearing off.” The girl responded.

“Thanks, Reyna.” Zoë sighed. “We cannot lose him now.”

Leo groaned. His mouth tasted like metal. It always did.

“The wine is filled with nanobots. They shut down all bodily functions once they assess he's going to attack a capitol citizen,” Eros explained.

“Wine?” Leo asked. “I haven't had a drink in like… a few days.”

“And the baby?” Dionysus asked.

“I made sure they were genetically altered to make the wine have no effect on them,” Eros said.

Leo laid his head back down, fighting tears once his mind cleared. Octavian was gone, probably being tortured and Leo had this disgusting thing growing inside him. He wanted it gone.

But it might be the last remaining piece of Octavian.

No. Octavian told Leo he could get rid of it.

“I want an abortion. I don't want this baby.” Leo said aloud, voice shaking with tears.

“I apologize, Leo, but the council has ordered that no harm come to any children of yours or Octavian’s.” Reyna worried her lips.

“I-” Leo was speechless. Who was allowed to tell him to carry a child?

Leo frowned. He'd have to take matters into his own hand. Find hibiscus. Force his traitorous body to reject the fetus.

The pilot door opened and another girl with her hair hidden talked from the cockpit.

“We touch down in Hestia in five minutes.”

==

Octavian heaved in a breath as his body snapped awake. He was tied to the chair again and a team of doctors was in the room. Minos leaned against a wall.

Octavian narrowed his eyes. In front of him, in the other chair was him.

A more perfect him. Glasses gone. Jaw unbroken. Hair cropped short, as if he were in the military. A glass of wine sat in front of him.

“Octavian.”

Both of him turned to Minos.

“You're familiar with mirrors. Your friend, Jason is one.”

Octavian looked at the more perfect version. Mirrors were different…they didn't look like you. This was too close.

“We took that literally with this one. He's your mirror, your almost exact reflection. Minus the imperfections. No bad eyes, no scars. We even removed the genetic deficiency that made you a freak. Truly male, this one.” Minos stepped behind the mirror and placed an easy hand on his shoulder.

The doctors swarmed Octavian as Minos talked and a syringe was injected into the back of his neck into his spine.

“Now, this Octavian is different in more than one way. He's obedient. He knows only what we tell him.” Minos leaned down and talked into the mirror’s ear, “Drink the wine Octavian.”

The mirror picked up the glass and slowly drank the purple liquid, keeping eye contact with Octavian.

“Good boy.” Minos smiled. He turned to the doctors. “Turn the original off.”

Octavian's world went dark again, but this time he felt the world around him still. He could hear the sounds of the room. He could feel the fabric of his clothes and sweat on his palms.

It unnerved him.

“See, you were already half-blind at this point, so we just chose to halt you from trying to escape. I hope you aren't scared of the dark.” Minos was right beside Octavian's ear, startling him.

Minos chuckled. “Take him to the cell.”

Octavian's hands were uncuffed, only for him to be lifted off the ground and dragged away. He scrambled against the smooth floor, trying to feel where he was going.

A door opened in front of him for a second time and he was shoved in, the door locking heavily behind him.

Octavian began to hyperventilate. Where was he? Was he going to die? The capitol going to kick him while was down?

“Octavian?” Two hands rested gently on his shoulders and he threw them off, backing up until he hit the wall, eyes uselessly moving around the room.

“Octavian, please it's me. Jason.”

Notes:

Well, this has been fun. I love the epilogues. I've been leading up to this the whole book. Even some of last book!

Who knows what book three holds (me. Expect chapter One soon)

Comment whatever you desire! I'll see you next time folks!

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of EVERY EMPIRE FALLS IN 250 YEARS