Chapter Text
Conan stood at the foot of a bed, hands at his sides. His vision was blurry at first, until he blinked and everything around him came to focus. He was in a house, his house. He knew it was his home, from the curtains to the tile floor. Everything hit him with a wave of nostalgia, memories flooding in.
Why was he here? How did he get here?
The questions ran through his head as he took a step back. Looking around the room he was in, it was his old bedroom. The light purple bedsheets he and his mom had picked out when he was just six, the teddies on the bed with a few fallen to the floor. Everything was like he remembered, and most of all he couldn’t forget the smell of fresh roses that filled the room. His mothers favorite scent that was used in almost everything in the house.
He was alone in the room, until he heard the soft footsteps tapping against wood and giggles coming from the hallway. He turned around, facing a white door and watching as it cracked open.
A little face popped in through the crack in the door. Familiar brown eyes peering into the room, brown eyes just like his.
It was the younger version of him, only seven at this time. He wore a cute little teal sweater and black pants, giggling as he ran into the room. Short waves of brown hair that bounced with each step, his hair was messy and frizzy from running around all day. But younger Conan had no worries about anything, not even his hair.
He watched his younger self run immediately to his bed, climbing under the covers while laughing. More of the stuffed animals on the bed fell as a lump formed under the blanket where younger Conan hid.
Too focused on the little version of himself, Conan didn’t notice someone else coming into the room. Not until he heard the gentle unmistakable voice that had been plaguing his mind for years. A voice he’s only been able to hear through DVDs and CDs playing from motel tvs and the cd player Octavian bought him.
“Where can that little boy be?..” Conan turned around hearing that voice, his world freezing when he saw them
His mother, Chasity Lee Galanos, radiant as ever. Long wavey blonde hair that reached her waist, shiny like a princess’s. Wearing a white modest dress that fell all the way to her ankles. She was the picture of perfection, a gentle face to match her voice. Brown eyes that were warm like chocolate scanning the room as she pretended to not be able to see the boy under the covers.
“Could he be in the closet?” She hummed, checking the white closet in the corner of the room. Graceful as she walked around the bedroom. Her white kitten heels making a clicking sound against the floor.
Conan was frozen stiff when she came closer to where he stood in the middle of the room. He knew she most likely couldn’t see him, but she stopped in front of him— almost as if she could sense his presence. But she stepped to the side, walking to the side of the bed instead. Conan let out a deep breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding in.
“Hmm.. is he under the bed?” She wondered out loud, crouching down to check under the bed
Suddenly a small giggle came from the lump in the covers. Chasity got up, brushing her dress out before leaning over the bed. Her eyes scanning the bed ignoring the obvious lump.
“What was that noise?” She said, holding back a laugh as she pulled back the covers. Younger Conan popped up, arms out stretched as he laughed “ah! There you are!!”
“Haha you couldn’t find me!” He giggled, a wide toothy grin spreading on his face, missing one of his little baby teeth creating a gap “more hide and seek! Again again!”
Chasity let out a small laugh, reaching down to pick him up. Wrapping her arms around him as she sat on the bed. Little Conan rested his head against her shoulder, kicking his feet and laughing. His hands came up to grab Chasity’s arms.
“I think that’s enough playing for now, it’s almost nap time- you know how cranky you get when you don’t nap,” Chasity said gently, poking his nose as she laid him down next to her. Pulling the covers over him and stroking his head
Younger Conan did in fact get cranky when he didn’t sleep. Becoming a mini monster and throwing tantrums. Even after so long Conan still remembered his worst tantrum, having thrown himself on the ground stomping and punching the floor after his mom tried to get him to take a bath. He had rolled around in the mud in the backyard yet didn’t want to wash off before going to play in his room. He had to be held down and taken to the bathtub by his grandpa and mom.
Younger Conan whined, trying to get back up “nooo, one more please? Please mommy?”
Conan watched this, a memory from when he was a kid. A bittersweet vision rolling out right before his eyes. Conan slowly moved to the side of the bed, sitting down at the end of it watching his mother.
“No more dear, how about instead I sing you a lullaby?” She suggested instead, laying on her side. Her longer golden hair looking effortlessly perfect as it draped across the pillow
Little Conan eagerly nodded, Conan remembered how much he loved hearing his mother sing. “She had the voice of an angel” the people in their town would say, people would make giant lines to hear her sing in the small town theater. She made headlines because of his voice, her eyes always shining when she saw the crowd that would gather just to hear it.
“Alright, close your eyes honey,” she cooed softly, stroking younger Conan’s hair as he closed his eyes
Conan shifted to sit closer to them, watching this with soft eyes. He wanted to reach out to touch his mother again, to hug her, to have her hold him one more time. He listened closely as his mother started to hum a tune, younger Conan scooting closer into her embrace.
“Blackbirds singing in the dead of night.. take these broken wings and learn to fly..”
Chasity began to sing, her voice flowy and seemed to echo in the room. Younger Conan visibly relaxed, letting out a little yawn. His tiny hands reached to grasp the finger of his mother’s. Chasity smiled softly as five little fingers wrapped around hers.
“All your life.. you were only waiting for this moment to arise..”
Younger Conan curled up under the covers, turning on his side so he could face his mother. Chasity pulled him closer to her, her voice filling the room. A soft melody that could sooth anyone, even the angriest of people.
Conan was listening as well, now having moved to lay on the end of the bed. Watching this sweet moment, he couldn’t look away even as the memories made his heart hurt. He missed his mom so bad, even after years he just wanted his mommy back.
His eyelids felt heavy the longer he listened. Curling up into a ball, comfortable just laying there. Soon he ended up yawning as well, his eyes slowly closing. Vision going blurry before going completely black. His mother’s voice echoing in his head, slowly fading as if she was too far to hear.
Conan tried to open his eyes again, he didn’t want this to end. Not yet, he wanted to listen longer and engrave this moment in his brain. But his eyes felt glued shut, difficult to pry open.
When he finally managed to open his eyes he sat up straight in his bed back at the barracks. His long hair was a mess and all over the place. He was panting softly, eyes wide as he looked around disoriented from his dream.
His mother’s song still echoing in his head slowly fading away until he couldn’t hear anymore. He sighed, bringing his knees up to his chest. Arms coming around to hug his legs. He buried his head in his lap, realizing it had all been just a dream replaying memories from when he was young.
After a moment of just sitting there he finally got up, getting ready for the day. Slipping into his usual clothes, Camp Jupiter shirt and some jorts. Putting his socks on and then usual black shoes. Just his regular routine since getting to Camp Jupiter.
In the bathrooms he stood in front of the mirror brushing his teeth. Splashing ice cold water against his face trying to wake himself up. He stood there, staring at himself in the mirror. He ran a hand through his hair. He had been growing it out since the week after settling in. Used to be below his shoulders now it was almost reaching his lower back. He still dyed it bleach blonde half way, getting help from Dakota to bleach it for him since there was so much hair now. It was shiny and well taken care of. Conan thought of it as his best feature.
Stepping into the morning sun he set off to head to the temples to get Octavian first, then heading to breakfast at the mess hall. Sitting with his usual group, eating and chatting before the day’s activities. Octavian started on his usual rant about something that was on his mind, everyone groaning knowing they’d have to listen without any complaint. Conan again, the only one who didn’t mind it.
After Octavian’s rant Reyna had glanced over at Conan who was trying to fix his hair. His grown out bangs in his face, he tucked them behind his ear as he ate his breakfast. Putting down his food and moving to tie his long hair into a ponytail.
“Your hair is much longer than it was when we first met you,” Reyna commented “do you plan on cutting it?”
“Hmm, maybe not cut it short, but I do want to fix my bangs. They’re all up in my face..” Conan complained, having to tuck them back again
Lavinia offered him a hair clip which he so desperately needed. Conan clipped his bangs back with a cute pink butterfly hairpin. Finally able to eat without hair in his eyes.
“I think a pixie cut would suit you, right Octavian?” Micheal suggested, nudging Octavian who was staring at Conan for a little too long
“A pixie? Heavens no, Conan looks completely fine with his hair how it is. I say it suits him better than a pixie would, he looks good now how he is.” Octavian huffed, taking a sip of his orange juice
“Awh you think I look good?” Conan teased, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear as he grinned
Octavian’s pale face had a blush of pink on his cheeks as he stumbled over his words “I-I mean- oh whatever.”
Everyone at the table laughed at Octavian’s flustered expression, especially Conan who found it rather endearing as well. Octavian just grumbled, chucking an orange at Micheal who caught it before it could hit him. But the son of Venus soon got hit with an apple the augur threw at him next. A hard thud sound against Micheal’s head as Conan tried to hold back more laughter.
“It’s alright Octopus, I think you’re pretty good looking yourself,” Conan winked before going back to eating, not noticing how Octavian turned red. Micheal gave Octavian a hard nudge before the blonde shot him a glare.
After breakfast the group parted ways, having different schedules that day. Conan had coliseum training that morning, his favorite activity besides war games at Camp Jupiter. He’s always loved sparring, never backing down from a good fight.
That morning he was one of the elders in the group of demigods training. Most of the children were around eight to twelve. Conan didn’t mind, he’d just sick to sparring the campers his age. He found that the younger campers didn’t have much experience with weapons since most of them had just arrived at camp.
Conan was busy sparring with a girl from the second cohort, his axe Lunnie out and shining in the sunlight. Conan was a mad man in the arena, his erratic and reckless yet calculated fighting style catching his opponent off guard. Conan was getting into the sparring match, swinging his axe hard enough to accidentally get it stuck in the ground. He had to leave it to dodge attacks coming from the girl, only going back for it after tripping him. Using his strength to pull it out of the ground.
Mid sparring match Conan suddenly heard a cry, both demigods paused as they looked to the sound of the scream. There they saw a younger camper, a boy from the fourth cohort sitting on the ground and crying. He was clutching his arm as they could clearly see blood. Another camper was holding a sword looking absolutely mortified.
Conan quickly ran over, dropping everything as his protective instincts he got whenever he saw someone get hit flaring up. He dropped to his knees and gently grabbed the boy’s arm.
“What happened?!” Conan asked, trying to not panic as he examined the injury
“I-I don’t know we were sparing and I guess I wasn’t careful and accident nicked him— I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to!” The other camper explained, voice trembling as the dropped the sword
“It‘a okay, it was an accident. Don’t blame yourself kid, go back to sparring and I’ll take care of this” Conan said, patting the kid on the shoulder as they ran off
Conan looked over the injury again, a horribly deep cut that would keep bleeding if it didn't stop. It could even get infected if it wasn’t covered quickly. Conan didn’t have anything that could wrap around the injury, nothing that could work like a bandage. Until he looked down at his shirt, it wouldn’t be easy but he had to keep the kid from bleeding out.
Conan quickly ripped his shirt, getting Déjà vu to the time he had to do this for Octavian. He shook that memory away before using the toe fabric to wrap around the kid’s arm. The blood quickly seeped through the thin fabric though, Conan resorted to just taking his shirt off and wrapping the entire thing around the cut.
“There, that should hold up for now,” Conan said, patting the boy’s head and wiping away his tears “you’re gonna be alright buddy,”
Conan helped the boy get up as he helped bring him to the infirmary. Inside the boy was taken and treated, the healers checking the injury.
“Ambrosias not gonna fully fix this, it’s quite deep. We’ll clean it and bandage it up first before hand,” the healer, a boy from cohort three and a son of Asclepius named Chase explained before walking away to get the supplies needed
Conan stayed by the boy’s side, for he had seemed a little scared and upset. Conan couldn’t just leave him like this, he was cruel at times but not a monster. The boy was slightly trembling from the pain, clutching his arm right below where the cut was. Conan wasn’t very good at comforting someone in pain, he didn’t know what to do or say at the moment. He just knew he had to do something.
“You’re gonna be okay bud, just relax,” Conan said, patting the kid’s hand “how about I sing you a song huh? Get your mind off the pain? Works for me sometimes,”
Conan didn’t know if it would actually work, but the kid nodded in agreement so he had to try. Conan took a deep breath, clearing his throat as he hummed a low tune. His mouth opened as he sang the first song that came to mind.
“Blackbirds singing in the dead of night.. take these broken wings and learn to fly..”
Conan began to sing, his voice flowy and seemed to echo in the room. The song his mother once sang to him coming right out his own mouth. The kid seemed to relax a bit as Conan’s soothing voice continued on.
“All your life.. you were only waiting for this moment to arise..”
Conan sighed as he finished, the healer finally coming back with the tools and ambrosia. The boy was more relaxed now and didn’t seem that nervous anymore, Conan couldn’t believe it actually worked.
“Thank you Conan, I feel better now..” the boy said, a bright smile replacing the once deep frown and teary eyes
“No problem buddy,” Conan chuckled, patting the kid’s head as Chase cleaned the wound
As the healer handed the kid some ambrosia they turned to Conan, pulling down their mask as they commented “You have a really pretty voice Conan,”
“Thanks.. I don’t sing a lot, not really my thing,” Conan said, leaning back in his chair
“Y’know.. you look really similar to this one singer and actor that my parents used to make me watch while I still lived with them, I’m pretty sure her name was Chasity Lee Galanos or something… she was beautiful like you,” Chase said, a compliment disguised as a comparison
“Oh you think I’m pretty now? Careful I might just think you’re hitting on me,” Conan chuckled, before that name hit him… “Chasity.. Lee Galanos?.. you mean the actress who lived in a small town?..”
“Yeah, why y’know her or something?” Chase chuckled, Conan awkwardly chuckled back
“No.. no, I just.. heard of her as well,” Conan replied, awkwardly rubbing his neck “thanks for the compliment, I think she’s pretty beautiful too,”
“You’re welcome.. and I was in fact hitting on you. Hang out sometime?” Chase offered, pulling his mask back up
Conan contemplated for a second, he’s had many try to hit on him after a month of being at Camp Jupiter. Chase was nothing other than one of his many fan boys, but he seemed cute. He was brunette with deep green eyes, and was funny enough Conan wouldn’t get bored fast.
“Sure, I have no plans,” Conan agreed
“It’s a date then, see you tomorrow?” Chase asked, taking off the gloves he just used to clean the boy’s injury
Conan nodded, watching as Chase finished up bandaging the younger camper. Chase soon walked away, leaving Conan sitting there with the boy. The young boy who had just fallen asleep now somehow. Conan sighed, great, now he was bored again.
Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him, tensing up as he wondered who could be trying to sneak up on him. He turned around and only relaxed when he realized it was Octavian.
“Really Tavi? Trying to sneak up on me now?” Conan chuckled, turning around to lean forward against the back of the chair
“Not sneaking, just observing,” Octavian argued, crossing his arms “I heard there was an incident and you had taken charge. Might I say your leadership skills are quite impressive..”
“You flatter me too much, I just felt like I needed to do something and did it,” Conan waved off the compliment but couldn’t hide how much of an ego boost it gave him
“Mmhmm.. and your singing was quite phenomenal as well, didn’t know you were good at that too,” Octavian said, Conan turning red when he realized Octavian heard him sing
“O-oh yeah just.. my mom used to sing for me to calm me down or put me to sleep so I thought it would work,”
“I see.. it really does put people at ease, soothing enough to fall asleep to,” Octavian gestured to the sleeping younger camper making Conan chuckle. Suddenly there was an annoyed look in Octavian’s eyes “and did I hear correctly?… that healer asking you out and you agreed?”
Conan nodded with a hum “yeah, I need a little fun y’know. A little romance in my new life,”
Octavian did not seem very happy to hear that for some reason, scoffing under his breath as he looked away. His shoulders seemed to tense as he grumbled something under his breath that Conan couldn’t hear.
“Okay.. anyways, now that this is taken care of I’m bored, accompany me to the temples will you?” Octavian suggested, more of a demand. Quickly changing the topic from what they had just been discussing before.
“Sure! You know I can’t ever say no to you Tavi,” Conan said, getting up and then following Octavian out of the infirmary.
As they walked out and onto the path to temple hill, Octavian seemed off. He didn’t stand as close to Conan, he barely spoke a word letting Conan do all the talking, didn’t even try to reach out to grab Conan to drag him faster like he usually did. And for some reason… Conan could see this jealous look in the blonde’s eyes, now what can that been all about?