Origins of Olympus S2 One-Shots

Magnus & Affection

When Magnus was young and little, they learned they didn't like affection. Their companions' parents gave their kids affection a lot: kisses on the knees when they got hurt, head pats when they came home, hands held by friends. But they learned early on that Anubis wasn't that type of parent. Affection of any kind was apparently out of the question, much less anything in the realm of comforting.

Kisses especially were wierd to them. Something reserved for...no one. If even Magnus' parents weren't going to give any to them, then no one else would either. Better to adapt to that early before the loneliness settled in.

When they were just a bit older, they went out into the desert alone. And promptly got lost. Desert navigation stopped working, shut down in the wake of the bullying they could feel inside them.

So they sat in the sand and cried, sniffling into their shirt. After the first hour, they stopped hoping Anubis would show up, but didn't give up on Inpu rescuing them. That they never gave up on.

A god that definitely wasn't their dad heeded and answered their prayer. "There you are!" Inpu slid down a sand dune to their side. "I was looking for you everywhere."

"Inpy!" Without much thought, Magnus threw themselves at Inpu and cowered in his arms. Closing their eyes and focusing only on the fabric pressed against their face, blocking out the sounds of the rushing sand around them and the mocking voices in their head.

And when Inpu hugged them just as tightly and gave them a brotherly kiss on the cheek, they learned that they don't mind those kisses as much.

~~~~~~

When Inpu and Bryan were at the beginning of their relationship, Bryan was even more insistent that Magnus visit him. To spend time with them and to get to know them. Surprisingly. And when the two got engaged, they ran out of excuses.

So Magnus sat on his couch, silently reading one of his books while Bryan lounged next to them and hummed. Occasionally he'd ask a question: about their childhood (after meeting Inpu), what they did in their free time, what their favorites were, if they enjoyed all types of books. They gave one-word answers to most, but he didn't seem to mind. Simply smiling after each one.

It was peaceful. So when an unfamiliar woman appeared in Bryan's front hall asking for his presence, Magnus was annoyed.

Bryan jumped up from the couch to embrace the woman. "Mother! What are you doing here? I wasn't aware you would be visiting."

"Well," the woman, Aphrodite they presumed, said with startling interest, "I heard through the Olympus grapevine that my darling son was engaged?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, clearly teasing but it still struck a few nerves in Magnus' chest. But Bryan merely laughed, embarrassed.

"Yesss, that would be correct. I meant to tell you but I've just been so busy with the planning and-"

"Say no more, I understand. I can only assume this person is up to my standards that he's distracting you enough from speaking to your mother." Aphrodite glanced their way and smiled warmly.

Magnus was immediately on high alert.

"Is this the one?"

Magnus also couldn't help but blanch. No. As much as they loved Bryan, just no.

"Oh! Oh no!" Bryan laughed and took their hand in his, tugging them a bit in front of him as if presenting them to the goddess. "Mother, this is Magnus, child of Anubis and my future sibling-in-law."

When he kissed the back of their hand and Aphrodite gushed over their tunic, Magnus learned they didn't mind hand kisses as much.

~~~~

Magnus' family was growing quickly and they didn't know how to feel about it. Before coming to camp, it was only them, Inpu, and Solis. They stopped considering Anubis family long ago. But now multiple Egyptian demigods were claiming sentimental family ties, a few Greeks trusting them way too much, a Nordic willing to spend as much time as possible with them, and now a brother-in-law that came with a sister.

When the wedding was nearing, Bryan sent Magnus to his sister for something to wear. She could make something for them no problem, he said. Magnus could only hope.

So they sat obediently on a stool in the middle of the girl's room. She looked exhausted and weary, but still smiled warmly, not unlike Aphrodite. Walking around them with a measuring tape and holding up clothing in a variety of colors to their skin.

Too close in their personal bubble, as Cal put it, but Magnus kept still. Somewhat still anyway.

"No bright colors, I'm guessing? White is certainly off the table, but pink, yellow, and pastels all out?" Bri asked, holding a yellow and white shirt that looked too big to be her own up to their arm.

"Yellow is okay," Magnus said quietly. In a bold move, being in front of a stranger alone, they even gestured to the yellow in their tunic.

Bri nodded seriously. "Hmm, I'm great with Greek clothing and I've gotten better with Hawaiian, but Egyptain still evades me. No worries though! I'll make you look great!" She stopped and thought for a moment. "Without making you stand out, of course."

When Bri gave them a quick peck on the crown of their head and went back to measuring, Magnus learned they didn't mind head kisses as much.

~~~

When Nad asked if they wanted to read in the sun with him, they didn't answer. Only picked up a small stack of books from their desk and walked with him outside the pyramid. Sitting side by side for the first few hours until Nad moved to lay on the sandstone with his head next to their lap.

Wordlessly, Magnus would poke him with the edge of a book, a request to switch. And he would comply. The books went back and forth with enough conversation to last a full day. Until the sun set behind the pyramid and Nad carried the books back to their room for them.

While neither brought up the camp's on-going problems. The threats that laid just a few feet away, taunting them both. That could wait until tomorrow.

And when Nad wrapped his arms around their much shorter shoulders to squeeze them tight despite the bags under both their eyes, Magnus learned they didn't mind non-sibling hugs as much either.