Author's note (3 Aug): MAJOR edit to Blaise and Hector's first text convo! I was really stuck on this one during the rewrite, but I love how it ended up. I'm really enjoying their dynamic hehe

Also, introducing some background on Oliver and Rhea!

No, you’re mixing up fanon and canon. It’s quite early on in the series—Chapter 34, Cephalus seduces and sleeps with the priest Antonius. That’s how he made enemies of the generals, remember? For literally falling into bed with the priests.

Blaise stares disbelievingly at the text on his iPad, the scene in Chapter 34 of Empire of Chains unfolding as Hector Westbrook said. He had been so certain that the generals rebelled because the emperor Cephalus had jilted their leader, General Melampus. He remembers reading it somewhere … in some fanfiction clearly.

bloody hell, you are even more of an empire nerd than i am hahaha

do you read fanfic?

No … the 134 chapters keep me busy enough 😛

you know what fanon is tho im impressed LOL

You come across these terms when you’re one of the chronically online haha

Since you’re an artist, I bet you draw fanart.

Blaise makes a face. Fandom is a space for people to explore, express, understand their sexuality and desires outside of the boundaries of traditional publishing. As much as humans crave love, they chase lust and desire and gratification: is it such a surprise that so much of fandom is unabashedly, thrillingly lewd?

He is not shy about drawing what is essentially porn about his favourite fictional characters, but does he need Hector Westbrook to know that? And if he knows Blaise draws NSFW scenes featuring Cephalus and Nireus, when he remembers that Blaise is a Gigantomakhia fan, how long before he realises Blaise must draw explicit Gigantomakhia fanart too? He would know such art are typically based on the actors, if there are movies.

Hector Westbrook knowing Blaise draws Gigantomakhia porn starring his face would be fucking weird. He shudders.

sometimes

Would love to see some of them sometime

haha maybe

so what else do you read besides empire and neon city?

Well, Gigantomakhia for one 😉

Did you watch any of the movies? I might have been in one or two of them.

Blaise gives a bark of laughter, causing Talon to look up from his station, eyebrows raised. ‘Sorry,’ he says. ‘Funny meme.’

Talon’s stare is disbelieving, but he shrugs and goes back to his drawing. The shop is empty, people on the street outside hurrying their way home, as the evening darkens into night. They are waiting for Cas and Thalia to come over with dinner, so Blaise sits back in his chair, propping his feet up on a stool.

not too lowbrow for mr my-mask-is-an-homage-to-the-ANCIENT-GREEK-way-of-acting?

Wearing masks again might make us actors a lot less vain.

Blaise snorts. nah you lot will find a way

I suspect so haha

But anyway, I have very mainstream tastes. My favourite band is Toxic Remedy.

i know, Blaise types out, pauses and deletes. He knows because he has read an interview with Hector Westbrook, and checked out the band he named on Spotify, and liked the post on Toxic Remedy’s Instagram of them and Hector Westbrook: finally got to meet this fan! Besides the fact that Westbrook’s every single movement is rabidly covered by the press, at which point would it be appropriate to say to a new friend, oh yeah, I saw that post you shared on your Stories. Are you into pottery now?

He sends a smirking emoji instead, and replies to his other message about helping Thalia out with her audition for the Hollow City movie. The books being nearly as popular as Gigantomakhia, this is the role that will propel Thalia into the rarefied echelons of superstardom, and he would need to share his best friend with the world.

Hey, hey, hey, listen to me, LISTEN TO ME, YOU TWAT, you would always have me, all right? I would always be your family. I would always be here for you. Fuck him, fuck him, this is all on him, this is not your fault, all right? Listen to me, none of this is your fault. He did this. This is on that fucking motherfucker. She had crawled into his bed and held him as he sobbed every night for the first months after Rhea died and Oliver broke up with him.

‘Why did you give Hector my number?’

Thalia shrugs. ‘You wanted to give it to him, didn’t you? But he surprised you and you said no because he’s an alpha—not that I’d blame you, of course. Takes time to sort out the good sort from the rotten apples.’ She throws Talon a teasing smile.

‘Besides, you could do with more friends—in real life! Not just online. You never meet any new people anymore, you hermit! Even Cas goes out with his colleagues or uni mates once a while.’

Blaise snorts. ‘And you figure Hector Westbrook could be my friend?’

‘Well …’ she purses her lips, taking a piece of sweet-and-sour pork from Cas’s proffered plate. ‘Westbrook doesn’t have many friends either. Lonely at the top and all that. I’m lucky I have you lot and I still hang out with everyone I met working on the Two Queens, but Westbrook …’

She shrugs again. ‘You hear about his love life, but I get the sense he doesn’t make many friends, even within the industry. You two are such nerds, so I thought you might get along. I'm right, aren't I? Who the hell would recognise your bloody slave number tattoo like he did?’

‘You tell us if he tries any funny business,’ Cas interjects firmly.

Blaise snorts again, rolling his eyes. ‘Pass the beansprouts.’

His personal apprehension about dating alphas aside, the mere idea of Hector bloody Westbrook taking a romantic interest in him is laughable. An alpha like Westbrook, who has been seen with every lissom omega in Hollywood, would not pause to consider an omega like Blaise with his beefy body and barren womb.

An alpha like Westbrook would not settle for anything less than perfection in his omega.

Oh, he is charming, and he knows his nerdy shit, the same nerdy shit Blaise is into: it is fun chatting with him, but Blaise must get under control that thrilled swoop in his belly whenever he receives a new message. How long before Westbrook gets tired of this friendship? He will get busy at work, sorry for the late reply, conversations petering out: the usual fading out Blaise is used to from his online friendships.

Thrasos is a better hero than Achilles, reads Westbrook’s latest text. Fight—Round 1.

It is nearly 11pm now, the flat quiet around him: Cas and Thalia are asleep. Blaise rolls over in bed, bracing himself on his elbows, as he taps out a reply: you are assuming the heroes you play are the only ones worth talking about

Westbrook’s reply comes almost instantaneously.

You’re the fan, you tell me.

A second message bubble blows up: You’re still up—a night owl?

Blaise hesitates, but the piece he is working on is not particularly scandalous, and it would be good to get feedback from a fellow fan … He replies: working on a fanart for an empire fest

The work in progress is Nireus bloodied and bruised, kneeling on the ground and bent double by the weight of his chains, but he gazes up at the viewer, and his eyes are full of rage. It is coloured with bold warm colours in a crayon texture, the strokes almost messy on a dark blue background. This is the fifth damn version, and he finally likes what he has.

Wow.

This is gorgeous, mate! How the hell does someone have this much talent? This is amazing! You’ve captured Nireus’s defiance PERFECTLY. You can really tell his inner struggle—his bloody eyes! You’re amazing.

I need to get a tattoo from you.

Blaise chuckles, warm with pleasure: i cant promise it wont hurt

It’ll be worth it. I can already tell. Your art is brilliant!

You’re worth the pain.

He blinks, bemused.

This is Hector Westbrook, and not Hector Westbrook: how well could one know a man from the written word? Fairly well, yes, but trimmed and filtered and pixelated, and a movie star must wear so many masks.

Smirking, he replies: if youre trying to sweettalk your way into a cheaper tat, its not working. you can surely afford my prices, mr hollywood star.

Blaise, I would pay ten times over for a piece of your art on me.