scared? | a nico di angelo fanfic

chapter 6: shitty parenting as well

As soon as the door opened, they brandished their weapons and held them high.

She scanned the room, finding it complete with no furniture, just a white room, blinding her after being in a dark room for a while.

Her gaze focused on someone leaning against the wall. He dressed the same as Phobos, but when she met his bloodred eyes, she wasn't shown any fear. This person wore no bandana, showing off messy, dark brown hair.

This person felt more... familiar.

"Deimos," she guessed, keeping her bow up with a frown.

Gods, she hated that guy. She was in Saigon, and she remembered her house that was full of bullet holes; the walls, the ceiling, the cracked windows.

Little Hoa peeked into her mother's room and saw her chatting with a man, who she would later know as Deimos, god of terror.

"Mother?" She called out in Vietnamese, her native language.

She stopped talking with him and looked at Hoa. "Hello, little Flower." She opened her arms out for a hug.

She snapped back to reality when she heard dear old dad speak again.

He winked at her. "Right on the dot, little flower."

Is that all I am to him? Just a measly little flower; ready for him to crush under his boot anytime.

Hoa always hated her name. Flower. Seriously? Couldn't she just be something better than a flower?

Hoa felt her gaze harden as she looked at him. "Do not ever call me that," she warned. She let the arrow fly, hitting an inch away from his ear.

That was personal, and he knew that. That's what her dead mother called her. She unfocused for a second, thinking back about her, but she came back to reality once she realized that was what he was trying to do.

His eyes twinkled with amusement. "You can try to kill me, but you're just a little girl against a god. Keep that in mind."

She nocked another arrow and kept her bow held high, but lowered it when Nico tapped her shoulder.

"He's weak in a fight," he whispered to her. "He relies on his powers primarily. I learned that in Mythomagic."

She paused, considering taking him on, but was more worried about what tricks he may pull. Instead, she decided to focus on talking. "Why did you want to talk to me?" she said, her tone angry.

He raised his eyebrows. "So I need an excuse to see my dear daughter?"

"You could've seen me when I was in the Vietnam War. You could've seen me when my mom, Chim, died. You could've seen me when you claimed me. You could've visited me in my dreams and actually showed that you cared," she gritted out, "So what do you want from me?"

"It's against Ancient Law for me to show favoritism."

"I AM YOUR ONLY CHILD!"

She let her arrow fly, right between his legs, an inch away from his crotch, As quick as light, she managed to nock and shoot another one, this one even closer.

Nico grabbed her hand to try and restrain her from shooting any more arrows. She glanced at him and met his eyes, his chocolatey orbs of brown trying to calm her down.

Why? She asked through her eyes.

He shook his head. Not worth it.

Hoa smiled at him and lowered her bow, hardening her gaze as she looked back at Deimos.