The Blacksmith

XXIII

۵𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘻𝘦۵

Ace, Deuce and Grim have all noticed something off with [name]. They haven't been the same sense winter break. School had started once more, not allowing the three to talk to their friend.

Grim was happily chatting with the two as the demigod held him gently. The four were walking through Main Street, heading to class.

There was still snow on the ground, [name] looked at it as they walked. They shifted uncomfortably as blurry memories played in their head.

It was an odd thing. During winter break, more specifically, during Jamil's overblot, the half-blood remembered more of what happened before they came here. The memories still foggy and blurry, but they gave a sense of comfort yet also a sense of unease and dread.

They knew who they had to talk to, even if that person scared them. Their eyes looked at the Hades statue as they walked pasted it.
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[name] was sleeping at the lunch table, arms folded and being used as makeshift pillows for their head.

The other three let them rest but not without looking at the sleeping demigod with concern in their eyes.

Noise filled the lunchroom, it was loud as boys had to keep raising their voices to be heard over the others. Despite this, Ace, Deuce, and Grim were talking quietly, wanting to help even a little with the noise for [name].
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"SDC?" The half-blood asks the two.

"Its for Song and Dance Competition," Ace leans on the wall, looking at [name] whose on the couch.

"And you guys want to audition for it?"

"Yup," he nods and goes to sit down next to them. "If the school wins, money's promised," Ace has a smirk on his face.

"You guys have fun with that," [name] chuckles lightly. "I'll support you guys."

Before Ace could say anything else, the door the to dorm opened. Deuce walked in with a bag and Grim sitting on his shoulder.

"We're back," he yells juts a bit to make sure the two could here him.

Walking into the lounge he sets the bag down and takes out a container of medicine.

"Mr. Sam said this should help. Not exactly sure what it is but give it a try," he hands the small container to them.

"Thanks Deuce, I can pay-"

"I'm not taking your money, plus Mr. Sam was oddly keen on giving it for free when I mentioned it was for you."

Letting out a sigh and dramatically leaning back on the couch, [name] doesn't put up fight knowing that Deuce would give them a 'mom look' until they accepted that they aren't paying him back.

"Ace just told me y'all are going to audition for the dance thing coming up," they say as Grim hops onto their lap.

"Yeah, that's the plan."

"And I was just saying that I can help, my ma made me take dance classes."
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Everyday after that [name] watched the video and helped the three with the dance. [name] wasn't really into it but it was nice to do something with their friends.

"You guys suck," they comment with a straight face.

"Like you could do any better, you're just sitting there and tossing that ball up and down," Ace scoffs.

"One, I offered to help but y'all didn't want it," they cross their arms. "and two, leave my ball alone I made it last night."

Ace gave [name] a weird look but decided against asking. Instead, he rolled his eyes and went back to his phone to play the video of the dance once more.

A familiar voice comes from the phone, causing [name] to groan in annoyance.

"I swear if I hear that same ad one more time I'm going to die."

"It's not that bad," Deuce laughs a little. "Plus it has that famous kid in it."

"Oh yeah, isn't his name Neige LeBlanche?" Ace tilts his head.

"Who now?"

That was the day [name] found out that they weren't a fan of the cute kind celebrity names Neige LeBlanche.
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"That was...better..." [name] tried to sound encouraging as they spoke.

Apparently, they didn't sound encouraging enough as both Deuce and Ace let out a frustrated groan.

"Sounds like you guys are having in here!" An enthusiastic voice calls out with a laugh. "Are you guys also practicing for SDC?"

Looking to where the voice was coming from, [name] sees Kalim and Jamil. Quickly looking away, the demigod starts fidgeting with their sleeves.

The incident was a while ago, but they couldn't help still feel anxious when they see the two, after all being trapped in Scariba wasn't all that pleasant.

The five started talking about SDC, [name] only caught a little bit of the conversation, not fully listening to it.
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Sighing, [name] walked around Main Street. They would have been with the three but they didn't feel comfortable with staying in the room while Jamil was there.

And the half-blood didn't want to be selfish and not let Jamil and Kalim help the others, especially when this seems important to them.

Besides they had something they needed to do.

Walking up to the Hades statue, they stare at it. They don't say anything, just stare at the lifeless statue.

It wasn't fair, [name] knew that. They knew well. But they couldn't help but feel like they deserved this, what have they done for the camp, what was their role during the war?

Questions that they knew were never going to be answered but couldn't help but ask anyways.

Questions that made them angry and frustrated because they had no choice but keep hearing them repeatedly in their head.

Questions that maybe only the gods have answers to.

Questions that make them feel as if they truly deserved to be taken away from what they knew and placed into a world where they have no choice but to help others even if they harm them.

Trapped, suffering, suffocating, dying. Nothing more and nothing less. After all, [name]'s life is in the hand of the fates.
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Ramshackle felt cold, it was cold, but that wasn't anything new. Ghost lived in the walls, making the chill of house more intense than it should be.

Even with that, [name] never felt cold in the dorm.

They shouldn't have felt the cold.

Yet they did that night when the flame from their fathers alter burned out right after they placed the food in.

Ramshackle never felt colder.
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