scared? | a nico di angelo fanfic

chapter 26: amends

She stared at the stony corridor of the maze.

Nico decided to start heading back to camp, promising her that he'd changed his view about the war. Now, he decided that the war was worth fighting, which made Hoa incredibly happy.

They were sitting down now, preparing themselves for the days of travel. They didn't wander far from the house, only going far enough to where they wouldn't be found easily. Once Nico found a spot satisfying enough for him, he immediately forced Hoa to rest, saying, "it's not healthy for you to stay up this late. Let me take first watch."

"Can I take second watch?"

"There won't be a second watch."

"Nico di Angelo."

"Hoa Pham."

She threw her arms up, giving up. Her back hit the ground and she was out like a light.

~•~•~

"Hello, daughter."

She found herself in the jungle again, the faint sounds of soldiers shooting guns in the distance. In front of her was a man with familiar red eyes.

"Deimos," she sneered. "What do you want from me."

"I don't want anything," he replied simply.

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "Since when did you not want something? You're a deceitful, stupid, greedy—"

"I want to be on better terms with you."

That caught her off guard. "What?"

This was unusual. It wasn't every day where a god actually wanted to be on better terms with their child.

It was literally never.

"As I said before, the Ancient Law prevents me showing the amount of affection I want to show to my children. But it doesn't prohibit me from making amends."

"Amends? Why do you need to make amends?"

"You're dying soon, Hoa. And I can't stand sitting by and watching my daughter die."

She froze. "You can't be—"

"As much as I wish I was joking right now, I'm not."

"Deimos, if you're going to 'make amends' with me, there are a lot of things you need to hear first."

"So be it." The god of terror stepped closer, spreading his arms out for a hug.

A hug? Why would he want a hug?

Hoa stared incredulously at his outstretched limbs. There is no way he's serious.

"First of all," she started, "you were a terrible father."

His eyes burned red in fury and he opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

Hmm, she thought. Total switch from the Deimos I met before.

"You neglected me. Even though it happened to many other demigods, you had the choice to interfere a little bit, yet I was alive for a war and am technically supposed to already be dead from old age. You claimed me and proceeded to refuse to acknowledge that I ever existed. And the moment we met, you decided to fight me because apparently, I'm not strong and I can't win in a duel because I'm a woman."