When Worlds Collide

128) I LIVE!!!!!

Nico hesitantly stood outside of the dining room. It was bustling with laughter and chatting, muffled by the closed door in front of him. He had told the others not to cancel the weekly Wayne Family get together, but at the last minute he pulled out. He had wanted to be a part of it, but he had a bad day. He had been doing better, but he woke up that day with a feeling of doom he couldn't shake. He tried to hide it, but Bruce had spoken to him about it and offered to tell them not to come, but Nico told him that he didn't want them canceling for him.

Of course it turned into a whole lecture about valuing his mental health over plans that were made with people who would completely understand (which Nico appreciated, but it wasn't what he wanted to hear). Nico basically ended up arguing with Bruce until the man finally gave in, the younger stating that he wanted normalcy, even if he wouldn't be participating in it.

By the time the dinner had come, Nico had narrowly avoided Damian sitting out with him since Kate had been trying to corner the youngest to talk about his relationship with Jon. The demigod told Damian that it was better to bite the bullet than keep avoiding it since she was more than willing to ambush him at school or on patrol.

Once Nico was finally alone again, that was when the feeling really took over. It was like a thrum underneath his skin that was screaming about him not being safe. It was doom and fear and everything he had felt while in holding, except it was more because this time he wasn't medicated out of his senses. His instincts were sharper, as if he was in battle, but the room was silent. There was no monster or villain to fight, it was only him.

Will and Kay had warned him that it was a possible after effect of the tests that were run on him. Luthor had been studying a demigods biological reaction to being in survival mode, and though the medication dulled the effects on his mind, the prolonged stress of his environment might cause his body to seemingly randomly believe it was in danger despite there being no actual danger.

But it felt so real. It felt like the moment before an attack, and yet there was never an attack. It was the anticipation of violence, and yet no violence. It was the calm before the storm, but the storm was just the silence of his room. The feeling just grew and grew, like it was building up for something that would never even come.

Nico never thought he would miss being attacked so much.

And so he left his room. The silence had become too loud and his eyes anxiously scanning the same surfaces over and over again, begging to see something that was wrong, was doing nothing but making the feeling worse.

And so there he was, staring at the door to the dining room like a kid who was sent to bed during a dinner party— wishing he could be a part of it, yet unable to open the door.

"Master Nico," A voice said from behind him, causing him to jump.

"Alfred," Nico said, staring at the man with wide eyes. "I didn't... I thought you would be in there with everyone."

The man just smiled at him lightly. "I had a feeling I would find you here. Will you be joining everyone?"

Nico looked at him for a long moment, hearing another burst of laughter from inside the dining room as he shook his head. "No. I just... I couldn't be in my room."

Alfred hummed, an understanding look crossing over his face. "Would you like to join me in the kitchen?"

Nico hesitated momentarily before nodding. The man just smiled down at him and led the way. When they had arrived, nearly everything was complete.

"Would you mind dressing the salad while I pull these out of the oven?" Alfred asked as he began pulling the trays of rolls out.

Nico dutifully went over to the large bowl full of salad and poured in the dressing before using the wooden serving sticks to mix it. He heard Alfred moving around trays behind him, but his brain still felt electric with anxiety. Every sound was so clear, and yet he couldn't focus on any of them, so he forced himself to just look at the salad as he tossed it. It was all he could do at the moment.