An AU-ish oneshot
He didn't expect a girl like her.
And most especially, he didn't expect that this mission will be the end of his world.
Or so he thought.
He's been doing his job for a century now. He's like, Death Number Two and the errand boy of the Underworld for the past hundred years. At times it gets really annoying when smart-alecky people go all, "Thanatos? Is that you?" whenever he shows up in front of them. Does he look like a handsome, dark-skinned man in a fancy dark cloak with enormous black wings? Does he carry a black smartphone that has the list of dead people? Uh, no. As far as he knew, he was a lanky. . .what should he call himself? A boy? A spirit? An entity with inhumanly good looks?
Ah, whatever. As long as he knows he was a demigod. Anyway, as far as he knew, he looked like a lanky ex-demigod with dark hair, dark eyes, and pallid complexion. That's it. And he's wearing all black clothes, and he's carrying with him a Stygian sword. Geesh.
Also, it wasn't his fault that last time he got the wrong person! They were very identical twins, and it was hard to tell them apart! They even wore the same clothes!
He apologized over and over, but Hades was playing deaf with him. With a sly smile, the only thing he said was, "You'll see. You'll learn to do your job right."
Now, Nico didn't know what that meant. His father snapped his fingers, and he appeared right here. He had been watching this girl for about two hours since he landed face-first on her neat floor.
"Hello? Jason?" the girl let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you picked up. How are you? I was really worried!"
Nico just rolled his eyes as he watched the girl. So this girl was going to die this morning, something like getting hit by a bus on her way to school. It was already midnight, so she doesn't have much time.
"It's really late, Reyna," a grainy male voice replied from the phone. "You should get some sleep."
The girl—— Reyna —— yawned as she shifted in her seat. "Ah, no. I just. . .suddenly woke up. And I thought of you so I called. Is your foot doing okay now?"
"I'm fine, really." The Jason boy chuckled in a way that felt emptier than a dried-up skull. "I should be walking good tomorrow."
Reyna tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "I hope you would. Anyway. . .I was just calling to check on you. I'm really hoping you'll be well tomorrow." She closed her eyes. "Good night."
The phone went off, and Reyna just sighed.
Nico snorted. "What a jerk. Why do girls go for jerks?"
Thankfully, humans can neither see nor hear him. He could make as many snide comments on them before they die.
A great example was this current situation.
Reyna slumped back again into her bed, staring at the ceiling and brooding. She raised her left hand, intently studying the silver ring on her finger.
Meanwhile, Nico stood in the shadows, trying his very best to shadow-travel away.
"I've been standing here for a long time now," he muttered, then he stomped his feet in frustration. "Why can't I get out of here!"
Reyna bolted upright as soon as she heard a loud, stomping sound. She frowned at the dark corner of her room.
He swallowed, his fingers raking through his hair in frustration and alarm. "That wasn't supposed to happen. And I should be out of here, either!"
Heck. . .what on earth was happening? No matter how much he concentrated until his eyes crossed, he still couldn't bend the shadows to his will. And that stomping. . .no one should've heard that. Even if this Reyna person was also a demigod. . .no. It must be because she was on the brink of death. That might be it. But she's got about eight more hours before she died.
A terrible, cold feeling fell upon the two people inside the room. Nasty and absurd realizations crossed their minds as well.
Reyna's heart was racing. It was a stupid idea; could there possible be a ghost——or worse, a creep hiding all along in that dark corner of her room? Nonsense! She still did her homework at her desk, which was located in the unlit corner. There's no way she wasn't alone in this room. She locked the door and the windows. So why does she have this eerie feeling that somebody else is here with her, watching?
Nico's body went cold all over. It wasn't exactly warm before, either. Was it just him, or is his pale skin darkening into his olive complexion? He should be careful not to make any noises, that he knew. Desperation and fear started gnawing at his gut. No. This couldn't be it. Hades would never do this to him. But hey, news flash, this was happening to him.
She cleared her throat. She put on her best poker-face, while pulling something out from under her bed. "Show yourself."
The thought of him being turned to mortal again, of having a physical, awfully bulky body made him angry at his dad. Not like, I-will-tear-you-to-pieces angry, but the if-that's-how-you-play angry.
Reyna sat up, careful not to make so much noise of panic. Heck, she was panicking. Her heart was pounding in her ears.
"Oh, Rina, or whoever you are. I'll have lots of fun with you tomorrow." Nico whispered with a smirk he had never pulled off before, so he wasn't quite sure if it looked menacing.
With that, Nico finally disappeared into the shadows. And Reyna's ammunition, her sneaker, flew with deadly accuracy to the spot where he once stood.
=*=*=
I beg for your forgiveness for not updating for so, so, so long. I have been busy with, er, watching a very beautiful show called Slamdunk. Also, I was worrying about going back to freaking school.
Did you like it? Sorry if it's a bit of a cliffhanger, although you mustn't worry for there will be a part two. Honestly, I am enjoying myself with these AUs.
Your potato of an author,
Mrs. Sendoh
P.S. By the way, the GIF above is from Slamdunk. Cute, right?
