𝙵𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 (Under Heavy Editing)

𝙳.𝙰.𝚁.𝙴

Nico's POV

The next two weeks flew by with Red Hood still popping in occasionally to just talk and hang out. I feel as if I had become closer to them in a way... But that is probably because I ended up figuring out that they were 'Jason' from the store.

The last I spoke over the phone to Leo was, I would say seven days ago at this point. The reason is something about camp games or rather bonding time or some other bullshit like that.

I also made a point to leave the house more. Walking around, talking to Jason at work and all in all getting back into the groove of living.

I had made the occasional trips to the local cemetery and I even started cleaning up the graves there. Albeit in the middle of the night to avoid anyone assuming I was messing with the graves but they did look to be in better shape now.

Today though I felt run down. I didn't get out of bed until around late afternoon and all I did was use the bathroom before heading back to sleep. I felt numb and I couldn't escape the fleeting nightmare that kept escaping my memory every time I awoke from my slumber.

Vaguely a white light would surround me and my skin would turn boiling hot as the feeling of someone gripping me in a tight embrace took over.

I would always wake up before anything else happened to me, but that's fine because, in the end, I assumed that I die anyway.

As I opened my eyes I felt my hand grip the neck of the old bottle of whiskey I had found a few weeks ago.

I decided there was no harm and sat up throwing the covers off before flicking off the cap of the bottle and sighing slightly.

Is this what I have turned to for thrills? I wondered as I took a gulp of the pungent-smelling liquid.

It burned as it slid down my throat and I don't quite remember much else that happened before I gained consciousness again as I rubbed my hands down my covered arms.

I was bearly through the bottle but I assumed it was hitting me so fast because of my empty stomach.

My naturally cold frame jumped out at me and gripped my hands as the sound of heavy footfall came from outside in the hall. The door of the small apartment was kicked in but I barely jumped as I continued to stare blankly at the wall in front of me.

I knew who it was. The odour was permeating through the enclosed space as the handle of 'my bedroom' was grasped and pushed open forcefully.

"Nico? What are you doing down here...?" Red Hood inquired as he assessed if I was hurt or not before quickly adding, "Have you been drinking?"

"Normal people start with a hello." I chuckled as I turned at faced them and held out the bottle for them to take.

I didn't want to wreck myself completely.

I gave up on trying to force my eyes open once I realised my attempts were futile. We ended up just keeping the same awkward atmosphere until my drunken ass decided I had enough.

"I feel so drained..." I mumbled as a yawn slipped out, "I'm so tired."

"Nico you shouldn't have been drinking! Have you had anything to eat or drink?" Exclaimed Red Hood before their mother-hen mentality kicked in.

I narrowed my eyes at them and mumbled, "I snicker in the face of adversity."

In my mind, I was not making any sense as anything Red Hood asked I responded with some wack-out-of-water statement.

I remember laughing loudly after claiming that I was 'friends with death itself'.

I am entirely grateful that Red Hood blamed this particular outburst on me being deliriously drunk.

However, I was not grateful for the sudden pain I felt splinter in the back of my head as a voice spoke to me,

Son of Hades. I, Hermes, am delivering you a message from Zeus himself. Your presence is requested at Olympus tomorrow. There you will be briefed on everything you must know. Now brace yourself you are in for a rough morning.

"What the fuuuu- Ow!" I began before I was cut off by a not-so-subtle pain in the back of my head. I slammed my eyes shut as my whole body felt as if I had been struck by lightning, in a bad way.

I opened my eyes and let out a string of curses while Red Hood looked on in concern now holding a glass of water that I honestly don't know where he got from.

He asked me something but I couldn't hear anything as a flash of light that once invaded my vision faded away.

I gritted out something vaguely resembling a slurry 'I'm fine'.

He helped me bring the glass to my lips and take a few careful sips before my stomach started to churn slightly. I pushed his hand away and smiled sheepishly at them shrinking slightly.

I could see their eyes on my slightly exposed wrist and I made a point to push my sleeve down further and redirect his attention to my face.

"So what brings you to my humble... broken down abode?"

They shook their head and stood up placing the cup on my rickety nightstand and crossed their arms over their chest.

"Have you been eating correctly?" They asked out of nowhere.

I didn't even have time to answer before Red Hood continued to press. 

"And I mean like a real meal."

My mouth hung open as he continued to list off his stipulations on what counted as the 'last meal' I had. 

"-homecooked, all five food groups."

I tried to rack my brain for something to stop his tirade but I couldn't I was going to make something up before he added. 

"And don't even try to lie to me."

Fuck.

I mumbled out a few words as I shrunk down and put my head on my pillow. 

"What was that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

Well, I can't see his face with his helmet and all but that is what I imagine him doing. Ahhh, stupid ADHD, I thought as I realised I had been quiet for too long.

It was probably at camp though I only ate very little and not much before I would suffer from a type of anxiety attack. 

"A month, maybe longer," I said quietly. 

I looked over at him only to be met with a blank look. That was because of his helmet, under it I assume he was either ready to kill someone... or to kill me.

I heard him sigh and then say, "Nico that is not healthy. You should eat more and go outside."

Yea, they were going to kill me. 

I shrugged my shoulders and closed my eyes again, "It's not healthy to run around in a helmet and participate in gunfights either. 

"Touché," He mumbled before pulling up a chair and sitting down next to me as I settled in for a night of restless sleep. 

I was ready to embrace the angel once again. 

[Edited: 07/07/2023]