OoO Oneshots

Smile For Me? Please?

AN: Compliant with the whole Michael dies ending... Sort of but not compliant with Ritchie having kids afterward.

Michael sighed as he watched the camp, particularly Austin and Ritchie. When he had sacrificed himself in the cave of Erebus, he had expected to end up in the underworld but apparently that wasn't the case. Instead, he had been left in a state which left him invisible to others, only able to watch that of which happens to others.

Honestly, it broke his heart to live like this. Not only did he have to deal with his own pain of not being able to interact with the living, but he also had to watch the mourning of his fellow demigods from his passing. Ritchie and Austin's was especially bad and he wished with his entire soul that he could hug the two.

But that couldn't happen.

And so he watched. He watched as everyone started to move on from what had happened with the Titans, slowly getting back into the rhythm of life. Even Austin had started to park up with the help of Bri... Though he couldn't say the same for Ritchie. The son of Hermes was taking it particularly hard. 

Michael couldn't even begin to count the number of times he had seen Ritchie crying in his bed because of what had happened. 

He just wished he could interact with him. To comfort him. To tell him that everything was alright... to tell him that he was still here. If only in spirit. But he couldn't. He had tried everything. But he couldn't even interact with objects to try and get a message across, he just passed through... everything. He just wished that someone could see him!

Little did he know, he may get his wish soon. 

Michael was keeping an eye on Austin and Ritchie as they trained one day when a familiar demigod came walking up, one that hadn't been in camp for a while due to trying to keep the titans at bay (though he had luckily gotten a break due to Hades stepping in just to give his son a break to visit his friends). 

"Hey Xylo!" Austin scrambled over to hug the other as the two had made up a couple of weeks after the ball and were considering each other brothers for now. 

"Hey Austin, Ritchie, how are you-" Xylo suddenly froze stiff in the middle of his sentence. 

"Xylo?" Austin asked in confusion/concern even as Michael froze as he realized that the demigod was staring directly at him. 

"Xylo, what's wrong?" Ritchie asked but Xylo didn't respond, instead, he walked forward so that he could stand in front of Michael who could only stare back at him before he asked in a quiet voice. "C-can you really see me?"

Xylo could only nod making Michael nearly burst into tears. Neither said anything for a moment before Xylo asked. "How long have you been like this?"

"Since I died in the Cave of Erebus..." Michael admitted even as Ritchie asked. "How long has who been like what, Xylo? You're not making sense!"

Xylo ignored Ritchie as he asked. "But why? Shouldn't you have gone to Elysium? Or at least the Fields of Asphodel?"

"Wait for what?" Austin and Ritchie asked as they finally realized he was talking to a spirit. 

"I don't know, I've just been stuck like this, so I've been keeping an eye on them." Michael nodded towards Austin and Ritchie. 

"I can understand... would you like me to escort you to the Underworld?" Xylo asked gently and Michael frowned. He looked over at Austin and Ritchie before looking back at Xylo and asking. "... Can you tell them something for me first?"

"Of course." Xylo nodded even as Austin and Ritchie just looked at him curiously, to which he told them. "The spirit has agreed to go but he wants to tell you two something first." The two looked confused but they nodded. 

"Tell Austin... I miss him and I know he misses me too but he has his Dada bear and that's all he really needs, and if he misses me too much, just make some tea." Austin and Ritchie both started as Xylo translated the Dada Bear part as they realized who exactly the spirit was and started tearing up, Ritchie especially. 

"As for Ritchie, tell him... stop beating yourself up over what happened, it was my choice. One that I'd gladly make again if it came down to it. I know its hard, I've seen you crying enough to know it has been, but I can reassure you, I'm fine. And I need you to be fine for everyone else. So give me a smile, you stubborn son of Hermes, I love you, even more, when you're happy." While Xylo raised an eyebrow at the 'I love you' part, Michael just nodded basically telling him to just do it. 

Ritchie was crying even more now making Austin hug him even as Michael walked over to give him a ghostly hug. Then Michael backed away to stand beside Xylo even as he said quietly. "Thank you for that."

Xylo could only nod before he asked. "Anything else you want to tell them?"

Michael looked back over at the two who were looked at Xylo expectedly even as tears ran down their cheeks. 

"Can you ask them to smile for me, please? Just one last time?" Xylo nodded sadly and translated this for them. Austin and Ritchie both took a moment before they both let a small smile show. 

"Thank you..." Michael smiled at their smiles, however faint they may be even as he turned and said. "You can escort me now."

Xylo nodded and after telling the two he would be back, he escorted Michael to Elysium, the son of Athena's business finally done.