AN: I got ahead in my planning schedule, so here's a bonus update! Thanks for reading!


I've mentioned Hazel before, right? As I'm flipping back, I can see that, yes, I have. That's a good segue I guess, but I've never been one for smooth transitions.

I'm pretty sure that Hazel and Frank have a thing going on.

Now I know that I've been a little distracted and a little dead lately, but there is definitely something there. And, as she's kind of my younger sister, I have a few problems with it.

For starters, she's thirteen years old. Frank is sixteen. That's too big of a gap, and Frank is much older and more experienced than her. I know that later on down the road, the age difference won't seem as drastic, but in terms of demigods and their ages, Frank is way too old for her, considering he's at the prime age for dying.

He's also got this baby face thing going on. There's no way that he looks sixteen, and while he's a big guy, I don't really see him as that tough. The young face definitely doesn't help him there. I just don't think that he's suitable for her. And it's not because I regard him as something else. That's not it at all.

I just don't want her to get hurt.

...

Hazel is amazing. She's sweet, stubborn, and more selfless than I could ever be. When I found her roaming the fields in the Underworld, part of me couldn't just leave her there. Granted, I did pull her out partially for my own selfish intentions, but that's not all of it. Well, I don't really have a clear understanding of what exactly made me stop that day.

Now that she's been alive for a while, I've gotten to know her better than I usually do with other people. Because of that, I can talk to her a little more than I can with anyone else. She does tend to be a little touchy for me, but she knows about my aversion to contact and doesn't push it too much. Sometimes, though, when I don't want to rain on her parade by telling her to knock it off, I'll let her give me a hug. She's just so happy about it, which easily makes her the greatest half-sister a guy could ask for.

I don't want Frank to take her away by dragging her into danger or anything.

I just can't go through that. Not again, anyway.

It was bad enough when that green-eyed monster couldn't save her and didn't protect her like I had asked him to. If he'd protected her better like he said he would, then maybe I wouldn't have become what I am.

...

I keep telling myself that I'm over it because it all happened years ago, but I don't know how easily you can just get over the death of someone you grew up knowing your entire life. Someone who took care of you when you were alone in that stupid casino.

It seemed like I wouldn't need anyone else because she was always there. We made it through those long years frozen in time, and we sort of made it through that stupid military school. At least, until they showed up and thought we needed rescuing.

Then again, we both would probably be dead if we hadn't been rescued. I shouldn't say such things, but I've always wondered if it would have been better for us both to have died that day than for me to live without her.

...

I don't know if I'm projecting guilt upon myself or not, but I have a feeling that Bianca wouldn't have wanted both of us to die that day. If we had, then I wouldn't have met Hazel.

Or the Sun god's son, I guess.

Even with my drastic lateness on the "Hazel and Frank" feelings train, I'll need to get over Frank's presence in her life. Just like I need to accept my sister's death. I want Hazel to be happy just like Bianca would want me to be happy, too. And for a lot of my life, I haven't been. Right now, it's not so bad, but there have definitely been some bad moments.

Happiness is so hard to find, though. It might have something to do with the fact that death is so prominent in my life.

Well, there's a really small ray of sunshine too, which is kind of ironic. But it probably won't last, like most of the things in my life.

Before I ruin this moment for myself, I should probably wrap this up. Better breathe a small sigh of relief before reality comes crashing back in.

-Nico