Hazel was a daughter of Pluto, the god of the underworld. That would be enough to send anyone running. Of course, there was the whole being able to make diamonds appear thing, but now she could control the underground, find tunnels and know where they led, oh, and don't forget being able to sense death.

These were all apparently 'normal' things for a child of Pluto. But Hazel found it all so… repulsing. Why was she stuck with the parental god that everyone feared, everyone disliked. She was placed in the fifth cohort for gods' sake.

Hazel always struggled to make friends. Back in New Orleans, Sammy had been her only friend. The other kids teased her and made fun of her, and they didn't even know who her father was. Now all the demigods of the twelfth legion had a very valid reason to dislike her. And to be honest, there were times she didn't like herself either.

But the thing that surprised her the most was how one person didn't even give her lineage a second thought. They weren't scared of her. They didn't ignore her or make fun of her.

Frank.

When he arrived, he was promptly placed in the fifth cohort as well. During his first dinner there, he saw Hazel sitting by herself and, for some reason, decided to join her. For the past couple of months, they had grown closer. This was foreign territory for Hazel, and this time she couldn't scope out the tunnels through it.

—-

Hazel was sitting outside the barracks, staring out at the Field of Mars. Her head was somewhere else, which was likely how she missed someone walking up to her.

"Hey, Hazel," Frank called as he came to sit next to her. "Are you alright? You've been kind of… quiet… lately."

"I'm fine," came Hazel's distant reply.

"Are you sure?" Frank scooted a little closer. "You can tell what's up, y'know."

Hazel continued to stare out into the distance. She didn't want company. She wanted to be alone. Sharing her thoughts would only cause her burden on Frank. She didn't want that to happen to one of the only people who had ever been nice to her.

"Hazel," Frank prodded. "Come on. Talk to me."

Hazel finally looked at him. His eyes were pleading, and something about that wore her down.

"Why are you nice to me?" Her voice was small and quiet, almost embarrassed.

"Do I need a reason?" Frank looked confused.

"I am literally the daughter of Pluto," she said as if she didn't need to explain any further.

Frank turned to face her slowly. "So? You can't control that?"

"But-but… Pluto!"

He reached over to her and placed his hand on top of hers. "That doesn't matter to me," he said obviously. "You're a good person, Hazel. You are nice to me too. I'm not exactly the most popular either. You make me feel like…like I can be myself around you. Why shouldn't I do the same to you?"

Hazel looked back out to the field of Mars. Contemplating what she had been told. When she looked back at Frank, he was smiling at her.

"You're probably the best friend I have ever had," he said quietly.

With that, Hazel pulled him into a hug. She pressed her nose into the crook of his neck and gripped him tightly. He returned the hug after overcoming shock. "You're probably the best friend I've ever had too," she mumbled.

When she pulled away, she placed a kiss on his cheek, which left him with a slight pink tinge on his cheeks.

The sun was beginning to set and dinner would be soon, so they decided to walk down to the dining hall together. Hazel even mustered up the courage to hold Frank's hand.

As they sat down in their seats, they smiled at each other. Hazel, in that moment, forgot all about the whole 'Pluto's my dad' thing and enjoyed the meal with her friend. Her best friend. And maybe someday, they could be something more…