Two years went by. Two years of sorrow. Some days were happy. They were rare, but they did happen. On those days, Hades left for work. Bianca and Nico were alone, alone to play and do whatever they wanted.

The main game they played was marbles. Nico's set was given to him by his mother the day they left for America. She'd teach him to play, she promised. He'd love it. But in the end, it was Bianca that taught him to play. It was Bianca that did everything his mother was supposed to.

"Nico, Nico." Bianca ran upstairs as soon as her father had left. "I call going first!"

Nico, who had been stuck in his room until Hades left, wedged open his door to let his sister in. "Did you bring food?" At six years old, he was too skinny, was too tiny. He shouldn't have been on the diet Hades forced him on.

Bianca set the bread and cheese on the ground beside the marbles. "Hurry up and eat incase he comes back. We didn't have any milk to bring..."

Nico pounced on the food, not worried about the lack of milk. He ate with his hands, made sure to eat every last scrap. Once his fingers were cleaned off and nothing remained of what she had brought, he looked up to fully register that his sister was still there. "Time to play?"

Bianca nodded. "If you want to."

"I do, I want to, I do." Nico began to set up the marbles. "You smell nice."

"Dad got me perfume." Bianca beamed. "He said I'm a big girl, now."

Nico frowned. "You stink."

"You just said I smelled nice."

"I was being nice." Nico looked to her. "The game is ready. Sit down."

Bianca sat across from him, coughing into her sleeve. "Your turn."

"Are you okay?" he eyed her closely. "You...you coughed."

"I'm okay," Bianca promised. "Just sick."

Nico's eyes watered. "Like momma was?"

Bianca shook her head quickly. "Nope. Just a cold. I promise." She took her turn but began to cough again halfway through.

"Bianca!" Nico grabbed her arm. "You're sick! Something's wrong!"

Bianca pushed him away. "I'm fine!"

"You have blood on your lips!" Nico started to sob. "Like momma! Momma had blood on her lips, too!"

Bianca threw a marble across the room. "I'm done playing!"

Nico tried to grab onto her, tried to keep her in his room, but she was too strong for him. She left the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Nico alone. All alone, with no one there.