Jeff searched through his pockets, accidentally cutting his finger on his knife's edge in his hurry. Despite the pain, he continued his search until he finally found the drachma he had been looking for. Excitedly, he ran towards the nearest body of water and tossed the coin into it, hoping the gods would come to his aid.
As he watched the water splash, he muttered a prayer to Lady Iris, asking her to help him find The Slenderman. Suddenly, The Slenderman appeared briefly amid the splash, and Jeff's mental link allowed him to summon the entity. Jeff found a spot to wait for The Slenderman, sitting on a fallen log in the underbrush near the outskirts of town. The Slenderman would come to him, then arrive with Ben and Nico, and they would all return to the mansion unharmed.Hopefully...
"We f-"
"I know, child. I'll collect Ben and Nico. I've already informed Nico's father of his condition."
Jeff sighed and braced his forehead against his knees, digging the balls of his feet into the earth beneath him.
"And?"
"He's furious but unsurprised. Despite his changing form, his ideals have remained the same. What matters, is the prosperity of his children."
The lingering entity hovered by Jeff's side for a moment, making him slightly uncomfortable before he vanished, apparently to wherever Ben and Nico were. Jeff fiddled with his phone, trying to distract himself from the sickening emotions within his stomach. He felt like he was going to puke, either from the leftover residue or the Slenderman or from his anxiety he wasn't sure. Silently, he waited.
Jeff jolted awake by the wave ofnauseathat overwhelmed him, lashless eyes turning to glare at the looming Slenderman, Ben by his side and holding a small form. He heard the soft mutters before he heard it, the hoarse voice not entirely registering in his mind as Nico's voice.
"Can we go out tonight? I want to have some fun with you and Jeff. " The ghostly boy looked exhausted, his red eyes flaring dangerously but portraying his fondness for the half-asleep demigod nonetheless. He was tired, yet restless to prowl freely in the shadows again.
"Sure buddy, we can kill whoever you want. Let's just go home, yeah?" Jeff got off of the fallen log, stretching his arms out above his head and jumping slightly when the Slenderman's hand fell on his shoulder, the world vanishing before his very eyes before reforming in the visage of the home they'd all become so familiar with. They felt at ease once they were back in the Slenderman's walls, a tall decrepit mansion that existed in the spaces between the dimensional plains.
"I'm tired Jeff..." Nico murmured as he reached out for the pale killer's hand, the small group walking further into the house. The Slenderman split apart from them, vanishing and seemingly returning to whatever business it was conducting before coming to get them.
"I know little Angel, but you can't sleep yet. E.J. has to check you out, then afterward you can sleep more. Ok?" Ben smiled at Jeff's softness, following behind him to the infirmary. Nico curled up in his arms, resting his head on Ben's shoulder and humming in affirmation. He struggled to keep his eyes open, blinking at the harsh lights Eyeless had installed. He hissed in discomfort, the shadows in the room contorting in response to his distress.
"You're ok Nico, almost there." Jeff opened the infirmary doors and held them open for Ben, following behind the smaller male. E.J. looked up from his desk, the large room filled with bright medical lights. Shelves lined the walls with various medical supplies and a wide table sat in the middle of the room, acting as E.J.'s desk and counter space. Their healer was fairly average in height as a young man, with brown hair, and wearing a set of dark clothes that made him look like a basic horror movie stalker. E.J. wore a dark blue mask over his face, where black sludge dripped from his eye sockets in a way similar to tar.
"You found him. Good. How is he?" Nico perked up at the sound of the rolling stool Jack used to move around the med ward. He flinched when cold hands touched his back making him hiss and snarl wildly before the touch vanished. He calmed down immediately, shifting to glare bloodshot eyes at Eyeless.
"He's out of it..." Nico could hear the anxiety In Jeff's gravelly voice, and he wondered if Jeff was worried for him or about him.
"I'm fine!" Nico blinked In surprise when he felt Jack's cold hand on his forehead, meeting his empty sockets and resisting the urge to poke his fingers into the gooey substance. It reeked of old magic, which he couldn't describe if he'd even tried to. But it felt right, connected to him somehow. He didn't get it, but the substance was almost like a shadow.
"Nico, you have a fever." Ben snorted at Eyeless' monotone statement, carrying the young demigod onto an examination table. It was metallic and cold, Nico pulled his jacket closer to him as he lay there, grinding his teeth in frustration as Jack examined him.
"Nico!" Nico jumped at the sound of his name, blinking awake in the medical ward. He hummed, sluggishly moving past long dark hair to try replying to the call of his name. He stopped, realizing that he was warmer than he should've been. He was just dreaming, right? He was back in the vase, heshouldbe in the vase.
"Did the Angel wake up?" Nico turned his head, making eye contact with Jeff and staring at him in surprise. Oh. He was home.
For minutes, Nico laid silent and in Jeff's hold, the taller teenager holding him as if he was keeping him safe from the nightmares. Nico was faintly aware of the electronic noises of a video game, It sounded like Mario kart and Nico perked over the side of the table, smiling at Ben who was sitting on the floor with a handheld console.He was really home.
"Y- Yeah, I'm awake." Nico blinked away the forming tears, trying his hardest not to cry.
"Nico!" The doors to the medical wing flug open, a tall monochrome clown and a small child stood in the doorway before running forward, they jumped at Nico climbing onto the makeshift bed and clawing like vultures. Cackles of delight rang through the air as Sally got to Nico first, hugging him tightly and refusing to let him go. Laughing Jack pulled the entire group into a hug, giving them a squeeze with his extending limbs that wrapped around them mercilessly.
"Hey Sal, Jack. Happy to see me?" Nico smiled, kissing Sally's forehead. Now he'd have to go upstairs to eat dinner.