"I think she's dead," Hazel commented as she looked at the unconscious figure on the couch. According to Nico, Reyna had made it back home around ten at night and then immediately passed out on the couch. It was now three in the afternoon, and Reyna had yet to stir.
"She better not be," Nico commented. Hazel smiled slightly and set down their bag of food. Nico walked towards Reyna and nudged her. "Hey. We have guests coming over. Wake up."
Reyna groaned and turned slightly. She buried her face further into one of the cushions. Her two dogs, Aurum and Argentum, were curled up against her. One was laying on her legs, and the other was laying near her face.
"We don't have to eat here," Hazel began. Nico waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and shook Reyna's shoulder. Reyna groaned again. "I'm sure the others won't mind."
"I'm awake," Reyna groaned. She slowly lifted her head and looked at them, blinking rapidly. Reyna rubbed her eyes. "Hazel, what are you doing here?"
"The team is coming over for an early dinner. Wake up," Nico answered. Reyna buried her face back into the couch but slowly started to get up. She walked towards her room. "Shower too. You smell like puke!"
Reyna flipped Nico off as she walked into her room. Hazel spoke, "Did she have fun during Christmas?"
"I don't think so," Nico answered, and he looked at Hazel. His eyes seemed to study her. "What about you? How are you holding up?"
Hazel shrugged. She was doing everything she could to keep her mind off of the article, but it didn't help that she could see the rumor mills and tabloids were picking up the story and running with it. Hazel didn't want the slow decline and death of her mother to be put into writing for the whole world to see.
Matters were made worse by the fact that her extended family twisted the story to fit their narrative. They called Hazel's mother a harlot who spent more time on her back than with her daughter. Hazel tried not to read the nasty words, but she couldn't stop herself as she read about how her mother would give fortunes and claim to hear words from the dead.
And, her extended family made it seem like Hazel's mother leaving was the reason that her grandmother was struggling to cling to sanity as if it broke her. They even claimed that Hazel visited them recently and was not grateful for anything they had done. She refused to pay them back the money that her mother had "stolen" from them when she left.
The article painted Hazel in a terrible light, but that wasn't the worst part. It was the fact that her dead mother's name had been dragged through the mud. While they didn't always have the best relationship, there was no need to spit on a dead person's reputation.
"Hazel, if you want to talk about it, I am here for you," Nico promised. Hazel suddenly hugged him. Nico gently returned the hug and rubbed her back. "Ignore whatever they wrote. Anyone who has met you knows better than that. You are the kindest person ever. I don't know how we're related."
"You're a good person, Nico. Even if you pretend not to be," Hazel said with a smile. She pulled away and studied her half-brother. Nico smiled back. Hazel debated bringing up how he had acted a few weeks ago, but she decided against it. There was no need to ruin the good mood.
Nico turned and started to clean off the coffee table. Hazel helped him and moved things off to the side. When the table was clear, they heard a knock on the door. Hazel looked at Nico, "I can get it, but are you sure that Reyna won't mind so many people in the apartment?"
"Don't tell her that I said this, but Reyna secretly likes you guys," Nico joked. He gently scooped up Aurum and Argentum to keep them from running outside. Hazel walked towards the door and opened it. A smile dawned on her lips as she saw Frank.
"Frank!" Hazel greeted. Frank smiled back at her. "How are you doing today?"
"I'm good," Frank answered. Hazel led him inside. "I feel like Lupa is going to make us train twice as hard after all of the food that we ate."
"She always does," Hazel said. Frank moved his attention to Aurum and Argentum, and the two dogs squirmed out of Nico's arms. Hazel scooped up Aurum and cuddled with him.
"So, that's why everyone wanted to come here," Nico commented. Hazel rolled her eyes. Nico was the one who suggested they all gather and have their own late Christmas dinner. He had even paid for all of the food.
"Reyna needs to bring these two to the gym," Frank said as he rubbed Argentum's belly. There was another knock, and Nico opened the door. Hazel turned her head and waved hello to Annabeth. Thalia was standing behind the blonde.
"Sup," Thalia greeted. She peeked her head inside. "Where's Reyna?"
"Taking a shower," Nico answered as he stepped to the side with them.
"Should I surprise her?" Thalia asked with a devious grin on her face.
"No," Nico said, and for a small moment, he scowled. It disappeared just as quickly, but Hazel knew she wasn't imagining it. It didn't seem like Thalia noticed.
"How was Christmas for you?" Hazel asked as she looked at Annabeth. A frown plagued Annabeth's face. "Oh no. That bad?"
"It wasn't the best," Annabeth began. She walked towards the table and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "I got drunk and went on a rant in front of the entire family."
"I told her it was pretty awesome," Thalia commented. She sat down at the table. There was another knock on the door, and Nico was there before Hazel could blink. A smile graced Nico's face as he opened the door, and Will stood there with a small bag.
"Hey, Will," Annabeth greeted. Hazel waved her own greeting.
"Hi, guys. I brought some desserts. It's my mom's recipe, so hopefully it's good," Will said as he walked inside. He sat the bag down on the coffee table. Nico walked towards the kitchen to grab drinks for everyone.
Hazel smiled as she watched the others. Aurum and Argentum were rushing between all of the newcomers, sniffing them and receiving scratches or pets. Hazel moved to help Nico grab drinks, but Will had already beat him to it. She decided to sit down at the coffee table with the others.
As everyone started to settle, Reyna walked back into the living room. She greeted everyone with a wave and then sat at the coffee table. Aurum and Argentum raced right to her side, and she picked them up.
"No love for me?" Thalia teased as she sat next to her girlfriend. Reyna rolled her eyes but leaned towards Thalia and gave her a kiss. Thalia kissed her back before moving her attention to the dogs that Reyna held. "You do taste like puke."
"You're both jerks," Reyna muttered. Thalia just laughed. Hazel noticed that Annabeth was blushing again. They all sat around the table as food was passed around. "And don't feed them anything."
"They got plenty of regular food while you were gone," Nico commented. Reyna gave him a harsh look. Her two dogs curled up on her lap, and Reyna split her attention between them and the food.
"How are you holding up, Hazel? I heard about the article," Annabeth began.
"I'm just trying to ignore all of it," Hazel replied. She looked down. "I know the tabloids are eating it up, but Octavian told me to just keep quiet if anyone tries to question me about it. I just want to put a statement out there, but he said that I would just make it look like I had something to hide. It's better to ignore it, and it will die down."
"It is," Annabeth confirmed. She smiled gently. "I've had a few articles that were lies written about me. Some claimed that I got my flexibility from nights spent as a pole dancer. Another said that I paid my opponents to take a fall for me, or that I only pretended to be as smart as I was."
"Remember when they caught you outside of your college and still tried to accuse you of faking your degree. That was hilarious," Thalia commented. She leaned on Reyna. "Ever had any articles about you floating out there?"
"Plenty," Reyna answered, but she didn't go into detail. Her gaze moved off to the side. Thalia frowned.
"I hate that people can have an entire career off of just making lies up and reporting it as truth," Will said. "Like accusing Frank of doping."
"It's something that you just have to get used to," Annabeth said with a shrug. She looked at Hazel. "Don't let it get to you. I know it sucks for family to say things like that, but I know how you feel. Someday, we'll have to compare how shitty our families are."
"Frank is probably the only one with a cool family," Thalia chimed in.
"My mom's pretty cool," Will said softly.
"It's decided then. Will and Frank have the coolest family," Thalia said. She wrapped an arm around Reyna. "I still think I have the shittiest parents."
"Do we really have to compare?" Reyna muttered.
"We both have abusive parents," Thalia said with a shrug. "I'm sure your dad didn't hit you that much, though."
Reyna suddenly shoved Thalia's arm off of her. She stood and walked towards the door grabbing the leashes. Her dogs rushed to her side, and Thalia only stared as Reyna put the leashes on Aurum and Argentum. As Reyna left the house, she slammed the door shut behind her.
"Someone's cranky," Thalia commented as she looked back at her food. There was a scowl on her face.
"Not everyone can just joke about their parents like you just did," Nico slighted. He shook his head and looked down. An awkward silence filled the room, and Hazel cleared her throat.
"I was wondering what everyone was doing for New Years. We could have a party," Hazel suggested. She felt some of the tension leave the room, but she also saw how Nico was glaring at Thalia.
"A New Years party with everyone would be fun," Annabeth agreed. She looked at Hazel. "We can have it at my house. I'm sure Thalia won't mind."
"Of course not," Thalia said with a wave of her hand. "It will be nice to see you come out of your shell and actually party. If you went on a drunken rant with your family on Christmas, imagine what you'll do on New Years when you're drunk around people you actually like. Just try not to make out with Reyna again. I do get really jealous."
"I feel bad enough," Annabeth dismissed as she swatted Thalia's arm. Hazel stared at Annabeth in surprise. Frank had the same look. "It's not as bad as it sounds!"
"It's not," Nico confirmed. He looked at Hazel. "I agree with a party for New Years. We can invite the rest of the team."
"We could invite Gwen too," Frank added. Hazel quickly nodded her agreement. She knew that Gwen was still settling into life without fighting, but she had texted Hazel at least once every day to check on her.
"A New Years Party," Hazel stated. She smiled. "I think it's going to be so much fun!"