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Dinner on the Argo II was loud. Too loud. Hazel sat between Frank and Piper, hands folded in her lap, staring at the plate in front of her like it might change if she waited long enough. It didn’t. Food was food. But sometimes sometimes it wasn’t.
Laughter echoed around the table. Percy and Leo were arguing about something dumb. Jason was trying to mediate. Annabeth was correcting them both. Normal. It should’ve felt normal. Hazel picked up her fork. The smell hit her first. Rich. Heavy. Familiar in the wrong way. Her stomach twisted. No. Not here. Not now. She swallowed hard and forced a bite anyway.
The taste was wrong. Her hand froze halfway back to the table. The room shifted. The Argo II blurred. And suddenly it wasn’t a ship anymore. Dark wood walls. Low light. Voices sharper. Harsher. Men in suits. Cigarette smoke thick in the air. Coins clinking. Someone laughing. Not kind. Never kind.
Eat, a voice snapped. Hazel flinched. Her hands were smaller. Dirt under her nails. The plate in front of her wasn’t full. Never full. I said eat. I’m not hungry, she whispered. A sharp sound. A hand slamming the table. Don’t lie.
Hazel blinked. Frank’s voice cut through. Too soft. Too far away. Hazel jerked back like she’d been burned. The chair scraped loudly as she stood up too fast. I. I can’t. Her chest tightened. Too tight. The walls felt like they were closing in. I need air. She needed air. Hazel turned and bolted. Hazel. Frank called.
The hallway blurred as she ran. The ship creaked around her but it didn’t feel real. Nothing felt real. Her breathing came too fast. Too shallow. Her heart slammed against her ribs. She made it to her cabin and shoved the door open, barely remembering to close it behind her before collapsing onto the floor. I’m not there, she whispered. But her mind didn’t listen.
A knock. Then. Hazel. Nico. Hazel squeezed her eyes shut. I’m fine, she tried to say. It came out shaky. The door opened anyway. Of course it did. Nico stepped inside, closing it quietly behind him. He didn’t rush her. Didn’t crowd. Just walked over and sat on the floor a few feet away. Grounded. Steady.
You wanna try that again? he said softly. Hazel shook her head, breathing uneven. I can’t. Yeah, you can, he said. You’ve done it before. Her hands were shaking. She pressed them to the floor. Solid. Real. Not 1920s. Not that room. This one. Nico. I can’t breathe. I’m here, he said immediately. That helped. A little.
It’s loud, Hazel said. It’s too loud and I. I can’t tell. Okay, Nico said calmly. Don’t try to figure everything out. Just focus on me. Hazel tried. Her vision blurred. But Nico was there. Dark hoodie. Pale skin. Solid. Present. Look at me, he said. She did. Barely. Good, he murmured. Now breathe. Slow.
I can’t, she said. You can, he said, firm but gentle. In through your nose. Out through your mouth. Hazel tried. It came out shaky. Wrong. Again. You got it, he said. Keep going.
The past pushed in again. Voices. Hands. Commands. Eat. Don’t lie. Hazel flinched. No, Nico said immediately. Stay here. I can hear them, she said, panic rising again. I know, he said. But they’re not here. Her breathing sped up. They feel real, she whispered. They feel real, Nico corrected. That doesn’t mean they are. Hazel squeezed her eyes shut. I don’t want to go back there, she whispered. You’re not, Nico said. You’re here. On the Argo II. With me. He shifted slightly closer. Still not touching. Just there. Name something you can see, he said. Hazel swallowed. You. Good. What else? The bed. Good. Keep going. The floor. The door. The lamp. Her voice steadied slightly. Her breathing followed. In. Out.
It took time. Longer than Hazel wanted. But slowly the voices faded. The walls stopped closing in. The air came back. Her hands stopped shaking as much. I hate that, she said weakly. I know, Nico said. Hazel opened her eyes fully. The cabin stayed. Didn’t flicker. Didn’t change.
Am I, she hesitated, was I loud? Nico shrugged. A little. Hazel groaned, covering her face. Great. No one’s judging you, he said. Frank is worried. Nico rolled his eyes. Frank is always worried. Fair. a soft knock on the door. Haze? Frank’s voice. Hazel looked at Nico. Nico raised an eyebrow. You good? Hazel took a breath. In. Out. Steady. Yeah, she said. Nico nodded and stood, opening the door. Frank stepped in immediately, eyes scanning Hazel. You okay? Hazel managed a small smile. Yeah. Frank didn’t look fully convinced. But he relaxed a little. That was fast, he said to Nico. Nico shrugged. She’s tough. Hazel rolled her eyes. Don’t make it a thing. Wasn’t planning to.
Later, after Frank left and the ship quieted again, Hazel leaned back against her bunk. Nico sat nearby. Not talking. Just there. You’re here, she said. Anytime, he said. The past was still there. It always would be. But so was this. The Argo II. Her friends. Her brother. Hey, Nico? Yeah? Stay? Nico didn’t hesitate. Yeah, he said. And this time the silence felt safe