Hazel Levesque || ANGST

The Nightmare (I)

I do not own PJO or HoO characters or settings. I only own this plot.

Basic info: Lazel, set on the Argo II. Frazel has broken up, and remain on good terms
TW/CW: death, vaguely implied abuse

Hazel awoke with a scream, her gold eyes flitting frantically around her small cabin on the Argo II. She'd dreamt she was back on the boat, clutching her few belongings to her chest as her mother sailed the small, rickety wooden nightmare to Alaska in the dead of night. The waves lapped against the Argo II, rocking the boat slightly. Hazel felt nausea bubble up to her chest, but she pushed it down. A guttural sob broke past her lips, and she put her head in her hands.

"Hazel!" Leo burst through the door to her cabin, followed swiftly by Nico and Frank, who were in the three cabins closest to hers. She cried harder as Leo gathered her into his arms, hugging her close to his chest. Frank kept his distance, standing nearby the door in case the rest of the seven woke up. He'd been trying to distance himself from Hazel since they broke up, claiming he agreed that they were better off as friends but still needed some time. Hazel respected that, and didn't push him.

Leo stroked her hair as she cried into his shoulder, Nico patting her back slightly awkwardly. She tried to convince herself that she was okay, she was safe, and that she wasn't back on that boat. This was a different boat. She was with her friends. Her brother. Not her mother. She looked over at Nico, tears blurring her vision. When she looked at him, she saw the way Bianca affected his lifestyle, even in death. She saw the sister she'd never be able to meet, to amount to. She wasn't good enough. She was never good enough.

Thoughts raced through her mind like the horses at the Melbourne Cup, fast and unforgiving. If she was good enough, her mother wouldn't have succumbed to Gaea the way she did. They wouldn't have had to sell her cursed jewels, or move to Alaska, or die. She should have at least gotten Marie out of the cave before collapsing it. Snuck her out past the Giant or something. Or she should have done a better job at keeping Gaea down - then her friends wouldn't have to be here risking their lives. She'd stay down in Asphodel, no longer living in fear of a nightly visit from Thanatos, saying that her awful father had changed his mind at letting her stay.

Nico cleared his throat, seeing the way she looked at him. "I'm gonna go get you some water, sorellina."
Leo nodded. "Okay, di Angelo. I've got her."
Hazel just buried herself in Leo's chest again, inhaling the smell of smoke and taco mince. He must have been cooking while she slept. The scent calmed her slightly, but when she looked up and met his eyes a wave of déjà vu washed over her. How many times had she done this with Sammy, after a rough night with her Ma? The question made her push away from Leo suddenly, curling up into a ball and huddling on the edge of the bed.
"Go away, Sam..."

Her heart cracked, and she could have sworn she heard Leo's crack too.
"Hazel, it's me. Not Sammy. Leo. I'm sorry." The son of Hephaestus' voice was surprisingly gentle, lacking all traces of its usual humour. Hazel felt warm arms wrap around her, and she sobbed once before leaning into Leo.
"I'm sorry, Leo, I'm so sorry..."
Leo chuckled dryly. "Levesque, none of this is your fault. Okay? Don't you dare go around blaming yourself for all the shit your Mom and everyone put you through. None of us can help where we came from."
"Y-you're right..." Hazel sighed. The boat lurched, and so did Hazel's stomach. "Shit... I'll be back-"

She cut herself off by darting to the bathroom, that was conveniently located close to her cabin. Bursting through the door, she spun to the toilet and threw up, and didn't even realise that Leo had followed behind her. Leo closed the door quietly, and got down on his knees to help hold Hazel's hair back, rubbing her back to try and help her relax. If she wasn't so otherwise occupied, Hazel would probably have blushed furiously and thought the whole thing was very sweet.

After she'd finished, Hazel sat back and tried to catch her breath. "Sorry you had to see that..."
"Hey, don't worry about it." Leo still held her, rubbing her back even after she'd finishing throwing up. "Seasickness, huh? That's... inconvenient for you."
"You could say that." Hazel murmured, eyes downcast. She took Leo's hand, and absentmindedly traced the lines and scars that lined it, a sign of his rough past and also his hobbies. It was rough and calloused, but also soft to the touch. And warm. It was so warm.

Leo smiled crookedly. "What's my palm say, Witch Girl?"
Deciding to play along with it, Hazel frowned, as if very concerned. "Oh. Oh, dear. It appears..." she squirted at Leo's hand. "You are going to suffer a great loss. Perhaps your taco recipe?"
"Or my smoking good looks." Leo also frowned. "Seems plausible. What if I get this horrifying scar across my beautiful face fighting Dirt Face herself?"
"I look forwards to it."
"Aww, shut up. You know you love my face." Leo's eyes twinkled with humour. "Just try to refrain from kissing me until you've brushed your teeth."
Hazel rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Valdez. Hey, mind if I meet you outside? I got to use the... yknow..." her face reddened, and she glanced to the toilet.
Leo nodded understandingly, and stood up. "Sure, Haze. I'll see you outside."

Hazel smiled weakly at him and shut the door again, turning on the tap. She didn't know why she was doing this. Why was she doing this? Leo was a friend. But...

Hazel got her toothbrush out, and brushed her teeth.

Little did she know, outside the door was a Leo Valdez practically inhaling breath mints, as red as a tomato could be.