TW: PTSD, Panic attacks, Manipulation, and Toxic relationships

[23 DAYS LEFT]

Eurydice's POV:

I awoke to a bump in the road. (Air?)

My face felt like sand, and I wished for nothing more than to just close my eyes and go back into a dreamless sleep.

Then that is way, I didn't have to think about how I am going to... see my husband.

A Hermit was speaking, somewhere in the background of all of this. Their mouth moved but I don't hear a sound from it.

Then another Hermit spoke, then another, then one more addressed something.

All of their voice burred together, all their faces lost in the voids of my memory.

Then we touched the ground, I stared blankly at the landscape about me.

Phaethon's Rest was a place empty of life, nothing but an ugly brown, a grey carpet of hardening ash covered the ground for hours and hours, all that moved was dried grass and wilting flowers.

Darkness covered the sky; ash filled my lungs it was hard to breathe.

It was almost like this place was paused in time.

A feeling of dread loomed all over, this was it. The day I can see Orpheus without barriers in my way. I was supposed to be happy; he was my husband. I can see and touch him again.

But... all I felt was nothing but emptiness. Was I wrong for feeling this way?

"I wished that Stress was here, she'll know what flowers these were." I heard Beef from my back they missed the other half of the family.

If that's how they express their love for the other Hermits, what do they make out of the absentness of love? Did I just fall out of love with my husband?

I gripped the hand with my ring on it, the coolness of the gold cut into my hand. No... I couldn't have just fallen out of love that easily, right? There must have been some reason... it had to be them. That's it, I'm just hanging out with the Hermits too much! That's all! I mean that's the simplest answer I can think of. All I need to do is run-

"Eurydice? Are you coming along or are you just going to stand there?" Gem's voice cut in, tone polite and just a bit worried.

I nodded absentmindedly and walked alongside her. What was I doing? Why did everything that the Hermits do sound so inviting?

"You seem a little pale... I have some water if you want." False slowed down to be right by my side.

I didn't speak... no I couldn't speak. I can't even look at them eye to eye. I know what they think of me! I know that they didn't trust me!

"If you are worried about what Ex said... while it is true that most of us don't trust you fully... we are still good hosts to our guests." False tried to lure me into looking at her, her word dancing around the word friend in case it made me uncomfortable.

"I'll like the water." That was all I spoke, my head still lowered staring at the earth's grey crust.

False whispered something to Gem, they were making fun of me, I knew it. Who wouldn't think of me as a scumbag for only thinking of myself?

I mouthed more nasty words to myself as False handed me her water.

The fade sour taste shook me out of the deep rabbit hole that my mind was sinking into.

"It has taste. What..." I gasped faintly, causing False to giggle a bit.

I looked like a fool; I knew that. That's what everyone said, that's what my master said. He said that with hate in his mouth, he knew that his subjects needed to be perfect. But I just can't be the perfect image of a lone girl submitting his rule.

But False didn't start telling me how worthless I was, she just simply giggled.

And somehow that unnerves me more, the idea that she was just laughing at my faults but still see it as... good?

I was mad, where was the yelling, the ordering, the beating? Why was she so... nice? It felt warm in a way.

No, wrong, I was wrong like always. That's what he said, I have to be wrong, False is just... giving me an easier time. It had to be... what else could it be...

"Lemons existed back then, right?" False's voice began softly.

Is this her way of mocking me? "Yes." I breathed out an answer, waiting to be made into a joke; A joke that caused one to laugh uncontrollably at the cave walls, the echoes laughed along. I was pitiful.

"So, someone decided to throw a slice of lemon into the water, that's what you are drinking." She stated softly.

I stayed silent, kicking the rocks beneath my feet into the barren wasteland.

Why were the Hermits... so nice?

I had to laugh because if I didn't laugh, I would cry, falling into despair.

My eyes felt wet, my words were getting messy, my throat strings.

"I wonder who the first guy was to discover milk..." False and Gem stopped in their ramblings, both looking at me.

I looked ugly. I know that! His voice messed with my mind; he was pointing out the flaws I had.

He made me look at a silver plate, its reflation was glossy and blurry.

He spoke almost like a predator luring prey into his trap, it was a bit too sweet... it was sickening.

His emerald eyes were hypnotizing, a beautiful green that catches your attention, but deeper within was a dark-green flame that burned with desire. He was hungry, and I was the meal.

He pointed at my hair and how it sticks out, how pale and sunken my skin looked, how small my lips were... how imperfect I was, how... ugly I am. Each time he made me look at the silver plate, I couldn't see at first but as time passed, somehow that image was clear. I was and still am ugly.

That was my only way to live, or no food that day.

I felt pats to my back, it wasn't painful, it wasn't to lure me into a dangerous trap. It was warm... it felt weird.

"That third member of yours deserves a punch to the face." Hypno looked back at me.

Oh.

Oh crap. Oh crap. No, no, no, no. I must have been speaking about it. I was speaking about him! What will he do to me if he finds out about this!

The Hermits noticed my mini freak-out, I was a bother to them! Even with a clock ticking down, they stopped to console me! I was an idiot! A crybaby! A-

"Focus on me! Take a deep breath in... and out." A male voice spoke... those lines, it sounded like something my husband would say.

The humming in my ears stopped, it was like putting on glasses without ever knowing you were blind; my thoughts are ones of my own. I felt in control.

I looked at the sandy blond Hermit, Grian; he let out a small smile.

"I like you, like in a human-to-human way. And I'll like to help you, ok?" He started, warm brown eyes staring deep into the souls of my own. "I had experiences with not-so-great people too. We can all help because we all care just in diverse ways. Eventually, we will trust you."

Those lines... how many times were they repeated? How many people were like me?

I nodded along, afraid of backlash. When Joe made some squeaky noises that sound like he was excited about our front.

At first, everyone dismissed it as Joe being Joe, all still focused on me.

In a sick way, I like that they were worried about me, I like the fact that they were playing me all the attention and I wasn't even hurt! They were just worried!

It's sickening that my mind thinks like this, but I didn't care, the Hermit's attention was all on me when they were in a world-ending quest. It was so... funny.

But of course, the squeaking noise began louder and louder and they were forced to deal with the nonsense known as Joe Hills

"Cleo, can you do an English translation for Joe?" Xb laughed.

Cleo walked up to Joe (still squeaking) and listened for a while, nodding her head a few odd times."

I looked at the other Hermits, then at Cleo. Did she understand whatever the heck Joe was saying? My husband had times when he was just ranting about how flutes were an embarrassment to the whole of music and he sounded like Joe in these moments; and I, his wife didn't understand a word of it.

Did she just know within her heart what Joe was saying? Or was I the problem?

"So, in short, there's life ahead of us," Cleo said, the Hermits nodded (Even Gem and Pearl!) not needing any more explanation.

I am unfortunately not a Hermit and therefore need than 'there's life ahead of us.'

"Sorry... pardon?" I asked, standing a little straighter and setting my facial expression to neutral. ("That's how ladies are supposed to act like" His voice- no. I can't! I have to stop thinking about him.)

"Gosh... Stress or Keralis would have had a better explanation than I do..." She pauses to laugh at herself, (Why was she laughing over her mistake? Is this how they punish themselves for useless actions?)

"So... uh, Joe said if we keep moving, an oasis will appear, we just have to follow this flower." Cleo continued, holding up a stem that shot out purple flowers.

I reached out to touch it, something about the flower lured me into a spell it knows something that I didn't, these flowers were much older and wiser than it seemed.

"What are these plants?" I asked in a whisper, I barely heard myself.

"I thought you were a nymph?" Scar exclaimed; the child of Pan had a good point.

I was a nymph.

"Was... when I was still alive, I could just talk these small ones. I'm dead, I can only feel their motives behind blurred windows." I stared at Scar, who was trying to wrap his head around the fact that I had died once.

"Oh right, I forgot that you were dead. You look very pretty as an undead, like Cleo!" He said sheepishly, his smirk now an awkward smile.

"Don't worry, I prefer not to remember that I had died once before." I subconsciously touched the whited hair in my braid. (I could have sworn Grian gave a nod too)

It was amazing when we were brought out from the underworld, the air was plenty, and the smell overwhelmed me.

Then a shiver freezes my body.

I was awake now, age caught up to me and left me with a body I couldn't move, and a band of white shot through my body, settling in my hair.

I can only look up at my new master, streaks of white hair flew in the wind. He looked at me with an untamed smile. (It wasn't like the other times when he smiled at me, all the other smiles had evil behind them, this one was just a raw smile)

Green flames burned uncontrolled in his eyes, but yet, those eyes were the darkest things I ever saw.

I shuddered in fear.

Scar gave an apologetic look, "Did I say something? Oh! Sorry I didn't think before I spoke!"

No, it wasn't his fault! Why would Scar ever do something to hurt his friend he's the kindest of the Hermits here!

But I couldn't speak, I just stared into the flower I held in my hands.

The flowers already knew something I didn't, and they felt cold to the touch.

Something is very, very wrong, I felt it from all the surrounding plants, with every fiber of the plants they were fearful and screaming. They were upset.

Something bad was going to happen soon.

"No... not your fault." I choked out with a forced but practiced smile.

The Hermits didn't buy it; some give me a sympatric smile, they understood that I needed to think this out in my head. Some patted me on the back and moved on to Scar explaining about the flower in my hands, Gem lightly squeezed my hand before going to Pearl. (I almost wanted her to hold my hand for a little longer. How selfish of me)

The only ones that stayed behind me were xB and Beef, the two were friends from the start and knew about their Demigods skills at the same time. (Why did I remember this? I know nothing of the Hermits. Where did this information come from?)

"Eurydice... man. Uh sucks to, be you?" xB awkwardly said, (as if he was the reason, I was in this mind space! No, it wasn't his fault as well! It was because of HIM! All because HE-)

Beef elbowed his best friend hard, they shared a look of understanding, "You don't have to trust us! You are in a terrible spot with your husband and all that. Then we forced you along on our quest because we cared about our home, too much. We forced you to help save something you were not a part of." Beef stopped to breathe, "And for that, I'm sorry on behalf of my family." (Why was he saying sorry? I don't get it.)

I wanted to say something back, I wanted to talk, I wanted to spill every detail of my pitiful life to them. But then I would just be a coward. I was the worst person.

"I see trees ahead! We must be close by!" I heard Joe announce.

At times like this, he reminded me too much of my husband.

I remembered the long days, longer nights, wanting to talk to him without the barrier in my way, craving for his smiling face. But he doesn't smile, not anymore, because the man I loved; the person I married and swore my life to... he's dead and gone.

But... that wasn't true right? A part of him is still here, right? That's how charmspeak works right? Only one way to find out.

"Cleo. How does Charmspeak... affect you?" I asked with a stern tone, but my sentences were shaky.

The zombie slowed in her actions, allowing me to catch up to her.

"I don't really get affected by Charmspeak; the dead never really get affected by it; we don't have the will to control our minds because... uh we're dead. My physical body may twitch to the charmspeech but without will we don't get affected." Cleo muttered meaningfully.

I remember... his grave voice, it was sweet and warm... too sweet and warm, and when I got too close... I was stuck and burned. That was Charmspeak, I was sure of it. I heard the same sweetly sick tones from Cleo and Grian, it was alluring... it was terrifying.

But we had no will to control our bodies... what was that voice he used?

I spoke about it to Cleo, who listened well (I like it when people listen to me. it makes me feel human.)

She pauses to run through all the situations on her head, "I'll say, it has something to do with your true names, you did say that the third member had both you and your other half's true names, right?"

I nodded, a vivid memory flashed in my eyes, he was standing at the Underworld gate.

"Something happened here." He said with a fixed, thin smile.

"The areas were space and time torn each other up... give me your true names and you're free to live together forever."

We stared at him with wide eyes. We were happy at that moment; we can finally go and live out our dreams of starting a family.

We also blindly trusted him with a piece of our soul.

True names, they were always here in the depts of the soul, most people will never know that they even had a true name, but it's fine. But in the darkest moments of our life, they just reveal themselves to us.

To try and save us before it's too late.

"I think so, every time he does that speech thing... it feels like my whole soul is ripped out and was in his hands, I couldn't move or think or even feel anything," I spoke in a hushed tone, touchy about the subject.

"It sounds like Soul-bearing... but no... that wouldn't make sense because of the situation..." Cleo hummed thoughtfully to herself.

Soul-bearing is when two people give each other their true names in the hopes of loving each other together forever. I remembered it fondly, Orpheus was suggesting that we bond our souls when we got married, his warm brown eyes sparkled with joy.

At that time, I said no. we needed to wait five years.

"Soul-reaping." A stone-cold voice said.

Without even looking up I could feel that Ex said that. My mouth frowned at the sight of his dark red eyes. (Like my Master's, but it was red with fire... but it didn't burn with hate, it burned with a sadistic determination)

"With a name like that, how can it not be evil." Cleo's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"And with a person as soft as you, of course, you don't know this term." Ex pointed his finger at her.

Is this their friendship? I decided at that moment, I didn't want to know.

"Oh, I couldn't hear that over the bridge that burning!" Cleo said mockingly, her body leaning toward Ex and holding up her ear.

"All right you children, back off before another civil war kicks off," Grian said goodheartedly, splitting up the arguing pair.

"And what are you going to do about it, short guy?" Ex sneered at the much shorter Grian.

"Ok, are we really going there?" I heard Grian say. But that didn't matter, I smelled something in the air.

Water.

"There it is!" Joe said, joyful at the sight of water.

Seven poplar trees stood around the banks of a winding river, the mythical river Eridanus, the area around it was covered with yellow shining rocks, golden amber.

The poplar trees caught my attention, though most trees of their type are straight. The ones here weren't, they reminded me of weeping willows; and like the name, water dripped down all its leaves but as soon as the water leaves the leaves, it hardened into a golden amber.

I felt everything, the trees were once sisters of the one fallen here and till now, they were still grieving for their younger brother.

They were in shock at the fact they lost their only family; they were angry at the gods for killing him, they were bargaining for one of their lives to be switched out for their brother's, they were depressed that they couldn't protect their little brother.

But they could not accept the fact that he was dead. So, they doomed themselves to repeat the stages of grief over and over again.

It was honestly pitiful, and the hermits knew that too.

"Are these...?" Iskall asked gently touching the tree.

"The Heliades... I don't have a family member that I'm close to, but it's like me losing you guys." Hypno said, the gesture of fondness was not applied to me but that's fine, it wasn't like I felt alone and hurt.

You're allowed to be sad; you're allowed to be upset. I heard my partner's voice say.

No, he didn't mean that. It only meant that I was allowed to be upset at him... right?

"How are we going to find Lachesis' hourglass in this?" Etho asked then paused, "Why would her hourglass be in this? I thought the gods treasure their signature items?"

"Good point, why was Atropos' Blade in your mother's museum?" Impulse wondered.

Beef nodded slowly, "Mom said that she found it half-buried in the rubble of dirt.

Gem stood still deep in thought, "Maybe, it was too dangerous for all three to be together at one spot because someone wanted to steal it."

Pearl added, "But it won't add up to the burned part, the Fates had power over life and death no mere fire could have caused that burn mark on the blade. I think the Fates argued with one of the head gods that had fire as their godly power. It would also explain the sudden silence of the gods."

We fell into silence and the words found their meaning in our stomachs; a wave of dread settled in the air. If the Gods were indeed fighting... If the Gods were bad as their parents once were...

I smiled, it wasn't a happy smile, but I smiled; it was sick, twisted, and unkind to the ones above our heads. I felt dirty.

"One day... the Gods will pray for what they've done to me. They will get caught up in a pitiful drama within themselves and their children will be left to pick up the pieces." My master said, his usually cold eyes now void of anything, it was maddening to look into.

Their children... the Hermits... do they realize who they were working for? I looked at the group in front of me, now in each other's hands and whispering a plan. All I saw was a group of people with all the reasons to hate the world, yet chose to love it just because...

"So, the Lachesis' Hourglass was shattered over a million years ago in this place?" Cub asked for clarity, it didn't matter that it may slow their progress down, as long as they were all on the same page.

"Yeah, that's why everything is just... stopped in time..." Joe paused in his thinking, "Magic items were strange, the hourglass is needed for the Fates to just look like they are moving at normal speeds but for the Fates, they are moving ahead a few years in one second."

"Geez, the fates must be old grandmas by now." Ex abruptly said, causing some to go into a fit of laughter, soon the others followed.

...Because their friends were in this world? Is that the only reason that they saved this world over and over again? It didn't make sense to me... It was all hopeless in the end, it was a game that they couldn't win. But They continued playing because their friends were in this game.

It sounded selfish.

"Na, my grandma be bones and ash at that age," Etho said, looking at Ex with amusement in his eyes.

I faintly heard Grian and Scar passing around a joke, it sounded like it always started with 'your mom' or something like that.

"Grian and Scar please don't be passing around a Your Mom joke or I will tear your head off," Cleo said, being the one nearest to the two Demigods, they shifted in their movements.

Was that a joke or not? It wouldn't matter as Cleo relaxed her shoulders, and the others go back to planning.

Planning? Maybe I should start thinking about that, I was going to reunite with my Husband! My one Love! My sun!

I looked at the fireweed in my hand. Then what... What do I do after?

"I wished that Tango was here, his ability to sense underground air pockets is much better than us." Impulse buried the palm of his hand into the sand, doing something with the magic inside of him.

"With normal air pockets, this is sand, it sinks. I doubt even Tango would of any help." Ex kicked the sand around with no changes, the other Hermits didn't care that Ex was standing to the side, doing nothing at all.

"I'm going to make this clear. Eurydice, you were an important part of my plan. Now you have done your part... just relax." He said green eyes bore into mine.

I whispered a plead, I didn't like the way he was talking to me or moving towards me; but if I dared to move away, out into the wild... Gods knows what will happen with my husband.

I closed my eyes to escape my imagination, it didn't work well.

I kneeled and punched the sand, as hard as I could; The sand was his face, his stupid freaking face, his sickly voice jumped around in my ear! I can't! I just CAN NOT!

"Eurydice! Stop! Your Hands!" Iskall? pulled me out from my state.

I didn't stop, I couldn't, it was nosy! My tears were flooding every part of my body (Were they always like this?) I couldn't breathe, there wasn't enough air.

I just wanted...

"Eurydice!" Someone yelled from afar, that didn't matter.

I just wanted everything to stop.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, I opened my eyes a little. Green eyes, GREEN FLAMES, they danced around me, scaring my body till it was nothing but ash.

"STAY AWAY!" I have yelled or thought? I couldn't hear myself to be sure, I felt like I was moving through slime.

"Eurydice!" That's all that echoed, and it continued echoing and more till I felt nothing left. I wasn't dead, I think I passed out, I just felt nothing.

A gentle hand made its way through my hair, it felt nice. It was almost like my husband was right next to me, cuddling with me and whispering sweet nothings.

I opened my air to see warm brown, amber eyes, ones that belonged to Joe, the similarities between him and my husband are striking.

"Hi, do you feel better?" He asked, careful not to move me too much if I was a glass vase.

I didn't speak, I just laid still on the ground, trying to breathe.

"Do you want to talk about it? You don't have to..." His voice lowered even more, now barely a whisper.

I shook my head, everything felt too fussy to my senses if Joe isn't here, I'll have probably passed out again. (Is this what friends do to each other?)

"Do you want me to continue talking? You still look pale. Just focus on me. 'Kay?" Joe spoke a little bit louder this time, I nodded.

It was nice, I admit.

"The others are setting up lunch, it's a bit early but we weren't just going to leave you here..." Joe rambled, not too sure of what to talk about. I mean, the Hermits called themselves the hermits for a reason, right?

He smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, whenever I talk about something it somehow always loops back to the Hermits." He wore a fond smile; it was a bit shocking to see him so relaxed in the middle of saving the world (again if the tales were true)

I shook my head, looking at him for him to continue, he grinned so brightly at my response.

"Did you know that when I first became a Hermit, I got kidnapped by a fellow Hermit?" His eyes seemed to sparkle with an unknown light, but it wasn't evil... "She's no longer with us but gods, her ideas of a prank were pretty extreme... I must say that yes, I am indeed still alive from said kidnap."

Kidnapping? From one of your friends? I would be furious; I would never forgive them, but still, Joe looks of exasperation and deeper within a sense of fondness, why wasn't he angry?

I guess I wore my emotions on my face (How bloody pathetic of me, I let down my guard once again. But the hermits were my allies, they will never hurt me, right?) Joe just calmly smiled at me and spoke again:

"Her idea of a kidnapping was pulling us into her basement and putting a pumpkin on our head." Joe paused to think, "And then, forcing us to eat pumpkin stew for that week we are stuck down there. Xisuma had to save our sorry butts."

I nodded, "Weren't you mad?" My voice finally was untangled from my throat, it was a bit too soft (a bit too weak.) for my liking.

"That was nearly nine years ago..." His mouth opened agape of the realization of how long it had been, "She's a really good cook too. Her pumpkin stews were some of the tastiest things I have ever tasted."

I smiled at that, trying to ignore the small pang of loneliness I felt at his words

I had once laughed alongside Orpheus; the fire had been too hot for the potatoes but yet too cold for meatballs.

I think he was calling for my help at one point, he couldn't even touch the stove without even burning himself.

"You never learn if I just do the cooking by myself." I had said as some distant past, grinning at the huffed-out cheeks of my husband.

"Yeah! I know, just come over here and help me with this cooking thing." His was red at this point, I wasn't if it was because he was embarrassed or because of the stream hitting his face.

I leaned against his body, guiding his hands on what to do. We were smiling and talking, we were happy.

I raised my hands to my face; they were wrapped with bandages and were faintly stained with blood. What on Gaia was I punching?

"Oh, don't worry about your hands. They will heal pretty soon, while you were in your... fit of rage... you found a chuck of the hourglass and were just cutting your hands against it." Joe continued, trying to help me up against the rock that he was leaning on.

I widen my eyes a little as the words settled in my mind, "Did I... I found?"

He gave me a thin smile and whipped out a chuck of a broken hourglass, it was a pretty big piece, but it didn't even come close to half of an hourglass. I felt proud sick. (I just helped the enemies) No, I helped my allies... maybe even friends. (No, too soon. Not enough. Never enough.)

"Thank you... you're a good person, you know?" Joe gave me a gentle pat, as he stood up and joined the rest of his family for lunch.

Am I a good person? I mouthed the foreign words.

Thank you. For what? For never trusting the hermits fully. Was that my thanks? To bring this upon a small group of friends. I have seen the tried smiles and I have seen the nights they have spent silently sobbing, so why... why were they so... nice to me.

"Here." The voice of Cub said I jumped a little in my place. (If Cub saw it, he made no remarks of my weakness)

In his hands were a bowl of Congee (Yes, the author is Asian), the scent of the food mildly overwhelmed me, but I took it into my hands which were shaking. (When did my hands become so cold?)

"It's actually from Scar but he's scared that he may send you into another attack so he... uh" Cub's grayish-blue eyes rifted to the young satyr for a second but snapped back to me, "begged me to give this to you."

Scar... oh poor Scar. I looked in the direction of the satyr but froze before his eyes met mine. I couldn't! It was too green, too much!

So, I focused on the paperwhite congee and just stirred the spoon. Cub looked at Scar as well, they seemed to have a mutual understanding about something. (More likely, someone like me)

"He thinks that he's the one at fault but comes on, it's kind of like buying a house and having it burned down then everyone blames you for buying said house." Cub chuckled at himself.

My memory of my whole... attack? Is that what the Hermits called it?... was foggy, I remember the sensation of falling and thrashing as if the person closest to me at that time was Scar... then... Gods, I may have hurt him...

"Is Scar hurt? I can't remember much aside from the whole kicking and punching thing." I asked promptly. I hope that Scar's alright, I hope that he'll forgive me. (How many times will the Hermits forgive me before they tire of me?)

Cub's eyes sharpen at the mention of injuries, from the way the air felt a lot tenser and colder I could have guessed my answer.

"Scar's mostly fine, just a black eye on his right. Nothing too serious." He replied monotonously, "I have to tell his ear off for him to get some rest."

My stomach lunged at the fact I had hurt Scar. I looked at the Congee and all I can think about was how nice Scar was to me the whole time I was in his home.

He came to me rather late that first night, I had been crying about something... I didn't know and it didn't matter.

"Bad dreams?" That was all he asked, making himself cozy on a mossy rock.

I didn't talk, I just stared at him. His bright green eyes filled with much joy and love and the horns of his head sharping upwards, the way his mess of brown hair just covered a part of his eyes.

"You don't have to talk, I understand." He said, pulling out a small notebook, he gave it to me with a wide happy smile.

"Joe said that bottling up isn't the healthiest of options to deal with mental health." He laughed sheepishly at himself. "He likes writing. So, he wrote lots of small poems."

I looked at him, and silently just took the book without thanks, and continued staring at the night sky.

"But you don't have to, Joe is a lot of things and weird is a word that I think he invented." He continued talking to himself.

I didn't know why he was awake at that time; I didn't care about any of it. I just wanted to feel sorry for myself, was that hard for the hermits to understand?

"You know when I first came to the Hermits, I had nightmares after nightmares. I was just fed up with the demigod lifestyle that I ran away from." I widen my eyes at the demigod next to me.

Scar nodded and his grin now was a bit more forced, "Joe found me after a week's searching, I was just not in any shape to walk being... half frozen to death."

Nervous laughter escaped from Scar's lips as they were formed into a tighter smile, "He talked to me then, just like I'm talking to you now. And I don't know, I just... I saw younger myself in you. Confused, angry at the world, and just done with life."

Those are words that described everything that I felt now, I looked at the satyr's eyes for the first time.

"I just... don't want to see people suffer from the same mistakes I did."

I mouthed a silence sorry. I had failed his one request, guilt chained me down until I was nothing but bare bones.

Maybe... just maybe I can try a little harder for the Hermits' trust.

TLDR:

Eurydice's experience.

Author's notes:

Trigger Warnings are up above.

I hope that I did these terrible situations that real people went through justice.

There were no attempts of romanticizing or normalizing these situations and I am so sorry if any of the text seemed that way.

Tell me and I will change the writing.

Mental health is a serious topic, and I will not joke about it.

(And yes, the chapter's name is from the song 'Teeth' by Five Seconds of Summer)

The next chapter will still be pretty serious but after that, I think I can do a more chill chapter.

Well, as chill as it could be, *looks over at plot points*