Knock Upon My Door [Zeus JB oneshot]

My mother, as well as Lane and Tesserae, came to visit me almost immediately. My mother couldn't stop crying, and in response to that, I did something that I'd done so long ago for what I thought was the last time that I couldn't remember exactly when that was. I hugged her. She was sobbing onto my shoulder, and I tried to comfort her with some words of my own.

"It's okay, Mom. It'll be fine," I said. I'd never really known how to comfort people, so this was me trying my absolute best. She then managed to let some words surface between her tears.

"I love you so much, sweetheart," she said to me.

"I know," I responded. I know the average person would have told their mother that they loved her too, but for some reason, those words struggled to surface. I think she understood that, though, as she didn't question my response to her.

When Mom and I released from out hug, Lane was the next to speak. Within her words, what stood out to me was what she said about my squirrel, Tibs. Well, I mean, his proper name is George, but I call him Tibs sometimes because it's close to Nibs, and he has a nib for a tail. It just seemed fitting.

"If you die in there, I'm gonna gut your squirrel on your grave," she told me. I immediately clenched my fist and glared at her.

"No," I said to her sternly. It was all she'd get out of me- a no. I wasn't going to yell and scream at her like I imagined she'd wanted. I wasn't going to start being my usual sarcastic self, either. It was just a no, and she could analyze that to the world's end if she wanted to.

Then, I all of a sudden felt Tess's arms around me. She was hugging me like I had hugged Mom. I wasn't a hug person, typically, and if I ever was, I had to be the one to initiate it. I'll admit, Tess's hug made me feel a bit uncomfortable when I was already on edge with Lane's comment, but I didn't push her away.

I think the reason I didn't push Tess away was because of what she had to say. She told me not to pay attention to what Lane said and that she'd take care of George. She was actually being pleasant toward me, rather than agreeing with Lane. I suppose I must not have usually payed much mind to Tess if this is how she usually acted- kind. I suppose I'd never really know if that's how she normally was or not until I came home from the Games, if I did.

---

When our time together in the room ended, Drôle was the next to come in. She came in by herself, and it was back to snide comments and sarcastic remarks: the usual between the two of us, that is. She told me she didn't really want to visit me but did anyway. I questioned her as to why she was there. She insulted my intelligence and threatened to steal my money if I didn't come home. It was really nothing out of the ordinary. When she left, I waited. My family was so big, I wouldn't be surprised if more of them came in to visit me. Then again, so many of them hated me, I also wouldn't have been surprised if none of them came to visit me.

I was Zeus Prank, after all.