𝐀𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐔𝐌 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄 , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞

1.5 - Athena

┌────── ∞ ──────┐

1.5 - Athena

└────── ∞ ──────┘

Athena thinks that the best feeling is waking up naturally.

Of course there's other things; like getting a warm bone-shattering hug from Toby. Or getting to talk to Lee after an overwhelming day. But awakening with only the faint sound of birds outside her window and the muted classical music her sibling liked to put on—that took the cake.

Alas, today that did not happen, because Athena woke up to the doorbell being repeatedly dinged. The dull ringing echoed through the house as she flipped over a layer of raven curls away from her face, the bright morning sun blinding her vision momentarily.

The doorbell didn't stop, meaning that it couldn't be an over-eager amazon mailer. So, begrudgingly, Athena dragged herself out of her very warm, very comfy bed, and walked downstairs to the foyer.

She was still rubbing her eyes when she opened the door, ready to be extra petty to whoever decided to wake her up, but suddenly, wider awake than ever, Athena realized she was face to face with someone she hadn't spoken to in—over 24 hours? Which was a lot for the two. "What the fuck."

"Hey 'thena." Toby said, out of breath, on the doorstep of Athena's house, unannounced.

"What are you doing? It's—" She paused to look at the clock against a nearby wall, expecting the hour to be sometime way too soon in the morning for an impromptu-best-friend-at-her-doorstep, but to her demise—it was nearing noon, "...too early for this."

"Well," Toby began, already exasperated to begin with, "Tommy's seeing Ollie, you mentioned how your life was spiraling—I 'ought to—Y'know, help? I suppose? I dunno, my life spirals a bunch. So I might offer some advice? Also the flight was rather cheap, and I wanted to visit Vee so..." He cut himself off there, offering a week smile.

"Have you ever found out your multi-millionaire parents might be running/working for a worldwide scam business?" She quipped, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

Toby paled, "No."

"Then you can't be an offer of advice." She said dryly, not fully intending to be so depressing—she just did that automatically, "Emotional support? Maybe."

"Perfect." He grinned easily, because of course some pretty controversial information would be dropped at his feet and he'd continue to smile, "I'll tell Tommy I'm staying."

Athena nodded, closing the door behind him, "I'll tell Lee you're here, he's getting brunch with his boytoy right now, so he won't be home until later." She remembered Lee reminding her late last night that he was going to be gone most of the morning, knowing that there was no use in waking her up earlier than 10.

Tubbo raised his eyebrows in curiosity before grimacing, "I still can't tell if they like me or not."

"He's scared of you." Athena hums, sparing no secrets to Toby, who was trailing behind as she walked through the house, "Scared of most people my age really."

"Actually?"

"Yeah, Charlotte scares him the most out of all." She pointed out, handing Toby some specific American crisps that she knew he loved, "Dunno why because she's so sweet. Well—she did publicly humiliate Vee's kinda-ex-boyfriend. And she called Keira a 'seething-bitch' in front of majority of our Calc class."

"Yeah." Toby winced, "She's—something."

They both settled on Athena's bed, Toby explaining how out of every fancy piece of furniture in the house, her bed was always the comfiest. She understood that to an extent. Some of the textures along Lee's stuff made Athena nearly gag—her brother had said it was something about sensory issues—"Are you going to explain the whole—parents-are-running-scam-business thing? Or am I gonna have to figure it out on my own? Because it's really been bubbling in my mind—"