Within the Ten Feet Radius

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Within the Ten Feet Radius


Only one thing crossed Iris' mind as soon as her feet landed on the ground of the eucalyptus-scented state.

It's now or never.

"Hey," Nico shook her shoulder harshly.

Iris hissed as she yanked her shoulder off his grip. This bloke treats ladies like toys.

"Get off me, di Angelo. Just walk behind me and keep up the pace."

And just like that, Iris Stone was already ten feet away from him. Nico arched an eyebrow. Just last night, she was crying in his arms. Even just an hour ago, she was sleeping on his shoulder on the bus. Now, she was back to her sociopath murderer-look princess-feeling mode.

He suddenly thought about the sudden change of events that happened since last night. As they were crying with each other like abandoned children by the veranda, Nico spotted the familiar silhouette of the Greyhound bus a few blocks down from where their motel was. Before the bus left, using the Mist again he was able to fool the driver into thinking that they were passengers who did a quick rest stop.

The last thing that he saw before closing his eyes aboard the vehicle was Iris staring out the window, and it was the exact same thing that greeted him when he awoke. He forced Iris to sleep, and she did a good thirty minutes. He had the drool on the sleeve of his jacket to prove it, but it was too short for her to fully recover her strength. Today was their last chance in saving Apollo, and if they fail, today would literally be the last of the world. Imagine the moon behind a very thick cloud: that is how the sun looked liked now, and they were hopelessly running out of time.

Nico caught a glimpse of Iris' back among the alarmed bustling people and he jogged to catch up to her. He walked beside her and intentionally let their shoulders brush.

"You're breaking rules," he said.

Iris instinctively took a big stride sideways as she cast him a deathly glare. "What are you talking about?"

Nico cleared his throat and did his best British accent. "There shouldn't be more than a ten feet radius amongst us. You just broke a rule you yourself made, Stone."

Iris smirked, trying to hide her smile. She wasn't supposed to at this time. She was surprised Nico haven't forgotten those rules she made back at New York, because she did. Plus, his British accent actually came out wonderfully.

"Said the guy who was walking towards the empousa even if I tried talking him out of it."

"Well, that wouldn't have happened if you didn't rush off like a dungbrain. You-"

"I told you to stop calling me that!"

"-were more than ten feet apart from me too at that time."

By now Iris' body was vibrating as she tried to control her irritation. "It wasn't my fault you were so far!"

"Why? You're not satisfied? Do you want me to... close the distance?" Nico whispered the last part, smiling mischievously.

Iris' eyes widened so much they could pop out. She choked, trying to make up something to say for what she just horribly heard. Then she closed her mouth- which took a lot of force because her jaw locked on hanging open- and decided to let it go as she concentrated back on the road, her cheeks burning.

"Save your games for some other day, di Angelo. Walk."

She advanced away from him again, and he trailed behind her closely.

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