[ON HOLD] A Wonderland Of Misery (Solangelo AU)

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NPOV

There's not much to say about where I live: two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a mini fridge. It's a shitty apartment in a shitty part of New York City. I'm surprised the entire complex hasn't been shut down for building code violations.

So I let the door slam behind me as I entered, practically feeling the noise bounce through the paper-thin walls. I didn't care that it was two in the morning, or that my neighbors were probably trying to sleep - they were all assholes anyway.

But I guess I shouldn't complain about them. I'm an asshole, too.

"It's about time you showed up. I was starting to get worried." Hazel said, the sound of her voice making me jump. I thought she would be asleep by the time I got home.

But she wasn't. Instead, she was sitting on the couch with her laptop open and her hands paused on the keyboard. Her hair was pulled out of her face, the long, caramel-colored spirals trapped in a bun.

I shrugged my jacket off of me. "I'm sorry. They asked me to work late again, I didn't want to say no."

"You have to work your other job in-" Her eyes flew to the computer screen. "-four hours! Why would you agree to take an extra shift? You need to wake up at six in the morning, and you're just now getting home!"

"Well, what are you still doing up? What time do you have classes?"

Hazel's in college. She goes to NYU full-time, while I work. She keeps asking if she should get a job, but I always tell her not to worry about it. Her student loans help out enough, and Hades already pays most of her finances.

She should just stay focused on getting her degree, and I'll worry about everything else.

"My earliest class starts at nine - and you're changing the subject." She crossed her arms, the look on her face stony and frustrated. "I figured it'd be best for me to stay up until you got home, in case you were spending all night drinking again."

"I wasn't-"

"What was I supposed to think? You didn't bother texting to let me know where you were."

I looked down. She was right. I needed to pull my act together and start acting like I was responsible.

Hazel's sigh is what broke the silence. She shut her laptop and stood, hugging it to her chest. "I put an ad online for a roommate."

"What? Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because you work too much." She snapped. "You refuse to accept any cash Dad offers, or let me pay any bills. And face it, you need someone to help pay the rent."

I felt myself recoil at the mentioning of Hades. I haven't spoken to that man in years, and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon. I don't need him or want him in my life, no matter how many apologies he throws my way - the damage isn't going to just disappear.

Maybe if he died I would actually be able to move on.

That's a horrible thought to have.... but I meant it.

I still have nightmares. Sometimes Hazel hears the screaming in the middle of the night. I think the only reason she hasn't moved to the dorms is because she's scared to leave me alone.

The roommate she wants is going to think I'm a freak. I'd rather not have one.

"I don't need help!" I insisted, throwing my hands in the air during my fit of exasperation.

"They shut the power off last week!"

"I payed that bill, it's on now! I'll get another job if I need to."

"No. You won't." Hazel said with the tone of finality in her voice. "We need a roommate, get over it."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I knew there wasn't a way to get through to Hazel when she started acting like this. She can be the most stubborn person on the face of the planet.

It had turned into an argument I couldn't win.

"Fine. I'm going to bed." I muttered, moving past her.

~

I was exhausted by the time I got to work in the morning, the shift last night proving to have been a bad idea.

But now I was at my second job, pouring coffee for hospital staff and stressed out family members who were waiting for a patient to recover. The shop is always busy, so I never bother faking a smile for the customers. Everyone would know I didn't mean it.

Salus Regional Hospital is one of the top medical facilities in the country, with some of the best reviews.

I want to find the people who reviewed it and slap them in the face.

I hated the place in general. At the coffee shop, our uniforms were a horrendous orange and made to match the hospital's logo. The music that played was awful, too (but I wasn't allowed to change it). Most of the people I took orders from were rude.

At least my coworkers made it somewhat bearable. A few of them were annoying, but we all got along okay.

This particular morning Reyna, the manager, was taking orders for us, while Travis and I made and poured the drinks. Connor was taking stock in the back. It was just the four of us working (which I was completely okay with).

I put whipped cream on top of a mocha and put it on the counter for the customer. I called the name that was written on the side of the cup. "Ascelpius?"

A doctor came and took the coffee, giving me a quick nod as a gesture of thanks.

"What happened to you last night, Nico?" Reyna asked me after the line cleared up. "You don't exactly look like you slept very well."

"That's because I didn't. Hazel is forcing me to let a stranger into the apartment." I said glumly.

Both her and Travis shot me questioning looks.

I elaborated. "A roommate."

The idea was really bothering me. I have too many issues for someone to want to deal with. I certainly wasn't the nicest person to be around. My apartment was my only 'safe space', and I wanted it to stay that way.

Travis and Reyna started laughing. Can you believe it? They were laughing, like it was funny.

"Stop being such a drama queen, I'm still living with my brother. Having a roommate is not as bad as it sounds." Travis said. "Are they going to stay in your room or Hazel's?"

I wanted to ignore the fact that both of them thought I was being overly sensitive, but bitterness still seeped through my tone. "I don't know. It's depends on who answers the ad.... Hazel didn't bother specifying a gender."

"Oh. Sound likes you're hoping the roommate ends up being female."

Like hoping will actually do anything. It's a waste of time. Hazel put her contact information on the ad, which means she's going to be the one who chooses the roommate.

But that's not what I said. The words that tumbled from my mouth worked to hide my fear. "That's all I can do, I guess. I'd be better if they shared a room with Hazel. That's the only way I could have any privacy at all...."

I'm screwed. I thought to myself. So, so screwed.

A/N ~ Hey lovelies :)

ITS YO GURL ALYSSA BACK AT IT AGAIN WITH ANOTHER AU!!!!11!!!!

I have a problem, don't I? Oh well....

This isn't really a "Roommate AU" as much as it's a "Whole-Bunch-Of-Other-Crap-Happens-But-Will-And-Nico-Being-Roommates-Is-Necessary-For-The-Plot AU".

There's going to be a lot of build-up, so brace yourselves.

And I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this, but I'll try to keep the chapters rollin'