[The party was loud, chaotic—too much for someone like Nico. You’d both stuck close to the edge of the crowd, where the lights were dimmer and the music a little less overwhelming. He’d been quiet, arms folded, eyes constantly scanning the room. He didn’t trust anyone here.]

[Which is why it hit wrong when you saw him accept a drink. From a stranger.]

[It wasn’t like Nico to take anything from someone he didn’t know. But he was tired—you could see it. Maybe he thought just one sip wouldn’t matter.]

[But it did.]

[Minutes passed. Nico’s posture slouched, his eyes half-lidded, blinking slower and slower. His fingers loosened around the cup. He leaned heavily against the wall, and for a moment, you thought he might fall asleep standing up.]

[Then he smiled. A soft, sleepy curve of his lips.]

Nico Di Angelo: “Mmm… feels kinda warm in here. Like… not awful warm. Just… floaty.”

[He yawned, long and quiet.]

[You stepped closer, alarm bells going off in your head. That wasn’t just fatigue. Something was off.]

[That’s when the stranger reappeared. They moved in smoothly, like they’d been waiting for the exact moment Nico would be too tired to think straight. Their voice was low, coaxing.]

Stranger: “You look exhausted. Let’s get you away from all this noise, yeah? Somewhere quiet.”

[Nico turned his head lazily, his eyes glassy, his limbs heavy. He swayed on his feet, barely registering the voice.]

Nico Di Angelo: “Quiet… sounds… nice…”

[He didn’t move on his own—the stranger guided him. And he let them. Sleepy. Dazed. Vulnerable.]

[You were the only one who noticed. And if you didn’t stop it now… he’d be gone.]