Chapter Text
Nico looked around the manor, everyone seemed to be busy today which was weird, although not with missions or errands or anything of the sort.
Well, until a loud angry scream broke out.
"GET BACK HERE YOU DEMONIC ELF BITCH!!!" Jeff was heard screaming angrily while chasing BEN with a large gleaming kitchen knife in hand.
Then the two ran out of the manor to seemingly continue outside near the forest, Nico just rubbed his eyes, already used to the chaos that happened within the manor when Jeff was angry, Nico just turned around and started walking towards the manor's kitchen which was oddly covered in the smell of lots of fresh food.
That was also new, the manor wasn't usually full if Nico was being honest, since at times many of the creeps and fellow although small group of proxies would be off doing missions or errands for Slender Man.
Nico's thoughts were then brushed away as a new voice interrupted his usual inner monologue.
"Oh, hey Nico! Have you seen Smile Dog anywhere...? I'm supposed to be on dog duty today, but to be honest, Jeff's dog gives me the heebie-jeebies..." The new voice told him softly, it was Helen, otherwise known as the Bloody Painter, a skilled artist and also one of Natalie's best friends besides Toby himself.
"Honestly, no. But, I agree, that dog is really creepy." Nico replied sincerely to Helen with a soft chuckle, which to some was uncharacteristic of the son of Hades, namely other demigods. But who cares? He hasn't been to Camp Half-Blood or to it's strict and military school-esque Roman sister Camp Jupiter in a hot minute anyways.
Nico bid Helen adieu and resumed walking towards the manor's large kitchen.
He was soon met by the strange yet also funny sight of Toby and Natalie doing whatever the hell they were currently doing with a pair of large pumpkins, they were both wearing a pair of matching black nitrile gloves alongside silly aprons with dumb yet funny phrases on them.
"Should I ask what you two are doing right now...?" Nico asked, confusion clear in his voice.
“Oh shit! Hey Nico!” Toby yelled excitedly as he waved with his free gloved hand.
“Toby and I are scooping out pumpkin gunk!” Natalie added after Toby in the same excited tone of voice.
“Might I ask why…?” Nico asked the two.
A new voice entered his hearing by answering his question rather abruptly.
“It’s for the pumpkin pies, and what remains will be used for some pumpkin soup, that’s going to be a side dish anyways so the portions don’t really matter.”
It was Tim who had answered Nico’s question, he was currently putting a large casserole with a large portion of macaroni and cheese inside one of the manor’s ovens.
The older man was also wearing an apron, but this time it was purely black and didn’t have any funny phrases like Toby and Natalie’s aprons.
He was also wearing a pair of dark red oven gloves too, Nico still wasn’t sure what was happening right now, was one of Slender Man’s brothers coming to the manor to visit?
Was that why everyone seemed to be accommodating and preparing the manor to be filled with new guests? A special dinner of sorts…?
"Mary's helpin' us out with the main course so don't worry about it Nico." Tim added in a helpful tone as he then closed the oven and went to check up on the other dishes.
"Think it's best if you go out and get some fresh air Nico... Looks like you've seen a ghost, No pun intended." Toby suddenly said out of the blue, making Nico snicker softly as he looked at Toby with an expression that just said 'really?'.