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[Color=67AB6D][I]Location: 
Skills: [/I][/color][/center]
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[Center][i][b]Earlier That Morning[/b][/i][/center]

The guitar notes to [i]God in Jeans[/i] played through Hermes over ear headphones as he plucked the strings of his guitar. He sat at the edge of his bed, one leg outstretched while the other was propped up on top of an empty milk crate, helping to stabilize the guitar against his leg and body. His Nonna hadn't been feeling well recently, his mother was tired from work and helping to take care of her, so he tried to be quiet in the mornings. Especially now that school is starting up again. He wouldn't be able to help out as much as he had been during summer. It ate at him, being unable to be there for them for hours on end, between school and work, he felt as if too much weight was being put on his mother with the new shift in dynamic. He lingered on the last note, plucking it in repetition as his mind drifted off in thought for a moment. 

There was a soft knock on his door, not that he could hear. His headphones blocked out sound, though his [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/392257844256440322/1197597845679767642/image0.jpg?ex=65bbd8e8&is=65a963e8&hm=8613bcb6a12628db624cba562bb69b52255c8bf3f14f225b890f89f717367d4e&]mother[/url] knew that well enough. She cracked the door open as she spoke. 
“I'm openin’ tha door. Best be decent.” 
Warning him in the event he was getting changed. No protest told her he was either asleep or listening through his headphones. Her hand slipped through the crack and flipped his lights off and on to grab his attention. Hermes slipped the headphones off and placed them around his neck. [Color=67AB6D]”Sorry ma, just practicing for my band.”[/color] He placed his guitar against his bed, standing up and stretching, already [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/392257844256440322/1197596893144956989/Screenshot_20240118_124222_Instagram.jpg?ex=65bbd805&is=65a96305&hm=38c975609c727e9f353215f6b7fd6051cd4cfb8bbdfebdb6ecda1a63af90019d&]fully dressed[/url] in a light caramel colored knit sweater with graphic designs printed on, white dress shirt, and black tie. His black ripped jeans helped the sweater pop against his pale skin as a gold chain with a small golden horn dangled from his neck. [Color=67AB6D]”Got up a bit earlier, so I'm all ready to go.”[/color]
“Oh no you're not. I bet you haven't even eaten yet. Come on downstairs I've got breakfast ready for you. Can't let you go hungry on your first day as a senior.”
Hermes rubbed the back of his neck, a smile cracking at the corner of his lips as he rolled his eyes but followed along without protest. 

A small cream colored FM radio adorned the wooden countertop of their kitchen. The black dial turned so that it was just audible within the room without disturbing the others. The news rang out around the room, the CDC was there for a bug? That wasn't exactly comforting. The last “bug” the CDC got involved in nearly halted the world. Fear gripped his chest, his Nonna was strong but she couldn't handle taking something that bad again. They were happy enough to hear she didn't have COVID when she fell ill recently. His family was extremely lucky that none of them had ever caught it, taking extra precautions even well after the outbreak to help ensure his grandmother's health stayed well. If she got this new strain…
There was a harsh click as his mother turned off the station and placed a plate in front of him at the table. Her arms crossed as she looked at the radio. 
“Can you believe this spazzatura? You think they'd be more on top of it after the last one.”
She must've seen the worry in his eyes as Hermes poked his eggs with his fork, moving them around listlessly. [Color=67AB6D]”Yeah…”[/color]
His mother moved over to his side, giving him a tight squeeze before she gripped his face with one hand and squished his cheeks together. 
“Oh my poor baby. Don't you go worrying about any of this nonsense. We beat the last one and we can do it again. We're all tougher than we look. You know, your great great granpappy came over here when times were tough. And they managed as did his children and his children's children. You're bred of tough stuff, we all are, so don't you go thinking it's the end of the world ok? Just focus on your academics.”

Hermes smiled, the pressure of her hands digging into his cheeks as he did. [Color=67AB6D]”You're right. I'm just thinking too much about this. Besides, it's a little hard to eat when you're like this.”[/color]
“Oh! Look at me starvin my poor boy. Go go mangiare.”
He poured himself a glass of orange juice, finished his meal, and then headed out. His bag was slung over his shoulder, helmet in one hand as he headed downstairs to where he kept his Vespa parked. Before long he was off on the road heading towards his first day of school.