Daoud Hassan

Not part of Riordanverse The following article/section is from the Sikander Aziz series continuity under Rick Riordan Presents and not the Riordanverse canon.

Daoud Hassan
Biographical information
Status	Alive
Gender	Male
Age	20
Residence	Mo's, Manhattan, New York City
Physical description
Species	Human
Hair	Black
Eye	Light Brown
Behind the scenes
Appearances	City of the Plague God Fury of the Dragon Goddess

“	No, nothing like that. I used to tell him about my auditions, all the times I got cast as the bad guy. I really wanted to quit, but he insisted I keep trying. He promised that soon or later I'd get to play the hero. Y'know, save the day.	”
–Daoud to Sik on his brother's influence on his acting career in City of the Plague God.

Daoud Hassan is the romantic partner of Mohammed "Mo" Aziz, who lives and works with and lives with the Aziz family.

History

Daoud was born in a refugee camp and came to the United States at a young age. He met Mo Aziz in the fifth grade and the two became inseparable, eventually becoming romantic partners. Daoud has a hobby in botany similar to Mo Aziz, mainly in pressed flowers and creating natural flower fragrances. This is habitually with all flowers that his beloved Mo Aziz gives.

He is an aspiring actor, he played the role of a lead henchmen to a terrorist in an episode of Homeland, twice. As well as in an off-off-Broadway play.

Mo always supported him, that he should not give up auditioning even if he was always cast as the bad guy, believing Daoud would one day be cast as the hero.

When Mo died, Daoud moved in with his family, staying in Mo's room and wearing his clothes to remember him. He kept Mo's room as it was, only adding a few fashion magazines and posters of celebrities.

Sikander Aziz series

City of the Plague God

While Sikander Aziz closes down Mo's, he gets word that a well known agent from Los Angeles is going to be at an after party for Hamilton in an hour. He brags about his looks and talent to Sikander as the boy cleans tables. When Sikander says he has a zit on his forehead, he rushes off to the bathroom. When Nergal arrives, Sik runs into the house. Sik tries to get Daoud to help him fight Nergal, but Daoud runs and calls the police. After Nergal leaves, he cowers behind Mina and Nadeem Aziz when they barge in to help Sik. While Mr. Aziz yells at Sik for fighting Nergal and Mina hugs Sik to make him feel better, Daoud looks at they destruction of Mo's flowers. He tries to gently lift a flower out of a broken frame, but it crumbles in his hands. He claims he is to upset and does not help with the clean up.

When he goes to check up on the Aziz's, he is turned away for not being family. He is invited to stay at Ishtar's House and Ishtar takes him with her when she leaves, using him as a "handsome, lively" bait to attract Nergal. The following day he agrees to sneak Sik into Manhattan General Hospital to see his parents. As they take the subway they are forced to walk halfway through due to half the tracks being closed. They cut through Washington Square Park to find city workers cutting down sick trees. When they reach the hospital, he distracts a nurse as Sik sees his parents.

During the battle between Ishtar and Nergal, Daoud runs back into the house to get his portfolio. When he comes out, he drives away as fast as he can. When Sik is declared dead after being hit by a train, he is called in to identify him, but he chickens out and calls Belet Amari to do it for him. Three days later, he is staying with Belet in a hotel penthouse and happily hugs Sik when the boy is revealed to be alive. As Sik berates him for forcing Belet to identify him, he gets a call from his agent about auditioning for the Mexican drug lord and leaves. However during the audition, his teeth and hair start falling out and his agent thinks he has a better shot at playing a villain.

He returned to the deli after it was burned and vandalized and boards it up before hiding out in it. He also takes the Flower of Immortality from the garden before it is bulldozed and presses it before turning the blossoms into a fragrance he calls Mo's Promise. Two weeks later Sik returns with an injured Belet and he tells them about the bad state of the hospital and he patches the girl up in Mr. and Mrs. Aziz's room before he and Sik rain his room. He shows Sik the pictures of his brother he has in his portfolio and what he did with the flower, turning it into a perfume he calls Mo's promise. Sik uses a few drops on Belet and, after a delayed reaction, she is completely healed. They explain that the flower grants immortality, which he did not get due to wearing gloves Ashe cultivated and created the perfume. After questioning on using it to cure him or make more to cure the city, he chooses the latter and gets his kit. He manages to make a pint as poxies close in and they flee as Idiptu bursts out of Georiou's bent on revenge for Sidana's death. As they fly, he reveals he didn’t test the perfume out on himself as he didn’t want to waste a drop as the toad demon ambushes them and they crash into an abandoned office building. When he is about to be eaten, Sik and two of the lamassu, Simba and Bagheera, save his life and kill the demon. He and Belet urge Sik to continue on without them and he obeys.

After Nergal is defeated, his features are restored to normal, with the exception of a scar on his cheek. However his acting and modeling career has picked up and he is due for a photo shoot in Libya in a week. As he and the Aziz family are fixing up the deli a month after Nergal's defeat, they see a man selling water from the Big Rain across the street and he sells him a bottle of soda for two dollars to get him to leave. As he helps Sik paint, he gets a call from his agent about a staring role and leaves to take notes.

Fury of the Dragon Goddess

The summer after Nergal's defeat, Daoud is doing a photo shoot in London and invites Sikander Aziz and his parents to stay with him. While Mr. and Mrs. Aziz are unable to join him. Sik goes. Upon seeing Sik, the two hug each other and, after Sik stops Rabisu from eating a dog, he introduces the demon to the model. After Sik expresses his desire to visit the Tower of London, Daoud says he can get tickets through his agency, but wonders if there will be heightened security after a recent break-in at the Louvre. Soon someone knocks on the door and Daoud answered to reveal his invited guest, Belet Amari. As Sik stares at her, Daoud urges him to stop and greet her. The teenagers say hello and, when Belet and Rabisu sees each other, things become tense. Rabisu and Belet begin fighting, trashing the hotel room in the process as Daoud has Sik stop the two. He does so just as the manager arrives and Daoud apologizes. However, the manager reveals this is a common occurrence and reassures Daoud it will be taken care of. When the manager leaves, Daoud convinces Belet and Rabisu to not fight for three days.

Using his influence, he is able to get into a private auction of illegal artifacts at Belet's urging.

Later, after Sik calls his parents, he asks Sik about Mo, who Sik still speaks with occasionally, and Sik says Mo talks about him. Everyone heads downstairs and Daoud and Belet gets in the car. When they enter Fitzroy Castle, Rabisu goes to search for game to hunt as Lady Fitzroy arrives and greets Daoud. After she leaves, he go off to talk to the head of a film studio. When the auction becomes a free for all brawl, Daoud tries to evade harm by clinging to a chandelier. Rabisu saves him and the two meet up with Sik and Belet. After Sik tackles a guard into a moat, Daoud pulls the two out and the group quickly drives off just as a fire erupts.

They drive back to the hotel in silence as emergency vehicles rush past them. Sik tries to lighten the mood by finding an easy listening station on the radio, but stops after finding a news story about the fire stating there are multiple casualties. Belet expresses relief that at least some of the criminals present have died as Sik scolds her. When they return to the hotel, Belet retreats to her room as he yells at Sik for causing the calamity. Daoud goes into his room and, at Rabisu's insistence, Sik goes into Daoud's room to apologize and they start to talk about Mo. Daoud mentions how the two had planned to come to London together and Sik mentions how Mo applied for a job at Kew Gardens, something he feels could have saved his brother's life if he got the job.

The following day, he is doing push-ups as he tries to get tickets to Kew Gardens, speaking with the Head Botanist, Sarah Anderson. After hearing Sik is present, she invites them. However Sik goes on his own as Daoud is still busy with his workout routine. When Sik returns, he informs Daoud that Mo is alive and Daoud becomes elated. After Sik mentions a bagel place picking up when he tried calling his parents, Daoud says the bagel place was the deli before his parents bought it. Soon Mo comes up and to their surprise, greets Daoud like a fan and compliments the model's clothing down to the finest detail, recognizing it from an exclusive store. Soon Rabisu comes out of her room and exclaims that Mo should be dead. To change the topic, Sik suggests they check out the British Museum. Mo goes to clean up and he expresses doubt that this is the Mo they both remember, citing Mo's recent interest in and knowledge of fashion. Rabisu joins in as she questions how Mo could have gotten out of Kurnugi. Sik dismisses them as they head out. He and Mo take a different cab from Sik and Rabisu and get distracted by a group of tourists. When Sik, Belet and Rabisu emerge from the museum amid mass looting, Sik berates him for getting distracted and Belet points at Dumuzi's van and they enter, driving away just as the police arrive. Dumizi takes them to a run down mansion he has been using as a commune and introduces the five to the residents. After being given lentil soup for a snack, everyone does chores before dinner. After dinner, the five are brought to the attic to sleep. In the morning he goes for a jog and watches Mo and Belet dance around when he returns. Soon, Dumuzu announces he got in contact with the Apkallus, who can help them with the tablet. Sik, Belet, Mo, Daoud, Rabisu and Dumuzi drive to meet up with the Apkallus in the middle of the night as the downpour continues. As they pass Tower Bridge, Mo and Daoud exit to take pictures. However, they notice Lugal standing by the bridge just as monsters emerge from the River Thames. He and the others aid in evacuation while Sik takes on the attackers before being thrown into the Thames. Lugal retreats after taking Belet and she and the others search for her and Sik. He and the others find Sik but fail to locate Belet and return to Dumuzi's commune.

After Sik and Rabisu leave to get information to save Belet, Rabisu returns on her own with Sik returning almost three days later. He tries to comfort Sik and tries to convince his brother they need to stop Lugal before things get worse. As Mo is talking to Sik, Daoud and Rabisu enter the room and when Sik mentions Belet- who had her history rewritten so that Lugal adopts her, neither Mo or Daoud know who she is. Sik searches everyone’s phones for pictures of Belet but fails to find them and Rabisu mentions their minds have adjusted to the new timeline. Later, everyone gathers in the kitchen as Daoud monitors current events and Mo tries and fails to warn the authorities. he calls everyone over as the Prime Minister is giving a speech. As the Prime Minister speaks in Latin, Sik translates. They notice something in the background of the address and the Basmu Serpent crashes through parliament. Rabisu laughs as the others scold her and Dumuzi tells everyone they have to act.

As the group drives through London, they watch the downpour and keep out of sight of the authorities. Once they reach Parliament Square, they notice a bus full of tourists teetering over the Thames. He watches as Sik tries to reassure the trapped passengers they will be fine and to not panic. However they panic and the bus falls into the river. However, Dumuzi creates branches to stop it from reaching the water and gets the bus on level with the ground. Sik calms the passengers and, with the help of Daoud and Mo, gets everyone off safely. Once the tourists take shelter, the sky clears and they notice a huluppa tree that Rabisu reveals is the flower god. The group moves out and makes their way to the Tower of London, watching civilians and tourists be rescued as the rain picks up again. When they arrive, they think of ways to get in and Daoud points out that the gates are wide open. They enter the grounds and divide into two teams; Daoud and Rabisu checks out the Waterloo Barracks while the Aziz brothers investigate the White Tower and Mo and Daoud share a tender goodbye before moving out. Rabisu locks him in a room for his safety before joining the Aziz brothers. After Tiamat is awakened, she begins absorbing all of creation in her, including Daoud and the rest of humanity. He is restored after Tiamat is defeated and spends time with the Aziz brothers and Rabisu. When Mo and Sik return home, he stays in England as he is in final talks to star in a spy film.

Appearance

Daoud is a good looking twenty year old Arabic man with wavy black hair and light brown eyes. His features are described as chiseled and he has flawless skin. He also a gym-sculpted body of hard muscles. As the plague progresses, he loses some of his hair and teeth. Daoud is healed during the Big Rain but gains a scar on his cheek after Idiptu slams him into a window and is cut by broken glass that jump started his acting career.

Personality

Daoud is a vain person who cares largely about a potential acting career. He believes that, as he is an Arab Muslim, he will never get cast as the hero. Daoud also often makes excuses when needed to do work in the deli. He is known to have greatly cared for Mo, implied (and confirmed on Goodreads) to have been in a romantic relationship with Mo. Daoud secretly took pictures of his beloved and placed them in his precious portfolio as memories of his love. Daoud willingly stays at Mo's because of his duty to fulfill his promise to Mo Aziz and look after Sikander.

While Daoud does care about his appearance, he values people's future and lives over it, showing a compassionate side for humanity. After losing some of his hair and teeth during the plague, he cares less about his appearance and more about survival.

Abilities

• Botany (limited): Through his relationship with Mo, Daoud learned basic botany for his hobbies.
• Pressed Flower Craftsmanship: Daoud is able to press flowers.
• Perfumery: Daoud is well versed in perfumes.
• Cosmetology: Daoud is knowledgeable in cosmetics.
• Fitness: Daoud dedicatedly trained in the gym and carefully monitored his daily diet to ensure when he must adapt and exercise more, in front of consuming the heavy and delicious Aziz family's food, to maintain a body with less than 10% body fat.

Items

• Portfolio: A precious portfolio valued by Daoud and carried around by him everywhere. Inside are pictures taken by Daoud, random or secret, through the eyes of love. The pictures show a life of Mohammed Aziz never revealed to others and only to Daoud. After Mo's death, Daoud repeatedly offered to show them to Sikander to cheer the "Cuz" up and start a friendship.
• Pressed Flower of Immortality (Desert Hybrid): A pressed flower made before Mo's community garden was bulldozed into a parking lot.
• Mo's Promise: A flower perfume liquid made from the leftover blossoms of the desert hybrid flower of immortality. The liquid had the appearance of silvery, almost-mercurial fluid.

Etymology

• Daoud is the Arabic version of "David", meaning "beloved".

Trivia

• Mo Aziz hinted during his reunion with Sikander that Daoud held the key to stopping Nergal's plague, Mo's Promise, with knowledge of Daoud's common habit to flower press and distilled for flower perfume each new flower Mo sent back home.
• Daoud was in a romantic relationship with Mo before his death.
  • This is confirmed in Fury of the Dragon Goddess.
• He considered going into the cosmetic business if his acting career never got off the ground.