SolAngelo short story (post-war)

Chapter 2

Jason dropped by just before dinner. He strolled casually into the infirmary and pulled back the curtain around Nico's bed like he'd been coming to visit for ages. Nico still had his head and shoulders propped up in the pillows and a cotton blanket covered him from the waist down. Jason was pleased to see that the young demigod was asleep, although only lightly apparently since his eyes snapped open when the curtain scraped along the rail. Jason couldn't help but be reminded of a deer in the headlights.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Jason smiled sheepishly and Nico's expression remained impassive.

"I wasn't asleep, just blocking out the light."

Jason wasn't sure what to say to this, "uh... Well, okay."

"Was there something you wanted?"

Jason assumed that Nico didn't mean to sound rude, apparently he was in a bad mood.

"Just checking up on you. You don't seem very happy at the moment."

"Would you be happy if you were unnecessarily being held hostage in a medical unit surrounded by sunny, happy go lucky medics?"

"Well they are children of Apollo, " Jason grinned at Nico's obvious annoyance.

"Very funny Jason. Will's being ridiculous, everyone's over reacting."

As if on cue the said blonde came in behind Jason and drew the curtain behind him.

"It's so lovely to hear you appreciate my caring nature Nico," Nico's ears burned and he averted his gaze from the blonde boy.

In his hands was a plate of food consisting of mash potato, chicken and vegetables.

"Eat up Nico. You need to get three square meals a day down you if you want to be out in three days."

"I'm gonna go to dinner Nico. I'll stop by tomorrow and see you." Nico said nothing as Jason left.

"You don't have any allergies do you?" Will checked putting the tray of food on Nico's lap.

"Pomegranate seeds."

Will gave him a funny look.

"Care to share? I've never heard of someone being allergic to fruit seeds before," Will handed Nico a fork and filled a glass of water from the jug on the bedside table.

"Not really," Nico was blunt as he pushed the potato around the plate.

"Quit playing with it and eat, doctors orders." Will sounded stern. Where had that easygoing somewhat flimsy attitude gone?

Will applied a cool healing paste over the questionably closed up claw marks on Nico's bicep whilst he ate slowly in small mouthfuls. Will commented on the offhand that there was no charm he could use for werewolf injuries and would just have to keep it clean and bandaged.