Chasing The Dark

Chapter 2 - Zeus Ain't This Dramatic

Apollo himself was the one who carried Will back to the Infirmary, once he recovered some of his strength. he could hear the murmurs around him and the eyes of the curious campers who wondered what happened to Will, a person who was always happy and willing to give you a hand to help you in anyway he could.

"Dad..." Apollo got surprised hearing Austin. He was making guard at the Infirmary's door, his facials grim.

"Help me" Apollo asked his son, who quickly pulled away some sheets of a close by bed, where Will could rest "Let's change his clothes..." Austin nodded and left to get some clothes for Will, while Apollo took his time, taking Will's clothes off his body. First, his jeans and shoes. But when he reached his shirt, Apollo noticed white lines across Will's skin. Apollo didn't focus on the tiny ones, but on the big ones. Some were even red and purple. Which meant they were made recently.

"Here you go, Dad..." Austin came from behind Apollo, who took the clothes without looking and put them on Will's body. Once he finished, he got up and walked away, without saying a word to anyone.

~oOo~

When Will woke up the next morning, there was a crowd around him.

Next to his head bed, to his left, his sisters Kayla and little Aria, who looked about to cry. Next to them, his brother Austin was chatting with Jake Manson, from Hephaestus' cabin, Will's best friend. On his right, Rachel was talking to Jason Grace, while Nico DiAngelo was alternating between their conversation and looking over Will. Looking from the end from the bed, trying to look chill, his father, Apollo.

To say Will was overwhelmed was to say the least.

"Um, hello...?" Will croaked, his voice a little dry. All the people around him stopped their conversations and focused on him.

"Willy!!" Little Aria was the first one to react and launched onto him, into a hug. Will grunted and hugged her weakly, staring at everyone.

"Hey, Ari..." Will replied, trying to sound cheery.

"How do you feel, bro?" Jake looked at him, worried.

"Thirsty..." Will admitted. Nico was quick enough to hand him a glass with a straw and hold it for him, so he wouldn't drop it. Will took some sips before stopping "Thanks... How- how long..."

"Three days" Apollo answered the question, surprising everyone. It was obvious no one saw him before "Why were you outside Camp without permission?" Will paled at his father's question.

"Does it matter?" he fired back, trying to sit in his bed, Aria still in his lap.

"Matters when you were at the brick of death" Apollo argued, frowning. He wasn't used to be argued or even questioned.

"But, I'm not, Dad" Will frowned "Now, can I rest?" he asked everyone, who nodded.

"C'mon, Ari... You can visit Will later..." Kayla took her little sister's hand and pulled off Will's lap.

"Promise?" Aria begged to Kayla, who nodded "OK. Bye, Willy..." she kissed his cheek and willingly left the Infirmary with Kayla and Rachel.

"We'll also leave..." Jason butted in, patting Nico's shoulder. Will looked a little dissapoined, but nodded.

"I'm staying" Austin disagreed with everyone "Someone has to watch you so you won't commit something stupid, again" he joked to his brother. Will rolled his eyes, but a smile grew on him. Apollo felt like an outsider in the same room with two of his sons and his friends. In some way, he blamed Zeus for not allowing him to have contact with them. Silently, he left the room and headed to his office.

~oOo~

Apollo didn't attempt to return to the Infirmary after Will woke up. For some reason, he didn't feel good to be in the same room as him. It bothered him, like something was missing from him. Some information that fixed the puzzle.

Knock, knock!

"C'mon in!" he yelled, still focused in his thoughts. Not realizing that the main focus of his thoughts was in front of him.

"Dad, are you busy...?" Apollo turned to see Will standing in front of him. He was wearing a hoodie with jeans, one side longer that the other, because of a cast. He was supporting his weight with crutches.

"Will! I, um- no, what's up?" Apollo tried to look cool in front of his son, but he was actually freaking out.

"Um, I just wanted to thank you. For saving my life..." Will clarified, looking at him.

"Oh..." Apollo gasped, nodding "Well, it was nothing once I saw it..."

"So... You know what was it?" Will questioned him, sitting in a seat, across his desk. Apollo saw his chance to enter this questions, without suspicious.

"Will, you don't know what attacked you?" he wondered, trying to get insights of his story.

"A bunch of dracaenas" Will didn't hesitate to answer. Apollo nodded, listening.

"Maybe, but that didn't put you at the verge of death" he emphasized, resting his elbows in his desk.

"Then, what-"

"A basilisk, Will" Apollo interrupted him "You were bitten by a basilisk" Will's eyes widen open and leaned back into the seat, shocked.

"Oh, gods... How did I made it back to Camp?" Will wanted to know. Apollo didn't know either. By his calculations, Will should had been dead by the time he found him.

"Maybe the same way you got out" The words left Apollo's mouth with a bitter tone that wasn't missed by Will. He felt frustrated by his son's lack of trust towards him and he wanted to understand why.

"Getting out has nothing to do with the fact that I was attacked" Will gritted his teeth, upset "I'm a demigod, those things-"

"Those things happen, I know... But I saw your other scars, Will" Apollo recognized, pointing at him "Weren't fatal, but I saw them"

"Why?" Will babbled, nervous "Why did you do that?"

"I couldn't help it" Apollo apologized "I wasn't planning it-"

"Yet, you had no problem in continuing it, did you?!" Will accused him, getting up, upset "You didn't think for a second that I didn't want for you to know?!" Will huffed and stormed out of Apollo's office, closing the door with a loud 'thud'.

What is he hiding from me? Apollo frowned at his son's dramatic's exit.