The Sea // pjo

Chapter Five // The Cabin Gets Crowded

    It turns out my feet weren't completely like Frodo Baggins's, so Annabeth forced me to go to the infirmary and have Will get the splinters and whatever else decided to take root in the bottom of during the battle out before they were forced deeper into my feet.

    "I don't understand why she had you come..." Will admitted while he inspected the super deep spots. "You're just gonna have more at the end of the day..."

    "That's what I told her!" I exclaimed, making the younger boy grin. "You should talk to her, Sol–not that she listens to anyone."

    He was ten, going on eleven, and he was literally one of the smartest people I have ever known. Like not only with his weird healing-Apollo-kid stuff but just in general. Almost as smart as Annabeth, that's how smart he was, in my opinion.

    He had his father's, whom I haven't met yet, but I am told, dark tan skin, freckles, and sunshine blond hair. And his eyes sparkled like azul jewels.

    He was basically the embodiment of sunshine.

    I mean...he literally was...but not all the Apollo kids had that effect on people.

    But William Solace did, and he was one of the first friends I made at camp last summer.

    I had had been having a rough day just in general, and he found me crying quietly by the lakeside.

    The boy had just silently come up, sat beside me, and offered me an ice cream sandwich.

    He didn't talk until I did, and we became fast friends after that.

    He was like my little brother, and I loved him like one too.

    Anyways, he caught me up on his summer. At the same time, he pulled out some especially difficult splinters from my heels, distracting me from the sharp stabs into my skin. I tried to usher him away to take care of the actually wounded campers, but he refused, saying his siblings could handle them just fine. I think he just used it as an excuse to hang out with me.

    When he finished, he waved me forward and pulled out a disinfectant wipe, rubbing at something on my cheek, and I winced at the burn.

    "And this is why I am on call for you 24/7," Will laughed at me. "Because you always get hurt, and you never know it."

    I rolled my eyes at him, "Cállate tú..." Shut up you...

    "Gods, you're going to have to teach me Spanish, so I can talk to you in code..." The young boy murmured, putting a couple of butterfly bandaids on my face.

    He pressed his lips together, humming a little tune I recognized as a Billy Joel song, and I hummed it with him, harmonizing as best I could.

    I didn't even realize he had stopped until I moved my gaze from the window to his face.

    His eyes were out of focus, and I snapped my fingers, "Niño, this is why you get trampled in capture the flag..."

    Will blinked a few times before he stammered, "S-Sorry, I got distracted. Your voice is good, by the way...if you weren't a Poseidon kid, you could pass as an Apollo kid."

    I gave him a look, "Have you seen me? I don't exactly give off You are my sunshine, my only sunshine vibes..."

    Will snickered, "Of course you do."

    I flicked his cheek before standing up and ruffling his hair, "See you at dinner."

    "Sounds good! See ya, Sal!"