Discolored

15: Healing

NPOV

I slip in and out of sleep. I remember waking up to the sound of Will arguing with Kayla, insisting that he be allowed to sleep in my room in the infirmary instead of going all the way back to the cabin.

"I'll just sleep in the chair—" he insists.

"You need real rest, Will, not just—"

He's already sitting in the chair next to my cot. I reach out and take his hand, and then sleep creeps upon me again, and I don't fight it.

-*-*-*-*-

The next time I wake up, Will is asleep in the chair next to me. I have a little bit more energy now than I did last time, so I open my eyes and stare at him. He looks half-dead right now, as if he was the one who had nearly succumbed to shadows. He's so pale—he hasn't been out in the sun enough. There are shadows under his eyes, and his hair is greasy, and judging by the way his stomach rumbles loudly, I don't think he's eaten recently.

I still have his hand in mine. I squeeze it, and he jolts awake. His eyes are wild for a moment, and his chest moves up and down erratically.

I'm still a little groggy, but I'm awake enough to whisper, "It's just me, Will. I'm right here."

He swallows and then takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm down from whatever just happened—a nightmare maybe? I want to ask, but I'm afraid of putting him on the spot. What if it's something personal? What if he hasn't known me long enough to tell me?

So instead I tug on his arm and say, "If you're having nightmares, sleep in this bed, and I'll protect you."

His entire face turns red. If I weren't so deliriously tired, I would probably be embarrassed right now. Considering the circumstances, though, all I feel is a great need to make sure that Will gets good sleep, and if that means sharing a tiny bed barely big enough for one person, then that's just how it is.

Although he does still look embarrassed, he does not say a word before sitting on the edge of my bed. I try to move over to give him some room, but when he lays down, we still end up pressed against each other.

He wraps his arms around me and says, "Thank you. I keep having dreams that you disappear. Maybe it'll help to be able to hold you."

So he was having nightmares. I have to hold back a smile at the idea that holding onto me helps him manage his dreams. My eyelids feel so heavy, and he's so warm, and I want to sleep for an eternity. As I slip back into dreams, I murmur, "I won't disappear."

-*-*-*-*-

The next time I wake up, the sun is shining brightly through the window. Will is still asleep next to me. Kayla walks in to deliver a meal if we want it, sees Will with me, and does not say a word about it as she leaves. I rest my head on Will's chest and let his breathing lull me back to sleep.

-*-*-*-*-

I wake up because Will has shifted his arm. When I open my eyes, he's already awake, running his hands through my hair again. He looks significantly better than he did when we first fell asleep. Not quite back to his normal self, but he at least looks like he's not going to pass out at the slightest movement.

I feel better, too. I have a bitter taste in my mouth—I vaguely remember swallowing something that felt like tar on my tongue when I was in the shadow realm. My body is aching from sharing such a cramped space with Will, but I can set that aside for now if it means a few more moments with Will, being able to hold onto him and letting him hold onto me.

"Hey, Neeks," he greets, and there's a small smile on his face. "Did I wake you up?"

Yes, but I don't mind.

"No," I say. "I just wanted to see you."

His cheeks redden again, and he has to look away from me to respond. "You can't keep saying these things, Nico. There's only so many butterflies in his stomach a guy can take."

I laugh. "Let's try pushing the limit then, shall we?" I push myself up onto my arms to kiss him on the forehead just because I know it will make his face catch on fire—and then I'm climbing out of bed because I'm starving. I'm sure Will needs to eat, too.

The soup that Kayla left earlier is cold now, but there's some fruit on the tray for Will and me, and that will have to do for now until we can get a more filling meal. There's an apple and an orange on the tray—I'm not sure which one Will likes better, but when I glance over at him, he's gazing longingly at the apple, so I laugh and toss that one at him.

He catches it. "Where are we going? You haven't been cleared by a doctor yet."

"We both need to eat, and I'm not eating cold soup," I deadpan. I nod at the door. "You're a doctor. Am I cleared?"

He grins—I think I'm encouraging his rebellious phase again—and stands up from the bed, taking a moment to stretch his arms and back. He takes a bite of the apple as he leads the way out of the room, and he calls, "Yeah, yeah. You're cleared, but you'll have to stick with a medical professional the whole time you're out to make sure you don't regress. Guess that means you're stuck with me."

I laugh and follow him. "Oh no, what a shame."

When I make it to the mess hall, Hazel tackles me in a hug, and our other friends are close behind her. Because I've spent almost the entirety of my time asleep since returning from the shadows, no one has been able to talk to me yet. I've always insisted that I don't like hugs—but at that moment, I change my mind. I could stay in her arms forever.

-*-*-*-*-

Will makes me stay in the infirmary for a few more days after that to make sure that there are no lasting effects of being in the shadow realm for so long, but I can feel myself getting stronger every day. My friends visit nearly every day, and the camp has been incredibly welcoming to me since I've been back. Percy's been telling everyone I was some sort of hero—he won't let me try to argue about it, either.

On the day I'm released from the infirmary, I go to a bonfire. This time, it's not the Aphrodite cabin planning out a match; I just go to hang out with my friends and to experience the warmth of the fire. 

Things are so much better than they've ever been before. In moments like these, when the Apollo cabin is leading songs and my friends are laughing and telling stories, I can't help but believe that everything is going to be alright.

Word count: 1189

A/N: In case you can't tell, we are getting close to the end, everyone. I'll see you in the final chapter soon :)

Yours,

Sunny