please don't take my sunshine away- solangelo

An Apple a Day Does Not Keep the Annoying Doctor Away- Nico

    Nico sat up in his bed, mortally embarrassed at what had happened last night. He wasn't even sure what he did exactly, just that he started crying and hugging Will. What a stain on my reputation, he thought, horrified.

He could only hope that Will hadn't gone around camp telling everyone that he was a crybaby, but something told him that he wouldn't do that.

Nico noticed that he was currently squeezing a hot pink elephant stuffed animal. He was slightly offended, but the plushie was soft. And adorable. Not that the son of Hades would ever admit that.

He got up and made his way to the dining pavilion, joining Hazel in the breakfast line. She was visiting, along with Frank and Jason, for the next few days from Camp Jupiter.

Will got in line behind them and outright glared at him when he was about to leave the line without any food. "Eat," he ordered. "Hazel, will you please make sure Nico eats something?" he asked, his expression softening.

She nodded. "You heard him," she said.

"Betrayal," Nico said with a scowl, but he grabbed an apple. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."

"I'll go away if you take care of yourself for once!And stop shadow traveling," Will said.

Nico huffed. He resisted the urge to throw the apple at him.

Hazel raised an eyebrow and smiled, but didn't say anything until they made their way back to the Hades table. "Nico di Angelo, spill."

Nico's cheeks turned pink, and he looked down. He had come out to Hazel a little bit ago (drawing a squiggly line and saying "this isn't straight but i'm not either"), and she was very understanding, especially considering that she had been born in the 1920's.

He'd been trying to avoid those feelings. "What do you mean?" he mumbled. She grinned, and he just banged his head against the table. "What do I do?" he groaned.

She patted his shoulder. "What do you want to do?" she asked.

"Return to my previous state of hating everything and everyone."

Hazel laughed, but he could tell that it had sadness lingering behind it. "Don't wait forever, Nico," she said.

He sighed. A moment of silence passed before he spoke. "Anyway, do you think Frank will teach me archery? And will you do the ropes course with me later? I need to get in a better physical state. I've felt so... weak... lately."

Hazel nodded, understanding. "Of course. Just don't tire yourself out."

Nico rolled his eyes. "I knowwww, I've heard that enough times."

After breakfast, Nico went to learn archery with Hazel and Frank. The thing is, Frank taught Nico how to hold the bow and arrow and shoot, but apparently forgot about him after helping Hazel and makinrbg his own shots.

Nico sighed. The arrow was not cooperating, and he really wanted to send it to Hades. Instead, he aimed, shot, and missed. And missed again. And he literally hit the target once.

He grumbled and threw the bow on the ground after his sixteen millionth attempt. Nico heard a laugh behind him, and turned around to glare at them.

It was Will. "Dude, what did that poor bow ever do to you?" he asked.

"It hates me!" Nico said, throwing his arms up in the air. He threw the arrow in his hand at the target, which hit it, of course. "Frank was supposed to help me, but..." He gestured towards the praetor laughing with Hazel.

"I'll teach you," Will offered. "Archery's literally the only fighting thing I can do."

"It's the only fighting thing I can't do," Nico grumbled.

"Show me what you've got," Will ordered.

Nico begrudgingly picked up the bow and an arrow and shot it. He hit a different target.

"Yeah, you're terrible," Will informed him. He grabbed the bow from Nico and an arrow, and aimed. He let go, and the arrow hit the yellow circle.

"Will Solace, I could beat you in a sword fight any day, so no words. No words."

"Alright, alright." Will handed the bow back to Nico, and instructed him how to load it properly.

Nico obliged, and Will placed his hands on Nico's, adjusting his position. This sent a jolt down his spine, and his face flamed. "See the target? Look at the yellow, aim to hit it, and release."

The arrow flew through the air, and hit the red circle around the bullseye. "I did it!" Nico said, his eyes widening. He practiced a couple of times without Will, and hit the target each time. He didn't get a bullseye, but he was alright with that.

Hazel approached them, grinning. "Nico, you're not hitting my target anymore!" she commented. He rolled his eyes. "Ready for the obstacle course? Frank's training with Clarisse, but Jason's gonna meet us there."

"Wait, wait, wait. Nico, you shouldn't—"

"Tire myself out?" He cut in. "Will, I'm fine. You can come if you're so worried about that."

"Fine."

"Great with me!" Hazel said cheerfully, and the three made their way towards the course.

Jason was waiting, and Piper had come too. Hazel, Nico, and Jason raced each other up a rope ladder, and Nico won. Piper chatted with Will as they followed.

The group scaled the rock wall, and had some weird conversations: types of cheese, favorite flowers, and Star Wars. Nico had no idea what "Star Wars" was, so he just kept quiet during that one.

A few hours later, Nico, Hazel and Jason walked to dinner together. "So... we're doing a movie night tomorrow with some friends. You wanna come?" Jason offered.

"Can I bring Will?" Nico asked innocently. "That's the only way he'll let me go," he explained. It was also the only way he would go, but Nico didn't say that. Jason and Hazel were not convinced, but agreed.