Time heals

Will POV

It was Nico's last day in the infirmary and he was asleep again. Instead of his stay being a way for me to become closer to him, to figure him out, to maybe even convince him to stay around permanently... he'd been unconscious.

Not that I was that bothered. I had a lot of other duties to take care of. Campers were having their daily checkups and my siblings and I were ensuring everyone was healing properly. I had pretty much been in the centre of the infirmary all day, performing checks and doing paperwork. The infirmary was where I spent most of my time anyway so I was used to it. The building was a big rectangular structure with rows of beds on either side of the main entrance, wooden cupboards and beams separating patients. To the left, there were the five private rooms and to the right was the head office and supply closet where all the important documents and books were kept.

Piper was my next patient booked for today and when she arrived, she strode in with a calm confidence only saving the world can bring you. Aphrodite campers were probably the only people in camp who managed to make an orange t shirt and jeans look good.

"Hey, William," she greeted. "How's everything going?"

I finished up the paperwork for my previous patient and put it away. "Not bad," I replied truthfully. Camp had a certain calm to it now that Gaia was gone and I certainly wasn't complaining. When I wasn't in the infirmary, I could actually spend some time with my friends.

"How's your arm?" I asked.

She presented her forearm to me where a cyclops had nicked her during the battle. It wasn't deep but some of the monsters in the Roman army had had poison on their swords.

"It's healing nicely," I reported, using my healing intuition. "Just no strenuous activity and you'll be fine in a few days."

"Awesome," Piper exclaimed. She seemed like she didn't want to leave yet though.

"Do you need any other help?" I asked.

Her gaze shifted to room three's door. "How's Nico doing?"

I also followed her gaze as if the door would help me explain. "I think he's doing better," I reported. "I got him to sleep and eat. Those are the main things really."

Piper nodded thoughtfully. "It's just... I know Jason has come by a couple of times."

She paused as if to study my reaction. When I didn't give any, she pressed on. "Do you know why?"

I nodded. "He just came by to drop off some spare clothes for Nico." I looked at her. "Didn't he tell you?"

She shrugged like it was no big deal, but it obviously bothered her. "No," she replied. "I was just curious. I didn't know they were that close. At first I thought he wanted to press Nico for news about Leo, but both Nico and Hazel have already told us what they know."

"It was only spare clothes," I reasoned, not really understanding why she was that concerned about it. I also didn't want to think about Leo. I hadn't exactly been great with accepting death since... ever really. I hadn't known Leo Valdez that much, but I still considered us friends.

Piper shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess. It's just a bit weird."

"Weird?" Usually gossip didn't really interest me, but when the subject of gossip seemed so boring, it was almost like there was a deeper meaning I wanted to figure out.

"At first, Jason didn't even want to rescue Nico from the jar-"

"Jar?" I exclaimed, suddenly panicked. I hadn't heard about that, but it sounded important.

"The jar the giants were keeping him in," Piper explained as if that helped me at all. "Anyway, Jason didn't even want to risk it because he thought we couldn't trust Nico. Plus he knew it was a trap."

That bothered me. Someone's life was up for discussion because someone else judged them untrustworthy? Despicable behaviour, especially coming from the superman hero son of Zeus- Jupiter. Whatever.

"But during the quest," Piper continued, thankfully not catching onto my disgust aimed at her boyfriend, "he started defending him. Like they had become besties out of the blue. Like Jason was obsessed with becoming his... protector or something."

I didn't know why that made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable... something else?

"What exactly are you worried about?" I asked Piper. "To me, it sounds like one of the leaders of your quest wanted to make sure everyone on board felt comfortable."

Piper shrugged like she couldn't believe anyone would want to go out of their way to make Nico di Angelo feel comfortable. Maybe Nico did have a point in what he was saying about everyone rejecting him...

"Why don't you talk to your boyfriend about it?" I suggested with a note of finality. I was done with this conversation. "'Healthy communication is key in a relationship.'- something I've heard many Aphrodite campers spew over the years."

Piper obviously didn't like it, but it looked like she was done with the conversation too. "Yeah... Thanks, anyway, Will."

She flashed me a smile and took her leave.

*

As if Piper had summoned him, Jason turned up a half an hour after her to see Nico. I tried to hide my frustration at him now I knew he'd wanted to abandon Nico for death during their quest as I led him into room three.

"Knock knock," I said, waiting for Nico to invite us in. I already felt embarrassed from last night and I was not anxious for it to happen again.

"Come in," Nico's voice said. He was actually extremely polite, despite his reputation (not that I believed a word of his reputation anyway).

Jason and I entered and when Nico saw him, a small smile spread across his face. I felt that same unpleasant pang in my chest again, like I'd felt before with Piper. What was that?

"Hey, dude," Jason greeted, rushing up to Nico's bedside. "How's it going?"

Nico shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

"I'll leave you guys to catch up," I muttered and wondered out.

I didn't think Nico even heard me go. Great. I save him from the brink of darkness several times over the last few days and all he does is resist me. Jason, the guy who wanted to leave him alone at the mercy of the giants turns up for five seconds and Nico smiles at his mere presence?

That feeling was growing now and it was making me angry. I hardly knew Nico. What did it even matter? Of course he was happier to see a fellow hero instead of having me bugging him for 24 hours a day.

I imagined myself being part of the Argo II, saving the world. It sounded awful, of course. The danger, the fear, the death. But if Nico looked at me like he looked at Jason when I walked into the room, maybe it'd be worth it...

Oh gods. Oh no.

It had only been a fleeting thought. Half a second at most. But it made me realise what that unpleasant feeling was. Jealousy.

Just great.

AN ok I know this is short but i'v bean really busy hope you enjoyed love eli