Cabin 13

1| Drowning

His clothes were too heavy...

He was sinking.

He closed his eyes, maybe now was his time, maybe it was better this way.

Then he heard a crash from above, and soon felt hands cluching his jacket, pulling him up. But his consciousness was too weak and everything went black.

They broke through the surface and Percy dragged him to the dock, muttering curses as he quickly starting CPR.

"Damn it, Nico. Wake up! You can't drown! I'm a son of Poseidon for crying out loud!" Percy pleaded, as he continued the chest compressions and tried to open back up Nico's airway.

Finally, after giving Percy multiple heart attacks, Nico's eyes shot open as he sputtered up water.

"Thank the gods," Percy sighed, sitting next to Nico, out of breath, "Don't scare me like that."

Nico just sat there, regaining his breath, not sure what to say, he muttered, "I can't swim."

"So what the heck were you doing in the lake?" Percy gave Nico a glance, "With all your clothes on?"

"I fell in."

He frowned, "You fell in?"

Nico didn't bother responding, he stared at the ground. So Percy just nodded.

There was a beat of silence.

"Thank you."

Percy smiled, "Course. Now let's go get you dried off," he looked down, "and apparently me too."

Nico frowned.

"I was a bit too preoccupied to remember to keep myself dry. Now, can you walk?"

Nico nodded, standing shakily.

"We're going straight to the infirmary."

Nico paled, "No!"

Percy gave him a questioning look.

"Um, it's just... I'm fine. Really. That's not necessary."

"Uh-huh, and this has nothing to do with Will?"

Nico blushed, "What? No!"

"Right," Percy chuckled, rolling his eyes, "So then you won't mind it if we stop by there anyway, just to make sure you're all good?"

Nico swallowed, "No."

"Good. Let's go."

They walked in silence for a while, Nico lost in thought.

"Hey, uh, Neeks?"

Nico, rolling his eyes at the nickname, looked over at Percy, "What?"

Percy rubbed the back of his neck, "Do you ever have nightmares... about... you know," he looked down, "down there?"

Nico blinked, looking away.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. You don't have to answer that."

Nico just sighed, "Almost every time I close my eyes."

Percy nodded, putting his hands in his pockets, "Do you think they'll ever go away?"

He shrugged, "Maybe."

"So then, you don't sleep much, huh?"

They stopped in front of the infirmary.

"Not if I can help it."

Percy just nodded, looking down at his shoes.

"Nico?" Will's voice came from the doorway of the infirmary, "Percy? Why are you guys wet?"

Percy just smiled as Nico's face reddened.