He Loves Me?

part 1 - 1

a/n obviously i don't own these characters - they belong to Uncle Rick

this is set after BOO and Nico is living out his three days in the infirmary.

edit: the start of this fic isn't very good but i promise it gets better down the road. if you want to skip the cheesy/bad writing and cliches then you can probably read from chapter 20 onwards (part 2), which is after Nico's stay in the infirmary - after he's unintentionally made friends with Will.

- L

~~~

Nico trudged between the double doors of the infirmary. As if he could sense him, Will was immediately at his side. He pointed to a bed.

"For your three days, Di Angelo, you will be sleeping over there." Will grinned and pointed to a bed in the corner.

Nico glared at him and took a shallow breath, not wanting to admit it, but his legs were barely holding him up. He stumbled slightly as he neared and sat down hard on the bed. He looked around awkwardly. This is ridiculous, he thought, what am I doing here? They don't need a son of Hade's adding to the atmosphere. Will came to the bed. Acting nonchalant, Nico made to grab the glass of water on the bedside table to take a sip, but he winced as his hand passed through the glass and collapsed onto his lap. Will's eyes grew stormy.

"Lie down, Death boy."

"Don't call me Dea..."

"Nico, you lie down this instant or I will get Lou Ellen to make another pig ball and personally lob it at your head." Will ordered.

Nico stared at Will for a moment before lying down. Gods, he was stubborn. Were all of Apollo's kids like that? Will strode away and came back with a first aid kit, thrusting a pack of ambrosia at Nico's emancipated figure. Nico gingerly took it, then tore it open. He managed two small bites before his stomach protested and he pushed the rest away.

"When was the last time you ate?" Will's voice was calm.

Nico strained his mind. What was the date now? He couldn't remember. He shook his head.

"You haven't eaten?!" Will sounded oddly annoyed. "How are you supposed to heal well, even rest well, if you haven't eaten."

"Gods Will, I don't know, between shadow travelling with a giant statue on my back, fighting a war, and burning the dead, I guess I just haven't had time." Nico sounded equally annoyed.

Will stood still for a moment.

"Take off your shirt." He said abruptly.

Nico couldn't believe his ears.

"Excuse me?" He growled.

Will tapped his foot impatiently.

"I need to treat the werewolf scratches."

Nico sneered. "I don't think so." He said. "I could smote you this instant, son of Apollo."

"Right now you couldn't raise a mouse, son of Hades. Now let me see the claw marks."

Nico looked down at his floral shirt and back up at Will.

"No." He said, nobody needed to see his gaunt figure.

Just at that moment, Jason came through the door. Heading over to Nico's bed he took in the two boys scowling at each other and sighed.

"Nico. Do what Will says." Nico started to protest but Jason cut him off again. "Just do it."

"Why should I listen to you, Jason?" Nico rolled his eyes.

Jason just stared with a slight guilty smirk. Nico's eyes widened.

"Fine. Fine. Thanks, Jason. You can go now."

As Jason walked back out, Nico sighed and pulled off his shirt, or rather, he peeled it off as the blood from the claw marks had stuck to the fabric. Will smirked.

"I didn't know you were a floral kind of guy."

"Shut up. Just get on with it."

Will looked at Nico's abdomen before his usually relaxed posture tensed slightly. He called for an assistant and briskly whipped some medical equipment out of the drawer of the small table. His assistant leaned over Nico.

"Stay still," She said. "This won't hurt a bit."