Solangelo 1

Part 15

WILL

Nico spends a lot of time in the infirmary. He comes for some injections that he still needs, let's me check on his bandages and then offers to help out around the place.
He takes medication to different cabins for different people and collects the herbs I need from the forest. He's incredibly helpful.
He comes in from having gone searching for a certain flower, his jacket held over his head in an attempt to shield himself from the sudden downpour.
'Gods, Sorry.' I say, taking the flowers from him as he comes stumbling in, chucking his jacket on the closest empty bed and shaking his hair out.
'No worries.' He says. His top clings to his chest and I notice he's started to wear his own camp necklace. Five dull grey beads, and then one bright yellow one. I smile, glad he's committed to being home.
'This should, if I'm right, wake her up.' I say, moving over to the Aphrodite girl's side. She's been in a coma since the fight.
Nico stands beside me, watching as I set to work. I crush the flowers up and mix them with water into a fluid.
I lift her head and get her to swallow some. She moves slightly, mumbling. And then she opens her eyes, a panicked look in her eyes. They're still glazed over, not fully awake. She jumps up and looks around.
I fall back, surprised by her sudden movements. She grabs the nearest weapon to her, which just happens to be Nico's sword. He leaves it in here since his cabin was destroyed.
She brandishes it, her eyes wild. I can't think of anything to say, so overwhelmed and out of my depth.
'Will, get behind me.' Nico says, pulling me back, and stepping in front. He raises his hands, weaponless but still looking dangerous, 'she's not herself. She's still in the battle.'
'Don't hurt her.' I say.
'I won't.' He says, just as she strikes out. He dodges to one side, narrowly avoiding the sword. But he's not so lucky the second time. She swings it back and cuts his right thigh, a thick line of blood seeping through his jeans. He drops to one knee and I move forward, unsure what to do.
'Josie, drop the sword.' I plead. She turns her focus to me, swinging the sword.
'Will, get back!' Nico shouts. I'm too late to dodge and watch, frozen, as the sword comes towards me.
And then Nico appears in front of me, emerging from the shadows.
An aura of darkness surround him as he parries with Josie, pushing me back onto the bed out of danger. He takes her wrist and spins it round, forcing her to drop the sword.
She remains intent on attack, raising her fists. Nico holds his hands up, palms out.
She goes to punch but he dodges easily now that she's lost the added distance.
He ends it so quickly I almost miss it, taking her wrist in one hand and hitting her on the nose with his palm. Her head lulls backwards, and he catches her easily. He lays her down on the bed and breathes heavily, leaning against the bedpost.
'Nico, are you...' I move towards him quickly, placing my hand on his shoulder only to have it pass through him.
'I don't, I can't...' He says, his leg giving way. He holds himself up on the bedpost. I go to hold him up again and this time he's solid. He wraps his arms around my neck, clinging to me, no longer able to hold himself up, 'I'm fine.'
'Nico, no you're not.' I say, panic seeping into my voice. There's a common rule in the Apollo cabin - never operate on someone you're close to when you can avoid it. But there's no one else around, and Nico is losing a lot of blood.
I lift him up and carry him to the nearest bed. I pass him a towel, 'bite on this.' He does so without question. I forget that he is used to this, 'Okay now drink this.'
'No.' He says, quickly.
'It'll knock you out. You need to drink it.' I say, forcing the cup into his hands.
'Just do it. I can stay awake.' He says. I struggle not to force the drink down his throat, but he's losing too much blood.
I start to work, stitching up his wound. He screams into the towel, a muffled noise. I try to ignore it. He passes out after the fifth stitch and wakes up two seconds later. It happens about five time - passing out from the pain, and waking up in his fear of his own subconscious.
But soon it's too much for him to take. He passes out and doesn't wake up. I finish up, his blood covering my orange camp shirt. My hands are shaking. They never shake.
'Will, oh my Gods.' Kayla says, rushing in when she sees me covered in Nico's blood.
'What happened? Are you okay?' She says. And it's all too much for me. I start crying just as she comes and wraps her arms around me. I sob into her shoulder, 'you're fine. He'll be okay. You did a good job.'
'It's my fault. I should have realised she wasn't ready to wake.' I say, my voice shaking, 'He shadow travelled, to save me. He's already so close.'
'Close to what?' She asks.
'To losing touch with this world.' I say, 'I might have just pushed him over the edge.'
'Will, this is not your fault.' She says. She takes a towel from the stack on the chair and wipes my hands of Nico's blood, 'he'll be okay.'
Just as she says that, Nico starts to thrash in his sleep, his breathing spreading up. I sit beside him, taking his hand without thinking. Kayla puts her hand on my head, a very motherly gesture. She doesn't question my holding of Nico's hand, and I'm grateful.
Nico's heart beat grows steady as I place my other hand on his shoulder. His face relaxes, looking his age.
'You two get on well.' Kayla says. She doesn't ask any explicit questions but I know what she's asking.
'Yeah.' I say, 'he's kind.'
'That's the first time I've heard someone describe Nico as kind.'
'Not many people get to know him.' I say. And it's true. He didn't make an effort with people, but they didn't make an effort with him either.
'So why did you?' She asks. I look up and see her smiling. She knows I've been fascinated with Nico ever since he came to camp. His understanding of death was something I aspired to. He was always so calm about it.
'Because.' I say, leaving it at that.
'Nothing to do with those muscles of his?' She says, pointing to Nico's arms. I feel myself go red, 'Pity he's gay.'
'You know...I mean, how did you...?' I ask, surprised.
'I saw you guys on the pier. You forget I wake up even earlier than you do.' She says, busying herself with small tasks.
'You didn't tell anyone?' I ask, scared she might have just outed Nico to everyone in camp.
'Of course not.' She says, 'I know how hard it was for you to come out. Can't imagine how hard it is for him.'
'Thank you.' I say.
'So are you two...?' She asks, looking up at me.
'None of your business.' I say. She smiles as if that was an answer in itself.
'I won't pry.' She says, raising her hands, 'but you could do a lot worse.' She watches as I stare at Nico, still scared what might happen to him, 'he'll be fine. I promise you. He's been through so much, I don't think anything could hurt him now.'
'I guess not.' I say. Still, I stay beside him as my shift ends and through the night. I fall asleep sometime around 3 am.