Sunshine

Old Habits

*Nico*

I end up back in cabin 13, lying flat on my back on the cool wooden floor, letting the shadows darken around me as I try to catch my breath. My heart is racing, I woke up from a nightmare to find myself clinging to Jason, and I panicked so I shadow travelled back here to be properly alone, where I belong. The door flies open suddenly, Will and Percy running in, followed soon after by a clearly worried Jason.

"Nico?"

Will is beside me before I can react, reaching out to touch me and recoiling in shock when his hand passes through me. He tries again, biting his lip as he becomes more concentrated, movements becoming more frantic by the minute.

"Calm down."

Percy steps closer, looking at me with concern as he realises what is going on.

"Nico please....don't do this right now, focus. Please?"

"I'm fine."

Someone must be able to sense my panic, but no one breaks the silence as Will continues trying to make contact with me. His movement makes me more panicked, eventually snapping at him when his hand passes through my stomach again.

"Will!"

He flinches, jumping back as if I had just slapped him.

"Stop touching me."

Percy starts laughing at this, trying, and failing, to quiet himself as I glare at him.

"Shut up Jackson."

He nods, managing to return to his usual stoic expression for a total of five seconds before he smiles again.

"You do realise that he isn't technically touching you, right?"

Jason cracks a smile at this, suppressing a laugh about as well as Percy. Will sits back on his heels, seemingly unamused as he tears up.

"Nico, what happened?"

"I'll be fine."

Will tips his head at me, hair falling across his eyes at the slight movement.

"Percy, take Jason and run back to find someone who can help. I think Reyna might be able to-"

"She's not here right now."

"Go find her. Or...or send her an Iris message. Something, anything really, just contact her. Go."

I glare back up at everyone, watching Percy and Jason sprint out of the cabin, door slamming shut behind them. Will continues rambling, not noticing when I solidify my form and push myself into a sitting position.

"Will..."

He doesn't notice me, muttering something about letting me leave too early.

"Will!"

He jumps when I shout at him, eyes widening in surprise when he sees me sitting closer to him.

"I...I..."

I cut him off quickly, not wanting to listen to him rambling on about my health for another hour.

"You need to leave."

"And you need to come back with me."

"No. We're not getting into this again. I'm staying here, and you're leaving."

He frowns down at me, pulling me to my feet. I push away from Will, glaring back at him as he continues trying to get me to leave my cabin and go to the infirmary.

"You can't shadow travel again, and I'm standing between you and the door, so you have nowhere to go Nico. Come on, I don't want to have to take you in the hard way."

Will smirks as I realise he might be right, raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"I'm not going to the infirmary."

I flop down on my bed, rolling my eyes as Will continues nagging at me.

"Yes, you are, it's not up for debate. You're coming with me, doctors orders."

Despite my annoyance, I can feel my face beginning to heat up when he takes a more stern and commanding tone of voice with me. The panic from earlier is gone, leaving behind the strong willed doctor I have grown accustomed to over the last few weeks.

"Either you're coming in by yourself, or I'm going to force you to come in."

"Try me."

He bites his lip as he considers my challenge, flipping his hair out of his eyes before he springs at me suddenly. I yell as he picks me up, laughing when I realise that he actually intends to carry me across camp. Will stops moving suddenly, nearly dropping me in surprise.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you at all?"

He sets me down quickly, concern written across his face.

"I'm fine."

Will nods, sitting beside me on my bunk.

"I'm serious though, you need to come in. Please?"

I sigh heavily, rolling my eyes at his attempts to convince me I actually need medical attention and not just sleep. Eventually, I give in, but not before Percy tells me Reyna is coming down for a visit. Will walks me across the lawn, signing me in and checking my vitals before running out to grab something from the main floor, leaving me alone as darkness sets in.