Judgmental (a Percy Jackson AU)

Death Boy

    Nico grimaced. It was his third day in the psychiatric ward and he couldn't wait to get out. The other patients had aptly nicknamed this place Tartarus. The only thing he was grateful for was that Hazel had visited him yesterday. He supposed he should also be glad that he wasn't in jail. Nico knew in some places that suicidal people were sent to county jails. After all, Nico thought, nothing improves mental health more than being treated like a criminal.

      "I can't wait to leave this place," Nico said to no one in particular.

       "That might never happen," a tall man with a full beard and a muscular frame named Heracles said.

      "I'm sure that I'll leave soon," Nico said, biting his lip.

      "That's what they all say, but you might be here for ages," Heracles said. "I've been here for ten years. I killed my wife and children in a fit of rage. I suppose I should be glad that I'm not in jail."

    Nico winced; he had been thinking the same thing. Would he end up like Heracles: stuck staring at the walls of a psych ward for the rest of his days? No, Nico thought; I'm not a harm to anyone else — only myself. He bit his lip. Was that true? He remembered the playground fight he had with Percy after Bianca's death. He had pushed Percy into the asphalt an the dark-haired boy had smelled of ash and blood when Nico lent a hand to help him up.

      "Nico isn't staying here forever," someone else said, approaching the two men.

    Nico looked up to see the first responder who had been in the ambulance with him. Will Solace was the brightest thing Nico had seen during his stay here. Compared to the drab grey walls of the psych ward, Will seemed positively vibrant. His skin was lightly tanned and his blonde hair shone like gold. When he was near enough, Nico could smell the scent of vanilla and oranges on him. He imagined that Will's lips would taste like a dreamsicle.

    "And why is that?" Heracles challenged, yanking Nico out of his thoughts. "Death Boy here isn't any saner than I am."
    
    Nico flushed slightly. He could still recall the creamy taste of a dreamsicle. He dug his nails into his arm. He couldn't let his thoughts wander like this. Cupid was right; these feelings were wrong.

      "Nico is getting discharged today," Will announced.

     Those words alone made Nico want to kiss Will in the middle of psych ward regardless of the consequences. Instead, he smiled slightly and asked, "I am? This isn't your idea of a joke, Solace?"

     "Nope," Will promised. "Asclepius signed off on it. He told me I should offer you a choice. You can wait until this evening when a friend of yours, Percy Jackson, can pick you up or you can go home now in my car."

      "I'd rather get back to my house sooner," Nico answered.

      "Well then," Will replied. "We better get you discharged. Follow me, Death Boy. We got some paperwork to fill out."

    Nico had never been so excited to scribble his name down.