Solangelo 3

Part 8

NICO

It's a relief to talk with Reyna and Percy about such normal things. They see each other quite a lot now that Percy studies at Camp Jupiter, and it's nice to see them so at ease around each other. Reyna told me briefly about how she used to like Percy, and we bonded over our annoyance at how many people seemed to like him.
But now we talk about such mundane things. I can't tell if they're thinking the same as me, but I can't help but think back to all the life-or-death, this-could-be-our-last-conversation conversations that we had. I love how easily we talk about nothing now.
'So.' Percy says as our talk fades to a halt, 'not to be a downer, but we going to talk about you collapsing earlier today?'
'Yeah, Nico, are you okay?' Reyna asks, sitting up.
'Fine. I'm fine.' I say, automatically deflecting their concern. I wonder whether I should tell them about my visions. Whether they'd want to know or not.
'What is it?' Reyna asks.
'I just...it's these weird dreams, but that's all they are.' I say, deciding to give them the bare minimum. It's no use making Percy worries over Annabeth if it's just a dream. And he would worry, 'just the typical, you know, not nice stuff.'
'You're sure they're just dreams?' Percy asks.
'Yeah. Yeah, definitely.' I say. And I mean it. It wouldn't happen. I didn't even recognise the house that was burning.
'Alright, if you're sure.' Reyna says.
'I am.' I say, standing up, 'now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go burn this perfectly good collection of food.'
'Hold up.' Percy says, 'you're not seriously giving offerings to Hades still?'
'No!' I say quickly, 'no way. Never.'
'Then...?' He looks at my food, confused.
'Persephone.' I say, awkwardly, 'she kind of saved my life, and Will's. She gave up a lot for us. I feel like I owe her and there's nothing I can really give, so...I settle for the offerings.'
'Do you know if she gets them?' Reyna asks.
'I'm pretty sure. Narcissus' grow around me a lot, and those are her flowers. Things don't...um...things don't die around me as much as they used to.' I say, awkward.
'What died?' Reyna asks.
'Grass used to die around me if I stood in one place too long. Flowers wilted. It was really depressing, but now it's sort of like the two polar opposites are fighting against each other, my dad's side trying to kill everything, and Persephone trying to make things grow.'
'That is...quite a lot.' Reyna says.
'Yeah, well. I'm not complaining.' I say, 'anyway, I'm going to burn this then head down to the infirmary.'
'Oh, Hey, I'll come. I have a checkup.' Percy says, standing up with Reyna who quickly drops into conversation with an Aphrodite girl who felt more like a Venus girl.
'You have a checkup?' I ask, 'I thought you were allergic to the infirmary.'
'I'm there all the time?' He counters.
'Yeah, when you're bringing me in. Or if you've accidentally stabbed yourself again. You don't go in for checkups?'
'Okay, Alright, you're right.' Percy says, holding his hands up in surrender, 'your boyfriend swayed me.'
'Will?' I ask, surprised.
'You have another boyfriend?'
'No, I mean, when did you guys...?'
'When you were out. I had an asthma attack. Will convinced me to get a full on checkup. On everything.' He explains.
'Gods, He's good.' I say, shaking my head. First he gets me to have regular checkups, now Percy. He's probably going to convince Reyna to have a quick look over before she leaves.
'He is.' Percy confirms.
I stop at the altar, and so does Percy. We both scrape our remaining food into the fire and say a short prayer. I add another small offering for Apollo on behalf of Will. Percy's takes a little longer than mine, and I know he goes through a lot more people. I occasionally pray to more gods, but Percy does so every day.
He's had so many occasions where minor Gods who often get forgotten have helped him out, and he wants to make sure their help is remembered. I know he prays to Artemis as well, as we all often do, to keep Thalia safe; she's one of the few Gods who no one ever has a problem with.
He finishes up and we head down to the infirmary, talking about nothing. I feel a little guilty keeping the dream about Annabeth in the house from him, but I know he'd just worry.
'Will.' I call out as we enter the infirmary, and I see him head down at a desk, writing notes. It's rare he's not on his feet in a shift, but he does occasionally have time and work on new treatments and ideas. He's always fully immersed when he does.
'Will.' I say again, and again. He doesn't look up until I put the napkin holding a sausage sandwich I made for him on his desk.
'Hey, hold on.' He says, continuing to write.
'Eat.' I say.
'Just a sec.' He continues.
'Percy's here for a check up.' I say, trying to perk his interest.
'Kayla's in the back, Percy.' He says without looking up.
'Thanks, man.' Percy says and heads off to find her. He seems content to go about it on his own.
'Will.' I say, kicking the leg of his desk lightly to jog his writing.
'Stop.' He says, not involved enough to get properly annoyed at me, 'hold on.'
I move round to where he sits and watch as he writes. His writing is messy, more of a scrawl than anything else. I can barely make out what he's writing, and the words I can make out are all too medical for me to understand.
'Okay.' He stops writing, 'Okay. That's done.' He puts his pen down, turns to me, and kisses me, 'hi.'
'Hey.' I say, 'eat.'
'What?' He looks where I'm pointing, sees the sandwich and only then notices it, 'oh hey, thanks.'
'No problem.' I say, 'I made an offering to Apollo for you too.'
'Thank you.' He says, looking up at me, 'that's sweet.'
'Have you had any word from him?' I ask.
'No.' He says, clearly worried about it.
'He'll be okay.' I say, 'he's got Leo and Calypso too now. He'll be okay.'
'Yeah.' He says, 'would just be nice to hear something from him.'
'I get it.' I say.
'You hear there's capture the flag on tomorrow?' He asks.
'There is?'
'Yeah, Clarissa just told me. Apollo and Ares are head cabins.' He says.
'Oh, So you're picking teams.' I realise, 'made any decisions?'
'Well, obviously Percy first.' He says, 'then Athena, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes.'
'Good team.' I say, 'feel like you're missing something.'
'Oh, of course!' He says, 'Reyna!'
'Yep, there you go. There's your winning team.' I say, 'flawless.' He laughs, then pushes the chair out and moves up a little so I can half sit on the chair, half on his lap, as he finishes the sandwich.
'Obviously, you're my first pick.' He says, 'if you'll have me.'
'Do I have a choice?'
'No, you don't.' He says.
'You don't have to pick me. Your cabin hasn't won in months. I get if you take Percy first.'
'Screw Percy, He can't shadow travel.' Will says.
'You're going to let me shadow travel?' I ask, surprised.
'I am going to actively support you shadow travelling for about an hour, then I'm back to being strongly against it.'
'You have terrible morals.' I say.
'Hey. My cabin hasn't won in months. To hell with my morals.' I can't help but laugh, and look forward to seeing Will in charge of a small army. He doesn't really seem the type.
It's oddly quiet for a long time in the infirmary, and we use the quiet well, talking about absolutely nothing of importance, and thoroughly enjoying it.