luce del sole (sunshine)

four | nico

Nico was beginning to think of the infirmary as home. It was his fifth day, and he was playing cards with Percy and Reyna. Will wasn't working today, but Kayla was on the other side of the room washing some medical instruments. 

Austin and Will had cleaned up the long cut on his thigh that morning before Will left back to his cabin. Nico had apparently ripped some of the stitches when he'd stood to yell at Will and Hazel two days before, and he'd been in and out of sleep and consciousness for so long that Will hadn't messed with it yet. The son of Apollo had been working the infirmary for four days and nights, so he needed a break. Nico was about to break into a 'you're not fine, go rest' speech, but Austin beat him to it. 

"How much longer will you be here?" Percy asked. 

"Until I die," Nico mused as he played his card. 

"What are we even playing?" Reyna asked under her breath. 

"Not sure." Percy set his cards down. "Go Fish?" 

"I was playing poker," Reyna admitted. 

"You don't have any money." Nico stuck out his tongue. 

Reyna pushed his shoulder softly. "Shut up." 

Kayla came and sat with them. "Nico, can I put this on your head?" 

Nico regarded the wet towel she was holding with a curled lip. "I suppose." 

Kayla balanced the towel on his head so it would't fall, but also tilted his neck so he wasn't looking straight anymore. "There." She walked back to her washing. 

Just then, Frank appeared in the doorway. "Hey Nico, Percy. Reyna, we need you." 

Reyna rolled her eyes and smiled apologetically at Nico. "Sorry. Duty calls." 

"I understand." He hugged her. When he did, the towel fell. 

"Keep that on your head!" Kayla yelled across the room.

Nico scrunched up his nose at her and jabbed the towel back into his head so hard the liquid in it squelched and flew at Percy.

Percy snorted. "Why don't you just let them do their job?" 

"They're annoying," was Nico's reasoning. 

"Will too?" 

"The worst." 

Percy laughed. "He's keeping you alive, though, so he can't be too bad." 

"He's terrible," Nico complained, "won't let me walk around, won't let me go to meals, I can't even go shower without a shadow waiting outside the bathhouse." 

Percy snickered. "I'll talk him into letting you go to the campfires." 

"I'm not sure he wants me in darkness," Nico mumbled. 

"That makes sense." Percy nodded. "I'll talk to him anyway." 

Nico smiled at Percy as the older boy stood up. "Thank you, Percy." 

"Of course, Neeks. Anything you need, we're here for you."