luce del sole (sunshine)

thirteen | nico

After a refreshing dinner away from the Apollo kids, Nico tucked in close to Reyna, Hazel, and Annabeth as they made their way to the campfire. Will had disappeared, along with Kayla and Lou Ellen. Judging by the 'googoo' eyes and smiles Nico had been receiving during dinner, Lou Ellen had definitely slipped Will some kind of potion. She's notorious for doing so to everyone around camp.

"Hey, you sure you're good?" Percy sided up to Nico when the girls made their way to the log. 

Nico studied Percy. The son of Poseidon looked a lot worse for wear these days, and Nico knew every time Percy had come to play games or talk to him wasn't really for Nico. Will had performed checkups on him too. Percy was under surveillance from the Apollo kids as well.

"Are you?" Nico finally responded.

Percy chuckled lightly and turned his attention to Annabeth, who was waving to them from her spot with Grover. "I'm not sure, but I will be."

Nico smiled and squeezed his shoulder. "That's a good way to look at it."

Percy smiled gratefully. "Take care of yourself, Neeks. We're worried." Then he left to sit with his girlfriend, and Nico was force to sit with Frank, Hazel, Piper, and Jason. 

Not that he had anything against his friends and sister, they were just...overbearing. Jason worried too much. Frank didn't speak a lot. Hazel was always snuggling into Frank...which Nico wasn't fond of. And Piper, well she was his favorite. 

"Finally decided to join us, eh, di Angelo?" She winked. "Thought you'd camp out in the infirmary the rest of your life."

Nico smiled at her. "Well, I've tried to escape multiple times. Those Apollo kids have eyes in the back of their heads."

"So I've heard." Piper pretended to consider his predicament for a moment. "You could always woo one of them. Get them to release you."

"You act like it's prison," Jason mumbled from between them, "they're keeping him healthy."

Nico rolled his eyes at Jason. "I've dealt with Underworld magic my whole life. It was never terrible until Will threw a fit about it."

"It was never terrible until you pushed yourself too far," Hazel interjected from Nico's side. "And on the 'wooing the doctors' topic, I hear you already did that."

All four set of eyebrows shot up. "What?" Jason chuckled. "Nico di Angelo, you little sneak."

Nico stared at them. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Nico." Piper giggled. "No need to be modest-"

"No, honest, I really don't."

It must have been his clueless expression that made Hazel crack up. She breathed a sigh of, "You idiot," and shook her head. 

The campfire was in full swing by the time the five of them returned their attention to it. Will, Austin, and Kayla were leading the songs, but Will was leaning heavily on Austin's shoulders and singing deliriously. Every time Nico caught his eye, he giggled and Kayla had to shush him. 

Lou Ellen squeezed her way between Jason and Nico just as the whole thing ended. Nico glared at her. "What did you do?"

She put her hands up in defense. "Don't blame me! Well, not entirely. It was also Austin's idea! He dared me!"

"To do...what?" Jason stuck his head around the other side of her. 

"She's drugged Will!" 

"I've slipped him a mild spell, nothing serious. I was just warning you.." Lou Ellen smiled sheepishly. "It's a small emotions potion. It heightens the strongest emotion you're feeling at the moment you take it. It'll be worn off by midnight, no doubt."