Fire in the darkness

Ch.2

Will POV

I had just finished telling one of the Ares kids how to take care of the sword wound they had gotten when I heard the infirmary doors being thrown open and my name being shouted in a panic. There was a moment of silence before I heard my siblings launch themselves up and start calling my name followed by some thuds which I'm assuming was them falling over themselves.

I took off my gloves and went out to see what the commotion was all about but ass soon as I walk through the door my heart drops and I see a hysteric Leo Valdez and a panicked Jason Grace holding a pale and limp Nico diAngelo in his arms.

My instincts immediately kick themselves into high gear as I tell the to follow me into another room. As soon as Jason puts Nico down he collapses into a chair on next to the bed. Leo paces in a small circle looking worried which is something I'll have to remember to ask him about later. As far as I know, Nico and Leo aren't that close.

"Jason, I need you to tell me all you know about what happened to him."

"..."

"Jason!"

This snapped him out of whatever trance he had been in. He looked at me with teary eyes and asked what I had said.

"What happened to Nico?"

"I-I'm not sure. Percy, Annabeth, Leo, and I were talking about having a reunion on the Argo III when we heard a howl. We all g-got up and ran over and that's when we saw Nico trip and fall into a creek. After that, Percy and Annabeth distracted the monster while Leo and I brought Nico back here for help."

I thought this over as I fed Nico some ambrosia and nectar after I hooked him up to a heart monitor. His wounds weren't too deep so I cleaned them, treated them, and wrapped them. He had a gash from his left upper shoulder down his bicep and a few minor scratches here and there. I told Jason and Leo they were good to go if they wanted so Jason left to change his clothes because they were covered in Nicos blood. Leo lingered for a bit and I was glad he did because not even a minute after Jason had left, the heart monitor went wild, that's when I saw another cut on Nicos stomach I hadn't noticed before because he was wearing all black as usual.

I looked up and saw Leo panicked so I told him to come and help me.

Leo POV

I don't know why but seeing Nico on the gurney bleeding onto the previously white sheets made my chest feel tight as my eyes filled with a waterfall of tears. I wasn't even that close to the Ghost King, maybe it was just my body crying because I was afraid of facing Hazel and her wrath if Nico happened to die, not to mention having to explain that to his father.

Will had managed to get him stable as I was pacing around the room trying to figure out why I was so upset over the injured boy laying on the hospital bed. Will told us we could leave and come back later if we wanted to since he was stable, Jason hesitated, I could see it in his eyes but he didn't want to stay in his blood stained clothes either, so he got up to change. I hesitated a bit, not really wanting to leave Nico here alone.

Just as I had convinced myself to leave his heart monitor went crazy and I turned around panicked.

Will looked at me and told me to help him.

"Oh gods this is a lot deeper than the other ones he had." Will mumbled to no-one in particular.

"What do you mean? I thought he wasn't hurt that bad!?" I was now full on panicking, and I could feel myself on the verge of a panic attack. No I can't help Nico if I need help too.

"Well it turns out I was wrong! With all the black he's wearing it was kind of hard to see just how badly he was hurt. Now come on help me get his shirt of without hurting him."

I was sure I was now as red as a tomato but I complied anyway.

When we got the shirt off I couldn't help but notice how defined his muscles were and how unusually skinny he was along with the deep cut going across his body.

I shook away the thoughts as soon as they came. No, I'm straight, how could I not be, after all I am McShizzle Bad Boy Supreme.

Will began ordering me around again and I did everything he asked as fast as I could while convincing myself that I am indeed straight.

After about 15 minutes Nico was once again stable and all of our heart rates had returned to normal. That was when Jason decided to walk back in.

"What'd I miss?"

Will and I looked at each other and started laughing. Jason looked at us with a confused face but just shook his head and took a seat next to Nico.

"Wait, what happened to his shirt?" Jason's face twisted into one of confusion once again. Just as I opened my mouth to answer Nico groaned, signaling he was awake again.