luce del sole (sunshine)

epilogue | nico

Nico's feet hurt. Like...bad.

He hadn't been walking this long in three and a half weeks. Nico couldn't believe he'd been in the infirmary for all that time...

"Focus!" Percy's voice snapped him back to attention, just as Piper's sword swung for him. Nico countered her and shoved her off, forcing her to back up and face Connor. Nico had backed himself into a corner, and it was either that the other's had heard some myth that he was an amazing swordsman or Percy's very loud warning for him to be careful, but not many people were facing him.

Except for Hazel, who seemed more than willing to send her brother back to the infirmary. 

She'd mastered her spatha, so she'd donned a customary sword from the armory that day. It didn't matter what the weapon was, though. Hazel would always master it, being able to control the blade and all. 

Just as she came for Nico again, he sidestepped and wrenched the weapon from her hand, raising his eyebrow. "I'm better at this than I look, little sister."

"So am I." She held a hand out to her fallen sword. Nico's little sister's eyes took a golden hue and the metal flew back into her arms, a smug smile on her face. "Best seven of fifteen?"

To their left, Percy laughed. Annabeth and Elise were now standing with him, towels draping both shoulders. The three of them had cast aside their shirts, which was normal around the camp in the summer. Come to think of it, Nico and Hazel were really the only ones that kept their chest covered. 

"Alright everyone, class is over. It's almost lunchtime. Get out of here!" Percy announced, capping Riptide and slipping her into his pocket. Annabeth handed him a water bottle and her towel.

Nico and Hazel took a seat in the amphitheater's bleachers, sharing a water. Nico set his sword down on the bench in front of him and sighed, breathing in the fresh air and sunshine.

"I missed this," he told Hazel.

She laughed. "What, lessons?"

"Being outside." 

She stared at him. "You did?"

"Is that so surprising?" Nico chuckled. The sun felt nice on his skin, and the air was so much better than the stuffy walls of the infirmary. "Besides, you guys are my family. I missed you all, too."

Hazel was about to reply, but Annabeth called out to them, "Y'all good?"

"Yeah!" Hazel replied, smiling. "Your boyfriend really knows how to tire us out."

Percy laughed. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that. You good, Nico?"

Nico smiled and gave Percy a mock salute. "All good, Captain."

Elise laughed. "Coming to lunch?"

"Will would kill me if I missed a meal," Nico explained, "I may be out of the infirmary, but I'm not out of the woods yet."

"No, you're not." Will walked around the bleachers into view, a teasing smile playing with his features. "So I suggest you get your butt up and walk over to the pavilion, yes?"

"Better listen to your doctor," Hazel muttered at his shoulder. She stood and sheathed her weapon, making her way after Elise, Percy, and Annabeth, who were walking back towards the heart of camp.

Will sat next to Nico. "Enjoying yourself?"

Nico studied the forest, the sound of the sea's waves crashing, the sound of campers laughing and making memories, and smiled. "Yeah, I am, actually."

"Good." Will smiled back at him, bringing Nico closer by his hip. "Because your health is doing better."

"Think what would have happened if I never got locked in that smelly place," Nico teased, "maybe I would have gotten better quicker."