The Call of the Void

Nico is (willingly) taken prisoner again

As I walked back to Will across the green, my heart racing, I couldn't lie. I was... Really nervous for whatever reason. I was so nervous, in fact, that despite my eyes being laser-focused on my shoes, I wasn't really looking where I was going. I was too caught up in my own thoughts, worst-case scenarios bound to play out. That, combined with the fact that I was exhausted, and overheating in my jacket. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and I really couldn't focus on anything, which, unfortunately, resulted in tripping and falling face-first into the dirt. 

"Aw crap..." I held my arm, before looking up at him, to find him blushing. 

"Um... A-are you ok?" He asked, crouching next to me. 

"Oh fuck, yeah, sorry, that just sorta slipped out and..." I looked over at him to see his blush deepen, and smirked. "Oh, gods-motherfucking-dam it, again!? Wow, I'm really making an ass of myself today. Oh, excuse my bitch of a mouth!" 

His cheeks were glowing now, literally glowing. "You're doing this on purpose, aint'cha?" He asked, holding a hand out. 

I shrugged, taking it. "I figured it'd be more constructive than focusing on my-" A surge of pain shot through my arm as he stood, carrying me with him. "... Pain...!" I finished, clutching my arm. "... Shit." I sighed. "Okay... I'm ok now." 

"No you're not." He insisted, starting to walk and leaving me to catch up with him. 

I groaned. "Don't you trust me to know?" 

"Oh, I trust you to know alright. I just don't trust you to tell me." He answered. 

I scoffed. "You sure are stubborn, aren't you Solace?"

"Yep. Now remember, three days. Seventy-two hours. Only then will you be able to leave, no sooner." 

"And no later, right?" 

"We'll see about that." He teased, opening the doors to the infirmary. That happened quicker than I expected. 

The infirmary was in shambles. There were more people here, more patients alone, than I could count, many with injuries horrific enough to slightly disturb me, of all people. I imagined Will was nothing short of horrified at the sight, though he certainly didn't show it, waving hello to his half-siblings as if it were a normal Tuesday and not a close call for the end of the world. 

Eventually, he sat me down in a cot, way in the back, sequestered from everyone else, just like I was used to. "Alrighty, first off... What were all those cuss words back there about?" 

I shrugged. "It's... It's ok now, I just... I was just messing with you." 

He looked me over, skeptical. "... I want you to take your jacket and shirt off." 

Now it was my turn to blush. "I... What!?" 

"Relax, relax, I'm not gonna make you. But whatever's going on beneath them... It obviously hurts. And if you don't let me see, then it'll get worse." 

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. If it'll make you stop treating me like a child." I sighed, forcing myself to strip off my jacket, then the tacky Hawaiian shirt, which I went ahead and gladly tossed in the trash. 

He hissed through his teeth. "Yikes... When did those happen?" 

I shrugged. "A couple days ago. Why?" 

"Oh no... They look infected. Oh no, oh jeez..." He began sifting through the drawers, pulling out a pair of scissors, a needle and thread, bandages, and some kind of ointment, before pulling up a chair and sitting next to me. "... Gods, who stitched these? I could do better using my feet!" 

"Reyna, and she was doing her best, ok?" 

He sighed, pulling on a pair of rubber gloves. "Well, they've gotta be undone. Now, I should warn you... This is gonna hurt. Do you need any painkillers before I start?" 

"No, I'll be ok. I'm sure I can handle it. I can always handle it." 

He shrugged. "If you insist..." He mumbled, before cutting the stitches out. It was painful, but I didn't show it. Next, he began to spread the ointment onto my skin, and even though it wasn't pleasant, it didn't hurt as much as the first step. Lastly, the stitches themselves. He shot me one last apologetic look before sewing up the claw marks, slowly and methodically. I started gripping the sheets under me, waiting for him to be done. Apparently, he noticed. "... Are you sure you don't want any painkillers?" 

"I'm sure. I'm just... Getting impatient, is all." 

"... Ok. If you say so. But you don't have to tough it out, y'know." 

I rolled my eyes, but didn't respond. When he was finally finished, he began to wrap the wounds in bandages, and stood back up when he heard someone calling his name. "Alright... I've gotta go, but lest you think this is over, I'm taking your vitals when I get back." He then sprinted down the hall, leaving the door opened, leaving me able to escape. After a few minutes of deliberation, I stood back up, and walked to the door, planning to do exactly that when he came back, shooting me a downwards glance, cocking a brow. "And where exactly do you think you're going, diAngelo?" 

I laughed nervously, trying to think up a good excuse. "I, um, well-" 

"Three days." He reminded me, holding up three fingers. "Now, let's go back to the cot so I can take your vitals." 

I pouted, sitting back on the bed, my arms crossed. "You're not making this easy." 

"Look, you can hate me all you want, but that won't make you any better. Now, let's start with your heartbeat." 

He then proceeded to check just about everything he could, asking me a bunch of questions that I answered whichever way would get him to leave me alone.

"... Alrighty, then. Now, one more thing before I leave." 

"Ugh. What now?" I asked. 

He put a hand on my shoulder, which I froze up at. His bright blue eyes stared into mine. "Get some sleep, ok?" 

I sighed, grabbing his wrist and putting his hand back in his lap. "Don't touch me. And it's not even close to nighttime." 

"Doesn't matter, you're exhausted, and if you don't go to bed soon, you may just end up in a coma." 

"Don't be so dramatic, Solace. I'm fine. I don't need you to baby me." 

"No you're not. And I'm not trying to baby you, I'm trying to help. It's not my fault that you refuse to take care of yourself."

"Whatever. If it'll make you stop bugging me..." I slipped off my shoes before laying down, pulling the sheet over my still bare chest. "... Can you get me a shirt when you get back?" 

"Sure thing. Now get some sleep." He reminded me, standing once more, slipping out of the door, making sure to close it this time. In fact, I'm pretty sure I heard a lock. 

I sighed, rolling over to my side, watching the sunlight pour in through the window. I don't want to sleep. I can't. I won't. I'll just stay here... And let him think... That I'm asleep. But I won't... Oh fuck... No. Stop. I can't... I'm not going back there... 

Shit. 

And just like that, I was asleep.