The Sun and the Sea || PJ x OC (Disney+)

Eirina Takes Care Of the New Boy

A storm raged around Camp Half-Blood and within. Usually, Eirina Keegan hated thunderstorms. But for some odd reason, she loved them today. Probably because they hadn't had rain in so long. Something weird would happen the next morning and would bring a huge shock to everyone in the Camp.

As she walked out of Cabin 7 the next morning, she noticed that a lot of people were heading towards the entrance of the camp. She frowned and followed them. There, in front of them, was an unconscious, worn out blonde-headed boy. She couldn't tell what color his eyes were, as they were squinted, his face contorted with pain. The bright sunlight must be painful for him to tolerate. Her heart ached and she felt bad for him.

It reminded her of Thalia — except this boy survived, and her friend didn't.

"Is he. . . . Is he dead?" one camper asked anxiously.

Eirina rolled her eyes.

"No, you idiot. His eyes are opened. Maybe just barely, but they're open. Can't you see that, stupid?" she answered stubbornly before she could stop herself.

"Sorry," the camper muttered.

"He must be the one," said Annabeth from nearby as she also joined her friend.

"Quiet, Annabeth. Now is not the time. Everyone, clear out and give him some space. He's having a difficult time." Everyone did as they were told and shuffled away from the injured boy. "Welcome, Percy Jackson. We've been expecting you."

And with that, the boy went unconscious again. Chiron sighed, looking almost devastated for the boy.

"Eirina, I trust that you can carry him to the infirmary and watch over him for a bit?"

She blinked, confused. Why Chiron had asked her to carry an unconscious boy that she didn't even know surprised her.

"Why me? Why not Annabeth?" she couldn't help but ask.

Annabeth, who still stood beside her, rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You're physically stronger than I am, Eira. I think that we all know that by now."

Eira knew that she had no choice but to reluctantly agree. Yes. Being a daughter of Apollo meant that she was physically strong. Strong enough to carry a person if they're injured. So, naturally, Chiron would choose her.

"Of course," she huffed under her breath.

She bent down to pick the boy up in her arms. He looked even worse up close. He had a nasty gash on the side of his cheek. Her heart reached out to him.

What did this boy have to go through to survive this attack? She thought bitterly to herself. She shook the thought from her head before gently scooping him up in her arms. She let his head rest on her shoulder and made sure that he was comfortable in her gentle embrace. She was surprised by how light he felt as he lay there, cradled in the girl's arms. Most boys his age would probably feel a bit heavier than that.

Eira ignored the weird stares she received from other campers as she continued to cradle the injured, unconscious boy in her arms. When she got to the infirmary, she was relieved when she was away from the prying eyes of other curious campers. Now she could concentrate on getting this boy on a bed.

"I need a bed cleared for me, now!" she said in a clear voice, hoping that other infirmary workers would hear her.

Luckily, another Apollo kid came around and helped, getting a bed cleared for the unconscious boy. She immediately placed him on the bed once the sheets had been pulled back. She covered him back up. Once she'd finished, she stepped away to get a better look at him to see what he needed. Finally, she figured that she could go ahead and put ointments on the gash on his cheek.

******

"How's the new kid?" her friend, Luke Castellan, asked during dinner later that evening.

She sighed.

"Honestly, I don't know. He's currently knocked out. Very knocked out. He must be incredibly confused as to what happened."

"You don't know how he got there?"

She shook her head.

"Not a clue, of course."

"Chiron told me," Luke answered, looking sympathetic. "Told me that he lost his mother on the Hill. I guess that the loss of his mother suddenly must have triggered him and went into a fight with the Minotaur."

Eira sighed, suddenly feeling awful for the new boy she'd taken to the infirmary. The new boy must be going through a lot. Luke offered her a comforting smile, knowing that it wasn't her fault.

"Don't worry, Eira. It's not your fault."

"I know that it's not my fault, Luke," she answered, sighing heavily. She leaned back in her chair. "It's nobody's fault except for the Minotaur's. I can't help but feel awful for him, you know? He just lost his mother, who was probably the only person who really cared about his safety and well-being. He must be very scared and confused about where he is. It's going to take a lot for him to adjust to a new camp. We need to help him adjust to his new life when he wakes up, Luke."

"I know, Eira. And I will help you."

She smiled tightly at Luke, showing her thanks.

***

Late at night, another thunderstorm came. Eira had been sleeping peacefully in her Cabin when she felt someone shaking her shoulder, trying to wake her up. At first, she shrugged it off. But the more and more the person shook her shoulder, the more annoyed she got. And she finally opened her eyes to see her friend, Annabeth Chase, staring down at her with wet hair.

"For the love of the gods, Annabeth. What the hell do you want, now? Can't you see that I'm trying to sleep?" she groaned.

"Shhhh!" Annabeth hissed, rolling her eyes. "And Chiron told me to tell you that the new kid needs to be watched over. I already took my shift, and he requested you specifically."

Eira sat up on her elbows and frowned.

"Why in the name of Hades would Chiron pick me, of all people? Why can't he choose Luke? Or Will? He's a healer, isn't he?"

"Yes, but Chiron insisted it. You're the strongest Healer here at camp that we know of, Eira. And with the boy knocked out like that, of course Chiron needs you to stay with the boy."

She groaned as Annabeth tugged her by the wrist. She forced herself up when Annabeth had tugged on her wrist, and reluctantly allowed Annabeth to guide her through the Camp to the infirmary.

"He's in the nearest infirmary room," Annabeth whispered. "Careful, don't wake him up. He's unconscious."

She rolled her eyes.

"I know which room he's in. I'm the one who brought him here, you idiot."

Annabeth's cheeks flushed pink.

"Sorry. It's not even morning. I wasn't sure if you would be able to remember or not."

"Of course, I remember. I was the one who brought the boy into the infirmary yesterday morning. Now, go get some sleep. You look like you really need it."