Nico and Will - Beginning at the Infirmary [Solangelo fanfic]

Cabin 7 Blues

Nico was clinging to the  mental image of Percy's dark brows furrowing in confusion as Nico triumphantly walked away. In the corner of his vision, Nico could see blond hair swaying as Annabeth cracked a smile and led Percy away. The ghost of a smirk began to creep upon Nico's lips but vanished as soon as he approached Cabin 7.

Will glared at Nico with icy concentration that made his stomach churn with nerves. Turning towards the entrance to the Apollo cabin, Will let his sun-kissed arm rise as he beckoned Nico forward without a second glance. 

"Come on," Will said, with a twinge of annoyance that made Nico flinch. "There are so many bandages that still need to be cut." Not bothering to hold open the door, Will let Nico catch the wood with his palm before pushing it open. 

Nico's breath hitched as he stifled the gasp creeping against the back of his throat. Rows upon rows of white-sheeted beds lined the majority of the room. At least 30 or so campers, with varying degrees of injury, were lying down on the makeshift infirmary beds as flip-flops clattered across the room. Healers raced across the rows of beds to deliver glasses of nectar, squares of ambrosia, hastily cut bandages, and dozens of medicinal jars to various patients. So many campers were still injured--even after three days of nonstop care. The Apollo campers all carried dark bags under their eyes as they shuffled from place to place. 

Silently, Nico cursed his stubbornness. Will was right. The Apollo cabin really needed all the help they could get--even if that help came from a child of the Underworld. 

Suddenly, Nico detected a warm presence nudging his elbow forward. Nico winced at the contact but didn't pull away from Will's grasp. 

"Follow me," Will ordered. "I'll show you how to cut bandages." 

Will led Nico to a baby blue sleeping bag in a dark corner of the room that he hadn't noticed at first glance. Will's sleeping bag lied in a disheveled heap beside others of varying shades-- hidden behind the shadows of steel metal supply carts. In a half-closed supply closet behind a faded purple sleeping bag, Nico could see piles of gold arrows and crinkled sheet music peeking out. In their attempt to dedicate themselves to helping everyone else, the children of Apollo had sacrificed their own comfort. They'd resigned themselves to sleeping for only a few hours at a time on fraying sleeping bags, along with temporarily giving up simple joys like archery and music. 

Nico stirred with discomfort as he realized his own selfishness. He'd spent the past couple of days happily hanging out with his sister Hazel and helping Reyna, who'd come to be somewhat of a sisterly figure to him too, pack things away for the Roman demigods' journey back to Camp Jupiter. I should've been here, he thought. I can only imagine how bad it was three days ago. 

The sound of a throat clearing jolted Nico back to reality. Will fished a roll of white linen bandages from a pocket of his sleeping bag and tossed it up to Nico.

"Earth to Death Boy," Will announced, concern lining the crinkles around his ocean eyes. Nico's onyx eyes flickered up to meet Will's. Immediately, Will dropped his gaze to disguise his relief.

"Don't ever  call me Death Boy," Nico grumbled. 

"Well then maybe you should stop acting like a corpse and actually lend a hand," Will replied, shrugging off Nico's resentment. 

Without releasing his glare at Will, Nico reluctantly began unraveling the linen bandage roll.