To the Sun, to the Stars, to the Sky (A Soldier/Rebellion AU)

Chapter 25: Among the Blossoms

Nico POV

The nurse said I would be okay to leave, and she gave me a list of things to do to take care of myself so the wound would be able to heal without ever reopening. No strenuous activity, for example, and to keep coming back for check-ups.

I took a deep breath as I stood up. She said I'd go through some physical therapy just to make sure I'd be back to normal, but it wouldn't have to be often. I walked to the opening of the infirmary with a slight limp, worried that if I put too much weight on the side with the wound it would all come falling apart.

I hesitated before the opening. There were people out there. Waiting for me. I took a deep breath. Were they going to ambush me or something? Or were they just waiting for other soldiers, hopefully?

I stepped out and the small gathering went quiet. I kept my eyes on the ground, and my hand settled on the hilt of my sword. What, I thought, are you going to kill them too, since that appears to be the only thing you can ever do?

A cry from my left. Will. I swallowed hard, but didn't look at him. God, what did he think of me now?

He was by my side in a heartbeat, hands on my waist. On the wounded side, maybe a little closer to my chest to avoid touching anything he wasn't supposed to. I kept my eyes away.

"Your majesty, I'm so sorry," I choked out. "I'm so sorry."

He rested his forehead against mine. "No, I'm sorry. We need to talk later, about all of this. For now, I brought you flowers. You're doing better, I guess?"

I took the bouquet he was holding. It was freshly picked. Roses, tulips, hyacinths. Why had he gotten these for me, after all that I've done to him? I finally brought myself to meet his eyes.

He was crying. And then not for the first time since I met him, I was, too. I hugged him tightly, whispering apologies over and over. He tried to console me, to tell me I'd done what I had to. I barely heard him. He pulled away to wipe my tears away with his thumb.

Reyna approached with Thalia. They both had flowers with them as well. I reluctantly took them. Guilt flooded my throat and lungs again and I couldn't breathe.

"Thank you, Nico," Reyna whispered to me. "I realize it was hard. Thank you for your service."

I almost laughed. I supposed the rebellion would find my failure to be a success. They usually did, ever since I started accidentally breaking the soldiers' rules when I first arrived. In the rebellion, there was little logic. My old successes were failures, and my new, deadly failure was a success.

Percy was next, eyes low. "Hey, Ten-Seventeen, can I talk to you? I realize you're still kind of recovering, but⁠—"

"Okay," I agreed, ready to get away from the group. We had a lot to talk about anyway.

I let go of Will's hand and followed Percy into the forest. He stopped in the same clearing that I'd kissed Will in only days ago. God, that really was only a week or so ago. That seemed impossible.

"So, first, you were really brave, and I still cannot get over the fact that you joined the rebellion in the first place. So, thank you for all your work."

I swallowed. It wasn't exactly honorable work.

"But I actually wanted to talk to you about the night before I left," he continued. "About...your sister. Ten-seventeen, I'm so sorry. I just⁠- I figured there wasn't really another way so I left you to deal with it alone, and⁠- "

And for the first time, I got what he was saying. "You didn't see another way so you went through with the only solution you could think of. In your case, it was to escape. In my case," I swallowed, "it was to kill the king. I get it now."

He looked at me. "You hadn't been planning on killing him."

I kicked at a rock. "No."

He raised his chin with a new understanding of what I'd done. "Oh. Wow. Are you okay?"

I swallowed. A soldier is always okay. "No, not really."

~~time skippity skip~~ [E/n Brought to y'all by my cousin sleeping 'til after 2:30pm]

Eventually, Percy left. I guess he told Will we had finished talking because almost as soon as he was gone, my boyfriend arrived. "Hey. How are you holding up?"

As soon as I heard his voice, I dropped to my knees and put my right fist over my forehead to respect the king. With my other hand, I held out my sword and offered it to him. I kept my eyes low, though my heart was beating out of control.

Will took my sword and for just a moment, my eyes fluttered shut as my stomach roiled about what was about to happen.

Will rolled the sword over in his hands. "Nico, what is this for? Oh, um, break form."

I took his command as a need to speak. "It is tradition that should a soldier commit an act of treason like the one I commited, he should be killed by his own sword." I kept my voice even, though it felt like my heart was pumping pure fear. I was losing the ability to focus. Were these my last moments? And that answer was going to be the last thing I ever say, my last words?

Will made a sobbing sound. I swallowed hard. God dammit, he was making me wait. My shoulders fell forward for just a moment, as fear took control of my body. I regained control, but not before Will noticed.

He dropped my sword and knelt in front of me. "God, Nico, no. I already lost my whole family, you think I want to lose you as well? No, I⁠- God, Nico, I love you. I'm not letting this sword take you, too. Please break form. Please."

I practically fell into him. Sobbing again, for the second time in one day. I couldn't bring myself to care. Will held me, and we were speaking to each other at once, I-love-you's and I'm-so-sorry's and it's-going-to-be-okay's being repeated over and over in our ears. I wasn't sure how easily I could stand, so we sat instead. We cried among pink blossoming trees, with petals under our knees.

Eventually, Will put his finger under my chin, and he asked, "Can I kiss you, Nico?" And so I moved in and he finished closing the distance, and we kissed instead. No more crying, it was agreed. Not today, at least.

This was it. The rebellion had won. We were ready for what comes next, whatever the hell that might be. But for now, we stayed inside the safe cover of the trees, and we kissed among the blossoms. We stayed under the stars.

_______________________________________

I won't reply to anything other than PM for most of the day today. Maybe tonight.

- Chris