lacuna [connor stoll]

XXVIII. Flying Shoes for Sale

CHAPTER TWNETY-EIGHT: FLYING SHOES FOR SALE

She shot awake, sitting straight up. She was coated in a thin layer of sweat, her vision blurry with tears. Her hands shook at her sides.

"Ellie?" Someone called, voice full of worry. "Are you alright?"

Finally her vision cleared, and she could see a nervous Austin Lake cleaning her wounds.

"Oh, Austin," Ellie smiled, wrapping the long boy in a careful hug. "It's good to see you, bud."

"It's good to see you too. You've got to tell me some stories some time, I'd love to hear them." He said, picking up the various medical instruments. "Here, take this." He handed her a small square of ambrosia, that she graciously took.

"Thanks, Austin." She popped it in her mouth, smiling as the warmth of the medicine spread throughout her body. "What time is it?"

"Some time after midnight, why?" He answered, moving to put the stuff away. The boy looked exhausted, which she couldn't blame him for. Will had a tendency for overworking the Apollo cabin.

"Go get some sleep, Austin. It's just me and Connor in here, we'll be fine."

"I really shouldn't, I've got night shift-"

"Go, Austin. Seriously, we'll be alright. You go get some sleep, you look like you need it."

Austin didn't argue much. Even he couldn't deny he wasn't tired. As the boy retreated out of the infirmary, Ellie sat up from her cot. Her light blanket seemed to constrict her, she felt trapped. She ripped it off of her. She gripped her shaking hand with the other, silently begging it to stop.

Glancing to her left, Connor slept. He looked truly peaceful when he slept, when he didn't have to worry about Ellie, or Percy Jackson, or a war, or monsters, or anything. His chest rose and fell slowly with rhythm. His curly brown hair was messy, but it still looked perfect to Ellie.

Quietly, she exited her cot and poked his arm.

"Connor," She whispered.

"Hmpfh," He muttered, flinching but not waking.

"Can I sleep with you?" She whispered.

"Hmpfrh?" Connor muttered again, but his eyes opened. "Ellie? What time is it?"

His blue eyes were tired but held surprise from being woken up. His disheveled hair framed his face.

"Late." She admitted.

"Does that mean we missed dinner?"

"Yes, we missed dinner." Ellie whispered with a small smile. "You, um, you told me to wake you if I had a bad dream."

Connor seemed to wake up a little which that, rubbing his eyes and letting a small yawn out. "What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"

Ellie shook her head, biting her lip. "No, its alright. Do you mind if I sleep with you? I usually don't get nightmares when I sleep next you."