The rest of the day on deck was quiet. The good quiet when nothing attacked and the ship sailed through the sky smoothly.
But it was also the bad quiet, where everyone awake was thinking too deeply to talk. Thinking of the same thing. Of all the unanswered questions. The most important ones were how in Hades did Leo come back and what in the name of the gods was that voice?
Naturally, the others left the exhausted boys alone and didn't pester them with the big questions. They must be going through their minds as well. When Nico and Leo were stable again, questions would be asked.
~
A few hours before shift change, Nico slowly blinked his eyes open. He never had full control over himself after waking, and once again his kid side showed as he curled up under the blanket, hugging his pillow and burying his nose into the warn fabric with a soft whine. He nearly drifted back to sleep when a sudden static crack from the radio made him sit up quick, alert and ready for an attack.
He sighed when he realized he was in no danger and cursed the radio, reaching for the plug and pulling it out the socket, silencing the room. Nico yawned softly and rubbed his eye, feeling slightly off. What nightmare had awoken him this time?
.........?
Nico straightened at that thought. He had woken up on his own. No dream had jolted him awake. No sudden screaming. No terror in his thoughts. He was actually rested and felt better than he had in a while.
So, Nico thought as he leaned on his good hand to pick himself up. Leo was right after all. I'll have to thank him later.
He shuddered at the thought of more human interaction.
Standing, he stretched and grabbed a shirt from his pile in the corner, sniffed it and-
"Oh...." He said softly and stumbled back. "Gods."
He threw it back before he ended up passing out from the smell.
Picking up another, he took a small wiff and deemed it wearable as he threw it on and picked up his jacket that sat on a chair. Hazel had washed it for him.
He'd really have to ask her where the washer and dryer was. Until a few days ago, he didn't know there was one.
Jacket on, shirt on, pants on, presentable. I'll use these after my shower, he thought and stepped out of the room.
Like he exited a force field, his hand started to pulse in pain and the claw marks all over him felt like they were sizzling. Nico only bit his lip at the sudden shock of it. This was nothing.
But he didn't want it all day. He decided he'd make a stop at the infirmary to grab painkillers and ambrosia. He had to go there anyway for clean bandages.
So, holding his hand to his chest, he made his way out the hallway and down a few stairs to the infirmary doors. He put his good hand out and was about to push the doors open when suddenly they came flying forward and with it, the half naked body of Leo Valdez.
~
Now, when you're a son of Hephaestus, nightmares always involve three things.
1) You always start out happy. It's always a nice dream at first. And the nice part lasts long enough for you to think it'll stay nice.
2) After the nice part, some quick flash of light comes and then you're falling. Always falling. Always terrifying.
3) Hot. Incredibly...unimaginably... Hot.
So, with Leo's recent experiences,you can imagine how things went in this dream. But allow me to paint the picture.
Little Leo laid on the ground...heh, sounds like a nursery rhyme....
