NPOV:
I looked around to see I was sitting in Tartarus again. I shuddered thinking of my memories of here. Then I heard footsteps behind me and laughing, but I didn't move when I looked up I saw them.
The kids who had beaten me.
"N-no. P-please don't hurt me." I whimpered.
They only laughed.
"No! Please don't hurt me!" One kid mocked.
"Don't worry, we aren't going to hurt you at all." A girl said.
"Yeah, that wouldn't be any fun! Instead we decided to hurt...someone else." She teased.
"Who?" I asked her quietly.
She laughed. And stepped aside revealing a body lying limply on the ground. He had golden, curly hair. On the ground before me was William Solace.
He had blood streaming down his face and was curled up into a protective ball. He was whimpering quietly, but seemed oblivious to what was going on around him. I tried to run to him but I was stuck in place.
"Will!" I shouted.
No answer.
The shortest boy laughed.
"He can't hear you. He only listens to us."
He kicked Will's back. Will yelped. Then he kicked his stomach. Will gasped for air. Then his head. Then arm. Then chest. Then shoulder. Will screamed out in pain. But I couldn't move and Will couldn't hear me.
I was too late.
✨✨✨✨
When I woke up someone had their arms around me and I was crying. No. Sobbing. They spoke calming words to try and calm me down, but it was no use. Seeing Will die had sent my emotions over the top.
Every inch of my body hurt. My stomach, back, and sides most of all. It felt like I was on fire. Just opening my eyes was a completely draining, but I opened them anyway.
My vision was blurry still, but I registered bright blue eyes and curly blonde hair staring down at me. I looked closer and saw the freckles.
"Will..." I whimpered softly.
I could just barely make out him smiling at me.
"Hey there, Sunshine." He whispered "How are you doing?" He then asked me softly.
"Dandy." I whispered sarcastically.
He chuckled lightly.
"Alright, well, I have to give you a check up. I promise I won't hurt you though, okay?"
I only nodded.
No matter how many times he gave me check-ups, they still scared me half to death.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as he pulled out various instruments and held the up to me. He let me stay laying down because I didn't have the energy to sit up yet. Most of the instruments I wasn't bothered by. The ear and eye tools didn't bother me a bit. Neither did he blood pressure thingy. But the stethoscope...that bothered me. Like a lot. So when he pulled it out of his bag my heart skipped a beat.
"Nico, can you take off your hoodie for me, please?" He whispered.
I shook my head weakly.
"No because you don't want to or no because you don't have the energy to?" He asked softly.
"Both." I answered quietly.
He nodded slowly. Then put one arm on my lower back to place me in an almost sitting position, using his hand to support my head. He used his other hand to lift the hoodie gently over my head. He set it on my legs and lifted the stethoscope to my heart.
"Will, don't-" My voice cracked.
He looked up at me, confused. I was staring at the stethoscope with a horrified expression.
"The-the st-stetho-oscope-ope s-scares m-me." I stuttered, close to tears.
He looked at the instrument around his neck.
"Oh. I see."
He sat in the bed next to me and pulled me onto his lap. He was warm against my bare skin. He rubbed circles on my lower back. I whimpered quietly.
"It's okay, it won't hurt you. I swear on the River Styx."
We stayed like that for a moment until I finally calmed down a bit. Then he raised the stethoscope and instructed me to take a deep breath. I did, still vaguely terrified of the metal on my chest. Then he repeated it on my back, several times. Silent tears fell down my face.
I didn't even know why I was crying. It's not like the stethoscope had ever hurt me during a check-up before. Just for some reason now...
Then Will carefully placed the stethoscope back in his bag and held me in his arms.
"Shh, it's okay. It's all over now. It's okay." He told me softly.
Then he reached over and placed the hoodie back over me. I instantly felt better.
"Thank you." I whimpered.
"Shh, go to sleep." He told me.
I did.
✨✨✨✨
When I woke up I felt worse than before. It seemed like my insides were burning. I was wincing in pain when Will came into the room. He took a look at me and his eyes widened and he rushed to my side.
"Nico, what's wrong?" He asked me.
"Burns." Was all I could manage out.
He ran out into the hall and shouted frantically. Jacob came over and they had a brief conversation. They both had wide eyes and looked horrified. Probably not a good sign. They came rushing over to me together.
"Is there anyway we can eject it?" Jacob asked Will.
Will shook his head.
"No."
I looked at them, eyes wide as I gripped my stomach in excruciating pain.
Will turned to Jacob.
"Go get him a glass of cold water while I tell him what happened." Will demanded.
He seemed angry. Jacob nodded and rushed out of the room. Will climbed in bed next to me and I gripped his shirt and started crying. It just hurt so much.
"Neeks, I think that Jacob may have overdosed you on the ambrosia. He didn't take into account your size when he injected it. That's why your stomach burns. Please stay strong. I don't think he overdosed you by much, and the pain should stop in a couple of minutes." He told me.
It sounded partially like he was trying to convince himself more than me.
Jacob rushed in with water that Will ordered me to drink. The cold liquid instantly soothed the pain, but my stomach still burned slightly. I loosened my grip on Will's shirt and cut my cries down to whimpers.
"Better?" Will asked softly.
I only nodded.
After a couple of minutes the burning stopped and I calmed down.
Will gave me a squeeze and smoothed my hair down. I melted into his arms.
"I'm glad your alright. Are you hungry? I'll get you some food. You haven't eaten in awhile." Will told me.
He asked Jacob to please fetch me something to eat. Jacob said he would and scrambled out of the room. He came back a few minutes later with two grilled cheese sandwiches, bunches of grapes, and bottled waters. Jacob set the plate on my lap so I could reach it. I tried to eat my grapes by myself but after a few my arms were so tired that they refused to move anymore. Will noticed and started tearing pieces of my sandwich off and feeding them to me. Part of me doesn't want Will to help me eat my food. But my stomach told that part of me to 'shut up, I was hungry'.
Will told me about what Reyna and Hazel had said about heading to Camp Jupiter.
I realized I was still sitting on his lap as he was feeding me and talking about his day. I blushed involuntarily. Will gave me a strange look.
"What is it? Are you alright?" Will asked.
I nodded. Urging the pink tint to go away.
"I'm fine, I was just thinking." I whispered between bites.
"Oh, okay."
He smiled at me. I liked that about Will. He let me have my private moments. Will was giving me the last bite of my sandwich when Reyna burst in, looking angry.
Hey! Long chapter again!