Nico opened his sleep-crusted eyes, blinding light flooding into his vision. He groggily curled his arm over his face to block it out. There shouldn't have been this much light in his cabin. Nico reluctantly removed his arm and looked walls, white floors, white sheets. This was definitely not his cabin.

He tried to bolt up, but a searing ache coming from his rib cage stopped him. He let out a small gasp at the sudden pain. Nico's eyes darted around the room as he tried to sort through a kaleidoscope of memories. Images of inky darkness, distorting forest paths, and splashes of scarlet blood flashed through his mind. He pressed his palms to his forehead in attempt to ease his throbbing head.

He studied his surroundings once more, determined to keep an even mind this time. The infirmary. He was in the infirmary. He glanced down at the rest of his body, taking in gauze around his side and forearm and the mint-green hospital gown he was dressed in.

Nico's confusion swirled into anger. "This is ridiculous," he muttered to himself, ripping the bandages and syringe off his body. He sat all the way up despite the bolt of pain and swung his legs over his temporary bed. As soon as his bare feet made contact with the tile, he crumpled onto the cold ground. He inhaled sharply as his hand rushed to cradle his side. Black dots invaded his vision and the room spun. Every bone suddenly felt like cement. Pain swelled inside him like a rising tide, creating a strong feeling of nausea. Bile rose in his throat. He cursed under his breath. His injuries were worse than he had first thought.

A slight knock came from the other side of the room. Nico whipped his head to the door.

"D-don't come in!" he commanded. No one can see me like this.

"Are you alright in there?" a voice called.

Nico couldn't answer. His breathing was too labored at this point. He needed to work through the pain alone, then slide back into his cot when he could stand again. No one would have to see him this helpless.

"Nico?"

The voice was hardly a murmur compared to the beating of his heart in his ear. The doorknob turned.

No. Please, just go.

The door opened; slowly at first, then hastily as they noticed Nico's shaking body hunched over on the floor.

Nico found his voice between labored breaths. "I said not to come in here!" He squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm fine. Just leave." he growled. Nico couldn't hear the response, much less the footsteps that hurried toward him. All of a sudden, he was lifted off the ground and carried like a small child. The pain was eased a bit the moment he was touched, but Nico still thrashed. No one touched him. He blindly threw punches at the one who was holding him. His eyes burst open in anger, focusing in on the face of his handler. Everything froze, the only thing moving was Nico's heaving chest.

Why did it have to be Will?

Time resumed, and Will placed him on his bed. Nico's pain and anger also resumed, now intertwined with embarrassment. Will grabbed Nico's arm gingerly and tried to slip a needle into it, but Nico yanked away.

"I told you not to come in here." Nico's shaking voice full of scorn and regret. Silence fell like a blanket of snow. Will grabbed Nico's arm once again and poked the needle of the IV drip into his pale skin. Nico couldn't look at him. Will was the one who shattered the silence.

"Why didn't you call for help?" He asked. No answer. "You're lucky I was coming in here already to change your bandages. It could have been hours since another nurse came in here, and that long without an ambrosia or an Apollo kids' touch could have been excruciating, Nico."

"I would have been fine," Nico muttered.

"No, you wouldn't have. You-"

"You aren't qualified to tell me what I can and cannot take, Solace!" Nico snapped, whipping around to face him. "I have been through more pain than you could ever imagine-"

"Nico-"

"I live off of it, alright? So you can't say-"

"Nico!" Will shouted, silencing him. "Now is not the time to be prideful. You are too weak right now and you need help. You may be my patient now but you're my friend first and I can't let you hurt yourself any more than you already have!"

Nico looked away.

The rest of Will's routine was completed without a word. He gently unwrapped his bandages and laced on fresh ones. Nico looked at the gauze Will had removed. It was flecked with bits of blood. Nico swallowed the questions that itched in his throat. He needed to know what had happened to him, but couldn't utter a word. Not to Will. He could still feel the heat of humiliation in his hollow cheeks. Will had seen him in a pathetic, vulnerable state that only few had seen. And he doubted Will would ever forget it. Nico shook.

When Will was finished, Nico curled up and threw the covers over himself with his back to Will.

"Is there anything you need before I go?" Will asked one more time, avoiding eye contact. Nico shook his head from under his covers. He listened to Will's footsteps as began to leave.

Before he reached the door, Nico finally spoke, "I could've handled it, you know."

Will's voice was soft. "I know that. But you didn't have to."

With that he left the room, turning the light off on the way out. In a few hours, the healing magic and ambrosia would wear off, leaving Nico alone with his pain. He curled up, staring at the plain white wall.

Why? Nico thought to himself, clutching the blanket in his fists. He let his dark eyes flutter close. Why must I always mess everything up?