Chapter 2: the Invitation
Though Nico had not actually done much in at least 6 days, he was exhausted. In the morning, Piper and Jason came to talk his ear off everything going on in camp (and bye everything, he meant every last tiny detail). Nico really wanted to listen to what they were saying, but it was just uninteresting to him. An Aphrodite camper threw a fit, a Hermes camper pulled a massive prank, a Hypnos camper drifted off at the worst time. Nico didn't really see how any of this was new.
But then, Piper said something that caught Nico's attention. "And also, Reyna sent a letter addressed to you." she held out an envelope with illegible cursive handwriting and a purple SPQR stamp. "Personally, I didn't know people still wrote letters, especially when you can iris message someone. Or text them. You know, if you would get a phone."
"Well, excuse me for being a bit old fashioned. Plus, cellphones are dangerous for demigods. You know that." Nico snatched the letter out of Pipers hands and starting ripping apart the envelope.
"Read it out loud." Jason said.
Nico scoffed. "We'll see about that."
Nico finally retrieved the letter from its wrappings and began to read in his head. The letter was only one page but it took forever to read due to reyna's horrible cursive. Why didn't she just type it out? Maybe Reyna was a bit old fashioned too.

Dear Nico, I know I just left, but I'd like to extend a formal invite to you, Coach Hedge (and family), Jason, Piper, Percy, and Annabeth to join Camp Jupiter in a feast in the Seven's (plus you, me, and Coach's) Honor. Invite whoever you like, but please limit it to one or two people. Your ride will be there at 10:00 am next Saturday.

Also, don't try to shadow travel here. We will send SUVs to come get you guys. That healer friend of yours is right. Last time you tried to shadow travel, you almost died.
How is your healer friend anyway? His name is will, right? I don't want to embarrass myself by calling him the wrong name when you bring him to the feast (and I know that you're going to bring him to the feast. I mean, you have to. He's never seen New Rome and might never get a chance to see it again. Just saying.)

Anyway, write back ASAP. See you Saturday.
P.s. Hazel and Frank say hi.
From, your friend, Reyna.

After deciphering Reyna's hand writing, Nico read Jason and Piper the first paragraph but nothing more.
"Wow, that's really cool!" Piper exclaimed once he was done.
"I would go spread the word to the others but I'm not allowed to get up unless I have to go to the bathroom. I'm on bed rest. Doctor's orders."
"That's okay. Pipes and I will go show them." Jason said, casually reaching for the letter.
"No!" Nico raised his voice a bit too loud. "I mean, yeah go tell them, but you don't need the letter to do that. I think I'm going to hold onto the letter." Nico squeaked trying to regain the causality of the conversation moment ago.

Jason and Piper looked a Little freaked out at first, but quickly returning to the flow of conversation. More talk of tantrums, pranks, and Pegasus accidents. Nico again tried to stay focused, but his attention kept drifting off toward the words of Reyna's letter.
After a while, Jason and Piper decided it was time to go and tell Percy, Annabeth, and Coach about the feast.
"We'll try to drop by later, probably after dinner." Jason said. Then he pointed toward the small TV mounted on the wall across from Nico's bed. "Have fun watching Olympus's next top Nereid."
"Ha. Ha." Nico said blandly. "There's only one channel, which is Hephaestus TV, so it's literally the only thing there is to watch."
Jason and Piper exited the room. Nico laid back down in a hopeless attempt to try and fall asleep. Somewhere down the hall, he heard Piper say "oh, hey Will. We just visited him. He's doing fine. But I think he might have something he wants to ask you." Oh gods, Piper, why? "Oh, okay. I was just about to bring him lunch anyway." Will stated. A few seconds later he heard footsteps (and faint giggling, which could have came from no one but Piper). He felt almost all the blood in his body rush to his cheeks and he hurriedly tried to stuff his face in a pillow, hoping Will wouldn't see.
The door opened a crack and Will poked his head inside. "I know you're not asleep, you know. Piper and Jason were just leaving from Visiting you."
Will opened the door wider and brought in a plastic tray with Nico's lunch on it. Peanut butter and jelly, yogurt, string cheese, an apple, and a glass of water. Will set the lunch on Nico's bedside table as Nico unburied himself from his pillow and stared at his lunch. Gods, that was a lot of food, at least for Nico.
"I have to eat all of that?" Nico asked.
"Yes, If you want to leave."
Nico was caught off guard. "What?" Nico was somewhat confused and alarmed.
"Once you eat all of that, I'll dismiss you from the infirmary."
Nico had mixed feelings. On hand, he want to be free to do as he wanted again, but at the same time...Nico wasn't quite sure what the other feeling was. Disappointment, maybe? He wanted to say that he didn't know why he was disappointed, but he knew exactly why. He enjoyed being cared for for the first time in a very long time.
Nico scoffed at himself. He was being absolutely foolish. He needed to get out of here. All the reality shows on Hephaestus TV were driving him mad.
He picked up the tray and very very slowly, began to eat. Will pointed at the Letter and asked "Whats this?"
"Its a letter from Reyna."
"Can I read it?"
"No." Nico swallowed hard. "But I can tell you what it says."
"Okay, then what does it say?" Will said, sitting on the end of Nico's bed, criss-cross-applesauce, waiting for Nico to begin.
Nico read the first paragraph to will, leaving out the part where Reyna told him to bring a guest. It's not that Nico didn't want Will to come. He really did, but he was going to ask him on his own time. He had a week before the feast. That was more than enough time to ask his friend to casually hang out in New Rome with him.
Who was he kidding? Because he certainly wasn't kidding himself.
"That's cool. I've heard New Rome is amazing. Now, if you want to leave, you need to eat your lunch." Will said sternly, handing Nico his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"Fine." Nico said a bit too bitter.
Nico ate slowly, partly because it was a lot of food, partly because he wasn't sure he wanted to leave.
He suddenly felt incredibly guilty. Here he was, taking up Will's time that Will could be using to treating another patient because he didn't want to leave.
"I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you. I have paperwork to fill out. uuuuuggggghh. That's one of the few things I hate about being a healer. All this paperwork." Will groaned.
Nico couldn't help but smile a little bit. Gods, this dork.
"I'll be here." Nico said, finishing up his peanut butter and jelly.
Nico watched the tall, blonde healer stride out of the room. He looked down at his hands, where he had been subconsciously twisting his silver skull ring.
He used to do that when he had a crush on Percy.

Nico had mixed feelings again. On one side, Nico was furious with himself. Why should Nico deserve someone like Will? On the other hand, why shouldn't he deserve Will? He had been through Tartarus alone. He had fought off entire armies by himself. He had saved the world at least twice. He had lived with Demeter.
He deserved something good in his life for once.