Struck

The wind howled and roared through the trees that night. Nico gazed out at the flashing lights, fascinated. He had always loved storms, the brightness of the lightning as it zigzagged through the sky, the loud but calming rumbling of thunder, and the way the trees bent as the wind pushed past. Reluctantly, he turned around to face the waiting room. It was almost ten at night and it was nearly empty. The room shook and Nico suppressed a jump as a bone shaking crack sounded. He silently wished for sound-proof walls. It was one of these nights where the nurses had to be most careful.

Nico clicked his pen open and began scribbling notes down on one his newer patients' sheets. It was not but five minutes later when an ambulance wail shred through the air. Nico looked up and put his board down on the counter. The double doors flew open, ejecting a blonde boy covered in grey. The room suddenly smelled like smoke and fire and Nico realized that the smell was coming from the boy. Two EMTs were on either side of the gurney.

"Hit by lightning, about five minutes ago." one of them stated, "We shocked him thrice. He's here but he's losing grip."

"Move, now!" Nico yelled and jogged through the hall and to an empty room. He hooked up the boy to an oxygen tank and felt for a pulse. A nurse started an IV while another started a life monitor. In the waiting room an EMT called the boy's father on the phone she had found in his pocket. As the boy started getting oxygen, his heart beat steadied. Slowly, he opened a shocking blue eye.

"What the-" he muttered, his voice muffled.

"You were struck by lightning." Nico explained, "This is the hospital."

"Huh? Ouch." he grunted before falling unconscious.

All the nurses checked the tubes and fiddled with wires before injecting him with a painkiller.

"He should be fine but I want someone here with him." Nico announced, "Hazel?"

Hazel was a student nurse who was observing the field. She was timid and lacked self confidence. This'll help her become more independent. Nico thought, She'll do fine. He golden eyes darted around as to make sure if he was serious.

"Um, okay." she answered while tucking a looser strand of unmanageable hair behind her ear.

The nurses all left in a hurry, leaving Hazel behind. She pressed her lips together and turned to face the sooty boy.

"Hazel?" Nico popped his head back into the room.

Hazel jumped, "Yes?"

"If he wakes up, just ask him what his name is and jot it down somewhere. And, uh, clean him up, will you?"

Hazel glanced to the sleeping patient. His short hair was spiked upwards and his face and arms were covered in ash.

"Will do, Nurse Nico." she squeaked.

"Thank you, Hazel."

The hospital was quiet for the rest of the night. At two in the morning, Nico made his rounds to check all the patients before he went home. Just to make sure they were all right. He entered the burn unit first. A scrawny Latino boy lay wincing in room 205. His hands and arms were covered in a second degree burn. The nurses kept giving him aloe to cool the burns off, but it never helped. His arms weren't the only things burned, though. His face had a first degree burn on his jaw and in the middle of his back was a third degree burn. The nurses sometimes joked that the burn on his back looked like a whale but the curly haired boy never got to see it because of the fiery pain that tore through his body whenever he moved.

Nico quietly walked into the room and opened a new bottle of aloe on the counter.

"How are you today, Leo?" he asked.

"I'm okay." Leo replied.

"Has the pain subsided at all?"

"No, not really."

"Hmm, I think we should use something stronger." Nico opened one of the cabinets that lined the walls and took out a white container. "Tell me if this feels any better."

Nico gently rubbed the cream on the boy's burns and tried to ignore the sharp intakes of breath that the boy made. When he was done, Leo sighed and shut his eyes.

"Better?" Nico inquired.

"Much."

"I'll be going, now. If you need anything, you know what to do."

"Bye. Thank you."

Nico went through the rest of the burn victims and down the left wing of the first floor until he ended up back to the lighting boy's room. When he entered, he was still sleeping and Hazel was in a chair in the corner, watching him. Her heed rested in her hands and she fought to keep her eyes open.

"How has he been doing?" Nico questioned.

"Pretty good, I think." she replied, "He really hasn't done much."

"Have you got a name?"

"Yes. His name is Jason Grace. And he's sixteen."

"Good job, Hazel."

Hazel attempted to hide her smile and pride but failed. She flipped her long curled hair out of her face and stood up.

"Do you need me to stay here?"

"No, no. I just wanted to make sure someone would be here if he went into shock but he's far past that point now. Go home and get some rest."

"Thank you. Have a nice night."

"You too."

The last room Nico had to check on was none other than Percy Jackson. He tried to ignore the trouble maker smirk and the way his biceps flexed when he put his hands behind his head. Oh, and the way his stomach peeked out from under his shirt… Stop it, Nico. He opened the door as his blush faded away. Averting his eyes he asked,

"How are you feeling Percy?"

Of course he was awake, why couldn't he be asleep like the rest of his patients. Gods, he really didn't need to talk to him right now.

"I'm alright." he shrugged as he did the bicep thing. Nico took a deep breath.

"Everything is good? I'm heading out for the night so if you need anything, tell me now or I'll have Nurse Bianca or Hazel take care of it for you." Nico picked up a thermometer on the nightstand.

"Well, I have a superstition."

"Is that so?"

"You like me." Percy stated.

Nico tried not to act shocked even though he dropped the thermometer he was examining. It clattered to the floor and rolled towards the door. Taking a deep breath, he gingerly picked it up and responded.

"Yes I do. You are a very nice young man and I am glad to have you as my patient."

"No." Percy put his arms behind his head, flexing his biceps, "You like like me."

"Percy," Nico tried to hide his blush, "You're my patient."

"You make that seem like it has any impact on the way you feel about me."

"Oh, please." Nico tried to act calm despite the fact that his heart was racing.

"If it makes you feel any better," Percy slid his legs over the edge of the bed, smirking. Nico patiently awaited his reply as Percy strode up to him and stopped two inches away from his face. When he spoke, Nico felt his hot breath tickle his cheek, "I have a crush on you, too."

All Nico wanted to do was rip both of their clothes off and slam his lips into Percy's, but he took a shaky breath and disregarded the growing bulge in his pants.

"Listen, Percy." he stammered while lighting pushing him away, "This can't happen."

Percy looked hurt, "But why not? Who's saying that we can't-"

"We just can't!" Nico snapped, his dark hair falling into his eyes, "I'm the doctor and you're the patient. I take care of you and you leave. Romance doesn't fit in."

"But do you have a crush on me?"

"Just stop."

"Answer me, Nico."

"It's Nurse Nico."

"Whatever, Nurse Nico. Answer the fucking question.

"No." he snarled, "I do not have a crush on you, Perseus Jackson."

Because, truthfully, it was much more than that.