Feles sunt vera...
Some things never changed, Nico realized upon returning to Camp Half-blood in early January. The few demigods that had been left behind were reluctant as ever, if not more.
The fear of Hades always preceded him. Thalia's tree served as a constant reminder. Yet, he was the one being called to forgive.
So he returned to his former cabin in the early hours of January 28th.
He felt... adrift.
He cried in front of the altar, apologizing for his failure to live up to the standard.
He carved his initials into one of the bed frames. He thought about it some more and carved 'Nico was here' into a different bed.
Then he remembered about the airplanes.
Someone had noticed. Someone had been here during his sabbatical. The planes had been rearranged from their chronological order. He didn't need to wonder who had done it. The new Norwegian Blue MP-1269 model stuck out among the gray and white and camouflage.
He took them all down from the ledges and window frames. He wiped off the accumulated dust before stretching out and rolling one of the planes across the floor boards.
Will showed up after noon with a ham and cheese sandwich. He didn't say anything about how Nico had missed another meal. Or that he had obviously spent all morning playing with toy planes.
So Nico didn't mention that Will was wearing scrubs and had been working mornings in the infirmary since they got back to Camp Half-blood.
"I have to go to the store later. My mom wired me some cash and I still need to buy some textbooks. Do you want to come with me," Will asked.
"What," Nico responded, feeling completely confused.
Will looked suddenly horrified. And then embarrassed. "Oh my gods! I forgot today was your birthday. I've been so busy lately."
Nico waved it off. "No. I don't care about that. Doesn't Chiron pay you?"
Will hesitated. "It depends on what you mean by paying me. My mom covers all my expenses and I get practical experience from the infirmary. Once I was old enough, I was allowed to decide what high school I would be going to."
"He pays Annabeth and he pays me. Why wouldn't he pay you? You're so dedicated to it."
"Because he doesn't have to. I'm in the internship program. Besides don't worry about Annabeth. She's in her first year of college and Percy isn't the most reliable person, you know? I'm sure she has a harder time teaching Holly and Laurel strategy than working with you. Anyway, do you want to go see a movie in a real theater for a change?"
"Not really. Maybe we could try watching something with the kids in the infirmary without Mr. D getting involved again."
"Right. No more Encanto. That movie is weird anyway and naming the woman who hears everything Dolores was a missed opportunity for a running joke about cranberries."
"Cranberries?"
"Exactly! Zombies... dreams and the lingering effects of something. Definitely a missed opportunity."
"None of that happened in the movie I watched."
"I understand that reference," Yan shouted, interrupting them. "You're talking about Harrison Ford." He walked inside the cabin, disrupting the moment.
Will looked at him, confused. "I am?"
"Sure you are. I know things too. I know where you're going with that."
"But Harrison Ford has nothing to do with that movie."
"Yeah I know, dude. That's the point. Why isn't the son of Ozai allowed at the drive-in anymore?"
"Avatar? I don't know. Why isn't he allowed at the drive-in theater?"
"Dude... that's not the son of Ozai, that's just Danny crying around because Sandy slammed the door in his face."
Will rolled his eyes while Nico looked from one to other trying to put it together.
Yan continued. "Why wasn't the son of Ozai allowed in the kitchen anymore?"
"Because nobody wants a Grease Fire Lord in their kitchen."
"Why is Anakin Skywalker opposed to singing Summer Nights?"
"Oh my gods."
"Because once Sandy gets into something, there's no getting rid of her."
A cricket started chirping ostentatiously.
Finally Nico said, "Maybe you should have thought it through a little more before you brought that in the Hades cabin."
Yan shrugged. "What's he going to do? Zeus dictated that his sons judge the dead."
"I didn't say you could come in here."
"But you're not even his son anymore. Isn't that what you've been telling people?"
"He's still my father. I just don't have my powers anymore. I'm only a legacy of Apollo now."
Will made a mental note of the way Nico fidgeted with the plane while confronting Yan. He spun the blades and the wheels and his eyes took on that distant look that he got when he was angry. "Yeah... we should probably all go now. Yan, we're going to try to have movie night for the kids in the infirmary again. Hopefully it doesn't turn into another crisis. Are you going to be there?"
"Only if there is a crisis. What's with all the toy planes?"
"Yeah just don't. Let's go." Will tapped Nico's hand and motioned towards the open door. Nico got up and followed him out.
"They're not toys," Nico fumed. "I spent hours putting each one together."
"Yeah well, I keep trying to get through to him and he takes nothing seriously."
"If one of them gets damaged, you will never hear the end of it."
Will smiled and sighed. "I'm actually glad to hear you say that."
"Oh good, you got me another box," Nico said, after dinner that evening. He reached for what Will was giving him.
Will couldn't help but laugh. He almost dropped Nico's birthday gift. He stumbled, sitting down a little too hard, but Nico was already ripping through the wrapping paper.
"It's the V-22 Osprey. Thank you, Will!"
"I saw you looking at it the other day. I'm not sure why you just didn't buy it then but I felt like I should get it for you."
"Nico," Hazel called softly. She stood just past the threshold. "I've been so busy with the Legion. I'm sorry."
My brother isn't the only one you saved from Tartarus, Kronos reminded them.
Nico flinched almost imperceptively. Will glanced at him and elbowed him, reassuringly. Nico recovered quickly, telling Hazel, "That's okay. California is a long way and you're here now. I-" He suddenly turned pale. His eyes were dark but Will still reacted when they dilated.
"Nico, what's wrong," he said, panicking. But he instinctively grabbed Nico's wrist and searched for his pulse. The familiar rhythm reassured him.
"I never thought I would make it to sixteen."
Hazel broke the tension by dragging a wooden chair next to the couch. Will let go of his wrist and gave him another look. He stretched out and left just enough room.
"I want to watch something dumb. Like the first Jurassic Park," Hazel said.
"Yeah it's probably in there," Will said, lazily waving towards the movie cabinet. "I think the velociraptors are cool."
Nico rolled his eyes. "Those weren't velociraptors."
Will shifted enough to see him still sitting on the edge of the couch. "Who cares?"
"I thought you guys had DVRS here," Hazel said. She turned out the light and started the movie.
"Chiron had them all removed over the summer. They were malfunctioning and he couldn't afford to replace them."
Will counted the minutes until Nico settled in next to him. He moved slightly allowing for more room and rested his hand in the middle of Nico's back. He closed his eyes and focused, feeling for the tension. He drew it out and let it fade. Nico relaxed, slowly, resting his head on Will's chest.
Ten minutes into the movie he realized he had gone too far when Nico started snoring.