Chapter Text
Will Solace stepped into the dining pavilion with an exasperated sigh. He truly hated mornings, which he considered ironic, being a son of Apollo.
At the crack of dawn, he had woken up with Swan Lake, Op. 20, playing in his head at max volume, with Apollo’s best wishes at the end. The irritating music had continued nonstop until Will practically flung himself out of Cabin 7 with a barely worn camp shirt.
All he wanted now was his morning coffee.
As he trudged towards the dining pavilion, Will raised his arm to check his wristwatch. The dark blue leather was neatly decorated with swirls of glimmering golden. A birthday gift from Apollo last year. Will tried his best to focus on the small numbers, squinting his eyes to read the time. The dyslexia didn’t help. He brushed his growing locs out of the way and stared closer at the small numbers, challenging them. His head hurt. Finally, Will threw his head back in defeat as his throat gave out a long groan. He could only guess the time was closer to 8 AM since the pavilion looked somewhat busy.
He walked towards the goblet table while wading through a horde of campers. He picked up the bronze goblet and wished the usual. Straight black coffee conjured up with magic, and the goblet felt heavier in his hand. Will took a small, calculated sip. No sugar. Perfect. It was the only thing keeping him on his feet during endless shifts at the infirmary. He took a nice, long sip and sighed. Gods, finally. Now he needed a target to chat their ears off.
As if on cue, his beloved half-sister, Kayla Knowles, stomped in and made her way straight to the son of Apollo. Her fiery red curls were brushed completely to one side. It looked like a bird’s nest, though the bird would’ve been more diligent in its work. Perhaps a misused hair dryer decided to get revenge. The green highlights popped out like sprouting leaves. Sparkling pink liquid trickled down from the curls to an incredibly annoyed face.
Before Will could question anything, Kayla barked at campers in her way like a rabid hellhound, stormed right through, and slammed her hands on the table, quivering the goblets.
“Ugh, I need damn good coffee,” Kayla huffed, pointing at her frizzy curls.
“I… Am almost 'fraid to ask,” Will sighed.
“Stupid Stoll. Stupid glitter gel bomb. Need I say more?” She snatched an empty goblet.
“Aight. Fair enough, fair enough,” Will nodded, his lips pursed.
Kayla wished her latte with extra cream and caramel drizzle, then took a huge sip, gulping with a scrunched face.
“Fuck! That’s hot. Ow. This thing burns, man,” she stuck out her tongue and fanned it with a hand.
“Careful. Don’t wanna 'nother patient complainin’ ‘bout burnt tongues and throats,” Will gave a small chuckle.
“Don’t you worry 'bout me. Stoll will be the one complainin' about a damn severed hand when I get him back.” Kayla wiped her lips with the back of her hands, sniffling.
“Hey. Let’s go sit down for a minute 'fore I pass out, huh?” Will offered. “Damn, why do some mornings have to be this fuckin’ hectic?”
The duo sauntered towards the empty Apollo table. It was just the two of them. A sudden wave of sadness washed over Will, churning his stomach. This table used to be the most populous one before the wars. Thirty campers or so, reduced to three within a couple wars. Now it was only him, Kayla, and… Gods know where Austin is. He hadn’t shown up this summer. Something about his mother needing him back in Harlem. Will shook his head like a wet dog. He didn’t want to linger too much on the thoughts.
Kayla sat down and crossed her legs atop the table, swaying them to a beat in her head. Perhaps Apollo was tormenting her too, with another act of Swan Lake ? Even with her curls soaked in pink gel, Kayla looked as fierce as ever. Will could tell she was going through each deadly step of her Connor Stoll Revenge Plan 101. Her hazel eyes twinkled with determination under the sunlight.
Will glanced sideways at Kayla, puffed, and started his usual complaining. Kayla had gotten used to it. She laid back and listened, creamy latte goblet in hand.
“Gods, ya know what dad did? He had the amazin’ decision to play that one piece of music from Swan Lake in my head from, what, 6 AM until I got out the damn cabin! I mean, what kinda parent does that? Guess I shouldn’t complain when it comes to the Olympians, but y’know, I thought he changed after all his trials as Lester. I guess it don’t matter in the end. Still one of them gods.”
“Woah, there. Woke up from the wrong side of the bed?” Kayla questioned.
“Yeah. Guess I’ll be hatin’ the entire day too. Unless…" Will smirked and nudged Kayla, "I somehow get to see Paolo with his shirt off.”
“Ooh! Ya been stalkin’ him?” Kayla jumped up from her seat and beamed at Will. She had a cream mustache from downing the latte. The extra sugary drink must have given her the usual hyperactivity back.
“What? No. I- He’s just been visitin’ the infirmary a lot lately. Severed limbs and all. Classic Paolo, y’know. Bet he’s doin’ it on purpose as an excuse to see me more, huh?” Will squinted back with mild annoyance.
“Hm. Admirable work. Guy’s dedicated.” Kayla nodded.
“Nah. Guy’s lucky. He heals so damn fast. Limbs get chopped off like lamb, I reattach it, then functions go back to normal in just a couple hours. Like a damn mutant.” He waved his hands around and demonstrated with a flailing limb.
Kayla thought the demonstration was rather poor and lacked proper technique. She raised a hand to cover a side of her caramel-splattered mouth. “Hey. Maybe he is a mutant. You never know with demigods,” she whispered.
“Hope not. That’s a whole other can o' worms to deal with, and I don’t got no extra energy for that. Even with the coffee. Mutant demigods? Hell nah, man.” Will complained about the rhetorical comment. “Anyways. Enough talk ‘bout Paolo. He’s already gettin’ too much attention from me, he don’t need none from you, Kay.”
“Damn, boy. Ya gettin’ jealous?” Kayla teased, snickering.
“Ha-ha. In your wildest dreams, bird's nest,” he mocked her hair, dramatically shaking his head, blonde locs swaying in the light breeze.
Will downed the rest of his coffee and slammed it on the table like a shot glass. “One goblet o' coffee done. Gotta go. Work ain’t waitin’ for none.” He nodded at Kayla, quickly got up, and started jogging towards the Big House. Kayla followed.
“Ya be turnin’ into an actual workaholic every passin’ day, bruh.” It was now Kayla’s turn to shake her head. “Oh, also! Good luck reattaching Paolo’s limbs! Give him a big ol’ kiss for me,” she screeched like a banshee.
“Thanks, I’ll need a lot more luck for all four! And I will!” Will shouted back to her ear.
"Ha! Will what? Will Solace?" Kayla snickered.
"Will kick your damn head if you don't stop yappin'. Now go get the archers in line. They been waitin' for their instructor, I hear."
“Ugh, fine. But give him that kiss on the lips, ya hear?”
“Oh, fuck off, man!”
As the morning sun rose, the son of Apollo ran towards yet another morning shift in the busy, busy infirmary.