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I was already at my max for the day. Slumped over and 30 minutes from the end of the shift, I was ready for it to be over, but alas, infected wounds could not wait. I grabbed a strip of gauze and a cleaning solution, then quietly glided over to the beginning of the room, as to not wake the rest and to begin in an orderly fashion. I hummed a couple hymns to Apollo to wake up my healing powers.
The first patient was a very surly Ares camper who, with the energy of mortification, was difficult to reason with and heal. Apparently, needing to go to an infirmary is a source of embarrassment. I shook him awake. The camper was sleep-addled and didn’t even flinch when my colder hands started unwrapping the bandage. The camper opened one eye, looked to make sure it was me, then closed his eye again.
“How much longer do I have in here?”
“I just need to make sure that these stitches are healed. Once I remove the stitches, you can go back to your cabin.”
His eyes shot wide open.
“Wait, seriously dude?”
“Do I look serious?” I gave him a little eyebrow look and went back to work. The last stitch gave me a bit of trouble because it was caught on skin, and my already high bubbles of frustration were ready to explode. I had just cleaned up my supplies to move onto the next patient when Kayla showed up.
I turned to the Ares camper and realized for the first time his name was Jasper.
“Okay, Dude, you ready for me to walk you back to your cabin?”
He ignored my artfully sarcastic “dude” and started walking outside.
Outside felt so nice. The wind touching my face, the sun just getting above the trees, and a very beautiful boyfriend a little bit of the way out. I shot him a radiant smile and Nico returned it with a little half-moon smile which helped dissipate a bit of the encroaching anger. Just then a new Ares camper showed up, ready to meet Jasper for the first time. The camper was a bit older than most, about fourteen to my sixteen.
Jasper stuck out his hand, recognizing one of his own. The new camper gave him a look and planted his feet. He looked what I assume mortals think of Ares kids. Buff but honestly not that tall. A scraggly head of brown hair with dull brown eyes. He was most closely associated with an ox, I thought rudely.
Jasper took his hand back and opened with a mildly hostile greeting. “What is your name?”
“Kellan.”
“Hmm.” Jasper hummed. I stood there but also wanted to get a move on.
“Nice to meet you, Kellan. I am Will, the Head Medic, and Head Counselor of Apollo cabin. Hope to see you around.” I gave a hurried smile and started moving for Jasper to follow.
“Aren’t you that little gay kid?” he said with a calculated edge to it, reminiscent of when an Athena kid knew they were right but wanted to get a rise out of people.
“I am sorry. What was that?” I turned around, my anger starting to climb higher.
“Aren’t you that little gay kid?” he said with more insistence.
“First of all, I am older than you and therefore more experienced, so I don’t think that ‘kid’ suits me,” I stepped closer, getting into his personal space. “Second, I am bisexual, not gay, which means, because I think you need the lesson, that I like boys and girls,” Kellan stepped into mine so that our noses were inches from touching. “And lastly, I have been at camp for much longer and have fought in two wars. Do you really want to fight, little boy?”
He let out a snarl and leapt at me. In short, to save a lot of words about my mindset for fighting, I charged at him.
Eyes watered, punches were thrown, and blood streamed from our noses before Jasper grabbed Kellan and Nico grabbed me. He had run down from the hill he was walking on.
“Awww, you need your little boyfriend to come and protect you? And look, he's just as disgustingly gay as you are.”
I lunged at him, and I felt Nico put all of his weight into not letting me reach him.
Jasper hauled him onto his shoulders, a very impressive feat, and ran to get to Clarisse. As soon as he was out of sight, I relaxed back into Nico. I was still pissed and steaming with rage, but he let me go. I slammed my fist into a tree. Nico didn’t even look taken aback by my violence.
“A note for your next fight—”
“Don’t even get in the fight,” I said, finishing the sentence in a resigned tone.
“No,” he said with a frown, “make sure to duck the swing. You ran straight into it.”
I gave a little sad laugh. “What has gotten into me?” I was usually so even-tempered.
Nico reached out a hand and wiped the blood from under my nose in a loving way. “Nothing too bad. Let’s go get you cleaned up now.” He leaned down, gave me a quick kiss, and led me to his cabin.