Why do I listen to Kodaline? All it does is make me sad and encourage me to try to make my readers cry. So, sorry in advance if this chapter is sad af 😝.

Chapter 5: Theodore

~

After Nico had gone through with Larissa's little plan, he immediately regretted it. The look of raw anger on Will's face made him hurt inside; he hated when Will was upset, especially if it was because of him.

So, now that Will was doing his rounds again, Nico was alone with Will's homework, which was tucked in the corner. Nico tiptoed over to it, careful not to wake the sleeping Percy Jackson, and slid it out of its spot. He bit his lip as he read it.

Gay Rights and If It's Okay.

1: This essay must include your thoughts on homosexuality.

2: This essay must include your thoughts on the gay pride 'mobs'.

3: This essay must include the most recent updates on gay marriage.

4: This essay must include your thoughts on gay relationships in everyday life.

Please note that this essay is due within this week. I would very much appreciate the best work you can provide, and your most honest opinions on this subject.

- Professor Amyide

Nico stared at the assignment. He moved the sheet to see lined paper with only a few sentences written down.

1: My thoughts on homosexuality are very confusing. I would think it's not necessarily wrong, but it's not right either. I just think it's not the persons' choice who they fall in love with, or

Nico frowned. Will wasn't against homosexuality, so he wouldn't be against Nico. But he never necessarily said how he felt about it, and-

"Nico. Put down the paper."

Nico dropped the paper, and turned to look at Will. He was leaning on the doorframe, a stony look on his face.

"I-I was just curious."

"Yeah, well, don't be. This has nothing to do with you, so don't go digging into it."

Will snatched the papers, got on his tippy toes, and put them high enough in the cupboard that there was no way Nico would reach them.

A guy wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans appeared in the doorway. "Will. . . It's Theodore-"

"What room?"

"Will-"

"What room, Chase?"

"He's gone, Will!"

Will blinked. Nico stared at him for a moment, before looking over at Chase. "Who's Theodore?"

"Will's youngest patient so far. He was six. The youngest Will's had other than that is nine."

"I thought. . . What?"

"He's helped with other kids, of course. He just never gets the youngest kids. When a patient is assigned to you, he's assigned to only you. Theo was the exception."

Will was sitting on Nico's bed, his eyes glazed. He put his head in his hands, and blew out through his lips. Nico heard his shaky the breath was, as though he was holding back tears.

Will was obviously too exhausted and depressed to handle many more of these deaths. Nico, who knew exactly how it felt, was determined to help cheer him up.

"Larissa went home." Chase said.

"Of course she did." Will said bitterly.

Nico watched his doctor stand up and grab his phone from the counter. "My class starts in an hour. I should go."

"Okay. See you, man." Chase hugged him, and Nico couldn't help but get a little jealous.

Will smiled weakly at Nico, before stuffing his phone in his pocket and leaving Chase and Nico alone.

~

Will glanced at Annabeth as she slid into the seat next to him. "How are you doing?" She asked.

"Worse than this morning."

"Why?" Annabeth asked, pulling her essay out of her bag.

"Another patient died. You're already done?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Yeah. I'm visiting the hospital tomorrow; my best friend's in there. Nobody's told me his condition."

"What's his name?" Will asked, pulling drumming his fingers in his textbook.

"Percy Jackson."

Will was quiet for a moment, and Annabeth began looking worried.

"He's okay, right?"

Will nodded. "He should live."

"That's a little vague-"

"Do you really want to know?" Will sighed.

"Yes!" Annabeth rolled her eyes.

Will frowned. "He's blind and he lost all control of his right arm."

Annabeth stared at him. "It's really that serious?"

"People are dying, Annabeth. Your friend is lucky." Will cut her off.

Annabeth shifted in her seat. "Who died today?"

"Theodore. He was six." Will said stiffly.

"How well did you know him-?"

"Stop pushing." Will snapped. "It doesn't involve you, stop trying to make it."

Annabeth frowned. "I was just-"

"Curious. Yeah, I know. That doesn't give you the right to think you should know everything."

"I wasn't-"

Will squeezed his eyes shut and Annabeth stopped talking.

~

Nico glared at the ceiling while Chase held down his arm. With a slight pinching feeling, the needle slid into his arm.

"Nico." Chase said. "Can you see what this says."

Nico's eyes slid over to the paper Chase was holding, but he was only met with a blur of black and white. Chase frowned and hooked something up to the needle that was in his arm.

Nico winced when he felt the small amounts of liquid entering his body. "Hold still." Chase advised.

Nico kept his eyes on the ceiling, trying to make out all of the lines. He realized he was overworking his eyes by trying to see as well as he had a few hours ago.

A faint buzzing filled his ears, and his eyesight disappeared. Everything went black and Nico felt his heart start to race. Chase yelled something.

Nico was dizzy from all of the buzzing, and the sudden disappearance of light. He felt as though he had stood up too fast, and it seemed as though dark, dull, colors were swirling in front of him.

Nico didn't know when the doctor had showed up, but he felt hands on his face. He couldn't hear a thing, and he was panicking without the sight of who was touching him.

He was too dizzy to push them away, but he also knew he shouldn't, for this person was trying to help him.

If that wasn't  as bad as the sickness got,  Nico couldn't imagine what the patients had felt like before they died. He could now imagine the fear that would be pulsing through their bodies as they lost all of their senses and couldn't even remember where they were.

All Nico was aware of, was that he was somewhere where people felt free to do whatever was needed to help him. He knew that these people would do absolutely anything to save his life.

Nico struggled to draw in even a weak breath, and after a few seconds his lunges began to ache. He knew there were many things happening around him, for he felt the air shift his hair.

~

When Will's phone rang, the entire class looked at him. His face went bright red as he dug his phone out of his bag.

Call From: Chase.

"Hello?" Will hissed.

"Hey, Will! Nico's going under. He-"

"I'm coming."

Will hung up, sent an apologetic look at the professor, and bolted out of the room. His bag was over his shoulder as he yanked the door to his car open.

On the drive, Will had no doubt he was speeding. He didn't understand why he felt the need to get to the hospital so quickly when it was the patient he'd gotten along with the least that was going under, but he did.

Will climbed out of the car, slamming the door shut. Cursing all the while, Will hurried into the building. Will decided taking the stairs would be faster than taking the elevator, and he sprinted up them, his legs aching by the time he got to the top.

Will ended up next to Nico's bed, his heart beating his in throat. His eyes were rolled back in his head, and foam was bubbling out of his mouth.

"Will!" Chase sighed.

"How long has he been doing this?"

"At least half an hour. ETD is less than five minutes, because he's not breathing very well.

Will swore loudly.

"Will, we know he's one of your favorite patients-"

"I don't have favorite patients!" Will hissed. "Everyone's life is worth the same."

Chase's lips were pressed into a thin line while Will continued cursing and looking through the supplies.

"Where the hell-?"

"They're all being used. That's why we lost Theo." Larissa said, coming up being Chase.

Will cursed again, kicking one of the floor cupboards. "Two minutes." Chase said miserably.