author note: this chapter was written by me!!

Nico wanted to sleep. He had spent the whole day shadow-traveling and fighting monsters. Regardless to say, he was exhausted! When nico went back to camp he went into the infirmary and told Will he was going to sleep. Will kissed Nico's forehead and told him to sleep well. Nico rolled his eyes at that for when you're a demigod you never sleep well.

Nico entered the Hades cabin and saw Ben, lilly, and a couple others kids in his cabin.

"Nico!" Ben exclaimed, "you're back!"

"Yep, and im tired so can you and your friends leave please?" nico asked.

"Are you okay?" Ben replied, "You seem hurt."

"Im fine just got a couple of bruises from the fights." nico answered.

"Does Will know?" Ben asked suspiciously.

"No." nico replied looking away from Ben.

"Why not?" Ben questioned, "He needs to know."

"I'll be fine." nico said.

"I'm getting Will," Ben told him.

"Don't." nico said standing up to stop Ben, he then grabbed his ribs, "Ow."

"Too late," Ben replied running out of the Hades cabin.

Ben returned seconds later with Will who was holding a first aid kit.

"Nico, why didn't you tell me you were hurt?!" will scolded.

"Because ill be fine." nico told his boyfriend.

"Lay down, let me look." will said.

Nico obliged and laid down on his bed, will lifted nico shirt and looked at his ribs, there were bruises everywhere.

"You cracked your rips." Will told him, "Eat this."

Will stuffed Ambrosia into Nico's mouth and turned to Ben.

"Thanks for getting me, make sure nico doesn't get up until tomorrow, he also needs to stay awake for thirty minutes, he has a concussion." will said.

Ben saluted, "Will do!"

Will then left the cabin.

"You heard him nico, no sleeping," Ben replied.

"Why do the fates hate me?!" nico asked metaphorically.

"I could tell you a story, then you won't try sleeping." Ben offered.

"Fine, might as well." nico shrugged.

Ben grinned, "once upon a time-"

"Don't start it off with 'once upon a time' that's overused." nico criticized.

"Excuse me? It's my story, ill start it how I want to start it!" Ben replied.

"Fine." nico gave in.

"Alright, once upon a time there was a young girl, who loved nature-"

"Gross"

"Stop interrupting me nico!" Ben snapped.

Nico laughed at that, "continue."

"once upon a time there was a young girl, she loved nature, she was walking through the forest one day when she heard a noise, she took out her dagger and pointed it at the noise, a bunny then hopped out of the bush and the girl sighed, 'phew, only a bunny.' she then went back to walking through the forest. She soon arrived at a clearing, inside the clearing were flowers everywhere, she looked up and saw the clear skies. But then suddenly, the sky turned dark! There was a huge storm forming above her, she saw a giant in the sky, she called up to it, 'Are you the one who's doing this?' he yelled at her, his voice deep and scary, 'puny mortal! Of course, I am! I am the all-powerful genie! Nothing can stop me!' the girl then saw a lamp laying next to a flower, and she ran up to it, 'you sure about that?' the girl asked, 'No! How did you find my lamp!' the genie yelled, he was then thrown back into the lamp, and the skies became clear again, their girl threw the lamp over a cliff and continued on her walk. The end." Ben completed.

"That was really good ben, great job." nico told his younger brother.

Ben's friends nodded in agreement, "Thanks, it's been thirty minutes. I'll let you sleep, love you nico."

"I love you, Ben."

Nico then drifted off into sleep while Ben and his friends left the cabin to go enjoy their day.