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For the first time in the year that Jerry has been at Camp Half Blood the infirmary was empty. It was eerie in a way, an unnatural occurrence for such a place to be devoid of any moment, and sent a shiver down his spine. Sure, he was happy there were no injuries, while he wasn’t allowed on the medic staff after an unfortunate situation involving warts and sinus headaches, his siblings often spent all their free time helping others. Call him selfish, but he honestly missed having all of his siblings together. Even now, in the silence of the infirmary, he knew Will was scratching away at some paperwork, busy working.
If Jerry had his way, he wouldn’t have even come here. He was fine, objectively, and sure his heart stung and he had to hold back tears a little bit ago while texting his siblings, but that was fine. Normal even. He hadn’t broken down yet, and due to the electronic communication, his siblings hadn’t even known their words upset him. That was the good thing about text, he could hoodwink his siblings into thinking he was okay.
Except Will, that is.
Will had this uncanny knack to know when something was bothering someone, even when they acted okay. It was part of what made him a good healer, and a good big brother. Jerry adored him, and looked up to him, though he was way too stubborn to admit it. But, sometimes Will’s ability to know something was off was annoying. Like today, when he just wanted to pretend he was fine.
Normally, Austin’s teasing wouldn’t have warranted an explosion. He and Austin were close in age and the middle children, so they thrived off of each other to get attention from their father and the rest of camp. Everything between the two was a competition, and it didn’t help that they were the two in the cabin with the most music powers. Often, they were clumped together. Jerald and Austinella was an example; the lighthearted bickering between the two. But, today wasn’t a normal day.
“Will?” Jerry hated how his voice cracked as it echoed. “You wanted to see me?”
He honestly didn’t want to see his big brother, but Will was still a counselor, no matter if he was less than two years older.
“In the back!” Will called back, and Jerry followed his voice and found himself in the infirmary office.
He wasn’t there often, but every time he was he had to note how the office was so Will. The ceiling was decorated with stars, comets, and spaceships weaving their way down the walls, and a sun on the floor, like a compass with its spokes pointing due north. There was a small cabinet with files on every demigod on one wall, a little rocket pointing at it, and a mahogany desk against the other, with a padded chair that Will sat in.
Will wasn’t smiling, something abnormal for him, and was looking at Jerry with squinted eyes. Jerry squirmed, but managed to remain still. The tears from early were threatening to spill, and he wondered, briefly, if Will could tell. He knew Will wouldn’t say anything about it; that was another thing about Will he admired, Will would never push anyone to speak unless they started first. Everyone always did though, he was an easy ear to rant to.
Will held out his arms, allowing Jerry to go in for a hug if he wanted. He knew he’d cry if he did, but Will was also a good shoulder to cry on. So, he let his guard down and folded himself into his older brother’s lap, letting the tears he’d kept locked up all day fall out. Soft circles were rubbed on his back, which was a catalyst for loud sob that seemed to last forever.
When he was unable to cry anymore, he stayed in Will’s lap, collapsed over his older brother. He was no longer shaking and his breath was returning to normal slowly but surely. Will, like Jerry himself, was always warm. He made Jerry feel safe.
“Do you want tissues?” asked Will softly, breaking the silence that had fallen when Jerry’s sobs dwindled off.
Jerry pulled back, mourning the comfort of his eldest brother’s hug, and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. “Okay,” he said softly.
Will stood up and held out his hand. “Come on.” He led him through the eerie infirmary to a corner which held a small couch, a Mandalorian throw blanket, and a little white pillow with the bi flag etched on it. “Sit,” Will commanded, and Jerry did so, grabbing the pillow and clutching it to his chest as Will pulled a box of tissues off the shelf. “Feeling better?” He sat down on the opposite end, so neither boy was touching.
He shrugged, taking a wad of tissues and dabbing the area under his nose, not bothering to blow.
Silence was a demigod’s kryptonite, but the two stayed in it for a few moments until Will broke up, his fingers playing with a loose string on the throw. “You know, Nico gave me a minus one to dexterity.”
Jerry chuckled wetly, the remnants of tears still present. “So Austin was right? He does have our stats?”
“Stored away in a little notebook he hides in his cabin,” Will told him. He had that look he always did when Nico was involved, a slight lovesick smile. “Don’t tell him I told you though.”
Jerry zipped his lips above just above the pillow. “Di Angelo’s secret’s safe with me.” He paused for a moment before sighing, and sinking further into the couch. “I’m not mad about the minus two wisdom modifier, you know?”
“I know,” Will said earnestly.
“I just—” He searched for words, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Jerry let out a shaky breath. “Everything, I guess. I was kinda shitty to Austin in the group chat. I know he meant well in his kind-hearted teasing.”
“You know, before Nico and I started dating, Austin would tease me relentlessly every night about it.”
“Really? Where was I when this happened?”
“Sleeping usually,” Will cracked his knuckles, twisted on the couch to face Jerry, tucking one leg under the other. “And he constantly called me a coward for not confessing, which is a little condescending given he’s aro and knows diddly squat about romance.”
Jerry smiled softly, “Yeah, he doesn’t.”
“So, don’t take what he says to your head. It doesn’t matter if you like Olivera or not.”
Jerry buried face into the pillow and mumbled, “I asked her out this morning.”
To his credit, he managed not to look shocked. “Really?”
“Yeah, at arts and crafts, we were painting and singing musical soundtracks just the two of us. I remembered Austin telling me she was quote on quote giving me a lovesick look, so I thought I’d try. I’ve fancied her for a while, so it wouldn’t hurt to try, right?”
She looked ethereal with the paint splattered on her nose, a colorful array of freckles dotting her face. Her dark hair was plaited down her back and her owl-like eyes were narrowed as she looked at her painting. It was amazing, a cascade of colors falling into one point on the horizon.
“This is my first 4th of July in the U.S.” Jerry had said in lieu of conversation, trying to trample down his worries.
“Really?” She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, streaking a line of red paint across her cheek.
“I came to camp mid-July last year,” he said, “Wicked time, it was.”
“America must’ve not had the greatest impression on you,” she laughed. He liked her laugh.
“Definitely not.” He paused for a moment, gathering up his courage. “My siblings tell me it’s a big deal here: the fireworks.”
“The Hephaestus kids make them,” she told him, a starry look in her eyes, “They’re super pretty.”
“My siblings also said something about bringing a date?”
Olivera shrugged. “It’s like the camp's version of homecoming.”
Jerry frowned, “What?”
“Never mind.”
“Have you ever been with a date?” Jerry asked. He still wasn’t sure what a homecoming was, but he knew she wouldn’t explain it.
“Nope.”
“Well, would you like to?”
“And do you know what she did, Will?” Jerry could feel the tears returning. “She laughed! She laughed and laughed until she had tears in her eyes and I had to play it off like a joke.”
Will frowned, as if processing the information. “Did she explicitly say no?”
“She didn’t have to!” whined Jerry. “I humiliated myself.”
“Maybe it’s a misunderstanding,” said Will.
“I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, but it’s useless.” Jerry hugged the pillow tighter to his chest, “I hate fancying people.”
“It’s not a bad thing,” Will said gently.
“You just say that because you have a boyfriend.”
Will chuckled. “Not just that, Jer. It’s not all sunshine and daisies, but that doesn’t make it bad.”
He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. “I just don’t get why Austin would lie about her fancying me.”
“I don’t think he lied, per say.”
“He definitely exaggerated the truth then,” Jerry said, “No way she looks at me like you look at Nico. She would’ve said yes.”
“Did you give her a chance to?”
Jerry flopped the pillow on his lap. “Were you even listening, William? She laughed at me! In what world is that a yes?”
“Look, Jerry.” Will surged forward, grabbing his brother’s hands in his. “I’m not a romance expert by any means. I mean, I fucked up my own first kiss because I’m stupid and have the inexplicable urge to help everyone.”
“How did you manage that?”
“That’s a story for another day,” Will said quickly. “But I do know social cues are hard, more so for us since we’re neurodivergent, so maybe you read the situation wrong. Or Olivera did.”
“I don’t know, Will.”
“Think about it. You’re still friends, right?”
Jerry shrugged.
“Friends—or more—talk things out.”
“I don’t want to see her right now.”
“And you don’t have to,” Will said quickly. “I’m going to text Nico and Kayla and say we aren’t going to the campfire. I’m going to grab a game off the shelf, and we can play.”
“Okay.”
Jerry was asleep by the time Will returned, pillow clutched to his chest. Will threw the throw over him and kissed the sun bleached waves on his head. “It’ll be okay, Jer, I know it.”