"Wait," Percy said. "So you mean –"

"Right," Nico said again. "But it's cool. We're cool. I mean, I see now… you're cute, but you're not my type."

"I'm not your type… Wait. So –"

"See you around, Percy," Nico said. "Annabeth."

She raised her hand for a high five.

Nico obliged. Then he walked back across the green to where Will Solace was waiting.

His chest felt lighter. Sure, his heart was still racing, despite his casual words, but he felt elated, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. And, of course, Percy's dumbfounded face had been a bonus. He smirked, then his gaze fell on Solace. The son of Apollo scowled at him, but more in confusion than anger and the morning sun gleamed in his hair. Nico's heart skipped a beat.

Great, from one easygoing, stubborn airhead to another. Nico sighed. Maybe Percy had been his type after all; one way or another.

"What was that?" Will asked when Nico was in earshot.

"Nothing," Nico said. "I just had to settle a tab."

"A tab?" Will looked even more confused at he glanced back to Percy and Annabeth. "I think you broke Percy," he said sheepishly.

"You can fix him, can't you?" Nico asked, not letting Will see his bemusement. "Talking about fixing." He strolled past Solace into the cabin. "You said something about fixing me?"

"Oh Gods, yes!" Will's eyes widened and he hurried after Nico. "Have you looked at yourself? You look awful!" He chided.

Wonderful; perfect first impression, huh? They both entered the sickbay, where dozens of Demigods lay more or less incapacitated. Nico recognised some Roman faces that were still unable to be moved to Camp Jupiter but Nico had no doubt the heap of Apollo kids that bustled about would have them patched up in no time. They all looked torn and tattered, but happy to be alive.

"The shirt was the Coach's idea, not mine," Nico grumbled when he realised the array of orange and purple T-shirts gleaming back at him.

"The shirt?" Will grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into a private nursing room. "When have you last looked into a mirror?"

He placed Nico in front of a large mirror, glaring over his shoulder into the reflecting surface. Will's mouth was close to his ear and Nico's heartbeat sped up. Then he took a look, a proper look at himself and almost gasped. Solace had been right. The bright floral-print shirt was torn in several places, but that was his least problem.

Nico's eyes were sunken, he looked horribly exhausted. His skin was pale, almost translucent and he was barely more than flesh and bones. His clothes hung baggy and ragged around his frame, his jet-black hair was greasy and unkempt. Simply said, he looked like an underfed street-cat. And here he was crushing at a sun-tanned, blond-haired and blue-eyed surfer dude. Not that Will didn't look tired, but not nearly as bad as Nico. Nico turned away from the mirror in frustration.

"I am the son of Hades," he said with false arrogance. "This is nothing."

"Sure." Will had turned away from Nico and was rummaging through a drawer that Nico assumed held doctor's appliances. "Now strip."

"What?!" Shocked, Nico whirled around, blushing deep red.

Will looked up at him and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, don't give me that look, diAngelo. Doctor's orders."

"I –" Nico tightened his arms around his chest and buried his fingers in the fabric of his ridiculous shirt.

"Nico, I'm a healer." Will approached him with a stern look. "But to heal I have to get a better look at you."

Nico gritted his teeth, embarrassed and frustrated, but he reminded himself that he wanted to change. To let others in. His fingers relaxed and he slowly unbuttoned his shirt. His throat felt dry, almost as dry as when he had lived off nothing but pomegranate seeds. Feeling very uncomfortable, he folded up his shirt and placed it on a nearby chair.

"Sit down." Will gestured towards the surgery couch and Nico trotted over, staring at the ground. "Okay."

Nico shuddered as the cold head of the stethoscope touched his chest. Will towered over him, his eyes closed and listened closely. Nico swallowed.

"You're heart seems… fine." Will opened his eyes and studied Nico's face for a moment. "Now take a deep breath. Good. And out. Alright."

He took off the stethoscope, looking satisfied.

"It seems your injuries are limited to exhaustion and – what is THAT?" Will pointed at Nico's arm and the son of Hades tried to cover up the swollen, red claw mark Lycaon had left behind.

"Nothing," he murmured.

"That's not nothing!" Will insisted.

"But –"

"No."

"I don't –"

"Nico!"

"Werewolf claw marks." Nico's gaze shifted to the ground.

"Excuse me?!" Will looked enraged and Nico was surprised to see him like that.

"Lycaon," he simply answered, shrugging.

"And you tell me that now?" Will forced Nico's hand from the wound, took a look at the mark and returned to his drawer.

"There are others with way worse injuries than this." Nico felt a little annoyed by the accusing tone the other boy had assumed.

"That," Solace perked up his head to glare at Nico. "Is NOT the point."

He returned with medicine and bandages and began to dab at the wound. The stabbing pain had been so consistent for days now that Nico barely noticed the stinging of the ointment.

"Do you have any idea how harmful werewolf inflicted wounds can be? I can't believe you did your Underworldy – stuff – with such a wound."

Nico grimaced.

"Look, now, Solace," he began. "It's not like I had a choice. You know, what with saving the world and all!"

Will only glowered at him, obviously unimpressed.

"You've almost gotten yourself killed," he growled while he wrapped a bandage around Nico's arm. Then Will did something Nico didn't expect: he began to sing: A low, soothing song in ancient Greek. Nico only picked up bits and pieces of the song, but it told of sunlight and warm, gentle summer days. He was surprised when he realised that his wound already hurt a lot less that before, but he wasn't ready to give Will that much slack. Solace's song faded, leaving Nico longing for the warm summer sun. Nico never longed for the sun.

"What's your deal with saving people anyway?" He demanded grumpily. "It's not like you can run around and heal the entire world."

When Will's eyes met Nico's, they were filled with a deep, dark sorrow. Instantly, Nico regretted his remark. Ugh, he was so much better at dealing with the dead than with the living. To Nico's surprise, Will spoke. Slow and guarded at first, then with more force.

"My mother," he said, "was a good woman. Kind, bright, always looking out for me, trying to hide me from the monsters."

Nico silently cursed himself. He had an idea where Will's story was headed.

"They found us anyway. A hellhound, attacking us out of nowhere. My mother shielded me, protected me, but the hellhound wounded her deeply." Will's voice cracked a little and Nico was too ashamed to look up, too afraid to see the hurt in Will's sky-blue eyes. "I'm not a fighter. I did what I could, but the hellhound almost got me, too. Then Gleeson Hedge appeared, smashing the hellhound to pieces. I was shocked, but I went back to my mother's side. She was still alive, still breathing, but her wounds were too deep. I couldn't save her," he whispered.

Nico grit his teeth. He knew that "I'm sorry." didn't really cut it. Upon Bianca's dead, the "I'm sorry"s had only made things worse. He clenched his fists.

"I didn't mean to –"

"No, it's not your fault," Will said hastily. Nico looked up and saw him smiling, but the smile didn't quite reach his wet eyes.

"And yet you're taking care of a son of Hades," Nico murmured darkly, feeling even more guilty than before.

"Idiot." Will slapped Nico's healthy arm. "It's got nothing to do with you. Of course I'll help my friend."

Nico stared at him, a little dazed from exhaustion and a powerful mix of emotions swirling in his chest.

"Thanks," he said quietly.

Will's eyes widened and his ears reddened as he quickly turned to his drawer again.

"Anyway." He cleared his throat. "That's all for now. Now go sleep, Doctor's orders."

Nico blinked, suddenly realising just how tired he was. Sleep sounded wonderful.

"Alright, Doctor Solace." He stretched and lay down on the surgery couch. As soon as his head touched the soft leather, he began to fade away. He could barely hear Will inhaling sharply.

"That's not what I meant, Death Boy!" He protested. "Not right there, right now!"

"Don't call me… Death…" And Nico had slipped away.