The nightmares didn't stop for Nico.

He still woke up screaming and covered in sweat every night. Every night, he woke up Hazel, who ran to his side of the cabin and held him until he fell back asleep.

At least now, the nightmares were just bad dreams, bad memories. It wasn't someone trying to communicate with him. No one was trying to kill him.

On the night before the Romans were supposed to leave, Nico forced himself to stay awake. He knew Hazel needed to rest for the travel, and he didn't want to bother her by waking her up. By dawn, he was still awake when someone knocked on the door.

It was his blond-haired friend. Nico was almost disappointed to find Jason waiting on the other side of the door. The feeling was immediately overcome a few minutes later when another blond boy waved him over.

Will was not staring.

He merely glanced at the brooding cabin to see Nico and Jason talking. Of course, he didn't look away. Not even when they've been talking for a few minutes. Not even when he caught Jason hugging Nico.

If he wasn't sure that Jason loved Piper, Will would have killed him, which was so not something a healer tended to do.

Then Nico finally glanced his was, and nothing could have stopped Will from waving the young boy over.

A surge of energy rushed toward him as the pale boy walked towards him. Will had only gotten a few hours of sleep total for the past couple of days. He'd been spending so much time in the infirmary, healing all the wounded in battle, saving those who fought to save. He loved being a healer, loved seeing someone walk away from the infirmary with a renewed joy in their eyes, but it took too much of his time from seeing a certain person…

"So where were you?" Will demanded, then immediately chewed on his bottom lip. He couldn't take back what he said now, so might as well…

Who knew four words was all it took?

For a son of the God of the Underworld, Nico made a pretty good nurse.

When he wasn't resting (doctor's orders, he had said), Nico helped around the infirmary, bringing tools, changing bandages and occasionally bringing a cup of coffee or two.

It was such a different feeling for him. He was so used to being around death, to being in danger, that he never knew how rewarding it could be to help someone get better. Of course, it was even more rewarding to get a good look at the older camper for a couple of hours each day.

Will had such an easy-going, sunny personality. Nico wasn't sure if it was because he was a son of Apollo or if he was really just a huge flirt. Will always gave Nico a reason to smile or blush, even during the busiest hours in the infirmary.

Will had never been so glad to have a free day.

Chiron had personally come up to him and told him to get the hell out of the infirmary (though not his exact words).

After his last shift, Will grabbed Nico's hand and pulled him outside, with the younger boy red the entire way.

"So, I'm free tomorrow. I'm pretty sure you are, too," Will said, smiling mischievously.

"Uhh, I'm pretty sure the infirmary needs all the volunteers it can get," Nico replied, still blushing furiously.

"I need you more," Will whispered, taking the pale boy's hand and pulling him closer.

"Okay…" Nico was breathing hard, cheeks still inflamed, heart beating fast.

"I'll see you tomorrow then. It's a date," the older boy said, grinning as he winked at Nico and walked towards his cabin.

It was a good thing he was near the infirmary because Nico almost fainted.

Nico had nothing to wear.

Everything in his miniscule collection of clothes screamed death boy, and Nico wanted to look nice for Will. For a second, he even considered saving the loud Hawaiian shirt he threw in the trash. He finally settled on a plain black shirt, jeans and his trusty sneakers. It was too bad his aviator jacket was ruined, but it seemed like a hot day anyway.

"Hi," Nico said shyly, looking at his feet before sneaking a glance at the taller boy.

"Hi," Will replied, grinning down at Nico. "Ready to go? I've set up quite a nice picnic by the beach. Thought you could use the tan." Without waiting for Nico's answer, he grabbed the other boy's hand and pulled Nico behind him. "Let's go!"

Nico finally caught up to Will's long strides, and they walked side by side, holding hands.

Will stared at the younger boy in disbelief.

"You live in a camp that sells strawberries, and you haven't tasted one?!" Will practically screamed.

Nico laughed, the movement stretching his face in an unpleasantly pleasant way. "I've tasted the berries, Will. It's just been a while."

The healer grinned at the sound of his name on Nico's lips, and the way he said it. "Well, angel. I need to change that." He grabbed a strawberry from the basket he packed. "Open up."

Nico's cheeks were once more inflamed. He blinked twice before opening his mouth and biting the berry the blond boy offered.

"See? Not so bad. Gosh, next you're gonna tell me you haven't been kissed!" Will said exaggeratedly, and threw his arms in the air before he laughed.

Nico blushed and looked down, chewing the last of the strawberry. He looked up at Will through his lashes.

"Gods, you haven't, have you? Well, angel. I need to change that."

That's how Nico's first kiss tasted like strawberries, with his body surrounded with the heat of the sun.

Author's Note: This story has a new version. If you are interested, please see the next chapter. Thank you!