NICO

He couldn't concentrate when the other boy was pressed this close to him. So warm. Will had insisted on climbing on Nico's infirmary bed while they watched Rigoletto together and now their arms and legs were touching. They had their stash of food on Will's lap and sometmes their hands brushed. It was a good thing Nico already knew the plot because he could hardly hear the words over the pounding of blood in his ears. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to give Will a summary of each act. The son of Apollo smelled like sunshine and flowers. Every time Nico inhaled, he got a whiff of that heady scent. Maybe it was pheromones or something godly and supernatural. Whatever it was, it made him think of summer days with blue skies.

It was such a freaking cliche. One day, he told Percy he was over him and not even two days later, he was trying to consume the son of Apollo through his nose. Nico couldn't say how he knew but he was sure that Will was the type of guy that girls in bikinis at the beach would flock to. They'd casually touch his biceps and ask him if he works out. Then they would giggle at whatever answer he gave.

Dear gods, he wished he wasn't misreading the signals. Clearly, Will was showing interest. Now that Nico had time to think about it, Will had been trying to cross his boundaries since...since their confrontation with Octavian. That episode hadn't gone so well. Nico didn't feel that bad about Octavian's incendiary demise. It had to happen. The same with Bryce Lawrence's death. The world was better off without their genocidal schemes. He did feel uneasy about how he sent off Lawrence though. No demigod should have that kind of power at his disposal. Even if it were his. He lost control and he unleashed an unholy curse that obliterated a sentient being. He was somewhat glad that it took a lot from him; It wasn't something to be done with a snap of his fingers. Maybe what bothered him more is the fact that he felt an unwavering sense of certainty that some people, however young they were, had to go. No remorse, no what-ifs, no-let's-talk-and-get-this-crazy-idea-out-of-your-head coffee break, just go ahead and die, lunatic. It was the kind of cold-hearted thing he thought the other kids at camp would judge him by.

Oh, look, the son of Hades doesn't even flinch when he brings death upon another human being.

The opera was over. He wished he could leave the infirmary to stretch his legs. He could ask Will. He shut down the laptop but the other boy didn't budge. His side was still pressed up against Nico's.

"Will, I'd like to walk and get some fresh air."

"Your doctor says your three days are not over yet."

Nico scowled at him. "Just a couple of minutes. I can't even believe I'm asking permission and negotiating. You can even watch me from this window." Nico gestured towards his window.

"I think I can do better than that. I can walk with you. That way, if you feel weak, I can carry you back."

"I'm heavier than I look, Solace."

Will had a thoughtful look on his face and all of a sudden, he grabbed the tricep of Nico's uninjured arm. "Hm, you might be right. Someone's been working out."

Nico snatched his arm back and Will laughed.

"There are too many creatures in this world for my liking," Nico muttered sullenly.

NICO

The walk became longer than Nico expected. He thought Will would insist on going back after a few minutes but they got to talking and their feet naturally took them to the lake. Nico was feeling better after two and a half days of rest, medicine and good nutrition. He still wasn't feeling his best. He had guessed that his body would never be able to recover from Tartarus and the strain of shadow traveling with the Athena Parthenos but now, for the first time in years, his outlook seemed positive. His friends and father wanted him to be happy. All the things he suffered...they had to have a reason and that reason was not so Nico would be unhappy for the rest of his life. He should be on the upside of the wheel of life this time. He would try. He would try for himself. Gods knew he deserved it.

The sun would set soon. They could see some naiads playing from afar, the water they splashed around got hit by the sun's rays and sparkled.

"What made you decide to stay, Nico?" Will was looking at him intently.

"I don't know. Maybe I got tired of quests. When I told Octavian that I wanted to be in neither camp, I wasn't expecting to live through the whole ordeal. When I had the chance to think about it, the choice was really between my friends and sister OR my room at my father's Palace with the screams of the dead serving as white noise."

Will chuckled at that. "Yeah, that couldn't have been a very hard choice."

Nico shook his head.

"But what made you pick Camp Half-Blood over Camp Jupiter though?"

"Hm, I could've picked Camp Jupiter but their regimented training put me off. The Romans are stuffy. Guess, I'll visit Hazel when I'm stronger."

"Well, I'm glad you stayed." Will didn't look him in the eye. Nico swore there was a blush under the dusting of freckles on his nose. He stared off in the distance with a smile on his face.

"Will, you're not...um, about Octavian, you aren't..." Nico left the words hanging because he couldn't exactly voice out the words "creeped out by me."

"Oh, that watered down jerk of a legacy of the Roman Apollo you mean? It was strange at first but when I think that if he didn't die, he could've added the to the casualties on our camp on top of what Gaea had caused, I figured let the Fates decide on this one. Plus, I just heard from Anabeth that he was going to decimate our camp with everyone in it using those onagers. Who in his right mind would sacrifice a whole camp of kids to an imaginary voice in his head? I shudder when I think about it. That kid needed help. I'm sorry he died in a horrible manner but if he hadn't, I wouldn't be here feeling sorry for him."

Nico just nodded. Will's tirade comforted him a little. It sounded really pragmatic coming from such a sunny healer guy. It was reassuring to know that even Will had a little darkness in him. Maybe, Nico wasn't so different after all.

"I've done something terrible before that," Nico declared in a flat tone. He told Will about Bryce Lawrence. He didn't know why he did but he just felt that Will's reaction would be the make or break deal. Will on his part listened carefully and didn't let out a word. No judgment.

"I'm scared of what I'm capable of doing. Have you ever been in a fight where you're not really scared of your enemy but you're scared of being pushed too far because you don't know yourself well enough to predict your reaction?"

Will shook his head. "Well, being scared is a very human trait. As for reacting with too much force, I think that's part and parcel of being a child of the big three. You know that the reason Zeus, Poseidon and Hades agreed on not having more offspring is because their children are just too powerful."

Nico nodded again.

"From what I heard though, you were born before they made that agreement formal. I wish you wouldn't feel bad about it. Your emotions are what makes you human. Your being scared of your potential shows restraint. It just so happens that you're a powerful demigod. But wow, man, Reyna must know that you really care about her."

"I thought it just freaked her out."

"Well, yeah, I mean it must have been shocking, like the same way Anabeth felt about Percy's powers in Tartarus. Still, if it were me, I would feel flattered more than freaked out, I suppose. Someone using that kind of power to protect me. Don't take that as an invitation to use your underworld-ly stuff though." Will's eyes twinkled while wagging his finger. "But anyway, that's what makes you, Percy and Jason different from the rest of us."

Nico suppressed a shudder. "The last thing I wanna see is Jason unleashing his wrath. He's so together that if he loses it, something terrible must happen first and when it does, Gods...Jason, son of Zeus...no, I don't even want to think about it."

Will gathered his courage and started rubbing soothing circles in Nico's back. Nico gave him a funny look. He was still new to all these casual touches. Will didn't withdraw his hand. He decided he wanted to push it and so he smiled at Nico and said "Well, let's just be glad that this terrifying power that you three have are on one side, our side."

Nico shrugged. "Ask Percy sometime. I think it's more of a burden than a blessing."

Will wanted to change the subject to something more lighthearted, not because he didn't want to hear it but because he thought Nico could use more positive emotions at the moment.

"Hey Nico, you're a counselor, right? Do you know what your duties are?"

"I have duties? I don't even have cabin mates."

"Well, you just have to be involved when there's an event. Even though you're only one, your house still counts as one vote. If you have suggestions or objections, you can bring them up at the council. You can also redecorate your cabin. I think the decor's been done by a blind goat."

"Hey, how do you know that? Have you been snooping around my cabin?"

"Nah, I just peeked at one of the windows while you were in the infirmary. I mean, you've gotta admit that the Hades Cabin really gives off an air of mystery."

Will waggled his eyebrows at Nico who just deadpanned. The air became awkward after that. Will ran out of things to tell the other boy.

WILL

Maybe this was the right time, Will thought.

"So Nico," he started and took Nico's hand in his. "Don't freak out, ok?" He looked at Nico straight in the eye. Nico had a slightly panicked look but he nodded.

"You know that my dad is a patron of music and because of that, some of his children experience bionic hearing once in a while..."

Nico started to pull his hand but Will held on and supplemented his hold on Nico with his other hand. "I overheard what you told Percy..."

"You weren't supposed to hear that and it's over anyway. You can't tell anyone about this...It's none of your business. I'll leave if it gets out." Nico definitely had a stricken look on his face while he ranted.

"Look, you said you won't panic. And I'm sorry if I'm coming on too strong. You're not an idiot but you're kinda dense. I can't leave any ambiguity between us." Will gave a sigh. "I like you, Nico. I can't explain now because my insides are all tied up in knots but I'm sure of what I feel."

Nico swallowed, disbelief written all over his face. Maybe it's one thing to suspect that a guy likes you and another to hear it from his own mouth. His heart was beating fast but the urge to run away had disappeared. There was something about Will's earnest look that made others trust him. He stopped struggling.

Will took that as a positive sign and barrelled on. "I know we're barely 15 but I want to kiss you and hug you and protect you. I want to get to know you. You're so intriguing. I would learn how to crochet skulls for you. I want to make s'mores and always give you the first taste because I've been told I make really mean s'mores. I want to hear you laugh while kicking the butts of Ares kids. I want to hear you laugh, period. Gods, I even want to hear you speak Italian. And then I won't be able to stop myself from kissing you because that would be so gods damned sexy."

There was a really long pause where Will thought his heart would leap out of his chest and then Nico laughed. "That's so freaking cheesy but...Si, ti Credo."

True to his word, Will kissed Nico by the shore of the lake as the sun set.

NICO

Yes, Nico thought. Things were going way too fast but he knew stuff would get bad later on so now was a really good time to try living.