"You said what to him?"

"I didn't mean it like that! It just… came out wrong."

"No schist." Jason deadpanned, looking at Nico with disapproval.

Nico groaned and flopped back onto his bed, dragging his hands down his face in frustration. "I screwed up… bad."

"Oh yeah, big time dude. But yenno what?" Jason replied, glancing at Nico's teary eyed expression, "We're gonna fix this. Okay? Couples fight. All you gotta do is apologize. Maybe make a couple of compromises. It'll be okay Nico. Alright?"

Nico sat up, and looked away, anxiously tussling his black curls as he blinked back tears.

"Okay?" Jason pressed, waiting for the younger boy to say it back.

"Okay." Nico relented, voice small and unsure. Jason looked like he wanted to argue for a more enthusiastic response, but decided that this small step was better than nothing, so he didn't push Nico.

"Alright so now we just need to make a game plan." Jason continued, clasping his hands together and grinning impishly at his friend. Nico shot him a slightly bewildered look at his phrasing. "I'm sorry, would you prefer that I call it a battle plan?" Jason asked, sarcastically.

"Yes." Nico deadpanned.

Jason sighed, "Okay, we need to make a battle plan. First…"

Jason rattled on about steps and proper apologies, with Nico interjecting every once in a while to state his opinion or comment on how out of character some of Jason's ideas were. They argued over the way he was going to apologize, what he was going to say, and whether or not he'd be willing to show more affection or try to be more boyfriend-like in public.

Slowly, time escaped from them, and the bright afternoon sun sank into a beautiful sunset, golden light shining through the cabin's windows. As nightfall approached, the two boys felt they'd hashed out a decent plan. Jason left the Hades cabin, confident about how well things were going to play out. Nico stayed inside, not feeling nearly as optimistic as his friend, but at the very least, he wasn't as anxious and sad as he was at the beginning of the day. Perhaps things were going to work out. Or maybe the whole world will spontaneously combust, and he won't have to deal with his issues. Either way, Nico was somewhat ready for the next day. Who knows what the future may bring.

Will moped around the camp grounds, feeling as if a giant thundercloud was above his head, dampening the cheeriness of the midafternoon sun. His emotions kept flip-flopping between bouts of anger, and sadness. As yet another wave of despair hit him, he sat on a bench that overlooked the ocean. He squinted out at the horizon, trying to find any inkling of joy within him, the type of merriment he'd typically feel when gazing at the rushing waves and feeling the warmth of the sun hit his tan skin. He was the son of Apollo, he should feel better out in the sun, but alas, his mood stayed dark and depressing.

"Hey Will! How's it going?" A voice asked, and Will turned to see the speaker.

"I'm…" He started to reply, before he registered who he was talking to.

"Listen," the boy said, scratching the back of his head as he walked a little closer, "I heard about the fight between you and Nico. If you need anything, I'm here for you, okay?"

Will nodded almost imperceptibly. He blinked, heaving a sigh. "Did you want to sit?"

The teen took the proffered seat, sitting close enough to Will that their shoulders would occasionally touch.

"I'm just so frustrated." Will started, still staring out at the water. "It's like he doesn't want to be in a relationship. It's practically just a friendship with a fancy title. Is it really so much to ask that my boyfriend show affection?"

"There's nothing wrong with that Will. You're an affectionate guy. You need someone to match your needs. Would you like me to tell you what I think?"

After a second of contemplation, Will nods.

"I think you should sit down and talk to him about meeting each other's needs. Talk to him about what you really want in a relationship. And most importantly, explain your reasoning for why you need these things, so he can better understand you."

Slowly, as his old fling spoke, Will had turned to look the boy in his eyes. Overwhelmed by the caring nature of the boy, and his earnest words, Will did something… unlike himself. He snaked his hand around the back of the boy's neck, leaned in, and kissed him. It was hard, and somewhat sloppy. Will felt the kiss be reciprocated after a moment of stunned stillness. Will set his other hand on the teen's hip, and felt the boy put his hands on his waist. Will scooted closer, so that their thighs were pressed together. The blonde felt like he was getting his every frustration out during the kissing. Something he'd never really got to experience before. Slowly, the two boys pulled away from each other.

"Mark…" Will whispered hoarsely, gaping at the son of Ares.

"It's okay Will. I know you're with Nico. Get your relationship together. But if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, or a pair of lips to kiss, I'm here. I'll always be here for you." Mark told him, before he placed a firm kiss on Will's lips, and took his leave.

Will sat on the wooden bench, chest heaving, their final kiss leaving a ghostly tingle on his lips. Swallowing thickly, Will rubbed at his knees, a nervous trait he'd picked up recently. He couldn't believe what had just happened.

He replayed his afternoon over and over again in his head. As he laid in bed that night, all he could think about was how good it had felt, to be shown such intimate affection. But those thoughts were dashed quickly by his guilty conscience. How could he have done this to Nico?

Will tried to convince himself that it was okay, because it was an accident, and him and Nico were in a fight, so was it really as bad as it looked? Sighing, Will curled in on himself, hoping that his mind would clear enough to allow him to get some sleep that night. But trying to clear his head was fruitless.

He had cheated on Nico.