Nico bit his bottom lip to keep from crying out.

He'd gone and hurt himself being stupid, and the result was getting stung by at least a hundred bronze wasps.

It had been enough of a struggle to make it to the infirmary. The stings had throbbed painfully, as he became increasingly disoriented from the high amount of unrefined celestial bronze in his veins.

He'd nearly collapsed just steps away, but Will came running out to support him.

Now he was slowly draining a cup of nectar with Will's supervision. He finally relented and cried out as his blood burned like it was on fire.

"Oh Hades!"

"It could be worse," Will chided. "A little more might have killed you."

His expression softened a little.

"What were you doing anyway?"

"Trying to get a special grade of celestial bronze only the wasps make," Nico explained. "Chiron needs some."

"Yeah well, Chiron could have told you that's not how to go about it. Seems like you're always in here for something."

Nico blushed a little, but Will didn't seem to notice. Sometimes the blond was incredibly perceptive.

"I was thinking about volunteering," he blurted without thinking.

"A son of Hades, a medic? Well, we could use you."

Why had Nico went and blurted that out? It was already hard enough not thinking about Will, and he wasn't entirely sure what the son of Apollo thought about him.

"When do I start?" Nico asked.

"Meet me at the dining pavilion about an hour before dinner," Will said. "I'll give you a short interview. Finish drinking this. I gotta make the rounds."

He gave Nico the cup of nectar and hurried off. Nico couldn't help staring at Will's jean clad ass as he went.

OoooOoooO

Will was already sitting at one of the tables with a notebook when Nico arrived. Other campers would be piling into the dining area soon.

He took a seat.

"Sure you're up to the challenge?" Will asked with a hint of a smirk. "Treating injured demigods can be tricky."

"I'm sure," Nico told him, finding that he actually was. "I'd like to help with something."

"Gods," Will remarked with a grin. "Where have you been all this time?"

Nico decided to shrug casually and not let his mind read into the son of Apollo's words too much.

"Being a son of the big three isn't always a cake walk."

Will considered him curiously for several moments.

"Percy told me you're from like 1940."

"Damn him!" Nico said in slight annoyance. "But yeah. I am."

"I think that's kinda cool," Will admitted. "I'd like to hang out with you more. You've always caught me as interesting."

"You think I'm interesting?" Nico asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah I do. Everyone at this camp is so ordinary. They're like your average teens or adults with superpower. You're this... enigma."

"Gee thanks," Nico muttered, but he actually smiled a little. "Everyone else treats me like some outcast."

"They'll warm up to you. You're just different, but I like your kind of different."

Nico held Will's gaze for several seconds. The blond suddenly looked down and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"You wanna... go for a walk?"

Nico thought about it a few seconds.

"I actually do," he said thoughtfully.

Soon he had fallen in beside Will, thinking to himself what a dream come true this was. He still didn't know if Will liked him like that.

His heart fluttered madly when Will's arm swung a little and their fingers bumped together. Had it been intentional?

Nico didn't know why now seemed like the time to find out, but what if Will freaked out?

Nico was feeling brave. He managed to swing his hand as though he were just walking, bumping their fingers together again.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Will suddenly placed his hand against his own. Nico found his hand turning. Their palms touched, and then they were holding hands for the first time.

Nico was so nervous his heart was pounding in his ears.

"Relax," Will told him gently. "Just feel."

Nico did relax a little as they kept walking. This was all so outside of his comfort zone, but it felt so right.

They finally reached the seashore. Will turned to look at him. They looked at each other.

"Can I... " Will hesitated shyly. "Can I kiss you?"

Nico's heart accelerated wildly. It wasn't 1940. He was here with Will. It was okay.

He wanted so badly to kiss Will.

"Yes."

Their gazes remained locked. Will moved in carefully and captured his lips.

Nico closed his eyes and responded with a low moan that came out of him from nowhere.

Will pulled back and smiled slightly.

"I like you."

Nico was fine with that.