Will smiled as Nico rejoined him outside the Apollo cabin.
"Okay," said Nico. "Let's start my three days locked in a room with you."
"I can't believe you're complaining, di Angelo," joked Will. "I am extremely offended and I personally cannot wait to get to know every one of those lovable characteristics of yours."
Nico rolled his eyes and tried to cover up how hurt he was by Will's sarcasm.
"There's no need to be mean," he said.
"Nico di Angelo, I was being completely and utterly serious when I said you have lovable characteristics. And also about the being offended part. I do want to get to know you better."
It might have been his imagination, but Nico swore he saw Will's ears turn pink.
"Well," replied Nico, "they'll be plenty of time for that."
—
He was right. Almost everyone had recovered from the attack overnight, because their were minimal injuries due to the battle of Rome never actually happening. Will led Nico past a few cots with the worst injuries and into a small, empty room.
"Why my own room?" asked Nico.
"You, my friend, are in a very intense and horrible state. One more underworld thingie and you will melt into the shadows," he answered.
"Underworld thingie. What the hades is that?" Nico teased.
"Oh - you know what I mean," said Will, giving an exasperated sigh.
"It's called shadow travel, sunnyside," laughed Nico.
Will made an angry face and pointed to the bed.
"Use your words, arrowhead," said Nico.
"Arrowhead?! What kind of nickname is that?!"
"I'm just trying to come up with names for a son of Apollo, okay?" said Nico, embarrassed.
"Just get in the bed, Neeks," Will commanded. Nico did.
"Okay," said Will. "I'm going to try and heal you with some of this magic healing stuff Reyna gave me."
"But I told you, I'm fine, for the Gods' sake," Nico argued. Will laughed bitterly. "Nico, you are barely on this Earth anymore. You're so close to fading... Gods, I don't even wanna think about you shadow traveling again," shuttered Will.
"Will?"
"Mmm?"
"Why do you care if I die?"
"What?!"
"Why do you..."
"Yeah, I heard you, I'm just shocked... why would you ask that?!" Will seemed unusually angry.
"Why do you want to be my friend so badly, Will?!" asked Nico.
"I- I don't know! I just want to break through this... this box of darkness you've built around yourself! I've seen it once... I kept having dreams... I saw Bianca, and the time you spent at the Lotus Casino, and how happy you were when you were younger, before your sister..."
"How did you know that?!"
"I told you, I don't know!"
Nico sat on the bed in silence. A small part of his mind thought about how cute Will was when he was upset. Shut up, he told it. What he needed to worry about now was finding out how Will had been having these dreams. He sensed something dark and powerful behind them... not necessarily bad, but not good.
"Uh... Will? Can I go visit Chiron?"
"Sure," sighed Will. He hung his head.
"Thank you! I'll come right back, swear on the..."
"You don't have to."
"I... what?"
"You don't have to come back, if you don't want to."
"But... I do want to," replied Nico. "Maybe not all the time, but... I want to stay with you... I mean, like, get to know you better, like you said, I mean..."
"You... you do?"
"Well, yeah," Nico told him. "You said you want to know me..." he was interrupted by a hug from Will.
"Sorry. It's just... you have no idea how boring it is, changing bandages and things all day," he explained.
"Will, it's okay. It's just me," said Nico. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he heard Will mutter something under his breath, like "good joke." He got up and left Will with his head against the wall to go see Chiron.
—
Of course Chiron had no explanation. He had said that nothing like it had ever happened, except for with an empathy link, which they didn't have. So Nico was stuck on square one, with only Will to talk to. He stopped by the infirmary between some of his training, occasionally bringing snacks or a soda, which was greatly appreciated.
"Hey, Nico, thanks. What's up?"
"Nothing, I guess... I just had Nature Skills. We were supposed to make a rope ladder, but I just summed a bunch of..."
"Woah, woah, woah, hold it, death boy. I told you not to use your powers unless you really needed to!" Nico sighed.
"Will, I have a question, and I want a straight answer, please."
"Mmm?"
"Why do you care if I die?"
"I told you already, Neeks, I like you, and I want to be your f-"
"I'm gay," blurted out Nico. "I'm gay. Do you still want to be my friend?!" Will blinked once, twice.
"You're... gay?"
"Yes."
"Gay... you, gay..."
"I literally just said that."
"No."
"Yes."
"No, I mean, I don't want to be your friend anymore." Nico's heart sank. He thought had just ruined the only good friendship he had at camp. But then Will walked over to him... Nico craned his neck and they kissed.
:)