Nico hates capture the flag.

He was only playing because Hazel made him! A group of Romans had returned to Camp Half Blood for a visit about a month after the war. His friends thought it would be fun to play a game. That should have been his cue right there: Nico di Angelo doesn't do "FUN".

It was him, Jason, Piper, Percy & Annabeth against Hazel, Frank, Reyna, Dakota & Leila. Greek vs. Romans. The game was going fine despite Nico's sudden bad luck. Right out of the gate he fell in a huge puddle that came out of nowhere and got soaking wet. It felt like he was pushed, but no one was behind him. At one point they were climbing a hill when Frank lobbed a huge fallen branch that knocked him back down the hill. Annabeth says she yelled at him to duck but he doesn't remember that. When he got back to the top, only Piper was there. She suggested they flank left which he didn't argue with because not even 2 minutes later he saw the flag.

He stared to run to it but suddenly out of the mist came Dakota and Leila with their weapons pointed right at him. The only way he could avoid getting skewered was to shadow jump behind them. He thought he was golden when he walked out right next to the flag only a little dizzy. But then Reyna hit him over the head with something and everything went black.

Now all concern aside, Nico can take some hits. He survived Tartarus for crying out loud. But what was worse was waking up in the infirmary and seeing a pair of gorgeous blue eyes staring him in the face.

Will Solace… It had to be Will Solace's day in the infirmary. Nico felt like a total pansy after hearing that Jason had carried him in, unconscious, and that he was the only one hurt in the whole game.

"How do you feel Nico?"

"Like schist!" he groaned more out of embarrassment than pain. Will turned to get his watch but not before Nico thought he saw a smile. Is he happy I'm here in pain?

"So what all happened out there?" asks Will. Nico starts to tell him the story when Will reaches out and takes his hand. "What are you doing?" he asks flinching. "I need to take your pulse, just keep talking." Nico relays the whole story in a few minutes. When he's done, Will is still holding his hand. His touch is so gentle and warm Nico hadn't noticed that he didn't let go after 60 seconds. Apparently neither did Will because he blushes and lets go. Which makes Nico blush.

Right after the war, Will had made Nico stay in the infirmary for three days. Three days of getting to know him, watching him take care of people and ultimately developing a massive crush on him. How could he not, Will Solace is gorgeous, smart, unbelievably friendly and shines like the sun. Nico tells himself it's silly to have these feelings but he can't help it, everybody needs a little sunshine.

"So you fell in the stream, got the wind knocked out of you by a tree, shadow traveled when I specifically told you it was dangerous and was knocked unconscious?" Will summarizes pulling Nico from his thoughts. It sounds a bit exaggerated, but he confirms it.

"Well I think you need to stay here overnight, you may have a concussion and I don't want you fading away from your jump."

"What about dinner?" Nico asks.

"I will go get it and we can eat here, I'll be right back."

"Fine" Nico sighs.

It takes him about 30 seconds to realize that if Will eats in the infirmary with him then it will just be the two of them…alone…like a date. Suddenly he's really nerves. Sure, they have eaten together before but that was in the dining pavilion with everyone else, not just the two of them.

"Don't be stupid" he scolds himself, "Will is just being nice, it isn't like he is doing this on purpose"

Will walks swiftly to the pavilion to get dinner. He can't believe his luck. Yea, it's not cool that Nico got hurt but he couldn't hide his smile when Piper found him and said Nico needed help.

Of course then like an idiot I held his hand to long, that was stupid! He scolds himself while he picks up their food and takes it back to the infirmary.

With any luck, Nico won't realize I'm only keeping him in the infirmary to spend extra time with him away from his friends.

After 3 days in the infirmary getting to know Nico, Will developed quite the crush on the prince of darkness. However, since then, they hadn't really had many opportunities to hang out.

When he gets back he notices Nico standing in front of the mirror looking at the bruise on his chest. Will can't help by stare, he is only 14 but Nico had been through so many battles that he is in great shape. Thanks to the distraction, Will walks right into the instrument table.

Nico spins around putting his shirt down at the crash, instantly embarrassed. Will has a big bag in each hand and is hopping up and down. Apparently he stubbed his toe. Nico busts up laughing "Gods Solace, been walking long"

"ha ha ha death boy, just keep laughing" and he does for a few more minutes.

The evening continues surprising well in Nico's opinion. They eat their food and talk about all sorts of things. "What do you want to do now?" asks Will.

"I'm the one stuck here not you, don't you want to go back to your cabin?"

"Oh, I guess" Will says blushing, "it's just… I know it's boring in here alone so I don't mind keeping you company." Now Nico blushes. "Yea sure, if you want to."

"How about we watch a movie?" suggests Will. "I have my laptop here, I could push another bed up to yours and put it in the middle, you know, so we both can see…"

"How do you have a computer?"

"Leo made it for the camp infirmary before they left on the quest. He put Netflix on it and everything."

They decide on Avengers because Will says he gets a kick out of people acting like super heroes when they don't even know what the world is like thanks to the mist. After about an hour, Will falls asleep. Nico shuts the computer and lies down on his side facing Will. They are only about a foot apart and Nico can hear him breathing softly. Will has one hand under his head and the other resting out in front of him. Nico really wants to reach out and take his hand… If only I had the courage to tell him how I feel… maybe then we could hang out like this all the time.

Will wakes up the next morning just before the sun. He opens his eyes and sees the Son of Hades sleeping peacefully, his hand so close that their pinkies are touching. He can't believe he fell asleep during the movie and stayed with Nico all night. He hopes Nico didn't think it was strange or creepy.

If only I had the courage to tell him how I feel…

Will's hand stretches out like it has a mind of its own and touches Nico's cheek. Almost instantly his eyes start to flutter open. Will pulls his hand back hoping Nico didn't notice. "Were you just touching my face?" he says with a chuckle

"I was umm….checking your temperature, All good" He says with an awkward laugh as he sits up.

"How do you feel?"

"Great actually, best night sleep I've had in a while strangely"

"Good, well I guess you are clear to go."

Nico hops off the bed, puts on his shoes and heads to the door. Will can't help it; he feels a little pain in his chest at watching Nico leave. Apparently last night didn't have the same impact on Nico as it did him. Just then Nico turns around looking like he wants to say something.

"Thanks for keeping me company last night."

"Anytime"

"Would you wanna… maybe… I don't know… go to breakfast with me?"

"ABSOLUTELY!" says Will with so much enthusiasm he blushes, not able to hide his smile.

"Do you think it worked?" Percy asks while they sit at breakfast. He is sitting with the undercover crew of Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Reyna, Hazel, Frank, Dakota & Leila.

"I hope so" Hazel replies "We worked so hard on hurting him that I would feel worse than I already do if it doesn't work."

"I didn't mean to hit him that hard" Reyna confesses.

"Don't beat yourself up" Frank comforts her. "His siblings said he didn't come to the cabin last night so that's a good sign."

"Look!" Jason exclaimed with a huge smile. The team turns just in time to see Will and Nico walk into the pavilion, get their food and sit down at an empty table together.

Will is surprised at how well the whole evening panned out. First they had dinner together, then they hung out and watched a movie, stayed the night together…kinda and now they were having breakfast. Who knows where all this will take them but so far Will likes how it's starting out. Maybe he can stretch it out a little longer…

Suddenly there's a loud cheer from Percy and Jason's table, they're all yelling and high fiving each other. Will looks at Nico but he looks just as confused. "I wonder what they're so happy about"

"No idea" says Nico with a shrug.

Breakfast is loud for some reason today. Will has to lean over close so Nico can hear his question. His warm breath on Nico's ear sends delightful shivers through his body

"So…I don't suppose you have plans for the campfire tonight"

"Not really, Hazel will probably make me go"

"Oh" Will says sounding a little sad "I was thinking we could sit together…you know if you end up going"

Nico's heart seems to skip a beat, "Yea sure…sounds good". "Awesome, I'll save you a seat then!" says Will with a smile as he gets up to go find his siblings.

Nico just sits there for a moment. Did that just happen? Did Will Solace just ask him out on a date?

Don't be stupid, you're reading too far into this? I should probably get a second opinion, but who?