Nico's point of view...
Will finally lets me out of the infirmary after the three days I've been kept hostage there. I mean, of course there's never anything wrong with spending quality time with him, but I feel like too much time would be dangerous for me. Every time I'm with him I feel my face heat up and skeletal butterflies resurrect in my stomach. I guess the simple way of saying this is that I like him. I like him too much. I don't think he could ever like me back, because one, I'm gay and he isn't, and two, I'm me, and honestly, who would ever find that attractive?
I open the door to my dark, lonely cabin. It'll be my first time staying here since before the war started. Hazel left this a few days ago, so it's just me, and for once, I don't like the loneliness. I settle in for the night and close my eyes, hoping to have a quiet, peaceful night. But when do we ever get what we want.
I hear screams and howls. I am surrounded by death. Tartarus, I realize. How did I end up here again? I hear sniffling behind me, so I turn and see Bianca there, with tears in her eyes. She looks up and speaks in the same voice I remember, "I thought you loved me, Nico. I sure loved you, but you could do nothing to save me."
I want to say something. That I love her. Or how after these long, four I missed her. How I wanted to do more to save her. How it was Percy's fault, since he couldn't keep his promise. No. It's my fault. She joined the hunters, and I could've prevented it. I wanted to speak. To say something, anything, but I couldn't. The words couldn't form. They start to rise, but they get caught at my throat.
"I thought you loved me," she repeats, "but I guess I was wrong."
I try to scream but I can't so I run to her, but she disappears in a wisp of smoke, leaving me alone. I fall to my knees and cover my face. The tears come fast. That's when I hear a voice behind me say, "Come on. It's okay."
I look up and see Will standing above me with his hand extending towards me. "Come on. You'll be safe with me." I take his hand and I feel a warmth spread through my body. The warmth is comforting, and I no longer want to cry.
I open my eyes and yawn. I look to my side, and realize that I'm not in my bed, because I know that I had claimed a bottom bunk as my own, and this was the the top bunk. The second thing I noticed is that the sheets covering me were bright yellow, not the dark grey of the Hades cabin. Whose cabin is this? I wonder. I start to get up, but I feel something pull me back. I look down at my waist and see an arm. Then I hear light breathing behind me. I look over, and see Will's face only two inches from mine. I yelp in surprise, and end up falling out of the bed. I gather my senses and look around for an escape route, but then I hear Will's voice ask, "Nico, what are you doing here?"
I look up and realize that everyone in the cabin was now awake and staring down at me. I answer honestly, " I don't know."
A voice to my right says, "I think you did that shadow travel thingy here in the night, because I woke up to go pee, and as I got up, I saw a puff of black smoke and suddenly you were there in Will's bed, and I didn't want to wake you up, because it was kind of cute how you two were cuddling all night."
I look over to Kayla, and think about what she just said. I have been known to shadow travel to a place I find safe when I feel distraught. That must've been why I had dreamed of Will after seeing Bianca. My subconscious must've taken me to Will, probably because I felt safe with him. This was just embarrassing.
"This is really weird," I say feeling my face grow hot, "but I should get going. I have a busy day. Bye." I basically sprinted back to my cabin. I decided to skip breakfast so I don't run into anyone from the Apollo cabin. What do I do? What do I do? I think to myself. I finally decide to talk to Percy and Annabeth about it. Besides Jason, they're the only ones who know I'm gay. I find them talking by the docs.
"Guys," I start.
"Oh hey Nico," Annabeth says cheerfully.
"I need your help." I tell them about my crush on Will and how I ended up in his bed. And how I have no idea what to do. They exchange a glance.
After a few seconds, Percy finally says, "Just tell him."
"It's not that easy. I just can't go up to him and and say that I like him. I just can't."
"Yes you can," Annabeth says.
I look them over. They were sitting shoulder to shoulder. They were the perfect couple. Sure they fought a lot, but it was all in fun. They were truly happy together and they did love each other. I wanted a relationship as good as theirs. I sigh and start walking towards the medical station. I stop short of the door to the infirmary. I look behind me and see Annabeth and Percy peeking from around a corner. Annabeth gives me a thumbs up and I open the door and head inside.
Will is sitting on one of the beds, just talking to his brother Austin. "Hey, um, Will? Could I talk to you outside for a sec?" I ask, feeling my face grow warm.
"Ye-yeah. Yeah Nico. I'll catch you later Austin," Will says, looking over to Austin, who winks.
We walk in silence until we get outside. "What did you want to talk about?" he says.
"Oh...um...well...I," I couldn't find the words. My face was getting hotter by the second. "We-well, you seeā¦"
"Yeah?"
"Well, the thing is, um..."
Will continues to look at me, with those beautiful blue eyes.
"TI AMO!" I yell, and quickly shadow travel back to my cabin. Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods! What will he say next time he sees me? What if he's disgusted by me now? Why on earth did I tell him that- I didn't realize until now that I that I had told him I loved him, but in Italian. I breathe a sigh of relief. Suddenly, my cabin door swings open. Percy and Annabeth march in.
"What the hell was that?!" Annabeth yells.
"I'm sorry! I speak Italian when I get nervous, and I was obviously very nervous because I was about to confess my feelings to someone who probably doesn't see me the same way I see them!"
She sighs, and Percy quietly says,"We're gonna have to try something else."
"You're right," she says. They look at each other, as if making a silent agreement.
"Wait, try what? What are you gonna try?" I ask.
She just winks and Percy grins. They both leave my room without another word. Oh gods, what's going to happen now?
to be continued...
