Ends and Beginnings

Nico felt the demigod die. He sighed. Will would be blaming himself for not being able to save him. A crowd of legionnaires milled around the entrance to the infirmary, waiting hopefully for good news. There wouldn't be any.

Nico wasn't good at this sort of thing, but he couldn't bear the thought of his friend having to shoulder this burden again.

Gods, Will shouldn't even be here. He should be at his college classes right now in New Rome, not here at the infirmary. But when a friendly-fire incident during war games had resulted in multiple casualties, it had been all hands on deck. And Will had answered the call. Of course he had. You couldn't keep him away when someone was hurt.

Nico walked to the centurion who was talking quietly with the other legionnaires. She looked up at Nico, and the expression on her face fell. "I'm sorry," he said. "He's gone."

One of the legionnaires sobbed. Another shoved Nico's shoulder angrily. "You don't know that. You can't know that."

Nico just looked at him. The legionnaire backed away nervously - suddenly realizing that picking a fight with a son of Hades wasn't a good idea.

Nico sighed. He turned back to the centurion. "I really am sorry."

The centurion nodded sharply, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you, son of Pluto, for letting us know."

Nico wanted to put a hand on her shoulder, but decided the touch might not be appreciated, coming from a son of Hades.

Nico turned and climbed the steps of the infirmary. He stepped aside for a medic rushing down the main hall with more bandages. A glance in the door of the main ward revealed several legionnaires being treated for a variety of injuries. But all were conscious and he could sense that none were near death. These were the junior medics. The senior ones were still on the battlefield dealing with the rest of the injured. He had felt at least two others die in the initial blast, then the third just now. He walked further down the hall, to the side chamber where Will was. A junior medic was exiting the room, tears streaming down her face. A young demigod lay on a gurney, a gaping wound in his chest, his eyes closed.

Will had removed his bloody gloves and scrubs, and sat on a bench at the side of the room, his head in his hands.

Nico sat down tentatively next to him. Somehow, he found the courage to put his arm across Will's shoulders. Will glanced up, acknowledging him with a grimace. But to Nico's surprise he didn't pull away from the embrace. Instead he seemed to settle into it, resting his hand on Nico's free hand.

After a moment, Will stirred. "I have to go tell his friends."

Nico shook his head. "No, I told them already."

"How?" said Will, then stopped himself. "Oh, right. Thanks."

Will glanced at the body. "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"No," said Nico. "The dead don't bother me. Unless you do?"

"No," said Will. "No, I just need a moment."

Nico fought the urge to stroke Will's hand, to pull him into a closer embrace. Just what a grieving guy needs, Nico thought, getting groped by a son of Hades. The thought made his body tense.

Will, being Will, noticed his tension. He turned to look at Nico with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Nico said, starting to pull away.

Will gave him a disbelieving look. "You can tell me."

"I just, well, I didn't want you to think I was hitting on you." Nico looked away, "You know, being gay an all." Nico didn't actually know if Will knew that, but he assumed that word had gotten around Camp Half Blood before Will had left for college.

"Why not?" Will asked curiously. "You don't find me attractive?"

Nico choked. "No. I mean, yes. I mean, of course, I find you attractive. Who wouldn't? I just . . ." Nico couldn't finish.

Will looked amused. "Nico di Angelo. I don't think I've ever seen you flustered before."

Nico grimaced. "Yeah. Well. I'm not good at talking about, you know, this sort of thing."

"What sort of thing? Sexual attraction?"

Nico nodded, mutely. Oh gods. Will was going to make Nico talk about this. A conversation with Will about the ins and outs of sexual attraction was not what he was looking for. Trust Will to zero in on any discomfort with biological realities and then to try to dispel it with a frank talk, doctor-to-patient.

"Have you ever told someone you were attracted to them?" Now it was Will who had draped his arm over Nico's shoulders.

Nico shook his head, not able to meet Will's eyes.

"How are you going to ever meet anybody if you won't talk about your feelings?"

Nico shrugged. "It's not like I can go around asking people if they are gay."

"Why not?"

Nico looked at Will in surprise. "Because it sounds like a good way to get punched, that's why."

"Who's going to punch you? You think Percy would punch you for asking? Or Jason? Or Frank?"

"They're not gay," Nico grumbled.

"That's not the point. The point is no one is going to punch you for asking. Do you think I'd punch you?"

"No."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So ask me. We're friends, right? It's okay to ask."

Nico felt a knot of hope forming in his chest. "Okay. Will, are you gay?"

"No, Nico, I'm not," Will replied matter-of-factly.

Disappointment exploded, unexpected and devastating in Nico's gut. Idiot. Of course he's not. You're a fool.

"I'm bi," Will added.

"I'm sorry," Nico asked, confused. "Bi what?"

"Bi-sexual," Will said. "Sexually attracted to men and women."

Nico sat stunned for a moment. "I don't get it," Nico said. "If you're attracted to women why would you want to be with a man?"

Will snorted. "Why should I take a pass on a great guy - if one comes along - just because I might meet a woman someday that I liked? That makes no sense."

Nico shook his head again. "That's not what anyone would have thought when I was growing up."

"Well, welcome to the 21st century, Nico." Nico braced himself, and looked into Will's bright blue eyes. He searched for any trace of revulsion or disgust, but only saw humor, and acceptance. It was almost more than he could take.

Will frowned for a moment, as if a thought had just occurred to him. "Nico?"

"What?"

"Would you mind if I kissed you?"

For a moment Nico couldn't breathe. "No," he gasped.

Will leaned in and kissed him. Nico thought he might die of joy.

Will pulled back and considered him for a moment. "How old are you, Nico? Seventeen?"

"Try eighty."

"Oh, yeah. Right. Well that's alright then." Will's face lit in a sunny smile. "Have dinner with me?"

"It's a date," Nico said, breathless.