So I've tried everything. I've been rude, mean, obnoxious, and down right disheartening. Nothing works, he still wants to hang out with me. He wrist pet is I can't even keep up with my own avoidance techniques. I usually end up staring at him. Slack jawed and panicked just feeling him move around the room. I can feel his breath on my neck when he speaks behind me. The crush on Percy was nothing like this, this was truly upsetting. With Percy it was more like nerves. Mouth dry and worried o would do something stupid. Will was a whole new world of issues. My pulse would race, sweat would start pooling in places and crevices that I didn't even realize had sweat glands.

The deep reverberation of the bass of his voice resonated deep inside me. Haunted my dreams late at night. Waking up a sticky mess and trembling. The worst part is that the things that happened in the dreams were impossible. How could I let him touch me like that? It's not that I didn't want him to, Obviously I did. The idea of him actually doing it though made every nerve ending scream. It's been so long since I let anyone touch me. Will already made me nervous with how casual he was about touch. I've already let him touch me more than anyone, and that was with and doctors exam. Warm hands touching my shoulder or my forearm. I wanted to touch his hands, to feel the rough skin of his calluses. Wanted to feel the true texture of his golden blonde hair. To see if his freckles were raised or flat. I couldn't though. I couldn't bring myself to reach for him.

Then of course fate had to ruin all of this for me. Rain poured down on the camp, Chiron allowed the weather to change when the fields needed water. I was alone in my cabin making tea when I heard a loud knock at the door. Opening the door he didn't even ask to come in he just pushed passed me shivering from the rain.

"It's raining cats and dogs out there! The mud was getting to slick and the visibility was getting bad. You can't walk 2 feet without falling. "

"Why are you out there in the first place? "

"There's an outbreak in the Hecate cabin. Tried to make it back to the Apollo cabin but I failed. Luckily I saw your place and figured you were home. The green torches gave it away."

"Yeah well you look like you are about to fall apart and you are dripping all over my floor. "

"Yeah do you have a change of clothes?"

"Yeah sure let me get them."

Stupid stupid stupid! Great now he's stuck here until the rain lets up! Looking through my clothes I found a pair of PJs that were way to big for me... ok they were Percy's and I stole them. Sue me. I also had a shirt way to big for me just because I like loose shirts. Handing him the bundle he made his way to the bathroom.

"Are you hungry? I was making lunch."

"Yes I'm starving! I'll be out in a minute."

Just him being in my space was unnerving. I wish I could run away from this but I'm in my own house. I can't run from my own house can i? No I can't, I will just have to deal with this. Hospitality dictates I must provide for him until the storm lets up. Damn my mother and her charm school lessons. Some things you can't train out of people, for me it's hospitality lessons. It's a natural thing for me. I began to cut up some chicken on my kitchen island. My dad had redone the cabin to my liking including a large kitchen and my own room instead of bunks. I guess my sisters need for privacy won him over.

I felt him before I saw him. Like his energy was pulling at something deep inside me.

"Get the cheese and a tomato out of the fridge please."

"What are you making?" Opening the fridge door he peeked inside and started to rummage.

"Chicken caprese with some pasta. Feel free to grab a drink while you are in there. "

Grabbing the supplies he put two types of cheese in front of me along with the tomato. Looks like he found the wine as he poured himself a glass along with myself. Handing the glass to me I took it from him and put it next to the cutting board.

"So, you drink wine?"

"I do, I was raised on it. That's a good one, picked it up from France last week."

"You were in France? What did I say about traveling like that Di Angelo!"

"You said I was cleared. I rested before and after thank you very much. That wine is actually German not French. "

"It's good. Where did you learn to cook?"

"Homeless a long time. You pick a few things up when you are the only one taking care of you."

At that his eye became sad. The thumb on his right hand grazed my shoulder in an effort to be sympathetic. It made me want to jut my hips into the island. It took everything in me to remain still.

"Nico, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just getting the food ready."

"Do you have problems with people touching you?"

"Yes, I haven't really had anyone touch me. Like ever. Well my sisters have but that's about it."

"When was the last time someone hugged you that wasn't your sister?"

"Ummm... I guess Reyna. She hugged me once. "

"So only people of the opposite sex can hug you."

I laughed at his statement as I stuffed the chicken with cheeses and tomato slices. Placing them on the sheet pan I stuck them in the oven while getting the pasta ready on the stove top. Starting the sauce in silence I felt him move around the kitchen. I mixed a few ingredients in the sauce pan while sipping my wine a little to quickly.

"You are very graceful in the kitchen Nico."

"Thank you, practice ya know."

Feeling the heat of his body from over my shoulder as I mixed the sauce, I screamed internally. So close to me, to close. I could smell him he was so close. Sunblock, fresh rain, wet rot from the forest, apples, sunlight, of sunlight has an actual smell. I feel it does. The scents were doing things to my body that I didn't want happening right now.

"Nico, I'm going to hug you from behind ok?"

"Ok, why?"

"Just because."

Hands slid around my waist and a face crooked downward into where my neck and shoulder met. I stiffened at the motion, yet I didn't want to. For the first time I wanted to let go and just feel this. Enjoy this. Hell this could be the last time I ever feel this. Lips still on my flesh and unmoving, lips still none the less. Lips that were on my body creating a delicious pressure that made my muscles relax. I found myself leaning into him from behind. A bold move for anyone really. Yet he excepted the lean, intact he pulled me tighter at my relent. We just stood there slightly rocking as I continued my ministrations over the meal. Looking down I saw his feet and my feet sort of dancing together. Both sock-less and brushing eachother. The sound of a ding broke us from the spell. The chicken was done.

Moving away from me he found the plates on the high shelf. I placed pasta and chicken on the plates and pouring a white wine Alfredo over the two. Making our way over to the couch since I didn't have a dining table. I put out some TV trays and put something mindless on the screen. Hades got me a Netflix account and for the first time o had a real reason to use it. Will found us an adult cartoon to enjoy while he dove into the food like he had never eaten anything in his life. Slurps and chewing filled the room as he cut into his plate not able to get the food in his mouth quick enough. I carefully picked at my food and swallowed carefully, I still had issues keeping food down entirely.

"Seriously, fuck the food in the pavilion. Can I come here every night for dinner? "

"Ummm sure, you know it's just chicken right?"

"The only person I know that cooks as well as you is my mother. She was an amazing cook. Every time I eat ambrosia it tastes like her, though I bet it's going to taste like this for a while."

"My chicken? You think t will change to my chicken?"

"Yes! Seriously this is the best meal I've had in years. Plus its special because you made it."

That made me blush vermillion. After he finished I got up to take our plates to the sink and pour us a second drink. Will had found the blanket that was thrown over the couch. When I came back he lifted the blanket and patted for me to sit with him. This was way to much, to intimate. I wanted to decline but my head was betraying me by nodding. To embarrassed to take it back I sat between his legs and leaned back on him. That steady heat from before overcame me. That calmness from the kitchen. Hands once again creeping around my waist, only now this thumbs played with my hipbones.

The cartoon spam played and I wish I could tell you what it was about, but I can't. I was to hyper aware of every movement from Will. I had dreamed of this. Being held by him like this. I thought I would be anxious, terrified. Yet the longer and tighter he held me the less nervous I became. Then it hit me...

"Will, are you using your powers on me?"

"Yes."

"What are you doing?"

"Lowering your blood pressure and heart rate. Adjusting a few chemicals to keep you from freaking out."

"Why?"

"Because a little birdie told me you have a crush on me and I didn't want you to pull away the way you have been these last few weeks."

"Oh, you knew I was..."

"Yeah I figured it out."

"So you are ok with me liking you?"

"More than ok, I've crushed on you since the battle of Manhattan ya know."

"Really?! How did you know I was.."

"I didn't, but I hoped. Then Jason let it slip that you may or may not have a thing for the head healer. Thought I'd make the first move."

"So you planned on coming here?"

"No that was a luckily happenstance."

We both stopped talking after that. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Not only did the guy I liked like me back but he was crushing on me back. Wills warmth enveloped my body. I should probably be pissed that he's sort of manipulating me with his powers, but I'm not. It's not like he's fucking with my mind. Just giving me the calm to enjoy this. Lips were on my neck again. Only this time they were moving. Small little kisses littered the side of my neck as I leaned it over to give him better access. The feeling was heavenly. To be touched like this. In the most cherishing way. Mouth hot and wet making its way to my ear, biting the cuff slightly and playfully. I giggled, oh my gods I giggled for the first time in my life. It almost hurt.

My breathing picked up at the feeling of him at my ear. Tongue gliding over the lobe and sucked it into his mouth. My voice came out breathless and almost inaudible.

"Will, kiss me."

Without hesitating he turned my head and put our foreheads together. Breathing the same air he pushed in closer to capture my lips on his. It started sweet and chaste. Making its way to something more, nibbling my lower lips in his teeth. Opening my mouth to allow him entrance my tongue boldly slipped into his mouth. I was lucky his powers were working on me because of not I may explode. Skin flushed and red, blood roaring in my ears. I flipped myself over to face him fully. Grabbing at his hair I finally took the softness between my fingers committing the texture to memory. I couldn't tell you how long my first kiss lasted, but it was more like a first makeout instead of a first kiss.

I've never known what perfect felt like until that moment. How could anyone let a feeling like this go? How could people not want to strive for this perfection on a daily basis? I, Nico Di Angelo was never going to stop reaching for this feeling ever again. I promised myself that. I also promised myself that I could kill anything that tried to keep me from it. This was mine, and I was never letting it go.