The tingles he felt crawling to his skin was unlike before. He was only holding Nico diAngelo, and yet he felt that way. That was trouble.

Or was it really?

After the war, he tended the wounded, and deciding for himself, that he might as well stay in the infirmary.

He needed time to think. This thought proved more annoying when he saw Nico talking with Percy Jackson through the glass window, looking bright as ever.

He's so bright.

I can feel the contentment he's feeling.

"Will!"

And it's always when I see him talk with others.

"Will!"

Why not with me?

"HEAD COUNSELOR, WILL SOLACE!" he heard Rachel Dere shout at him.

Wait-what? What are you thinking Will? He chided himself.

He turned away from the window, shutting down his innermost thoughts. And faced the Oracle. Her face was beet red with her effort to call Will's attention.

" ?" he asked, flashing her an apologetic smile.

"Geez." she shrugs. "Where's the new supply of Ambrosia?"

Ambrosia? Oh.

He absent-mindedly handed her the ambrosia she needs.

"The new supply?" She asked as she took it from him.

"I was not the one who kept it. You could ask Chiron where, I think he oversaw the resupply of the ambrosia." He replied.

Rachel looked at him with a steady gaze.

"all it takes is just one small talk." She says out of the blue, much to his surprise.

"'scuse me?" he asked back.

"I may not know who-don't wanna, but I can feel uncertainties from you. You're so distracted, and that's not an option now. Fix your ghost. we need a healer we can fully rely on." She said, then hurried away, not letting Will reply.

He went back to stare at the window. Nico was now doing a high-five with Nico Di Angelo. And he knew in his gut, that Nico's expression was better.

In fact, he was smiling.

And that was a very friendly smile.

He continued to stare until the trio's talk wass over, and the couple walked away from Nico.

His facial expression went back to the usual stay-away-from-me aura. Will felt disappointment course through him.

Get your smile back, he seem to think as he continued to stare at Nico from afar. Do you want me to get it back for you?

Then Nico turned to the direction where Will was staring at him.

W-wait! He can't see me. Will assure himself.

Nico merely widened his eyes, as if seeing someone he didn't expect.

A certain feeling gave Will the thought that it was actually him who Nico saw.

He did the most stupid thing he could ever fathom. He looked away, like a blushing girl seeing her crush.

What am I, a pre-pubescent teenager? He thought. But he continued to stare at him by the corner of his eyes.

Nico's face fell. He then shook his head and walked away.

Did he really see me?

Nico, don't-

He was about to rush out to Nico when someone called him and said they needed his aid.

Fine. Tomorrow then.

It was early morning when he decided to head for the Hades cabin.

He didn't know how he would tell Nico, but he wanted to talk.

Scratch that, it was more than that.

He wanted to be with him.

He halted when he saw Nico talk with Jason.

Nico carried the same facial expression when he talked to Annabeth and Percy.

"Right. No touching. Sorry." he can hear Jason exclaim.

Don't even-

He was surprised at his own reaction to the scene in front of him.

"I could make an exception." He heard Nico reply.

He then saw Nico get squeezed hard by Jason.

Will shut his eyes. He didn't pay attention to the two's chatter.

He knew what to do.

And he has to act now.

When he opened his eyes, he took a glance and saw Nico about to glance at where he was.

He waved aggresively, and when Nico stared at him, he wore a stern look and pointed at the ground.

Nico merely stared.

Get here. Like, now. Yeah, you. Stop staring.

When Nico turned and asked to Jason if he could be excused, Will let out a sigh. Then his spine stiffened.

How would I talk?

What should I even talk about?