THREE DAYS WAS ALL HE ASKED FOR. At first he can't believe it, that someone thought he actually hada friendly face, and someone wants his company.

The first day was the usual. Will would take him to the infirmary, and most of the healers would stareat him.

Some had the guts to ask why the hell was a son of Hades was here. He was about to say that he actually told Will the same concern, but Will merely smiled at them that there'd be no bad death ome things, Nico was just there to help and accompany them.

At that time, Nico didn't believe him. But his smile made Nico think that it wasn't bad to be with him afterall.

THE SECOND DAY WAS A BREEZE. It felt cold. Will was a little cold, mostly because one Hephaestus kid set up the thermostat too much that it heated the infirmary to extremes, and the Ares kids suddenly burst in, interrupting the work the Hephaestus kids were doing.

"What in the name of Tartarus is this, Clarisse?!" Will asked when he walked in the main hall, now wrecked thanks by an Ares kid.

"hey, not my fault. Bruce's attacking my brother!" Clarisse retorted, pointing at an Apollo kid wrestling with Clarisse's brother.

Will looked from Clarisse to the two wrestling on the floor.

"Bruce-"

"NO WILL!"

"Stop this-"

"No! HE TOOK MY-"

"I AIN'T TAKING ANYTHING FROM A WORTHLESS-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Will screamed so loud that it made Nico's spine stiffened. Okay, not that it mattered but he placed his hand on Will's shoulder in surprise. Will just gave him a look.

'Will-"

"I DON'T CARE WHO TOOK WHATEVER THAT THING IS! YOU WANT TO FIGHT? GO OUTSIDE!"

No one moved.

"BUT IF I WERE YOU, I'D HELP THE HEALERS FIRST!" Will said, and then walked into the next room, dragging Nico along with him.

After that, even the Ares kids helped with fixing the thermostat. Nobody really makes the head of Apollo Cabin pissed off.

But he was still pissed off.

"Will!" Nico called when he saw Will walking out to the woods.

"Thanks for today. Don't follow, pleasse." Will only replied as he flashed him a bittersweet smile, and then walked into the woods.

THIS WAS IT. THE THIRD DAY. THE LAST DAY. LAST DAY AND HE'LL BE NO LONGER BOTHERED.

And he wasn't as happy as he expected.

He didn't want to.

Wait-why? I was always fine with being alone.

He was now approached by Will who was behind him.

"Eager to finish the day are we, death boy?" Will asked as he flashed him a smile and opened the door.

Death boy?

"Stop calling me that." He said as he entered the hall first, stopping to wait for Will. "I'm the son of Hades. It's not really fitting for me to be here."

Will gave him one of his looks that made Nico want to go and cower into a corner, away from him. It felt that Will can see through him. Everything he tries to conceal, Will sees.

"Are you embarassed?" Will asked.

"N-no i'm not!" Nico exclaimed, now blushing.

"Your face says otherwise." Will replied, smirking.

"It does not! Let's get this over and done with!" Nico exclaimed, out of his embarassment (as Will pointed out, yet he really hated to admit himself) and walked away from Will.

"Over and done with." He heard Will repeat. The tone in Will's voice made Nico stop in his tracks and turn back to Will.

"Will?" He called out Will's name.

"Oh, nothing. Come on! Let's not waste today!" Will exclaimed as he ran beside Nico, placed an arm around his shoulder, and flashed him one of what Nico labels as too-bright-Apollo-kid-thing smiles.

"Right." Nico only replied, now flustered when Will quickly withdrew his arm and ran to the nearest patient. Away.

The longing sensation was more uncomfortable. He wanted his arm to stay longer. He's placing a space now. He knows.

Which lead Nico to the conclusion that Will realized Nico wanted nothing more. Which is what he really implies to others but-

He wanted to stay.

He didn't care if he was being stared at, being in a place he shouldn't be.

Hell, he played a part in the final battle against Gaea.

He can do anything, withstand anything.

He was strong enough.

To make himself not feel.

"Hey," Will greeted Nico as he handed him the ambrosia, their fingers touching. "You're spacing out."

"Ah, yeah. Lack of sleep, I guess." he shrugged in reply taking the ambrosia.

"If something bothers you don't be afraid to let me know, okay?" Will said, now patting him on the shoulder and then leaving.

If I told you how painful it feels when you're not touching me,

Or if how giddy I feel everytime I get to be with you these past few days,

I wonder how you would react?

THE SHIFT WAS DONE. HIS, THAT IS. Nico was now looking for Rachel, to ask her if he could leave.

"You could you know." Rachel said, now going beside him.

"leave? Yeah, that's why I was looking for you." Nico replied, now heading for the hall.

He thought Rachel would simply say yes then let him be, but that wasn't the case.

"More than that." Rachel only replied as she stopped Nico, who was now heading for the door.

"stop this, Rachel. You're not like this." Nico insisted, he knew what she was gonna bring up- Percy.

"Not Percy. If that's what you're thinking."

"I got over him-okay, now please." Nico pleaded. Not now please, his thoughts seem to agree. I'm stuck with someone else.

Rachel released her grip on his shoulder.

"You know, you could have released yourself from my grip." She stated.

"If I could I would have done that." Nico fired back as he opened the door.

"Oh yes you could. But you were waiting." Rachel replied. Which made Nico shut the door and turn to her.

"For what?"

"To mention him." Rachel replied.

Nico was about to protest when he realized what she was trying to imply.

"H-how-"

"I've seen the both of you."

"That's not it."

"I know you feel the same for him."

The same?

"His eyes would look at you with a look that I can see when Percy looks at Annabeth. Or even when Jason looks at Piper."

How would you know?

"Nico, he's waiting. I know because I saw the same scene unravel before me. He wants you. To be with him. But he's also considering you."

"Rachel-"

"He's been flustered for two days straight, Nico. Now he's more depressed than ever."

Have I been so selfish?

Have I failed to realize what he's trying to make me realize?

"Three days."

"I thought I could use that friendly face of yours."

"Where is he?" Nico asked.

"I thought you'd never ask." Rachel replied, a smile now forming on her face.