Chapter 2

Nico was absolutely exhausted when he returned from the student clinic. Even though he hated to admit it, but it actually helped. He hoped that the medication prescribed by the doctor would help though.

After staring at the building for five minutes, Nico had let out a big sigh, prepared himself for the worse, and walked in. The building, was just like the other buildings in the campus, big, bright and dull. Students walked the corridors like zombies, carrying books three times the size of Nico's economics textbook (that was saying a lot as Nico had a lot to do in Economics). He had asked one particularly dead looking girl (he thinks her name is Lou Ellen) for directions to the student clinic. She merely pointed at a bright perky sign on the wall, which read:

'Wanna be a hundred percent sure you are healthy,

Follow the signs to our student health center.

You will be bright and disease free,

With a fifty percent discount on your first consultation.'

T&C Apply

*Only applicable to students of NYU

After saying thanks to Zombie girl, Nico trudged on towards the clinic. Honestly, he wasn't expecting much, because what exactly can you expect from a university run clinic? It was actually pointless of him to make the long journey there. He was going to turn away and go back to his ro-

As he opened the door, Nico was absolutely shell-shocked, because the clinic actually looked like a proper hospital. The clinic was right next to the Medical student building, and was big enough to host at least a hundred patients in it. Lots of students around Nico's age and older ran around decked in lab coats and stethoscopes. Some had clipboards, others had thick files. Some were dressed in purple uniforms, so Nico assumed that they would be the nurse. The clinic had three floors. In the ground floor, there was a reception desk, and four rooms.

Nico went to the reception desk and told her the reason he came here. She ushered him to the second floor, and into a room which had a sign that read:

Psychology: Dr Apollo Jupiter

Assistant: Dr Will Solace

Inside the room were three chairs, out of which only one was occupied. Some burly looking girl sat, one of her hands in a cast, and her hair pulled up in a bandana. She sneered when she looked at Nico, but took a deep breath and looked the opposite direction. The receptionist told him that he would have to wait for at least five minutes till his time came. Nico really wanted to ask the receptionist to wait with him and not leave him alone with the scary girl, but she disappeared before Nico could open his mouth. He silently cursed his luck at the fact that Percy was too busy to join him today ("wish me luck Nico, today is my first date"), and Nico had no one else to accompany him, so he had to come here alone. He was just about to reach for his phone to tell his room-mate Frank that he would be coming back a bit late and to not worry, when scary girl asked him his name.

"Nico. Nico Di'Angelo. Why are you asking?"

Scary girl sneered at him. "Can't I ask a simple question punk? Besides, you looked kinda scared, so I'm trying to calm you down before you have a heart attack and pass out."

Nico merely raised an eyebrow. They went back to uncomfortable silence, before she opened her mouth again.

"My names Clarisse, by the way. Clarisse La Rue. I'm a writing major."

Nico was slightly taken aback. This Clarisse did not look like she could patiently write novels, but looked to be the type to ripe out pages from one instead.

"You don't have to look so surprised. I have seen you before. You hang out with Prissy and Princess, don't you?"

Nico was confused for a moment, until he realized who she was referring to. "Oh, you mean Percy and Annabeth. Yeah."

Clarisse nodded. "My boyfriend Chris is majoring in Economics too, he mentioned that you hang out with Percy. Percy and I go way back. So, I decided to see what sort of friends Prissy is making. You seem okay by the way. A bit introverted, but alright nevertheless."

Nico knew she was tested him, waiting to see how he would reply to the complement(?). He honestly didn't think much of it. Part of his not-get-too-close-to-anyone theory involved not taking things too personally. Also, what she was saying was more or the less the truth, so he shrugged and looked away.

Clarisse seemed like she wanted to ask something else, but before she could, the nurse came out and ushered her in, leaving Nico to his own thoughts.

OooooO

As Nico sat outside, he thought about his irrational irritation he felt these days, regarding Percy and Annabeth's relationship. He didn't know why, but every time he saw the duo together acting cheesy or corny, he got irritated. He now knows Percy for perhaps more than six or seven months, and Annabeth probably five. He knows he never wanted to get close to anyone, but unintentionally, he let Percy in. Maybe it was the fact that Percy irritated him so much, that Nico lowered his guard enough for him to actually become, though he never would admit it in front of Percy, his friend. Nico feels this moment was probably in the hospital, when no one expect the green-eyed boy, stayed to check on him. But then, instead of getting actually showing his appreciation by support his new friend's relationship, he started getting angry and frustrated.

Did he like Percy as more than a friend? He really didn't seem to get angry at Percy among the duo. Infact, he seemed to be smiling more whenever Percy was around. He caught himself staring unreasonably at the guy too. He caught himself, more than twice scowling at the duo together, but smiling at Percy when he was alone. Nico's not stupid. He knew this meant something, but instead of doing the right thing and assessing the situation, he pushed it to the back of his mind, leaving it for a day such as today.

If he liked Percy, didn't that make Nico gay? Was he cool with being gay?

Before he could think more about it, the nurse ushered him inside.

The doctor's room had a bed in the corner, with a stool to climb up. It also had a desk and a rotating chair behind it. There were also some frames with certificates inside it, to show how experienced the doctor is. Nico was expecting a middle-aged guy in his early thirties, he definitely was not expecting a teenager his age to be treating him.

"My name is Will Solace, second year psychology major. Dr. Apollo is out at the moment, attending a conference in Los Angeles. I will be treating you till he returns", was Will's reply with a bright smile.

Will Solace, appeared to be Nico's age, with blonde luscious locks and bright blue eyes. He was slightly tanned, and he did not resemble any of the zombies outside. He wore jeans and a T-shirt with the coat and stethoscope that all doctors wore. The only thing that surprised Nico was how all doctors wore shoes, yet Will wore-

"Flip-flops?", Nico blurted out by mistake.

Will just smiled, much to Nico's embarrassment. "Yeah, I feel most comfortable in these. I know it weird, but I feel much in my element in these." He did not seem bothered by Nico's remark or how Nico's ears turned red.

"Oh, sorry. I was just surprised", Nico said with an embarrassed laugh.

"It's alright. One thing necessary for proper treatment is to be absolutely honest with the doctor treating you. So, your honesty and impulsive statements are welcome here."

Nico didn't know what removed the nervousness from his mind, Will's gentle smile or his soothing tone. Nonetheless, Nico felt like he could trust Will just a little bit.

Will then motioned Nico to lie down on the bed. "Shall we begin?"

OoooO

The entire session went smoothly. Will asked Nico some basic questions initially like, what's your age, birthday, are you single or not (that took Nico by surprise, but as Will explained, it would explain his willingness to open to another person), and so on. In the end, Nico explained what happened to him and Will gave him a prescription of anti-depressants ("have them in limited proportions", Will said with a stern look, "I can't have my patients becoming addicts or over-dosing themselves Nico"). He also gave Nico a print out of times and days he would have to come back for more sessions.

"You'll be fine. Everyone has one thing in their past that's dark and unwanted. Yours is just a little more so, so your brain is sending out a message that it understands. The thing about thoughts is that the more you try to not think about it, the more you end up actually thinking about it. It's pretty much a common thing. Try to make peace with your past, that way you'll be able to chill too", Will told him with his bright smile.

It actually made sense, and that made Nico feel more at peace than anything. He left the place with a hint of a smile on his face. Maybe he'd give this Will guy a chance.

OoooO

So, for the next few weeks, Nico went to the clinics. He opened up to Will about almost everything. Initially he was hesitant, but after Will promised that it would help, Nico listened and opened up.

He told Will about his mom, his sister, and even about his feelings towards Percy ("is it okay to be gay? Why don't I at least feel a bit weird about it?" "Maybe it's because to you, liking Percy feels natural, like it was bound to happen?" "Makes sense" "Don't try to break them up though Nico, let things go in its natural course. Who knows, Percy might realize he likes you and might break up with Annabeth").

Slowly, Nico felt his life taking a turn for the better. He didn't talk to Percy about his crush, hoping it would disappear (it didn't). But he made a few more friends. Clarisse and Chris came up to him and Percy one day a lunch, then came Piper and Jason, Annabeth's roommate and her boyfriend, also Percy's high-school friend. They then introduced the trio to their set of friends, including Leo (an elfish looking guy who spoke fluid Spanish) and his girlfriend Calypso. Then one day Nico's roommate Frank came to the group with his girlfriend Hazel.

The entry of Hazel to the group ruined the normalcy that Nico had begun to feel. It was like the saying:

'Nothing good lasts forever.'

In hindsight, Nico had expected it. His life was anything but calm and peaceful. But what he had to face was totally unexpected.