Chapter 7: the Pegasus
Nico was a fighting machine. Will, not so much. For the most part, all Will did was watch Nico takeout person after person. Will felt kind of useless, but at the same thing amused. Nico had spent almost a week without using his sword and still wasn't rusty. It was as if Nico thought his sword was an extension of his arm and he just felt like slapping people in the back of the head today. It seemed like Nico had some kind of connection with his sword or something. Will had a bow with him and a small knife for close combat, but they felt more like a decorations than weapons or even tools.
Maybe that's why the Apollo cabin hadn't won capture the flag in ages. Because they wanted to win, but they didn't want to fight. Will cursed himself for being so peaceful.
Nico tore through any crowd he faced, fighting his way to the point where Will could see the flag in the distance. Not far away, Percy and Piper were working as team to hold off a swarm of Athena's children, including Annabeth. Will and Nico were facing some Ares campers, but not too many for Nico to immobilize within a few minutes. They weren't really trying to be quiet, but luckily, Annabeth and the Athena campers hadn't noticed them.
The flag was right there, maybe a football field away. Will stood there, awestruck. He hadn't expected to make it this far. He looked back and forth from the flag, to Nico, to the oblivious group of Athena campers.

Nico stared back at Will like he was crazy. "Why are you standing there?! Go!"
"Oh yeah." Will said, reminded that his feet were supposed to move. He began running, at first trying to be somewhat quite, but as he got closer, he cared less. He was about 7 feet away from the flag when Jason Grace jumped out from behind a bush. Will was so close to the flag. He wasn't going to let Jason stop him. Jason had his sword out prepared to fight. Great. Because Will was such a good fighter.
Will stopped in his tracks, completely unsure of what to do. He was a healer, for Apollo's sake. He didn't want to hurt anyone.
But Nico was right. He couldn't just stand there and then still expect to win. Will cursed himself when he pulled out his knife. He didn't want to do this, but Will was really really tired of being taunted by the Ares campers.
"I'm sorry Jason." Will apologized, "but I'm not letting the Apollo cabin lose again. At least, not tonight."
Jason held up his sword prepared to strike and Will acted like he was going to counterattack. Nope. Instead, Will kicked Jason in the back of the knee and pulled his leg out from under him. Will leaped over a very surprised Jason and went for the flag.

5 feet. 3 feet. 1 foot.
Will picked up the flag and held it in the air with pride. "WE WON!" He screamed as loud as he could. He saw the Athena campers, Percy, and Piper all whip their heads around, oblivious that Will had even been near. Will felt so alive, so free. Or maybe that was just the adrenaline talking. Either way, Will felt good.
Nico came jogging up to meet Will and did something totally unexpected. He pulled Will into an embrace and squeezed him. Will looked down and Nico was actually smiling, a genuine, sincere smile. Will felt his heart turn into pudding. Will was already smiling, but now his grin was so big, his face was starting to hurt. He was sure his face was as red as a tomato (his face felt as hot as a volcano), but Will really didn't care.

Nico pulled away as Percy, Piper, and the rest of their team came cheering towards them. Soon, Will and Nico were surrounded by tons of Smiling faces, including Will's sibling.
People started swarming Will with compliments, but couldn't take credit. "Nico did most of the work! Thank him!"
The crowd closed in around Will and Nico, sweeping them off their feet and carrying them on their shoulders. Everyone chanted the whole way back to the Cabins, even the losing team. Finally, after a long ride, they set them down the crowd started to dissolve, everyone tired and ready for bed.
Will sighed, content with life. "Well, that was fun."
"Yeah it tends to be fun when you actually play." Nico scoffed. But don't be confused. Nico wasn't anywhere near mad. He was still grinning from ear to ear.
They just stood there and smiled at each other for a few seconds. To be completely honest, Will could've kissed Nico right then. He desperately wanted to, but he wouldn't let himself risk it.
But today was all about taking chances. Why not one more?
Will shook the thought out of his head. Maybe another day about taking chances, but not today.
"Well, " Nico said finally, "I guess you better go to bed. I'm sure you'll have another busy day in the infirmary tomorrow."
Will nodded slightly. "Yeah, you're right. Probably."
Will and Nico slowly started to step away from each other, though it was pretty clear neither of them wanted to leave. Will took a few steps away, but then spun back around and said "Hey, Nico?"
Nico's head whipped back to face Will after hearing his name. "Yeah?"
Will was playing with his beaded necklace again, twisting and turning the middle bead between his fingers. "I have to go to the infirmary tomorrow, but I have the next day off. Do wanna hang out or something?"
Nico's face lit up even more somehow. Nico then tried to mask the excitement Will had already seen on his face. "Yeah, I guess that'd be okay."
They continued walking their separate ways. Will was tempted to look back at the short, Italian dork, but he didn't. At this point, Will just wanted to get back to his cabin, so he could freak out about how well tonight when.

Will might actually have a chance with Nico after all. It was clear that Nico didn't hate him, which was good, but did Nico see him as a friend or something more. Will wanted to find out so bad.
Will was jarred out his blissful thoughts by one of his younger brothers running towards him. "Will! Will!" He yelled with urgency.
"Hayden!?" Will yelled back, knowing something was up. "What's wrong?"

The boy came to a halt in front of Will, still catching his breath. "Will...one of...the Pegasi...is..dying."
Wills jaw dropped. "What? Where?"
Hayden was still breathing hard, but managed to get out the words "the stables"
Will took off running full speed toward the stables. He wasn't much of a vet, but there has to be something he could do.
Will ran through the open stable doors, dropping to his knees at the Pegasus's side. The Pegasus was lying in the middle of the hay in the stables, clearly in pain. There were already a few of Will's siblings there and the owner of the Pegasus, a girl from the Aphrodite cabin.

Will quickly went to work, his hands flying. Nothing he tried was working. He tried ambrosia and nectar. Nope. He couldn't even figure out why the Pegasus was dying. He couldn't figure out what was wrong.
After trying to save the Pegasus for nearly an hour with no luck, Will knew this Pegasus just wasn't going to be saved.
He turned to the Aphrodite camper (he was pretty sure her name was Beth) and told her the bad news. The look on her face broke his heart. She started sobbing, hugging her Pegasus tightly. Will felt horrible, but there was nothing he could do.
Will walked out of the stables into the light drizzle that had settled over camp. Will had had such a long day. He need some sleep.