A/N: Well, this is a little awkward considering I uploaded the first chapter several months ago. But here I am with the next installment of this story. I hope you enjoy it. ^^

"Oh, no you don't, Nico."

Nico tensed and turned around. He had just popped in a few grapes from the breakfast serving table (careful to toss the rest of the vine into the fire for Hades of course) and was sneaking out of the dining pavilion when Will stopped him.

"What?" Nico said, trying to shrink out of Will's vision.

"You have to eat more than that. A couple grapes is hardly a meal," Will said.

"I'm fine."

"Now Nico." Will folded his arms. "You should take your health more seriously. As you are my patient, I can't allow you to call that breakfast."

"Will you stop calling me your patient?! I'm perfectly healed!"

"Are you?" Will raised an eyebrow.

Nico grimaced. People were glancing at them. "I'm really fine. Honest." He shifted uneasily. The increasing murmurs and glances coming from the Aphrodite table were making him self-conscious.

"I refuse to believe that." Will grabbed Nico's arm, and started towards the Apollo table.

"Will," Nico hissed. "This is really, really unnecessary." He resisted Will's pull.

Will ignored him and with determination, managed to drag Nico to the Apollo table. "I'm not allowed to sit here," Nico said as Will shoved him onto the bench.

"Relax," Will said. "Annabeth sits at the Poseidon table all the time." Nico made a face which Will deftly ignored. "It's not like you're going to eat and behave like a good little boy all by yourself at the Hades table." Will turned Nico around to face Kayla, who sat across from him..

She smiled brightly, though she looked a little disconcerted. A sour taste crept in Nico's mouth.

"Here," Will slid his plate in front of Nico. It had the perfect proportions of oatmeal, fruit, and sausage slices. "I'll get another plate. Kayla, Austin, make sure Nico doesn't run away."

"Sure thing," Kayla said.

Nico eyed her warily. Right, like she was actually going to pretend she didn't mind the aura of death he was sure he was giving off. He tensed as an arm draped over his shoulders. Austin had slid next to him. "Don't worry. We won't let Willy bully you too much. But go on, have a bite or two. You should be honored. He's so particular about people touching his food."

Nico didn't move. He just stared down at the plate. It did look tasty (although the oatmeal made him cringe at the memory of dinner parties with Demeter). He shrugged out from under Austin's arm then stole a glance at the rest of the tables. He caught Percy's eye. Percy grinned and waved. Nico waved back.

Movement in the corner of his eye directed his gaze to an Aphrodite girl. She was staring directly at him, eyebrows raised. He shot her a look that he hoped said I'm-here-because-I-was-forced. But alas, the damage had been done. The girl (Phoebe wasn't it?) began chatting conspiratorially with two others girls. Great.

Nico looked back down at the food. A little wouldn't kill him. But...He couldn't tell if Will had already eaten off this plate. A new fragile feeling filled his stomach. It has Will's... germs. He eyed the spoon that lay innocently on the napkin beside the plate.

"That food hasn't been touched. Will wouldn't want to risk 'unnecessary germs traveling'," Kayla said. Then she rolled her eyes. "Gods, he's so uptight."

"Right," Nico mumbled. Slowly, he took a spoonful of oatmeal and after one more wary look, forced the food down. Yeah. He was definitely full. He made to stand up, but someone pushed him back onto the bench. The movement drew attention from the three girls at the Aphrodite table. They whispered behind cupped hands.

"Glad to see you're still here, Nico," Will said as if he hadn't just forced Nico to stay. Will bumped into him as Nico sat, causing tingles to run up and down Nico's side. A fearful glance at the Aphrodite table. Yes. They were most definitely talking about him. He wasn't ready to deal with this. Nico cleared his throat.

"Yeah, well, I've had enough so I'm just going to go." And before Will could stop him, Nico melted into the shadows beneath the table.

"Do you purposely try to wind yourself into the infirmary or are you just stupid?" Kayla poured a cup of tea and handed it to Nico. He straightened and took the drink gingerly, his eyes trained on Kayla's heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a rare blue-violet color.

"Why are you helping me?"

The two of them were separated from the medical tent's other occupants, tucked away in a corner. the afternoon sunlight peeked through the gap between the tent's white walls. A dragonfly buzzed around at the ceiling of the tent. In the heat, Nico yearned for the old, air conditioned, infirmary. Unfortunately, it had been included in the destruction during the fight with Gaea's monsters.

Kayla gave Nico a funny look. "What do you mean, why am I helping you?"

"You-" He cut himself off. "Nevermind." He took a hesitant sip of the tea. A mild chamomile.

Kayla pulled up a chair to Nico's bedside. Their eyes met. Nico flinched. The intensity was startling. "Nico," She began. "I know it's kind of awkward for me to say this, but...Will talked to me and Austin. And... I want you to know that you belong here as much as anybody." She paused to gauge his reaction.

He said nothing. She continued, "You're a little different from the other campers, but-"

"Leave me."

"I, uh," Kayla sputtered; her eyelashes fluttered in her surprise. "Nico, I-"

Nico's eyes hardened. The ground began to shake. "Leave me!"

"O-Okay" Kayla stood up and backed away, her hands up in the air.

Nico didn't move until Kayla was gone, only relaxing when he was sure that she was a sizable distance away. What was the meaning of this? Why was Will talking behind his back? What was he telling them? Nico felt a liquid run down his hand. He looked down. He had crushed the mug.