~~Hi Hi

Here's a lil xmas gift for you all! This is the first draft so it is unedited XD excuse any mistakes!

I've been particularly inspired by This song for this chapter! I love this artist and this song gives me the ultimate feels for "it's gonna be okay(?)" kind of things :3

Song: Secret for the Mad by Dodie Clark

Enjoy!~~

Waking up to the sound of birds chirping and the sun gently passing over your eyelids isn't too bad of a way to wake up. Maybe less so when the sound of traffic fills your mind as well. Then of course there's the sudden panic of remembering you were on a 24 hour watch. Will woke up to all these things. As soon as he remembered where he was and what he was doing he sat bolt upright, looking towards where Nico was, or was supposed to be, lying unconscious. Nico was gone. Will felt his heart stop, "No." he muttered as he knelt down where he had left Nico. With a shaking hand and patted the floor.

"No, no, nonono!" Will brought his hands up behind his head, tugging on his hair, eyes wide. A sense of dread washed over him as he realised what must have happened. Either Nico had come back into reality while Will was asleep and some monster had come by and dragged him off; Being a child of the big three, Nico was a prime target any passing creature would most likely ignore Will and take great interest in tearing a child of the big three apart. Or, Nico had completely faded during the night. Will's chest began to ache as he tried to catch his breath.

What happened now? How could he go back to face the camp again? How could he tell everyone what had happened? Will felt his panic rising again. Just then the sound of plastic hitting the floor and the quieter slosh of spilling water pulled him back to reality.

Will turned to see Nico sat in the shadows across from him. Nico looked almost confused, but otherwise comfortable, lounging in the shade with his back against a wall. He had one hand still suspended in the air, a bottle of water was on the floor in front of him. Nico watched Will for a second before swallowing awkwardly and asking "You okay?"

Will looked from the space on the floor to Nico then stood up, staring at the dark haired boy in disbelief. He took a moment before taking a breath and putting on his best stern expression, trying to force back any of the unhinged emotions he had just been feeling. He crossed his arms and glared at the other boy, "Nico. What the actual Fu-"

"You were sleeping" Nico began and casually picked up the bottle from the floor and recapping it. "I didn't want to wake you."

Will stared at Nico again his expression now full of disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

"What?"

"What?" Will repeated "Do you have any idea how much you worried me? You were out for hours! I could hardly see you. I couldn't touch you; I had no idea what sort of treatment to give you! Why the heck did that happen?"

Nico suddenly looked very interested in his water bottle. "I'm not sure. I thought I had it. But I guess the stress, nerves-" He sighed and looked down further his hair covering his face, "I don't know."

Will felt a flush of heat pass across his face as he remembered the situation that had caused all of this. He guessed that was why Nico was hiding his gaze; The blushing ghost king was the sort of thing you'd only see as some cute little chibi drawing on a Halloween card or something. Will shook his head, back on track sunshine.

"Nico, I don't care if I was sleeping. You should have woke me up. You're important to-" He saw Nico twitch slightly and felt another wave of embarrassment. You're important to a lot of people back at camp, his mind urged him to say but he fought back against his cowardice, he had decided a few days back to always say what he was feeling to Nico. "You're important to me. And not just as a patient. And i think you know that. I need to make sure you are safe and well."

Will didn't dare look at Nico.

"Well," Nico cleared his throat.

Well. Just Well.

-(Page Break)-

Nico sipped on a bottle of gatorade that Will had bought. The other boy was sat up against the wall on the other side of the alley, his head leaning back against the brickwork, eyes closed. He looked so comfortable relaxing in the sunshine but he had his hand clenched firmly around a bronze dagger causing his knuckles to turn white. It had been so long since he had seen Will hold a weapon, that wasn't during Capture the flag, that it seemed out of place.

Will had insisted that Nico stay put for a while. It took him a while to decide if Nico was allowed to sit in the shade but decided it would be best if he avoided too much heat so shade it was. Will had then given him a disgustingly sugary sports drink which was admittingly growing on him.

Will opened one eye and saw Nico still staring at him. He picked up an apple from the paper bag that held all the supplies he had brought and threw it over to Nico, who caught the fruit easily.

"Eat up. You still have to build up your energy." Will said before closing his eye again and going back into relaxation mode.

"I'm fine, Will." Nico muttered before turning the apple over in his hand, inspecting it disapprovingly

"Oh?" Will smirked, causing Nico to glance up quizzically, "So we're on first name basis today, huh?"

"Screw you." Nico muttered and took a bite of the apple as if to spite the other boy, which didn't really work when he thought back on it, but continued to eat the apple.

Will muttered something in reply and when Nico asked what his reply was a simple "Nothing!" and a cheeky smile as he kept his eyes closed, enjoying the sun. There was a strange giddiness to Will that sometimes that peeked through his lazy, relaxed exterior, that paired with his stubborn nature made up the perfect childish persona of a guy who never grew up mentally past age 6. Or at least it would if Nico didn't know any better. But sometimes he would glance at Will and see a sadness. He often would look sad when he thought no one was paying any attention.

Nico asked, "Are you okay?"

"Mmm-hmm." Came Will's reply.

"No, really." Nico could see the stress that had appeared on Will, a tense fear that wasn't there before. Or if it had been there before it had been skillfully concealed, only to resurface today.

"You don't have to hide anything. I've seen and heard my share of horror stories."

Will remained silent for a few seconds before sitting up properly again, now alert, eyes open.

Nico took a bite of his apple.

"You just scared me, Nico." he started.

No interruptions the message was clear; Carry on.

Will sighed, he looked at the knife in his hand as if it held an unsavoury amount of weight now. He placed it down on the floor begrudgingly.

"It kind of goes back to the battle of New York." The sun seemed to hide behind the first clouds in absolutely forever as if echoing the fact that things were about to get complicated. Nico moved to sat next to Will, to no protest.

"It's always the same thing. The pressure of a situation, it can kind of take me straight back there." Will's eyes seemed to glaze over as he re-imagined the scenes of that day, "I can't forget the faces of everyone who was left in my care. Some of them younger than me, some older and more experienced. I knew all of them, whether it be just from passing them by at the campfire or from them being good friends of mine. I knew them all.. My half-Brothers and sisters." He paused to inhale deeply, blinking his eyes several times, "Gods- even my brothers and sisters."

Will then let out a slight laugh, "It just takes me back to those moments when I see someone I care about in a near death situation. It reminds me of the smell of blood, the sound of their screams, so many senses violated by loss."

Will tapped his foot nervously and looked back at Nico, "I can't lose-"

Nico became suddenly very aware of himself. Aware of how his heart was beating. Aware of the speed of his breathing. Of how the sun had warmed Will's Cheek under Nico's hand and how Will's lips felt against his own. Nico was very aware of how abrupt his choice was to silence Will's speech of self torment with a kiss. It seemed to work, for a moment Will seemed to melt back into relaxation.

"Want to know a secret?" Nico asked softly as their lips parted. He could feel Will's shaky breath on his own lips as he nodded.

"It gets better. Eventually." Nico traced his thumb across Will's cheek to rest on his lower lip and smiled faintly, "That's what I've heard at least."

A smile passed Will's lips too as he sat up, seemingly satisfied with himself to stare up at the sky, the sun passing out from behind the clouds again, timed perfectly as if planned for a Hollywood film or something of the sorts.

"Come on." Will muttered standing up, "Let's find our way home."

Merry Christmas folks,

sorry for my depressing delay and absence once again maybe expect a chapter every two weeks or so until maybe spring because honestly my mental health isn't getting any better XD but hey, you guys and your lovely comments always make my day! i love you all so much more than words can say and I appreciate you putting in the effort to read my works!

Happy holidays to all!

see you soon Mon Cherie! ~~