A/N- THERE ARE MENTIONS OF SELF-HARM, TRAUMA, AND BLEEDING IN THIS CHAPTER. MOST OF IT IS IN THE ITALICS, BUT THE CHARACTERS DISCUSS SOME OF IT, SO IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO SKIP THIS CHAPTER. Thanks for reading this fic, and please review and give me suggestions, it really helps! Stay safe everyone :)

He was running, hurtling his body through the sharp winds and thorny bushes, his breaths becoming shallow.

Nico didn't know what to say as the image of Bianca lit up the sky.

"It's all your fault I died, Nico," she said. "I could have lived a long, happy life, but no. You had to ruin it. You always ruin everything."

Her voice echoed in the night. Shivering, Nico looked up again to see her sister again, to tell her that he was sorry. Sorry for letting her go.

However, she was gone. Vanished into the dark, stormy clouds that were rising. Squinting, Nico hurried to see what was in them, to find out whether it would be another person hating him eternally.

But, it wasn't a person. At least, not just a person. It was Akhlys, goddess of misery and poison.

Well, Nico thought, while tears streamed down his face, you poison my mind.

"Son of Hades!" She shrieked in a sorrowful tone. Immediately, Nico protected his ears with his shaking hands, wanting to get away from the voice tormenting him all the time in that... Place.

"Scared?" Akhlys cackled. "You shouldn't be. I can't do much to you. Ah, all that sorrow and suffering..." Her voice trailed away into a painful silence.

Wincing, Nico realised he wasn't moving at all, stuck in the same place, reminding him of the Lotus Casino and the years of being trapped in one building, no idea of the outside world. Which, inadvertedly reminded him of Bianca.

A weird sensation overtook him.

Nico had just been enveloped in a pomegranate bush.

The thorns sank slowly into his skin, releasing a dark liquid from the fruit.

Like a river, Nico's blood fell on the floor in blotches of inky black.

Another one of his worst fears. Turning into a shadow.

At this point, no more tears would come, just like no more people would help him.

Him, a monster. That's all everyone thought he was.

Even Will. Why did Nico have to ruin his relationships with everyone he knew? Why did he have to fire that onager with Octavian in it?

Everything he had ever felt guilty about swirled around his brain, like the dark clouds.

Helplessly, Nico grabbed at the ground he could reach, and snatched a rock. Not a particularly sharp one, but it would have to do.

He knew he would feel bad about it later.

Nico just wanted it to stop.

Will's POV

"Whistling, I made my way to the Infirmary. It was like my second home, and I loved it./p

Obviously not the wounded patients, but the fact that I got to heal them, help them get better.

On the way there, I bumped into Kayla, my half-sister.

"Hey Kayla," I say cheerily. Got to spread that sunshine.

"Hi, Will. You do know it's your break?"

"Yep, but I want to get the stock ready." I replied.

"Nice. How's your boyfriend?" She teased.

"I'll admit, I haven't seen him all day." I said wistfully. I wished I got to talk to him at lunch, but Nico said he was tired and wanted to sleep.

"Same," Kayla said in the same tone. "Just messing with you." She added.

Thinking of Nico, when was the last time I saw him? Maybe I should see him in his Cabin, I thought.

"But seriously, Will, find him," Kayla said in a forceful but caring tone. "There could be something wrong."

Suddenly, my doctor instincts kicked in. My sister probably felt it too.

I passed a clipboard I was holding to her. "These are patient files and stuff. Chiron needs them but I, uh, haven't done them."

"I knew you weren't taking stock!" She said triumphantly. "I'll get it done. Bye, Will."

"Bye!" I replied. When she turned around, I said, "Wait!"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to say thank you."

"It's okay. Now get to your Death Boy." Kayla smiled and waved, then walked away.

Running, I made my way to the Hades' Cabin.

(Mentions of self-harm from now)

Nico jerked awake, and immediately checked his arms to see if the scratches he had made in his dreams was still there.

Shit, he thought. I must have done that subconsciously.

Nico!" Will exclaimed in shock.

The son of Hades' head shot up instantly. "W-Will?"

"What happened?" In a blink of an eye, Will was on Nico's bed, helping him into a sitting position. "Your arms..."

As discreetly as he could manage, Will took another peek at them. Nico's arms had red lines all over them, as if he scratched them.

Nico looked up at him. Their eyes met, and Will was heartbroken. The other boy had tears running down his cheeks.

"Please don't..." Nico pleaded, his voice breaking. "Don't ask me about t-them." His voice broke and in one quick motion Nico dove under the covers.

"Go away," his muffled voice said angrily. "You don't have to see me this way. No one's supposed to."

"I'm your boyfriend, Nico," Will said in a calm tone. "I'm supposed to. I'm supposed to help. Even if I wasn't supposed to see you like this, I would want to. I would want to help."

The son of Apollo's voice washed over Nico like the blanket he was squished under.

"Would you?" Nico whispered. "Aren't you like, disgusted by me? I saw your expression."

"No, I was disgusted by me," Will confessed. "Disgusted that I didn't spot your self harm before."

Slowly, Nico retreated from his blanket and faced Will.

"Come on, Neeks. Tell me, what happened?"

Nico blurted out in a mumbled rush, "I had a dream, Will. A bad one. Of my sister. Of Tartarus."

Will watched as his eyes glazed over with all the memories.

"Shhh," Will said soothingly. "You're not there anymore."

"What if- what if they get me?" Nico said in a tiny voice. "The giants..."

"They're dead. Don't worry about it." Will knew that it was a feeble way of calming Nico, but he had to try. Otherwise he might have a panic attack like last time. Last time was not good. "Do you want to feel my heartbeat?" Will asked.

Nico made a bewildered face, but didn't say anything. Will placed his wrist on Nico's hands.

"Feel that?" He asked. "That's my heartbeat, Nico. As long as you're feeling that pulse, it means you're here. With me."

Nodding slowly, Nico muttered, "Thanks, Will. I love you."

"Love you too, Death Boy. How about we get some sleep? I've been in the Infirmary all day, so I could a nap. And let's see if you can have a peaceful sleep."

Will leaned forward and kissed Nico on the forehead. Nico leaned into his touch and they sat like that until both boys drifted to sleep.

And after months, Nico had a restful sleep, without any nightmares. Just Will.