note: I've had a ton of trouble uploading this chapter - I'm so sorry to those who have gotten a bunch of notifications or only been able to see code!

Will

It had been a few days since Will and Nico had gone to the museum. A few days since Nico had shocked Will by actually asking him on a date. Will had expected to be the one to break down and make the first move, and he had been debating with himself (and Kayla, and Lou Ellen, and every so often Cecil) about what to do, and how to do it, and if Nico would even welcome something like that or if he needed more time.

Since the trip to New York, though, Will had hardly seen Nico. Jason and Piper were leaving the next morning, so Hazel, Frank, and Reyna had come in from New Rome a few days ago and the whole group had spent almost every moment together. Chiron had even turned a blind eye to Annabeth and Piper leaving their own cabins to eat at the Hades table with the rest. Will had gotten comfortable talking to Nico with Jason and Percy there - they usually fell into some sort of strategy discussion or argument about video games anyway - but he wasn't prepared to face all of them at once.

He was glad that Nico had such a close group of friends, but he couldn't help feeling jealous that they had been monopolizing all of his time. He knew it was childish, but after how they'd left things … he needed to have proof that he didn't just imagine Nico asking him out, and that things weren't weird between them.

Lou Ellen sat down next to Will. "Hey, stop pining, you don't pull it off well."

Will turned to look at her. "I know. It's pathetic. I'm trying. But it's been days ! How is he acting like nothing happened? I mean, nothing did happen, but we made plans for something to happen, basically … and he's just acting like it's whatever!"

"You got all of that from staring at him across the rooml? Honestly, the only moods I've ever seen from him are grumpy, mildly less grumpy, or stoic. But what do I know? Anyway, you're supposed to help me with archery."

"I still don't know why you didn't ask Kayla or Austin to help with that. They're both way better."

"Yeah, but I'm way worse. Practicing with you makes me feel like I can almost keep up," she teased.

Will threw his napkin at her and stood up, laughing. They headed toward the archery range and she quickly started quizzing him.

"Ok, so, where do you think you'll go? With his shadow traveling you can literally go anywhere. That's nuts. And are you two, like, together now? Are you boyfriends? Do you want to be? Do you think you'll kiss, or wait?"

Will sighed. He had dwelled on all of those things and more over the past few days. "I don't know, I suppose he can pick where he wants to go. Honestly, I'm just happy to be able to leave camp. But, I mean, he isn't out or anything, so it'll probably be pretty low-key. Which is fine, I don't want to make him tell people."

"Yeah, I keep forgetting that he's from like, decades ago. Hazel too, it's so weird. She stopped by the other day - her mist control has gotten way better - and we were talking about how at camp she doesn't really think much about it because it isn't like there's much technology around, but imagine being out in the world and not being used to like, computers. Crazy."

"Yeah, I mean, Nico has been on his own more - not at either camp, and he was in a school when Grover found him - but I think he's still getting used to the culture difference."

Lou Ellen nodded. "Hazel mentioned some of that too. Nico was in Italy in the 1930s. That's when the fascists in power and anyone who didn't fit a specific image was removed in one way or another. Hazel thinks that Nico internalized some of that. I mean, she made it sound like he gets that it isn't as big of a deal to be out now, not like it was, but that atmosphere isn't that easy to forget I guess."

"Exactly. He's already dealt with so many messed up things, I don't want to push him into something. He has a tendency to run away from things, you know?"

"Yeah, not surprised," she nodded. "I supposed that's some baggage, huh?"

"I mean, it doesn't bother me, but I'm just worried that it'll bother him."

She gave him a sort of sad smile and handed him a bow. "Well, one day at a time, right? Cheer yourself up a bit by telling me how terrible my form is."

Nico

After breakfast, Nico and his friends spent the day at the edge of the lake. Piper and Jason described the route they had planned to search for Leo on their way to California, then the group spent the rest of the morning telling stories about him. Nico didn't have much to add - the smaller boy had mostly avoided him at all costs - but he enjoyed seeing his friends laugh at the trouble Leo always got into.

A little before lunch, Piper and Annabeth took Reyna to see some of the new temples and get sandwiches for everyone. Percy and Frank jumped in the lake to escape the heat (Frank as his signature giant goldfish), leaving Hazel, Jason, and Nico leaning against a tree in the shade.

Nico watched Will and Lou Ellen walk toward the cabins. He and Will hadn't talked since they shadow travelled, and Nico's nerves spiked each time he saw the other boy. He wanted to catch up, but hadn't been able to find a good time or good excuse to duck away from his friends, and Will seemed to be giving them all a wide berth. Nico had started to worry that he'd changed his mind, that Will wasn't coming by at breakfast anymore because he wanted to back out of their unplanned date or something.

Hazel leaned over suddenly and said, "So, Nico, think you'll be ok with all of us leaving soon?"

Nico looked at her, confused. "Yeah, of course. Hazel, I'm used to being way more alone than this. I can handle living at camp by myself."

"I know, I know. Your PT has been going ok? You're cleared to use your powers and everything?"

"...yeah? Why?"

Jason sighed. "Hazel is trying to be tactful. Piper told both of us about your visit to the museum with Will."

"She ...what? I didn't tell her she could-"

"Nico," Jason cut him off. "Hazel is your sister and I'm Piper's boyfriend and one of your best friends - at least I think I am. She didn't announce it to the camp or something, calm down." Jason looked annoyed but Hazel looked guilty.

"I am calm!" He took a breath. "Fine. I just… didn't think she'd say anything. Yeah, Will and I went to the city last week, and I basically asked him if he wanted to do it again, like, as a date."

"Ohhh, Nico that's so exciting!" Hazel said. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. I don't know. We didn't really talk about it then and I haven't hardly seen him since and he probably doesn't want to anymore. He was probably just being nice or something, I don't know why I even asked. It'd be stupid, right? Like, can you imagine?"

"Uh, yes, Nico, I can," Jason said. "And I don't think it'd be stupid, I think you're letting your anxiety get the best of you."

Hazel sighed. "Nico, you should talk to him. Lou Ellen said that he really likes you and he was really excited when you asked him out and-"

"What, Lou Ellen knows too!? So, the whole camp does know?"

"Oh my gods, Nico, Lou Ellen is one of Will's best friends. Please, I know that being gay wasn't accepted when we were little and I understand why that makes you nervous, but I promise nobody cares now. Please don't let that get in the way of you finding out where this could go. Will seems really great. And Lou Ellen says he really does like you."

Nico tried to glare at the water and hold on to being angry that everyone seemed to be discussing his personal life, but the fact that Will did, in fact, like him like that kept creeping in and threatening to make him grin.

"I think it was really sweet that you took him to a museum," Hazel said, smiling at him.

"You're making me look bad, Nico, and it wasn't even an official date," Jason said, laughing. "Piper told me and then immediately started hinting about all of her favorite places in California."

Nico gave in and smiled.

"I did what?" Piper said, sitting down with a bag full of sandwiches and chips. Reyna and Annabeth were a few feet behind her.

"Uh, sweep me off my feet?" Jason said, pulling her into a side-hug.

"Yeah, ok. Do me a favor and get the other two out of the lake so we can eat."

Nico didn't keep track of conversation over lunch, he spent most of it replaying what Hazel had said, he really likes you and he was really excited when you asked him out . He couldn't quite believe his luck. He resolved to go talk to Will as soon as Jason, Piper, and the New Rome crew left the next day, while he still had Hazel's words ringing in his ears.