(I am well aware that the valley of camp half-blood doesn't have any rainstorms but I like rain its very romantic-hint, hint-so let's pretend the fields needed watering or something.)

Snarling Skies:

The thunder that rolled overhead was loud and hungry. It growled as if an animal was encased within the clouds. The rain played along with the weather, pounding heavily on the walls. The echo of both sounds ricocheted off the walls inside cabin 7.

Normally Will let himself be wooed to sleep by the sound of the rain or laughter of other people but today he couldn't summon sleep. Too much on his mind. Well, actually it was just one person. Nico di Angelo was occupying every single space available
/in Will Solace's mind.

It had been a week since he had last seen him. It had been a week since Will had seen Nico look at him with an incredible vulnerability. It had been a week since when Will had almost kissed Nico. Again. It had been a week since Will had seen Nico

leave him and vanish into the shadows.

A flash of light outside.

One.

Two.

Three.

The thunder growled again. It shook the cabin, and rolled further down into the valley and vanished into the trees.

Someone shifted in the cabin. The figure propped itself up on their bed and spoke, "Is anyone awake?"

Kayla looked around the room trying to see anyone awake other than herself. Will startled to hear a voice from somewhere beside him. Two beds down from Wills bed stood Austin Lake's bunkbed "I am, and, hush Kayla, you might wake someone who can sleep
/through this weather."

Kayla mumbled something that couldn't of been pleasant to hear and crossed the room to Austin's bed and sat atop of the covers. Will didn't call out. He didn't feel like explaining why he was still awake. He didn't feel like explaining Nico. Partly,
/because he had no idea how to start doing that.

"This weather is madness!" Kayla hissed, wedging herself under the covers of Austin's bed so that she sat across from.

"I wonder how everyone can sleep through this weather. It's much too loud!" Austin whispered, pulling back some of the blankets that Kayla had pulled over herself.

Will tried to turn on his side so that he could listen and look at the two and their conversation more clearly. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but it wasn't like they were saying something important or like there was anything else to do. Well, he could
/go see Nico but that idea was entirely foolish. Will physically shook his head to rid himself of the idea.

"I'm just happy I'm not alone right now. I mean think of all the cabins who only have one person sleeping inside them!" Kayla said yanking at the blanket Austin had wrapped around himself so that she couldn't steal it back. After one final tug Kayla gave
/up and leaned against the bedframe. "I mean cabin one has one occupant. Cabin three—"

Austin snorted.

"What?" Kayla asked

"You really think Annabeth doesn't sleep in there full time? I heard some of the Hephaestus cabin saying that she sneaks in there with her magical cap."

Kayla cocked her head to the side, thinking it through. "All right," she finally said, "not cabin three then. Cabin thirteen isn't empty right now because the romans are here—" Kayla broke of her sentence in a shriek as the thunder now moved closer and
/hung directly over the cabins. This thunder was unlike any of the others. It felt too close.

Will wondered whether Nico was sleeping. Could he sleep at all?

I Could go see Nico.

"I wonder what will become of them." Austin said.

"Of who?"

"Nico and Will. I mean they're both too shy for their own good. This way they'll never know how they feel about one another. They deserve a chance, both of them." Austin sighed and leaned back against the bed frame too.

"I think it's a sad story." Kayla agreed and pulled her legs up against her chest, prying the blanket back from Austin's grasp.

Austin swore softly and tried to snatch it back.

"Kayla," He huffed, "give it back."

Kayla cackled as she waved the blanket in front of Austin's face.

I could go see Nico.

The lightning was blinding. For a moment Will couldn't see the silhouettes of Kayla or Austin or all the beds in the cabin. In seconds the matter was resolved. Kayla and Austin sat on Austin's bed, Kayla had buried her head underneath the covers.

The storm made Will anxious. He turned on his back. The thunder roared yet again. Even louder this time then any rumbles before. Will lay there, just lay there, his mind echoed one thing.

Nico ricocheted off the sides of the box that was his mind. In the beginning Will had tried to close the box. Tried to hammer it closed. He couldn't. He tried just thinking around it with a wide berth. That hadn't worked. The box had busted and
/eventually consumed Will. Will was now locked inside the box.

Will really wanted to leave the box.

Damn everything. I'm going to see Nico.

If not because he wanted to see Nico then because he wanted to escape this shitty, confusing box.

Will got up and crossed the room to the cabin door.

"You're not seriously going out there are you?" Austin's voice carried through the room.

Will nodded, "I am."

Will turned around. Lightning struck just outside the cabin.

"Shit! No you're not! You could die!" Kayla shrieked.

"Quiet Kayla!" Austin whispered loudly.

Someone stirred in their sleep, mumbling something inaudible to the three teens. Before shifting onto their side, their back facing the teens.

"I am going out. Don't try to stop me." Will whispered stubbornly.

Austin gave Will a look. He cocked his head to the side, and weighed him. Surveyed him.

Enough. Will thought. He had better things to do. Or had he? The idea of going to look for Nico made him feel queasy, but he had to get out of the box.

After what seemed like forever Austin simply nodded. Will felt absurd for Austin granting him permission, for what?

For what?

To open the damn box.

Will turned on his heel, opened the door and stepped outside.

It's been a while. Oh well. The next part will come soon.

Ita abscedit, legentibus.

||Latin||