"I've rejected affection / For years and years / Now I have and damn it / It's kind of weird
He tells me I'm pretty / Don't know how to respond / I tell him that he's pretty too / Can I say that? / Don't have a clue"

—Laufey, Valentine
(SHUT UP ITS LITERALLy THEM)

Will was.. worried. Well, that was an understatement. He was terrified.

He felt guilty for having not noticed how long it'd been since he'd seen Nico. Considering that his father had appeared at camp, as a mortal , it only made sense something would slip his mind. (Not to mention Leo , who everyone was still waiting on with anticipation!)

It didn't stop him from feeling all bad. The son of Apollo couldn't see why his beloved had always thought he was the negative one in the relationship. Nico was his light, his star.

And Will was a mess without him. Maybe he was the sun to Nico, but Nico had brought him just as much light in his life. He wasn't sure how he'd manage otherwise, without someone he can rely on. Without someone he could just flop down on a bed, or the floor, or the ground, or anywhere , and not have to say anything. Without being worried of overstepping somewhere.

Fuck.

Nico was nowhere to be seen around camp. After the war, he'd often hung around in the Underworld more to help with his dad.

Sure, it was a little bit lonely, but you often couldn't notice how much time passed when you were off lecturing the other campers, and helping with any wounds– Not to mention being the head counselor of his cabin (he loved his siblings, but sometimes they could be a bit much).

His lovely 'lord of darkness' was a respite from that. A breath of fresh air where he could just relax. There were no words needed, and maybe that's just what happened when you've seen each other's highs and lows.

And yet no words could let him explain to Nico just how much he meant .

They hadn't gotten far in their relationship, really, not having had much chance to talk. The farthest they'd gotten was handholding, and it was often that one of them would get embarrassed. It was, well, PDA. Public display of affection. Nico was self-explanatory, having lived in a time where liking their own gender was illegal, and no doubt would always make him iffy about doing things.

Will, though? Well, it was his first relationship, and he just felt a childish sense of embarrassment with the way it all felt so awkward. He wasn't ashamed, but it also kind of felt.. Intimate. To feel his warmth in his hand. It was reassuring at the same time however, being able to just be aware that his partner was alive and well.

Or maybe that was just due to him being a healer, and often having dealt with the injured.

Regardless, Nico.

Knowing he'd only end up pacing with worry if he didn't try to check up on him now, he went and created an Iris message.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow. Please accept my offering. Show me, Nico di Angelo."

The drachma went straight through.

What?

Nothing. Nothing worked , and he paled, before rushing off to the Big House.

"Chiron! The Iris messages aren't working!"

It seemed, however, he'd interrupted a conversation between Chiron and his father.

Their expressions made him think something was seriously wrong.

"Will, have you seen Nico recently?"

"..I haven't, no. I was trying to IM him but none of them were going through."

Apollo frowned, before moving off to the side to attempt an Iris message, to no avail. "..I was hoping it was a fluke."

Chiron however turned his attention to him, pushing forward a paper. "I have reason to believe that Nico might've gotten himself into a predicament."

And on that paper, was a prophecy, one that made his heart sink down through his stomach.

"The Child of Hades shall stand to hone,

against the Cheater of Death shall lives be atoned,

in godless lands shall their victory be planned,

to return the one who was lost and was damned."

Will muttered fondly, however exhausted. "..Oh Nico, what have you gotten yourself into now.."

"Is he alone?"

No answer.

"That's practically a death sentence–"

"We don't know. Nico's nowhere to be seen, and your father's prophetic vision had been foggy as of late."

"Of course this had to happen while we have no idea where Nico might be. Gods.."