#innuedno

“It’s not.” Will didn’t fight very hard to hide the grin from his face, striding over to the cabin beds, checking under them in case any stray trash materialized underneath it. Or Cocoa Puffs.

“And you’re sure they’re coming tomorrow?” He could hear Nico scrunching up his face, and his smile widened as he crouched. Nothing but darkness and a stray Kit Kat wrapper. He had a sneaking suspicion Nico left that there.

“I’ve been as sure as the last time you asked. And the time before that. And the time before—”

“It could have changed!” Nico scoffed, Will leaning forward to scoop up the wrapper. “I haven’t ever exactly had to pay attention to these things before.”

“Well, now you get to be part of the welcoming committee.” Will rocked back up to his feet, swaying purposefully before turning and holding out the wrapper. “Forget this?”

“Never seen it before in my life.” Nico said, barely so much as glancing at it. “I imagine there would be much better welcoming committees than me.”

“You’re plenty welcoming.”

“I’m really not, you know I’m not.”

“You’re welcoming to me.” Will sighed dramatically, walking over in as casual of a way as he could muster. 

“That’s because you’re you.” Nico sighed, as if he wasn’t smiling, and Will wasn’t grinning right back down at him as he stopped.

“And you likeeeee me.” Will teased, sticking out his tongue, which got a truly pungent scoff in response.

“What are you, eight?”

“Now, that’s just an insult to Harley.” Will chuckled, rocking on his heels, hands behind his back. 

“Oh, yes, my mistake.” Nico drawled. “Seven years old, that was what I should’ve guessed.”

“Uh huh,” Will hummed, rocking forward instead, Nico raising a brow as Will snaked a hand around one shoulder, “doesn’t make me any less right.”

“Then I’d say your claim is an understatement.”

“Sweet-talker.” Will grinned, and proceeded to bap Nico’s cheek with the wrapper still in his hand. “You still need to throw this away.”

With that, he retracted his hand, and that wrapper fell from Nico’s cheek. He sputtered, fumbling more so on instinct to grab it. Will was already spinning right around, a safer few feet away, double-checking his cabin.

“Oh, come on, you don’t even know this was me—”

“It was you.” Will said, not even looking back.

“Says who?”

“Says me.” Will was still smiling, but refused to look back. “And the Cocoa Puffs.”

“They do not say that. They like me.”

“They like me.” Will did look back then, raising an amused brow. “Shall I count the ways I have been smothered in my sleep?”

“Maybe they’re just trying to get rid of you.” Nico puffed, crumpling up the wrapper and shoving it in his pocket. “Keep me all for themselves.”

“Nah, they’re you, and you like me.” Will teased, turning back around and waving a hand. “I think my cabin’s as good as it's ever gonna be.”

“I’ve been saying that for the last hour.” Nico groaned, more dramatically than what was really needed, tilting his head back to stare up at the ceiling as though it would listen to his woes. It would not. “And the Puffs can think on their own, thank you very much.”

“Mhmm,” Will hummed, shouldering open the ajar door and back out into the sunset spreading across camp, and to the rest of the staff puttering about. Most everything had been set for the new arrival of campers already, but last-minute adjustments could always be done, “where are they, anyway?”

“Somewhere.” Nico waved a hand vaguely around as he followed, which didn’t help in the slightest. “Hiding. Hell if I know where.”

“I think they’re just finding the deepest darkest crevices and making nests.” Will guessed, peering around as though he could spot one of the Puffs. “Or exploring, actually. If they wanted dark places, your cabin would be swarmed.”

“Hilarious,” Nico drawled, standing next to him, also watching the camp putter about. “They’ll pop up eventually. They’re just preparing for tomorrow.”

“They excited about scaring the daylights out of returning campers?” Will grinned, all teeth, looking down at Nico. 

“Ecstatic.” Nico confirmed, grinning right back in that mischievous way of his. It was also kind of haunting, but all of Nico’s smiles were like that. It was adorable, honestly. “You said Austin and Kayla still don’t really get what they are?”

“Didn’t get the chance to really explain them, no.” Will confirmed. “And Piper?”

“No idea if she told anyone.” Nico shrugged. “I want to say word can’t have spread that fast, but she might’ve called Leo, and if she did, the whole plan is ruined.”

“That is, if Piper fully understood what kind of Puffs you were describing, and if Leo then understood it.” Will reminded. 

“Oh, true,” Nico hummed, squinting off into the distance, “alright, we should be fine, then.”

“We?” Will snorted. “Is this a joint effort, now?”

“You’re not stopping it.” Nico said by way of answer, turning and beginning the trek further up the houses, Will following after. 

“Well, it will be pretty hilarious.” Will admitted, knocking his arm with Nico’s, which had been meant as a friendly jest, but then Nico was knocking back, and his fingers kept trying to curl around Will’s hand, so he grasped them together. He certainly wasn’t complaining. 

“Do you think Chiron would let me threaten the Hermes kids if they get any ideas about using them for pranks?” Nico wondered aloud.

“He’d probably ask you to be nicer about it.” Will hummed, leaning closer as they walked and nearly dropping half his weight on Nico, head thumping against the side of his and causing him to stumble at the surprise shift. “But I’ll threaten them for you when he’s not looking.”

“You’re so sweet.” Nico grunted, shouldering at Will until he snickered and stood on his own two feet. “Can’t you get in trouble for that, being a counselor and all?”

“You’re also technically a—”

“I do not count and you know it.”

“Chiron thinks better of me.” Will shrugged it off, his nonchalance easily being ruined by a sly little smirk forming. “It pays to have a golden reputation, lets you get away with a lot more.”

“You have to be more creative with those jokes.” Nico puffed, which was also ruined by him squeezing Will’s hand as he spoke.

“Get more creative with your insults, then.”

“I happen to think a skeletal radius shoved up the ass is a pretty creative insult.” Nico raised a brow. 

“That’s not an insult,” WIll corrected, shifting into what he liked to call Counselor Mode, speaking in a purposefully mocking holier-than-thou tone, if only because it made Nico an adorable kind of puffy, “that’s a threat. Two very different things. Also,” He paused, “don’t try that threat with the Hermes kids.”

“What, will it give them ideas?” Nico squinted. “I don’t think they have access to bones.”

“No, but you’ll probably want to threaten with a leg bone going where it shouldn’t, nothing in the arm or hand.” Will commented, making a great effort to watch the harpies fly overhead with what looked like some old fairy lights. Had anyone been using those? “They’ll make comments, and you will not like them.”

“About arm bones?” Nico squinted further. “What would a Hermes kid have to say about—?”

“You know what, how about you just work on the insults?” Will suggested quickly, wondering if he yelled at himself in his head loud enough, a God might hear him. Probably. “Like, bone-insults. Are there bone insults?”

“I dunno,” Nico shrugged, thankfully moving onto the next subject, “I could…say someone looks like their skull would make a great bowling ball?”

“That’s kind of horrific, and also I think that doubles as a threat.”

“Threats work better than insults.” Nico decided, slowing down, and Will realized they were approaching the Hades cabin. “Shuts them up quicker.”

“Oh, well, can’t argue with that.” Will nodded sagely. “Threatening you with twenty-four-hour infirmary supervision? All that complaining about not being able to shadow-travel practically disappears.”

Nico elbowed Will in the side for that, to which he could only laugh. It was kinda hard, but not enough that it had Will doubling over like it did the first few times Nico tried. It was pretty easy to tell that Nico toned it back these days.

“Whatever, agree to disagree.” Nico gruffed, and Will kept it to himself that they were trying to not do that, but he didn’t really wanna ruin the joke with something heavy. “I can’t lure you to be a horrible counselor for tonight, right?”

“It’s not breaking a rule if the rule is about a boy and a girl being alone.” Will grinned, bringing Nico’s hand up and giving it a few squeezes with uneven pressure. Even when Tartarus was months behind them, his muscle strength still didn’t feel as great some days. “What, is the scary Nico di Angelo worried about when I won’t be able to sneak off and cuddle all night without getting caught?” He teased, keeping his voice down just in case any of the staff heard (though, really, he’s sure a good few already knew and had been nice enough to not tell Chiron) and leaning down.

“You did get caught.” Nico muttered, ducking his head with a flush, though he didn’t retreat when Will bonked his forehead on the crown of his head.

“Hardly my fault that the nymph was a fellow early-riser and saw me leave.” Will puffed, pulling an exaggerated frown. “I don’t think she said anything, anyway.” “She totally said something.” Nico snickered, still a bit red, but trying to gain that bit of an upper-hand back. “Did you somehow miss how many smug nymphs there were? They won some bets, I’m sure.”

“I would like to not think about the nymphs betting on us, thank you.” Will sighed, Nico’s giggling increasing as Will ducked further, at a rather uncomfortable angle to be nearly smooshed face-to-face. “Now do you want me to technically not break any rules or not?”

“I thought that offer died?” Nico blinked, suddenly much more alert. 

“In what sentence did I say no?” Will raised a brow, and a hint of Nico’s flush returned.

“You didn’t say yes.” Nico shot back, though it came out more of a mutter.

“Yes, then, I think I’m free tonight.” Will grinned, closing that distance (which was barely any distance at all, really) for a quick kiss. “Because, I can promise you, my siblings will not let me sneak off. That’s a promise.”

“Austin and Kayla—”

“Are, unfortunately, only two siblings, and Apollo kids are kinda loud.” He reminded, leaning further back to stand at a normal angle, though he did untangle his hand from Nico’s to loop both arms around his neck. He was very smug to see Nico seemed very down with this arrangement. “Which is a sentence you should not repeat in front of the Hermes kids.” He added quickly, and immediately wished he didn’t. Good fucking Gods.

“Still don’t get it.” Nico said simply, hands flexing by his chest, a clear, silent worry at where to put them. “And hey, in a pinch, we can just say I had another bad nightmare. One that only my boyfriend can mend, as per usual.”

“Keep it for emergencies.” Will decided with a thoughtful nod. “Can’t use it too often or Chiron might get suspicious, you know.”

“Emergencies?” Nico snorted, hands still flexing. “What, emergency cuddling? In a time of crisis?”

“They’re of grave importance, you know.” Will linked his hands behind Nico’s head, moving just a bit closer. “You look like a pangolin.”

“I— what?” Nico balked, pausing.

“You know, the animals that kinda look like an armadillo and an aardvark had a kid.” Will said easily, smile lopsided. “Gracie loves ‘em, showed me a ton of pictures.” He purposefully angled his eyes down to Nico’s hands, head unmoving. “Look like they’re at their first prom and don’t know how to ask for a dance, the poor little guys.”

“Hey,” Nico puffed up, not unlike a cat (which Will would keep to himself, because he preferred to live), promptly grabbing at Will’s wrists, “I do not look like a pan…penguin?” He squinted.

“Pangolin.”

“I said that.”

“Sure you did. Do you even know what a prom is?”

“Do you think I came into the present last week?” Nico squinted as though he thought Will might genuinely be an idiot.

“You didn’t know that Nike was also a shoe brand.”

“How was I supposed to know that—”

“Holly almost killed me, but it was so worth telling you.” Will chuckled. “Then she almost killed you, which was more fun.”

“I think I’m retracting that offer.” Nico grumbled, glancing over at his door. The sun was nearly completely set now, and already, Will could feel that little internal clock telling him to hit the hay. “You can enjoy your empty cabin while it lasts.”

“Nah, it’s no fun when it's empty.” Will hummed, tapping his fingers along the back of Nico’s neck, making him prickle slightly with the sensation. “And it’s hardly fair to leave your cabin all empty now, is it?”

“I happen to like it some days.” Nico muttered, not protesting when Will straightened up and took a quick survey of their surroundings. “You don’t need to keep lookout, Will.”

“I would like to not have Chiron kick me out cause one of the harpies saw, thank you.” He huffed, slowly unwinding his arms, to which Nico seemed almost remorseful. 

“I really don’t think that's going to happen—”

“It’s Chiron, I call it a miracle he specified that rule was only for—”

“Oi, boys,”

Will jumped, he’s not too proud to admit it. Hands braced halfway out at his sides in some stance that really wouldn’t have done much except smack anyone to his direct left or right. 

Nico’s was subtler, a slight full-body jerk. His eyes moved before his head, wide and darting to the side, head following a few moments later.

The satyr, for his part, didn’t look too bothered either way, even with the massive box labeled SHARP ITEMS in messy sharpie scrawled over the side in his arms. 

“Speaking of perfect timing,” the satyr continued, nodding his head forward, “Chiron wants you.”

Will looked over Nico's head, who fully turned. Sure enough, off on the hill, by the Big House, was Chiron, waving a hand in their direction.

He was silhouetted, the sun nearly completely down behind him. No clue as to what his expression looked like, which could be slightly dangerous.

“Uh, thanks.” Will mumbled, clearing his throat and ignoring Nico giving him a very unimpressed stare.

The satyr just nodded, and if it weren’t for his mouth twitching like he was trying not to smile as he was turning away, Will would’ve believed he couldn’t care less about the two of them.

He was beginning to suspect the staff at Camp Half-Blood thought mortal demigods were much more entertaining than was strictly necessary. 

“Nice lookout duty, Solace.” Nico drawled, already making the trek up to meet Chiron.

“I wasn’t looking that far ahead!” Will protested, hurrying to fall into step, and maybe walk a little faster than needed. 

“It truly is a miracle you’ve done anything subtly.”

“It’s not exactly a specialty of Apollo kids, y’know.” Will puffed, rolling his eyes and jogging the last few meters up the hill. Nico, pointedly, did not do that.

“How’s everything look down there, boys?” Chiron asked, smiling warmly down, even though Will could easily see the stress of nonstop work wrinkling at his eyes.

“Good enough,” Will shrugged, aware of Nico arriving only by a darkish mass sliding into his peripheral vision.

“Suppose that’s the best we can have.” Chiron sighed, weary, and Will tried not to snicker. “It’s truly astounding how much work there still needs to be done last-minute when we’ve had only two campers.”

“I tried to curb him.” Nico pointed a thumb in Will’s direction. “He’s just a mess, that one.”

Will rolled his eyes, shoving at Nico’s arm. Nico only snorted, lightly shoving him right back.

“Certainly,” Chiron hummed, amused. “If I am not interrupting anything, then, I would like to speak with you two before our campers arrive.”

“I’ve already recruited him to be part of the welcoming committee.” Will slung an arm around Nico’s shoulders, tugging him closer and causing him to stumble. “He’ll be the friendliest face for, oh, ten minutes? Best I can do is twelve.” He squinted off, as though lost in thought.

“A rib is about to get real friendly with your throat.” Nico muffled, partially smooshed against his chest, not even trying to push him off.

“Make that nine minutes.” Will corrected.

Chiron chuckled, but even Will could tell it was a tad…strained. Not quite the stress-kind of stained, which was already making him a bit worried. He thought he did a pretty good job of not showing it, loosening his grip on Nico so he could stand normally.

He was sure Nico noticed, if only from how rigid he became under his arm.

“Yes, well, I had meant to talk with you boys before we were so limited on time, but…” Chiron paused, here, and Will tried very hard to not grip onto Nico’s opposite sleeve before he continued, “have you two decided how you’ll handle your story?”

Will blinked. He glanced at Nico out of the corner of his eye, who looked equally confused.

“Our story?” Will tried hesitantly.

“Tartarus,” Chiron said gravely, and Will slumped his shoulders. Some of it was relief because, well, this he could handle.

“Well, that depends on how many people have already heard through the grapevine.” Will shrugged.

“I’m sure some have already caught wind,” Nico brushed it off, “Percy’s not known to keep his mouth shut, and Piper very easily could have told anyone else.”

“Except for Hazel, for some reason.” Will added. “You’re sure you haven’t gotten any angry letters or missed Iris messages?”

“If I did, she would’ve stormed over herself.” Nico glanced at him for barely a second. “If she knew, we would be well aware of it.”

“I only want to be on the same page as you both,” Chiron interrupted, “because I know very well campers will still have questions, and some might not have heard at all.”

“Then we tell them.” Nico shrugged, a casualness that was only moderately forced, Will knew. “We went to Tartarus, had an awful week, and got Bob back.”

“We’ve talked about it a few times.” Will assured. “I mean, I really don’t see us sharing every detail—”

“Gods no,” Nico huffed quietly.

“—but we don’t mind telling it.” He finished, giving a little squeeze to Nico’s shoulders. “The first few times, at least. After a while, they can just pick up the story from someone else.”

“This is how rumors start.” Nico sighed, tipping his head back slightly to stare up at the stars blinking into existence. “They might be amusing ones.”

“The Hermes kids will have a blast, I’m sure.” Will agreed with a chuckle. 

“Very well, very well.” Chiron nodded slowly, seeming more at ease, muscles less tense. “Would you care for us to correct any confusion we may hear?”

“Eh, I mean, unless it’s harmful, I don’t really care?” Will said bluntly. “Nico?”

“So long as no one gets wrong ideas, they can think what they want.” Nico said simply. “We went to Tartarus, and if they can’t figure out any more details, they’ll fill in the blanks themselves.”

“If you’re both sure.” Chiron nodded, paused, then, “and the, um, cacodemons?”

“Cocoa Puffs.” Nico corrected, mostly on an impulse.

“Oh, don’t tell anyone about those.” Will talked over him, grinning. “Nico’s orders.”

“It’ll be the campers welcome-back gift.” Nico said with a mischievous smile, full of teeth. Will failed miserably to never be fascinated how those teeth were just a bit abnormally sharp. “A Cocoa Puff hiding under their bunk.”

“...I see.” Chiron said slowly, and Will thought he looked like he was considering all of his choices that led up to him standing here today. “And…if the campers retaliate on impulse to the sight of one of these demons…?”

“They always come back.” Nico said easily.

“As we have eventually learned.” Will added on. “Do you think they regenerate in Tartarus, or another one just kinda…peels out from the dark, blobby mold? I never actually got that clarified.”

“Don’t care enough to check.” Nico didn’t look at him, and Will just snickered. 

“Right, then,” Chiron said, still slowly. “Well, if there is to be anything else you would like to establish…?”

“Give us a heads up if a furious Camp Jupiter kid comes storming over.” Will said, leaning a bit of his weight on Nico. “Nico can’t really be saved, but I’ll have a chance at a getaway.”

“I will drag you back by the ankles.” Nico warned, giving a glare that wasn’t at all genuine. 

“You and what muscle?”

“Then I wish you boys a safe night.” Chiron talked over whatever rebuke Nico had. “It will likely be the quietest you’ll have for a long time.”

“Here’s to hoping.” Will gave a mock salute, already stepping back, to which Nico followed instead of letting his arm slip free. “See you at the welcoming party!” He called over his shoulder, turning right back around.

“Goodnight, Will. Nico.”

“Chiron.” Nico gave a half-hearted wave behind him, already making a beeline for his cabin faster than Will was walking, and his arm did fall from around his shoulders then.

“Have you prepared the Puffs for summer, actually?” Will wondered aloud, keeping his stroll casual as Nico kept pausing and looking back, very clearly silently urging Will to walk faster, please.

“They know new people will be arriving, and to not attack first. Unless it’ll be funny.” Nico’s mouth twitched at a smile for a moment. “I may have encouraged them to hide until a camper finds them.”

“You’re devious.” Will chuckled, casting his eyes up towards the night sky, to the moon rising in the far distance. He still got all shivery during the night, as though seeing a goddess staring back at him from her millions of stars.

But, if she was, Will found he didn’t care so much anymore. He’d damn well light-blast her again.

“I’m a son of Hades.” Nico said, shoving open his cabin door. “Move before I get some common sense back.”

“Oh, no, the horror,” Will drawled, leaning back to check the ridge where Chiron last was.

Nada, not hide nor hair that looked even remotely equine. Most of the staff was further off, or turning in for the night and deciding what they’d put together was good enough, but there were certainly witnesses.

Also, he hadn’t seen Mr. D since that morning with a concerning amount of soda. He was, apparently, mourning his last ‘semi-free’ day of work before summer kicked up.

“Will.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” Will chuckled, giving one last glance before darting in through the door, moving to the side the second he was in. Just in case.

“And you call me paranoid.” Nico huffed, rolling his eyes and lazily pushing the door shut, plunging them both in darkness.

“I’d like to not get caught and kicked out of my boyfriend's cabin the day before campers show up, Gods forbid if any of them are my siblings.” Will said, shaking his hand out a bit and watching as he started glowing ever-so-faintly on instinct. Neither of them had really gotten used to total pitch-blackness again. Not that it was quite as dark as that, but a little glow wouldn’t hurt.

“The horror.” Nico repeated mockingly, and Will could see the faint outlines of his face under the warm glow (and he was never even close to poetic, his siblings had always been much better at it, but he really did think there were two sides to Nico when under a warm yellow or cold blue light. Like two sides of a coin, so clearly a different appearance, and impossible to choose which one could be best).

“Would you like to have that be the first thing Hazel hears about?” Will puffed, and Nico was already turning right around and off towards his bed.

“I’d survive.” Nico said uncaringly, pitching face-forward to fall across his bed.

“Right, of course, my mistake,” Will rolled his eyes, “when compared to Tartarus, sneaking around with a boyfriend is a walk in the park.”

“She likes you, anyway.” Nico muffled into the bed, which mostly came out as grunts, and Will had to translate what he thought he heard.

“Yeah, and my siblings like you.” Will reminded, moving over and sitting, like a normal person, at Nico’s side. “This still won’t stop them from never letting me hear the end of it.”

“Austin and Kayla like me.” Nico corrected, raising a hand as though making a valid point.

“The most, maybe,” Will shrugged, kicking off his shoes, “but if I have a sibling who just doesn’t like you, I’ve yet to hear about it.”

“You’re oblivious sometimes.” Nico hummed, turning his head to the side and looking up at him.

“They like you.” Will assured, turning to the side. “Now scootch. Unless you wanna be crushed.”

“You do that anyway.” Nico grumbled, though he did sit up so Will could fall across his bed the normal way, head just short of hitting one of the pillows. 

“Yeah, but it’s not the fun kind of being crushed.” Will said simply. “We should really just get you a weighted blanket. I promise you, you’ll like one.”

“Don’t need it.” Nico grunted, shucking off his coat and debating for a moment before just tossing it over the headboard of his bed. “You work just fine.”

“That’s very sweet, and I’m very touched,” Will said, silently hoping Nico wouldn’t notice his glow kicking up a few notches at his words, “but you’re about to lose this living weighted blanket come tomorrow.”

“You’ll find a way.” Nico said simply, pitching forward over the bed again, twisting at the last minute and almost landing vertically over the bed. He still missed slightly, and sort of half-fell over Will’s stomach.

“Ow,” Will grumbled, only momentarily having the air punched out of him, automatically curling up and getting an armful of Nico.

“Sorry,” Nico puffed into his shoulder when he adjusted himself there.

“No, you’re not.” Will muttered, obediently shifting until his back was pressed against the wall, and Nico was trying to bury himself under the covers.

“Poor you,” Nico snarked, lightly swatting Will’s arm until he moved up so Nico could pull the blankets back and scurry under it. Will just pulled it over himself like, you know, a normal person.

“You might also want to invest in a night light.” Will looked around the room, and didn’t dare glance down at Nico popping his head back out of the blankets when he said; “that is not me.”

“You’re the best night light, though.” Nico teased, pulling at Will’s shirt like he was trying to claw it off him as he smooshed closer.

“Again, very sweet, but I can’t do this every night.” Will chuckled, turning on his side and partially raising an arm for Nico to crawl himself under, face pressed so firmly against Will’s neck he might as well have been trying to melt into it.

“Figure it out.” Nico puffed, and Will shivered a bit at how he could feel each little movement of Nico’s mouth and every breath of air. He wondered how likely he was to be kicked if he suggested Nico was just waiting for a chance to suck his blood.

“I’m getting you one of the twenty-pound blankets.” Will decided, waiting until Nico had tangled their legs together in what was decidedly the perfect amount, in Nico’s odd little brain. “And it’s gonna have skulls on it.”

“Creative,” Nico muttered, finally stilling.

“I could just find the brightest, sunniest one instead.” Will raised a brow, leaning slightly forward, so he was partially pressing his weight against Nico’s front. He really wasn’t sure how Nico breathed like that, but he liked this setup best. “Even easier to pretend it's me.”

“It wouldn’t be.” Nico said simply, even more muffled, tilting his head slightly so he was nearly speaking directly into Will’s ear, arm wrapped up and over his back. “Don’t care how heavy that thing is, I’m not gonna believe it’s a person.”

“Well,” Will drawled, “there’s these life-sized dolls, but they’re kind of meant for another pur—”

He got a kick to the shin for that. Er, an attempt at one. Nico had tangled their legs so tightly together that it really just jostled them all around.

“I could also choke you with skeletons,” Nico offered semi-sleepily, “there’s always that.”

“You’re very picky, do you know this?” Will teased, resting his chin on Nico’s head, the arm pinned under their bodies eventually making it up to tangle in hair at the nape of his neck. “You’re spoiled, that’s what you are. You’re barely gonna last the week.”

“Says you,” Nico muttered.

“Well, I am a healer.” Will grinned. “And relapses aren’t very fun—”

“Just shut up and be dead weight.”

“That’s more you, Nico.” Will tried very hard not to glow brighter when he could feel Nico’s small smile against his neck.

“Hush.”

“I am, I am.” Will hummed, relenting and settling down, snuggling closer, if that was really possible.

He dimmed his glow, to a degree it was nearly gone entirely. It was usually fine when he let his glowing drop, he usually fell asleep before Nico, anyway, but he didn’t mind keeping it up until he was forced to let it go.

It was always deathly silent in the Hades cabin, joke intended. Even when it was only Will in the Apollo cabin, it was quiet, not silent. There was something outside, or the shifting of old wood together, or some creature skittering across the roof. 

But the Hades cabin? Noise left it, but it hardly ever came in unless someone was screaming rather dramatically. He thought the place was soundproofed to the outside for a long while.

It was nice, though. Meant there was only his and Nico’s breathing, and that was lulling in its own sense.

“I’m not sure…” Came a quiet murmur, and Will was forced to blink his eyes back open, staring at the opposite wall. 

He didn’t make a sound, knowing by now it might result in Nico instinctively not finishing his thought. Sometimes it didn’t happen anyway, either because he knew Will was still awake, or he couldn’t even say it out loud to someone fully unconscious. This, he learned, wasn’t quite Nico closing himself up like a clam, but more so unsure if it was words he meant, or how he wanted to say them. Most of the time. 

As it turns out, learning to open up was still an effort, as much as he knew Nico kept trying.

“If…” Nico started again, after what felt like a long few minutes of silence, “I’ll know…how to live in a camp full of people again.”

“You’ve done it before.” Will murmured, so sleepy it came out more like a jumble of words overlapping each other, but he hoped Nico understood the sentiment regardless.

“It’s been a while.” Nico mumbled, turning his head to the side, head pressed right up under Will’s chin. “I’m not…I’ve never…” A puff of breath, “been in a full camp when…I’m trying to be different.” He finished, sounding like he was struggling to find the right words. “I haven’t—”

“Been like this before?” Will finished with a guess.

“Yeah,” Nico clung tighter, “dunno how the whole changed thing is gonna… work.”

Because it was less familiar. A Nico who held everything close to his chest knew how to navigate camp, and quickly fell apart if that expectation wasn’t met. A Nico with a fresh scar, a boyfriend who was struggling alongside him, and a bunch of trauma cacodemons running around was very, very different.

“We’ll figure it out.” Will promised, echoing Nico’s taunts earlier, curling his fingers in Nico’s hair and tilting his head slightly to press his lips against the crown of it. “I’ll be here, and we’ll learn together.”

He expected Nico to snort that he was being all sappy again. Say anything else, really, even if it wasn’t his usual joking.

No sound came from either of them for the rest of the night. Will’s only condolence was that Nico kept breathing, and he didn’t curl any closer, nor push away. 

Which wasn’t really that much of a condolence. Will wasn’t exactly sure what to think when given no reaction, but…for tonight, he could leave it be.