AN:
I really need a better title for this one...

Nico pauses outside the door of the infirmary with a distorted and unresolved notion in mind. He subconsciously gnaws at his lip, gently tossing the sugar free soda can to and fro between his hands. There's an irrational nervousness in the way he's bouncing on the balls of his feet, sighing in a last ditch attempt to collect himself, raking a hand through his mess of a hair out of sheer habit.

This is stupid, Nico thinks before turning on his heel, just about ready to storm back to his cabin. He makes it a few paces until he stops, groaning and cursing at the sky, heading back to that gods damned infirmary door once more.

He lifts his arm and his knuckles brush against the cool wood, contemplating knocking as if it were a choice between life and death. Then, Nico just shakes his head, kidding himself for even considering it.

Eventually, frustration is what makes him push open the door, and he's met with the familiar yet almost blindingly white painted walls and the wafting sterile scent that isn't entirely unpleasant. It's an undoubtably busy day, and (while shrugging off the feeling of feeling abhorrently out of place) he watches as the children of Apollo rush around, weaving between people like it's a hive, and eventhough it's been a little over a week since the war ended, it's clear that not everyone is at all close to recovering yet.

A few of the patients catch his eye warily, unnerved, he doesn't blame them, and Nico realises how much of a shitty idea this was. Who'd want a child of Hades in an infirmary?

"Nico?" a painfully familiar voice announces and Nico almost jumps out of his skin. With a subtle gulp, he spins around, met with a bed of scruffy, blond curls and freckles that causes something warm and golden to blossom in the pit of his stomach.

When Will smiles at him, flashing his perfectly straight teeth and all, only then do the skeletal butterflies make themselves known.

"I didn't expect to you see you today," the blond begins with an unmissable concern to his features, scanning Nico as if analysing for any visible injury, "Are you hurt?"

Nico hates the way that he can't even bring himself to function like an ordinary human being— or demigod, better yet. He's supposed to be sharp thinking, quick on his feet, but throw this certain son of Apollo into the equation and every single thought comes out slow and clunky as if his mind were a broken clockwork.

"I— uh, no," he replies rather intelligently, "I just came in for, uh..."

Nico promptly thrusts the soda can into the unsuspecting palms of the healer.

"There."

Will takes a few seconds to peer at Nico. Then the soda can. Then at Nico again.

The wide and bright beam that spreads across his lips doesn't fail to make Nico's breath hitch.

"You actually listened to me," Will announces like he's somewhat awestruck, "I really needed this too, as well. Gods, you'd think that things would get quieter around here as time goes on. It's so stupid to already have camp activities getting back into the swing of things, more people just get injured and we don't really have the space to deal with them and it's a huge mess to be honest. Seriously, I've been on my feet constantly and I slept like 2 hours yesterday before I was dragged away and gods I could really use a break right about now but you know, duties and all but it's—"

Will registers the way Nico smiles fondly at him, and the healer purses his lips to prevent the further spill of his ramble.

"Thanks for the drink, death boy. I really appreciate it," the blond smiles, and Nico almost melts into a shadowy puddle — despite the the damned nickname.

"No problem," Nico responds, and he's proud that it doesn't come out in the least bit hesitant.

Will gazes softly down at him with an expression that Nico fails to name, resisting all urge to just shrink into nothingness.

"Hey, Will! We need you over here! Quick!"

Nico catches the exclaim over the blond's shoulder, it's Kayla, who seems to be struggling against someone who looks so sickly green that the raven haired boy can't even recognise the patient.

"On my way!" Will yells back, before swiftly turning back to Nico. "I'll see you later," he says apologetically, and Nico would've returned the farewell had he not squeaked and been caught completely off guard when Will leaned forward, dropping a delicate peck against his lips — somewhat casually — as if he'd been doing so since forever.

The son of Hades is left rooted on the ground, eyes as wide as saucers while Will frantically rushes off to help the camper. Absentmindedly, his pale fingers reach up to to brush against his lips, everything happened so fast that he questions whether it was actually real or not.

His glimpse follows the blond who seems entirely absorbed and preoccupied in his doctoring antics, and Nico swallows a dry morsel in his throat as he expeditiously strides out of the infirmary.

It's only when he distantly shuts the door behind him that Will's head snaps up in sudden realisation, the epitome of horrorstruck spilling over his features.

~*~

Nico's staring blankly at the ceiling, failing at his futile attempts to clear out his head when a desperate knocking sounds. He ignores it. Well, he tries to, at least, but even after twenty seconds straight, Nico takes eventual pity of the person's sore knuckles and begrudgingly makes his way to answer.

When he opens the cabin door, he's kids himself for not assuming who it could be, and he finds himself taking in the presence of William Solace standing there in all his scrubs and rubber gloved glory.

"I kissed you didn't I?" Will gushes immediately, letting himself into the Hades Cabin without invitation, not that Nico particularly minds. He paces across the spans of the floorboard, evidently frazzled out of his mind that Nico can't help but cock an eyebrow in spite of himself.

The son of Hades wrings his hands together, "Uh, yeah. Yeah you kinda did."

Will freezes, half stride, straightening himself out like he's gathering his composure.

Slowly, he faces the apprehensive raven haired boy. "I messed that up, didn't I?" he sighs, dejected, hand palming the nape of his neck uncomfortably, "Gods I'm so sorry, Nico. I don't know what came over me, I was just really glad to see you I guess," he scoffs in a way that's supposed to pathetic for his behalf, "I know you're not a people's person and avoid everything 'touchy-feely' and I really, really messed that up, so... can we, um, forget it ever happened?"

It's was a mistake, an accident. I don't know what happened, but I was crazy to kiss you, i don't even like you like that. Let's forget about it.

Just because Nico had expected the response, it doesn't mean that it still didn't feel like a bullet through his chest. But the ignores the hurt like he always does, nodding somewhat causally.

But the words that leave his lips are traitorous, and not what he was planning to say at all.

"But what if I don't want to forget about it?"

Will looks up from the tips his battered shoes with something hopeful glinting in those blue eyes. Nico dismisses it instantly.

"What do you mean by that?" the blond asks carefully.

At this point, Nico's dug himself a hole way too far down to climb his way out. There's no avoiding it at this point, and at the realisation, he fiddles his the hem of his black t-shirt as if the fabric is most intriguing part of the universe rather than the blond boy standing in front of him.

"I, um..." he starts, chewing on his bottom lip, fruitlessly willing away the blush he knows that taints his cheeks, "I don't want to forget it because— uhh... I might," he pauses to cough into his hand, trying his very hardest to ignore Will's heated haze searing into his skull, "I like you. Like, like like you."

Will remains idol. Nico's minds shrills at the rejection.

But then, the blond parts his lip, and the son of Hades prepares himself for the worse.

"Well I like, like you too Nico," he says, some part playfully yet entirely solemn, "I like, like you a lot."

Nico shoves his hands into his pockets, flaming red, "Oh."

The blond's chuckle is light and musical and charming, and Nico's not too sure of this is some sort of fantasy or not.

Before he knows it, Will limits the gap between them, and warmth radiating of his figure feels entirely too real.

"I'd kiss you right now," Will announces with a fond smile, "But..." he just gestures at himself, his scrubs dirtied and partly stained in a bit of blood.

"Uh, later then?" Nico tries to say, but it comes out breathy as if all the air in the room is suddenly ceased.

The blond chuckles, "Yeah, later," he promises, but then he brings up his hands and peels off a single rubber glove before holding his palm expectantly in the air. "But what about a high five for the time being?"

Nico stares at the hand for a beat, and he can't help but erupt with the bubbling laughter caught in his throat, "Go shower, you dork."

And Will does, with a promise of return, but only after Nico's palm somewhat pathetically slaps against his.

AN:
Please accept this peace offering for the last two chapters that I wrote hurriedly in ten minutes.