A Battle For Love

Will//three

I push Nico down on the bed and groan in frustration. "Nico, you need to rest!" I stand back and cross my arms, which was a mistake because he just sit back up.

"Will, I don't need to rest. I basically just took a two month nap. I'm hungry and... And I wanna take a walk!" He says as if he just invented the light bulb. Nico looks in my eyes, his brown eyes resembling baby calf's eyes in that moment. How could I say no to that?

I sigh in defeat and Nico jumps up and hugs me. "Thanks Will." He mumbles. I was so shocked that I didn't get the chance to wrap my arms around him, much to my disappointment.

During his two month coma, I realized that I like Nico. Well, actually, it was before he passed out in my arms. When I woke up to him calling my name, like he lost me, it broke my heart. I just wanted to hold him close and tell him it's okay. That I was okay. But that didn't happen. When he fell into a coma, I couldn't look at him without breaking down. That's why it took me so long to finally go see him; thanks to Jason.

He's the only one who knows I like Nico. It was the day when Hazel, Frank, and Reyna arrived. I kinda overheard him telling Nico that he knew that I liked Nico and that Nico possibly liked me. After hearing that, I confronted him in private. He explained that he picked up a few tips from the Aphrodite kids and that he was never the same after the encounter of Cupid. Whatever that means.

"Will?" Nico's voice snapped me out of my memories. I turned my head to see Nico leaning on the door frame.

"Yeah?" I ask, walking over to him.

"C'mon!" His face broke out into a giant grin and I couldn't help but smile too. Maybe the coma was a good thing for him. He's changed. It's a good change because he's happier and more energetic. I'll miss the old Nico but I'll like this one more. I follow Nico outside. It was almost dark and curfew is probably in an hour or so. My eyes never leave Nico's figure, just in case he passes out again. Wouldn't want that to happen. But just in case, I slipped a few Ambrosia squares in my pocket before we left the infirmary. 

After walking for a while, I realized that we were going down to the beach. It's kind of windy and I wished we brought a blanket or something. Nico's feet kicked up sand  as he ran across the beach. I stopped walking to appreciate his liveliness. Then he fell. My eyes went wide and I started running towards him, but before I could reach him, Nico sat up and rubbed his face then did something I've never heard him do. Laugh.

Not like a chuckle but a belt of laughter. Head thrown back, tears, gut buster laugh. It echoed off the water and bounced off the huge rocks nearby. He held his sides and leaned forwards making his long black hair obscure his face. Sooner or later, probably the latter, Nico's laugh calmed down to soft giggles. That's when I finally walk over to him. I smile down at him and hold my hand out for him to stand up.

He grabs my hand but pulls me down next to him, making me almost fall on him. I couldn't help but laugh. Laying down and propping myself up to face him, I instinctively move a strand of hair from his face. A light blush forms on his face and I could feel one creep onto my face too. Why did you just do that, I chastise myself. But Nico just laughs lightly and looks down a little bit.

"You should smile more often." I tell him.

Nico looks up, a thoughtful look in his eyes and biting his lip. If only I could bite his lip. "I think I'm going to do a lot of things more often. I'm done being in the dark because the coma really put things into perspective for me."

I laugh at that. "And not being in battle with the an evil Earth goddess didn't make your life flash before your eyes? Or being in Tartarus alone?"