Too Busy Sinning™

Taken

"Hey, man. Have you seen a male, young adult.. brown hair, black clothes, real short. Or maybe a blondie? 'Bout the same age." asked Dean. He was looking at the cashier hopefully. They had been on the demigods' tails for a while now, and the next couple hours were going to be almost empty of any towns or houses, save a small strawberry farm in the south.

"Oh! Those two! Sure. Saw 'em together not thirty minutes ago." said the clerk, whose smile never reached his eyes.

"Thanks." growled Dean, grabbing a playboy on his way out the door of the rusty old convenience store.

***

Will's arm grew tired as he shook Nico awake. "Come on, Ghost King. Just because you smell like Death doesn't mean you have to act like it too." he sighed.

"At least I have priorities." Nico yawned, slowly opening his eyes.

"Nico, why would I wake you unless we were here."

"Because your a prick with no- wait. We're here?" Nico cried, sitting bolt upright.

"I'm sorry I must of misheard you, I'm a prick with no what?" smirked Will.

"Oh, shut up for once. And get off me!" Nico laughed, practically jumping out of the car. He sighed, then looked around him. "This is not Camp Half Blood. Why are we outside of the forest?"

"I thought we could walk. It'll do you good."

"Of course." Nico replied sarcastically, "And how exactly, are we going to return this car?"

"We'll ask Argus, like we said. He'll just have to walk a little further."

"I don't think the eyes on his feet will be happy about that." said Nico.

"You better not tell him that." snickered Will.

"Oh yeah? And what if I do?" the son of Hades taunted. Nico and Will went back and forth like this for almost an hour before Half-Blood Hill was in their sights. When he looked up, Nico grew an unsettled expression, then was slowly joined by Will. The two stopped for a while, thinking of what's to come. Finally, Nico released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"I wonder how much they figured out. Percy and Annabeth must have been up all night."

Then Will frowned, "Their hearts are so big, as if they haven't been through enough. I really hope they didn't get too worried." And Nico knew Will didn't just mean Annabeth and Percy, but the rest of the camp and the seven too.

Nico saw Will's expression and more than anything, he wanted to change it. "At least they'll have had Le-"

But his words were interupted by a loud bang. Will instantly began to look for where the noise came from. That was a gun shot if he ever heard one. And where there was guns, there were mortals in danger. Then Nico let out a small whimper.

"Oh." he said, looking down. Will followed his gaze, towards Nico's chest and saw a small hole protruding on his left side.

"NO!" screamed Will, turning towards his boyfriend."No no no no no...." His frantic voice faded to a whisper as he cupped Nico's surprised face, tears building in their eyes.

Suddenly, Nico dropped to his knees, and lifted his face to the sky. Black smoke erupted from his mouth, which was now wide open. The smoke swirled as Will stood by, so shocked he couldn't move. All the black left Nico and headed up the hill, but once it pushed against the camp border it disappeared into the sky. Apollo's son fell out of his trance and dropped in front of Nico. Will's face grew wet as Nico coughed with wide eyes.

Will grasped Nico's face and kissed him briefly, drawing back as he tasted iron. Blood began to fall from Nico's mouth, joining all that was gathered on his small chest. "Nico! Nico..." whispered Will, staring into the eyes of the only boy he loved. "Nico, you have to be strong. You have to be strong for me, okay? You have to be stong." he cried. And Nico did. He smiled for Will. For his love. But the look in his eyes and the quick breaths he stole reminded Will of all the times he had comforted Nico throughout his panic attacks.

Will took Nico's head in his hands, still staring into those beautiful brown eyes. "Please, Nico. Please."

Nico blinked slowly, a tear falling down his cheek. "Will." he smiled. Choking down tears, Will stuttered.

"N-neeks." He whispered as he watched the light leave his boyfriend's eyes.

THE END