Solangelo 3

Part 45

WILL

It's early morning when someone knocks on Nico's door. Nico lets out a frustrated moan before burying his head under my pillow.
'You get it.' He says, his voice muffled.
'Yeah, I know.' I say, getting up and getting the door.
'Annabeth, hi.' I say, seeing her at the door. I haven't seen her in days; she's been too caught up trying to find my sisters.
'I've found them. Everything's ready.' She says, getting straight to the point. Nico's at my side in an instant, he doesn't even pause to put a top on, and he's normally so reserved about that kind of thing.
'You've found them?' He clarifies with Annabeth.
'Yes. They're only the next state over. We could get them back today.' She says.
'Okay. Okay. I'll get ready. We can leave in a couple minutes.' Nico says.
'Hold on, what? A couple minutes?' I say, turning to him.
'Yes. We're ready.' He says. He turns to Annabeth, 'We'll meet you and everyone else at Thalia's tree as soon as we're ready.'
'See you there.' She says. Nico shuts the door and starts rooting around the room, looking for his armour.
'What are you doing?' I ask, watching him.
'Getting ready.' He says back, simply.
'You can't just...go.' I say, unable to comprehend that he can just walk straight into danger. He stops and looks up at me.
'Will, what's up?' He asks, stepping through the mess in his room over to me.
'I...it's...I thought we'd have longer to prepare.' I say, 'I don't know.'
'There's no point waiting around.' He says, pulling a top on, and then turning round to let me secure his breast plate.
'I know.' I say, 'I just...I don't like just...letting you walk into something dangerous.'
'You worried about me?' He says, a little sarcastically.
'Yes!' I reply, completely serious, 'I don't like that you don't take this seriously.'
'I take it seriously, Will. They're your sisters, of course I do.'
'Not like that. I...you don't look after yourself. You would sacrifice yourself easily. You don't...you don't care about coming back afterwards.' I say, and my eyes start to water a little. I guess he can hear the concern in my voice, cause he turns to face me.
'Of course I care.' He says, his eyes narrowing a little, 'You're right. I used to go into a lot of fights in a very...'
'Stupid.'
'Stupid way. Sure.' He says, 'but I didn't have anything or anyone to come back to a lot of the time. I didn't have my sister, or the camp, or any friends.' He pauses for a moment, 'and yeah, I didn't care a lot about the future. Or if I had a future. But I do now. I care about my life, and I care about coming back here, and spending stupid, boring days with you.'
'Just...just don't be the hero, okay?'
'Okay.' He says, smiling a little, 'I'll be boring and safe.'
'Thank you.'
'Now help me put on my armour, okay? We don't have all day.'