Will and Nico

Part 37

WILL

It feels odd sleeping past sunrise. But my head is still aching and I'm way more tired than usual. Kayla reckons it'll only last a few more days though. I pull myself out of bed, hunger far outweighing my tiredness.
I pull on one of my camp T-shirts and some shorts and head out, only to instantly find Nico lying on that porch, eyes closed, taking in the sun. I'm not sure if he's asleep, but he doesn't realise I'm outside just yet.
I watch him for a moment. So at ease, waiting. I see a couple croissants wrapped in a tissue beside him. I smile to myself.
'How long have you been out here?' I ask, nudging him with my foot. His eyes flick open and he sits up.
'Hey.' He says in reply, 'I got you breakfast.'
'I could get used to this.' I say, taking the croissants from him.
'Don't.'
'Thank you.' I say, kissing him on the cheek, 'you didn't answer my question. How long have you been waiting? You should have knocked.'
'An hour or so?' He says, shrugging, 'I didn't want to wake you.'
'Next time wake me.'
'You wouldn't wake me.' He counters.
'True.' I agree as I sit opposite him and start eating my croissant.
'I told Percy.' He says suddenly. I look up, surprised.
'He's back?'
'Earlier this morning, yeah.'
'How'd it go?' I ask.
'Not as bad as I thought.' He says, 'I mean, I knew he'd be cool about it...it's just weird talking to people about it.'
'Yeah I get that.' I say, 'especially as you're not...' he looks at me with raised eyebrows, waiting to see how I finish the sentence, 'the sharing type.'
'Yeah. Well.' He says, 'it didn't actually feel that bad. It was kind of a relief. Like it's not my problem any more.'
'I'm glad it went well.' I say, 'are you planning on telling more people?'
'Well Jason And Piper are coming here in a week or so. So I guess I'll tell them. But it's more Hazel and Reyna I'm thinking about.'
'You could call them? Or you could wait. No pressure or anything.' I say quickly.
'I don't know. I want them to know. I just...it feels weird calling them up to tell them. Like why should they care?'
'They're your friends. And Hazel's your sister. Of course they'd care.' I insist.
'No, I know. It's just...that's what it feels like. Like if I bring it up myself I'm being...attention seeking or something.'
'Nico, you are the least attention seeking person I know.' I say, 'you should call them. They'd want to hear from you either way.'
'Maybe.' He says, looking to the lake for a moment and then back to me. 'This would have been so much simpler if you were just straight.'
'Sorry to disappoint.' I say, shrugging.
'So inconsiderate of you.' He says.