Will and Nico

Part 43

WILL

I sit outside Nico's cabin, drinking my tea, while I wait for him to finish his call with Hazel. He told me this was the time he was going to tell her. He's told me that the last five times too.
I don't mind him not telling her, it's his decision how and when he wants to, but I think it's starting to get to him now. A part of him I think has grown so aware of the fact that Hazel was born in a different time like him, and however loving and accepting Hazel is, there's no certainty in how she'll react.
The door opens, and I turn to look at him. Without word he sits next to me and rests in my lap.
'So I'm guessing you didn't tell her?' I ask.
'No.' He says.
'There's no rush.' I insist, 'don't force yourself to.'
'I said I'd come visit her this weekend.' He says.
'This weekend?' I ask, surprised.
'Yeah.' He turns to look up at me, head still in my lap, 'I panicked.'
'Do you think you'll tell her then?' I ask.
'That's the plan.' He fiddles with the sleeve of my shirt, 'would you maybe want to come?'
'To Camp Jupiter?' I ask, 'seriously?'
'Only if you wanted.' He says quickly, 'if you had other-'
'I'd love to.' I say.
'You sure?'
'I haven't left this camp since the fight in New York. I would love to go somewhere else.' I say.
'Since New York? Wow.'
'I'm a lot more useful here, it seems.'
'So you want to come?' He asks again.
'Yes. Just the weekend though, right? I can't leave the infirmary for too long. I've always unloaded way too much work on Kayla and Reve.'
'Just the weekend. Short and sweet. Come out to my sister and my...' He falls short, 'Reyna.'
'Your Reyna?'
'I was going to say friend but that felt too little.' He says, 'I don't know. We went through hell together. Bad metaphor, she didn't actually go through hell with me-'
'I understood.' I reassure him.
'I definitely would be dead without her.' He says.
'Well then I have a lot to thank her for.' I say, stroking his hair back without realising.
'You'll like her.' He says, 'she can be pretty intimidating but she'll like you.'
'You sure?' I ask.
'Yeah, no one can dislike you.' He says, smiling up at me, 'opposites attract I guess.'