Sign of the Times

Chapter 8

From that day forward, Percy's personality and energy took a turn for the better. Everyone noticed, from Percy's parents to their friend group. Annabeth Chase pulled Will aside days later, tears in her gray eyes, smile wide and real.

"Thank you. Thank you for helping him."

She hugged him, and while hugging back, he couldn't help but feel that she'd legally be apart of his family someday. She cared about Percy in that way.

Later that same day Jason gave him a hug, whispered in his ear "good job", patted him on the back and looked back to a laughing Percy.

It was good. It felt so good to see his cousin happy. Actually happy, not just that front he had up when Will first arrived in Frostford.

But he was still working on the others. Nico, Leo, they were still hurting.

"You can't save everyone," his mother would have said. "Don't burn yourself up to give them light."

But they had been in the dark too long and he didn't mind burning if it meant warming them for even a little bit.

Especially Nico. He'd do anything for Nico.

And after that day he promised to help him live, to help him love life again, his grades slipped and school was just a place to exist with Nico by his side.

Because that building would always be there, Nico wouldn't.

And that's how he found himself sitting by Nico next to the lake, their feet in the water, Percy swimming nearby and a pile of homework unattended at home.

Fall was still coming and the heat was still boiling.

"How are you feeling?" Will asked, his head on Nico's shoulder and his lips so desperately wanting to kiss that neck.

Nico glanced down at him and then at his lips before smirking as if he knew exactly what Will was thinking. "Hot. You?"

"Sweating."

Percy splashed them before pulling himself up from the lake. "Don't go making out by the lake. Horrible area."

Nico's face and ears burned red while Will couldn't stop the retort that came from his own mouth. "Been there, done that."

"Will!" Nico hissed.

Percy laughed, and all the anger drained from Nico's face.

"How far?" Percy teased. "I swear, if you two were giving each other-"

"Percy!" Nico cut in.

"We weren't, we weren't," Will promised. "But we did have-"

"Will!"

Percy's eyes bulged and his voice lowered to a whisper. "You two...seriously?! My little cousin, not a virgin?" He grinned before wincing. "In a lake? What, you have a pain kink-"

"Percy Jackson-"

"Is Nico even clean?"

Nico grabbed a rock from below the water and threw it at Percy's chest. "Stop!"

Percy let out a gasp of air before holding his chest. "Dude!"

Will grabbed Nico's hand and gave it a squeeze, his eyes on that red face, looking for any signs of real anger. But all he saw was normal embarrassment.

And that love for Percy. If it had been anyone else that said that shit, they'd be dead. But it had been Percy and he still hadn't said the word "gay" and Nico was in love with that boy.