It had been a week since Nico had reluctantly agreed to let Will teach him how to shoot a bow and arrow. He had spent most of that time trying to avoid the archery range, but of course, Will had found him, as always, with his persistent optimism and way too much energy for someone who'd spent half his life in the infirmary. Will had insisted they go again today, and Nico had tried to come up with excuses.
And failed.
The sun was high in the sky now, though not unbearably hot, and Nico could feel the humidity clinging to his skin as he made his way across camp, muttering curses under his breath. He couldn't quite decide if he hated this idea or if he was just nervous that he might, against his better judgment, actually enjoy it.
The archery range was quieter than usual, a few campers already packed up and heading toward the mess hall for lunch. He stood at the edge of the range, glaring at the target ahead as if it had personally offended him.
Will, as usual, was waiting for him. He was leaning against the fence, looking way too cheerful for someone who had woken up before dawn and probably hadn't gotten enough sleep.
"Good morning, shadow boy!" Will called out, his grin stretching from ear to ear as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be this chipper in the middle of the day.
Nico rolled his eyes. "I swear to the gods, if you call me that one more time—"
"Relax, I'm just getting started," Will interrupted, already bouncing toward him. He was holding a bow in one hand, his quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder like it weighed nothing. Nico eyed the equipment warily. He could barely wield a sword without feeling like he was going to drop it, and now he was expected to master an entirely new weapon?
"Alright, let's see how you're doing today. You still alive, or have you managed to pass out again?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow as he handed Nico the bow.
"I'm not weak..." Nico muttered, but he took the bow, inspecting it with a frown. It felt strange in his hands—nothing like the sword he was used to, nothing like anything he had ever held. It felt delicate, almost fragile, like it could snap if he gripped it too hard. He had the urge to, just to make the smile evaporate off Will's face for a second.
"Well, I'm just making sure. You did look like you might collapse when we left the infirmary last week," Will said with an exaggerated pout, making Nico want to shove him.
"I wasn't—"
"Anyway, let's start simple." Will clapped his hands together, as if he were preparing for a grand performance. "First things first, you've got to stand like this." Will demonstrated, planting his feet firmly apart, drawing the bow back with a fluid motion that made it look like second nature.
Nico tried to copy him, but the bow felt awkward in his hands. It was like trying to hold onto something that didn't quite fit, like forcing himself into clothes that were two sizes too big.
"Not bad, but you're holding it like it's about to bite you," Will teased, walking over to adjust Nico's stance. His hands were gentle but firm as he repositioned Nico's grip, his fingers brushing against Nico's wrist in a way that made him freeze for a second. Both wanting to shove Will to the ground, but he was slightly upset when Will pulled away. "Pull yourself together..." Nico shouted in his mind.
Nico's face flushed, and he quickly focused on the target again, trying to ignore the fact that Will was standing so close. "I don't know why you're making me do this," he muttered, even though part of him was paying attention—more than he wanted to admit.
"You're gonna thank me when you're the best shot in camp," Will said, completely serious. "You'll see. You just need to focus. You can do it."
Nico scoffed, his grip tightening on the bow as he pulled back the string. "If you say so."
Will didn't argue. Instead, he just nodded, his expression open and patient. "Now, take a deep breath. Just… think about the target. Let everything else go for a second."
It felt stupid, but Nico followed his instructions. He exhaled slowly, blocking out the sounds of the camp, the buzz of chatter, the distant laughter. Just the target, the bow, his own heartbeat.
It was a lot harder than it sounded.
He let the string go.
The arrow shot through the air and hit the outer edge of the target. Nico just stood there, both astonished that he hit the target at all, and upset that he didn't do better.
Will grinned widely, clapping his hands together. "Hey, you hit it! That's way better than I expected."
Nico rolled his eyes. "Don't get used to it."
Will didn't let up. He walked over to the target to pull the arrow out and returned, handing it back to Nico with a grin that could only be described as too pleased. "You've got potential, shadow boy. I'm going to make you a pro yet."
Nico snorted, muttering, "Yeah, right," but when he set his stance again, the bow felt a little less awkward in his hands. Will's presence, though it still nagged at him, didn't feel as suffocating.
They spent the next hour repeating the same thing: Nico taking shots, hitting the target mostly, the other times he'd miss the target completely. He still grumbled and complained, as usual, but each time he let the string go, each time the arrow found its mark—better or worse—it felt a little less pointless.
Eventually, as the sun began to dip lower in the sky, Will stopped, tossing his quiver over his shoulder again and giving Nico a wide grin.
"Not bad, huh?" Will said, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow.
Nico didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if he was really improving or just getting lucky, but somehow, the satisfaction of it was beginning to seep in. He didn't know how, but this thing that Will had dragged him into was starting to feel like it might actually be better than hiding in shadows ignoring anything. He wasn't sure whether it was Will's presence or just not being terrible at something.
"I'm not absolutely trash." Nico muttered, surprising himself. He didn't look at Will as he said it, but he felt the moment pass between them anyway.
Will clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him off balance. "Told you! I'm the best instructor around."
Nico didn't disagree, though he didn't exactly agree, either. He didn't have to.