The woods were quieter than usual, the dense trees swallowing the sounds of camp, leaving only the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant chirping of birds. Nico sat on a rock, one leg crossed over the other, eyes fixed on a patch of ground just a few feet in front of him. His fingers traced absent circles into the dirt, as if trying to make sense of something that he couldn't quite name.
He'd been avoiding the campfire for the past couple of days, mostly because it felt like he was being pulled in two different directions—one toward the people, the noise, the warmth of shared company—and the other toward the silence, the shadows, where things were safe. But lately, even the shadows didn't feel like enough.
His thoughts kept drifting back to Will.
It had started with the archery lessons, simple enough, harmless, even. But then Will had made it a point to check in on him every day, whether Nico wanted it or not, always with that damn easy smile, always talking like Nico was more than just some brooding kid who didn't belong.
And Nico didn't know what to do with it.
Was it kindness? Was it something else?
Did Will actually care? Or was it just… Will being Will?
Gods, I don't know.
Nico huffed a frustrated sigh and scrubbed a hand through his hair. This wasn't supposed to be complicated. He wasn't supposed to care. He wasn't supposed to be confused about someone like Will Solace, who, if he was honest with himself, might be one of the most annoyingly persistent people Nico had ever met.
But then there were moments, too, when Will looked at him with that quiet understanding, when he didn't flinch or pull away when Nico said something sharp or cold. There were moments when Will didn't try to fix him, didn't try to lighten his mood with some ridiculous joke or a bright smile. Sometimes, Will just listened, and that felt… different.
It felt like Will might see him, really see him, and Nico didn't know how to deal with that.
Another breeze swept through the trees, the cool air brushing against his face, ruffling his hair. It should've been refreshing, but all Nico felt was a dull ache in his chest. Like he was trapped between two versions of himself: the one who didn't belong, who had spent years learning to survive alone, and the one who was beginning to wonder what it might be like to let someone else in.
It's not that simple.
Nico's mind tried to warn him, but his heart refused to listen. There was a part of him, a part he hated to admit existed, that felt drawn to Will in a way that made him uncomfortable. Not just because Will was always there, hovering, but because—because he cared.
And that made everything more complicated.
He leaned back, closing his eyes, trying to block out the sun that filtered through the trees above him.
What would it be like to let Will in? To not push him away every time he came around? To not fight against the light that Will brought with him, that warmth that seemed to bleed into everything?
Would it hurt less to be someone else for once?
No. Nico knew better.
It would be a disaster.
It always was.
He'd seen enough relationships, or close to relationships, to know that they came with baggage. And Nico had enough of that baggage to last a lifetime. The last thing he needed was to complicate things further by letting someone else close enough to see all the pieces he was still trying to put together. The more Will cared, the more Nico had to shut him out.
The more Will tried to break through, the deeper Nico dug his heels in.
You're not allowed to have anyone close. Not really. Not like that.
But still, Will's laugh echoed in Nico's mind, and his smile—that damn smile—stuck with him long after the archery lessons ended. Will was bright, too bright, and it felt like every time they were together, Nico was trying to figure out if it was wrong to let that light into his world. If he could even handle it.
A branch snapped nearby, and Nico's head shot up, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword. He relaxed when he saw Will walking toward him, as casually as ever, a look of mild curiosity on his face.
"You okay?" Will asked, leaning against a tree, his gaze never quite meeting Nico's eyes, but his presence still felt like an invitation. Like he was waiting for Nico to let him in.
Nico didn't answer right away. Instead, he just stared at him, his fingers twitching as if he could trace the lines of his thoughts on the dirt. He didn't want to deal with this, not right now. But Will wouldn't back off, not when he had that look in his eyes.
"I'm fine," Nico said finally, he snapped slightly. He wasn't lying, exactly. But he wasn't okay, either.
Will raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You've been a little… off lately."
Nico tried to act annoyed, to make Will go away, but he just ended up staring at Will. Will looked at Nico, and something passed between them—an understanding, maybe, or maybe just the awkwardness that came with trying to talk about things neither of them could put into words. Will didn't push, though. He just waited.
"I just…" Nico trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence. He wasn't good at this. He wasn't good at being seen. And the longer Will looked at him like that, like he actually cared, the more the walls started to crack.
Will didn't wait for Nico to say more. Instead, he pushed off the tree and walked a few steps closer, his tone softer now. "You know, you don't have to carry everything by yourself, right? Whatever's on your mind, you don't have to keep it in. We're all here for you."
The words hit Nico harder than he expected. They were simple, too simple, but Will said them like he meant it, like he knew Nico needed to hear them.
But hearing it made Nico want to shut down. It made him want to take a step back. Will had no idea how dangerous it could be to trust people like that.
And yet, Nico found himself leaning forward, just the slightest bit, before he caught himself. He quickly straightened up, his heart racing a little faster than he liked.
"Yeah," Nico muttered, his throat tight. "I know." But he didn't know. Not really. Not yet.
Will studied him for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. Then, with that smile that always seemed too bright for Nico's world, Will nodded. "Okay, shadow boy. I'll leave you to it. But… I'm here if you want to talk."
Nico didn't say anything, just watched as Will walked back toward camp, leaving him alone with his thoughts once more.
It was still hard to breathe, but Nico couldn't help but wonder—did he like Will? Or did he hate him?
Maybe the answer wasn't as simple as he wanted it to be.