Will waited outside of Nico's last class, as he'd been doing for the last month (he snuck out of class five minutes earlier so he could catch Nico and the fact that he sat at the backlog class was good for that sort of thing). They'd walk down to the dining room and meet up with the rest of the group, proceeding to attempt at doing their homework together until dinner. And Nico had really started warming up to them, he smiled a little too and joined in on conversations. Although, he never really opened up and Will promised himself that he'd get Nico to trust him and he'd make sure he never broke his trust. But his friends had really warmed up to him too. And Will of course was liking him more and more with each day that came to pass.

The bell rang. Students started shoving out of class and Will waited for Nico to be the last one out, as always. Nico got to his side and they walked in synch downstairs, Will tuned in to a conversation by their side as they walked by the couple.

"—the dance with me?"

"Travis, I swear, if this is one of your pranks, I will cut off your dick in your sleep and shove it so far up your ass, it'll come out of your nose. Then I'll feed it to some stray dog."

"Katie, I swear on Connor's life that it isn't."

"Are you sure..." Their voices trailed off as they left them behind.

"I'm guessing you've heard of the dance happening in two weeks?" Will asked.

Nico rolled his eyes, "No one will shut up about it."

"Has anyone asked you?"

"What? To be their date?"

Will nodded.

Nico snorted. "Of course not. It's me. Who would want to go to a dance with me?"

Will scratched the back of his neck, suddenly nervous about what he was going to ask. "For the record, I'd love to go with you so, would you be my date to this years fall dance?"

Nico seemed shocked for a second before answering, shaking his head. "There is no way in hell I will be your date to a dance."

All of a sudden, Will wasn't nervous anymore but determined to get this amazing boy to be his date to the dance. "Oh c'mon, di Angelo. You already sang with me in front of lots of people, who by the way cheered us on, would it be so bad to be my date to a dance?"

"What makes you think I'm attracted to you in any way and would enjoy going on a date with you?"

"You've gone before."

"So it was a date."

"You said you had fun." Will pointed out, remembering every detail from that night in something way higher quality than HD.

He threw his hands up. "I didn't know saying that would come back and bite me in the ass!"

"It doesn't have to hurt, I can treat that ass wound for you." Will threw him a cheeky grin. "I'm basically technically a doctor."

Nico glared at him. "You're still in high school, you are not a doctor and there is no way I will ever let you near my ass."

"We'll see about that."

Nico blushed and looked away, making an effort at not turning to look at him again. "I'm not going to a dance with you. I don't do dances."

"You're still new here. You don't know how the dances are. Give it a chance."

"I'd rather not."

"Okay, I know you're having problems with your math and science classes. I'll tutor you if you go with me."

He shook his head, "How is it you always have backup offers?" He glared at him before snapping, "Fine. But I better get a fucking A in both ."

"Nico?"

He stiffened beside Will as they stopped and stared at the sea green eyed boy before them.

"Jason said his roommate was a boy named Nico, from Italy. I thought it might be you." He broke into a grin and came closer. "How have you been dude?"

Will stared. "You two know each other?"

Percy turned to him, "Our dads have been frie—er, acquaintances, for a long time. We went to summer camp together." He faced Nico again, "I didn't think I'd see you again, last time..."

Nico came back into focus and glared at him, his hands fisted, "I don't wanna talk about it."

Percy didn't say anything, and then, "I'm sorry."

Nico shook his head.

Percy cleared his throat, "I guess I'll see you around then. Bye Nico, Will." And he was gone. Having went upstairs to his room, most likely.

"What was he talking about? Did something happen?"

Nico turned his glare on him after watching Percy leave. "I said I didn't want to talk about it."

"Nico—"

"Did you not just hear me, Solace? I said no." His voice sounded desperate and angry.

"Nico—"

"No Will."

Will didn't say anything, Nico took that as his cue to leave and he started up the stairs. "Don't follow me."

But Will followed. "Where are you going?"

"Will."

"I'm not leaving you alone. Obviously whatever he was apologizing for made you feel bad."

"Fuck off!" And he walked faster up the stairs. Still Will followed.

"I just don't want you to be alone."

"I don't need you." He reached the boys' rooms.

Will winced. "Ouch."

He looked back at him to shoot him a glare. "I don't need you to pretend to care right now either."

"I'm not pretending."

Nico ignored his last comment and looked around before slipping in the walls. Will continued to trail after him.

"May I ask where we're heading?"

"Nowhere."

"Nico."

"Will."

"You aren't getting rid of me."

With one last glare, Nico gave up. "Fine."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Where are we going?"

"I just want to take a walk alright? I need fresh air."

Will nodded before he realized he was walking behind him so Nico couldn't see him. "Alright."

The tunnel led right onto the alleyway by the school. Nico didn't stop to look around though and it occurred to Will that this wasn't the first time he'd used that exit to get away from the school. He stepped up to walk beside him, "Nico listen, I know something's bothering you and I want to help. If you want to talk about it, I'll listen. I'm here. It isn't very healthy to keep it in."

Nico shook his head, "I'm not talking about it."

And so they walked in silence for what seemed like forever. Especially because they weren't talking. Will stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and tried not to stand too close to Nico, as he wanted, he knew Nico wouldn't like it. He didn't know how long they'd walked but by the time they turned back around towards the school, the sun had sunk and starts were starting to sprinkle the night sky. That was when Nico started talking.

"My sister." He said.

"What?" Will turned his face to look at him, Nico was looking at the sky above him as he walked.

"That's who Percy was talking about." Before Will could respond, Nico spoke again. "She died five years ago. There had been an accident. She, Percy and some others snuck into a junkyard to see what interesting things they could find. Halfway through, a metal contraption fell on her, it killed her right away."

Will saw a tear slip down Nico's cheek and he squeezed his eyes shut to stop anymore tears from falling. "What was her name?"

"Bianca." He hung his head and looked at the ground. "She was all I had. I was terrible at making friends and all the other kids made fun of me. But she--she understood me. She took care of me. Our mother died when we were really young and our dad was always away on business or other and we only had each other... After she died, I was just...alone."

Will wasn't sure what to say but he knew reassurance that he wasn't alone could help, it's how he'd felt after his mother's death and Lou had been there for him after they'd met. So, in an effort to make Nico feel better, he took his right hand out of his pocket and took Nico's left in his and squeezed. Nico jumped and the contact and immediately took his hand away. His guard was up right away. "Don't do that. I didn't tell you that so you could touch me."

"I'm sorry."

Nico shook his head, his voice had become guarded again as well and he'd soaked up all the sadness he'd let escape. "I need sleep. Let's hurry back. "

They made it back and snuck inside with no problem. They'd managed to avoid the harpies pretty well but Nico didn't speak again and neither did Will, he wasn't sure what to say after that. They only went their separate ways to separate rooms and each fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. But in Will's head, the last thing that he thought was, he'd get Nico to see he wasn't alone. He had friends, and people cared for him. He could move on from his sister's death without having to forget what she meant to him and still did. He didn't have to stop loving her, but he didn't have to be miserable because of it. He could be happy and Will was determined on making him see that. And Will hadn't known Bianca, but he knew she'd loved him as much as he loved her, and she would have loved to see him happy. He knew Hazel saw that, she was Nico's sister too after all. Will promised himself he'd do whatever he could to give Nico that little push to happiness and he knew there were people willing to help him with that.

And Nico deserved it. He really did.