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“You sunk my scrabble ship! That’s thirty dollars to me!”
Will frowns, glancing at his scattered Monopoly money. “Why do I have to pay you again?”
“Because my ship represented a vowel. Now gimme.” Michael leans over and grabs a fifty dollar bill, knocking over two ships in the process.
Kassy watches as he does so, shuffling her property cards with a frown. “This is the stupidest game I’ve ever played.”
Michael has the audacity to look offended, snatching a twenty from Kassy’s own neat money piles. “Bullying tax, don’t ever insult my Vision again.”
Her shuffling ceases as she watches him place the bill with his own money. There’s silence for a few seconds, then—
“That’s it.”
Kassy lunges across the board and tackles Michael, who immediately starts shrieking about sore losers and child abuse. This only further enrages her as the two of them turn into a blur of limbs and curse words.
It’s maybe thirty seconds after their altercation starts when Will hears the cabin door open and close quickly, letting in a brief chill. He cranes his neck in the direction, smiling when he sees Lee standing at the welcome mat, stomping off the excess snow on his boots. His golden curls are hidden under a well-worn trapper hat and when he pulls down his scarf, Will can see is nose is pink from the cold. He smiles back at Will, raising his hand to wave when a particularly loud screech from Michael draws his attention to their fighting siblings.
The two haven’t slowed in their scuffle, Kassy gloating as she successfully holds Michael in a headlock while he throws Scrabble pieces blindly at her. Lee opens his mouth as if he’s going to say something before snapping it shut again. After a few moments, he tears his gaze away from the chaos, looking back at Will with a smile. “Kiddo, you mind getting dressed quick?”
Will tilts his head. “Are you gonna stop them?” He gestures to Kassy and Michael, the latter cackling madly when he lands a swift elbow to their sister’s stomach and slithers out of the headlock.
Lee shrugs. “Someone will knock someone out eventually. Besides,” he shoots a disdainful look at the messy game board. “I told y’all that Monopoly is on ban until further notice.”
His words catches Michael’s attention as he ceases his attacks for a moment, ignoring the Monopoly hotel that Kassy pegs him with between the eyes. “We’re not playing Monopoly, I just required its assets for my Vision.”
Lee sighs, crossing his arms. “You’re so weird.”
Will tunes out Michael’s indignant protests and renewed threats of violence as he heads to his bed, pulling on his snow boots and zipping up his puffer coat. Even after living on the East Coast for a few years, he still hates having to layer up. If his dad really loved him, he would finally get around to granting him some natural insulation.
It takes him another minute to find where he threw his gloves. He’s one glove in before a hand wraps around his arm and starts dragging him towards the door.
“Hey!” Will whines, trying to wriggle out of Lee’s grasp. His brother doesn’t falter, swinging the door open and ignoring Will’s screeching at the sudden bite of cold air.
Kassy shouts something about earmuffs, but they’re out the door before Will can even reply. He manages to shove his other hand into the glove before digging his heels into the thin layer of snow on the ground. This time, Lee stops dragging him, turning to Will with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
Will crosses his arms, pulling his coat closer shut. “Tell me where we’re going.”
“We’re heading to the Big House.”
Will squints. That was too easy. “Ok, and why are we going to the Big House?”
His brother sighs, adjusting his hat. “It’s cold, Will. Let’s get inside first, then talk.”
“Should’ve thought about that before you dragged me outside.”
Lee reaches a hand out to flick at his forehead. “You’ve been spending too much time with Michael. It’s making you all sassy.”
Will doesn’t respond, and they stand in silence for a few seconds before Lee sighs again. “Fine. There’s a new kid who’s your age, and I thought it would be nice if you two could get to know each other.”
Will grimaces. Last August, he mentioned to Silena in passing that maybe sometimes he gets lonely at Camp. And he didn’t think it was a big deal, really. Just the territory that comes with being one of the youngest year-rounders. Unfortunately, Silena decided it was a big deal and spoke to Lee about it. So, since then, he’d been cursed with his brother’s awkward, non-stop attempts to set him up with potential friends.
Kassy tries to remind him that it’s from a place of love, that Lee is as much a worrier as Will is—if not more so, especially since Callie handed over the head counselor position to him. But Will is almost eleven now.
“I don’t need you to make my friends for me.”
Lee raises an eyebrow, spreading his hands. “C’mon, don’t think of it like that. I just think it’ll be nice for you to talk to someone your age.”
“I’m fine though! I have you, Mikey, Kassy, Clarisse, Annabeth, Cecil—”
“And that’s great! But it doesn’t hurt to talk to someone new,” Lee interrupts firmly. Will glances at his brother briefly before looking down.
He hears Lee sigh and then kneel down in the snow. Back when Will first arrived at Camp, even with Lee kneeling, he was barely eye-level with him. Now, Will stands almost an inch taller than his brother’s kneeling form.
“You remember how scary your first week at Camp was?” Lee asks softly. Will nods—he had been so confused, practically gluing himself to Luke’s side for the first few days. “Well, this kid is in his first week too. He came with the group Dad dropped off, but most of the people he knows are off on the quest or with the Hunters. I think he’s feeling pretty lonely.”
Will’s anger falters as he swallows hard, “So?”
“So, I think it would be real nice if you introduce yourself so maybe he feels a little less alone. You don’t have to become friends, but please don’t punish him just because I tried to set you two up.”
The rest of Will’s anger drains. He’s never been able to stay mad at his siblings, especially not Lee. “Ok, we can go.”
He glances up from the ground, met by Lee’s thrilled expression, his scarf pulled down once more to reveal a bright smile and cold burnt nose. “That’s the spirit. Now c’mon,” Lee stands up, brushing off the snow that clung to his jeans before shivering dramatically. “Any longer out here and I’m going to catch a cold.”
Will can’t help the giggle that escapes his lips, grabbing onto Lee’s arm as they start walking again. “You can’t get sick, dummy!”
“Mhm, talk to me when you’re serving me chicken soup in bed tomorrow.”
They continue bickering as they walk. Will manages to shape the perfect snowball (thanks Clarisse) and tries to launch it at Lee, but his brother still has enough height on him that it barely hits his shoulder. Unfortunately for him, Lee takes the action as a declaration of war, and suddenly Will finds himself shrieking and sprinting to the Big House and Lee pelts him with perfectly-aimed lumps of snow.
As he scrambles up the porch steps, Will shakes off the snow clinging to his coat, his hood, and (somehow) inside his jacket. Lee catches up quick, dragging a hand through Will’s hair till he’s confident it’s sticking up.
“You’re like a little puppy,” Lee notes gleefully.
Will blows him a raspberry in response, stomping off the remaining snow. They both step inside, boots heavy against the wooden floor, and Will lets out a quiet sigh at the blast of warmth as he lets Lee lead the way.
He’d tried exploring the Big House once over the summer with Cecil. They managed to poke around four rooms before Mr. D caught them, chasing them out with half-hearted threats about snapping their minds or something. Since then, Will had stuck to his familiar path from the main room to the infirmary.
They head up the stairs to the second floor, where Lee opens an unassuming door on the left. As Will steps inside, he’s greeted by a cozy room that feels straight out of the seventies. The walls are painted a loud green, and an antique lamp with a colorful base casts a warm glow from the corner.
In the center of the room, surrounded by mismatched worn couches, sits a low coffee table holding a few well-loved books and scattered board games. And on one of the couches, a boy with his legs crossed is shuffling a deck of cards in a blur of motion, his thick, fluffy dark hair falling almost fully over his face. His gaze flicks up as they enter, breaking his concentration.
Will once read that no one has truly black eyes, only a really dark brown. But he thinks anyone who believes that has never met this boy. Even under the warm corner lamp, his eyes stay stark against his light tan, impossibly dark—like pools of ink that seem to drag Will in the longer he stares.
Pretty, is the first thought that flies through his head as he studies the boy, quickly followed by a Wait, what? He shakes off the thought, deciding to deal with that for later.
Lee, on the other hand, doesn’t seem nearly as shellshocked. He grins and waves warmly to the boy. “Nico! This is my brother, Will—the one I mentioned.”
Nico’s intense gaze shifts from Lee to Will, and a small dimple forms on his left cheek as he smiles. "Hi!" he greets, his voice light and cheerful. He gestures to the cards he was shuffling, now laid out in front of him on the couch. "Wanna play?"
Will glances over to Lee, who just smiles encouragingly. Reluctantly, Will takes a seat across from Nico, folding his hands in his lap. He looks down at the cards—each embossed with intricate holographic character designs and stats. It looks vaguely familiar. "What is this?”
The other boy’s smile grows as he finishes spreading the cards neatly across the cushion. "Mythomagic!"
Ah, Will had heard of the game before—he’s pretty sure some of the summer campers were really into it. He and Cecil had tried learning it once, but they gave up after a few minutes and spent the rest of the afternoon pretending the cards were throwing stars. "I don’t know how to play," Will admits, shaking his head.
When Nico’s face falls slightly, Will feels a wave of guilt wash over him. "But I don’t mind learning," he quickly adds.
The other boy’s face brightens again as he scoops up the cards and begins to deal them out. Will glances over at Lee once more, but his brother is already backing toward the door, returning Will’s pointed frown with a sly wink.
“I’ll leave you two to it,” Lee says. “Head counselor duties await and all that.”
Total bull crap, of course. There are only four of them at camp, so Will sincerely doubts there’s anything so pressing that Lee has to dash off like this. But before he can respond, Lee is already gone. With a sigh, he turns back to Nico, slumping slightly on the couch.
“You don’t have to play if you don’t want to,” Nico says, his voice softer than before. Will snaps his gaze upwards, but Nico doesn’t meet his eyes, staring at the patterned couch. “I won’t tell.”
Will blinks, guilt flooding back. “No, I want to. My brother’s just being annoying, that’s all.”
Dark eyes flicker back to Will as the boy tilts his head curiously. Will hesitates, picking up one of the cards and running his fingers along the raised designs. “He just worries about me not having a lot of friends or something, so I’m a little, uh—” He feels his face flush, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know, sorry. I promise I really do want to learn, though.”
Nico finishes dealing the cards, his brow furrowed in concentration. After a moment, he glances up again. “That’s okay, then. My sister is like that too, so I get it.”
Will purses his lips, pausing before tentatively asking, “She’s with the Hunters now, right?”
Nico nods, his expression shuttering slightly as he shuffles his new deck. “She went on the quest thing, which I think is stupid because she said I wasn’t allowed to go since it was gonna be dangerous. Like, if it’s so dangerous, why does she get to go?” His hands still for a moment, nose wrinkling in frustration. “I don’t know, she’s so bossy sometimes. She thinks she knows everything just because she’s old.”
And despite Nico’s outward annoyance, Will can see the worry underlying his expression. He remembers how upset he was when Lee went home for a few days during his own first winter at camp. He can’t imagine how stressed Nico must be having to say goodbye to his sister in his first week.
He doesn’t really know what to say to make it better, though, so instead he tries to relate. “My siblings are like that too. Bossy, I guess.”
Nico perks up, leaning forward. “Siblings? Is it just Lee or…?”
“Well, only three are here at camp right now, including Lee. But in the summer, there are ten or so of us.”
Nico’s eyes widen almost comically. “Ten?”
Will stifles a laugh at his expression, nodding. “Yeah, it’s weird. It was just me and my ma before camp, so it was a big deal coming here. But it’s nice—I like having siblings.” He pauses, then adds with a sigh, “When they aren’t being annoying, of course. I’m the youngest, so they baby me a lot. It’s stupid.”
Nico hums thoughtfully, another small dimpled smile creeping across his face. “Well, that’s silly. You seem really smart.” Will feels his face heat up at the compliment as he brain goes momentarily blank.
“Thanks,” he murmurs shyly. He’s suddenly very grateful that Lee didn’t stick around—there’s no way he wouldn’t snitch to Michael and Kassy about how weird he’s acting.
Nico’s smile grows wider, and for a brief moment, Will feels like he might just fall to pieces on the spot, as if the world around them fades till it’s just the two of them. Then, after a beat, Nico straightens, gesturing to the game set up. “Okay, well let’s get started!”
Surprisingly, with Nico teaching him, the game comes a lot easier to Will. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have Cecil whispering in his ear about which gods are “hot or not”. Though, he does have to admit he still enjoys examining the card art as he listens to Nico happily share each players pros and cons.
During one of his turns, Nico glances up, eyes brightening as he shifts his gaze from his card to Will. “You know, you look a lot like your dad.”
Will blinks, nearly dropping his deck. “You know my dad?”
Stupid question, he realizes, seeing as Nico was part of the big crash into the lake via the sun chariot. Nico doesn’t seem put off, though, nodding thoughtfully. “You’re both really blonde and tan. And you have the same eyes. Though, the freckles are different.”
Will hums softly, glancing down at the shining green Demeter card in his current hand. “I’ve never met him, actually, but everyone who has says we look alike.” He tries to push down the feelings that always bubble up at the thought of his father’s glaring absence in his life.
Nico studies him for a moment, as if weighing a question, but then moves on, flipping his card toward Will. “Well, here. The art is pretty spot on, honestly. Minus the brown eyes.”
He slides the card over, and Will examines it, reading through the stats. “Apollo’s Blessing—2500 attack points and 1000 healing points, doubles in power when played alongside Artemis,” he mutters. Pretty cool.
Nico leans in closer, flashing Will a toothy grin. “His statue is super cool. He has a big bow and everything! Do you do archery too? I wanted to try, but Travis said I need to wait a bit after I made a mess at the weapons shed,” he admits with a small pout.
Will glances back at the card's art. Apollo gazes directly at him, his hair forming a golden halo around his head as his arrow is drawn taut, poised as if ready to release an attack. He radiates power and bravery and confidence—the very essence of a hero that Will always seems to fall short of. “I’m not very good at it,” he mumbles, a hint of embarrassment creeping in. “I guess I’m not good at a lot of things my dad is good at—except for healing, I guess.”
Nico seems no less excited, eyes lighting up. “So you’re a doctor then?”
Will shakes his head, pushing some stray hair out of his face. “No, not a doctor. Just a medic. I finished my training last year, so I work in the infirmary now.”
There’s a brief silence, then Nico exclaims, “That is so cool!”
Almost immediately, Will feels his face heat up yet again at the compliment, glancing at Nico, who is practically vibrating with excitement. “I mean, not really. All my siblings can heal if they need to. I'm just the only one who likes it.”
Nico shakes his head vehemently, his dark eyes boring into Will’s blue ones. “You’re my age and already doing cool hero stuff like that! I mean, that's so awesome!”
Will wonders briefly if it’s possible for a child of Apollo to melt if flustered enough. He reckons he’s about to find out. Before he can stutter out a response, there’s a knock on the door. Both scoot away from each other (since when did they get so close?) as Travis pokes his head in, snowflakes scattered through his brown curls.
“Hey, you guys having fun?”
Nico nods eagerly, gesturing to the mess of cards in between them. “I’m teaching Will how to play Mythomagic!” For an added flourish, he grabs his previously discarded pile of cards, flipping through them tactfully.
A crooked grin tugs across Travis’s face as he raises an impressed eyebrow. “Sick tricks. Seems like we gotta get you in on poker nights.”
Nico’s face lights up at the invitation, and Will has to stifle a laugh at his enthusiasm. Cecil was the same the first time he was invited to play, only to spend the next three days groaning to Will about being out forty dollars and a pair of pants.
Travis glances between the two of them, eyes glinting in amusement. “Well, I hate to break this up, but Lee asked me to come grab you, Will, so we can walk you back.”
Nico immediately bounds of the couch, but Will can’t help but drag his feet a bit. He knows Lee probably sent Travis to get him as an easy out, just in case he was miserable, but the truth is, Will is actually having fun.
As they step outside, Will walks in step with Nico. The other boy pulls his oversized jacket tighter around himself, practically swallowed by its size. Will notices a slight shiver run through him, and he makes a mental note to check if he has any spare winter gear to give.
They walk mostly in silence, all bracing against the cold, until they reach the Apollo cabin. Travis pauses a few steps back as Nico follows him up the cabin steps. Will hesitates for a moment before giving Nico a small smile. “This was fun. We should hang out again sometime.”
Below the collar of his jacket, Will catches Nico’s face lighting up, his eyes crinkling into a bright smile. “Yes, please! Though next time, I’m not going to go easy on you.”
Will huffs, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. “What? You wiped the floor with me! That was so not easy.”
Nico laughs, a soft sound that sends a flare of warmth through Will’s chest. “Sounds like loser talk to me. I'll train you up soon, though, don't worry,” he chirps. With another crinkled-eye smile, he jumps the steps and joins Travis, both waving once more to Will as they walk off.
Will lingers for a moment longer before throwing the cabin door open, savoring the wave of heat that hits him as he shuts the door behind him. As he stomps off the latest layer of snow, he notices that the game board and pieces that were littering the floor earlier have been cleaned up, his siblings sprawled out in their place. Kassy is hunched over, one of Lee’s hands in her lap as she paints his nails a sparkling green, while Michael lies next to them, brow furrowed as he spam clicks through some game on Lee’s ancient DS.
Lee looks up first, smiling. “Hey, bud. Travis walked you back?”
Will nods, peeling his hat from his head and flinging the remaining snow onto the doormat before heading to his bed. As he hastily kicks off his boots, he crouches down and reaches under the mattress, pulling out his suitcase.
The noise is enough for Michael to pause his gaming, glancing over with a squint. “Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.” Will rifles blindly through the suitcase for a few seconds before his fingers finally find the small woven bag he’s looking for. He can feel his siblings’ eyes on him but pointedly chooses to ignore their stares, dumping the bag’s contents onto his bed. After a moment of counting miscellaneous dollars and coins, he sighs and looks over to the floor. “Do they sell Mythomagic cards at the camp store?”
For a moment, none of his siblings speak, just continuing to stare him down. Then, a smile breaks across Kassy’s face as she finishes securing her bottle of nail polish. “I take it your playdate went well?”
Immediately, Will feels his face burn, crossing his arms with a frown. “It wasn’t a playdate!”
Michael snorts, setting aside the DS and propping himself on his elbows. “It totally was.”
Will scowls, turning away from his siblings and back to the money on his bed. “You guys suck.”
He hears more snickering at his expense and a soft sigh before footsteps approach. Lee’s shadow casts over Will’s money pile as he leans over Will’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to them. We’re happy you had fun.”
Will doesn’t reply, sorting the bills once more to make sure he counted right. “Do they sell the cards or not?”
Lee seems more amused by Will’s impatience than anything, moving to rest his head on top of Will’s. “I’m pretty sure they’re out of stock of everything right now. The Stolls are still waiting for a good time to do a post-holiday restock. Plus, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think... nine dollars is going to cover it.”
Will pouts, but reluctantly begins to move the money back into the bag. “It’s actually eleven dollars and thirty-two cents.”
“Holy shit, my baby brother’s a millionaire,” Michael calls from the floor as he and Kassy dissolve into gleeful cackling. Will resists the urge to chuck the bag square at Michael’s face—truly, patience is a skill he’s honing with every passing day in this cabin.
A warm hand brushes against his cheek, pinching it lightly despite his half-hearted attempts to bat it away. “Don’t worry too much about it, okay? You can always play using Nico’s deck, right?”
He’s still disappointed, but just the thought of getting to hang out with Nico again brings a small smile to his face as he nods. There’s still time, and Nico seemed perfectly content to teach Will using his cards—
“Yo, Lee. Who’s on babysitting duty for the next playdate?”
Patience be damned. Will throws the bag.
Will doesn’t get to see Nico much over the next few days. They exchange waves at dinner and pass greetings across the cabin grounds, but between his infirmary shifts, training, and general camp business, Will finds himself busier than he wants to be. He at least makes enough time to check in at the camp store daily, but there’s no sign of Mythomagic cards in stock.
Four mornings later, Will is roused out of bed earlier than he’d like.
“Will. William. William Andrew, please, wake up.”
Will peeks out from under his blanket, bleary-eyed, catching a glimpse of dim, grey morning light filtering in through the frost-bitten windows. Normally, he’s first up in the cabin—much to the chagrin of his siblings. But the cold weather has always made him sluggish, only made worse by the dreary days of the average East Coast winter.
Grumbling, he pulls the blanket higher. “No. ’S too early. Tell Dad to go back to bed.”
The offending force laughs softly, a hand shaking his shoulder briskly. “C’mon, I promise it’s not too early for this.”
When Will finally forces his eyes open, he's greeted by Lee looming over him with a warm grin. In his hands, Will spots a small, poorly-wrapped package.
Will sits up slowly, rubbing the remaining sleep from his eyes. “Whazit?”
Lee snorts, brushing some hair from Will’s face before passing the package to him. Will’s fingers move clumsily, peeling at the wrapping, but the moment he catches a glimpse of what’s inside, the last bit of exhaustion vanishes. “What the—”
“Merry early Christmas,” Lee declares, adding a small pair of jazz hands for effect. Will can’t remember the last time his brother looked so pleased with himself.
He tears open the remaining layers, fresh cards slipping between his shaking hands. For a moment, he just stares, dumbstruck, before his grin bursts wide. “Lee, this is—you’re the best!” He throws his arms around his brother, unable to hold back his excitement.
Lee laughs, ruffling his hair. “You’re welcome, kiddo. Now, I got you up so we can grab an early breakfast, and then you can show Nico, okay?”
Will doesn’t need to be told twice. He’s out of bed in a flash, scrambling to grab clothes. Ten minutes later, they’re heading out of the cabin, Kassy and Michael trailing behind with matching frowns at being dragged out early. Will barely notices, the cards practically burning a hole in his pocket.
After scarfing down his scrambled eggs in record time—only choking twice—Will dashes out of the dining pavilion, giving Lee one last grateful hug before heading off. He slows as he nears the Hermes Cabin, taking a moment to smooth out his clothes and will some of the flush away from his face.
When he knocks, Travis answers the door, blinking a few times against the dim morning light before his gaze settles on Will. A tired smile tugs at his lips. “Hey, Will. What’s happening?”
Will forces himself not to burst with excitement, returning Travis’s smile with one of his own, practically buzzing. “Is Nico free to hang out?”
At the question, Travis’s smile falters. His expression softens as he steps out into the snow, bending slightly to meet Will’s eyes.
“Gods, I’m sorry Will but… Nico’s gone.”
There were only a handful of moments in Will’s ten years of life when the world seemed to go utterly silent. The first time his mama’s ex-boyfriend raised a hand at him, then at her. The day they were attacked by birds in Washington Square Park, his mama's arms wrapped tightly around him as her cries of pain echoed in his ears. And the moment the glowing golden symbol of Apollo finally appeared above his head, marking him as one of his father’s kids.
And now, finding out the pretty and funny and sweet boy he met only days ago was gone—somehow, it's enough to makes the list.
To his embarrassment, Will’s voice shakes when he finally speaks. “What do you mean he's gone?”
Travis’s gaze softens, sadness painting his features. “The quest group came back yesterday. Nico’s sister, um... didn’t make it. And he didn’t take it well. Percy talked to him, but he still ran off. We’ve been looking for him, but…” Travis trails off, fixing Will with a sympathetic frown.
Will feels like someone is standing on his chest as he tries to suck in a sharp breath. Any of his earlier excitement has vanished, replaced by an aching feeling of loss. His hand slips into his pocket, fingers brushing against the cards. “Oh,” he croaks out.
“I’m really sorry,” Travis repeats, and somehow, that makes it worse. Will catches the worry and guilt etched across the older boy’s face, making the burn in his chest grow.
Will forces himself to nod, not trusting his voice. “Okay. It’s—thanks for telling me. I’m sorry.” He turns away, his head spinning, before Travis can say anything else, briskly setting his pace back to the Apollo cabin.
The walk back feels colder, the snow crunching beneath his boots as his chest tightens with every step. He sniffs, swiping at his eyes as he reaches the cabin door. Michael and Kassy aren’t there, but Lee is just stepping out of the bathroom, pulling a colorful sweater over his head. He glances over when the door slams shut behind Will, surprise flickering across his face.
“Will? I thought you were—” His expression softens immediately when his eyes meet Will’s, concern overtaking his features as he steps closer. “Firefly, what’s wrong?”
And just like that, Will comes undone. His vision blurs with tears as he runs into Lee’s open arms, burying his face in his brother’s sweater. His hands clutch the soft fabric tightly, and the sobs finally escape him, breaking free like a dam bursting.
Strong arms wrap around him, holding him as close as humanely possible. “Hey, hey… it’s okay. I’m here. I’m right here.”
He tries to speak, to say something useful so that Lee doesn’t keep worrying over Will and his stupid, stupid feelings. But each attempted word morphs into another ugly sob as he just holds his big brother tighter.
Lee doesn’t push him to speak, just stands and lets him cling, murmuring soft reassurances. When Will’s sobs eventually quiet into ragged hiccups and sniffles, Lee guides him to his bed, sitting down and pulling Will onto his lap.
“Did something happen with Nico?” Lee asks finally, voice soft.
Will takes a shuddering breath, finally managing to find the words. “Nico’s gone. His sister is dead, and he ran away and—and Travis said they’re trying to find him, but I don’t think—” His voice breaks again, tears starting up once more.
Lee’s expression is pained as he pulls Will closer, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Will’s head. “I’m really sorry, Will. I know you two were getting along.”
Will can only nod miserably against Lee’s chest. His emotions swirl and tangle inside him, too much for him to handle all at once. Lee’s hand rubs soothing circles on his back.
“Do you want to talk me through this?” Lee prompts him gently, poking his chest.
Will nods again. It’s something Lee had taught him when he was younger, a way to break down his big feelings into smaller, more manageable pieces. It had helped him when he first arrived at camp, overwhelmed by everything, though he'd not sure how much it will help now.
“I’m… I’m mad. I’m mad Nico left without saying goodbye.” Will’s voice shakes, and he quickly adds, “But I don’t want to be mad at him, because I know he's probably really sad and hurting. So I’m mad at myself for feeling mad.”
Lee nods thoughtfully, but doesn’t push him to elaborate. “What else?”
Will bites his lip, closing his eyes as he lets out a soft sigh. “I feel… really sad. For Nico. He’s all alone now. And I’m worried about him. So I think I’m nervous too. Anxious. I don’t know.”
“Okay, that makes sense. Is there anything else?” Will thinks for a moment. There is probably more, but he's too tired to keep going, so he just shakes his head. Lee pauses for a moment before he continues. “It’s okay to feel all of that. You cared—care about him. And I know it’s hard right now, but you shouldn’t give up on him.”
His brother’s hand threads through his hair, gently brushing through his tangle of curls. “He still might come back. He might just need some time to…to cope, okay?” At Will’s continued desolate expression, he sighs. “And look—I’ll talk to Chiron and the other head counselors and see what we can do. Get some more search parties going, if that’ll help.”
Will finally nods, but a sinking feeling settles in his stomach, whispering that Nico won’t be coming back—at least not anytime soon. Still, he tries to hold onto Lee’s words, pulling away just enough to wipe his face with the sleeve of his jacket.
Lee gives him a small smile, carefully helping him shrug off his coat before unlacing his boots for him. “Why don’t you rest for a bit? You’ve had a long morning.”
Will nods again, his movements slow and tired. Before he lays down, he tosses the Mythomagic cards onto the side table, their weight suddenly feeling unbearably heavy. With a final sniffle, he crawls into his bed, curling up under the thick blankets. Lee stays beside him, quietly humming a familiar tune—one of Will’s mom’s newest songs, he thinks—as he once more runs a comforting hand through Will’s hair.
Will closes his eyes tight, pulling the covers over his face as another wave of sadness crashes over him. Just before sleep takes hold, he sends off a final prayer to his father, a quiet plea to look over Nico, wherever he might end up.