The Sun in the Shadow

Chapter 24

Let's just say the Piper and Jason's happy dance didn't last long. This is the situation that occurred right after the two boys realized they had been spied on.

Shadows writhed in Nico's plan like fire might in Leo's, but Will thought the shadows looked a lot scarier.

"I'm going to kill that son of Zeus before he can even spark," Nico muttered and advanced, his tone deadly cold. Will stopped him with a hand, but watched the two dancing figures with the same distaste.

"Nico, I love you, so I'm not going to let you do this." Nico looked like he was going to protest, but then Will held out his palm and it filled with blazing sunlight. "At least, not alone."

And that was the moment both boys agreed. They were going to be the best dam couple this camp had ever seen, because they shared the same mind.

Two pairs of legs sprinted down the hill, hands blazing with their elements. Before the dancing couple even knew what hit them they were surrounded in a cave woven of light and dark. And this time the two elements didn't reject each other. The shadows intertwined with the light until a haunting yellow grey color spread out and enveloped the trap of dark and light.

"What in the name of Hades is this Nico?" Jason's voice was muffled but Nico heard the question just fine.

"This, Jason Grace," Nico started, his voice edgy. "Is me telling you that spying on people is a freaking rude thing to do, especially during the first moments of my best life." He stepped closer and continued, "I trust you with my life in battle, Jason. But next time, wait for me to offer you my romantic life before you take it for yourself." Then he turned to Will, who smiled at him for ending on a nice note and not a threat or something he would have done before.

"Nico? It's Piper, sorry it's just we didn't mean to spy. We were originally just going to go say hi to Will and ask how's he's been, but when we saw you there, well, we didn't want to ruin the moment. And by the time we decided we should leave, you kissed and we got a bit caught up in our own happiness for you two. I'm really sorry we pried into a special moment."

Nico softened at the words and Will replied, "Thanks for the apology, Piper. I think we both overreacted, but to be fair it was kind of a terrible choice to scream out what you did. Anyway we'll let you go, but maybe only after breakfast." Will grinned at Nico and said, "Don't want you spreading any rumors now do we."

Inside were noises of protest coming from the trapped people. Jason said something like, "We would only tell Annabeth and Percy and Hazel and Frank. And maybe coach Hedge, but really that's it!"

The boys laughed and then started walking away, leaving the couple to complain in their shell of woven light and shadow.

At the lunch hall, everyone was surprised and happy to see Nico. He was able to eat the entire meal before people started to look at him funny and whisper amongst themselves. It was like they forgot he had eyes and could tell they were talking about his second disappearance. But he also could hear exceptionally well and they didn't know that.

When Nico stood, Will stood too from across the pavilion at the Apollo table. When Nico walked up next to him, they had a short conversation like this.

Nico: "When should we tell them?"

Will: "Soon I guess."

Nico: "Like now soon? In front of everybody? Do we just blurt out, 'Hey guys, just to remind you we are both gay and now we are together. Have a nice breakfast.'"

Will: "No, we'll just do this."

Nico: "Do wha-"

And then Will took Nico's face and pulled their faces together until they were kissing once more. Nico didn't allow him to melt into this one, too public. But they did make it a long kiss, so everyone was able to see.

The first table to see must have been Aphrodite, because Michael stood up and exclaimed, "I knew it!" with no explanation. Then the Apollo cabin started to cheer, clapping and hollering with such vigor that Nico almost jumped away from Will. Then the rest of the cabins saw and the noises were like this:

Athena: (Annabeth) GO NICO. (Rest of the cabin) *cheering*

Hephaestus: YEAH! It's getting hot up in here! Woo Will!

Ares: *very loud and aggressive sounds that could be positive or negative*

Hermes: *assorted hollering so loud that the pavilion felt like it was shaking* (the Stoll brothers) YEAH WILL!

Iris: RAINBOWS FOR THE WIN BOYS. *a bunch of rainbows were then showered upon Nico and Will's adjoined faces*

Hypnos: Hmm, what's going on- oh. Go Wilp! Or something- *they all promptly fell asleep again despite the noise and all simultaneously*

Hecate: (Lou Ellen mostly) GO WILL! I CANT BELIEVE YOU WERE ACTUALLY MAN ENOUGH TO DO IT! WOO!

And the rest: *assorted yelling drowned out by the noise made from the Hermes, Apollo, and Aphrodite's cabins.

But then the last voice called out. "YEAH NICO FINALLY GOT YOUR TYPE. IM PROUD OF YOU MAN." Which only made Nico roll his eyes while still kissing Will and blush a bit.

Then hey pulled away, breathless and the cheering continued. Every single body making noise stood up, picked up the boys as they had once done for Annabeth and Percy, and carried them all the way to the lake. It must have been a tradition to dump new couples there.

But once in the cold water, the boys let themselves sink. Nico could see and his breath was holding and he was confident he could stay down for a while. But Will didn't look too good. He was sinking with Nico, but his eyes were closed and cheeks puffed like a fish. He looked so cute that Nico swam over and kissed his cheek just because he couldn't help himself. The surprise caused Will to breath in suddenly, and he got a mouth full of water instead of the air he wanted.

Then there was a pull in the water and Nico and Will were shoot out of the lake faster than anyone could have pulled them. A stable wind caught them mid air and lowered them safely to the ground. Will was spluttering and Nico crawled over, saying the sentence, "So I guess water isn't your type either, huh."

There was an exhausted sigh from Percy who butted in, "I just saved your lives again, can I get some slack here?"

But Will just grinned and Nico and replied, "I honestly just prefer the dark."

At this the whole Aphrodite cabin grinned and rushed forward, enveloping the two in a warm hug. And at the front, was Jason.

"They bubble finally broke, thanks for that guys," he said after letting go of the hug. The boys grinned sheepishly but Jason didn't look mad. He looked strangely excited. "I'm so happy for you guys, really."

"Thanks Jason, for everything," Nico took Jason in another hug, which surprised him. When he let go everyone was watching with mouths agape.

"Now take the couple to the honeymoon cabin!" A voice from the back called out and everyone cheered, picking up the sopping wet couple and once more carrying them along the crowd all the way back to the pavilion and then over to the cabins. Nico's cabin door was unlocked and the boys were thrown in quite unorthodoxly. With a smile and a cheer the door was closed and darkness enveloped the two boys.

Now they were soaking wet, cold, and in the dark without any way of seeing two inches in front of their face. But the light wasn't really needed.

Instead the boys curled up into the blankets left on Nico's floor, took each other's hands, and fell asleep.