Will's POV
Will was drained that day after his call with Hazel. Though they didn't look very similar, Nico and Hazel carried a similar gaze so, when he saw her, it felt reassuring in a way to see something so familiar.
Her ear-piercing screams? Now that was terrifying.
Nico tended to act like everything was fine all the time, so he'd never heard him scream like Hazel had. Sometimes, Will couldn't tell the difference between whether his boyfriend was annoyed or ready to throw a javelin at his head. Though, to be fair, Nico had one of the worst aim known to man. Well, other than Will, of course.
Kayla and Austin accompanied him to the eating area, picking out a plate of soft pancakes for their brain dead friend.
"Eat and let's figure out a plan," Kayla told Will, placing the plate in front of him. It was still steaming, sending out a wave of sweet perfume.
The tables were fuller than they had been in a long while as a result of the monster attacks, so the chatter drowned out their voices as they figured out what to do next.
"I'll ask the nymphs. They tend to gossip A LOT. Something about spirits and being nosy," Austin said, stuffing an entire boiled egg in his mouth only to cough it back out.
"Dang! Of course you take the easy job. You know that means I have to go to the Hypnos cabin considering they deal closely with the underworld and might know something if any of them had prophetic dreams. I once went there to bring some medication and I fell asleep at the doorstep," Kayla grumbled. Will was surprised by how well Kayla had thought this through.
"I'll see if I can talk to–" Will was interrupted by Chiron trotting over, his mane covered in snow, which shouldn't be possible considering that Camp Half Blood had sheltered itself from the cold.
"Will. Your titan friend tells me that he has very important information. He asked for your presence immediately," Chiron relayed, looking almost hopeful. Will stood up at an instant, signaling that he was ready. His two friends seemed to want to ask about the whole titan thing, but didn't interrupt.
Bob had gone back to the underworld shortly after he and Will had arrived, bringing his saber-tooth cat with him. He'd gone to both work for Hades and keep an ear out for any news of Nico down there. If he was back, that had to mean he'd found something!
This time, though. Will refrained from begging his father for good fortune because that didn't seem to be his forte. However, he would be lying if he said he hadn't thrown the first pancake in his dish into the fire for the god.
Before long, they reached the border and entered the heavy snow. Despite the frost biting at his fingers, Will felt warmth emanating from his chest, to which Chiron seemed to be giving him a strange look.
I'm glowing, aren't I?
When they approached a spot beside the road, Will saw Bob who towered over the trees, swatting a bird that had mistaken his hair as a perch.
"I'm sorry, Bob, but it is much more convenient to meet you here so that campers don't get riled up. It's difficult enough with all the monsters around, so I'd rather we not escalate the mood," Chiron apologized.
"No worries. I won't be staying long, anyway." Bob shrugged causing the snow on a few nearby trees to fall in heaps. "Do you know Sisyphus?"
Will looked to Chiron, wanting to ask if the titan meant THE Sisyphus from the legend.
"We know OF him. Why?" Chiron answered when Will said nothing.
"I talked to him when I was asked to sweep up a couple of souls that wandered near the palace and, when I asked whether he'd heard anything about Nico, he said he'd heard from him personally!" Bob was grinning and small Bob circled around Chiron's feet, which made the centaur slightly uncomfortable but nonetheless joyous.
"You're saying he's back?" Will asked incredulously. He wanted to look for Nico right away but faced the same problem from before: he didn't know where to look. If Nico was in the Underworld though, he would have to leave through the doors, so Will made up his mind to ask Hazel to help him open them.
Chiron seemed relieved and he added on, "Did Nico tell him anything that might tell us his whereabouts?"
"Not really. But Sisyphus did say that Nico was trying to shadow travel when they met. Said he looked like he was in a hurry, maybe even being chased?"
"All the more reason to find a way to get rid of the new waves of monsters. Hopefully, while we send out groups, we can keep an eye out for Nico. I've heard that the hunters of Artemis are on their way here, as well. The monsters just aren't easy to pick off anymore; they're grouping up in large numbers, making it hard for the hunters to stay in one place for very long. They came to ask for shelter while they stock up on supplies," Chiron informed them.
"I do wish you luck in finding him. I think that Small Bob and I will go back to Hades' palace. Sisyphus mentioned that he had a feeling from how Nico was acting that he would return soon. Said that Nico was acting strange; well, stranger than usual."
Will wasn't sure how that could be true but, before he could ask what the titan meant, Bob grabbed Will and picked him up, almost crushing his ribs in a hug.
"I'll miss you, too, Bob." Will tapped him on the back, trying to breathe in the titan's soul-crushing grip.
Bob whispered in Will's ear, "I hope to see the stars soon."
Will didn't know what that meant, but it didn't seem to matter. All that needed to happen now was for Will to find his boyfriend.