The Apollo cabin was quiet, wrapped in silver moonlight.

Will lay on his back, one arm loosely around Nico’s waist. Nico had fallen asleep first tonight—curled into Will’s side, dark hair a mess against the pillow, one hand fisted in Will’s shirt like he didn’t even realize he’d done it.

Will smiled faintly before sleep dragged him under.

And then—

He was standing in the middle of a battlefield.

The sky was gray. The air smelled like smoke and iron.

Nico was a few feet away.

On his knees.

Will ran to him instantly. “Nico—hey—hey, I’m here.”

There was blood.

Too much blood.

It soaked through Nico’s black shirt, stained his pale hands, smeared across Will’s fingers when he grabbed him. Will pressed his palms over the wound, golden light flaring desperately from his skin.

“I can fix this,” Will said, voice shaking. “I can fix this, just stay with me.”

His healing power poured out in waves—hot, blinding, frantic.

But the wound didn’t close.

The light slipped through Nico like it had nothing to hold onto.

Nico’s dark eyes found his, and there was no fear in them. Just exhaustion.

“You can’t save everyone, Will,” Nico whispered.

“No.” Will shook his head violently. “Don’t say that. Don’t you dare say that.”

His hands were slick with blood now. It dripped down his wrists. His glow flickered, unstable.

“I’m the healer,” Will choked. “I’m supposed to—”

Nico’s body started to fade.

Not like dying.

Like dissolving.

Edges blurring into shadow.

Will grabbed at him, but his fingers passed through smoke.

“Nico!” His voice broke. “Please—please—”

And then Nico was gone.

Only darkness. Only blood on Will’s hands.

Will woke up with a sharp, gasping inhale.

He bolted upright in bed, golden light flaring instinctively from his skin, illuminating the entire cabin in a harsh flash of sunrise.

His hands—

He looked down.

Clean.

No blood.

His chest heaved. His heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Beside him, Nico stirred, shadows curling lazily around the bed in reaction to the sudden light.

“…Will?” Nico mumbled, voice thick with sleep. “You’re glowing.”

Will turned immediately.

Nico was there.

Solid. Warm. Very much alive.

Without thinking, Will grabbed him—pulling him upright, hands on his face, his shoulders, like he needed to check every inch.

“You’re okay,” Will breathed.

Nico blinked, confused but not pulling away. “I was sleeping.”

Will let out a shaky laugh that was almost a sob. He pressed his forehead against Nico’s, golden light dimming to a soft glow.

“I couldn’t save you,” he whispered.

Nico went very still.

After a second, he reached up and rested a cool hand against Will’s cheek.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Nico said quietly.

Will swallowed hard. He pulled Nico back into his arms, tighter this time. Protective. Almost desperate.

Nico made a soft sound of protest at the squeezing—but he wrapped his arms around Will anyway.

Will stayed awake long after Nico drifted off again.

His hand never left Nico’s heartbeat.