Mark Oshiro

But studying Will’s face, Nico saw only anticipation. The good
kind. Will was ready for whatever Nico would say, and no matter how this ended, Will would still think just as highly of him.

What did I ever do to deserve him? Nico wondered. He asked himself that question a lot.

Why, oh why, did it feel like such a victory to make Will laugh? For a long time, Nico had assumed he himself did not have a heart. He was the son of Hades, after all. Love didn’t find people like him. But then came … Will. Will, who could melt Nico’s iciness with a smile. Anyone could have guessed which god was Will’s father – he radiated energy and light. Sometimes literally, as they had learned in the troglodytes’ caverns earlier that year. Will was Apollo’s son, through and through.

Either way, it made Nico a little annoyed. Why did Will have to be so beautiful all the time?

Sometimes Nico’s brain thought of a joke and it came out of his mouth a second later without any sort of filter at all. That’s exactly what happened when he blurted out, ‘My whole life is a disorder!’

It had to be Bob the Titan.

What was one straight boy when you spent your whole life longing for the impossible?

‘My grumpy little ball of darkness,’

What did I ever do to deserve him? Nico wondered. He asked himself that question a lot.

‘That’s a funny joke,’ said Will as they reached the summit.

‘What is?’

‘You,’ said Will. ‘Being happy.’

Nico rolled his eyes.

‘My grumpy little ball of darkness,’ added Will, poking him in the ribs.

but when he slept, the voice became almost unbearable.