“You usually are before quests.”
“But this isn’t a quest.”
Will nodded. “And…?”
“And what?”
“Would you prefer that itwas?”
Nico raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Will put his hand in a blue sock as if checking for holes. “I mean that the last three months have been peaceful, right? Just hanging out. Living life. I, for one, have been happy not to be chased by murderous pigeons or pelted by acid rain on a daily basis.”
“I too am glad we’re not currently suffering.”
“Butareyou glad?”
Nico gasped. “Will!”
“Sorry, that came out harsh.” Will held up his sock puppet and ventriloquized. “Maybe I’m overanalyzing you.”
“Maybe not,” Nico said, tugging the sock off Will’s hand. “I get where you’re going. I’ve been running my whole life. From my childhood or monsters or grief. Now that I don’t have to do that anymore—”
“It feels weird?”
Nico nodded. “I know a lot of us have to deal with ADHD, but with ADHD, you find the most interesting thing, and you can laser-focus on it, right?”
“That’s how demigods are built,” Will agreed.
“But when there’s no threat, no quest…” Nico hesitated. He’d talked himself into a corner. He didn’t want to imply that Willwasn’tthe most interesting thing in his life, or that he wasn’t deserving of Nico’s full focus.
“I’m having a hard time just existing,” he said at last. “I’m worried that I have nothing to worry about. I have no idea if that makes any sense. I keep thinking there’s some monster looming around the corner, ready to pounce on me.”
“And in a way,” Will said, “fighting a monster would be a relief. Because you’re used to that.”
Nico put his head on Will’s shoulder. “Am I broken, Doc?”
Will laughed gently. “Not even a little. But you’re about to go see your sister and a whole different set of friends. Whatever is going on at Camp Jupiter, we won’t have a quest to guide us. There’s no checklist. I’m betting it’ll be more about listening to them, reconnecting, hanging out together. Living life.”
“The hard stuff,” Nico grumbled.
“Exactly,” Will said. “The best help you can offer Hazel is just to be present for her.”
“ ‘Be present.’ ” Nico made air quotes around the words. “That’s what Mr. D is always telling me. He’s got me doing all these exercises…like if I don’t, I’ll slip into the past or the future.”
“Are you a time traveler, Nico?”
“That’s whatIwondered! If so, I’m not using my powers correctly.”
Will grabbed his hand. “Well, I am happy to practice staying in our current timeline with you. You just have to ask.”
“Thanks, sunshine.”
Will stood. “Anyway. Not enough socks. Gotta pack more.”
Nico groaned. He slid off the bed and onto the floor. “Will, it’s onlytwo days.”
“Maybe so,” Will said, “but what if we end up fighting a monster after all, and its weakness is wool socks? Then you won’t think I’m so silly.”
