Love is in the air in Cerealia -- or, well, it is in ViViD anyway. And nobody cares about your lives outside of ViViD, so that's all that matters. It's an artificial love construct, but for you sad, lonely, little people, it's probably good enough, right? CERES is on a mission to find you your other half, your soulmate, your one and only, and this is how they've decided to do it -- through technology and abuse of your private information! Welcome to your new love life, courtesy of ViViD.
For your convenience, CERES has automatically generated dating profiles to help match up the new arrivals swiftly and speed up the "get to know each other" process. Nothing like some not-entirely-agreed-to speed dating to break the ice and improve new relations! You're going to be here for awhile, so you may as well get to know each other.
For the older residents, well... you may very well find your soulmate here! You don't want to miss out on that. That would just be an unfixable tragedy. So here, use the handy-dandy profiles and find your new honey. After all, the information on these profiles is 100% accurate, certified and verified by Mosley himself.
Why would you ever doubt that?
 I've never actually been on a date before. Not that there haven't been offers but I'm just too busy a guy! I think to myself, "Mosley, me, guy who's talking to himself, why won't you go on a date with that nice lady who just asked you out?" And I reply, "Oh, you gorgeous bastard, I'm satisfied with my life as it is already! I don't need love." After all, what is love? Baby, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.
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PHASE I [ 6 00 ] Gooooood morning, new ViViD compatriots and gamers! You’re not going to get a lot of time to adjust and recover from your sudden retrieval from destroyed and sad code, really, because as soon as you arrive, fresh and new to Cerealia, you’ll be faced with a profile.
Oh, look, it’s your face! And… a quote attributed to you? And your favorite object? Hopefully those details are correct, because there’s no going back now.
You’ve become an otome love interest.
For those who aren’t brand new to ViViD, you’ll be presented the exact same profiles -- but you’ll have to pick one. You know how this works, pick the love interest you want to romance and sweep them off their feet. Better pick the right route too because, haha! You wouldn't want to end up naked and alone in a basement again! That would be crazy. Just pick some rando hottie instead, it's no big.
Or, well, that’s what they say. But then you’re dumped into a ballroom, dressed up to the nines in finery, and surrounded by other milling NPCs. You're given a moment to process the whole situation before a genteel-looking older man who seems to be running this party steps up to the microphone. Gently, he clears his throat, and welcomes everyone to the party ("Haven't been to a party this fine since I had all my teeth!"), and then he gestures to a pile of weapons in the middle of the room and finishes cheerfully, “Anyway, whoever survives can leave this room -- enjoy!”
It looks like the NPCs aren’t messing around; they’re immediately diving for the weapons, so you might want to get a move on.
Welcome to the Cerealia Dating Hunger Games.
PHASE II [ 1000 ] When you burst out of the ball room, possibly covered in the blood of your enemies (your poor dress/suit!), you’ll find yourself in what looks to be a sprawling jungle. In reality, it’s a circular arena, and if you travel far enough, you can reach the walls, though they’re electrified with no way out. If you try to get past them, you’re going to fry yourself before you accomplish anything else! Where's the fun in that?
The bigger problem is this: there are some unfortunate monsters on the prowl (don't they... look a little familiar?) in the jungle, and they are ready and willing to eat up anyone who crosses their paths. They’re drawn to the scent of blood -- and, even more so, the scent of people in love. So hey, if you're in love right now, it might be a good time to run. Otherwise, you're the top target and about to be hunted. Have fun out there, lovebirds!
Meanwhile, the NPCs (or even your fellow player characters?!) are out for blood themselves, so nowhere is truly safe.
Was that... was that a scream for help, or someone coming to get you?
PHASE III [ 1145 ] At some point, you’re going to need supplies. It starts to feel like you’ve been in here for days without any food or water (but that’s weird, wasn’t this ViViD session supposed to be just a few hours -- ) and you’re starting to feel the effects.
So, time to get in touch with your inner man vs wild. There are animals to hunt (deer, rabbit, etc.) and if you can fashion a spear or use a weapon you scooped up in the chaos, you can kill them for food. Alternatively, you can just try stealing some supplies from your fellow players. That's probably a saner option.
Which leaves you sneaking up onto their camp, full of sneakiness, and more sneakiness, and a little bit of stealth, you reach out and...
Suddenly, there are lights on you! Cameras! Cheering, adoring crowds! There's a narrator narrating every step you're taking (loudly) and there are fans hanging on your every move --
Oh, did that wake up the other player and/or bring monsters roaring down upon you? Whoops. The perils of spectator sports like the Cerealia Hunger Games, really.
PHASE IV [ 1400 ] You did it. Someone came at you, and you killed them. Their blood is on your hands, but it’s fine -- it’s just a program in a game.
Right?
Except when you look again, it’s someone you know. The corpse of a person who’s very important to you in so many ways is lying there on the ground, blood still warm but clearly dead. They’re solid to the touch. They’re there, and they look just like that person you care about so very much. Your heart hurts.
And you’re the one who killed them.
Then, without warning, it starts to rain because ViViD is nothing if not good at sensing the mood.
PENALTY [ why o'clock ] So.
You died.
This isn't really that surprising, considering it's the Cerealia Dating Hunger Games. People die a lot in games like these. It's the price of love.
Don't worry, though! It's just ViViD, so it's not like you really died. You'll get reconstructed, good as new, and they'll toss you right back onto the battlefield. Except, well... it seems like something's a little different.
For one thing, you've got claws instead of hands.
You can't seem to speak, either; all you can manage is garbled growls and sharp noises.
And, worst of all... you're really, very intensely hungry, and you can smell blood (or people in love, that's an even better scent).
So yeah, you're one of the monsters now. Don't worry, it only happens the first time you die in this game; if someone valiantly slays you again, you'll come back good as new, a normal person in the Games. What a weird glitch. There's no way that's on purpose or anything, right? No way!
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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Knowing him, he'll find us sooner or later, if he's here. He might not have been brought in with me though. [Nico pauses, pulling a slightly disgruntled face.] That means he's probably eating my shoes again. Great.
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So, he's just like....a giant dog? But just with three heads? And huge?
(That is completely delightful. He's somehow not at all surprise and both pleasantly surprised and it's a feeling he pretty much always has in relation to all things Nico di Angelo oriented so he's just rolling with it.
As they walk, he keeps an eye out for both monsters and good camp ground.)
So you've been here longer than me- where should we camp out?
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[He gives a little hum, scanning around for a place too.] I don't think I've seen this scenario yet. It'd be good if we could find a cave somewhere... or at least some place to set up some kind of shelter with sturdy ground. [Thank the gods they're not in that stupid swamp level again.]
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(Kind of really awesome. He was suddenly tempted to ask all about the Underworld. Unlike some other demigods and the like, Will seemed to have no real issue with the Underworld. Maybe it was Nico. Or maybe it was just the fact that as a healer, he fully accepted that death was simply apart of life. Who better to understand that than someone who had to accept the job where they might not always be able to save everyone?
Not that it ever made it any easier but....Still.)
So this is really like a video game?
(He lifts up a hand and wiggles his fingers in front of his face.)
It feels so real though.
(He drops his hand a moment later, frowning mostly to himself. His eyes begin to dart around though. Cave or sturdy ground it is. He picks up the pace a bit.)
Hey, I totally didn't thank you for back there. For getting me out of that mess. Even if you did do your shadowy-travel business, I still appreciate it.
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I'm not sure how it works, exactly. [He's still a bit confused by all the current technology that's around here.] It does feel real, and you can feel pain here, so I don't recommend doing anything dumb or reckless.
[The thanks comes as a bit of surprise. He's not used to being thanked for much of anything. His answer comes after a slight pause, quiet.] You're welcome. [He remembers finding a piece of Will's shirt on that altar. He'll do whatever it takes to keep Will in one piece all the more because of it.]
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Do I seem like the type to do something dumb or reckless?
(Will pops a hand to his chest and looks feigned hurt. He might occasionally do something reckless, sure, but it was never anything he didn't think he could handle.
Will just smiles at Nico then and lets some silence fill up. He doesn't need to constantly talk, honestly. He pays attention to their surroundings and it doesn't take long before he sees a bit of a something possibly useful.)
What about that?
(It isn't a cave exactly but rather a deep set alcove against an enormous rock.)
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Being silent couldn't hurt. If Cerberus is here, Nico might have had Will whistle and see if the dog heard it, but he also doesn't want to attract the attention of anything unsavory here.
When Will points out the alcove, Nico nods, breaking the quiet.] That'll work. [There might have been something hiding in a cave, so this will work better.]
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It's just dark enough that when they approach the cave Will has to squint a bit. He takes out his device to shine the light and make sure there's nothing really all there. It's a nice enough spot.
He turns and grins at Nico, working his brows up and down.)
Not so dumb, huh?
(He shoves his device away and gestures out.) We should get a fire going.
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[He settles down against a wall, setting his sword down within easy reach next to him, making sure he has a good view of whats around them to spot anything coming. He falls silent again for a while, mulling things over. He told himself he'd tell Will everything that he already knew before and just didn't remember, but where does he even start? His past is a jumbled mess of unpleasantness mixed with fleeting happy moments.]
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(He just kind of slumps. Smooth thinking, Will. Give Nico even more reason to think you're dumb. Nice. He doesn't say much else on the matter and instead sits himself down next to Nico. Not too close. There's like, a solid healthy foot between them. He removes his quiver from his back and sets his bow and arrows next to him as well.
Will props his knees up and rests an elbow against them so he could hold his head up with a hand. At least he's taken guard enough times to deal with the boring of staring out and being wary of monsters. Granted his attention keeps on skipping right on over to Nico but that's not a surprise.)
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So I already told you I was born in 1932, but I was born in Venice, Italy. My father met my mother in Washington, D.C. because she was the daughter of a diplomat. [A diplomat he doesn't remember anything about or if he ever even met.] I... had a sister. Not Hazel, she's my half-sister. Bianca. She was two years older than me. Same mother, same father. We moved to America when I was about 7 because World War II was beginning. It... wasn't a good time to be living in Italy, given what was coming.
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He wants to ask a dozen questions: what happened to Bianca, Nico's mother. But he kept himself quiet. He did shift forward though until his knee was just barely touching Nico. A quiet sort of comfort and encouragement.)
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Anyway. Time is different in the Hotel. Seventy years passed by on the outside, but inside, it was more like a month. Then Percy was discovered and my father had us pulled out because he wanted one of his children to be the hero of the prophecy, not Percy. Bianca and I still had no idea we were demigods. We were enrolled in this military school where a satyr, Grover, found us. We were attacked by a manticore and Percy saved us. [That was when he started having a crush on the son of Poseidon, but talking about being attracted to guys and talking about his past are two different things, and Nico has more difficulty talking about the first thing than the second thing.
Nico shakes his head a little, remembering how he used to be.] I was an idiot back then. I thought it was so cool to be a demigod. I was really into this kid's game, Mythomagic, all about mythology. Artemis showed up with her Hunters and took out the manticore, and... [His mouth curls up in slight amusement.] then I met your dad. He gave us a ride to Camp Half-Blood in the sun chariot. He turned it into a bus. A flaming bus that crash landed into the lake.
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(To put it lightly. Zeus was infamous for it and Poseidon wasn't exactly known for his loyalty to his wife either. He has to admire Hades for that. Will falls silent a moment later, stunned quiet. The severity of killing someone's mother....His own father was a god, sure, but he had never dabbled in any of the big stuff like that and it's...Gods. His eyes flick upward and he feels a moment of honest anger. He knew they could be petty but murdering a mortal like that?
He keeps listening though. Nico deserves as much. Then his brows raise up at the mention of his aunt. Sure, there were other goddesses that were technically his aunt but Apollo and Artemis were much more brother-sister than the traditional sense of gods and so she had always felt more like a real aunt than Athena or Aphrodite ever had.
Despite himself, Will couldn't help but to grin a little bit at his father before outright laughing.)
Of course that's what happened. So glad he made such a memorable impression on you. Gods, dad.
(He rolls his eyes but there's a soft sort of grin on his face. Thanks for indirectly embarrassing him, Apollo.)
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(Will imagined ten year old Nico di Angelo alone and scared in the world. Strangely enough, it shed a bit of light on why this kid thought no one wanted him at camp. Not entirely but at such an impressionable age to have the only person who was consistent in your life taken from you?
Will shifts over until he's sitting directly next to Nico and he reaches a hand up to squeeze the boy's shoulder. He almost put his arm around Nico but he didn't really want to push it with the comforting touch thing.)
Oh. That's...One of my brothers tripped on that once. It was pretty funny.
(He says it lightly enough but he's looking at Nico with that same intense look as before. This was something he couldn't heal and he didn't really like that. His hand slips from Nico's shoulder to rest on the crook of his arm, palm warm.)
I never knew. Gods, that's awful. But...you know. You're not alone anymore. Not back home and not here.
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It didn't feel that way for awhile. Ever heard of Minos? The king who sent people into the Labyrinth to be killed by the Minotaur? I summoned his ghost. He tricked me, convinced me I could bring Bianca back. I learned how to fight and use my abilities by training with the dead. I made my way to my father eventually, convinced him to help the gods fight against Kronos in the Battle of Manhattan. [He knows Will knows what happened during that because he remembers Will being there.]
After the battle, everyone was really nice to me at camp. I finally felt like I might belong there... until a week passed and people started treating me like I'd worn out my welcome. So I left again.
[And now they're getting into territory about things he didn't tell Will the first time he was here, but with the recent happenings in the dark zone...]
I found Hazel, brought her to the Camp Jupiter. My father told me about it, told me to keep it a secret that I knew. Thanatos... The god of death, he was chained by Gaia's minions so the Doors of Death were open and monsters kept on coming back. I thought I might be able to bring Bianca back but she'd... she'd chosen to be reborn and try for the Isle of the Blest. [Talking about the fact that he'd never seen his sister again still isn't easy for him, but he musters on.]
I went searching for the Doors to see if I could do something to help, maybe close them from the other side. I don't like sitting back and doing nothing when other people are off on quests. [The last time he'd done that, his sister hadn't come back.
His voice gets quieter with his next words.] I found out where the other side of the Doors were. Tartarus. Gaia's minions captured me. The only reason I got out was because they brought me back to the surface to use me as bait for the others by sticking me in a jar. If... If they hadn't come, I would have... [He trails off, throat closing up as he hands curl up into tight fists. It takes a moment for him to find his voice again.] This place... It's not as bad as Tartarus - nothing is worse than that - but it's still... not easy. I've managed, I'm used to being alone, but you, you're used to being at camp... I'm sorry you're stuck here.
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He frowns hard then when Nico claims to not have felt very welcomed at camp and there's a curl of anger, frustration at the other campers. He had never in all of his time at camp understood the way people felt towards Hades or his children. He doesn't interrupt Nico's story though.
Will's grip on Nico's arm tightens. The idea of Nico having to go through all of that and mostly alone...Yet he related. He hated sitting around doing nothing.
Then it gets to Tartarus and Will turns to face Nico some and he decides fuck it. He moves his hand the rest of the way down and grabs Nico's hand. A flood of warmth seeps out of Will and into Nico and he has this determined sort of gleam in his eyes.)
I don't care that I'm not at camp. I've never been someone picked for quests and I never will be someone picked for quests. I want to help too and maybe I am used to being at camp but I've always been ready to do what has to be done and now that counts being here. With you. And sorry to say but now that I'm here, I'm keeping you in my line of sight. Those other campers? They're jerks and they don't know what they're talking about. But I like you, Nico. I want to be your friend and you're always welcome with me, okay? Thanks for telling me. I know you didn't have to but- it. I understand you a little better now. It's - that's nice.
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But then he gently pulls his hand free, looking down and mumbling a thank you. He appreciates the words, but they also send his mind in a bit of a whirl too. Especially those three words of 'I like you.' Nico doesn't kid himself, knows Will means it just as a friend because he said so immediately after, but it makes him mull things over in his head. He likes Will too, enjoys being around him even if he wants to strangle him sometimes. During the month or so they'd been here together before, they'd gotten to know each other better and become friends. Will hasn't ever rejected him for being a son of Hades, and that alone is enough to put him in Nico's good graces for a long time, even if Nico feels he can be too pushy about not overusing his powers.
Will is his friend, he knows that for certain, but he's figured out by now that there's more to it than that. There'd been a lot of 'what if's' running through his head after Will disappeared the first time, things he'd thought over for awhile, but months had passed and he figured that those thoughts would go away. They'd faded into the back of his mind, yes, but now that Will is back, they've come roaring back to the surface. He can't put his finger on exactly what it is. He just knows that Will is important to him. It's different than how he had felt about Percy - that had all been hero worship - and it isn't how he feels about Jason or Hazel either. He cares about them all in different ways.
He wants to tell Will this, because Will could disappear in an hour with the possibility of him never seeing him for months again, or never again at all, and he doesn't want to wait another six months to tell Will he's important. But talking about his feelings is something Nico di Angelo is definitely not known for, and he's not sure how to express all that he's thinking.
So instead he turns it back to Will, asking quietly:] Why? After the war, when you weren't happy with me not visiting you at the infirmary, why me? You said you wanted to see a friendly face. Why not someone else? Why single me out, out of everyone else at camp? Was it just because you were trying to get me to rest?
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While Nico spends time thinking about- whatever it is he's thinking about- Will spends time thinking about how to apologize or if he even should. By the time he figures that a simple, blunt apology would do, he turns and opens his mouth to start speaking but Nico beats him to the punch.
Annnnd it has absolutely nothing to do with what Will had been expecting. His mouth hangs open for a moment and his brain does this useful white noise thing where he can't seem to think of a single thought, word, or anything useful at all. His mouth audibly clicks shut and he bites his tongue in the process.
Thing is, Will had a lot of friends at camp. Enough that Nico had a point and he knew that Nico had a point and he knew that Nico knew that he knew. Will wasn't stupid by any means.
His eyes cut away to look ahead of them and into the woods a bit. He rubs his thumb along the curve of his knee, his face a bit soft and closed off.)
Of course it was because I wanted you to rest. You have no clue what you feel like to me.
(He grabs Nico's hand again but this time not to hold. He moves their hands up into the air and opens his palm against Nico's, forcing Nico's hand opened as well and aligns their fingers tip to tip.)
You know, I can feel people's energies too a little bit. Not like you can. It's different. But with you...It's like I can feel the darkness moving under your skin. How it's apart of you. How you're apart of it.
(He slowly withdraws his hand from Nico's and looks at his own palm, cooled from touching Nico's hand.)
I've...I've kind of noticed you for a while. I guess I just wanted you to finally notice me too. I know I'm not like-. A son of Zeus or Poseidon or anything big like that. But. I was hoping...
(He trails off and okay yeah. This was. Really embarrassing actually. He's blushing like a total idiot on top of it all.)
Why are you asking anyway?
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But then Will takes his hand and lines it up with the healer's own and Nico's eyes go a little wide at his words, fighting back a blush.] Do you... think that... darkness is bad? [Because he won't deny that the shadows are a part of him.
Will's next words make his eyes grow even wider, stunned that Will actually said them. I wanted you to finally notice me too.]
You don't... You don't have to be a son of the Big Three to be big, Will. I said it before, you're amazing, in your own way. Don't sell yourself short. You do so much for the camp, probably more than you'll ever realize.
[And now that that's said, Nico takes in a deep breath and lets it out, curling the fingers up of the hand that Will had held into a loose fist.] When you were here before... we got... closer. Annabeth wasn't around for very long, so it was just us for awhile. We got to know each other better.
[Okay, come on, Nico, Will said it so you can say it too, even if yeah, this is one of the most nerve-wracking, awkward, embarrassing conversations he's ever had.] I started... [Come on, just spit it out already.] noticing [Yes, use Will's own words, that works.] ... well, you too but then you were gone. I'd... like to do that again. If you want? Just... get to know each other better and... then see where it goes...?
[If someone asked him what he wants right now, he's not even sure how he'd respond. He knows he doesn't want to be alone and he knows that Will helps him feel not alone because he hasn't shunned him over the things other people have, because he's amusing and aggravating and amazing all at the same time. Because he's just... Will, and he's important to him. And before Nico loses the chance again, he finally says it.]
You're important to me, Will. No matter what happens, I just... want you to know that.
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No, I don't think the darkness is bad.
(It's funny. Will is so...sincere. There's no loophole, no lie, no hesitation. It's one of the easiest questions he's had to answer.)
The world has light in it and darkness for a reason. And I don't think it's ever been so simple as to say 'light is good' and 'dark is evil'. That's pretty dumb. Your powers are intimidating because they're strong but not because they're bad. I mean, not all monsters are bad either. Just like not all mortals are good.
(Will shrugs his shoulders and really, he thinks it's pretty simple. The world is a grey place. There was plenty of darkness in Nico, but it was the good kind of darkness because it was in a good kind of person. That's all there was to it for him.
At Nico complimenting him, Will feels himself blush all the way from his ears and into his cheeks. He can't even say anything before Nico is saying more and again- Will is a little jealous of himself.
Then he begins to put together the pieces of what it is exactly that Nico is telling him. I started noticing you too. Nico di Angelo. Noticing him of all people. Why? Despite what Nico said, Will really wasn't anything special.
Something was there.
Something between them was actually there and- wow.)
Yes- yeah. Yeah that'd be...awesome. Really, really awesome. I mean, that's why I wanted you to stick around. I. Just wanted to get to know you better and maybe by the end of it all, you'd tolerate me enough to maybe- want that too. So- yeah. That'd. Yup. We're so doing that.
(Very smooth, Solace.
But the real winner of this is the last bit. It takes Will by surprise more than anything else and he just stares at Nico in silence for a moment. Then he moves forward and screw it. Nico can deal. Will wraps his arms up around Nico and welcome to probably the warmest embrace ever, Nico. It's tight and secure, like Will sees everything worth holding on to in Nico.)
You're important to me too.
(Then he's pulling back from Nico, giving him his space back and sitting back onto his calves, looking a little flustered.)
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His mouth can't help but twitch up into a small but amused and relieved smile when Will trips over his next words. Before he can give a reply, though, he's taken off guard by Will yanking him forward into a hug. He allows it, and actually hugs Will back for a moment.
Then they're sitting back, both quiet and flustered. Nico again has a moment of feeling glad that he's not alone anymore before he chides himself for being so selfish. Will doesn't understand what this place can be like...
Nico looks up at him, expression suddenly serious.] Will, you have to promise me something. Whenever anything out of the ordinary happens, you contact me. CERES does things like send us into places inside ViVid or places outside the city, or things show up inside the city that eventually go bad, even if they look good at first, like a carnival or amusement park. There's always a catch to everything here. It's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself; I've been here for months so I know what to expect. We have a better chance at getting through what they throw at us if we stick together. [And hopefully Nico will never have to see anything as horrifying as that cut up scrap of Will's shirt on that bloody altar.] Understand?
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All right.
(He doesn't really see the problem in that. He was naturally a team player and sticking together was usually his means of tackling a problem.)
Yeah, I understand. I'll contact you. Where do you even live in this place anyway? Maybe I could live near you.
(He means it in earnest. The camp was useful for how central it was and how everyone was easily within reach at all times. Will wasn't asking to live with Nico- no- but he thought it'd be a good idea to at least be neighbors or within short walking distance of one another just in case anything ever happened.)
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