Will POV:

I stared at him. The Nico boy. He was hot, I had to admit. But no doubt he was straight. Poor guy has serious depression. Suicidal. In fact, that's how I came to know him. He cut himself so bad that he passed out. Almost died. He's still dangerously close to death.

I was there when it happened, too. He'd run from Percy after showing his scars, then ran and locked himself in his bathroom in his cabin. He had a poster thing that looked like it may have once been a portrait of him, though it was covered with rude names in red ink.

This was 3 days ago and he still hasn't woken up. I've set up an IV tube in his arm, giving him blood, and multiple medicines. I sit down next to him suddenly saddened again. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve depression. Or pain at all. He deserved a nice, happy, calm life. Unfortunately, most people don't get one of those. I kissed his forehead lightly and left to get an apple as I hadn't eaten anything for 3 days.

Nico PoV:

I felt warm lips press against my forehead as I came to. I blinked a few times, but by the time my vision was working properly, there was nobody there. I groaned in pain, my everything hurt. I looked around, I had a tube stuck in my left arm that looked like it was giving me blood. I had bandages wrapped all up and down my arms with some areas where the blood has stained through.

My head seemed to be constantly throbbing, pounding, I swear I could hear the pain it was causing me. I almost cried as I realized what I'd done to myself. No one was supposed to know and now here I was sitting in a bed in the infirmary, barely even alive. Funny how some things change so suddenly. Yesterday, only Jason knew, but now I'm sure the whole camp probably knows. I sighed knowing this mess was too big for me to handle anymore.

Hello, Nico. I'm back. I growled and shouted, "NO! NO, YOU'RE NOT BACK, YOU DID THIS, THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU NEED TO LEAVE. ME. ALONE." And naturally, 3 people came running into the room, Percy, Jason, and some really hot, blonde doctor guy I'm pretty sure I've never seen before.

"NICO!" They all shouted together. Jason and Percy squeezed me in a hug and the doctor kid stood at the end of my bed, looking at me in concern, "Nico, you are aware, there was nobody else in here when you were screaming?" I nodded shakily. And sank back as far as I could.

Percy and Jason, seeming to have just realized this, joined the doctor in looking at me in concern. "Nico, if I may ask, who were you talking to?" The doctor kid asked and I just smiled sadly, wishing there was a way I could explain it to him. I shook my head and tried to sink deep enough into the darkness to leave, but I found I was too physically weak to shadow travel.

"Nico?" Jason asked, "What's up my bro? My main man? Why were just trying to shadow travel away?" I cursed under my breath, "Oh that? No reason."

"Uh huh." He said, nodding, not seeming to have believed me at all. "And I'm a cute girl." I looked at him in surprise, "You are? Congrats, I'm glad you could come out to me." He rolled his eyes at me, but it was his own fault for being sarcastic around me. I live off sarcasm. Of course that's not saying much cause I'm barely living at all right now, but whatever.

Will PoV:

"Jason, Percy, would you two mind letting me and Nico talk about this in private?" I asked, advancing toward the bed.

Once it was just the two of us, I sat down and looked at Nico. "So. You were screaming in a room alone? What happened?" His expression turned dark and he seemed to be deciding what to say and how to word it, but he mainly just seemed sad and depressed. I looked at him with sadness of my own, already knowing what he was about to say and understanding entirely.

"I-I hear voices..." He whispered, trailing off. I nodded. "Well, more like just one voice.." I stared into his chocolate brown, endless swirls of eyes and just stared for a bit. Then, I slowly nodded. I found my voice. "No, I get it." I said like I was trying to reassure him. " I hear them too. Well I'm sure mine are different, and I hear multiple, but, yeah. Anyway.. uh.. um.." I bit my tongue as I'd been about to, very stupidly, ask him out. "Any more details? I mean, I'll share more with you too if you want."

He shook his head, shakily, and I just wanted to hug the poor kid, but of course I knew he wouldn't like that. I mean seriously? Who would want a hug from their teenage doctor, they just met?

"H-hey, Will?" He whispered barely audibly. "Yes, Nico?" I replied, looking toward him. "What's up?" Nico shook his head slightly and before I knew what was happening, tears were streaming down his face and he was crying and crying. In that moment, I knew it didn't matter if he wanted me to or not, I walked up to him and hugged him tight. "It's all gonna be okay." I whispered, gently, into his ear. I wiped some of the tears from his face and walked over to the door. "You should get some sleep, okay? It's getting late and you're visibly tired. But, if you need me, I'll be just out here, so you only have to call, okay?" He nodded slowly and I left the room, not looking back.

~~

I slumped down on my bed in Apollo cabin, head in hands, tears starting to run down my face. I started shaking as sobs racked my body and and I couldn't control my thoughts nor the voices as they started speaking.

My brother, Austin, had forced me to get some rest while he watched Nico. Told me nothing would happen to the small boy. But I couldn't help feeling guilty for all of this.

The voices were getting louder and before I knew it, I had a knife placed against my upper thigh, digging through my skin and causing drops of blood to pop up.

Cutting. My only coping mechanism. I know it isn't a good one, but I can't stop. I've tried. I'm helpless. Especially when the voices are as loud as they are right now. It's the only way I know to make them shut up, the only way I don't have to listen to them constantly.

When I cut myself, it seems to satisfy them and they encourage me. I don't know why, but I always keep going until I pass out. Ok wake up the next day in bed, not entirely sure what happened.

My thighs always burn and it hurts to walk, but I have to mask the pain so nobody sees. Once they notice, I'll be stuck in the infirmary, unable to help Nico.

So as I walk over to check on him, I ignore the voices as best I can, knowing it's the only way.

When I walk in the room, Nico's already sitting up, waiting for me.