My heart pounded in my chest as I raced towards the familiar warmth of the Apollo cabin. My mind raced with anticipation.

As I burst through the cabin door, Will was already waiting, his face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Deathboy," he antagonized, extending the lamp towards me.

My eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Seriously, Will? Still with the 'deathboy' nickname?" I grumbled, snatching the lamp from Will's grasp.

Despite my irritation, I couldn't suppress a small smile as I examined the lamp. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, its delicate frame adorned with intricate carvings. There were gorgeous suns, and stars littering the frame.

I sighed, shaking my head in exasperation. "You know I hate that nickname," I muttered.

Will shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, it's true, isn't it? You're the son of Hades, the lord of the dead. And a boy..."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. But it's still annoying."

"Oh, come on, lighten up, deathboy," Will chuckled. "It's just a harmless nickname."

I couldn't help but crack a grin. "Fine, Sunshine." I said, and Will blushed.

Will laughed. "Deal."

I held the lamp closer, its soft glow illuminating my face. Despite my initial annoyance with the nickname, I couldn't deny that I secretly loved the lamp. It was a reminder of my friendship with Will, a friendship that had blossomed into something more, something deeper, something I dared to call love.

I looked up at Will, my heart pounding in my chest. "Will," I began, my voice barely a whisper.

Will's eyes widened in surprise, then a smile spread across his face. "Yes, Nico?"

"I love you, I'll never want anyone but you." I confessed, except... I didn't. It came out more like this: "I want anyone but you. I'll never love you."

My heart sank like a stone dropped into the Styx. The words, though spoken in jest, felt like shards of celestial bronze piercing my soul. Will's smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of hurt that stabbed me deeper than any Underworld blade.

"I didn't mean to say that!" I blurt out quickly, but Will was already crying, running out of the room.

"I... love you..." I say, and curl up on Will's bed, needing to smell his scent one last time, for I knew better than to believe he could ever love me after this.