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Emmet needed to figure something out fast. Chiron had said it would be an easy task that wouldn’t take longer than a few days. He should have known better than to believe him. It’s been a few weeks now, and they’re badly injured, hungry, and surrounded by monsters. A few hours ago, they finally got the location of the object they needed to bring back to camp. Unfortunately for them, said object was in Orlando, while they were in New York. For those who don’t know — those two cities are very far from each other. Even if they survived the next hour, they still had no clue how to get to Orlando.
“Can we slow down? I feel like throwing up,” said Alice, daughter of Iris.
“No. If you really need to, then throw up while walking,” answered an irritated Emmet. Alice was the main reason they were being chased, after all — she’d caused a traffic jam and attracted the attention of nearly everyone nearby.
“Think, Emmet. You’re the son of Athena, so do something with your brain,” Emmet muttered to himself, eyeing the names of passing streets. Wait. He recognized one of them. He’d seen it a while ago on the list of emergency addresses in the White House. The list had been made so demigods could use them in times of need and get help from older half-bloods or people connected to the gods.
“That way,” said Emmet, and led Alice and Tom — the quiet son of Hephaestus — down a side lane.
The monsters had lost their trail, but that didn’t mean they were safe.
They quickly found the right block, ran up the staircase, and knocked on the door.
The door opened to reveal a tall, blond man, probably in his early twenties. He looked at the three demigods and quickly let them inside.
"I guess the three of you are on a quest that didn’t go as planned," he said, pointing at the couch. "Sit down, and I’ll bring medical supplies. "He was about to leave the room but stopped. "By the way, I’m Will Solace," he added, then disappeared into another room.
The three young demigods sat down on the couch.
"Soo..." Alice broke the silence. "What are the chances that this Will guy is actually a monster who’s going to attack us?"
"None," Emmet replied flatly.
"Alice, please be nice. I’m sure he’s a good person," said Tom. A moment later, Will came back with a first aid kit.
"Alright, show me your injuries," he said and began inspecting their wounds. Suddenly, Will began to sing, his hands glowed with a golden light, and their wounds started healing before their eyes.
"You’re a son of Apollo," Emmet guessed.
Will smiled at the comment.
"Yes, I am, but not just that. I was also the camp’s head medic, and I’m a medical student."
"Wow, I guess we were really lucky to end up near your place," said Alice.
"We definitely were. Thanks for the help, but we need to go. We have to find—"
"You’re not going anywhere," Will said firmly. "None of you are ready to continue this quest. Letting you leave now would be like sending you to your deaths. For now, you’re staying here."
"But—" Tom started, but Will cut him off.
"No buts. All three of you are going to take a bath, eat dinner with me and my husband, who’ll be home any minute and rest. Those are doctor’s orders. Follow them if you want to make it back to camp alive."
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a door opening, and a short guy dressed entirely in black walked into the room. He stood awkwardly at the entrance for a moment, clearly unsure what to say.
"Let me introduce you," Will said, gesturing toward the man in black. "This is my husband, Nico."
"Alice, Emmet, and Tom," Emmet said quickly.
"Right. Campers on a quest who need some help," Will added with a smile.
"Alright, then. I’ll make dinner for five," Nico said matter-of-factly, and without missing a beat, walked off to the kitchen.
"Thanks, darling. I knew you wouldn’t say no to three kids in trouble."
"More like I wouldn’t say no to you, altruist," Nico replied with a smirk.
Some time later, everyone sat around the table eating the dinner Nico had prepared. The young demigods explained their quest, and Nico shared a few survival tips with them.
"You know what? I’ll take you to Orlando," Nico offered.
"Are you sure? It’s pretty far," Will asked, concerned.
"Don’t worry, Care Bear. These days I’m really good with my powers, and I haven’t used them in a while. I’ll be fine," Nico assured him, though Will didn’t seem convinced.
"Alright," Will sighed. "But promise me: if you feel even a little unwell, you’ll stop and rest. And be careful."
"Light of my life, I’m always careful. I’ll make sure to come back safe and sound," Nico said as he walked up to Will. He wrapped his arms around Will’s neck and kissed him, as if sealing the promise with affection. One kiss turned into two. Then three. Then... several more. As the couple got increasingly absorbed in each other, the three young demigods stood nearby, awkward and confused.
"Okay!" Nico said, finally ending the kissing session. "Anyone know what shadow travel is?"
All three shook their heads.
"Excellent. Now grab your stuff and grab my hand."
They did as instructed, and just as they were about to ask questions, they began to melt into the shadows. The terrifying sensation made them scream and clutch Nico’s hand even tighter.
Meanwhile, Will stood in the living room, watching with quiet amusement as his husband casually traumatized a group of children.