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Uh oh, I’m falling in love
This is so stupid.
He’s FINE.
It’s not like he hasn’t done this before.
Nico sighs, crossing his arms over his chest, his back propped up by pillows. He glares at the person whistling happily, fussing with a corner of the blanket.
“Solace, it’s been three days.” He says, and Will tilts his head, looking over at him. He holds Nico’s gaze for too long, and Nico looks away, his cheeks heating up.
Curse this stupid idiot.
“You’re still not healed.” Will comments, stepping over to check on Nico’s arm, practiced hands reaching out to prod at the scars. Nico hisses in pain, and Will gives him an ‘I told you so’ look.
“I’m going insane sitting in this bed all day.” He says, and Will laughs softly, shaking his head.
“No one said you had to sit in the bed all day.” He points out, and Nico feels his cheeks flush again. No, no, no stop it.
“But I can’t leave.” Nico says. It’s not a question, but Will grins at him nonetheless. Nico averts his eyes, choosing to pick at one of his nails instead.
“Nope! But I always need an extra set of hands in the infirmary.” Nico looks down at his hands. Why would Will want him anywhere near the infirmary? Near healing? He doesn’t understand Will Solace at all. He must have been in his head for too long, since he’s startled out of it by Will’s hand on his arm, the deep blue of his eyes boring into Nico like he can see through him into the deepest, darkest parts of whatever is left of Nico’s soul.
“You don’t have to do anything that you’re not comfortable with, Nico.” Will says, and Nico blinks, shifting his gaze down to his hands again. Anything to not meet Will’s eyes. He feels like he’ll say something idiotic if he looks at him again.
“What do you want me to do?”
Nico can’t help but feel a darkness in the pit of his stomach. Oh. So Will’s just… like that. He watches the other boy chatter excitedly away about something or rather to another camper in a bed, wrapping her arm with a thick bandage. He thought it was just—
His mouth goes dry, and he swallows.
Cut that out, Niccolo di Angelo.
He shakes his head, trying to clear the dark thoughts from his mind. Why is he thinking like that? It’s not like Will owes him anything. They barely know each other.
Oh, but you do. He hears a whisper in his ear. He closes his eyes, breathing out deeply.
“Nico?” He opens his eyes to see Will looking at him. Once their eyes meet, Will’s gaze softens, and Nico feels the world blur just a little bit.
“Yes?” He answers, his voice coming out a little raspy. Will gives him a warm smile, and Nico pushes down the feelings that rise in his throat.
“Would you go grab a piece of ambrosia for me? Danielle needs one, and my hands are busy.” Will says, and Nico blinks before nodding.
“Where?” Will hums, snipping at the bandage so he can fold it over, his expert fingers working over the fabric–
“In the storeroom. It should be clearly labeled. Just one piece, please.” Will says, and Nico snaps out of his focus on Will’s hands.
“Right. Um. Be right back.” His words tumble out in a mess and Nico turns, his ears burning. He goes into the storeroom and looks around, eyebrows furrowed.
“It’s right over there.” A new voice points out, and Nico whirls, hand going to his hip. Where’s his sword–
One of Will’s brothers, one Nico doesn’t know the name of, leans against the doorway, his blue eyes staring down Nico. Nico blinks once, twice. The other boy reaches out, pointing with one finger. Nico turns his head slightly, and sees a plastic box.
Ambrosia, the label reads.
“Oh. Uh, thanks.” Nico says dumbly, and the other boy hums, turning around and leaving. Nico curses under his breath, taking a piece out of the box and going back to Will. The older boy is still chattering away.
“Here.” He says quietly, coming over to Will’s side. Will takes the ambrosia from him with a grateful smile, and Nico looks away, stepping back from Will, away from Danielle.
“Thanks, Neeks.” He says cheerfully, and Nico lets out a huff, crossing his arms over his chest, which only makes Will laugh harder.
Oh.
That’s a nice sound.
“You’re Nico?” The girl in the bed says, her big blue eyes looking up at him like he’s a god or something. Nico blinks before nodding slowly. “You’re the one who brought the Parthenos to camp right?” Nico nods again, not sure where she is going with this. Her face splits into a big grin.
“You saved the camp!” She says, and Will chuckles softly.
“He did, didn’t he? Nearly killed himself doing it, though.” Nico glares at him, but Will just tilts his head, giving Nico a dazzling smile that nearly makes his knees buckle. What… the hell.
“I’m fine.” He mutters, and Danielle practically vibrates in her bed.
“You’re so cool!” Nico stares at her, taken aback by her reaction. He doesn’t know what to do with this. His eyes dart from side to side, and he sees Will look at him from the corner of his eye, his eyebrow furrowed.
“Hey, Neeks. Can you go sit on the bed over there and organize these bandages? So I can finish up with Danielle here?” Will holds out a box filled with bandages and a few empty boxes. Nico gives him a grateful look, nodding. He moves a few beds away, far enough that Danielle doesn’t care to stare at him anymore.
Once her attention is off of him, Nico feels his shoulders relax. Soft music filters through the infirmary, sunlight streaming in through the open windows. It’s nice… the feeling of the sunlight against his skin.
After a few minutes, Nico dares look back up, and Will’s eyes are on him. Those warm, yet piercing blue eyes. Nico holds his gaze for a minute, and Will simply smiles at him, tilting his head in a question. Nico shakes his head, and it looks like Will chuckles a bit before going back to tending to Danielle.
There’s something pounding in Nico’s chest that terrifies him. He brings his hand up to his chest, fingers clawing at his heart over his camp shirt.
It feels like something trying to break its way out of his chest. Something climbing out of the shattered bits of him and climbing up his throat, making him say and do things he doesn’t expect. Making him feel things he doesn’t feel.
He shakes his head, clearing his thoughts.
This is very bad for him. He can’t do this.
Oh no, I’m falling in love again
The feelings are back.
Well… Nico’s never sure that they really left, if he is being honest. Just months of forcing them down, pretending they don’t exist.
It’s taken a toll on him.
Will’s brilliance takes a toll on him.
… That sounds worse than it is.
Nico sighs, watching the Apollo Cabin shriek and splash water at each other. He sits cross legged on the dock, keeping his shoes out of reach from the rambunctious fight. Hazel had helped him pick them out, and he’s not about to ruin a gift from his sister.
Will swims over to him, laughing.
“Are you sure you don’t want to get in, Neeks?” Nico shakes his head. He’s really quite sure he doesn’t want to get into the water.
“I’m fine, Solace.” He says, waving his hand. Will heaves himself up a bit, resting his arms on the dock next to Nico. He lays his head on his crossed arms, dark blue eyes looking up at Nico. Nico clears his throat, looking anywhere but at the bare expanse of Will’s skin. Away from the tattoo on his chest that Nico is very much so avoiding.
“Are you at least having fun?” He asks, and Nico can’t help but laugh, rubbing at his eyes.
“Having fun watching you get your ass kicked by a ten year old?” He teases, and Will makes an indignant noise.
“Gracie is an excellent swimmer!” Nico hums, looking out over at Will’s siblings who are still squabbling. The littlest one is Gracie, her blonde hair the same golden shade as Will’s. HE can hear her giggle from here.
“And you aren’t?” He asks, and Will shakes his head.
“I’m alright at it, but not as good as her.” Will flicks a bit of water at him. “What about you, Death Boy? You a good swimmer?” Nico purses his lips.
“I don’t know.” Will blinks up at him, confused, and Nico sighs. “My memory, Will. We talked about this before.” Will makes an ‘ah’ sound, but his eyes don’t leave Nico. Nico can feel the flush creeping up his neck. He clears his throat. “Why are you looking at me like that?” He asks, and Will smiles a lazy smile at him, one dimple appearing in his cheek.
“Like what?” Nico huffs, looking back over the water.
“You know what.” He mutters, and Will just laughs that tinkling laugh of him that Nico has grown so fond of.
Wait, what.
Nico freezes, and he hears the water shift again.
“Neeks? You all good?” Nico feels his jaw tremble with how hard he’s clenching it. He doesn’t respond, willing himself to stop the words from tumbling out of him.
He can’t do this. He has to get out of here. But–
He lets out a soft laugh, and he feels Will’s hand on his arm. He looks down, and his eyes soften at the concern in Will’s.
“Nico?” Will asks again. “Where’d you go? You kinda… you looked far away for a second.” Nico shakes his head. He can’t explain this, the panic that grips his throat, the words that threaten to spill from his lips. He doesn’t even really understand them.
“Hey, I remembered that I need to talk to Jason about something. I’m gonna dip out early.” He sees the light in Will’s eyes falter slightly, the blue dulling like Nico’s wounded him. Nico wants to reach out and touch his cheek, but he holds back. He can’t do that. He’s not allowed that. Not with anyone, but especially not with someone as bright as Will Solace. He’d only break him.
“Okay…” Will says softly, dropping back down so he’s fully in the water. His golden curls fall slightly into his eyes and Nico’s hand twitches. Bile rises in his chest again. He forces it down, down, down into the depths of Tartarus in his chest.
“I—” Nico hesitates. He hates that look in Will’s eyes. He hates feeling like he hurt him. All he does is hurt Will. Why does he feel these stupid fucking— “I’m sorry, Will. I know I promised.” Will shakes his head, a few droplets of water dropping down his cheek, over his eyelashes, down across his lips.
Nico recognizes these feelings. He just hates that he feels them. All he does is break what’s good.
“Don’t worry about it, Nico.” Will says softly. Will’s too good for Nico. Too bright. Gods, he really needs to talk to Jason. “I’ll see you later, yeah?” Nico nods, not trusting his voice. Not when Will is looking at him like that. He gets to his feet.
Will gives him one last smile before turning and swimming back to his siblings, the sound of laughter and cheerful voices filling the air.
Nico watches him go.
How many times will he do that?
Jason is standing in front of Cabin Thirteen when Nico makes it back, and he blinks. Jason breaks out into a smile when he sees Nico, raising his hand in a wave.
“What… are you doing here?” Nico asks, squinting. Jason shrugs, a lazy grin pulling up his lips.
“Dunno, just felt like stopping by. Felt important.” Nico huffs, pushing open the door. What is it with Jason and knowing when he needs shit? Infuriating.
Jason takes his usual seat in the swivel chair at the desk, swinging his legs back and forth. Nico plops down on his bed, not saying anything. Jason just hums some stupid pop song, and Nico can tell he’s waiting for him to say whatever is bothering him.
The problem is, Nico doesn’t know how to say it.
“Jason?” He says quietly after a minute, and Jason hums, blue eyes meeting Nico’s. Too blue. Nico looks away, his mouth dry.
“How did you know… I mean after the whole Hera thing… that you…” He balls his hands into fists in frustration. Why can’t he just SAY it?
“Is this about Piper?” Jason asks, and Nico nods. “How I knew I liked her?” Nico nods again, screwing his eyes closed. He cannot deal with this right now. How do people DO this? How do they FEEL this?
“Yeah.” Nico says softly, breathing out. “Something like that.”
Jason takes a minute, drumming his fingers against Nico’s desk.
“It’s hard to explain, if I’m being honest.” Jason admits, and Nico blows a piece of hair out of his face angrily. Of course it is. “Don’t give me that, Nico, I’m telling the truth.”
“I know you are, doesn’t make it any less frustrating.” He mutters, and Jason just shakes his head.
“It’s complicated by everything that Hera did, though. I can’t just… separate it from that?” He says softly, and Nico looks at his friend. There’s a hint of emotion in Jason’s eyes that Nico doesn’t understand, and he doesn’t ask.
“So you just… know?” Nico asks, and Jason shrugs.
“Kinda, yeah? I just like being around her.” Nico looks down at his hands. He can feel the phantom touch of Will’s fingers on his skin, the healing warmth that spreads from the son of Apollo’s hands. “She makes me happy.”
“Yeah, but you make me happy too.” Nico points out, and Jason gives him a crooked smile.
“Awe, Nico, is this you telling me you like me?” Nico throws a shoe at him, and Jason ducks, a loud laugh reverbing through the dark cabin. “Kidding! Kidding. Take a chill pill, di Angelo.” Nico huffs again, not looking at Jason. “It’d help if you told me what was on your mind, you know. You can trust me, Nico. I mean that.”
Nico sighs, running a hand through his hair.
“I don’t know how to explain it.” He admits quietly, and Jason’s eyes soften. “I just… feel. Here.” He points at his chest. “And it reminds me of…” His fingers curl into his shirt. “But it’s different. But I don’t want to… destroy. Him.” Jason blinks, a frown appearing on his lips. “Don’t look at me like that, I don’t want pity.”
“It’s not pity, Nico.” Jason says. “I understand.” Nico shoots him a look. “Well… I don’t have the same experience, obviously…”
“That colors it a lot.” Nico says under his breath. Jason runs a hand through his cropped hair.
“Yeah, I know. But you… you like him, right?” Nico hesitates, before stiffly nodding.
“I… think so. It feels… like before, but also different. It’s… warm.” Jason gives him a small smile, and Nico feels his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. “What?”
“I like hearing you being happy. Feeling good things. Warm is good. He’s a good person, you know that right?” Nico sighs.
“Of course I know that. Why do you think this is so hard for me?” He all but spits out, and Jason holds his hands up in mock surrender.
“Hey, hey, it’s fine. I get it. I know you’re scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You can’t lie to me, I see right through you.” Nico stiffens, twisting his fingers in his shirt. “Wait, I didn’t mean like—”
“He does too. I can’t lie to him either.” Nico says, and Jason breathes out, clearly relieved. “I just… I don't know what to do. I’ve never… it’s never been…”
“Possible?” Jason offers, and Nico groans, throwing himself back onto his pillows, throwing his arm over his eyes.
“Is it though?” Nico says to no one. Jason hums.
“I’ve been around the two of you long enough to know it is. The fact that you haven’t said his name once, but I know exactly who you are talking about should tell you enough.” Nico takes his arm off his eyes, blinking up at the ceiling.
“I just… I don’t know Jason. What if it fails? What if it doesn’t work?” He turns to look at his friend, who is twirling a pen around in his fingers.
“But what if it does?” Jason says, and Nico clutches at the blanket. Those five words.
Those damn words.
Oh, I’m falling in love
It worked.
Somehow, it worked.
It worked better than Nico could have ever expected.
At least, it seems to have worked, the way Will is curled up in his lap, fast asleep, the afternoon sun filtering across his skin, accenting the freckles that coat Will’s nose.
Will’s fingers are curled into Nico’s shirt, holding tight to him like Nico could disappear.
To be fair, Will has every reason to believe that is something that could just… happen. It’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Nico hesitates, before bringing a hand up to rest in Will’s messy halo of curls. He can’t help but snort. A halo. How funny of him.
“Somethin’ funny?” Oh, Will’s accent makes him go haywire still. Makes his brain go fuzzy like he’s just jumped across the Atlantic again.
“Nothing. Just a passing thought.” He says, and Will opens one eye to look up at him, a smile creeping its way onto his lips.
“Drachma for your thoughts?” He says with a yawn, and Nico shakes his head. Will pouts, sitting up a bit. Nico frowns at the loss of warmth, curling a bit up in his jacket. Will must see the movement, since he presses himself against Nico’s side again, leaning his head on Nico’s shoulder.
Nico feels a blush creep up his face, and he clears his throat, looking away.
“You know I can feel your heartbeat speeding up, right?” Will says dryly, and Nico panics, pushing Will off of him, the older boy tumbling away in laughter. “Neeks!”
“Don’t do that!” Nico says, embarrassed. Will just sits up, a leaf stuck in his hair. Nico’s hand twitches, and he has the sudden realization that he can just… reach out and touch Will now.
So he does.
He plucks the leaf out and throws it to the side, and Will watches the movement with those cursed big blue eyes of his.
“You’re very cute when you’re embarrassed.” Will comments, and Nico squeaks in surprise. He’s still not used to Will saying these things. He’s not sure that he will ever be used to it, if he is being honest.
“Don’t call me cute.” Will just laughs, reaching down to tangle his fingers in Nico’s. He flinches at the contact, but doesn’t let go. He never wants to let go of Will. Even if he won’t say it.
Will knows though.
Will always knows.
Thought the plane was going down, how’d you turn it right around?