The Best Of The Worst

CHAPTER 23

NICO

Will's hands slipped across the guitar strings. The guitar itself had floral designs on top of an ordinary looking guitar. He was playing 'You Are My Sunshine', trying to make Nico a happy person again. He was still learning, but that was still enough to make Nico blush and warm his heart. 

"Di Angelo?" Will quested, around a minute after he finished his song.

"Yes, sunshine?" Nico was still happy. He'd never been so joyful for so long.

"Your mother and your sister are dead."

"Yeah."

"You ancestors are ancient."

"Correct."

"Your father is, well, Hades."

"Affirmative."

"Does that mean that when we get married, I'll be your only family left?" 

Nico smiled and leaned in, kissing him softly on the lips. They lay there, on Will's bed in Apollo cabin, kissing for what could've been forever until Nico pulled away.

"About that..." Nico was blushing, but spoke seriously. "Paris?"

"Paris?" Will was grinning more than necessary. 

"Paris. I could get us there using shadow-travel, and we could book a hotel and get married."

"That would be... I mean... OH YES!" Will's face was brighter than his father's chariot. 

He giggled as Nico tickled his neck with little pecks.

"You really are spritely!" Will said, wrapping an arm around his fiancé. 

"Yeah, I..." I've been happier since I found out someone actually cares, he wanted to say. But he didn't. Instead, he said "I'm not sure why." 

"Well I'm relieved to hear that." 

Will looked through the window and at the sunshine.

"We need to get your old Italian tan back." he grinned.

"What?" Nico's face suddenly got washed over with shock.

"C'mon, Death Boy. When you came to Camp Half-Blood, your skin was olive. Let's get that tan back!"

"Look. Solace. There are three things that you can use to get a tan. One doesn't work, using cream, so let's rule that out. The other two are; going in an illegal machine, or going out in the sun. To be completely honest, there is no fucking way I'm doing either." Nico grumbled.

"I might be able to do it." 

"Hate to break it to you, but you don't have magical powers."

"No, I mean, get Dad to make it easier for you. Maybe then it won't hurt, and it'll be just right quickly."

Nico grudgingly obliged, so Will lead him outside. 

"DAD?!" he yelled out, and Apollo shimmered into being in front of them.

"You called?" he flashed a blinding smile.

"Yeah. This here is my friend, Nico." 

"Bit of a pale one." the god frowned.

"That's the problem. He used to be tan... Could you lend a hand?"

"You want me to bronze 'im?"

"Yeah."

Apollo reached out an arm, but didn't touch anything. He just blasted a bright, yellow, scorching light at Nico. When he put his arm down, Nico looked at his skin... And it was olive again.

"Thanks a heap, Dad!" Will grinned as his father ruffled his hair, disappearing.

"Thanks?" Nico stuttered uncertainly.

"Thanks is a good place to start. So, Paris?" Will implored, and Nico's grin returned. 

"OH MY GODS, NICO!" the now tan son of Hades heard Piper scream behind him.

"Blame Will!" he said as he turned around. Her jaw was dropped in a smile. 

"You look good like that! And are you... Nico! You have smile lines!"

Nico felt his face. He was smiling, but when he felt it...

"Oh my gods you do!" Will exclaimed, scooping him into a hug and lifting him into the air.

"Stop... Put... Me down..." Nico spluttered. "Nico say no..."

"My little ball of death has smile-lines!" he ignored Nico.

"You guys are soooo cute!" Piper squealed. 

Will put his fiancé down and sighed. "Nico di Angelo, I love you with my whole heart."

"Will Solace, I love you with mine too." Nico grinned, then buried his face in the son of Apollo's chest. 

Will wrapped his arms around the small thing. Then he started singing, almost at a hum.

"Soft Nico, warm Nico, little ball of death. Happy Nico, sad Nico..." he stroked his fiancé's back. "Pet, pet, pet."

That night, Hades cabin invited in another camper to sleep, one that lit the room up with just a smile. One that lit up Nico with just a glance.