skinny love | solangelo

William Solace is Very Gay

~Will

I wonder why Nico doesn't like physical contact, I thought. Leading him into the infirmary, I made my way down the hallway to a small room in the corner.

"You need your rest," I explained to a confused Nico.

Everywhere you looked, there was somebody on the brink of death, and it made me sad to know that I might not be able to save them. But this is what happens after a war, I suppose. People die, one side loses. Luckily, our side won. The infirmary, though one of my favorite places to be, smelled like a mix of antiseptic and cleaning supplies.

It was normal to me, but it must have smelled strange because Nico made a face full of disgust. "Sorry Dea-"

"Don't call me that."

"Uh, huh. Okay, sorry Nico, it always smells weird once you get in here, but you'll get used to it." He sat down on the small bed that squeaked in disagreement.

"No," he paused to look directly at me, "No, i-it smells like death. It reminds me of the Underworld." He paused once more and stood up, walking to the doorway to glance over the patients in the infirmary.

"Will, some of these people are going to die, but you are unable to help them. Don't blame yourself." My face must've displayed my puzzlement. "I just know, alright?" Nico whispered, looking through his lashes at me.

His brown eyes looked like pools of melted chocolate, and the slight pout on his face was enough to make the winter melt. Dark hair like silk, small limbs, skin color beginning to warm up to a peachy cream color.  

Nope, Solace, this isn't a part of the plan! You aren't supposed to fall for straight boys! Stunned, I nodded.

Nico was looking at me expectantly, and I had no idea what he just asked. I blushed and shook my head, clearing away my probably super obvious heart eyes. "Sorry? What did you say?"

Nico sighed and walked back over to the bed. "I asked if you had to, like, check my bites or something, I don't know. You're the doctor here, after all."

"Ah, yes, I do.. So, if you don't mind, please pull up your sleeves." Nico's face was blank as he proceeded with my request. I turn away to grab a penlight to look at his wounds more closely.

Looking back around towards Nico, who was squirming awkwardly, my heart almost stopped in my chest. Who could've ever thought this small, awkward boy was scary? But cuts and bruises and black attire aside, Nico di Angelo was hot as hell.

William Solace, do your goddamn job, not stare at cute boys!

"Uh, Will?" Nico snapped his fingers a few times and I realized that I'd been zoning off. My blush deepened and my cheeks felt like they were on fire as I walked over to where Nico was sitting.

"Death Boy, I need to take a look at your cuts. Do you mind if I touch your arm to steady it?" I didn't want him to freak out, and I needed his arm still. I wasn't checking out his muscles at all. Not a bit.

Nico scowled, but nodded, puzzlement on his face. I smiled brightly.

"Okey-dokey, hold still, 'kay?"  He flinched when I lightly touched his forearm, shining the penlight into his wound. "Does it hurt?" Nico shook his head "no". His arm was cold, so very cold; I wanted to hug him, or give him a blanket, or both.

"Good, but I'm going to have to restitch them. Do you want to be put asleep, or...?"

"Nah, 's'all good."

As I prepared and cleaned the needle, Nico sat on the cot and looked around the small room.

"What do you do here, Will? This place, it seems so - so cold, and mean, and your personality clashes with it a lot." I quirked up an eyebrow.

"What?"

He blushed. "I mean, you're such an optimist and then there's this place. It's dreary and smells like death. What do you do here?"

Smiling, I got out an antiseptic wipe and moved towards Nico. "Can I clean your cut?" He nodded an affirmative as I answered his question. "I actually love this place. It may seem sad sometimes, but - it's my home. Or at least the only home I've ever known. I left for Camp when I was pretty young, so my memories of my family are limited." Glancing away, I continued, "I like it here, because I feel like I'm doing something. I've never been on a quest before, so it's my way of helping."

Nico gaped at me, anger and confusion on his face. I quirked an eyebrow at his response.

"Excuse me, Solace, but did you not heal Annabeth during the Battle of Manhattan? Didn't you heal her, even when your brother Michael was missing?" His voice raised, "Weren't you the one who took on the Apollo cabin at age thirteen, the one who took out an entire legion of dog-headed monsters with a single whistle, and outran six Romans?" Nico paused a bit, and softened his glare. "I've seen you fight, William Solace. You're just as brave and important as anyone out there. Probably even more so."

Now it was my turn to gape, a blush quickly filling my cheekbones. I looked down, decided to distract myself by focusing on stitching up Nico's arm.
"Never knew you noticed so much, Death Boy."

"Don't call me that." I chanced a look at him, and it comforted me that he was blushing just as much as I. Finishing pulling the last thread through, I snipped the demigod-proof thread, and hummed a hymn to Apollo to make sure it stayed in and didn't get infected.

"Alright, Death Kid, you are all stitched up, and you need to get some rest." I smiled.

A look of indignation crossed his face, as he stuttered out, "D-don't call m-me that ei-" But that was as far as Nico got, before I snapped my fingers and he fell asleep.