Percy Jackson: Nico Centric

Doctor's Orders: Part 1

Category: Angst/Solangelo
Warning: Self-harm

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"Doctors orders," Nico mumbled to himself whilst holding the razor to his skin.

The blade sliced open his pale wrist; blood oozed out, making him wince a little. But it was a familiar feeling, having done it many times before.

"Hey, Death Boy?" Will shouted, entering the Hades cabin.

Dropping the razor in shock, Nico fumbled around for cloth. He looked up, checking if the door was locked. Will wasn't one for privacy.

"One minute!" he shouted back.

Will tried the handle, "You promised us a game of Mytho-Magic, remember?"

"Of course," he shouted, rather defensively.

How could he forget about Myth-o-Magic?

Nico shabbily wrapped his arm in a bandage - his cuts still bleeding. He pushed his sleeve down and rushed to hide everything. Will was impatient, and would start to get suspicious if he took too long

Nico prayed that the blood wouldn't seep through his sleeve, and opened the door.

"Finally!" he smiled. "We can't play without you, none of us really get it."

Will must've been tired or something, because he couldn't tell that Nico's smile was fake.

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Nico won, obviously. That was when Will realised something was wrong. If there was one thing that could get Nico happy, it was Myth-o-Magic.

He leaned over to him, while the others were talking. "Are you okay, Death Boy?"

"Yep," he shuffled the cards and reached for the box.

Okay, thought Will, he let me call him Death Boy. He is not okay.

He reached for the hand Nico had used to pick up the box.

"Nico," Will's hand trailed up his arm.

Nico winced, but didn't make a noise.

"Is your arm hurt," Will asked, his voice raised a little, turning Percy's and Annabeth's heads.

Nico smiled at them, and then Will. "Yeah... I burnt it. Oops."

Hearing that he'd hurt himself, the doctor immediately stood up; pulling Nico too.

"You should've told me! When? How bad is it?" He began dragging him to his cabin. "It'll probably blister now!"

"I ran it under cold water," Nico tried to get out of it, but his boyfriend had already dragged him inside and got the first aid kit out. "It's fine!"

Will sat down and got out some ointment and a bandage. He went to take Nico's hand, but he pulled away.

"No. I'm fine."

Will looked into this big brown eyes, and could see that he was lying. "Nico... what've you done?"

He sat down, tears welling in his eyes. But he quickly wiped them away.

"Nothing," he pleaded. "I haven't done anything!"

Will slowly got closer and caressed his cheek. "You can tell me, Sunshine."

The depressed boy nodded, and pulled up his left sleeve. Seeing a bandage, Will tried to not freak out. It was just a burn. He said it was just a burn.

He let Will unwrap it.

On his wrist, were multiple cuts. Some old. Some fresh.

Will gasped, but didn't let his emotions show. He wanted to scream and cry. He wanted to yell at him, and tell him he was an idiot.

"I love you," he said instead. "You don't need to do this. Please, don't do this."

Nico pulled his arm from his hands. "I can't promise you that."

"Please!" he couldn't hold them in any longer. "Please don't! It hurts me, that you hurt yourself!"

Nico closed his eyes and shook his head. Will too that as opportunity to wipe his nose and eyes.

"Let me clean you up," Will demanded, rather than asked.

"I don't want you to!" he answered stubbornly.

"Nico!" Will raised his voice and grabbed Nico's shoulders. He shook him until he opened his eyes. "Let me clean you up!"

Nico reluctantly agreed, and let Will help him.

"Why?" Will finished bandaging.

"Sometimes, I don't know how to deal with all this grief. Bianca died years ago. I thought I got over it."

He sighed. "I guess not."

"Clearly."

There wasn't anything else Will could do. He'd refused help. That probably included no talking about it. The best he could do was keep a close eye on him, and confiscate any sharp objects on the cabin.

He was determined to help Nico get over this addiction.