Operator, Operator (What's Wrong With My Heart?)

Call 1

Dialing…dialing…

*click*

"Hello?"

"…You aren't Percy."

His cousin had given him this number last month, told him that he got a new phone. Nico needed to ask him something about that health insurance plan he just bought for Hazel.

This wasn't Percy.

"Uh, no." Will answered. "This is Olympus suicide prevention hotline, you sure you haven't got the wrong-"

"/:~*@^^€÷£·\£%£￠€¿÷£!!!!!"

Will winced and pulled the earpiece away, but he got the gist of it. There were a lot of F-bombs and death threats towards someone named Percy.

"Dude, hey. Calm down for a sec." He said into the mouthpiece, using his best soothing voice. "Wanna tell me what happened?"

"No."

Wow. Brutal.

"C'mon. I know this is probably a prank or something, but might as well make the most of it. I mean, if this Percy guy gave you this number, he must've thought you needed it."

Nico gave a non-committal grunt, collapsing into a chair. There were numbers and accounts scattered on the desk in front of him.

"If it makes you feel better." He grumbled. He'd just spew out some random stuff and hang up.

"Great! So, uh, this is Olympus suicide prevention hotline, how can I help you?"

"Uh…"

The voice on the other end was chipper, probably what one of those cartoon suns would sound like if they could talk. Could they talk? They probably could.

"Okay, let's start with names first, alright? I'm Will."

The voice on the other end sounded hallow. Not like Ethan's, like Luke's or Zoe's. Their voices were hallow too, but at least the holes in them were shallow.

This guy…he sounded like someone had dug through him, like something had ran a spear through him. Will could practically imagine sticking a hand through the hole.

"…Nico. I'm Nico."

"Cool name! So, uh, what's your reason for calling?"

"…to prevent suicide?" Nico replied, deadpan.

"Okay, you got me there." Will laughed.

"Wasn't very hard." Nico answered.

It was a nice laugh. He liked that laugh, he thought randomly, tapping his pen on the wooden desktop.

Wait, what?

Will isn't sure if he should be pissed off. "Alright, alright. So, uh, do you have any siblings? Brothers, sisters?" He asked.

It was his job. Asking people what the injury was, then trying to heal those injuries. Like a doctor. But doctors healed diseases that riddled your body, your mind. Will liked to think he healed souls by listening.

"Well, I have two sisters." Nico said slowly, hesitant. The plan had flown out the window and into the orbit. If he was going to Hell, he might as well do it thoroughly.

Will grinned a bit to himself. Progress. "You must care for them, right? Your sisters."

"Sister, now. My older sister, B, she…she died last spring."

His words were marched out, expressionless. Then they tripped, stumbled, fell to the ground. They picked themselves up, started marching again, bruised, but still valiant.

…this wasn't the plan. What was the plan?

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

"…But you have another sister, right?" Will asked. "Do you love her?"

Nico let out a derisive snort.

"Do you even need to ask? Of course I do. She's all I have left. I'd do anything for her. Anything." He babbled.

His plan sucked.

"And would she do anything for you? Does she love you back?"

"…I hope so."

"Then keep on going for her, alright? Don't hurt yourself. I bet she wouldn't want that."

Will knew they were feeble words. But they were still words. And words could break and bend and heal and mend and make people stronger.

"Yeah, I…" Nico cleared his throat.

"Thanks, Will. Thanks, I guess."

They were just words. Words from one person to another. And words could be ugly and hideous and beautiful and filled with wonder and comfort.

"I'm glad." He paused. He could still hear the hole.

"Hey, Nico?"

"Yeah?"

"You know…if you ever need to get anything off your chest, ranting, someone to listen…you can call me again. Just ask for Will Solace, okay?"

"Okay."

*click*

Nico smiled a bit as he hung up.

Why was he smiling?

Maybe he didn't want to die after all. Maybe he just wanted to hear that voice again.

Will smiled a bit as he waited for the next caller.

Why was he smiling?

Maybe he wanted to fill that hole. Maybe he just wanted to hear that voice again.