Fighting Darkness

Nico shouldn't have been nervous. He had Shadow-traveled the Athena Parthenos across the world, he had used the Sceptor of Diocletian to summon an undead army; twice, he was the son of Hades!

And yet, his heart seemed to stutter in his chest, like it was either going to jump out of his body through his throat, or bounce around in his stomach and make him sick. He already felt sick.

He was just a friend. Will Solace was just a friend. He was helping a friend. He had bought snacks from a nearby dollar store, driven by none other than Jules-Albert. Jules-Albert wasn't a great conversationalist, his full attention was directed on the road, which had given Nico time to think. These days, Nico had way too much time to think.

It was during this free time spent envolped in thought when he thought of that damn boy. Clear blue eyes, a mop of sun-kissed hair to go along with his tanned body, the way his lips moved while forming different words... No. Nico did not have a crush. Not by a long shot. No, they were just friends. Just friends.

He tried to convince himself of that very fact as he marched to the infirmary, his head held high, a plastic grocery bag swinging from his hand, bouncing off of his knee every once in a while. It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.

He was still weak from the shadowtraveling, and bruises were randomly and rapidly forming all over his body. Being stuck in the infirmary was boring, even though Will checked in frequently, the time they spent together wasn't nearly enough. He had snuck out to get the snack without telling Will, or telling anyone, really.

It was late at night, he didn't know which Apollo kid was on duty, even though Will was almost always in the infirmary. He had wondered, on more than one occasion, if Will ever slept. He was like a sun-tanned, doctor version of superman. Nico's thoughts were drawn to a sudden halt as the door to the infirmary swung open, revealing the muscular frame of Will.

He was wearing a white doctor coat, which the Hermes offspring had generously gave him. It started off as a joke, to symbolize him being mr. Super Doctor, but the look had stuck with him, and no one complained when he started wearing it as he attended to the wounded. His hair was ruffled, it was usually never messed up unless Will was nervous, mad, angry, sad, any emotion that set him on edge.

"DiAngelo, so help me." He growled out, stalking towards the boy. He stopped inches away from him, setting Nico's heartbeat off, his pulse racing, throat tightening. Nico did nothing as Will grabbed his shoulders.

"You had me worried. You had me so worried that I was going to go to Chiron or Jason... Or Piper... Or anyone! I thought you left." Will said bluntly, there was a raw fear, an untamed panic in his usually bright eyes. Nico looked up at him, stunned. He didn't think that Will would freak out like that. Will, the easy going, care free, happy-go-lucky son of Apollo.

"I wouldn't leave you." Nico managed choke out. He could barely even say that, with his hands resting on his shoulders like that, gentle but firm. His eyes were drawn to Will's beautiful, full-but-not-too-full lips, pink and perfect. His strong nose, slightly crooked from the fight that happened just a few days ago. His eyes, usually dancing with laughter, held grave severity.

There were dark rings beneath his eyes, showing that he hadn't had enough sleep. Or, any, for that matter. His eyelashes were long and light, almost shining in the dim light provided by the moon shining on the two of them. His hair stuck out at odd angles, which usually wasn't the case.

"Don't... Just don't." Will said before letting go of him, storming back into the infirmary. Nico followed, distracted. The flicker of pain as he spoke hurt Nico physically, there was an ache in his heart.

Will gestured to Nico's assigned cot, a scowl on his perfect face. They were far enough away from the sleeping patients that they could talk. Nico sat down on the cot, looking up at Will.

"I got you something." Nico murmured. He chose that moment to look down at his shoes, his face heating as he held out the plastic bag like a peace offering. Will snatched it from him and peaked inside, his scowl turning into a grin. Nico snuck a look at him, he was grinning ear to ear.

"Soda, sun chips, Sunny D? Gods, Nico. This is perfect." Will said, his eyes glittering.

"I thought that you would like-" before Nico could finish his sentence, he could feel himself enveloped in a warm hug. Muscled arms surrounded him, looping around his small body. Nico couldn't breathe. Will smelled like sunshine. Was that possible? No, he couldn't smell like sunshine, because Nico hated sunshine.

No... He smelled like a summer day. One of those days when you would take a walk outside and realize the beauty of the sunlight. The crisp, almost orange smell. It was so pure and clean, mixed with the scent of the sterile hospital and something completely Will, something all his own. Warm and friendly and inviting. Nico breathed in deeply, inhaling more of the scent. A laugh rippled through the muscular body holding his.

"Hey, death boy, did you just sniff me? Do I really smell that bad?" Will asked teasingly, pulling away slightly to look down at him. His gaze settled on Nico, and his heart skipped a beat. Or more. He couldn't tell, he was too busy looking up at the hunky demigod.

"Hey, Nico, are you okay? You seem a little flustered. Do you have a fev-" The son of Hades stumbled away, shaking his head quickly. He swallowed nervously, his throat dry. It felt like he swallowed sandpaper.

"I'm fine! Go... Go sleep." Nico stuttered, on the other side of the bed. His posture was defensive, as if he could fend away his feelings for the golden demigod.

"Sleep? Nico, what are you talking about?" Will asked, his eyebrow quirked. Nico noticed that habit of his, the raising of an eyebrow when he was curious, puzzled, or thinking.

He made him angry. Nico had always gotten angry easily, but now, he was furious. How dare he march around, playing high and mighty doctor! He was so hypocritical! 'Get enough sleep', 'Rest often', 'Conserve your powers', 'Don't wear yourself out' and 'Don't push your limits'.

"Solace, you are a hypocritical bastard. You haven't slept in days! You can barely keep your eyes open! You keep pushing yourself, but you have to sleep! You have to cut yourself some slack! I'm sick of it, Solace. It's like that mortal phrase, the pot calling the can black or whatever..." Nico yelled. He couldn't help it, he was irrationally angry.

Will didn't move, he stood there, looking as if he had been slapped, but he stayed. No one else would've stuck around when the son of Hades looked so on the edge of a murder attempt. Nico knew what he looked like, too. Clenched fists, bobbing Adam's apple, his pale skin flushed with anger, his eyes dark.

"Nico, sit down." Will coaxed. Nico couldn't, he couldn't sit down. Something was wrong. He could only destroy, he felt destruction flowing through his veins, coming from his heart. He was darkness. He was what nightmares were made of. He was the person who people feared. He was one with the shadows.

He realized, too late, that his body was radiating a dark aura, his hands were disappearing and reappearing, along with most of his body. Nico let out a startled scream of pain as the darkness ripped through him. He held his hands in front of him, and blasted clear through the window. He had never seen it before, the dark power that shot from his palms, but it burned.

Nico couldn't see straight, he fell to his knees until the energy stopped coming from him, and he collapsed onto the ground.

"Nico..." Will's smooth but panic-stricken voice was the last thing that he had heard before passing out cold, the world fading into darkness.