(^^ I don't know what else to name this chapter. Help me decide?)
Hey y'all! Hope you're wonderful day. I was listening to my playlist, and then this song comes up and it gave me Solangelo vibes for some reason. So here we are. So they're not yet dating yet, and let's just pretend that Trials of Apollo happens a year later. Ok?
Lyrics will be like this.
I know you, you're a special one Some see crazy where I see love.
Nico di Angelo.
Where could Will start describing him?
Dark eyes, dark hair, brooding personality. People at Camp were scared and sometimes even repulsed by him.
But there was something that drew Will towards Nico. Will knew that there was more to him then his guarded self and darkness. He was committed to make Nico his friend.
You fall so low but shoot so high, big dreamers shoot for open skies.
Will looked into Nico's eyes as he talked. Will nodded absent-mindedly. He was more busy looking into those black eyes, trying to find something other than sadness. Occasionally, they shone with a glimmer of happiness, but that was only when Nico talked about how they won the war with Gaea. Will always wondered if he was missing the big picture.
It made Will uneasy, to see someone not caring about their happiness and health. Then again, Will was the perfect example of that. Head healer of the infirmary and head Counsellor of the Apollo Cabin. He didn't have time to take care of himself, only for others who got hurt.
But Nico was more than a patient to Will now. He had a sensation that Nico was warming up to Will, talking more, and eating more because Will said so.
So much life in those open eyes, so much depth you look for the light.
~ Seven months later ~
"Will!" A hand reached out and was placed on Will's shoulder. A pale hand came into view, holding a card.
"Look at what I found! This is the card I was telling you about. Like the one from the Indian section. It's one of the limited editions from the-" Nico stopped. He waited for a minute and looked down.
"I'm boring you, aren't I?"
Will gave a chuckle. "No you're not."
"... You're sure?"
"Yes. Now, what was card that you were talking about?"
Will hunched down a bit so that he could see the card that Nico was holding. It had a picture of some ancient deity (who was not Greek). His hands were extended out as if he were addressing a crowd.
Nico continued rambling on. Will found it cute. Extremely cute. Nico's eyes would light up and he would smile a lot. He had a slight bounce in his step. His features looked brighter. He still wore his signature look, leather jacket, black shirt and skinny jeans. His thin body looked much better now. He'd been working out a lot in the arena, so he looked a little bit buffer. Small scars were littered across his body, especially his arms. The scratch from Lycaon on Nico's chest was much better, thanks to Will.
Oh in case you were wondering, Will had a crush on Nico. He most definitely found the Son of Hades attractive. Will was absolutely head-over-heels in love with the guy, because it wasn't the first time Will had seen him.
Will had seen Nico twice before, once when Apollo brought him to Camp Half Blood. Gods, he was the hot topic at Camp. And Will had to admit, he was kind of jealous of Nico at first. Will hadn't even known what Apollo had looked like and then, he comes crash-landing into Camp with some other god's kid. But then, Will made the mistake of actually talking to his dad.
And the second time was during the Battle of Manhattan. This scrawny, pale kid that radiated death and power. He was atWill thought it was a teenage infatuation, but it way more than that.
Maybe... Maybe the Fates had decided that this relationship was meant to be?
When your wounds open you will cry, you cry out now and you'll question why
"I've got you Nico. It's going to be okay. I've got you" Will whispered as Nico let out broken screams. He clutched his ears and cried out.
"So many Will. So many monsters. So many" Nico whimpered. Tears streaming down Nico's face, he moved back and forth.
"It's okay Nico. I've got you. You're not in Tartarus anymore. You're with me. You're with me" Will kept repeating the same lines over and over.
A few hours passed, and Nico calmed down but he was still shaken up. He hugged his knees, his head down. Will sat next to him, hand on Nico's shoulder. He held him close.
"Why? Why is it always me?" Nico whispered.
Will looked at Nico. He felt like crying. He felt like cussing out the gods for putting Nico through this.
Will took a deep breath. "I... I don't know Nico"
He hugged Nico. He didn't feel like letting go. Not until Nico felt better.
I can see a rainbow, in your tears as they're falling down. I can see your soul grow through the pain as they hit the ground. I can see rainbow, in the tears as the sun comes out, as the sun comes out.
"Nico, I like you"
Will's words echoed through the empty cabin. It was raining and Will was completely drenched, his hair sticking to his forehead. Chiron let a slight rain into Camp to water the strawberries, but of course, it turned into a fully fledged thunderstorm.
Will didn't know why he decided to confess. He thought was completely unnecessary to Nico.
Hell, Will was sure Nico wasn't even ready for a relationship. He was getting better, in mental health and physical health too. For one horrible second, he knew he fucked up. He fucked up bad.
"Will I like you too" Nico finally said. Will exhaled.
Nico stepped backward, like it was invitation to come in. Will stepped in. It was considerably very warm inside the Hades Cabin. Nico scrunched up his eyebrows.
"You smell really bad"
Will snorted. "Well, I have been stuck in the infirmary for a while now"
"And yet you talk about personal hygiene" Nico muttered.
Will laughed. Nico seemed to smile too. Like a genuine smile. Not the sarcastic ones that he gave Will often.
They stared at each other. Then it happened. The sound of thunder making both boys jump before Will looked away, a pink tint coating his cheeks. He ran his hands through his wet hair. "I uh... I guess I'll see you later then?" When Will said it, it came out (heh "Came out") as a question.
"Yeah sure" Nico stepped aside.
Will did something that he only dreamed of. He hesitantly leaned down at Nico's height. Nico's eyes widened as he connected his lips with Will's.
They pulled away, grinning like manics.
I am here, and I see your pain. Through the storm, through the rain. And I'm telling you, you cannot escape, you can do it, just feel baby.
Nico started distancing himself again. He started taking longer trips to the Underworld, and using so much of shadow travel that he physically couldn't be moved. He was started to dissolve, like a ghost, if that makes any sense.
And the next time he did it, it was the last straw for Will.
Will observed that whenever Nico went away, he would go to the forest, and no one would see him days after that. Will thought it was all his fault. He spent so of time in the infirmary and teaching archery, that he didn't have time for Nico. And when he did have time, Nico was nowhere to be found.
So one day, Will followed Nico. He followed him, hiding behind trees and rocks so that his boyfriend wouldn't notice.
When Nico came to a stop, he sat down on the grass. Will watched, his heart pounding. Nico stayed as still as a statue, twisting his skull ring in his finger. He did that for a few minutes, staring straight at nothing in particular.
Then, he took a deep breath, just like he did before shadow travelling. Wait...
As realisation hit him, Will raced forward. He grabbed Nico's hand in the nick of time. To say Nico was surprised would be an understatement.
He let out a small hiss and socked Will in the face. Well, slapped more like. Not to hard, but still enough to feel the pain.
"Ow!" Will rubbed his left cheek, stumbling back.
"How many times have I told not to follow me, Solace?" Nico growled.
"Nico, I've already told you. Whatever it is, you can talk to me." Will countered with the same tone in his voice.
"But that doesn't mean you follow me wherever I'm going"
"Then don't go to places where I can't follow!" Will yelled.
Silence.
That's all there was until Will realised what he'd done.
"I'm so sorry Neeks, I didn't mean to" was all Will said.
Nico stayed silent, his head down and hands clenched into fists.
"No. I'm sorry Will. I should have told you"
As Nico lifted his head, Will let out an audible sob as he saw his boyfriend's wet face. He took Nico's hand, pulling him close and letting him rest his head on Will's chest.
"We should have told each other"
Will understood Nico in a way that no one else ever could. And that was what made their relationship special.
I can see a rainbow in your tears as they falling down. I can your soul grow, through the pain as they hit the ground.
Nico di Angelo.
Where could Will start describing him?
His boyfriend, the most important person in Will's life. He lit up Will's life and soul. Nico was perfect in Will's eyes. Broken, but slowly repairing. Piece by piece. Just like Will.
And importantly, Nico di Angelo was happy. He was the happiest he'd ever been in years.
****** ******
Whew finally done. I procastinated the shit out of this. Hope you enjoyed this sorta angsty, sorta fluffy chapter. You can leave your requests here.
Until then Live Long and Prosper my childs 🖖🏻🖖🏻