Chapter Text
Don’t freak out, Will. You’ll be fine, Will. Don’t freak out-
Those words continued to bounce around in his mind, like a cassette player stuck on rewind. Nothing Will did made the nervous jitters cease, his blood endlessly buzzing underneath his skin.
Why was he so nervous? Well, today was the day. It was the day Nico would finally be freed from his tiny, pudgy prison.
While Will enjoyed the babysitting duty- the one that didn’t involve watching over his siblings and making sure they didn’t accidentally blow one thing or another up- Will found himself yearning for the day he’d get his boyfriend back.
His older, not-a-toddler boyfriend.
Lou Ellen promised him sometime last night, with a sleeping Nico drooling all over his shoulder, that a cure was just about done.
She’d said, A few tweaks here and there, but we’re almost done! Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it!
But, really, worry was just about all that Will had done.
He had no idea what took so long- part of Will wanted to believe Lou Ellen had purposefully dragged this on for her own amusement- but alas, he was just happy he’d finally get his Nico back.
Even if, sometimes, it seemed like some things had never changed- such as Nico’s less than pleasant mood in the early morning.
“Alright Neeks,” Will said, fitting Nico’s fussy little form in a comfy long sleeve, “time to go be harassed by our friends.”
“Bah!” Nico bounced, nearly smacking Will across the face.
Breakfast came and went, and with it, the disastrous flock of people who wanted to spend one last moment with tiny Nico. One by one, everyone had their turn. Chiara taught him some Italian songs, Annabeth and Percy took him over to the beach, Jason chased Nico around and, much to everyone’s horror, bounced him around in the air.
Everyone wanted a piece of baby Nico.
Will had run after them all day long, keeping track of where Nico was taken to. He didn’t exactly trust a bunch of rowdy teenagers with an equally rowdy toddler.
By the time everyone had a chance for a proper sendoff, Nico was covered in paint and sprinkled with sand.
“Why does he look like he’s been partying with the Pegasus?” Will glared, taking the wide-eyed Nico from Jason’s arms.
Jason, however, simply returned the enthusiastic wave Nico sent his way. “I did nothing.”
“Right,” Will grumbled, taking a step back to Cabin Seven. He smiled at the stare Nico fixed him with. “Had a fun day out, I see.”
Nico munched on his fingers.
“Well,” He grabbed Nico’s tiny hand, gently coaxing it away from his drooling mouth. “Let’s get you cleaned up first, then you can munch all you want—”
“Did you say clean up?”
“What—”
“And is that bath soap I see?” She tipped her head, eyes lighting up at the sight of the shower supplies. “One last bath for baby Nico, hm?”
“Well, yeah.” He gestured to Nico. “Look at him. I’m surprised nobody outright rolled him in the mud.”
“And I’m surprised you’re seriously going to bathe him with that.” She pointed a manicured finger towards the bath soap, her face twisting into disgust.
Will blinked. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Everything!” She marched right on in, immediately rummaging through his bag of bathroom supplies. “And this- Old Spice shampoo? On a baby?”
“It’s all I have—” Will tried to defend himself, eyeing the steadily forming frown on Valentina’s lips. “Look- what are you even doing here?”
Valentina huffed. “I just came in here to look for Kayla. Borrowed some of my nail polish a few days back- but I’ll take care of that later. Now, give me the baby.”
“What?”
“The baby.” She crossed her arms. “I’m going to bathe him.”
And Will, because he had no brain to mouth filter, scoffed. “Thanks, Val, but I think I’ve got this—"
“No way am I letting you slather this filth on Nico’s delicate little skin. Isn’t today the day he’ll be back to his normal self? Trust me, he’ll thank you later for pampering him with a good bubble bath.”
“But—”
“William—”
“Fine!” He groaned, twitching to slap a hand across his face. “Just don’t call me that.”
“Duly noted.” Valentina smiled. “Now pick him up and let’s go to my cabin before I throttle you with this stupid bath soap.”
Reluctantly, Will complied.
He really had no problem bathing Nico, but it was best not to get a daughter of Aphrodite on his bad side. Besides, he had to admit, Valentina was a tiny bit right- whatever products the Aphrodite kids used would surely be better than what he had on hand.
So he picked Nico up, playfully blowing a few raspberries to his pillowy cheek.
Before they actually left for Cabin 10, though, Valentina had rummaged through his dresser. She wouldn’t shut up about how cute and comfy Nico would look in one of his sweaters, and really, Will couldn’t help but think it was all a ploy to finally get Nico in one of his pieces of clothing.
It’s a typical couple’s thing, she’d once said.
But he let her do as she pleased, following her to the Aphrodite cabin and subjecting himself to the nauseating scent of too much perfume.
Valentina kicked him out of the bathroom only about five minutes into Nico’s bath, claiming he hoovered too much. Will grumbled as he waited outside, striking a rather pleasant conversation with Drew, of all people.
They gossiped, of course, because Drew had quite the collection of stories to tell. Will would be lying if he said they didn’t interest him in the slightest.
Plus, it was a good way to kill time.
The next time he saw the duo, it was nearing sunset when they finally emerged from the bathroom a good thirty minutes later, dousing Cabin Ten in a sweet, strawberry-like scent. Steam billowed in from behind them, Nico wrapped adorably in his bright yellow hoodie while waving the sleeves around with his tiny arms.
Will just about melted.
When it came time to head back, Valentina had a hard time parting ways with Nico. Her eyes watered, her lips trembled, but in the end, she promised to visit Nico in the morning and tell him all about his adventures as a baby.
She snuggled him one more time before finally biding them a goodnight.
Will bounced Nico on his hip, absentmindedly listening to the choppy Italian Nico continued to speak in. He wasn’t really paying attention, because as much as he hated to admit it, seeing Nico completely swallowed by his sweater was as adorable as Valentina had said.
Not that he didn’t know that would be the case, but still.
“We had our fun and all, but now it’s time to get you back to your normal self.” He set Nico on his bed, propping him up with a few pillows behind his back. “We just have to wait for Lou Ellen to drop by…”
Will flopped back on his bed, entertaining himself with Nico and his energetic little bounce.
Before he even knew it, there was a knock on the doorframe, and a second later, Lou Ellen poked her head into the otherwise empty Cabin Seven.
Will sat up, frowning at the look on her face. She was all sunshine and smiles- a little too smiley, if Will had anything to say about it.
She walked in, hiding her hands behind her back.
“I’ve got a little something I think you’d like…” Lou Ellen shimmied about, her eyebrow wiggling this way and that. Cecil came in behind her, hair licked upwards and soot smothered across his cheek.
Cecil fixed him with a look. “Don’t ask.”
Will grinned. “Wasn’t gonna. That’s a nice look for you.”
“Ha-ha.”
“Anyhow,” Lou Ellen waved a jar around, glowing balls sloshing around its insides. “I’ve got the redo button right here.”
“About time.” He grumbled. “Now hurry up. You’ve stalled long enough.”
But Will’s words fell on deaf ears, seeing as his two friends immediately set their eyes on Nico. They circled him, like hawks to their prey.
“Gotta say, I’m going to miss this little munchkin.” Lou Ellen pinched Nico’s cheek, smiling at the way Nico bounced in place.
“Yeah. The last time I tried to pinch his cheek, he promised me a one-way ticket to the Underworld.” Cecil reached over, pinching Nico’s other cheek.
Really, Will wanted to savor the moment. It wasn’t every day that Nico let himself be pampered by someone other than Will- but alas, the growing eagerness to have his boyfriend back was just too much to bear.
“Alright, alright,” Will waved them away, mentally cooing at Nico’s puffy cheeks. He wanted to pinch them himself, but it wasn’t the time for it. He was eager to get Nico back to his normal, timid self. “Can you get on with it?”
“I didn’t hear a please.”
“Lou—”
“Kidding, kidding,” She reached for a ball, rolling it between her fingers. “Alright, here we go. One, two, three—”
And just like that, she tossed the little thing over to Will’s bed, landing right in front of Nico’s shining eyes.
It happened much like he’d been told it originally happened- one moment, the ball was there, and the next, everything was being engulfed in a puff of magical, glowing smoke.
They stood around the scene, waiting in silence as Lou Ellen’s little concoction worked its magic.
Nothing could be seen over the puff of smoke, but the moment it melted into the air, there he was.
Just like that, there Nico di Angelo was.
He blinked once, twice, and then, his eyes settled on Will.
Silence filled Cabin Seven, stretching for a split second while everyone worked the last few moments out in their minds.
Finally, it clicked.
“It worked!” Lou Ellen cheered, reaching to meet Cecil’s high five. Both his friends were now bright and smiley, with Will’s own smile quickly stretching across his lips.
“W- What worked?” Nico asked, confusion etched deep into his voice. He paused, taking a moment to sniff down at himself. “And why do I smell like strawberries?”
Will’s heart fluttered.
Nico looked like he’d just woken from a nap, hair fluffed up and ruffled every which way. His eyebrows were knit together, bags dark yet endearing underneath his half-lidded eyes.
Before Will could offer any sort of comfort, however, Lou Ellen bounced her way to Nico’s side and eagerly rubbed her hands together. “Do you remember anything from the past, let’s say, week?”
“Ignore her.” Will butt in, casually shoving Lou Ellen to the side. She meant well, he knew, but sometimes… Lou Ellen could get caught up in the technicalities of her voodoo magic.
Which was not something Nico needed right then and there.
“How’re you feeling, Neeks?”
Nico’s nose scrunched up. “Will?”
“Yeah?” He leaned closer, nearly settling himself beside Nico on his tiny single bed.
They stared at one another, and all too quickly, Nico squeaked. He jumped away, a bright red blush made its way to his face, and before Will could even ask what was wrong, Nico yanked the hem of his shirt as far as it would go down his bare thighs-
Oh.
It was a problem they should have probably thought about beforehand, but for whatever reason, the issue of Nico’s clothing slipped by. Had he worn nothing but a fluffy towel at the end of his other bubbly baths- who knows what would have happened if that were the case right then and there.
…Thank the gods for Valentina.
Meanwhile, Nico pressed his legs together, toes curling towards one another. A nervous habit, Will had noted throughout the many times Nico had gone barefoot around camp. He’d even noticed Nico pressing his legs together here and there, as if he were trying to make himself smaller throughout those moments. Though, he’d never seen Nico’s bare legs-
A hand smacked him upside the head.
“Gods, Will.” Cecil snickered, draping Nico in a thick blanket. “Function a little.”
It was Lou Ellen who had smacked him, but for that comment, Will glared at the both of them. “Out.”
“You’re no fun.” Lou Ellen smiled, taking a step back as her eyes landed on Nico. “Glad to have you back, Neeks, but we really should get going. Cecil made a mess in my cabin and he’s going to clean it up now.”
“Unfortunately.” Cecil sighed, allowing Lou Ellen to drag him by the collar of his shirt. “Happy to see you, Nico, but if I don’t emerge tomorrow morning, assume the worst.”
“Shut up!”
And with their bickering ringing through the air, they were gone.
Nico simply tilted his head, eyes flickering with utter confusion. The question was clear; what was that all about?
But instead of answering Nico, or even giving him a single ounce of his functioning brain, Will simply stared off into space, admiring every little thing he’d so dearly missed from his boyfriend.
Looking at Nico now, after what felt like so long apart… it made a dizzying feeling flutter around in his heart, like a butterfly desperately trying to wrench itself free.
Will was reminded of his little admission the other night, the words bouncing around his currently empty head. A part of him wanted to voice them, but the greater, more logical part of his head told him to wait.
It wasn’t the right time. Nothing about that moment was romantic- but then again, the idea of those three little words slipping out of his mouth during one of their strange, demi-god-related mess was…
It was fitting.
Will resisted the urge to laugh, the very words of something pleasantly scary riding on the tip of his tongue. Maybe he’d work up the courage to say it one day, but that day was not going to be any day soon.
Instead, he smiled, settling himself beside Nico and wrapping him in his arms. “We have a lot to talk about, babe.”