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“Where’s Will,” Nico asked, and Austin drew in a sharp breath, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
“Well-... He’s here,” Austin began awkwardly, holding his arm out to stop Nico from pushing past before he continued to explain, “look Neeks, he’s not exactly…”
“What? If he’s hurt I swear-”
“No, nothing like that, he uh…”
“He’s what?”
“I don’t know how to explain,” Austin admitted, “I’ve never seen him like this, Kayla usually deals with him when he’s like this, I’m not even sure if he’s aware of this, if he is, he doesn’t let on.”
“Exactly none of that made sense,” Nico scowled.
“Look, just… don’t treat him like a baby but also don’t treat him like an adult because he’s not exactly… in adult mode at the moment. Don’t treat him like your boyfriend, he’s not exactly-” Nico shoved Austin out of the way, barging into the Apollo cabin.
Will was sitting on the floor with Kayla, and Nico wondered exactly what Austin had been rambling about, because Will seemed perfectly fine. Kayla looked up first, smiling warmly at Nico. “Hi, Nico,” she greeted, and Will bolted up, instantly tackling Nico in a tight hug.
“Can’t- breathe, Will!” Will responded by grabbing Nico’s hand and pulling him to sit on the floor next to Kayla.
“Nico, Nico, look what I made!” Will grinned, bursting with pride as he held up a clump of legos that resembled a small house.
“It’s… it’s great, Will,” Nico smiled awkwardly as he finally realised what Austin had been trying to say- Nico had no idea how to respond- this was somebody he knew, somebody he was used to treating as an adult, somebody he didn’t even know would… was there a word for this? He tried to think back to when he was ten, and how he’d like to be treated- he’d like his enthusiasm to be met, to be talked to normally but with consideration that big words would probably be wasted on him. “Whose house is this,” Nico asked with a smile, picking it up to admire it.
“For you!” Will beamed enthusiastically, bouncing like a child, “do you like it?”
“It’s amazing,” Nico beamed, “I will keep this proudly on my desk!”
“YAY! LOVE YOU!” Will clung to Nico, wrapping his arms around his middle and headbutting him in the ribs. He looked to Kayla, who looked as though she might melt any second.
“Love you too,” Nico replied, gently pushing Will away.
“When I grow up, I wanna be an ambulance!” Will declared proudly, and Nico chuckled lightly.
“I mean- sure, but wouldn’t it be cooler to be a doctor?” Will pouted in consideration before shaking his head vigorously and imitating a siren. Nico figured he should just let him continue for a while- whilst the sound was annoying, it was harmless, and Will seemed so happy- it would be cruel to stop him, Nico thought. Will giggled happily, flapping his arms and clapping.
“Imma make an ambulance!” Will declared proudly, tipping out another box of legos and beginning to grab any yellow or white blocks. “Are you going to make anything?” Will scooped up an armful of blocks and held them out to Nico, eyes shining with hope and anticipation.
“Of course,” Nico smiled, taking the blocks from Will, who flapped and squealed. Nico hadn’t played with Legos before, and he didn’t really know what to make, but Will’s enthusiasm was contagious, and Nico found himself making a house just like the one Will had given him, but whilst Will had used purple, green and red blocks, Nico decided to use orange and yellow blocks.
“What are you making,” Will asked curiously, headbutting Nico’s shoulder and resting his cheek there.
“I’m making you a house,” Nico replied, reaching out and booping his nose. Will screwed his face up and giggled, and Nico decided that there was something rather endearing and downright adorable about Will like this. He seemed so happy and innocent. He didn’t seem like a combat medic who’d seen death and war- it was like he’d gone back to a time before the monsters and the trauma and the responsibility, free of worry.
“Yellow like the sun! I like the sun,” Will beamed, reaching out and poking Nico’s cheek, “do you like the sun?”
“Of course,” Nico grinned warmly, and Will clapped happily.
“I like the sun! It’s pretty and warm and it makes plants go happy and flowers grow really big, like sunflowers! Sunflowers are this big!” Will threw his arms out wide, as if to demonstrate how big sunflowers were. Nico chuckled affectionately. “Sunflowers are my favourite! When I grow up, I wanna have a pet sunflower and it’ll be friends with my pet chicken!”
“That sounds amazing, I love sunflowers,” Nico beamed enthusiastically.
“You’re pretty like sunflowers,” Will announced proudly, continuing to make an ambulance out of lego.
“Am I pretty like sunflowers,” Kayla asked, and Will stared at her like she’d grown a third head before blowing a raspberry loudly. Nico burst out laughing as Kayla gasped in mock offence.
“Only boys are pretty like sunflowers,” Will announced matter-of-factly, “girls are pretty like daisies. But sisters are-” Will blew another raspberry, and Kayla stuck her tongue out at Will, who cackled mischievously.
“What about people who aren’t boys or girls,” Kayla asked curiously, and Will considered the question for a second.
“They’re pretty like roses,” Will announced happily, reaching for the play-doh instead of the bricks. He tipped it all out and mixed all the colours, giggling as it formed a brownish glob- and promptly proceeded to press the putty into the carpet.
“No no no,” Kayla protested, “Will no!” Will blew another raspberry and doubled his efforts to smear the play-doh into the carpet.
“Who’s going to clean the mess up, Will,” Nico asked with a smile, finding Will’s antics rather amusing.
Will tilted his head to the side, pointing at Kayla and blowing a raspberry. “Sister!”
“What do we do when we make a mess, Will,” Nico asked.
“Clean it!”
“Is it fair to make other people clean it?”
“No but sister is-” Will blew a raspberry- “and I don’t want to!”
“May the gods have mercy on us all,” Kayla muttered with a smile, “I have no idea how his mother managed to clear up all of his messes. Will, tell Nico what you did earlier.”
“I put mud in Austin’s shoe,” Will grinned, “then I poured water in it!”
Nico laughed softly, a fond smile making its way onto his face. “That’s naughty, Will,” Nico said gently, “would you like it if somebody did that to your shoe?”
“Oh-” Will blew a raspberry at Nico, sticking his tongue out defiantly.
“Well, that’s me told,” Nico chuckled, and Kayla shook her head with a smile. “Hey, Will,” Nico began softly, “I know it’s really fun to put mud in people’s shoes and ruin the carpet with play-doh, but other people might not like you making a mess, so instead of using mud or play-doh to make a mess, why don’t you make people flower crowns to say sorry for the mess? We could pick some flowers right now, come on!”
“Sunflowers?!” Will gasped excitedly, looking up to Nico with enthusiasm and excitement, bouncing up and down.
“Lots of sunflowers,” Nico grinned, standing up and holding out his hand, “and then we can pick some strawberries and eat them! And we can save some for later too so we can eat them with some melted chocolate!”
“LOVE YOU, BEST FRIEND!” Will took Nico’s hand and dragged him outside, heading straight towards the fields. Nico didn’t care that Will was technically fifteen- he didn’t find the current situation all that weird- Will was different like this, he was a child, and he was happy, innocent. It was completely harmless for him to act like this, and Nico certainly didn’t mind keeping him company when he was like this; in fact, Nico found his attitude and his mischief rather amusing, because it reminded him of himself when he was a child. He figured he’d have to teach Will how to play Mythomagic some day, but for now, they were going to make flower crowns and pick strawberries.