Work Text:
***I have a question, it might seem strange***
He would actually go through with it this time, okay? Nico had been trying to ask Will Solace out since his first long stint in the infirmary. The two had become close through his insistence that he was fine and Will's continuous reminders that, no, he'd pushed himself too far and doing much more would almost definitely kill him. After Nico's various failed escape attempts, Will had taken up position as his guard. Eventually, they had become friends and that had slowly become something else without really thinking about it. But Nico wanted to be sure. He couldn't take another romantic mess of feeling after his crush on Percy. So, maybe he was paranoid, but he was going to get confirmation that Will had the same idea about their relationship. And he had a very not foolproof plan to do it.
***How are your lungs? Are they in pain?***
Will was in the infirmary, treating some new campers who hadn't quite payed enough attention during sword practice, when Nico came in.
“Need a hand?”
The blond looked up, smiling as he saw Nico.
“ Not gonna say hello, Death Boy?”
“I thought help might be more appreciated”
“Well, I think we've finished up,” Will looked up smirking and added “ I'm not too sure I'd trust you here anyway.”
“ oh touché ”
The patients were sent away with small packets of ambrosia and warnings to not eat too much or get anymore stab wounds.
“ Well then, Sunshine, what brings you here?” Will asked, turning to Nico
“ uh, actually I have a slight problem” said Nico, turning his foot on the floor a bit.
“ You willingly came to me because of a 'slight problem?' are you dying” Will's eyes widened, and he guided Nico to a chair, pushing him to sit, holding his shoulders. Nico tried desperately not to focus on the contact and made eye contact. This turned out to be worse. The boy's golden brown eyes were full of concern.
***'Cause mine are aching, think I know why***
“ it's not that serious, honest. I think I know what it is”
Okay, maybe this plan was not as good as he thought it was. He hadn't meant to scare or worry Will. Too late to go back now anyway.
“Well, what's wrong?” the younger boy looked genuinely concerned leaning towards him, his brow furrowed and his eyes still down-turned.
“ um, I've just been feeling a bit weird”
Solace leaned back and crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.
“Weird?”
gulping, Nico continued. “ Yeah. Weird. Like I'll be totally fine, and then it'll be a little hard to breathe. Then I can't focus, and then I feel all nervous. Like a million little daggers are dancing around in my gut.”
Looking up, Nico saw that the other boy still looked confused.
“Is that all?”
“ Almost. Sometimes I can't sleep, because of thoughts and things. More so than usual,” He paused and looked down again, “and my nightmares are almost gone.”
Will smiled, though he still looked confused.
“Nico, that's not life threatening. In fact some of that's good. Why tell me this?”
“ I'm pretty sure it's your fault”
***I kinda like it though, you wanna try?***
Will sat up straight and leaned back.
“ Fault?”
“ yeah.”
“ Care to explain?”
“ you seem to be there when I start feeling nervous, and then I can't focus on anything else.”
Nico shifted in his seat, the nerves he had been speaking about deciding that they could become even more intense and make him feel absolutely terrified. He was certain he wouldn't be able to speak without his voice quaking after this.
“ And I can't help it when you start creeping into my thoughts. You're just there.”
The Apollo boy was clearly flustered, his freckled cheeks flushed and his shoulders pulled up and closer to him. He refused to make eye contact.
“ Well then, doc, what do I do?” asked Nico, laughing nervously. The pit in his stomach was almost unbearable, and he would much rather return to his canin and hide under his covers until the sun went away.
“ Nico, please tell me if I read this wrong, but are you trying to tell me you like me?”
***Oh, would you be so kind as to fall in love with me?***
“ ...yes?”
At that, Will's entire face lit up. He laughed, blushing even more furiously. His frame visibly relaxed, and it comforted Nico slightly.
“ Couldn't you have just said that?”
“ Maybe I wanted to be 'extra' ”
“ Extra? Seriously?”
Nico returned to shifting uncomfortably, “ yeah. Anyway, won't you give me an answer?”
“ You haven't asked the question”
Sighing and biting his lip, Nico started and stopped his sentence multiple times.
“ I’m, I'm asking if you feel-” he paused and shook his head, “ I’m asking if you want to go on a date with me you numskull.”
“ I'd like that. ”