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“I have an idea,” Percy said out of the blue. Annabeth looked up from the book she was reading, she reclined against the wall of Percy’s cabin.
“Is it a smart idea?” Annabeth asked, raising one eyebrow.
“Eh, it’ll be fine,” Percy waved his hand dismissively.
“What’s your idea?”
Percy explained to her his grand idea, she stared at him dumbfounded.
“I want to know how you can possibly think that’s a good idea?” Annabeth ran her fingers through her hair exasperatedly, “that’s a horrible idea.”
“I’m gonna do it anyways,” Percy crossed his arms in front of his chest stubbornly.
“If you drag me into it I’ll kill you myself, and it’ll be quicker.”
“Okay…”
--
Stage one of Percy’s plan:
“Hey Nico!” Percy jogged up to where Nico was talking with Will Solace.
“Hey… Percy,” Nico responded, furrowing his eyebrows at how excited the son of Poseidon seemed. Percy slung his arm over Nico’s shoulder and watched out of the corner of his eye Will’s reaction. Will looked between the both of them, his face hardened for a split second and Percy barely caught onto it.
“What are you doing?” Nico threw Percy’s arm off his shoulder, “I’m not your armrest you know.”
“Can we practice?” Percy asked, being as blunt as possible.
“Don’t you have Jason to spar with?” Nico huffed.
“Jason is probably making out with Piper somewhere,” Percy waved his hand dismissively, “and come on, don’t you want a chance to beat me up?”
“Will and I were going to—”
“I’m sure that Will won’t mind,” Percy glanced up at Will and smiled sheepishly, “do you mind if I take your boyfriend for a bit.”
Will chuckled awkwardly, “go ahead, I can go help Kayla and Austin clean out the backroom. After you two are done we can go.” His tone was slightly pinched.
“Alright, fine,” Nico rolled his eyes, “I guess I’ll see you after Will.”
“Yup,” Will pressed a kiss to Nico’s cheek, glancing over at Percy, challenge in his eyes. Percy smiled innocently and dragged Nico to the training arena.
--
Stage two of Percy’s plan:
Before the game of capture the flag started Percy made sure that Nico agreed to be on his team (which was the blue team). The Apollo cabin was on red.
“I’m surprised that Annabeth let you be on the same team as her after what happened last time,” Nico whispered under his breath, crouching low in the bushes.
“It was hard convincing her,” Percy whispered back, he was crouched next to Nico. A bit close for comfort but Nico didn’t say anything.
“I can go in, grab the flag and shadow travel out if you have my back,” Nico explained, peeking through the bush at the red flag.
“Yeah, I got your back,” Percy agreed, “I can take Connor and Cecil.”
“I thought Travis was supposed to be with them,” Nico hissed.
“How do you know that?” Percy furrowed his eyebrows.
“I walked in when they were planning. Apollo cabin,” Nico responded.
“It doesn’t matter, they probably changed it, let’s just go.”
Before Nico could respond, Percy shot out of the bushes brandishing riptide. Nico ran along the side of the trees, watching Percy out of the corner of his eye. Thankfully Percy managed to avoid most of the traps the two Hermes kids set. Most.
Before he was able to reach Cecil and Connor, he got caught on a rope and was soon tied up.
“Hah,” Connor poked Percy with the butt of his spear, “Annabeth hasn’t been rubbing that much off on you apparently.”
Cecil didn’t say anything, he scanned around the trees. Nico crouched low, hopefully in Cecil’s blindspot.
“Who came with you?” Cecil asked Percy.
“Like I’d say anything,” Percy responded, thrashing in his bonds.
The flag was only a few yards away but who knows what kind of traps the Hermes cabin had managed. Nico could lure Connor and Cecil over here and see where there weren’t any traps, but that seemed like too much of a risk.
Left with no other options, Nico sunk into the shadows appearing just behind the flag, Cecil and Connor hadn’t noticed him.
“He came with me,” Nico said, just to mess with them.
Connor and Cecil spun around in time to gape at Nico before he dropped back into the shadows appearing just over the borderline, signaling the end of the game and victory for the blue team.
Campers flooded to the border to celebrate or grumble at their loss. Percy had somehow managed to get out of his bonds and grabbed Nico around the waist, lifting him up on his shoulders.
“What!? Percy!” Nico exclaimed, almost dropping the flag. The blue team cheered and Nico’s face heated up at all the attention.
“Good jo Nico,” Percy exclaimed, wrapping his legs around Nico’s thighs.
Nico’s head spun and the world tipped, “Percy put me down before I pass out.”
Percy luckily got the hint and dropped Nico back down on his feet, he then promptly passed out. Percy scooped him up bridal style, earning a disapproving look from Annabeth and in the back, Percy noticed Will looking pretty annoyed. And since he didn’t know Percy was looking at him, he didn’t try to hide it this time.
Percy just pushed through the crowd to get Nico to the infirmary.
“I can take him from here,” Will insisted, materializing at Percy’s side as soon as Percy got out of the woods.
“Oh sure, of course,” Percy nodded smugly and let Will take Nico.
“Congrats on the win,” Will muttered under his breath, probably just being polite.
“Thanks man,” Percy clapped him on the shoulder and smirk, he noticed Will’s grip on Nico tighten slightly, “better get him to the infirmary.”
Will huffed and walked away.
—
The third and final stage of Percy’s plan:
“What’s up with you lately?” Nico asked, leaning up against Will’s side. They were sitting at the Hades table for breakfast.
“Nothing,” Will responded.
“Oh don’t give me that,” Nico furrowed his eyebrows, “you’ve been super clingy.”
“Well I’m sorry that I’m needy and lonely and you’re my boyfriend,” Will poked Nico in the side playfully. Nico swatted his hand away.
“You are pretty needy,” Nico agreed with a nod.
“Hey!”
“You said it first,” Nico shrugged.
“You weren’t supposed to agree with me,” Will gasped dramatically.
“I tell no lies,” Nico held up his left hand as a joke. Will chuckled and shoved a forkful of food in Nico’s mouth.
“Shut up and eat,” Will said.
“Hey guys,” Percy greeted, plopping down in the seat next to Nico. Sitting awfully close.
Annabeth sighed and sat down in front of Will, she shot him an apologetic look but he didn’t seem to notice. He wrapped his arm around Nico’s waist protectively.
“How’s it going Nico?” Percy asked, wrapping his arm around Nico’s shoulder and completely ignoring Will. Annabeth only sighed.
“What are you doing?” Nico asked, glancing at Percy’s arm around his shoulder.
Will slammed his hand down on the table and stood up, it caused everyone at the table to flinch.
“How silly of me to forget,” Will smiled and smacked his forehead playfully, “I had to move some cots around in the infirmary this morning after last night’s capture the flag. Percy do you think you could spare some time and help me out. You’re pretty strong.”
“I could help you,” Nico offered, starting to stand up.
“No, no,” Will pushed Nico back down in his seat, “me and Percy got it.”
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Percy grinned and stood up, “I’d be happy to help you out.”
Will smiled casually and started towards the infirmary. Percy followed, completely oblivious to the tense air that settled around Will.
“You know what Percy’s doing right?” Annabeth asked as soon as the two were out of earshot.
“Oh, yeah. I know what he’s doing,” Nico chuckled to himself, “he’ll learn his lesson.”
—
“So, where do you need help with moving the cots?” Percy furrowed his eyebrows at the lightweight medical cots that were lined in the infirmary. There was no way that you’d need more than one person to move them around.
“Actually—“ Will started, carefully twisting the lock on the infirmary door, “—I was hoping that we could have a little talk.”
Percy gulped, something about Will’s tone of voice made him uneasy. But Will was just a medic, he was a chill laid back guy. Nothing to be afraid of.
Before Percy could even react, he was slammed into the wall, Will’s arm pressing against his throat. Percy was terrified of the shorter blond.
“Don’t think that I don’t know what you’re doing,” Will growled, his voice low and full of malice, “you’ve already broken Nico’s heart once before even if you didn’t know it.”
Percy’s eyes widened with fear as he stared at Will. Will freaking Solace, who had him pinned against the wall by his throat. He pressed just hard enough so that Percy wasn’t suffocating but he still took wheezing breaths.
“And if you think for a second that you can try and lead him on again like this when he stated that he was over you,” Will’s blue eyes were icy cold and cruel, with the expression he wore now it was hard to even imagine this guy smiled, “and now Nico has me and I have him you think you can just waltz in and do whatever. What if I did that to Annabeth? Getting all over her, spending tons of time with her instead of you. How would that make you feel?”
Percy was going to respond but Will presses down harder making Percy gag, obviously it was a rhetorical question.
“So you think that I’m just gonna sit around and watch and let it slide while you’re waltzing around getting a little too close for comfort with my boyfriend,” Will sneered, it wasn’t a good look for your doctor to be making, “then there will be a huge ride of pain for you Perseus Jackson , remember this the next time you even think about getting too close to Nico.”
Percy saw black spots dotting at the edge of his vision.
“I’m the head medic here and I’ve done my research. I know what I’m doing,” Will leaned in closer to Percy’s face, “I know how much the human body can take. Understand?”
“Y-Yes,” Percy croaked out, and just before he started to pass out Will stepped back, releasing the pressure on his throat and gave Percy one of his signature reassuring smiles. Percy collapsed to his knees coughing.
“But you wouldn’t do something like that again right? Because who would want to get in between such a happy relationship?” Will clasped his hands behind his back politely. Percy rubbed at his throat taking deep breaths.
“I won’t try it again,” he gasped.
“Good,” the smile faded and Will glared at Percy for a second before he unlocked the door, his smile seemingly unwavering.
“It’s a lovely day for a picnic, isn't it?” Will muttered, mostly to himself before leaving Percy alone in the infirmary. Percy gaped at the open doorway, his throat sore and probably red.
Maybe he should have listened to Annabeth.