Chapter Text
“Won’t the harpies be on us for this?”
“No,” Nico had said, “they’re too scared of me to try to eat us.”
He was laying next to Will on the grass. They were in a clearing in the woods near Zeus’s fist. It was well after midnight, the stars shone brightly in the sky. Nico had scared him half to death ten minutes ago when he’d shadow traveled into the Apollo cabin to drag him out of bed to look at the stars. Will didn’t mind, he hadn’t been asleep anyways.
“You’re not very scary,” Will had giggled.
Nico raised an eyebrow, “really?”
“No, not to me.”
Nico smiled softly and stared back up at the sky. It had been about three months since they’d defeated Gaia, about two years since Will had acquired a stupid crush on the son of hades, and exactly three days and six hours since Nico had kissed him on the cheek after they he had walked Nico back to his cabin at the end of that night’s campfire.
And oh gods was Will falling. Every little thing about Nico had him in awe. The way he fidgeted with his ring when he was bored or anxious, the way his lips barely curled up when he smiled. The way he moved so delicately or the way he bit his cheek when he was concentrating. He noticed every single thing about him, and every single thing drove whatever it was that they had further and further away from friendship.
“There’s Orion,” Nico said.
“Hm?”
Nico pointed up at the sky. Will followed his finger up to a line of three stars. “That constellation there,” he said, “that’s his belt. I met him once, he’s an absolute ass.”
Will laughed, “you’re amazing.”
“… really?”
“Yes really, stop saying that,” Will said, pushing himself up to look at Nico, “you are amazing.”
“Well then you’re amazing too, Solace.”
Will smiled and rolled his eyes, lying back down.
Nico sighed and sat up. “H-hey Will?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you uhm,” Nico started, “nevermind.”
“No,” Will sat up then, looking at Nico concerned, “what’s wrong?”
Nico shook his head, “nothings wrong it’s just- I don’t- Uhg can we just forget I said anything?”
Will shrugged he wasn’t about to push him to say anything he didn’t want to, “okay.”
They both looked away, back at the sky. But only for a few moments, because then Will’s eyes were back on Nico. The moonlight cast a soft blue light on his face, illuminating his features.
“… Nico, why’d you drag me out of my cabin to look at the stars?”
Nico sighed and looked down at the ground, “I had a nightmare.”
“Oh,” Will said. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he was a bit upset that it wasn’t just to hang out with him, and a little upset it wasn’t a date or something. ‘Because it’s totally normal to surprise your best friend with a date,’ he chided himself. Okay yes, he was a little stupid. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I am now,” Nico said, turning to look at him. “You make me feel better.”
Will tried to ignore how his stomach did a backflip and how his face warmed up suddenly. He was overwhelmed with the urge to do something stupid. So before he could convince himself otherwise, he reached out and grabbed Nico’s hand.
Nico stilled for what felt like ages before he laced their fingers and relaxed. Will was sure he hadn’t breathed in minutes, so he took a deep breath and smiled. Nico giggled.
“I- I really like you Nico,” he’d said, “ Like, really like you. The past few months- being friends with you is just… the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’m really glad you decided to stay. I’ve had a stupid crush on you for gods knows how long and I’m probably really rambling right now but I really want-“
“Will,” Nico interrupted him.
“Huh?”
“Kiss me.”
Then he woke up.
Will shakily gasped as his eyes flew open. A gloomy ceiling of artificially lit tiles loomed above him, a monitor was steadily beeping in his ear. His face was sticky with tears.
He shot up, “where’s Nico?!” But he already knew, “…Nico?”
“I- I’m sorry…” a voice to his right said, he looked over to the sound. A boy about sixteen sat draped across an armchair on the wall. His hounded length blonde hair was a mess and he was wearing what was probably pajamas. He sat awkwardly, as though he didn’t know what to say, “do you want some cake?”
“You know, when Kurt Cobain reached out and touched my head like Jesus I was really hoping that meant I was dead.”
“Oh, well, I’m sorry to disappoint you I guess.,” the guy said, taking a bite out of a slice of cake. It was obviously homemade and messy, the blue pink and yellow frosting was drippy and uneven and the entire slice looked rather squished.
Will began looking around. He was in a hospital gown, sitting in a rather uncomfortable hospital bed. His left hand seemed to be covered in bandages, while his right had only one across the palm. He had IVs and monitors stuck all over him. He was sure that if he could see himself he’d have been disgusted by the sight.
“Please don’t try to make a run for it like the last three times you woke up,” the guy grimaced.
“Who the hell are you and why are you in my hospital room!” Will finally snapped.
He raised an eyebrow, “Nice to meet you too, I’m Magnus Chase, and I’m here because the praetors are busy and my cousin and her boyfriend are trying to figure out what in helheim happened to you and the big guy.”
“What- hold on, Chase?”
“Oh good you’re awake,” Annabeth’s voice interrupted his thought. He hadn’t seen her in about a year, and under different circumstances he’d be glad to see her.
But right now he wasn’t glad to see anyone.
Annabeth looked tired, and Will knew tired. She looked like she’d been awake for at least forty eight hours. She wore a CSU New Rome sweatshirt over a dress and slippers. She looked a bit angry, and she had her brows furrowed as though she were on her third hour of studying a difficult equation. But ultimately, she looked sad. “…How are you doing?” She asked sympathetically.
Will broke down. He sobbed and sobbed, but it seemed as though he had run out of tears. At this point, he was just screaming. Annabeth gave him half a hug, avoiding all the tubes and wires attached to him.
When he finally called down a bit, Annabeth began, “how about I tell you what happened after you got here, okay?” Will nodded lazily. “When you got here you were missing a hand… you had a few other injuries. Mags over here is a healer so he was able to keep you stable till the actual paramedics got there. He saw a little bit of what happened from that but even he can’t recount anything…Bob is still in shock, we haven’t been able to get much out of him. Hazel- well, when Hazel isn’t vomiting she’s crying her eyes out. She seems to know the gist of what happened but she just won’t tell anyone… so, that’s where everyone’s at right now.”
“W- what do you know?” Will choked out.
“… you and Nico went to rescue Bob from Tartarus. You’re both here and traumatized… and he isn’t.”
“Is- is he-“
“I’m so sorry,” is all she said.
Will stared right through Annabeth. He was gone… really gone? “I said I’d go with him. I love him- so I said I’d go with him! We got married because he knew something like this would happen- I- I tried to die for him! Annabeth I’m supposed to be the dead one! Why am I here why is he gone I can’t- I’m not-“
“William! Will, Will calm down,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He sobbed harder, “Nico used to call me that!”
“Yeah because it’s your fucking name- listen Will: I don’t know very much and I can’t do much to help if I’m being honest okay. Everyone is really upset and honestly Percy would be halfway to hell right now if he found out who did this but-“
“What? What do you mean, ‘who did this?’”
Annabeth just looked at him confused.
“Annabeth- we were stuck! It was the only way to get out! Nico did it!”
Annabeth’s phone started ringing, she sighed, “I- I’m sorry Will I really am. I’m gonna check on you again later okay?” With that she stepped outside the room.
Magnus sighed shakily and took another bite of his cake.
Will collapsed on the bed. What was left for him? He’d gone through actual hell, the love of his life was dead, and what was he supposed to do?! Sit in this hospital room and cry with an insufferable man in a chair and a piece of cake? He needed to do something. He just wanted Nico back.
‘ I’ll wait for you forever,’ Nico had said.
‘He’s waiting,’ he thought, ‘don’t keep him waiting.’
But everyone here seemed so opposed to the idea of him dying. Why did he have to defy the odds so well? He should have bled out on death’s feet in the elevator from hell, why was he here?
Don’t keep him waiting.
Just then, he got the stupidest idea he’d ever had in his life. If he couldn’t be dead with Nico, then he’d be alive with Nico. One way or another he would do it. He leapt up and tore off his sheets. He struggled with the cables attached to him, ripping a few off in the process.
Magnus threw his hands in the air, “what the hell are you doing this time?!”
“I’m going to get my fucking boyfriend!”
Then he hit the floor.