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Will was not supposed to be outside his cabin right now, but he had an aching feeling that something was wrong.
Being not only a demigod but also a medic he learned to trust that instinct. Even if he didn't really know what exactly was wrong.
He'd been trying to sleep for almost an hour with this aching in his stomach and a very naggy brain. It's not like he never had trouble sleeping before. His brain was usually running faster than the melatonin could push back, but this was different.
He couldn't do anything to help subside the effects, dread running through his veins in painfully small amounts that made him feel the urge to get up and run. He needed to go. He needed to help.
Standing outside the door of the Apollo cabin was as far as he got on where he needed to go.
His eyes scanned the Ω, keenly aware of the cleaner harpies flying somewhere near the woods. Pressing himself to the door was essential, but the stiffness only made him feel worse.
There wasn't anything out of place. All lanterns were off in the cabins, there wasn't a sound besides the harpies chattering to each other and the wind knocking branches together and rustling the leaves.
It wasn't until he got the courage to lean a little forward, casting himself away from the door that he saw the tendrils of light from inside the Hades cabin.
'Wrong.' He thought. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
Nico, while usually awake at this time, almost never had the lanterns on when he was alone. Even if it was miserably dark, he insisted that he didn't need them. Will would have to turn them on for himself and watch Nico groan. But there would usually be an echo of a smile on his lips that would disappear just as quickly.
His gut lurched him forward, legs carrying him as quietly as possible across the grass as his feet became increasingly more dirty. But he didnt care. Something was wrong with Nico.
He doesn't know why but he knew he needed to be here. He needed to see what was wrong.
Wills heart did somersaults when he got to the door of the Hades cabin. He couldn't tell if it was from his gut or from the realization that he's about to knock on his crushes door at well after midnight and how weird that was.
'Stupid.' He thought. 'This is stupid.'
But its not.
Will went to lightly tap on the door until he heard the labored breathing from the other side and stopped.
"Fuck." Nicos voice reached his ears, and his heart and soul broke at how weak and hurt he sounded. The rustling of cloth and a short sniffle told him he had caught Nico at the very end of a very long breakdown.
No knocking. Nico wouldn't let him in if he gave him a choice. And he could tell Nico needed someone right now even if he wouldn't admit it.
Nico still wasn't too good at reaching out for help when he needed it yet, or being able to tell when he needed it in the first place.
Will wasn't sure if he needed help in this situation, but he knew from experience that it was better to at least just sit with him and make his presence known.
Will silently went through his mental list of things about Nico. Only a few things might be able to help.
He tried to remember them as he opened the door, closing it behind him before the harpies found him.
The terrified squeak of a familiar voice and frantic shuffling of cloth alerted him to where Nico was.
His eyes were red, cheeks swollen from the constant rubbing. His sleeves were soaking in tears and he looked utterly exhausted. His once ghostly pale skin finally had some color back, but it was swamped in an entirely too big hoodie Will recognized as his own.
Slowly and with extreme caution, he walked over toward Nico. He disregarded everything else about the room. The crushed papers didn't matter, the articles of clothing tossed across the floor didn't matter, the way his sword was discarded into the corner of the room didn't matter.
He made sure Nico knew that these things didn't matter to him. He made sure Nico knew that the only ring that mattered right now was himself.
But the way Nico looked at him with utter horror almost made him want to turn away and start caring about everything else. Anything else. He didn't like that face, not when it was directed at him which was so new and left a stinging in his heart.
"Will?" Nicos voice cracked. He cleared his throat.
"Nah." He said. "I'm definitely Piper."
The joke seemed like it missed, but the corner of Nicos mouth quirked up and he felt just a little better.
A moment of silence passed between them. Nico didn't seem to know what to do with himself. His arms made a barrier between both him and Will, but his eyes lingered in a way that made Will really wanna kiss him.
Is that bad to think right now?
Maybe.
Nico seemed to notice the way he was looking him and blocked it off.
"What are you doing here?" Ice melted into his words, but not fast enough. Genuine curiosity and a little bit of guilt whispered into Wills ears like the devil. They weren't supposed to be heard.
"I don't know." He answered honestly. "Its gonna sound... really dumb. But I couldn't sleep."
"If that sounds dumb to you then I must be a fucking idiot."
Will chuckled. "You know what I mean Death Boy."
Nico frowned at the nickname and guilt creeped up Wills spine.
"Sorry." He whispered. "Not the best time."
Nico didn't say anything, but the longer Will looked at him the easier Nico seemed to unravel.
Every twitch of movement was marked in Wills mind. A twitch of the finger, very common after a breakdown depending on the kind of breakdown a person had. Loosening arms and the sound of a nail picking at cloth, an anxious tick. Darting eyes, a sign of nervousness.
Wills brain cataloged everything. He remembered some of the items on his list.
He sat down on his Nicos bed—a proper, non-coffin bed—and rested his back against the wall. He scooched over until he was sitting next to Nico and placed his legs across Nicos.
Will noticed that Nico often liked pressure. Probably something to do with the parasympathetic nervous system. This was one of the most impersonal ways Will could think of that he could incorporate that.
Nico was surprised at first, raising his arms to not touch the approaching appendages. But after a moment of silent consideration, he relaxed. His fingers played with the cloth of Wills grey sweatpants.
He was cold, Will thought. He could feel the coolness of Nicos fingers through his pants and the way the warmth seemed to slowly drain from his legs as Nicos own body absorbed it.
Will reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He opened it once to make sure nothing was on it. When he saw that there wasn't he handed it to Nico.
He was confused at first, but Will sent a small smile his way and Nico immediately knew what Will was allowing him to do.
Nico began to fold the paper in half, flipped it over, and folded it along the same crease. As carefully as he could, he tore the two sheets apart.
He set one half to the side and worked on the other, doing exactly as he did before.
This was another thing Nico liked to do. It was a subtle way to be destructive without having to actually injure anyone or destroy anything of much value. It was a task that required a fair amount of attention to make sure the pages were being split exactly in half and that the pages wouldn't rip.
Will watched as Nico calmly and meticulously tore the pages in half, set one half aside with the others, and tear the second part in half again. Once Nico got to a size he liked, he began to work backwards from his previously set aside pile, and tore them into pieces that matched exactly like the ones he liked.
But despite it all there was a heaviness in the air. He knew Nico didn't want him to ask it but he needed to. Perhaps he could ask a different question first.
"Are you okay?" Will did his best to only allow a certain amount of emotion to fill his words. The last thing he wanted was for Nico to think he was pitying him.
Nicos movement stopped for a moment, and then continued. Will waited patiently for an answer, and was eventually given a nod.
He didn't entirely believe him, but he knew he wasn't going to get a better answer.
"What was..." the dreaded question began to escape his mouth, but he found a better way to ask it. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
It was important Nico be given a choice to talk about it.
A little hypocritical coming from him considering that statement he made to himself when walking in, but he had made the right choice then.
Nico needed this. He watched as Nicos shoulders slumped into the propped up pillow. He needed someone here. He didn't need to be alone all the time like he used to insist he did.
What he truly didn't need was to be forced to talk about something he wished to be kept private.
A brief moment of anger flashed through him and the image of Croatia and Cupid assaulted his mind, but he let it go.
Nico shook his head.
The expression that followed after was... actually a lack of one. The absence of an expression was in itself an expression to Will. Nico was doing whatever possible to avoid letting him in, to avoid suspicion.
Will impulsively let his hand drift to Nicos, making him seize in ripping up the first half he had split. Nico had made it through half the original page. Nicos eyes shot to Wills, and the non-expression cracked.
"I don't know what's going through that head of yours, but whatever it is I know you'll figure it out." He tried to be reassuring. Everyone had their own needs when it came to being reassured, he was still trying to find the method that worked the best for Nico. "You... you are one of the strongest people I've ever met, and you deserve only the best. And I hope one day you trust someone enough to let them experience you being your best together."
He lingered for a moment after he stopped speaking, hoping the words were ambiguous enough. Nico hadn't moved at all, but he could see the gears working in his brain. He began to pull away, but tight fingers wrapped around his own. His lips fell open at the sudden pressure.
Nico said nothing, just held onto Will and looked at him. Maybe he was trying to find a lie somewhere. Maybe he thought Will had an ulterior motive or was planning something. But Will looked at him in the most unguarded and genuine expression possible.
The seconds turned to minutes, but they didn't feel as such.
"Nico, hun, are you okay?" Will let the pet name slip, just this once. Nico was being so guarded he wanted to know what he could do to break that wall. Maybe get a sliver of what Nico was feeling right now to help him know what items to pull from his list and what to ignore.
Wills heart swelled as Nico stumbled. He let go of Wills hand and dropped the paper.
"Shut up." Nicos arms crossed at his front again. He pouted and Will could feel his heart skip so many beats.
"But Nico~" Will dragged out his name. "I wanna talk to you."
"You can do it without being weird."
"I'm not being weird!" Will stated defensively. "How am I being weird?"
"You just are."
Will scoffed with a smile. "Thank you. You cleared that up nicely." He leaned forward, placing himself closer to Nico than he would usually allow.
Nico noticed this immediately, and more color rose to his cheeks.
Oh my gods.
Small squares of paper toppled over the bed and between Wills legs.
"Not my fault you're too dumb to not see it." Nicos words were mean, but the intent was far from it.
"Nico, love, I can't see myself. Of course I don't see it." One more time, Will thought. One more pet name.
Nicos face became even redder. "Oh my gods shut up."
"Why?" He asked innocently. His elbow rested between his torso and his leg, propping his head up on his hand. Nico did his best to sink into Wills borrowed hoodie and into the very mattress they both occupied. And when that didn't work, he covered his face with one hand covered by the now dry sleeve.
Will tried to play this carefully. He didn't want to push the joking aspect over the edge and lose the main topic. He didn't want Nicos emotions to go ignored. But man, Nico was fucking adorable. So long as they went back to it eventually... maybe it'd be okay to indulge.
"Youre not dense. You know why."
"I don't, actually."
Nico groaned in irritation, and Will could feel Nicos muscles twitch when he placed his other hand on Nicos knee.
Nicos reactions were setting Wills own face alight, hope bubbling in his chest. Because maybe, just maybe, he's acting this way because Nico likes him back. He held onto that maybe with everything he had.
His thumb rubbed Nicos leg waiting for a response.
As much as Nico insisted he didn't like being touched, he sure loved being touched by Will.
That realization lit another match of hope in his heart.
The hope dripped into courage.
He took his hand that he was using as a rest and placed it gently around Nicos forearm. He tugged lightly. Nico protested a little, but a second even gentler tug removed Nicos hand from his face and-
Fuck.
Will fell in love.
"I like you."
His heart raced in his chest. It pounded on his ribcage and beat blood into his face and ears. He wasn't entirely sure he said it until he seen Nicos reaction.
"I- what?"
"I like you." He repeated.
Nicos face was a mix of emotions. His eyebrows crinkled and his eyes began to shine. But not a moment later they curved down and grew uncertain. It's like he still couldn't believe what was happening.
"Stop it." Nico said with a little force.
"S- what?"
"Stop joking around." Will could hear the firmness in his voice, as if he believed his words to be true and there was no other possibility.
But there was. There is.
"I like you." Will said just as firmly. He slipped one of his legs off of Nico and moved to straddle him, forcing him to look at Will and See.
See that this wasn't a joke. See Will exactly how he should be seen. See that he was serious.
In all honesty he was hurt and a little angry.
Joking? What did he do to make Nico think that toying with him and joking about this was something he'd do? Or even think of doing?
Why did Nico think so little of him? Expect so much less than what he has to offer?
"Will, please." Nicos voice cracked, hands moving to block his face and himself from the rest of the world, from Will. "This isn't funny anymore."
"I'm being serious. I- okay, here." Will grabbed Nicos hand, bringing the paler fingers to his chest and directly over his heart. The surprise that cast itself on Nicos face sent a small wave of relief through him. "I've been serious from the beginning."
Will could feel Nicos hand trembling in his grasp, his heart trying to hop into Nicos hands through skin, muscle, bone, and cloth. It was now that he remembers it's not that Nico thought so little of him but rather that he thinks so little of himself, believing in the most concrete way possible that he is completely undeserving of love, and that this was a real and true attempt to not get his hopes up.
"Is... is this what you were crying about?" He asked, watching Nicos microexpressions which told he was undoubtedly right. "Because I promise you, with everything I have, that I like you, and its not and never will be a joke."
"Will I-"
"You deserve to be loved, Nico. You deserve to have somebody there who will love you and care for you unconditionally. You are worth everything, please don't ever think that I would joke to you about something like that and not at least mean it a little bit."
He was bombarding Nico with so many words. He didn't know if they were the right ones but he funneled every ounce of love he had into them.
Nicos fingers gripped Wills shirt, and he began to cry.
Will gingerly got off of Nico to take his place next to him and pulled the crying boy into himself. Nico took no hesitation in wrapping his arms around Wills waist and wetting the bottom of his t-shirt with his tears.
"I-" Nico tried to speak. "Will-"
Wills hand rubbed Nicos back soothingly, the other combing through his hair, shreds of paper completely forgotten.
"Take your time, Neeks. I'll be here." That only seemed to make the tears fall faster.
But Will didn't feel all too guilty about it. He didn't like to see Nico cry, but these weren't the tears he'd seen and heard before. This was a cry of relief.
They both sat there for many minutes. The time ticked by and the cleaner harpies continued to stalk the grounds. The small lantern by Nicos bed that Will had seen before continued on, the fire flickering every so often.
Nico was eventually reduced to small sniffles and a firm grip on all of Wills clothing.
Will began to assume that Nico wasn't going to say anything, but he still waited.
"I like you too." He heard a whisper from below him.
The words made his brain short-circuit and his heart go wild. His hope transformed into euphoria and adorned his face with a smile.
"Thank you."
Nico snorted, trying to hold in his laugh, but it didn't work. He began to full on belly laugh. The sound was intoxicating, and Will couldn't help laughing too.
"'Thank you'? I tell you I like you back and you say thank you?" He began to calm down, adjusting himself comfortably against Will.
"I know, I'm such a romantic aren't I?"
Nicos hand gripped Wills sweatpants, and his heart soared.
"... you really aren't joking?"
"No." Will said without hesitation. "I'm not joking."
A deep sigh escaped Nicos chest, the warm breath blowing across his legs.
And just like that Nico fell asleep, Will soon following after.