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He checked to make sure Nico was okay first, because of course he did. He was Will Solace, after all. Only once he had deemed him uninjured and healthy (or as healthy as a malnourished, dehydrated, chronically fatigued demigod who has saved the world twice, still without addressing his previous trauma, and doing his very best to ignore that which was newly acquired, while at a camp full of other traumatised, disaster-prone, teen war heroes could be) did he take a deep breath, and promptly begin to go absolutely apeshit.
“Are you insane? Are you actually insane?” Nico would like to argue that he really wouldn’t be surprised, and can you blame him? But alas, Will continued. “I knew you were dense, but Gods Nico, this is just ridiculous.”
Behind them the climbing wall shone brightly, even in the afternoon sun. Nico elected to ignore the surplus of lava that may or may not be the cause of that, because as impressively spectacular as Leo Valdez’s latest “improvements” were, they could not possibly compare to Will’s face, glowing red-hot with anger. He stalked toward Nico, using his (unfair) height to his advantage. Will Solace was the counsellor of cabin seven, as well as head medic, and had been since he was thirteen. If there was one thing he’d learned from wrangling misbehaving siblings and healing stubborn half-bloods, it was how to make people listen to him. And by all the Gods of hot and/or sexiness, was Nico listening .
Seeing Will Solace angry was a real novelty around camp. Nico had only really witnessed it twice; once in the infirmary after the war with Gaea, when his authority as head medic had been questioned by an ignorant Ares kid, and before that, the consequence of an unfortunate incident in the amphitheatre regarding a spider, of which Nico was personally privy to. His arm still hurt, just thinking about it.
“Honestly Nico, you’ve saved the world, like- what? Twice? How are you still such a Godsdamned moron?”
If he were a less dignified man, Will would’ve been dragging him by the ear. As it was right now, he had a very firm hand on his shoulder, and Nico got a close look at the line of his clavicle. He could see exactly how his Adam’s apple bobbed as he yelled, he could feel the radiant heat that emanated from him at all times. Sometimes Nico wondered if his body temperature rose with his emotions. It sort of made sense for a son of Apollo, already so sunny and light. Why shouldn’t he also represent the harsher rays, relentless in their passion, the kind of heat that hurt just to stand in, sucking every last vestige of kindness from the world. Will was powerful, warming and healing those around him, coaxing growth from even the most shrivelled flower. He was also savage and irrevocable. He had no problem asserting that what was done, was done. As a healer, he knew when to make certain calls, when things were too far gone.
Nico felt a twinge of his carotid artery, as Will’s strong hand innocently grazed his neck. He could feel every callus of his fingertips, rough from years of archery, instruments, and chemicals. He’d never thought of Will’s hands as anything but soft and gentle. He was a healer after all, it took a particular type of patience to deal with the pain of growth. But every once in a while, Nico was reminded that he was a war medic, who had seen tragedy first hand, and was just as hardened as the rest of them. Lightning zipped down his spine when Will’s hand twitched.
“Aren’t doctors not supposed to cause harm? I thought you took a vow, or something,” Nico complained, squirming away from the overwhelming sensation, and consequently making it worse.
Will grinned at him, devilishly, amused in the way only someone who understood at the deepest level that they were in control could be; like a cat glaring down its game. Nico shivered, and it had nothing to do with fear or pain. His mouth flooded with saliva, and his gulp was audible.
“I ain’t a doctor, darlin’,” Fuck , “I’m just a kid with some divine first aid skills. No Hippocratic oath for me.”
His G ’s were dropping, I ’s and E ’s getting longer and sweeter. Darlin’ slipped into his vocabulary like it belonged there. There was no way Nico was getting out of this with his pride intact.
“B’sides,” Will shrugged, pulling him closer and causing zinging licks of electricity that went further south than just his spine, “Boyfriends get special treatment.”
It was right in his ear, breath cooling the sweat on his neck. Something boiled deep inside him, heating up with every touch, word, and twitch of a pressure point. It bloomed in his chest, and rose up his throat, sitting hot and heavy on his tongue. He opened his mouth to speak,
“Special treatment doesn’t sound too bad. You’re really hot when you get mad.”
Will smirked at him, close enough to kiss, but when Nico leaned up to do so, he stepped back, leaving him stumbling forward with burning cheeks. He was infuriatingly sexy, laughing as Nico got his bearings. It sounded like playful sunbeams, peeking through the dark clouds of a summer storm. He kept cackling as he walked away, leaving Nico red-faced and swearing.
“Godsdamn it Solace, you are the worst! Stop laughing and take back this stupid curse!”
But Will was gone, taking every last piece of Nico’s dignity, speech pattern, and smitten heart with him.