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Will watches Nico talking with the spirits of his mother and sister, the way his eyes light up, but how there is still a hint of sadness behind them. There’s a pang in his chest, something that he can’t explain.
“He needed the closure.” A deep voice rumbles, and Will nearly jumps a foot in the air. A dark chuckle leaves Hades, a grin turning up the corners of his lips.
“Lord Hades.” Will gasps, holding a hand to his chest. “My apologies, you scared me.” Hades just shakes his head, waving his hand dismissively.
“Please, there is no need for such formalities. After everything the pair of you have been through, I figured it would be for the best for Nico to let this go. To be able to move on.” Will looks at his boyfriend again, notices the tightening around Nico’s eyes, the wall that refuses to slip for even a moment, even in the presence of those he cares for so much.
“You’re not mad?” He asks, and Hades chuckles darkly again.
“Nico is not like most of my children.” Hades says, his eyes also focused on the scene before them. “He does things out of the good of his heart, the kindness that his mother instilled in him. Even when he is angry, he is good. But you already know that.” Will nods.
“It’s one of the things that drew me to him. It’s one of the many reasons that I fell in love with him.” He admits quietly, and Hades looks down at Will, an unreadable look in his eye.
“You love my son?” Will nods, running a hand through his blond curls.
“More than anything.” He says softly, and Hades nods, humming under his breath.
“I will let the Titan free.” Hades states, his mouth set in a line. Will turns to look at him, his blue eyes wide.
“Really?” Hades shrugs, nonplussed.
“I see no reason to keep him here. He is not the same as when he was sent to Tartarus, and you two earned it with your journey and your battle with Nyx. The prophecy dictates his release, and I will fulfill that promise.” Will can’t help but breathe out a sigh of relief. Something is bothering him, though. There’s a feeling that they are getting off too easy for everything that they have done.
“And us? Me and Nico?”
The grin that overtakes Hades’s face is one that will haunt Will’s dreams for the rest of his life.
“Once you leave here…”
“Yes?”
Hades looks down at him.
“Don’t look back, William.” Will stares at the god, not understanding.
“Don’t look…”
“You entered my realm through the Door of Orpheus, did you not?” Hades asks, though it’s clear that he already knows the answer. Will nods slowly, starting to understand. “You must leave the way you entered. Pray your trust and love will not repeat the mistakes of those that came before you.”
“You mean–”
“I mean, don’t look back, William.”
Will can feel the panic gripping his throat as Nico says goodbye to his sister and mother before coming back to Will’s side. He takes Will’s hand in his own, squeezing gently.
“What did my father say to you?” He asks quietly, and Will laughs softly, but Nico sees right through him, as he does so often. “Will, what happened?” Will runs a hand through his hair, nervous energy buzzing through him.
“Neeks… I need you to trust me. I need to trust you.” Nico looks at him in confusion, tangling their fingers together more.
“I do trust you. What are you talking about?” Will shakes his head, a shuddering breath leaving his lips.
“Your dad… he told me to not look back once we leave the palace.” Realization dawns in Nico’s dark eyes, and he turns his head to look for Hades, but the god has already disappeared.
“The Door of— He can’t… He can’t do this!” Nico cries, his eyes wide. “He wouldn’t do this to me.” Will pulls Nico into a hug, pressing his face into Nico’s shoulder.
“He asked if I love you. I do. I think… I think this is a test.” Nico’s hands curl into Will’s shirt at his waist, and Will can feel his boyfriend trembling.
“I don’t understand. We did everything that we were supposed to… This wasn’t… this wasn’t a part of the prophecy.” Will pulls back, taking Nico’s face in his hands, making his boyfriend look at him.
“I know, angel, but we can’t do anything about it now. We have to listen. You need to trust me, and… I need to trust you. I do. I love you, Nico. We can do this.” Nico nods, a tear slipping down his cheek. Will brushes it away with his thumb. “Are you ready?” Nico shakes his head.
“Just hold me for a second.” He says in a rare moment of vulnerability, and Will obliges, wrapping his arms around Nico, pulling the younger boy against him in quite possibly the tightest hug that he’s ever given him. Nico doesn’t let him do this all that often, but over time, the dark haired boy has gotten better at accepting Will’s affection.
“What did he say about Bob?” Nico asks, his voice muffled against Will’s chest. Will sighs, his fingers tangling into Nico’s hair.
“He said he would let him go. I don’t know how exactly, but we just have to trust your dad on this, I suppose.” Nico grumbles something under his breath in Italian that Will doesn’t understand, but he can tell sort of what Nico is saying just by the tone of his voice. “Oh, don’t be like that.”
“I’m mad at him, I can’t help it.” Nico admits, and Will presses a kiss to the side of Nico’s head, making the other boy melt into the embrace a little bit more.
“In his own twisted way, I understand what your dad is doing.” Will says, and Nico pulls back to look at Will incredulously.
“Don’t defend this!” Will shakes his head.
“I’m not defending it, I just… I understand. Orpheus and Eurydice… there was doubt that crept into his mind, and impatience. I think this is Hades’s way of… testing me. Of testing us. I guess.”
“Well, he could do it in a way that doesn’t try to confine me to the Underworld.” Nico huffs, and Will sighs, cupping Nico’s cheek in his hand.
“I don’t think it’s out of any malice. Could he even truly confine you? You’re not dead.” Nico blinks, but shakes his head.
“You don’t know my dad.” Will bites the inside of his cheek.
“I don’t, but I know you. And I know that we can do this. I… I love you that much, Nico. I won’t look back. I can.. I can be patient. I can do it. You need to trust me too.”
“I do trust you.” Nico says softly. “I’m just mad at my dad. We’ve already been through enough here. Literal Tartarus. ACTUAL hell. Why does he need to test my boyfriend?” Will shrugs.
“I think it’s him caring for you, Neeks. I really do. In his own… special way.” Nico just rolls his eyes, clearly not amused.
“Are you ready?” Will asks Nico again after a little while, his hand on the door to the palace. Nico squeezes his hand, taking a deep breath.
“Just one second.” He repeats, tugging Will down to press a kiss to his lips. Will closes his eyes, kissing Nico back. His boyfriend’s breath fans across his face, familiar. Like home.
Nico pulls back after a second, nodding, his eyes dark.
“I’m ready.” Will hesitates for a second, looking at Nico.
“I love you, Nico di Angelo.” Nico smiles at him, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. He’s anxious, Will knows. He doesn’t take it to heart.
“I love you too, Will Solace. We can do this.” Will nods, opening the door so he can walk out of the palace first.
Will’s not sure he’s strong enough to do this. There’s a hum under his skin, an anxiety that settles in deep, seeping into the very essence of him, into his bones.
The Underworld isn’t good for him, he knows. Underground is no place for a child of the sun, and he can feel how badly it’s been affecting him the entire time that he’s been down here. He still has a limp from the battle with Nyx, and gods, he feels like all of his powers have been drained out of him.
“Will.” He hears Nico’s soft voice, and he has to resist the urge to turn around, to see the expression on Nico’s face.
“Yes?”
“You’re glowing.” Will looks down, sighing when he sees the soft golden glow emitting from his skin.
“I can’t help it. It’s my anxiety.” He says, and he hears Nico huff out a breath.
“You’re going to wear yourself out.” He mutters, and Will’s fingers fiddle with the ace bandage that is always on his wrist.
“I just told you that I can’t help it.” He bites back, a little harsher than he intends, and Nico’s fingers suddenly press against his back, a warm, calming presence.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight. I just worry about you.” Nico says quietly, and Will relaxes into the touch.
“Normally, I’m supposed to be the one worrying.” He teases, though it doesn’t have the same lilt to it as normal. Will’s tired. So so so fucking tired.
“Yeah, but you can let me worry about you for once.” Nico says, and Will can hear the smile in his boyfriend’s voice. “Do you remember how to get back?” Will nods.
“I can also sort of… feel the sun calling to me?” He says, unsure if that’s what he’s actually feeling. Nico hums.
“I remember in the story of Orpheus, he could sense the door to the surface. Since you're the son of Apollo, it makes sense that you would be able to feel the presence of the sun as we get closer.” Will hums, his fingers twitching.
What he wouldn’t give to be able to turn around and look at Nico, but he can’t. He’s strong enough. He can do this.
The trip is a lot easier than Will remembers, but he supposes that since Hades knows of their presence in his realm now, they don’t have to hide and go through the back channels. He closes his eyes, letting the feeling of the sun pull him in the direction they need to go.
“Nico? It’s this way, let’s go.” He says, opening his eyes, but he hesitates.
No reply.
No footsteps.
“Nico?” He calls again, stopping. His hands start to shake.
Will takes a deep breath. He remembers this. A trick of the Underworld. It happened on the way in. He remembers wandering the same stretch of ground for what felt like hours. It makes sense that it would trick him into thinking that Nico wasn’t still following him.
Orpheus had doubts. He loved Eurydice, but it wasn’t enough to keep the doubt out.
But the Underworld won’t get him. It won’t make him doubt.
“I know you’re following, I just know it. I… I'll wait for you above, Nico. I promise.” Will says softly. He hopes that Nico can hear him.
He steels his shoulders, pushing forward. The bite of the rocks against his skin, the chill of the Underworld, none of it is any match for him.
As he climbs, he can hear voices in his head. Echoing, whispering, chuckling.
How can a son of Apollo love a child of the Underworld? Light loving dark? Dark coming into the light?
Will grits his teeth, pulling himself up the rocks more.
You won’t get to me, he thinks. You can’t make me doubt my love for Nico. Nothing can. Not after everything that we have been through.
His anxiety laughs at him, curling itself around his heart.
What makes you think Nico doesn’t want to stay here? That he could ever be accepted into society as you are?
The campers love him, he bites back. My sisters adore him, the younger campers look to him as their sword fighting instructor.
Superficial. Arbitrary. The pit in his stomach sneers. He belongs here. Him and his sister both. Children of darkness, undeserving of the light.
Nico and Hazel are nothing like what you think, he retorts. How dare you speak of them this way, you know nothing about them.
We are born of the same darkness, Will Solace. I know more about the children of the dark than you could ever attempt to. Can understand them more than you could ever. You can’t even hear Nico’s footsteps, what makes you think he is following behind you?
Will hesitates. He hears only the echo of his own footsteps, the crumble of the rocks under his own feet, the beat of his own heart.
What if… No. He shakes his head.
Nico told me he would follow me. He loves me. I know he does. I trust him, and he trusts me to lead him out of here.
Weak. Naive. The darkness in his head chuckles. Foolish.
Hades sent you to fuck with me, didn’t he. He thinks, and the darkness scoffs at him.
Bold of you to assume I answer to any master, son of Apollo. I am merely a manifestation of your own thoughts. Much like those cacodemons of your lover’s. Will balls his hands into fists, continuing his journey, his skin glowing a steady golden hue.
I won’t fall for it. I will get myself and Nico out of here. You may have been able to cast doubt into Orpheus, but I have learned from his mistakes. Will thinks, following the trail that he recognizes from their entry into the Underworld, however many days ago.
Nico, I know you’re coming. I know you’re with me. He can hear the desperation in his own thoughts.
I trust you.
I love you.
After what feels like hours of walking, Will gasps, seeing the familiar door, the one that they had entered the Underworld through all those days ago. The Door of Orpheus. A sob leaves his lips. Full circle. Hades had sent them full circle.
Under his breath, so low he’s not even sure Nico can hear it from behind him, he sings, his voice raspy and gravelly from the toll that the Underworld had taken on him. He’s not sure if that’s what it actually takes to open the door from this side, but it makes the most sense if he remembers the stories correctly.
He’s right.
Sunlight peeks through the door opening, and Will pushes his way out into the familiar greenery of Central Park. As the sunlight washes over him, he can feel his strength returning, a gentle caress of sunlight across his skin.
Almost like gratitude for his return from Apollo. He closes his eyes. Thank you, Dad. I’m home. I’m back. I promise.
He almost turns around, but he hesitates.
This was what condemned Eurydice to the Underworld in some versions of the story. Too much excitement. Too happy to be free of the Underworld, Orpheus had turned around to celebrate with his wife before she had made it out of the darkness. Will can’t. He can’t lose Nico. He won’t.
Don’t look back. Don’t do it. Hades’s voice echoes in his mind.
Will repeats it like a mantra, still humming under his breath, his song keeping the Entrance open.
Return to me. Come back.
Come back with me, Nico.
His hands shake. The sunlight warms his skin, but terror claims his heart. Did they do it? Did they pass Hades’s test? The doubt starts to creep into his mind, and Will feels his entire body start to tremble. Don’t doubt him now. Not after everything. Nico loves you, he promised he would follow.
It takes less than a minute for arms to wrap around his waist, nearly pushing him to the ground. Familiar arms. The familiar smell of wet stone after a rainstorm. Familiar rings adorning pale skin.
A laugh leaves Will’s lips that sounds more like a sob.
Nico.
“You followed me.” He says, and Nico nods against his back, quaking like a leaf.
“I told you I would.” His voice is wavering, and Will takes a deep breath before turning around, watching as the Door of Orpheus closes, the pale yellow flowers sacred to Apollo that manifested from Will’s voice moving slightly in the breeze.
They did it.
They really did it.
Will takes in a deep shuddering breath, and finally allows himself to look down at the shorter boy in his arms.
There’s tears streaming down Nico’s cheeks, and Will pulls him into a deeper hug, burying his face in Nico’s shoulder, breathing in deeply.
“You didn’t doubt me. You…” Will nods, pressing kiss after kiss to Nico’s shoulder.
“I love you, Nico. Of course I didn’t doubt you. Even when I couldn’t hear your footsteps… I knew you were right behind me. I could feel it. I just knew.”
“I was so scared… I trusted you, but… Eurydice trusted Orpheus too.” Nico says quietly, and Will shakes his head.
“I… I knew you wouldn’t leave me to stay in the Underworld. I know that it’s a part of who you are, and I’m… I’m really sorry for how I acted when we were down there. The things that I said. I wasn’t myself, but I have to take responsibility for the things that I said. That I did.” Nico squeezes his arms around Will’s waist, breathing in deeply.
“You were really badly affected by the Underworld. It’s no place for a son of Apollo, but you did it for me. Even though it was so dangerous for you especially. You love me that much?” Will nods, taking Nico’s face in his hands.
“Of course I do. Even when you’re being a grumpy ball of darkness.” Nico huffs, but there’s laughter in his eyes.
“You weren’t scared?” Will shakes his head.
“Neeks, I was fucking terrified. Every step of the way. I was scared and worried, and every step felt like my own personal hell. But… I knew you were with me. I couldn’t hear you, but a part of me knew that you were there.” Nico looks up at Will, his eyes still full of tears.
“I was so scared that you were going to turn around.” He whispers, and Will presses a kiss to his forehead. “You’ve always been so… apprehensive of parts of me. I thought that you would doubt that I would follow, that I would stay.”
“Did you want to stay?” Will asks, and Nico doesn’t even hesitate, shaking his head.
“I don’t. There was a time where I would have said yes, but… not since you. Not since I started staying at camp. There’s a place for me there now.” Nico says, and Will nods, pressing a kiss to Nico’s forehead.
“There always was, at least to me.” Nico sighs, closing his eyes.
“I couldn’t see you at one point and… I think the Underworld was trying to mess with me, make me think that you had abandoned me.” He admits, and Will shakes his head.
“It tried to do the same thing with me, but I wouldn’t listen.” Will says, and Nico can’t help but laugh softly.
“Leave it to a son of Apollo to be stubborn enough to fight with the literal Underworld.” He quips, and Will pinches Nico’s side, making his boyfriend squeak in surprise.
“It tried to convince me that you wanted to stay, that there was no purpose in trying to love someone destined to be in darkness.” Will says, and Nico frowns.
“But I’m not destined to be in darkness.” He says, and Will blinks at him in surprise.
“The Nico of a year ago would beg to differ.” Nico just laughs, shaking his head.
“The Nico of a year ago was a different person.” He points out, and Will nods. “But… I was born of the darkness, with my father being who he is. However… I’m still part mortal. The underworld is not where I was meant to spend all of my life.”
Will looks down at Nico, and he can’t help but be impressed with what his boyfriend is saying. He was being honest that the Nico of a year ago would never have said these things, but the Nico of now is like an entirely new person. He’s grown so much. They both have.
“Oh, Neeks. Your cheek…” Will cups Nico’s face in his hands, turning his boyfriend’s head to the side to look over his injury. “I can try and heal it so it won’t scar, here, let me—”
“Let it scar.” Nico says, and Will looks at him in surprise. “Doesn’t it look kinda hot?” Will laughs, pressing his forehead against Nico’s.
“You’re insane.” He can’t help the giggles that leave his lips, and he can hear Nico’s laughter mixing with his own.
“But you love me.” Nico says.
And Will does.
Enough to walk through the Underworld, if that’s what it would take.
“That was very unkind of you, lover.” Persephone says, her arms crossed over her chest. “Have they not been through enough as it is?”
Hades hums, watching his son embrace the son of Apollo. His plan had worked, just the way that he had intended it.
“And what if I tell you that I did not actually curse them?” He says, and Persephone barks out a laugh.
“So you just… told William to not look back, and didn’t actually condemn Nico to a life in the Underworld if he did?” Hades shakes his head.
“Nico is not like my other children. I wasn’t lying when I said that all I could wish for is for him to find happiness. But…”
“You wanted Will to prove himself, didn’t you?” Persephone says, and Hades nods.
“I did. And prove himself he did. Curse or no curse, they overcame the same trial that beat down those that came before them. And for that, their bond will only grow stronger. Will proved himself not only to me, but to Nico. That was the true test.”
Persephone sighs, watching the two demigods with a fond gaze.
“And pass, he did.”