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if Nico’s going to be honest, he prefers Will Solace the way he is.
it’s the beginning of summer and they are in their two-long-committing relationship. new campers arrived, he even met Kayla and Austin and even hang out with them as he wrap his hands around Will’s. Will’s siblings—of course—teased them a lot about this, but it’s comfortable nonetheless.
it’s fun, to be in open and feel like he belong in this place, in this camp. had the campfire as they sing-along together. almost a half of new campers got claimed, mostly Aphrodite’s, Hermes’, Ares’, Hypnos’ and Tyche’s. they even met a camper whom just clashed the camp with a satyr and a monster behind them. they introduce, they had a lot of happiness together. no war, no prophecy, just a normal, tender, summer camp.
it was going on fine, until a certain goddess came by to him in the training center.
“Nico Di Angelo.” he reflexively swung his training sword to his back before seeing a familiar face. he saw Bianca Di Angelo with his dimple smile and long,black, silky hair. before changing into his mother, Maria Di Angelo with the classic black, veiled, fedora hat and black dress. and then change again into a certain blonde for a quite second before going back to Bianca Di Angelo.
“Aphrodite.” he then drop his sword immediately. he doesn’t really spite Aphrodite, the goddess project the most beautiful person we’ve seen, and it ache his heart how he miss his sister.
“that’s me. how are you doing with that son of Apollo, Darling?” the goddess smiled and gods, he can’t hate the smile in that form. “how is that would be your problem, really? pardon me, but we are doing iust fine without your divine intervention.” Nico replied.
“oh really? you know I supported homosexual love too. such as my daughter Piper with her girlfriend, Shel. they are so beautifully matched! and you finally found your true love, how romantic your love life is!” Aphrodite elegantly chuckled while Nico just rolled his eyes. “isn’t that supposed to be Eros’ work? Eros, not cupid. I despise him.” Aphrodite suspiciously smiled at the word ‘work’. as if she just get an idea of a new work to be done.
“well, supposedly, nice to know that you acknowledge your love. sure you will love what i have just done to your beautiful boyfriend.” Nico’s heart skipped a beat. he then aim his sword back to the goddess. “what did you do?” that mischievous grin again. “see you around, son of Hades.” the beauty divine muttered before vanishing into the thin air, leaving a trace of sweet vanilla and musky fragrance in the thick air.
Nico then rushed into the big house, to try to find his boy friend, to know what will happen. with only his skinny jeans and black tee, he run and found a crowd in front of the big house.
Nico catches a glimpse of the familiar dirty blonde in the middle of the crowd, with a quite amount of boys and girls campers crowding around him. and there he saw him.
William Andrew Solace is sorrounded. he looks the same, all healthy, all well. beautiful, heart dropping as always. Nico thought he must be hallucinating because he saw that soft, blonde hair is waving, as if greeting everyone and meeting the breeze in loving attitude. he feels that Will’s freckles are less to gone and how his face features are prettier than ever. his Camp Half-Blood tee and cargo shorts are changed into chiton.
fucking chiton. white base and yellow outer cloth. pinned with gold and tied his waist with a golden belt. he can see dandelion on his ear and no matter how much Nico hate to admit, Will is so alike Apollo in his god form. how come Nico just noticed that flower crown in daisy and hyacinthus?
he looks handsome. fantastic. amazing, really. Nico didn’t see what’s wrong until he notices the murmurs around.
“it’s the head medic, isn’t he the son of Apollo?”
“he’s the veteran of two wars. he just got Aphrodite’s blessing”
“is the infirmary guy taken? he looks handsome”
“oh wow, the field medic is so fine.”
“smash.”
“do you think I have a chance with that Solace guy?”
“do you think he likes boys? I want him so bad, he looks so good?”
“such a pretty boy, isn’t he?”
and when Nico got closer to the crowd, he can hear the flirty voices.
“hey there, handsome. wanna take a walk?”
“you taken?”
“hey there, are you the cure of Alzheimer? because you’re unforgettable”
“do you like boys? would you like me?”
“your lips looks lonely, wanna meet mine?”
“cool chiton bro, wanna make out?”
“are you Netflix? because i can watch you for hours”
while HIS Will Solace is just smiling politely and being oblivious. oh my god he’s so dense.
and that sight set something to Nico’s guts. it’s raging fire, as if it’s eating Nico’s insides out, his heart beats in different way—not in loving way as he always does around Will, more like a rage. as if he's seeing something such shame. it turns his insides out, how he despise those cheap pickup lines. how dare they seduce his boyfriend? how dare they to even try any chance to who's his? Will Solace isn't an object, he's a divine being sent from heaven for Nico. no one can try. no one even deserve such beauty. his mouth went bitter as he clenched his fist on what he's seeing.
he resent people who think they have a chance. his heart sank to even think how Will Solace can have another person he loves or fall into anyone other than Nico. his thoughts went apprehensive. as if he's going crazy just by seeing his boyfriend suddenly sorrounded by people who just realized his beauty. how he glows. how he''s bright, like the sun. they never notices Will other than 'the infirmary guy' before, how could they just do this?
but yet seems like no one even notices Nico standing from afar because the flirt line goes on as Will's expression gets more uncomfortable.
"Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears."
"Are you French? Because Eiffel for you."
"If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber."
"Is it hot in here or is it just you?"
"Excuse me, but I think you dropped something: my jaw."
"Are you made of copper and tellurium? Because you’re Cu-Te"
"are you a parking ticket? because you got fine written all over"
"Do you have a name, or can I call you mine?"
that's enough.
Nico then barges into the crowd and grabs on Will's arm. ignoring the booing noises behind as he pulled Will away from the crowd and drag him into the Cabin 13. he ignores any stares on the walk and glares anyone who got closer. as they walk, Nico left a track of withered and shriveled plants and flower. leaving a trace of bad energy while Will beside him left traces of sunflowers and daisy. giving confused smile to anyone who tried to greet him. and even though Nico is dragging the taller, Nico's hand is only firm, not grasping or anything close to hurting. as if only trying to draw Will into his direction.
they got inside and Nico shuts the door behind. he then gave him a peck on Will's cheek before staring him in the eyes. "okay, what happened? why are they all of the sudden do that to you?" Will shrugs in the same err and confusion. as if he didn't know the reasons behind too.
"I don't know, Nico. I was in the infirmary, doing my shifts. I was curing a child from Tyche who got her hand lacerated from embroidery needles. until Aphrodite---"
"of course it's Aphrodite."
"--came by and I don't know? turned me into this form and put me in what she said 'dad's favorite chiton'. I then went down because I want to go out, like surely the Aphrodite's can advice me or at least I can ask Kayla on what to do, and then suddenly the new campers and the ones who are at least older start approaching me and... you know what happened next." Will then innocently smiled and caresses Nico's cheek. "you jealous?"
"what? me? tch, of course not. I'm never jealous"
"uh-huh. sure you do, babe. now come on, take me to the Aphrodite's."
Nico then all of the sudden twiddling on Will's chiton cloth. as in nervously try to avoid the subject of bringing him out from the cabin. he just looks away from the bright, blue eyes. Will then scoffs it out and cupped Nico's face. "hey, hey, if you're worried about the people flirting, you sure know I only love you right? they will know eventually you're my boyfriend. now come on" Nico sighed and finally take Will's hands. "fine, let's go."
they then arrived in Aphrodite's cabin just to find Mitchell and Lacy, they helped them out eventually. "Piper used to get it, she can change clothes but in your problem, I think mom went permanent on your chiton. plus, I feel Apollo's blessing towards you too, explaining this glowing things around you. Apollo helped your style and glow while mom helped your charm and aura and apperance. mom usually will keep this for a week or so. you look really good though! good luck on your man, Nico." Mitchell said as she teases on Nico a bit. Will just laughs on this fact. "guess I'm stuck, yeah? might as well look good for a while!" yet Nico can hear the reassurance muttered quietly. "sure this will be okay, Nico. people will eventually forgot my existence.
now it's the second day, and spoiler alert, it doesn't.
more people notices and try to flirt with Will. no matter how hard Nico glared or side-eyed everyone. he holds Will's hand when walking, and yet in the dining table, there's still people who try to flirt with Will. Will said he need to go to the bathroom for a minute, leaving Nico with his siblings.
"hold your horses, Di Angelo. you seem like you're burnt already" declared Kayla Knowles in front of him, nagging on Austin Lake whom peacefully eating his lunch. "you're jealous." Nico scoffs at Kayla's accusation and focusing his eyes on his plate filled with only toasted loaf bread and a small portion of spaghetti Will forced to put into his plate earlier. he filled his glass with iced tea and acts nonchalantly as he sips, earning a bored stare from Kayla. "you literally punch 3 people, death-threat 6 people, death-glare half of the campers, drop 3 people in training centre and almost left wound on the new Hebe camper, all because they tried to flirt or get close with my brother."
"exactly. I don't see any problem there."
Kayla stabbed her cheesy lunch and put them in her mouth. she then elbow Austin and he shrugs as he said. "look, I don't really care how you both going. you treat my brother real good and I'm happy. and to be honest with you, me and Kayla are equally annoyed by people who came by all of the sudden. I appreciate what you're doing, but maybe do something that actually works instead of threatening everyone around? and for your information too, Will hates the sudden attention and the chit--" Will came back from the bathroom adn waves to Nico.
"what do I miss?" Will asks as he sat down before Gracie then saved them. "nothing, brother. just Kayla and Nico's usual bickering. by the way, would you like me fill in your shift?"
stubborn Will, of course, waves the offer and work anyway. ignoring Nico's bothered expression. after lunch, Nico decided to Iris-message Hazel in the Camp Jupiter, waiting for the afternoon sword-teaching. he was just about to say hi when Hazel's visual with Frank instantly burst. "what's wrong, Nico? your aura is darker than usual. don't tell me you killed someone, please" and Nico gave up and end up telling Hazel everything about Aphrodite's blessing on Will. Frank let go of his hug just to mutter to Nico "dude, if I was you, I'm on jealous level maximum. especially when it's your smoking, hot Will Solace" he then earned a slap from Hazel.
he then spend the rest of the day going to infirmary and sat beside Will's chair to glare anyone near. Lou Ellen came by sooner or later because she was delivering a potion for the fever child and giggles like crazy seeing Nico beside Will. "Will, you might want to take care of your boyfriend's aura there. just a little bit more and Nico surely almost reach Mother Hecate's" Will laughs at that and says 'will do' as he rubs on the back of Nico's hand. softly tracing on the vains and give a little kisson the edge of his lips.
"I don't like this blessing either. I surely hope this thing going on would stop. I just want to spend my time with you without all these things going on. if I'm being honest, the one deserving this must be you, haha." Will nervously laughs as he now look down when Nico finally turn to Will's direction. "I mean, with all of this blessings going on, I feel like it's giving gender dysphoria to me, it feels off with all people flirting with me. and as if, Aphrodite is trying to say that without her blessing, I'm not, you know, beautiful. it makes me feel like I could never be as good as my dad and- hate to admit, insecure." Nico immediately cupped Will's face and give him a kiss. a soft one, the reassuring one. they kissed for a while before letting go and stare into eachother's eyes. blue meets black.
"don't say that. you're beautiful. always is. people are just finally using their eyes to look at you like how I look at you. you're wonderful. a painting fresh stroke and you're handsome. always does. no matter what happened, with or without, I will always fall for you. because in any condition ever, you will always be my sunshine. a handsome one." Will laughs at that and smiled. "I'm so glad I'm in love with you."
and just that conversation, on the third day, Nico shadow-traveled himself. he's going to find the goddess of beauty himself. she's a petty one in that. he's going to hunt her and confront her. his boyfriend is uncomfortable, that's a fair reason to confront a certain goddess.
she was sipping on her tea innocently when he found her in the New York City café. the vision was a blonde model --surely Nico heard her name was Marilyn Monroe? which Nico remembered was an early career in the 1940s among the WW2 rushed crowd -- before suddenly changing to Bianca Di Angelo again, but Nico focused his mind to put back Aphrodite's blonde appearance, resulting a smile from Aphrodite when he got closer.
"we met again, Nico Di Angelo."
"change him back."
Aphrodite elegantly chuckled. unbothered by the attitude nor the shadows. "ah yes, young love. this is why I intervene. look at that Phthonus energy radiating from you. how refreshing! and you might want to drop that attitude and ask nicely. beside, you're enjoying the sight, don't you? now, why don't you take a sit? " Aphrodite put down her teacup in exquisite manner. Nico then sit down and glare at her. is Nico delusional or Aphrodite eyes were like Will's?
"I wouldn't take your precious time here, nor do I want this business to get longer. you, as a goddess, sure know time is a heavy issue. now, beautiful lady, please withdraw your blessing from my boyfriend and let him get back to his normal appearance." Aphrodite smiled in revined culture. as if she's enjoying every single seconds of it. and Nico loath that expression badly.
"very well, since you asked so nicely about it. but do tell me, Son of Hades. what makes you fall for him other than his beauty? why would you feel enmity towards your boyfriend looking gracious? aren't you happy people now sees him the way you see him? aren't you pleasured to see how gorgeous you boyfriend is in that glow and chiton? he is fine from the start, but do tell me, what is his appeal other than his beauty which you seem despise so much now that I showed everybody about it?"
Nico sighed. how is that her question? "oh, m'lady. you are the goddess of love, you sure know why."
"I do, but I want to hear you admitting it."
and all of the sudden Nico is in alixithymia. he went speechless. not by not knowing, but too much words inside his head that would describe Will Solace appeal and at the same time doesn't. among them words, there no a single too much for Will, rather, it's not enough words.
"he's an Althea. a healer, in heart." Nico can't stop the words he's about to rambling now. not under Aphrodite's degrading manner he can't. "he's kind. his heart is pure. he think about others first rather than himself. he bottles his own emotion and kept it all to himself when he sure knows that's unhealthy. his fear is to be a burden, but he could never be a burden to me. he's beauty in heart itself.
" he's stubborn, annoying, a dork in that too, but that's what makes him appealing. I'm his significant annoyance and he is mine. he's bad at archery and a workaholic, but he just wants the best for everyone. his personality is built by trauma and mystery and his crave for anyone to stay because he struggled to leave, and I want to be there. I want to be his other half, his other sides of a coin, I want to stay for him, I want to embrace him and want to embraced by him. I want him to feel vulnerable, that he's not only built by his sleeper build or his beauty or his healing powers, but also his personality and kindness. his whole nature is lovable. so, Aphrodite, may I repeat your question again;
" ' what makes me fall for him other than his beauty?' everything including his beauty is what I love."
Nico didn't even notice Aphrodite's hand snapping and pleasured expression. as if in ease and anjoyment of what she's doing if he doesn't end his rambling. The goddess then--graciously--guffawed at the sight of Nico's determined expression. "I knew you would be this entertaining, Di Angelo. look at you, right on love's door. you're drawn and drowned in Will Solace himself. I'm done."
"what do you mean?"
"he's back. now before it's getting late, you might want to go back to your little summer camp. campfire has just started."
Nico immediately shadow-traveled himself right behind Will in the campfire. there's an empty seat saved, as if Will's waiting for him and look at his boyfriend, back to his Camp Half-Blood tee and cargo shorts he loved so much. smiling as he followed the sing-along of campfire. and in Nico's eyes, Will's very beautiful, with that freckles all over and campfire light shines over him.
Nico then take a seat beside Will and tapped on the back of WIll's hand lightly before kissing him close. showing everyone Will is his boyfriend. and Will is taken, by Son of Hades.
" my boyfriend. " said Nico.
" your boyfriend. " murmured Will with a relieved smile.
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5 days later....
"Hey Nico, do you remember when you kiss Will Solace in front of everyon-"
"shut up, Cecil."
Cecil grinned and gives Lou Ellen the look before she also teased. "and the aura in the infirmary?"
Kayla laughes. "don't forget those death-threats he threw to everyone who try to even get close to Will."
WIll Solace laughed as he rub his hands to Nico's back. Nico's ears are red and he groans in frustration. "It's okay death boy. it's okay to be jealous."
"I'm not jealous." he sure was.