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Adelaide's first thoughts upon learning that the leader of the troglodytes had gone missing went something like this;
Oh, that's so incredibly tragic. I hope they're okay.
Also, please don't involve me in this quest.
Especially because it's been given to Will Solace and Nico di Angelo. And they're both absolutely disgusting with each other.
And I'm saying that as a daughter of Aphrodite.
But alas, the pair had been required to take a third party along on the quest. Something about "bad luck," but the point is that the whole camp had seen Nico angrily stomping out of the Big House, dragging Will along by a firm grip on his hand, Will shouting over his shoulder, "Don't worry, Chiron! We'll agree on a third member to take along with us by tomorrow morning!"
And since they no longer had Ariadne's string to act as a guiding force, they needed someone with Clear Sight to be able to navigate the labyrinth with them. Apparently, Rachel Elizabeth Dare was busy, and so the pair had settled on the next best option: Adelaide. A newer camper, a year younger than both of them, and one of the only demigods left in camp who hadn't been on an actual quest yet.
Will had been the one to ask her, all wild blonde curls and sunny smile. Said it's a chance for him and Nico to "get to know her better," whatever that meant. She was going to say no, really, she was. Except Nico was standing in the corner of the Aphrodite cabin, watching the entire exchange with that dark and unreadable expression that he always seems to be wearing every time she saw him, and so she'd sheepishly mumbled that yes, she'd be thrilled to go with them.
And so far, the whole affair has been exactly as gag-inducing as the thought it would be.
First, it was the whispering. She'd be leading them down some tunnel, and then she'd hear soft voices murmuring behind her. She'd whip around, fully ready to take down a monster or to at the very least kill whatever annoying pest was making those sounds, only to find that Will has his arm around Nico's shoulders, a smile on his lips as he presses his nose to Nico's hair and whispers until Nico's lips twitch up into a smile. Or until Nico rolls his eyes and playfully shoves him away.
It's disgusting—every time.
Next came the kissing.
Dear God, why do they kiss like that?!
And each one was even more disgusting than the last. The first one had been a simple peck, one that Nico had pressed to Will's lips before telling him to go to bed; he would take the first watch.
That kind of kiss happened a few times. To be fair, that was most of their kisses. Soft pecks, sometimes ones that lingered for a moment too long, but Adelaide got the feeling that they were dialing it back for her. That they were trying to be considerate.
Well, she hates them anyway.
But the worst one was after a particularly brutal battle with a flock of stymphalian birds. Adelaide had been the one to accidentally bring them on after a particularly bad judgment call of hers, and Nico had been the one to call them over to him. They didn't even hesitate before they swarmed Nico, tearing at his skin and clothing as he slashed furiously with his sword. By the time they'd flown away, Nico's bomber jacket had been nearly ripped to shreds, his skin covered in harsh scratches, his shaggy dark hair wild and unkempt.
Adelaide had offered a hand to help him up, and he'd taken it with a grimace of thanks. He was dusting himself off, his mouth opening as if preparing to say something, only to be cut off by a blur of a green hoodie and wild blonde curls. Will had slammed into Nico so hard that Nico had stumbled backwards, and then Will had hauled him up into a frantic sort of kiss, his hands running over Nico's battered form like he was taking in the fact that he was still alive.
She had just begun to turn away when she heard Will's panicked whisper. The trembling voice punched out between frantic gasps.
"Please don't do that again… c-can't lose you too, can't-"
That's when she remembered how many siblings Will had apparently lost. That's when the guilt had hit her, so powerful that it sucked the air from her lungs, pounded inside of her head and heart because she'd nearly killed Will's boyfriend. Will, whom she'd resented on this trip for being sappy, who'd always been kind and understanding, and considerate. How had she repaid him? By giving him the cold shoulder and then letting a flock of cannibalistic birds descend on the love of his life.
Her stupidity and lack of basic human decency would be almost funny. If it hadn't been for the sight of Will panicking, hunching over as he crushed Nico's frame to his, muffling a sob into the shoulder of Nico's shredded jacket.
"'M fine, Will," Nico had mumbled, his cheeks going pink as Will pressed kisses over every bit of Nico's face that he could reach. Adelaide had just sort of stood there, feeling completely useless and stupid as Nico brought his hands up to cradle Will's jaw, guiding Will's face into his neck before reaching down and taking one of Will's hands, pressing it over his heart as he murmured into Will's golden hair. "See? Can't get rid of me that easy. I'm fine. Just breathe…"
The whole thing had been embarrassing for Adelaide. Firstly, because she didn't know how to help people through a panic attack, and secondly, she didn't know either of them well enough to offer up any condolences. Secondly, because she was really hungry during this whole thing, and her growling stomach had been so loud that they had both turned to look at her, Will's freckled cheeks still sticky with tears.
Shit like that kept happening. So much PDA. So many situations that Adelaide was just completely unequipped to deal with, because apparently, she's the most incompetent demigod ever to live, and she can't ever just be nice to people. Or at least not send a flock of killer birds after them.
After a particularly long day in the Labyrinth, they'd emerged at a Motel in Minnesota. It had taken a few minutes to kill the empousai that worked behind the counter, but the three of them ended up taking a set of keys from behind the front desk and renting out a room for the night. One with two beds, because god forbid Nico and Will don't share a bed when they get the opportunity to, Jesus Christ-
Adelaide had immediately flopped down onto the bed by the window, crossing her arms and turning her back, not even bothering to kick off her shoes. She was tired, emotionally worn out from guilt, and she was done with them; she'd seen enough for today, and she didn't need to watch them cuddle, too.
So, instead, she just listens. She listens as Nico sits on the bed to unlace his boots, listens as Will rummages through his backpack. There's a sudden pause in the noise, a small shifting sound like they're both turning to look at her.
"Adelaide?" Will's voice comes, soft and gentle. "Are you asleep?"
Adelaide screws her eyes shut. Curls in on herself a little more and pointedly does not answer.
"Huh," says Nico, sounding almost vaguely amused. "She went out like a light."
A small huff of fond laughter, the sound of Will rummaging through the backpack again. "You don't get to point fingers here. You sleep like the dead."
"I am the lord of shadows."
"Uh-huh."
"Prince of the Underworld."
"Not to me. To me, you're just my grumpy little ball of darkness."
There's the sound of a soft kiss, and Adelaide is certain that she's going to vomit. Right here on this bed. Right onto the dirty carpeted ground.
She hates them. She hates that they won't just yell at her already, that they've dragged her on this quest, that they don't seem to be angry for all the trouble she'd given them that day. God, they're perfect, they're insufferable, they're-
She stiffens as a soft, worn fabric is suddenly laid over her body, one that smells of sun and a small hint of lavender. She's too stunned by the gesture to move, just lying there with her eyes still screwed shut as Will carefully tucks the extra hoodie around her torso, lifting her head slightly to slide a pillow beneath it.
The action makes her eyes prick with painful emotion.
It's done so easily. Without thought, like it's second nature.
How many times had Adelaide fallen asleep on the couch at home, only to wake in the middle of the night to find her father upstairs in his room, snoring loudly and apparently having not bothered to move her to her bed? Will barely even knew her. And yet, here he was. Tucking a hoodie around her shoulders and propping her head up on a pillow, the motions careful and deliberate as he tries not to wake her.
She feels Will's fingers trace lightly over a cut on Adelaide's arm, like he's studying it. Nico pipes up, his voice slightly gruff as she hears him settle into the mattress.
"Don't heal her until she's woken up. It might be something that she doesn't like."
"You're right," Will sighs. She feels him push away from her bed, hears the other mattress creak as Will climbs into bed with Nico. "I just… it makes me feel… guilty, I guess. Seeing wounds on people that I know I can heal."
"I get that." More creaking of the mattress. Nico's voice, firm and almost intense. "You used up a lot of your energy taking care of some of the bigger injuries. I can see you're fading a little."
"Yeah…" Will's voice stretches into a yawn, one that's followed by an amused snort from Nico.
"C'mere," Nico mumbles, playfully exasperated. There's more shifting, then a heavy sigh of relief, a sort of quiet humming sound.
There's a long stretch of silence, comfortable and warm. When Adelaide rolls over, she catches a brief glimpse of Nico propped up against the headboard, Will's golden curls resting against his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for freaking out like that," Will mumbles, slurred with sleep. Nico shrugs, pressing his cheek to Will's forehead.
"Nothing to apologize for."
"I embarrassed you."
An affectionate chuckle. "I've had worse, Will. Go to sleep."
"Yeah... Yeah, I think I'm gonna do that…" Another yawn. A final phrase, muffled into the torn fabric of Nico's bomber jacket. "…love you…"
She can almost hear the affectionate eye roll in Nico's tone.
"I love you, too."
There's no mention of her. No blame passed her way, no lingering resentment.
It's… strange. So nice that it feels almost wrong.
She lies there for a while, listening to the sound of Will's soft breathing. She can't say how long it is before she slowly sits up, rubbing her eyes and looking over at Nico. He meets her eyes as well, his brow furrowing slightly with concern.
"Did something wake you?"
"No," she says quietly. "Just… woke up, I guess." Nico blinks at her, as if unsure of what to say.
"Okay."
This stretch of silence is longer. A bit more painful. Will makes a mumbling sound in his sleep, bringing a leg up to throw over one of Nico's before wrapping his arm around Nico's torso and pulling him closer, settling back against Nico's chest with a content sound. Adelaide looks away. Clears her throat.
"I… I'm sorry."
Nico frowns. "About what?"
"Sucking at this whole 'quest' thing," she mumbles. Nico's expression doesn't change, his eyes studying Adelaide's face as if she'd just said the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.
"You're getting us through the Labyrinth," Nico says finally. "I think you're doing just fine."
Strangely enough, the sentiment brings her comfort. Because for the first time, she realizes that Nico and Will aren't some distant figures looming over her, judging her every move. They care about her, too. She'd been pushing them away, so disgusted by how easily love came to them because, for Adelaide, even as a daughter of Aphrodite, love did not come so easily for her as it seemed to for them. All Adelaide's life, love was earned. Love was a reward for good work, a precious thing that could be taken away as a punishment. Not unconditional. Not nonjudgmental.
Nico's statement is blunt. Slightly deadpan. But it makes tears prick in her eyes all over again, makes her throat close up with just how much she needed those two sentences, without even realizing it.
"Thank you," she manages, her voice thick with emotion. Nico just nods, quick and with that usual grim expression, settling back further into the bed and turning to press his nose into Will's hair.
When she sleeps, it's with the sound of Will's soft snoring in the background.