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When Jason had told Will that Nico wasn’t feeling well this morning, he had assumed it was the usual: that had just worn himself out. Nico was always pushing himself too hard. The son of Hades had this incredibly infuriating ability to pretend he was fine long after “fine” had stopped being true.
But when Reyna mentioned later that Nico might have caught whatever was spreading around camp, that was a whole other problem.
By the time his shift at the infirmary finally ended, Will was already sprinting across camp. His scrubs were wrinkled and his hair messy from combing his hand through it, in worry. Cabin 13 loomed ahead of him, the afternoon sun creating dark, heavy shadows. He didn’t bother knocking, walking straight in.
The air was cold but stuffy, on his bed lay Nico, curled up, half hidden under a blanket that Will had brought over and never bothered to take back. Jason, Leo and Reyna were crowded awkwardly nearby, occasionally whispering to each other.
They looked at Will as he entered, Reyna stalked out putting a hand on Wills shoulder as she passed, mumbling something about “The responsible healer is finally here, don’t have to watch these dunder-heads for a few minutes.”
“Hey sweetheart,” Will softly smiled, ignoring Jason and Leo for now. He walked closer to Nico “I hear you’re sick?” Nico groaned in response, burrowing into his pillow. His hair stuck to his forehead, and even from a few feet away, Will could tell he was burning up.
Jason reached out to soothingly rub Nicos shoulder, his “No touching!” went ignored. Will walked over crouching beside his bed, resting one hand lightly on the mattress.
“He was sword fighting this morning. Said he just felt off. Then he almost fainted. Reyna thinks it’s that virus that’s been going around.”. Leo Picked up Nicos stigian iron sword, before he could tinker with it Jason gave him a look before continuing “He keeps saying his is fine and won’t admit it though”.
“So he’s being difficult?” Will raised an eyebrow.
Jason nodded, arms crossed, mouth in a tight line.
“I-I’m… right here!” Nico mumbled
“If he’s got what’s going around, he might be out for a few days” Will whispered.
“I’m fine,” Nico mumbled, tucking his face into the crook of his elbow.
“You don’t look fine, Neeks. How long have ya’ been sick?”
“I’m not sick! Just a headache. And some nausea… maybe a small fever. It’ll pass”
Jason raised an eyebrow “That’s what you said before you face-planted in the arena.” He deadpanned.
“I’ll just have some Gatorade and cold medicine.”
“Isn’t that like, your fourth bottle?” Leo questioned.
“No… actually. I’m not sure” Nico groaned.
Will sighed, he tugged the blanket down gently, ignoring Nicos weak protests. “Alright, sit up.” He gently pulled him up to sit straight (read: Will supporting half his weight as he groaned and complained). Reyna— who Will hadn’t even heard come back in—wordlessly, came up beside Will to frown down at Nico. Will summoned some light to his finger.
In the light, it was obvious Nico definitely wasn’t well—despite his ‘claims’. His face was flushed, eyes glassy, and his skin had that clammy sheen Will recognized all too well. Definitely fever. Possibly dehydration, despite the Gatorade.
“Yeah,” Will said under his breath. “You’re definitely sick.” Nico frowned, his cheeks puffing out slightly in annoyance.
“You’re just saying that because you’re a doctor.” He huffed.
Will rolled his eyes “Exactly,” Will reached out to double-check Nicos pulse, and vitals. Nicos heart rate was a bit higher than normal, but not a real cause for concern yet. But he was definitely dehydrated. “And your doctor says you need to come to the infirmary. Especially, if you’ve got what everyone else has, you should be too sick to walk. Why didn’t you come to the infirmary?”
Nico groaned, closed his eyes against the light. “I’m not sick!” He slurred, flopping out of Wills arms and onto the bed “I-i… yea”
“We need to check you in the infirmary,” Will stated, “preferably before it gets worse.” From what he had been told Nico hadn’t vomited yet but from Will’s numerous shifts in the past week, he knew it was very likely coming soon.
“No,” Nico muttered, rolling away from him.
“Alright” will chuckled. He reached around to pull up Nico’s arm around his shoulder. “Up you go. We’re going to the infirmary”
“No, no…no. I don’t,” Nico squirmed out of his grip “I don’t wanna be a burden”
“Aha! There it is. The truth comes out” Leo chimed in.
“Shut up, Leo,” Will automatically said. He drew his attention back at Nico brushing a bit of hair off Nico’s sweaty forehead. “Neeks, we’ve talked about this! You’re not a burden, Nico. I’m your doctor more importantly, Your boyfriend. I’m literally supposed to take care of you.”
Nico didn’t argue, just made a quiet noise as Will stroked his fingers through his hair. “Nico you need to go to the infirmary” Will cooed.
“I don’t…” Nico swallowed hard, eyes unfocused. “I don’t wanna go.”
“I know, I know” Will said. “But you have to. Come on, up we go”
It took some maneuvering to get Nico sitting up again. Nicos head lolled against Will’s shoulder, his breath hitching slightly from the effort. Will slid an arm around his back, steadying him.
“Hey, he murmured. “Breathe, sweetheart. You’re okay.”
Once Nico had caught his breath, Will shifted slowly handing more and more of Nicos weight back to him as he moved to pull him up.
“Ready?” His murmured, Nico took a deep breath and nodded, he gripped on top of Wills shoulders.
Will hooked his arms under Nicos, pulling him up, Nico swayed, panting slightly. He stumbled further into Wills grip, fastening his arms around wills neck as he pressed himself against him. Will could feel the slight tremors of his hot skin and his shaky uneven breaths, as he wrapped his arms around Nico, steadying him.
As he waited for Nico to catch his breath again, Will shifted his position until Nicos face was buried in the crook of his neck—otherwise known as his safe place—most of his weight leaning on Will.
Will tried to scoop Nico up bridal style but Nico weakly protested, sighing, Will compromised — hooking his arms under Nico’s thighs and heaving him up. He let Nico tuck his face back into the crook of his neck. Will really could feel the heat radiating from him, hear the shaky, uneven breaths.
As Will trudged back to the infirmary— nicos face, firmly pressed against his neck— he heard Nicos breath become shallower, with every little intake, feel his heart, beating out of his chest. Panic attack. Will waved their friends off immediately, promising it would be better if they stayed behind and that he would notify them on his condition.
By the time they reached the infirmary, Nico’s breathing had turned into short gasps. He ignored his siblings and groaning patients as he walked one of the private rooms.
The moment the door shut, Nico was gone. He was sobbing, harsh, helpless sobs, that shook his whole body, violently.
Will laid him on the cot, but Nico tighten his grip around his neck, protesting. Will lifted him back up balancing nico on the edge of the cot. As Nico continued to sob for a few moments, Will ran his hands up and down Nicos back soothingly as he debated moving Nico from his safe spot.
Quickly Will stepped back slightly, already holding Nicos face in his hands and giving him a quick peck on the nose, Nico starts to ball, fat drops rolling down his cheeks, as he started hyperventilating.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Will whispered, holding him closer. “Nico, it’s ok. Your safe. Breathe with me. Just like last time, kay?”. Will took one of Nicos limp hands and placed it over his heart, so he could feel his heart beat and breaths, Will exaggerated his breathing.
“In…Out…In… Good job just like that, In…” Nico’s chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm, then slowly — painfully slow — it began to match Will’s. His sobs turned into soft hiccups. The tension in Nicos shoulders eased a fraction.
He continued to exaggerated his breathing, rubbing circles and patterns on Nicos back and up his arms. He could feel every shaky breath, through his thin shirt. After a few minutes he gently tilted Nicos face up, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
“Good job, baby bat” Will gave him a gentle smile, laying him down on the cot, with a few complaints and sobs from Nico.
He waited for a minute, watching as Nico drifted off into a daze of sick. His face was still pale and damp, but at least he was breathing evenly now. Will lingered there for a moment, just watching him — the faint lines of tension still on his brow, the way his fingers clutched the blanket like he was afraid to let go. Will straightened, he brushed Nicos curls out of his face, murmuring,
“I’ll be right back, okay?” And hurriedly left to get supplies for Nico.
Will came back, worry already on his brow. He glanced over at Nico to see him hunched over the railing, shivering. He dumped the supplies onto the counter and bee-lined for Nico.
“Come on, let’s get you to the bathroom, your gonna be sick, I can tell”
Before Will could pop the railing down, Nico lurched further forward, a strangled sound leaving him as he wrapped his arms around his stomach.
“Whoa, easy—come on.”
He quickly slid the slid an arm around Nico’s waist, guiding him to the small bathroom that adjoined the infirmary room. They barely made it before he doubled over, shaking. Will didn’t flinch. He knelt beside him, one hand steady on his shoulder, the other brushing back dark hair from his damp forehead.
“Hey, hey… you’re okay,” he murmured. “Just breathe through it. You’re doing great.”
As Nico heaved into the toilet, Will held back his hair, rubbed his back, whispered kind words of encouragement and reassurance. Anything to make the experience even just a little bit better.
After a few minutes of emptying his stomach, Nico lay his head on the toilet seat, exhausted. Will kept one hand on Nicos back the other traveled to his stomach, heat and healing already radiating off it.
“Will…” Nico groaned, sitting up from where his head was resting on the toilet seat.
“Mmh? What’s wrong?” Will eyes fluttered up to meet Nicos, before flicking back down to continue soothing his stomach.
“You should leave…” Will paused for a second,
“What? Do you want me to?” He asked, looking through his lashes.
Nico shook his head “no.”
“Then I’ll stay”
“No, this is gross. I don’t want you to see this”
Will chuckled “Nico, sweetheart, this is my job. I’m not leaving”
“But—“ Nicos argument was cut short, by more heaving into the toilet.
“Shhhh, it’s ok. Let it out” Will comforted. When it finally eased, Nico slumped against the wall, utterly drained. Will tsked, he reached for a clean cloth, dampened it, pressing it to Nicos head as he took him off the wall and into his lap.
“Nico, I know you don’t want to be here but I’m going to take care of you, because I love you”. Will smiled as he tied Nicos hair up in a tiny bun, his hair fell out at random, framing his face.
Nico didn’t have time to respond before he hunched over the toilet again, spewing. Nico collapsed completely exhausted, Will barely stoped his head from hitting the floor as he passed out.
Will returned Nico to bed, guiding him back with a steady grip as Nico shuffled, half-asleep on his feet. As he settled into the cot, Will dipped the cloth into a bowl of cool water and pressed it against Nico’s forehead. The fevered skin under his fingers was frighteningly hot.
As Will waited for nico to wake he stocked up on cool cloths, gave him an IV drip (for fluid) and prepared a 25% nectar drip for after the IV.
When Nico woke an hour later Will was just returning from using the loo when he saw Nico bolt up and spew off the side.
“Hey, hey, your ok” Will rushed in, quickly going around the bed to watch out for the vomit.
“Sorry” Nico rasped.
Will shook his head “you don’t apologise to me for being sick!” He scolded.
“Sor—“
“Nicooo, no.” Will pouted, he was met with a little chuckle and a dry heave.
For a few peaceful minutes, Nico and Will just joked, recounted memories. Will mentioned that time when Hades summoned Will down to the underworld and gave him a shovel talk.
Nicos smile didn’t last long it faded as another wave of exhaustion hit. His breathing turned shallow again, and Will shifted closer, rubbing his arm slowly. Grounding him.
Hours dragged on, Nico was exhausted, shivering, glass-eyed, hunched over a bucket. He’d only been sick for a few hours, but it felt like days. There’s nothing left in his stomach, but still it twists and turns as he continues to heave. Awful uncontrollable heaving, like nothing Will has ever seen before.
Will sat beside him, running fingers through Nicos hair and rubbing his back. ‘Cool’ hands against Nicos fevered forehead. Nicos exhausted, and every heave brings agony to his muscles that are strained beyond limit.
“Shhhh” Will whispered, he wasn’t actually wanting for him to be quiet, more just for the comfort of unspoken words saying ‘it’s gonna be ok’. In this moment, right now, he is curled up in Wills arms.
Nico just wants to feel safe. He just wants to feel better, this sickness has been going around the whole camp. Wills been helping everyone, telling them it’s gonna be ok.
But with Nico it’s whole other story, it 10x worse for him than anyone else and of course it’s different when you see your boyfriend go through that pain and there’s absolutely nothing you can do but be there for him, not even his powers will help do anything other than slightly sooth Nicos acing muscles, his raw throat, maybe clear up some of the nausea threatening to overwhelm him.
But nothing, they’re useless, all they can do is wait it out. Together. So Will reaches out and takes Nico’s hand. His thumb tracing slow circles over the back of it, as he waits for his Angel to feel better.