Work Text:
"I can't understand Nico at all." Will said and sat down on a chair in the infirmary. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he grabbed a pen and paper. He placed it on the table and began scribbling some things to do or to remember.
Annabeth, who is lying sick on a nearest bed near him, raised her eyebrows and spoke, "What can't you understand about Nico?"
"Hmm?" Will raised his eyebrows as well and glanced at Annabeth who is actually kind of assessing him. With those intense gray eyes, Will find it scary but of course, he did not show that. He had a training of not showing much of his emotions, anyway. "Mostly everything, actually. He is too stubborn. He does not want to have friends. He even wants to leave this place! Really, he acts like a loner but only if he tries..."
"Will, do you like to be Nico's friend?" Annabeth asked. "Wait, no. Are you interested with him?"
"I want to be his friend. I mean, why not?" Will shrugged, leaving the second question unanswered. Is he interested in Nico? In knowing him, sure. But interested as in...?
...Annabeth is not dumb not to notice that, really.
"Well, Nico has been like that since... since his sister and his last girlfriend passed away. You can't blame the guy, he has been through a lot. He just don't know how to trust people." Annabeth paused. "You should... show it to him, if you want. He has been isolating himself with the world and he really needs to know the essence of friendship."
Will knows that. He has been present when his sister died. He has been present when his girlfriend died too. He never saw any kind of sadness on his features, there was only anger and probably madness.
But actually, Nico is a sad guy inside. A sad guy who needs to be taught a lesson; that no man is an island and that he needs some friends to survive.
Who am I to think of such things? Will thought. No, I'm Will Solace. As a son of Apollo, a friendly and loving god, I should be able to do things like this.
He smiled. Two days from now, Nico plans to leave but if he succeeds, he'll stop that.
"Will, do you want to know how you look right now?" Annabeth smirked. "You're wearing the same expression that you wear whenever you are healing someone who has been badly injured. It's an expression that shows determination and strong belief."
"Annabeth, go to sleep and have some rest." Will rolled his eyes. "Then I'll have you something to eat when you wake up."
"Mhmm. Make sure to have a plan ready, Solace! May Athena bless you." She smiled. "Oh and wait- can I have some cheeseburger?"
"Yeah. Cheeseburger with vegetables will be fine." Will nodded then pinned the notes that he has written on a bulletin board.
It's been two weeks since Nico made Will his friend. With that persuasion and stubbornness (that he found kind of cute), Nico could not really resist. Why would he leave, when he can have a lovely and caring friend on his side?
At the moment, he is in the infirmary with Will, helping him with whatever he needs. Fortunately, there are only three patients today and all of them are asleep.
He glanced at Will, who is cutting some bandages with a bored expression.
"You okay?" Nico asked and approached him. He sat on a chair opposite of him. "Want something to eat?"
"Hmm? I've already eaten a while ago, Nics. But thanks." Will smiled and Nico tried his best not to roll his eyes. Tsk, Apollo kids and their strict diet. "Just cutting bandages for future use since there's nothing much to do."
"Oh, can I help?" Nico asked.
Will grabbed a container filled with a lot of ambrosia which is cut in squares and some small Ziploc containers. "There. Fill it with 4 squares of ambrosia each."
"...Okay." Nico stared at the work for a good three seconds before breathing out and started to work. "Hey, Will, I've got to tell you something but I'm afraid it's quite long."
"I don't mind. As I've said a few minutes ago, I'm bored so an interesting story might help." Will smiled genuinely. "Whatever that is, I'll listen to you."
"Tomorrow... is July 13." Nico began. "And three years ago, my girlfriend died. I miss her more than ever and I just can't understand why. Say, why can't I move forward? It's not like I want to forget her and her love but... the pain still lingers."
Will raised his eyebrows. It's very rare for Nico to open up or to talk about stuffs like this and this is the first time that Nico is being this emotional. "Mm, continue, dear."
"When I think about it, she's a very ordinary girl. But her love is something." Nico sighed. "I probably make no sense right now but it is still very painful."
"Nico, of course you'll feel like that. You loved her, right?"
"Love. I still love her, Will." Nico corrected.
"Okay, love, then." Will nodded. "You love her so I think it's natural to feel pain and not being able to move forward. What do you mean you can't understand? Because it has been three years already? It just means that you, Nico di Angelo, has an emotion and I tell you, it's completely natural."
"But... what can I do to lessen the pain?" Nico frowned. "Can I even do something?"
"'Course you can, Nics. I'm not really an expert with these things but I guess the best way is to accept. Accept that she's happy and peaceful in Elysium right now. If there was something that she did, forgive her. Hmm, may I ask, what do you think is the reason why you can't move forward?"
"Thanks, I'll try to do that," Nico said, "Well, the thing is... we... broke up days before she died. One of her friends knew and said she wanted to go on a mission to distract herself but end up dying. I was the one who broke up with her because of... reasons... and I just thought that if I did not do that, maybe she would still be alive." Nico refused to look at Will's eyes for he is feeling ashamed. Never have he felt this thing. "Okay, judge me if you want, I hate myself for that too."
Will reached Nico's hands who is still working on placing some ambrosia on the Ziploc plastic container. He brought the ambrosia down and squeezed his hand instead. "If that's the case, then my advice was wrong. Forgive yourself. You can't do everything, you know? Surely, there is a reason for you to break up with her."
"But are those reasons enough? She died, Will. Because of me." Nico closed his eyes, a tear freely rolling on her cheeks now and he immediately looked away. What is happening with him?!
"Nico, I can't believe you kept these inside you. But I'm quite glad you're sharing this all to me." Will smiled genuinely and let go of his hands. "Stop blaming yourself. You can't stop deaths and you, above all people, knows that. It's okay, Nics. I think, wherever she is, she wants you to be happy. So, you should be happy, alright?"
"O-okay." Nico looked up at him and smile. "Thanks. I am going to leave tomorrow morning to visit her grave. I will be back before afternoon."
Will wiped Nico's tears with his thumb. "Okay, be sure to be safe, Nico."
"I shall." Nico nodded. "And Will? Thanks. You're a cool friend."
"It's my pleasure." Will grinned. "I am always here for you, Nico."
"Thank you. Same for me." Nico smiled and went back to work.
"Wait, wait." Will stood up and opened his arms. "Hugging someone is proven to give people some positive vibes. C'mon, just this once~"
Nico cannot believe that he did not even hesitate. Not even a bit. He just threw himself on those arms and hugged Will Solace tightly.
"Alice..." Nico let out a heavy breath as he looked at the grave of her deceased lover. "Help me, I don't know what is happening anymore. It's not really right to ask for your help because... I broke up with you because I think we're better suited as best friends, you know? But..."
Nico closed his eyes and muttered, Like in the past, I am falling in love with my best friend once again. And that best friend of mine is named Will Solace."