After Percy left to find Annabeth, and break the news, Will went back to work. The camp was slowly getting busier as the summer drew in, meaning that more and more demigods were landing themselves in the infirmary. One of his younger siblings, Gracie, had arrived early, having gone to a private school back in England, meaning that Will had to be more official as head counsellor. When it was just him, Austen and Kayla, things tended to be much more relaxed.
Despite Kayla offering him time off, Will still tried to be on hand. He resolved to cutting bandages into useful sized pieces after Kayla batted him away at every attempt to help. He didn't even realise Nico was awake until the potted plant, sitting on the windowsill near him started to wither.
He immediately dashed into the curtains surrounding the cot, to find Nico sitting up in bed, looking distraught.
"Hey, Nico, stop." Will said gently.
Nico seemed to come out of a trance .
"Io- scusa. No, Sorry."
Will calmly walked over and sat on the bed. Nico couldn't meet his eyes, but that was usual, for when Nico got anxious or particularly upset. Instead, he let Nico play with the leather bracelet around his wrist. It grounded him, Will knew, allowed him to focus on the present, and reality.
After a while, Nico looked up at him.
"You want to tell me something, what is it Solace?" His voice was scratchy, barely there.
"It's Percy. He and Annabeth are back at camp. I thought you might want to see them?"
"No."
The vehemence of Nico's tone startled Will, but Nico just shook his head.
"I-I'm sorry I just- I don't want to see anyone right now. I need to go to camp Jupiter and tell Hazel. And-and Jason wanted to know if Meg, Lester and Piper were ok. I need to find them-"
"Nico you're in no state to shadow travel."
"But if I could just-"
"No, Nico its too dangerous. What if you get lost? And communications are still down. What will you do then?"
"I- I don't know."
"Dad's trying to get them back up and running, so we just have to wait, yeah?"
Nico didn't look convinced.
"I'm going back to my cabin." Nico said quietly.
"Nico..."
"Please Will."
"Fine, do you want me to come?"
"No, thanks. I need some time."
Will reluctantly let him go, and watched as the son of Hades quietly slipped on his jacket and parted through the curtains.
YOU ARE READING
Slipping Away
FanfictionNico Di Angelo has never been whole, always slipping in and out of shadows. But what if he's given something to hold on to? Could Will Solace be what finally solidifies him? Or will he just end up dissolving further into the darkness... So that was...
