Riordanverse One Shots

Solangelo || Fluff || Updated

This is after the final, big battle with Gaia, and Nico's had a nightmare about it

Nico

Nico sat up bolt right in his bed like he'd been electrocuted, sweat dripping off his face and his clothes stuck to him like a second skin. His hands shook- no, his entire body was shaking, and his heart pounded like he'd run a mile in his sleep to match his shaking form.

Nico pulled his legs out from under the covers, the cold night air soothing against his burning skin. He dropped  his head in his hands as if it weighed a hundred pounds, and took deep breaths in attempt to calm himself.

Hazel had gone back to Camp Jupiter yesterday and Nico's alone in his cabin. 

The memory of the dragon and Gaia just straight up exploding in the sky was forever engraved on his memory. Feeling his stomach drop as another life was lost as the carnage flew everywhere, failing to find Leo's heart through the millions of heart beats, the hopelessness as he fell to his knees in the midst of battle, knowing they'd lost a friend, and it hurt.

Nico took a shuddering breath that rattled his lungs like old bones, he let it out, imaging all his worries going with it. It didn't help. So he took another one in through his flared nose, and out through his gasping mouth.

Will had told him that breathing will help you calm down almost instantly, but it never works for Nico, it only works when Will's there to guide him through it.

The son of Hades pulled himself out of his bed completely, he changed clothes and washed his face in his bathroom with cold water, staring back at himself in the mirror. He saw a mess, a human disaster, Jesus Christ. He thought, dropping his head to stare at his hands, clenching the basin.

Nico turned away and walked towards his cabin door, forgetting about putting on shoes as he turned the light on and opened the door to go and find someone, squinting against the sudden blinding light. 

Then he shut his door again and walked back to his bed with the light off.

I shouldn't bother him. He needs his sleep as much as the next person. I should sleep. And he tried. But he couldn't. Not while knowing he needs Will. Not while wanting to cuddle with him, to feel his soft hair and warm body wrapped around his, keeping out the cold and the darkness, telling him he's so cute when he's cold and that he loves him so much.

Those memories alone got Nico out of bed, turning on his light again and opening his door to go find his boyfriend.

Will he be angry I woke him up? Nico suddenly thought, looking across at the Apollo cabin. Doubt started to slither between the cracks of his mind and he slowly backed back inside, closing the door behind him, and leaning his head against it.

Nico took a deep breath and imagined Will was with him, but it was almost like his body didn't want him to pretend, it actually wanted to be with Will.

"God damn." He muttered to himself, turning around and sliding down the door, his fingers tangling through his thick hair, getting stuck on knots along the way.

Nico head rested on his knees and his body started to shake with sobs. So alone in the dark. So forgotten in his cabin. Such a fool to think anyone cares apart from Bianca. Bianca... I don't deserve Will's care and love. I don't deserve Percy and Annabeth and Piper and everyone's kindness. I don't deserve Hazel as a sister and Will as a boyfriend. Chiron as a mentor or even Mr D.

Dark thoughts plagued through his mind like a disease and Nico almost couldn't stop them- Knock knock. "Nico?" A soft voice played through the wooden door and everything stopped.