Moving On (Solangelo)

Chapter 1: Nico

Green scrubs with jeans and flip flops. I mean really. So unprofessional. Was it really such a good idea to trust my health and well-being to someone like that?

Somehow, I couldn't seem to bring myself to care that much.

Walking back across the lawn to Will Solace, I felt lighter with every single step. Had I really just willingly come out to someone - two someones! - for the first time? Did that really happen, or was I somehow making it all up?

But no, one glance back to Percy and Annabeth and I was sure I'd really said it. Percy was scratching his head, and from about 40 feet away I could hear him ask, in a loud, confused, almost hurt voice, something about "not his type" while Annabeth just smirked and rolled her eyes.

And then I seemed to blink, and there I was, standing in front of Will again. Very, very close to Will. Had I meant to get this close? I could see his freckles. I'd never noticed that Will had freckles before. He totally pulled them off, too.

"What was that all about?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I was just telling Percy I used to have a crush on him." I still got such a rush saying that! Maybe those weren't skeletal butterflies in my stomach after all, but real live ones that weren't planning on going away anytime soon. "I just wanted to clear the air, you know, since we'll be seeing more of each other. I figured if I still have to feel a bit awkward, he can too."

Will didn't bat an eye at this confession (the fourth person ever! to know that I was gay! oh my gods! I'm gay! and it's okay to say that!), but I could swear his cheeks flushed a bit. But maybe I was imagining it, or maybe it was just the heat. Instead he just laughed it off, saying, "Well, yeah, I mean who hasn't had a crush on Percy Jackson at some point?"

"Yeah, he's got that whole stupid 'hero' thing going for him I guess."

"Not to mention his eyes. My gods."

"I know, right?" I replied. We both sighed slightly wistfully, then shook ourselves out of it.

"Anyways," Will continued, "Your three days start now. You still look like you rose from the grave in the recent past. Plus the infirmary is super boring, so it's officially your job to keep me entertained."

There they go again, I thought. Those stupid butterflies just would not give it a rest. "Yeah, whatever, Solace," I grumbled, trying (and let's be honest, probably failing) to suppress a smile.

As we walked over to the Big House, he mumbled, so quietly I almost couldn't hear him, "You know, Percy isn't the only one working the 'hero' vibe."

"It's true," I agreed, keeping a straight face, "If it wasn't for you, I'd probably have used more 'Underworld-y' magic and be a 'puddle of darkness' by now."

"Very good point, but not quite what I had in mind," he said quietly, one side of his mouth hitching up in a little smile.

Will knocked his shoulder into mine. "I'm glad you finally came to your senses and decided to stick around, Death Boy."

"Whatever, Sunshine."