Percy Jackson One-shots

Dance Me to the End of Love - Part 1/2 (Solangelo)

Nico blinks his eyes, the ceiling of Hades cabin coming blearily into focus. His head throbs and his eyeballs feel like they're dry in their sockets. The sound of a girl humming, footsteps crossing the flagstone floor makes him sit bolt upright, rubbing the back of his head, confused.

"Hazel?" His mouth tastes like death. He tries to moisten it and it doesn't help.

"I see you're finally awake," she says, hands on her hips. "What on earth happened at that party last night? I can't get a hold of anybody this morning; they're all sleeping in, well, except Will Solace, but he said he had to leave early since he has work this morning so he couldn't talk."

Will Solace? Nico thinks back, images rising in his mind that absolutely cannot be memories. His stomach churns. "Uhhh, I think I'm gonna be sick." He jumps out of bed, his feet burning on the ice-cold floor and races to the bathroom in only his underwear.

"Oh gods, please just let me die," he says, resting his head on his arm propped on the toilet seat, his legs and ass cold on the floor. The gods don't seem to be listening. He pulls himself up and washes his face and hands in the sink, then drinks cold water from the faucet. He's still shaky on his feet, but feels halfway human again.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asks from the door several minutes later. She brings him a bathrobe and helps him into it, and then leads him back to his bunk where he tells her most of what had happened.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Hazel demands and he can't even bring himself to meet her face. He doesn't doubt he's as red as she is flustered.

"I gave Will Solace a lap dance," he says with his face in his hands. He rests his elbows on his knees. "It's Jason's fault. He brought this stuff, some sort of energy drink he found while traveling and then showed me this video – he, uh, knows I like dancing ... and I dunno. The mood was good; the party started and we were playing this Truth or Dare game ... How am I going to look Solace in the face after that?"

"Mmm-hmmmm," Hazel hums through her nose. She stays quiet until Nico can't help but turn to look at her. She's hiding a smile behind her hand.

"What?" he mutters. "It's not funny. It's mortifying."

"Yes, well ..." She clears her throat. "I'm gonna go and talk to Jason about what drinks he's passing around. I think you're doing pretty well. Not trying to fade into the shadows or hide out in the Underworld. You've come a long way in three years, big brother."

XxxX

After Hazel leaves, Nico gets up and puts on a clean set of clothes. He figures he has two choices: he could curl up in a ball of angst, and then Will would come in and fuss about his health, maybe diagnose him with temporary insanity, or he could get up and find Will on his own, explain about the energy drink and ask him to pretend the whole embarrassing experience never happened. Knowing Will, he'd prefer Nico choose the latter option.

As he opens the door his breath catches in his chest. Will Solace stands right outside, his hand lifted to knock, the tips of his ears sticking out from his shaggy blond curls are bright red.

"Hey. Umm ... you forgot your clothes," Will says, his face going nearly as red as his ears. "Uh, can I come in for a sec?"

Nico takes the clothes Will hands him, his arms heavy like lead, and then steps back to let Will inside without answering. Even his tongue feels frozen with embarrassment.

Will fiddles with his pockets, pulling out the ace bandage he carries more for playing with than for using to bind injuries. He walks to the nearest torch and peers at the green flames.

Nico tosses his clothes on the end of his bunk, working up his nerve to say something. The awkwardness between them is something he doesn't like. He and Will have spent the past three years building a friendship like he'd always wanted and never thought he'd have. It's not like his friendships with the seven demigods of the prophecy or with Reyna, this was one that rose not out of surviving a quest and learning to trust from necessity, but because Will was interested in knowing him, and ... he'd be lying if he said the feeling wasn't mutual.

He clears his throat. "Look, about last night. I – I'm sorry if I embarrassed you or made you feel uncomfortable. There was this energy drink ..." Oh holy Hades, now he's talking with his hands, and babbling on about gods know what because he can't stop himself. "And I didn't mean to do that, but I didn't not want to do it either, but Jason showed me this video and, I dunno. The dancing was different than I'm used to and I tried it and liked it, but I didn't realize Jason was gonna use that against me ... and I'm sorry."

He heaves a huge breath, running out of words. Will grins at him, his face less red and more amused. Nico's not sure he likes it. It feels a lot like he's just put himself on the spot and now Will's going to make fun of him for it.

"Well? Are you going to say anything?" he snaps. It really isn't fair that he has to do all the talking, especially after apologizing, spilling his guts and all.

"I think you are an amazing dancer," Will says at last. He walks over to stand facing Nico, meeting his eyes. "It caught me off guard, sure, but only because I'm not used to seeing you so open and free-spirited. I thought you might have been drugged."

He touches Nico's cheek and Nico feels his face flush again, his nerves waking up all over under his skin. "I'm okay."

Will nods. "You're more than okay. I uh – Look ..." He drops his hand and pulls Nico over the his bunk and they sit on the edge, then Will grabs Nico's hand. "We've been tiptoeing around this thing between us for a long time. I'd like to take a chance and acknowledge it."

"What thing?" Nico asks. He's lying about not understanding, but can't find any other words.

"Go out with me, Nico di Angelo," Will says. "Be my boyfriend."

Nico stares into Will's bright blue eyes, a little shell-shocked and surprised at the lack of knee-jerk denials that usually happen in uncomfortable situations. He nods, and when Will's smile brightens his face, Nico leans in and kisses him.

Will giggles into the kiss and pulls Nico closer until he's straddling Will's lap and laughing against his lips. He feels better than when the energy drink hit his system last night. "Maybe sometime I'll dance for you again."

Will's eyes roll back in his head and he holds onto Nico's waist. "Definitely."

"Oh my! I'll just ... uh ... Jason!" they hear Hazel shout, and then the door closes and they don't bother letting that interrupt the kiss.

Three years of tension takes a while to unwind.