Helpless (Solangelo fic)

Haircut

Nico woke up to a loud knock on the door, he had slept in his jeans and camp shirt so he just put on his jacket and ran his fingers through his hair before opening the door. Standing there, with far to much energy for someone to have in the morning: Will Solace.
"What in the Hades are you doing here Solace?" Nico asked rubbing his eyes before spotting the sun towards the east, well it wasn't past 12, truly a miracle. "And what time is it?"
"It's 9:30 and I am here to make sure you take your meds, it's protocol to make sure it's been taken."
Nico rolled his eyes as he grabbed the container that was next to his bed as well as a glass of water that he had left there, as he swallowed he said.
"Happy now Solace?"
"I told you it's protocol, normally we get someone else from the cabin to check but Hazel went to New Rome."
"Aren't you head? Doesn't that mean you made the protocol?" Will put his finger to his lip before responding with,
"Bye Nico, I'll wait for you at the Hades table for breakfast. Oh and watch out for Piper, she is insistent on taking you shopping and Chiron already agreed to letting her take you." He said as he walked out the door. Nico sighed, well there was no chance he was getting out of something if Piper wanted him to do it. He needed a new jacket anyways.
***
Will had annoyingly made sure Nico got food, he picked up a single slice of toast and was forcing himself to eat.
"Neeks don't forget to take the other one as well."
"Don't call me Neeks." He said grumbling as he put the pill in his mouth and swallowed.
"It's a cute nickname."
"Would you like an army of skeletons chasing you? Is that cute enough?"
"No underworldly stuff Neeks, or else-"
"You're kidnapping me and locking me in the infirmary again."
"Exactly." Will smiled resisting the urge to ruffle the Ghost Kings long hair. Then Piper ran up to them,
"Nico I'm taking you shopping today. You can't stop me, I've already asked Chiron and he agrees you need more social interaction." Nico gave her dagger eyes, the Apollo kid had already left to go to the infirmary seemly please with Nico's eating. "Also you need a haircut-"
"Not a chance McLean, I do not trust those people."
"Nico it'll be fine, unless you would rather me cut it."
"No chance."
"One or the other, come on di Angelo. Son of Hades scared of a haircut?"
"Oh fuck you McLean."
"You aren't denying it...."Piper grinned as Nico thought about his options, he knew he wasn't getting away, Piper would probably charmspeak him into getting it cut anyways so there's no point resisting.
"I hate you so much McLean, either way I trust you more." Nico sighed, Piper's face lit up.
"You're the best Nico, trust me I know what I'm doing. Oh you're still not getting out of shopping by the way, you need to own something that isn't black."
"I don't think I do,"
"You act like you're allergic to colour I swear, hey you might even enjoy it."
"Impossible."
"We can go to McDonalds? I remember Percy saying something about you loving that place."
Nico considered the offer, it had been two year's since he had gone to McDonalds. He was almost certain Piper had charmspoke him considering after that offer he agreed.
"Great, I'll meet you at thirteen in an hour." Piper said before walking off to celebrate her success with Jason. Then he reaslied what he agreed to, Piper would probably find out about his eating thing. Fuck. At that point though there was no going back, 'well let's hope that Piper McLean can keep a secret.' he thought before walking to the Hades cabin and throwing up everything he had eaten. He still thought it was a miracle no one had found out, he always made sure to be in his cabin before it happened. People worry about him enough already, he didn't need them worrying even more, he would be fine, it would fix itself.
***
Nico heard a knock and went to open the door, Piper looked back at him with a smile.
"Hey McLean, please do not make me regret this."
"Trust me you won't Nico, and you do realise that people have first names right?" Piper smiled as she walked inside; Nico rolled his eyes at the comment and closed the door. As they walked inside the bathroom the Aphrodite girl pulled out some scissors, a comb and a spray bottle filled with water. "Okay so since your hair is straight so it'll be easier to cut while it's wet, I'll cut it to around your shoulders and add some layers, any objections?"
"You forced me into this, I'm hoping you know what you're doing."
"You have so much confidence in me, why are you so against getting your hair cut anyway? I'm genuinely curious."
"Reason."
"Great explanation." Piper muttered as she started brushing Nico's hair, it was soft and wasn't that thick but not thin either.
"Last time I got it cut was like two years ago, I asked for it to but cut around my shoulders and this bitch cut it shorter than Jason's saying it 'Wasn't right' so now I refuse to have it shorter than my collar to spite her."
"I'm surprised you didn't kill her, I probably would have." Piper laughed as she continued brushing,
"Well social anxiety is a real bitch." Nico smiled as he said it. The daughter of Aphrodite started to spray his hair with water and cutting carefully half an inch above his shoulder and adding layers into it. Nico stood perfectly still the whole time, neither talked until Piper had finished.
"So di Angelo, thoughts?" Piper asked,
"You're surprising good at this McLean." Nico smiled, a often a rare occurrence for the child of. Hades yet it had become more common in the last few days.
"Don't be so shocked Nico, my mother is Aphrodite, Goddess of beauty." Piper said as she handed him some hair ties, "You'll need these, I have no clue how you've survived so long with your hair out but you don't have to suffer any longer. Also Will would love it." Piper winked, Nico rolled his eyes.
"Oh leave me be McLean, but thanks for the hair ties." he said as he put them around his wrist. The two cleaned up, Piper started collecting her things and glaced at her watch.
"I'll go get ready, meet you back here in twenty minutes." She said running out of the door, giving Nico just enough time to overthink. Piper had actually done a good job at cutting it, he ran his fingers through it, pulling some part from the sides in front of his face. It was shorter than he was used to but it probably looked more decent, the longer hair had started getting on his nerve either way and he mentally noted to thank Piper for cutting it. He wondered what the Apollo  boy would think; he took one of the hair ties off his wrist and tied his hair back, trying to stop thinking about it, before getting ready to be dragged out by Piper. He wore the first pair of black jeans he saw with a black T-shirt and his aviator jacket, he suspected the colour may be making less of an appearance in his closest after Piper was done.
***