The Sun Without Stars Solangelo

The Healer and The Mutt

Nico's POV

Wiping his eyes, Will reached for Nico's hand to feel his pulse. When Nico recoiled from Will's reach, Will looked up at his boyfriend, who was definitely not asleep. To Nico's left, there was a small ziplock bag of Persephone's pomegranate seeds that he thought he'd left in his bag in the Hades cabin. Will must have used them to keep his condition stable.

"Nico?" Will looked like he was debating hugging Nico or throttle his neck. "Are you feeling any discomfort?" 

He seemed to want to ask something different, and part of Nico wished he would, so he could finally push Will away for good.

"I'm fine, Will." He seemed disappointed by the curt answer. "What day are we?"

"The twelfth... of December. It's been a month since I came back. You've been in the infirmary for six days now" Will seemed to be holding back tears, his voice cracking, but Nico pretended not to notice, carefully swinging his legs from out of the covers.

"All the better, then." At least the winter solstice was soon. It had to be then that Nyx was referring to.

My father arrives on the day where he is no longer needed. On that day you will kill him, won't you?

The day where the sun spent the least amount of time in the sky–it had to be then.

At least everything would be over then, and he could give Will a fresh start.

One where he didn't have to settle for a monster.

"Nico, hold on. You're not fit to move around yet." Nico, obliged, trying to keep his gaze from settling on Will. Wonderful, gorgeous Will, whose very voice he had missed desperately.

Nico had always wished that he'd never been a half-blood–that way, he would never have to lose so much. The only comfort that came his way was Will, who made everything worth it.

Now?

He wished above all else that he'd never met the boy; never gotten too close; never been so selfish.

He was a fool to think things would be different with Will. That the warm and sweet solace could bring salvation to something so cruel and ugly.

Nico caught sight of something glinting in Will's hair. It was a gold industrial piercing in the shape of an arrow.

"Did Kayla do it?" When Will looked up from the unwrapped gauze in confusion, Nico elaborated. "I saw her piercing some girl in the back of your guys' cabin once. That must've hurt."

"You're one to talk. I'm not the one clawed up and rotting." Will's tone was accusatory, but he didn't say anything else, leaving them in an awkward silence.

Nico was rather relieved when Will broke it, telling him that, once he was done wrapping a new gauze, Nico could leave the infirmary for a little while to go eat if he wanted.

When Will went to grab the cloth wrapped around his midsection, Nico turned his face away guiltily.

Now he lives with a burden.

Set him free.

He was tempted to try crushing the cacodemon beads, but something told him that wouldn't do shit.

When Will revealed the neat stitch work, he grimaced. He grabbed for another roll and reapplied it, finally raising himself from the position he'd been in and holding out a hand to help Nico up which Nico accepted.

"Thank you, Will... I'm sorry."