Misery Loves Company

Oh to Disappear

Nico awoke to his own ear-shattering scream, the taste of Tartarus' air still on his tongue and burning his lungs.

Percy burst through the door, though Nico's vision was so blurred that he could only really make out the vibrant blue of his soul.

"Nico, are you okay?" Percy, he thinks, knelt beside him.

Nico's ears were ringing, making the sounds around him distorted as though Nico were drowning underwater. That's what he felt like, the thick blanket of misery clung to him and Nico knew without checking that he was still incorporeal. And to make matters worse, the poison was setting his bloodstream on fire.

Akhlys' blood. Nico had figured out it was the unknown poison, as Goddess of Misery and Poisons' her own diluted ichor was a deadly poison, not intended to kill but to cause suffering. At least Nico now knew for certain the poison alone wouldn't kill him. No, that pleasure was reserved for Akhlys herself it would seem.

"Nico, can you hear me?"

Nico tried to nod, the movement causing such searing pain that he had to bite down his scream, turning it into a muffled cry.

"Schist! I'm going to get Will okay. I know you probably don't want to see him after yesterday, but you definitely need a doctor."

Nico didn't bother trying to tell Percy that Will wouldn't be able to help him while he was stuck in his ghost-like form. He just closed his eyes and let the pain rage through him.

Nico didn't know how long he had been waiting when Percy returned with Will.

"Nico, are you awake?" Will asked gently. Nico just opened his eyes in response, anything else would hurt too much.

"Nico, your wound looks like it's bleeding pretty badly, I need you to solidify so I can stitch you up."

Nico rolled his eyes, seriously, he could have sworn Will had been smarter than this when they'd dated. If he could solidify he wouldn't have slept on the uncomfortable floor, let alone let his wound bleed out.

WIll assumed his eye roll was poor attitude and began to lecture him about caring about his well being. It wasn't entirely undeserved; Nico had made his fair share of poor health decisions over the years and still had a shocking lack of care for his well being. But that didn't mean he was in the mindset for another 'doctor's orders' lecture when he really had done nothing wrong this time. If Nico could move without screaming he might have been tempted to stab the student doctor.

That was a lie, a denial, a refusal to acknowledge that in fact his first instinct was and always would be to kiss him instead.

Ignoring that dangerous train of thought, Nico bit back his cry as he lifted a hand off the floor, pointing towards Percy and channelling his sleep magic towards him. Percy dropped to the floor asleep. Nico let his own eyes roll back into his head and began to dreamwalk, Will's voice, now shouting, fading into the distance.

"Seriously Nico!" Percy exclaimed as soon as Nico arrived in his dream, "I probably got a concussion from falling asleep standing."

"Sorry." Nico said, not remotely sorry at all. "I can't speak, poison's really doing a number on my pain receptors it seems."

Percy wore a look of concern now, "Oh, so this was your way of communicating with me."

"Yeah" Nico shrugged, as if he wasn't dreading waking back up to intense pain. "And Will was lecturing me so I'd rather talk to you."

I don't know if I'd be able to control myself around him. Will hating him, particularly yelling at him the previous night, did nothing to lessen Nico's feelings for the son of Apollo. In fact, their continued close proximity within the small apartment was starting to drive him crazy. Add to that his frustration, emotional hurt and his injury - the less he saw of Will Solace, the better.