Misery Loves Company

Promise Me

"So, you have an evil Goddess that you met in Tartarus after you. She's also after me because I made you happy-"

"You make me happy." Nico corrected.

"And you sold your soul five years ago to your father in exchange for the ability to channel a Godly level of power in case she captures you or me. And then you took on a heap of titles and quests for the Gods because you were...bored. Did I get that all right?"

"I didn't really have a choice with the titles. It was more of a 'you know too much, so either become Ambassador or be smote' kind of deal. You know?"

Will gave him a look that clearly read 'no, I really don't know'.

"You're taking this all surprisingly well." Nico said.

"Yeah well, we fought literal Mother Earth a few years back, and then my dad was turned into a mortal teenager... this isn't that weird by comparison."

"Okay, but Gaea was trying to kill everyone. This Goddess wants to kill you specifically."

Will's hand found Nico's, rubbing gentle, lazy circles on its back for comfort.

"Yeah but she's confined to Tartarus, and we have a whole legion here to protect us from her lackeys. We'll be okay."

Nico hated the idea of putting the legion at risk just to protect them, but for Will he would do it; he would stay.

"So there is a 'we'?" Nico couldn't help but ask.

Will looked down to their joined hands, "I- I'm still working through my emotions, it could- it could take awhile, we can't just go back to the way things were. But I'd like for there to be...you and me again, I'd like that."

Nico smiled, "I'd like that too."

Nico fidgeted a moment, there were words bottled up inside of him that swirled and tumbled around and he struggled to grasp them long enough to put into speech. It took him a minute in the silence before he began to speak, pulling his hand gently from Will's grip.

"I would understand if you didn't though." Nico breathed, and guilt weighed down each word, he could feel each syllable sink in the air between them. "It's my fault she's looking for you, if I hadn't fallen for you, you wouldn't have been dragged into this mess. And I know I'm not worth the trouble, so if you want me to leave, just say the word."

"Nico, it's not your fault. It's not your fault that some God wants to meddle with your life again, it's not your fault that the shitty hand you drew in life made her think she is somehow owed your suffering. And I would never blame you for the monsters that she is sending after us." Will said sternly, imploringly. "I'm upset because you ran away again. At the end of the war, you told me you'd stay and you left. I'm upset because I would have rather suffered at her hands than spend those five years without you."

"Oh."

Will huffed, "You're ridiculous, you know? You're fucking incredible and you can't seem to see that. You put me on some stupid pedestal and tell yourself you're not worthy of me. And that's not true."

Nico had a hard time believing he was incredible. In fact, he was certain he was not. He was broken and torn at every edge. And each of his edges were so sharp he cut those around him whenever he got close, he'd make his loved ones bleed.

Will. Hazel. Percy. Reyna. They had all suffered because of him at some stage in their journeys.

Whenever he got close he'd make his loved ones bleed... and die.

Bianca. Jason. They were his everything. The last of his first family and his best friend. Both gone and where did that leave him? Watching as they bled out from his mistakes, and maybe his fatal flaw was holding grudges, or maybe it was being selfish enough to let them get too close.

Again and again and again. The cycle repeated itself because he was too selfish to stay away. He'd tried to, for five long years he'd tried to save Will from that fate. And somehow he'd been drawn right back, magnetised towards that burning yellow soul. A compass seeking its north.

But Will didn't seem to care about Nico's torn up edges nor how much he bled when Nico was near.

"You're thinking too hard." Will huffed, forehead creased in concern.

"I just- If you got hurt because of me again, I couldn't live with that." Nico tried to make him understand, tried to explain that if Will didn't push him away right now, if he told him to stay, he'd only cause Will pain.

"I can look after myself." Will said, glaring at Nico's doubtful expression. "Ok, maybe I need to start training again, but it's not your job to protect me. And it's not your fault if I get hurt."

"Is this your way of asking for private lessons again?"

While they were dating, Nico had taken to teaching Will the basics of fighting with a dagger, alongside the ghost tutors he would summon. For someone who claimed he couldn't fight, he was able to hold his own against most opponents, though he was a little too eager to use his knowledge of pressure points to his advantage.

Will arched an eyebrow, "If they're anything like our old lessons, we'd be doing more kissing than sparring."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Nico pouted. Will snaked a hand around his waist, pulling him in to press a kiss to his lips.

"Hmm, maybe that wouldn't be so bad."

Nico shoved him away playfully. The guilt coiled in his chest loosened a little, making way to the butterflies that fluttered awake with Will's affectionate acts. Will just pulled him right back in, holding him to his warm chest.

"Promise me you'll stay this time." He whispered into Nico's hair.

Nico's breath hitched. Will knew how seriously Nico took making promises. After Percy's disastrous promise all those years ago, Nico never made a promise he wouldn't keep.

He wanted to, he wanted so badly to stay in Will's arms.

But if Will got hurt-

But Will would get hurt whether Nico stayed or left. Lady Misery knew who he was and what he was to Nico. Soulmate. Sometimes that still scared him: the idea that Will was made to be his other half, that they were written in the fates.

If Will got hurt that was Akhlys' fault and Nico would never let that happen again: he would be there with him from now on.

"I promise I'll stay."

Will hummed contentedly, not releasing Nico from his embrace. He murmured in a low voice that sent shivers down Nico's spine, "I missed you, Angel. I missed you so fucking much. I missed you like the sun yearns for the moon"

Nico couldn't help the snort that escaped him, "You sound like your dad with all that poetry-sounding shit."

"Actually dad's more of a haiku kind of guy," Will laughed.

Nico pressed his face into Will's shirt committing the sound of his beating heart to his memory.

"I missed you too, Tesoro."

End Notes: Hiii hope you enjoyed.

So, Will and Nico are navigating what their relationship will look like now that Nico has decided to stay, but that doesn't mean things will be easy. Will can't just get over Nico leaving him, and is likely more than a little paranoid about it happening again. And Nico has found himself back in the same situation as five years prior: terrified that Akhlys will hurt Will and hating the idea of other demigods getting hurt protecting him.

Thanks for all the comments and votes on the previous chapters, it means the world to me that you guys are enjoying my little story <3