It Happened One Fall

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"Can you be quiet, Solace? I can take care of myself!" Nico exclaimed as the ground swayed beneath his feet.

Shadow travelling between the two demigod camps had taken a toll on him, even when the annoying son of Apollo insisted he shouldn't. Nico knew what he needed, and what he'd needed during that last trip to Camp Jupiter was to visit his sister, Hazel. He'd missed her since she returned to the Roman camp after the battle last summer.

"No, you can't," Will insisted, he put his hands on Nico's thin shoulders. Nico was too tired to push him away, he had bent forward and watched his shoes to make sure he wouldn't fall.

"I'm fine," Nico said with a grunt. "Leave me alone, okay?"

It must've been an odd sight, a son of Apollo trying to take care of a son of Hades. Nico made up the courage to push away Solace and he did, stumbling over his own two feet.

"Di Angelo," Will sighed, rolling his eyes. "At least let me guide you back to your cabin."

"I hate that place," Nico said, crossing his arms over his chest. Even though summer only ended a month ago, the evening breeze chilled him to the bones. He began to shiver.

"Fine," Will said and began leading Nico towards the Big House, holding his shoulders. Nico didn't want to complain anymore, he just wanted to sleep.

"Why?" Nico said as he yawned, feeling the grip Will had on him shift as they stumbled, tripping over each other's shoes. This is embarrassing, Nico thought.

"Why, what?" Will asked. Yep, Nico knew he was falling asleep.

"Why would you..." he yawned again.

"We're friends," Will said looking down to Nico's smaller frame.

"Right," he replied, thinking it was a joke. No one wanted to be Nico's friend. Maybe Jason and Reyna, but that was because they trusted him.

"I'm serious, Nico, I don't joke about my friends. I've helped you enough now to know that you shouldn't be shadow-travelling since you brought back the freaking Parthenos from Greece!" Will explained.

Nico shook his head, unable to answer.

"We're friends," Will said again.

"But—" Nico began and slipped, too exhausted to regain his balance. His eyes grew heavy as he saw the blurriness of a blue blob not so far away.

Without a word, Will didn't let him fall. The blonde boy picked him up, as if he weighed nothing heavier than a sack of potatoes and put him over his shoulder, so gently that Nico would have thought he was still falling without hitting the ground.

"Shit," Will mumbled, feeling Nico's forehead with the back of his hand.

"What?" Nico muttered, eyes closed, dark lashes twitching as Will's hand accidentally brushed past his eye.

"You have a fever, Di Angelo," Will said and continued walking to the Big House.

"The green plant will work," Nico mumbled.

Will had to stifle a snort. Man, was Nico tired and speaking nonsense.
"Ambrosia, you dumbbell," he said playfully and yet, Nico had enough strength to smack him on the shoulder with his head. "Sorry, sunshine."

"I am not," Nico said.

"Too bad," Will replied.

Nico was surprised at how gentle Will was as he was carried up the path. Will's clothes smelt like vanilla, his damp hair reminded him of coconuts.

"What?" Will asked.

"What?" he replied.

"You just said coconuts," Will said.

Of course, he did, Nico cursed to himself.

"You look like you haven't slept for days," Will chastised him, going up the steps of the big blue building.

"I haven't," Nico said, his voice no louder than a whisper.

"Why not?" he asked.

"The Hades cabin is freaky. I don't know what Annabeth did, but it's cursed. The dead like whispering in there," Nico explained, his voice scruffy against Will's shoulder.

"Saying what, exactly?" Will asked, entering the Big House, and to the infirmary.

"Let's just say, some of the dead don't like my dad," Nico yawned, stretching in Will's arms, making himself more comfortable.

Will smiled as he gently put Nico down, then rushing to find the ambrosia and nectar to heal the overexerting shadow traveller.

"Just relax," Will said. "I won't be going anywhere."

"Thanks," Nico mumbled as the son of Apollo covered him with a soft cotton blanket.

Soon, Nico was asleep, his face soft and limp as he slept with his cheek against the pillows. Will only then realised how much Nico had been through at such a young age.

Will pushed back Nico's choppy black hair from his face, revealing the beautifully long dark lashes, Will envied a little. Nico smiled in his sleep, allowing his hair to be touched.

Nico needed someone to take care of him.

Will wanted to do that for him.

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⏰ Last updated: Jul 20 ⏰

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