A Battle For Love

Will//eleven

I had to keep reminding myself to take baby steps with Nico. No matter how cuddly, how hand holdy, how kissy, how much I just wanted to hug and squeeze him until his face was blue, I had to keep my affection to a minimum.

We've been back at camp for a few days and I forced Nico to come into the infirmary. What? He was out there for a little over than two days. I wanted to make sure he was all right. And besides, it's not like he protested... Maybe at first, but he still came! Everybody freaked out about Leo and they're still buzzing about it. Him and Calypso sent an Iris-message to the others at Camp Jupiter. Let's just say that Frank was so surprised he turned into a bear.

Now, I'm walking back to the infirmary with two plates of food. One for Nico, one for me. I pushed his curtain aside with my foot. "I got food Nico..." The words die from my mouth. Nico jumps and spins around so his back is to me.

"Will!" I could just feel him blushing.

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry, Nico. I should've knocked or something." I turn around and leave so he could finish getting dressed.

"You can come in now, Will." I hear him say. I try to tame my own blush before opening the curtain again. Nico was standing beside his bed with dark jeans on and a black shirt. His long black hair was falling into his eyes and he kept trying to push it back but it was persistent.

I chuckle, "Sorry about that." I put the plates on the table and sit down on the edge of his bed.

"S'alright. But you should've knocked." He laughed and sat beside me. "I need to cut my hair." He groans as a strand of hair falls in his face. Nico flops back, causing more hair to get in his face.

I laugh and lean back and prop my head up on my arm. With my other hand, I gently push away his hair, "I dunno, I kind of like it." I say and wrap it around my finger.

Nico blushes and pushes my hand away. "Too bad, I'm already having Piper cut it." I chuckle and grab his hand, intertwining our fingers. Nico's blush deepens and he looks down.

"Can I ask you a question?" He asks. I nod. "How...how many people have you kissed?"

"Two. One time in seventh grade and the other day when I kissed you." I smile slightly.

"Oh." He sounds surprised.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just thought... Yeah, never mind." Nico says and rolls over onto his stomach.

"No," I whine, "Tell me."

Nico peeks his face from under his arms and looks at me. "Promise you won't get mad?" I nod my head. "I just thought that you would have more experience than that."

I didn't know how to respond to that except laugh. Nico shoves me lightly and I catch his hand. "I know I may be good looking, but I didn't go around kissing people." I joke.

"Well, I wouldn't say that you're good looking." Nico says with a smile. I gasp. Nico laughs, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Only slightly." He coughs the last part.

"That's it di Angelo." I say in a low growl.

His brown eyes widen and his hand move, and fail, to cover his his sides. "Don't even think about it, Solace."

"Too late!" I pounce on him and started tickling him. His cold hands struggled to keep mine off him.

"Will! Stop!"

"Not until you take it back." I smile.

"Okay! Okay! Just stop." I sit back and take in Nico's red face. "Thank you..." He trails off.

"What?" I ask. I look down. "Oh." I take in our position and look back at Nico, who's looking up at me expectantly. I lick my lips as his eyes shift down to mine. I really hate to mess up this moment but I just wanna make sure he's not sending me mixed signals.

"You sure?"

Nico rolls his eyes, "You said we had to practice sometime. Now's as good as any other." He said with so nonchalantly but a light blush still crept across his cheeks.

I shrug, "Since you insist." I lean down and lightly press my lips to his. Tingles shoot up my spine and I pull back to look at him. "Don't be afraid." I reassure him.

"Just kiss me Solace." I lean forward and actually kiss him this time.

His lips are soft and still at first as mine move against his. I take it slow and for awhile Nico doesn't do anything. I'm about to pull away when I feel his lips move tentatively against mine. I smile and move my hand up to cup his cheek. Nico wraps his arms around my neck and pulls me closer to him.

"You're a fast learner." I say between kisses. We pull apart for air and Nico looks at me, his red cheeks standing out against his pale skin.

"Thanks?" He chuckles.

"Yeah, but I still think you need more practice." I say with a smirk.

"Oh really? How much more practice?"

I shrug, "I'll be the judge of that." Nico rolls his eyes but lifts his head and kisses me. I get lost in his lips and tangle my fingers in his hair. I never knew how soft it was. In fact, I never really had the notion to even touch his hair. I should have though. Aphrodite would be jealous of it. Or maybe it's just me and my Nico high.

"Whoa! Are we interrupting something?" Nico pushes me away and I sit up. I glare at the intruder

"Jason," Piper scolds and smacks his chest. I feel myself blush slightly and my hand reaches up to push my hair back.

"Don't worry, Nico already messed your hair up enough." Jason smirks at me.

"Shut up or leave, Grace." Nico says from beside me. He then took me by surprise by clutching onto my arm and burying his face in my neck; I couldn't stop the smile that graced my face. Piper smiled and pulled Jason more into the room by his hand.

"We just wanted to come and see how Nico is doing." Piper smiled.

"But we didn't expect to see him doing this good." Jason piped in.

"Jason, shut up." Piper hisses. Jason rolls his eyes and slumps down into a chair. As much as I like Jason and Piper, I just wish they would leave. But I couldn't just outright and tell them to leave, they are Nico's friends after all. So I just sat there playing with Nico's fingers as they talked. It felt like hours until Jason and Piper left. 

I sigh and lay on the bed. I gently tug on Nico's hand and pull him down to lay next to me. We stare into each other's eyes. "Are you hungry?" I ask quietly.

Nico shakes his head and cuddles into me. "No, but I'm really sleepy." He ducks his head and closes his eyes.

"Do you want me to leave, or...?" I ask. Nico clutches onto my camp shirt.

"No. Don't ever leave me."

I smile and hug Nico tighter to me. "Never." I reach down and pull the cover over us. "Never." I repeat more quietly.

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Oh my sweet Apollo cakes. That is by far the cutest fluff I've ever written in my entire life, guys. But I feel that it's kind of awkward? Yay? Nay?

Anyone ever read Septimus Heap by Angie Sage? No? Well you should it's amazing.

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