skinny love | solangelo

Initiation?

~Will

Finally my shift ended, and I could properly show Nico how to use all of the equipment and what and where everything was located. That idiot couldn't even distinguish Scotch tape and medical tape (although it was slightly cute, but you'd never hear that from me). In all my life, I've never been so flustered as I was while teaching Nico what to do.

After I sent Nico back to his room after a fairly long day, I stripped my hospital uniform and donned the usual CHB tee, and khaki shorts.

Plop! My bed never felt more inviting.

Swish, swish, came the familiar sound of someone in scrubs walking into the cabin.

Shhhhhhh.... The curtain blocking off my bed whispered.

"Kayla!" I yelped. My sister plopped on to the other side of my bed, springing me off onto the floor. Rubbing my head, I shot her a dark look put off by the smile on my face.

"So, how was teaching Lover Boy? Did you two confess your undying love for each other yet or will this be happening sometime next week?" She said, in a loud businesslike manner.

"Shut up!" I hollered, close to putting my hand over her mouth. "You can't just say stuff like that! In public. Where someone might hear you!" I glanced around and sat next to her on my bed, hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder.

"A homophobe might hear you." Deep breath, Will. "I-" Cool it. It's alright. "Kayla, I'm gay."

Kayla, completely disregarding anything I just said, started speaking just as loudly. "Dude, Will, you sorta already confirmed that as you blushed thinking about Nico." She paused, cupping a hand around her mouth, and continued in an exaggerated whisper, "The whole cabin knows you are. It's not really a secret."

I just gaped at her. "How?" Kayla waved a dismissive hand.

"It's not hard to tell, we live with you. Besides, I'm quite sure Aphrodite's children can, like, sense that sort of thing. Haven't you noticed how the girls don't flirt with you?" She gave me an exasperated look. "Really Will, it's like you have the brainpower of a pancake."

My face puts on a thinking sort of expression. She's right. Thankfully the Aphrodite cabin has some respect for sexuality.

"So, Will, tell me, when are you two going to go out on a date?" I roll my eyes.

"I don't even know if Nico likes guys, I can't just ask him out."

Kayla looks even more exasperated. "Will, honey, you honestly have no idea." She knocked her shoulder into mine. "That boy is the gayest as they come." That gave me an idea.

"What about his friend, Jason? They are around each other a lot." Kayla laughs, hysterically.

"Jason Grace is as straight as Katoptris's blade. He loves Piper, although, I ship him and Percy, but you didn't hear it from me."

A tapping noise comes from my window. A blonde-haired boy with chronically tilting glasses peeks his head up. Speak of the devil. Confused, I slide open the window. Climbing through haphazardly, Jason Grace looks at Kayla, nods, and sits down on my bed. Awkward silence ensues.

"Alright, let me break the silence, what the heck is going on?" I look from Kayla to Jason, they obviously know what's happening.

"Do you like Nico?" The son of Zeus blurts out, startling me. A lightbulb flicks on in my head.

"Kayla, you absolute waffle," I put my head in my hands, "You got him into this too?! Seriously?" I lifted my head to look at my sister, who had the grace to look sheepish.

"Well, he's Nico's best friend.." She whined, "Also, we sort of had this going for a while."

Before I could ask what "this" was, Kayla rushed out, "Mission Solangelo. It's.. Um. We-have-been-trying-to-get-you-and-Nico-together-for-a-while-now, see. You both are just so...." She sighed and her and Jason shared a sympathetic look. "You two are blind."

"Gods, you two. I thought I could handle one insane person, now another? Help me." I cried, sighing dramatically.

"So, what have you two done by now? Kayla locked me in a room with Nico, but that's all I know of so far." A scary thought comes to mind.

"Dear gods, what have you scarred Nico with?" I shouldn't have said that. It's really hard to not be nervous when two people are wearing matching shit-eating grins.

"We haven't ruined your lover boy's innocence, if that's what you mean." Jason winked. That nickname, I swear.

"Were you just with him before you scared me half to death climbing into my window?"

"No, but that reminds me!" Jason said, pointing a finger into the air. "I have a few questions, or terms and conditions, for you." I cocked an eyebrow, already worried about what they're planning.

"Don't worry, Will," Kayla consoled, highly contrasting with the mischievous glint in her eye.

Jason whipped out a notepad and a pencil from who knows where, and flipped to a random page.

"Right, okay, William Solace, you are obviously gay, no question in that matter," He just muttered, and wrote something down on the paper, "What about, hmm, can you cook?" The tone of the question was all seriousness, contrasting largely with the sort of question it was.

"Uhh.. I can make Ramen, and Mac and Cheese, can that count?" Bemused, I answered the strange questions given.

Dog or cat? Dog, always. Music? Anything and everything. Song lyrics, or poetry? Both. They're almost the same thing after all. The questions were all so random, but I'm sure there was a deeper meaning I haven't found yet.

All of a sudden, the questions stopped. Jason became serious. More serious than I had ever seen from him. As did Kayla. I raked my fingernails on my shorts, palms sweaty, what did I do?

Jason continued in a low voice. "William Solace, do you promise to always protect Nico Di Angelo? He's been through more hardships than you, or anyone else at this camp could even begin to fathom. He survived Tartarus, alone, at fourteen. Protect him, because gods forbid, Nico can't protect himself. He's the most polite person you'll ever get to meet, and will put his trust in you completely, once he lets you in. Nico needs you in his life, and trust me, so do you."

Unsure of how to respond in the same manner of tone, I nod.

The seriousness leaves both Kayla's and Jason's faces, replaced with grins.

Turning to Kayla, Jason says, "He's perfect. Let's go terrorize Nico now." Sliding open the window before I could react, both of the members of Mission Solangelo slipped out of the Apollo cabin, off to scare the son of Hades.

I laughed a mirthless laugh. What have you gotten yourself into, Will?