The Glory That Is Rome (a Percy Jackson AU)

My Sweet Greek Physician

Nico was glad to see Will improving. Ever since Luke had been made emperor, the Greek physician had been rapidly improving. He no longer looked like he had walked through Tartarus and he regained the weight he had lost.

Nico had been visiting Will everyday since the day he had promised to mend Will's heart. He was rubbish with the healing herbs that Will knew by heart, but he cut bandages and cleaned wounds alongside Will. Nico often left his villa early and returned late at night.

One morning, Nico asked Will what he thought of the new emperor. Will didn't look up from the bowl of herbs that he was sorting. They had just come back from a house call. Will had stitched up a cut on the arm of a slave. Nico had winced at the wound wondered if the slave's master had inflicted it upon them.

"The gladiators look even worse," Will had told Nico. "I feel so bad for them even if they are criminals."

Nico had nodded and thought wryly that the two classes of society seen as the lowest —lupae and gladiators — were the ones lusted after the most.

"I'm glad we have an emperor," Will finally said. "Our empire needs the stability of one."

"But what do you think of Luke and his policies?" Nico pressed.

"Since when are you interested in politics?" Will asked.

Nico shrugged and then realized that Will couldn't see the gesture.

"Zeus was my uncle," Nico answered. "It's strange that none of his sons survived. I'm surprised that Luke was made emperor."

"He sent Hera and her daughters to Egypt," Will said. "Luke gave them a huge villa there. He wants them where they cannot challenge him."

"He thinks they'll try to seize power?" Nico asked.

"Cleopatra tried to," Will reminded Nico.

"Luke has made some important reforms," Will said. "He's trying to crack down on adultery. He increased pay for soldier. He expanded the number of people on the grain dole list. He's helping Rome. Why'd you ask?"

"I just wanted to hear you speak," Nico said.

Will looked up and laughed.

"You naughty boy," Will said.

"I'm a man," Nico protested.

"A naughty man then," Will said. "A naughty man that keeps distracting me from my job."

"I can distract you more, if you want," Nico said softly.

He wasn't feeling suave at all and he ended up tripping over his toga. Will laughed and unfurled the toga. Then, Nico distracted Will from his work even more.

****

Nico returned home later than usual. Hades waved to him from a couch as Nico slipped through the door. Nico's pale face flushed red as his looked over at his messy hair and sloppily tied toga and asked, "Have you been visiting a lupa?"

Nico sighed in relief. Persephone had not told him.

"No, just the physician," Nico said.

"You look like you've been—" Hades began.

He stopped in mid-sentence and looked at Nico again. His eyes widened in realization.

"You love men," Hades said.

It was a statement and not a question, but Nico nodded in affirmation.