Fate Withstands

Chapter 33

Nico didn't get a chance to talk to Will, really talk to him, until later that night. The last patient save Nico had finally been released, leaving them alone together in the now silent infirmary.

Will was tired, exhausted from healing for so long. There were bags under his raw eyes and his hair didn't look brushed, a quality only Nico's usual inhabited. When he finally sat by Nico on his now bed for three nights, he about sunk into the mattress. "It's finally over."

Nico nodded in agreement. "Do you think we'll be able to adjust to peace?"

"Pft, any of us can, even the Ares kids," Will smiled. "We all appreciate it while it lasts. Even though...I guess what you call 'adjusting' to it... the PTSD..."

"I still don't understand it," Nico said. "Percy said I have it and Persephone said that's the flashbacks I had but like...what is it?"

"It's the affect of a trauma," Will explained. "Like...like the wars. I mean, did you really think you'd just get over something like that? It's in your brain, Nico. Those flashbacks, panic attacks...it's a disorder."

"...right..." Nico drawled out. "I'm just going to pretend I understood that all. But I guess it doesn't matter. I..." He paused. "Will, are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" he asked.

"I left you." Nico looked down at his lap, counted each of his gray fingers and made sure each were still solid. "I left you and went to Camp Jupiter to take Hazel and ended up in Tartarus and that jar and almost dissolving into the shadows forever-"

"You were an idiot, but I'm not mad at you," Will said. "You did what you needed to do. Besides...we weren't dating. You said you weren't ready for that."

Nico's face fell at the sudden realization that this was, in fact, not his boyfriend sitting next to him. "Oh..."

"So, it's not like we were dating," Will repeated. "You didn't have any obligation to tell me anything."

Nico reached for one of his werewolf wounds, fingering the red openings as the new pain shot through him. "I changed during this war, Will. Just like the others."

Will's eyes turned sad. "Nico..."

"No, I think it's a good thing," Nico continued. "I...I was forced to tell Jason that I love you. And it hit me and I...I realized that it's worth going after. So I'm ready now, I think. If you want... I'm ready to date you. If you want."

Will stared at him. "You love me."

Nico nodded. "And...and I can tell you that because I know you're not homophobic because you kiss me and I know you won't kill me because I don't think that's a common practice anymore."

"Not in this country, but in some they still do." Will ran a hand through his blond hair. "You love me."

"Yeah."

"Like...actually love me."

"That's what I said."

Will turned to face him, taking that gray face in his hands and staring into those dark eyes. "You love me."

"Will, how many times do I have to-"

"I love you, too..." Will breathed. "I love you, too. And yes, gods yes, I want to date you."

Nico's lips quirked into a smile. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Will touched his nose to Nico's, his breath hot against his lips. "So, boyfriend, can I kiss you?"

Nico didn't bother answering, instead pulling Will's lips closer to his own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The days in the infirmary were pretty okay. The days, at least. The sunlight held Will Solace and peace and not a flashback in sight. But the nights...

The infirmary wasn't anywhere he felt safe enough that the nightmares didn't strike. Maybe it was because the room was quiet and empty when it was made for the opposite, or the way the shadows bent just right to seem as if they held more than they showed. The bed was white, unlike his in the Hades cabin or the Underworld, and unlike the quest he wasn't so exhausted that he simply passed out each night.

His first night, he had a dream about the battle of Manhattan. The slaughter of monsters. The day mortals got in the middle when they never asked to. His first war in a demigod sense.

The second night, his dreams were in a trench somewhere in Europe, a flea biting at his swollen feet while his finger rested on a trigger. Above him, the sky seemed too clear to be above a battlefield. But it was a relief. At the time, Mother Nature herself hadn't been the enemy.

But the earth was the enemy, now. The Earth and Time and the Axis powers. Even the sky seemed to be against him, Gaea's husband forever scattered but still in existence. The amount of matter in the world never changed. He would forever be there, even if they didn't notice.

Enemies below his feet, enemies above his head. Enemies everywhere he looked except for Will Solace.

The third night, Will himself had taken over the dream. With his blond hair and blue eyes, his healing techniques, a soul full of light and hands that longed to share it.

Nico woke up smiling. It was something he had never done before.

"What? Excited to get out of here?" Will asked from somewhere to the right, his voice teasing and light and everything Nico needed.

"Excited in general." Nico sat up, felt his wounds but knew they were healing. Each day, the pain was different. Each day, the pain was less.

Physically and mentally.

Will brought over a clipboard, setting it beside Nico as he kissed the son of Hades on the forehead. "One last checkup before I let you go."

Nico agreed to the examination and let Will get it over quickly. Checking his eyes, his ears, wounds old and new, his stability and solidity. Soon enough, Will was writing on the clipboard and Nico was standing up from the white cot.

"Nico, I'm going to remind you again." Will grabbed Nico's hand and pulled him close. "No Underworld-y powers. No shadow travel. Doctor's orders."

"You're not technically a doctor, but okay," Nico agreed. "I guess I can stay out of the shadows for now."

"Forever," Will corrected. "I don't want you shadow traveling ever again, Nico. It's dangerous. It's not something you should do unless it's a real emergency."

"Fine, fine," Nico said. "I get it. No shadow travel."

Will put the clipboard away before lacing his fingers with Nico's again. "Let's go get breakfast. You can sit at my table with me."

"And if Chiron says anything?"

"We'll convince him otherwise."