Eclipse (Willco Solangelo)

In which Will takes off his mask

Will's P.O.V

"Two weeks?" Nico's eyes grew to the size of small dinner plates. I almost chuckled at the new facial expression, but managed to stop myself.

"Yeah, I was worried we had lost you... I mean, everyone was worried we had lost you..."

Nico raised his eyebrow at my change of words. "Yeah right..."

"I'm serious! It's been hard work keeping everyone out of here. Jason's been in here twice a day, not to mention Percy who always comes to my table at dinner demanding updates on your condition." I shook my head at little at how crazy they were, but at the same time I get where they're coming from. I've been worried about Nico too. I've been so worried about him, I've barely slept the whole time he's been in the infirmary.

"Percy's been asking about me?" Nico looked incredulous. I felt a prick of jealousy run through my system at the mention of Percy's name. Didn't Nico care that I've been worried about him too?

"Yeah, at every single meal."

Nico blinked a few times trying to process everything. "Hang on! What exactly is my condition? And how are you feeling? I mean you did get used as a scratching post for a hellhound, you must be in some form of pain." Nico's questions seemed to bubble out of him like molten lava out a volcano.

"First of all, I'm fine, just a little sore. Secondly, about your condition, it isn't good."

Nico didn't look as alarmed as I thought he would. "But you're not seriously injured right?"

"No, I'll be fine in a week or so. But didn't you hear me about your condition?" I asked, trying to see if he was suffering short term memory loss or something.

"Huh? Oh yeah. My condition isn't good... So what am I supposed to do about it? If it gets better, great, if it gets worse, oh well." Nico concluded with a small sigh.

"Don't give me that crap. You may act like your health isn't a big deal to you, but deep down you're terrified. All your life, you've been running from the truth, and now that it's handed to you, you continue to run and hide!"

Nico gazed at me with tears rimming his eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"You have to face your demons, Nico. You can't keep letting them control you." I felt the urge to run my hands in circles on his back, but he didn't look like he'd appreciate the gesture at the moment. For a few seconds, only Nico's deep breaths filled the air. The tension in the room was rising like the temperature of water as it boiled. Then the pot boiled over.

"You don't know what it's like! Being judged for everything you do, nobody ever even trying to get to know you. You don't know how it feels to hear the news of the only one who understands you dying on her quest. You don't know how many demons I have, so you have no right to tell me to face them!" Nico's voice was straining by the end of his outburst. Another patch of sense filled the air. Nico had closed his eyes, but the tears were not so easily stopped. They freely dripped down his face as he tried so desperately to stop them. But he was fighting a losing battle, and the tears marched on, ever so persistent to reach the floor.

I inhaled deeply before proceeding. "Actually, I do."

Nico slowly opened his eyes and peered at me through the tears blocking his vision. "What?"

"I do know what it's like to hear the news of the only people who understood me dying."

Nico sniffled, finally beginning to conquer his tears. "Who?" It was a simple question with a complicated answer. My protector and provider. My entertainer and partner in crime.

"My mother and sister." I settled on the answer least likely to cause tears. Nico looked shell shocked. He opened his mouth and closed it a few times before replying.

"I didn't know-"

"Of course you didn't, nobody did. Nobody ever took the time to ask me about my life before camp-halfblood. I have had almost every single camper come through the infirmary doors, and I've been able to get to know most of them by asking them questions. Do you know how many people in this camp ever bothered to really get to know me? None. Not one person bothered to even ask how I got here." By now the tears had started and I knew they wouldn't be stopping soon.

"Will, I'm so sorry." Nico seemed to be at a loss for words. I furiously wiped at my eyes, trying to clear the salty traitors from escaping.

It was a few minutes until I had calmed down. "It just hurts, you know? Always having to fix about everyone else's problems, but never being able to fix myself." I took a deep breath to help calm me down a bit more.

A silence stretched across the room, the only noises were the sound of our breaths. "Will?" Nico asked, shattering the protective silence.

"What?" I looked at him and immediately wished I hadn't used such a cold tone. He had small tear tracks on his cheeks, and he looked like he might break any second. Most importantly, he looked sympathetic. There wasn't a trace of pity in his eyes.

"I'm really sorry about your family, and for freaking out at you. I just always figured that you were the happy son of Apollo who could fix anybody. It never even occurred to me that you could be dealing with problems of your own. I'm really sorry, for everything." Nico once again changed his gaze away from me. I stood up out of the plastic chair and moved in closer to him.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't be mad at you for believing the mask I put on. It's not your fault that you can't see through the mask." I replied as I reached out and began pushing the hair out of his eyes.
"Will?" Nico asked, changing his gaze to look into my eyes.

"Yeah, Nico?"

"How are you? I mean the real you, behind the mask. How are you holding up?" And that was how I burst into tears for the second time that day.

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So that was intense....

Hopefully it wasn't too full of emotion, I always seem to make one of the two cry. (In this case, both...)

Thoughts on will's mask?
Thoughts on Nico's outburst?
Thoughts on banana smoothies? (Best drink ever!)

Anyways, thanks for your support! :P

Question: how do you get to school? (Car? Bus? Train? Private jet? Haha)

Bonus question: opinion on Big Hero 6?

I am literally dying to see it, but I can't find any theatres that will play it in my language where I am! :(

Until next time! -Tianne :)