Slipping Away

Chapter 1

Nico shouldn't have used more shadow travel, Will had said that so many times. Truth was, he couldn't help it. After making so many jumps, with Reyna, he just seemed to slip away without meaning to. Following the war with Gaia, he had made a steady recovery, only to be brought back to square one when Apollo had brought chaos back to the camp. Being cooped up in the infirmary did have its perks though; he'd gained a boyfriend. None other that Will Solace himself! It meant he wasn't bored, and to be honest, for the first time in a very long time, despite his significant health risks, Nico felt... happy.

He'd just woken up, and the Long Island sun filtered through the translucent blinds that fluttered over the window. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to push himself up, but his hands slipped right through the mattress. "Morning!" There he was, Will Solace.
"Ugh, can you tell your Dad to turn it down!" Nico smirked.
"Would if I could sunshine, but Dad's off with Leo, painfully mortal and probably in significant danger..." Sitting down on Nico's bed, Will winced, and fidgeted with his hands. Without communications, the campers had no way to tell how the until recently God Apollo was getting on, and it had been weeks.
"Hey, he'll be fine" Will looked up.
"Hm?"
"Your dad, and Leo and Calypso, they'll be alright. Meg will protect them." Nico smiled.
"Yeah... Yeah you're right."
"And do not call me sunshine." That brought him back, a soft cheaply smile gracing his tawny skin.
"Sure thing sunshine." Then, he bent down to kiss him. But, slipped right through.

He pulled back warily, "Nico?" But Nico avoided his gaze. "Is it getting worse?"
"Um, maybe..."
"Right, well, I'm getting the Hephaestus cabin to make some warm tone lights to put in here, so there's no risk of you sinking into anymore shadows, and you're having some ambrosia once you can touch things again." It always struck Nico, that though Will could be an awkward mess, when it came to healing, Will was assertive, and straightforward. "Is there anything that might of caused it?" Nico wracked his brain, the only thing he could think of was- Oh gods... "Someone- someone I know might've- but who? Who?"
"What is it Nico?" Will tried to put his hand on Nico's arm, but of course phases straight through it.
"I think, someone has passed into Elysium, someone I know..."
"Oh gods... who?"
"I- I can't think! Will, can you give me a sleeping pill, I might be able to see in dreams."

Will didn't seem pleased with this suggestion:
"I do not want to risk you slipping away without realising it."
"Please? I need- I need to know!" Will hesitated for a minute, tapping the back of his hands. Then, he started to open drawers beside Nico's bed, before handing him a small packet: "Take two, I could get someone from Hypnos to check in on your dreams? No? Well I'll stay right here, OK?"

Nico nodded slowly, then swallowed the two tablets. With in a minute, he felt drowsiness overcome him, and fell quietly into his nightmares.