To Will the Angel

    Walking away from Percy and Annabeth, after a much needed coming out, Nico di Angelo  walked back to a waiting Will Solace, radiating confidence. Three days, that was the order, the doctor’s orders. Will would admit later, he wish it had been longer, but he would settle with three for now.

    “So...” Will said, “What were you talking to those two about?”

    “They are going to New Rome for college,” Nico began, but the confidence was still present. That was the first time he told someone willingly, and he never even used the word out loud, “And I just wanted to clear the air about something with Percy, as well as inform the both of them I’m staying in Camp Half-Blood.”

    “You are! Great!” Will then blushed, realizing how much emotion he had shown, this only added to Nico's confidence, “Clear the air with Percy about what?” His attempt to distract Nico. Nico decided then, that if Will had hated him for what happened with Octavian, he didn't anymore, that little outburst was proof.

    “Well...” Nico was about the admit his feelings, willingly for the second time, when...they reached the infirmary.

    “Will,” called Lou Ellen. Will sighed. “I have a new patient, is it really urgent!” Lou Ellen stared at the son of Hades next to her brother. She shook her head, and went inside, murmuring about how this plan won't work...

    “You were saying...” Will beckoned Nico to continue. They traveled to a room, meant for two, but was deserted. Will guided Nico to lie on the bed farther from the door, before closing it. The infirmary was pretty full, but he had saved the room just for the son of Hades. He may not have a great voice, but he knew the infirmary inside and out.

    “Well, see the thing is, I kinda had a crush on Percy for years,” he paused unintentionally to look at the jealously in Will’s eyes, “I went to tell him, so that we could start fresh before he goes off to college. I told him, he was flustered, I mean grade A flustered. Of course I don't like him anymore, there has been - a shift.”

    “A shift,” Will echoed, in a questioning tone.

    “Yeah, like all of a sudden, he is just Percy, not someone worth idolizing, and worshiping, hot green-eyed, hero. He hasn't changed at all, but I have.” Nico smiled, Will wanted to melt. Will smiled, and  it looked as though the sun moved and was now, Will. Just Will, nothing else mattered, Nico just stared. He was lying on the bed hands on his stomach, eyes fixated on Will, not wanting him out of his sight. And Will, was standing over Nico, just wanting to look into his eyes forever. They just sort of kept that way for awhile, until Nico’s, eye's grew droopy and he drifted off, smiling in his sleep.

   

    Nico awoke, to a relaps of memories. Yesterday, he had agreed to stay in Camp, come out to Percy and Annabeth, and was currently in the infirmary with -  Nico thoughts stopped dead in their tracks, when he saw Will. He had told Will he was gay, about Percy and the shift. Nico once wondered if it was possible, was you had a first crush, to ever not have a crush on someone again. Just let life go on, no people that you like, just life. He now decided, that he couldn't go without a crush, or at least not for the moment.

    “Good morning, nice to see you are awake, you sort just slept for awhile. I was worried for a moment you hadn't followed orders and done Underworldy stuff. You looked like you could sink through the bed.” Nico frowned, but part of him fluttered, Will cared. He didn't want Nico to disappear, he remembered Will’s reaction when he learnt Nico was staying. You are! Great! The thought made Nico blush.

    “Don't worry, I have been behaving,” Nico said, “Doctor,” he added on to lighten the mood, an unlikely Nico move, but people did crazy things in you-know what. Will turned a light pink. Nico realized that there had been a lot of that, blushing. If light flirting - wait since when was this classified as flirting - led to pink, and sometimes cherry, imagine a - a kiss. Woah Nico thought I am really losing myself over here. Then he remembered  his last thought before sleep just wanting to look into his eyes forever. He needed Hazel, or better yet, Piper.

    “I am sorry I thought less of you,” Will's voice cut through his thoughts, “Anything else I should know?” An obvious attempt at conversation. Will thought it was a lame approach, but so something was better than nothing.

    “Well, I have eight friends total one of whom is dead, and I'm friendly with all of one saytr. ” Will starting counting, Leo (the dead one), Percy (the ex crush), Annabeth (the ex crushs girlfriend), Piper (Nico’s new best friend), Jason (first demigod to know his secret, not that Will knew that), Hazel (the sister), Frank (sister’s boyfriend), and Reyna (sister figure). Then he tacked on Coach Hedge as the saytr.

    “You're missing one,” Will accused. Nico looked at him, a semi-confused look on his face, “Me!” Will cried. Nico almost jumped. He felt all the confidence from yesterday, and said something that quite possibly could have led to the end of, this apparent little friendship.

    “I am disappointed, I thought we were more than just friends,” Nico paused to practically taste the palpable shock on Will’s face, “I mean honestly! You drag me to the infirmary for three days, even though nothing is wrong! You react so cutely when I say I'm staying. You watch me allow someone to kill themselves and forgive me! You care if I disappear! We kicked Roman onagers together! You want my company in an infirmary. I fall asleep staring at you! Gods! And you think we are just friends?!” Nico reached up and grabbed the back of Will’s head, and pushed their lips into a smashing kiss. Oops! That wasn't how that was supposed to go. For the moment Will was too surprised to kiss back, Nico thought he had done something wrong. He was about to pull away, when Will curled his fingers through Nico’s dark hair. Nico sat up until they were level with each other. When they finally broke away-

    “Here I thought that it was going to take three days!” Will exclaimed gleefully, his voice a bit too high, “I don't think I have ever been happier to be wrong in my life!”

    “Gods, has anyone ever told you you talk too much?” Nico asked, before relocking thier lips. He agreed this was out of character, but Will was so - everything.

    “I should ramble more often,” Will said. Nico murrmered something along the lines of "shut up" before his mouth was busy again.

    Nico woke up suddenly, still in the infirmary, with a sturdy chest by his head. Will beamed at him as his eyes fluttered open. Yesterday came pouring back into Nico’s thoughts. Passionately making out with Will, for like the whole day, before he was tired out and fell asleep in Will's arms. Finely feeling - substantial, like there was something keeping him in the physical world. He couldn't sink back in the shadows, not now. Will bent down and kissed Nico softly.

    “Good morning, my love,” he said happily. Nico stared, a smile threatening the corner of his swollen lips.

    “Good morning to you too,” Nico said politely in a tone far to civil.

    “Such a formal greeting for your boyfriend,” Will complained. Wait boyfriend! That was awesome! Finally Nico felt at ease with everything. Life wasn't slipping through his fingers, the shadows were not calling to him. Life out - out of the closet, out of the shadows. Free to be in the sun, the sun being Will.

    “Sorry il mio amore,” Nico apologized, and leaned up for a kiss.