Solangelo One Shots

Hello Love, My Invincible Friend(p4)

Will's POV

Will can't quite be sure what's gotten into Nico, but there's a definite change. He's nice. He raises his hand in class rather than just blurting out some comment that makes the teachers stew, he smiles at them in the hallways, he uses please and thank you when he talks to them. And it might just be Will's imagination, but he thinks that he sees the teachers smiling back. Yes, Will misses the snarky comments that Nico used to whisper behind Sister Johnson's back every five seconds, but the nervous energy that coursed through his veins on the daily has slowed to an occasional occurrence, and he can kiss Nico in the chapel without fear. 

"Why are you doing all of this?" Will asks one night, huddled by Nico for warmth as the November air hugs their shivering bodies. 

"All of what?" Nico asks. 

"You're so- respectful." 

"Well, that's nice of you to say about me." 

"Hey, hey, I'm just joking," Will says, smiling as he presses a soft kiss to Nico's cheeks. "But your teachers like you now. It's weird seeing Sister Johnson smile at you." 

"It's all for you," Nico says. 

"What?" 

"I'm done getting in trouble," Nico says, sighing and looking at the stained glass window. "I'm tired of living on the edge, wondering when my next detention will be or whether or not I'm getting expelled. I'm going to make sure we both make it out of here." Nico's words hang heavy in the air as they sit, letting the moon bathe their faces and turn their skin to silver.

Most people like the new Nico. Percy talks about how much he misses the jokes made at Sister Johnson's expense, but for the most part, everyone enjoys not having their lunch table under constant scrutiny by Father Seymour. Most people, anyway. 

"I don't know what you're up to, but I intend to find out," Octavian says, slamming his tray down on their lunch table. 

"What am I up to?" Nico asks innocently, blinking up at Octavian. Percy hides a laugh behind his pizza. 

"Did you even listen to me?" Octavian says. "I said-" 

"I know what you said, Octavian," Nico says with a sigh. "But I'm not up to anything. I've changed, seen the error of my ways. I give Sister Johnson foot rubs every night and I use my bible as a pillow." Percy roars with laughter, and Octavian narrows his eyes.

"Whatever, Nico, I'll find out what you're up to," he says. He takes his tray and spins on his heel, holding his head high as he marches away. The dining hall goes back to its normal chatter, as Jason and Leo discuss their science project, and Annabeth and Piper giggle over how stupid Jason and Leo's science project sounds. 

"What was that about?" Percy asks, shoveling his pizza into his mouth. Grease stains his upper lip, and he licks it off. "It's like he thinks you're plotting something. Or you've got some massive secret or something." 

"Yeah," Nico says, laughing. Will kicks his leg underneath the table, and Nico throws him a glare. 

"He's so fucking weird," Percy says before gulping down his soda. "Hey, Will, have you heard about Nico's secret plot to overthrow Headmaster Seymour and take over the school?" Will forces a laugh but his chest feels tight and he wants to turn into a puddle and mealt into his seat. 

"Do you think he means it?" Will asks that night, curled up underneath a blanket that they keep stashed underneath the floorboard. He shivers in the cold night air that slips into the chapel through the cracks in the wall and the old architecture, and Nico pulls him close, slipping underneath the blanket with Will.