Light in the dark (Solangelo)

Chapter 1: Nico

He's always had a bit of a thing with running away.

(Okay it might be more than a 'bit of a thing', seeing as he hasn't stayed anywhere more than a couple months since Bianca died and that was 8 years ago)

It just makes sense to him. No one actually wants him around, no matter how hard they pretend otherwise. And he knows getting attached only hurts worse in the long run.

He's tried to keep his pattern simple. He shows up whenever the camps need help and then vanishes before he can get too attached, before his friends realize they want nothing to do with the way death follows him like a shadow.

It's worked well for him he thinks bemused, as he stares across the light of the campfire. The half bloods are celebrating. They're celebrating the end of the war with gaia, their new unity with the roman camp, and surprisingly they're celebrating Nico too.

(Well mostly Reyna, he'd given her most of the credit. She deserved it, he'd just been a glorified chauffeur transporting her and the Athena statue back to camp.)

It feels good to be part of the celebration for once. The golden light of the flames illuminate the joyful faces around him and he almost wishes he could settle down and stay. His body relaxes against the bench he's perched on and he sighs happily. This is his last thought before the world goes black.

He wakes to the sound of shouting. Panic spirals in his solar plexus and he gropes blindly at his left hip, hoping to draw his sword before whatever is out there kills him. If he's learned anything in his past years it's that there is always, always something out there. You only survive if you're quick enough.

He swears (in his head of course, you have to keep quiet in these sorts of situations) as the shouting goes quiet. His search for his blade must have altered his captors that he's awake. His body tenses, adrenaline pounding through him as he prepares to run, then he confronts the inevitable and opens his eyes.

It takes him quite a few startled seconds to realize he's looking up into the bright green eyes of Will Solace.

Then he's coughing, the adrenaline rushing through his veins hasn't quite given up on the prospect of a fight and it feels like Nico is drowning. He can't quite make his lungs cooperate and all he can think about is how embarrassing it is to be having a panic attack in front of someone. He's usually so good at hiding things, he can't have his facade crack right now. Not when everyone is at the campfire celebrating him. He notices morning light creeping through the curtains and corrects himself. Oh, was celebrating him. The campfire festivities are probably long over by now.

He focuses on the pale yellow curtains as they blow back and forth in the breeze. He counts his breaths, determined to calm down quickly. He can't have Will finding out just how jumpy he is these days.

When he finally gets his breath in order. He gazes around the room and notices Percy sitting in a chair beside him. Will has his back to the cot and they have fallen back into conversation. Nico notes that this time they are talking much quieter but he still catches the sound of his name.

Then, in a split second Will turns and is facing him again. His blonde hair looks disheveled, as if he's been pulling at it, and his blue eyes seem full of frantic energy as they scan up and down his body. Nico wriggles himself further under the blankets, pulling them up until only his head sticks out. Something about Will's uninhibited stare leaves him feeling exposed.

"Nico, you promised me three days in the infirmary. I was waiting for you. And then you blow me off to go to a party and collapse there?" Will's voice is harsh but around the edges Nico detects a hint of sweetness, like Will still has hope for him. Like Will wants to believe he's more than a dark boy who breaks promises and runs off into the night.