How Icarus Fell From the Sun (a Solangelo fanfic)

oh baby i am a wreck without you

Nico's mind felt as though it was being pulled in 10 different directions. Bianca, Minos, the Styx, Tartarus, the jar, Cupid, Albania, shadows.

Shadows, shadows, shadows.

Then an arm on his. A bright white smile in the darkness. A spinning sensation. And he was back in his bed in the infirmary, a slightly green faced Will next to him.

"Remind me to never let Clovis near other patients again." He said, shakily, clutching Nico's hand. Nico hastily pulled away.

"Nico-"

"Let's just not, Will."

"Do you- do you want to talk about it?" His hair was practically glowing in the light of the cabins outside. Nico closed his eyes.

"There's not much to say, Solace. You saw. Everything." He grumbled.

Will closed his eyes too. "What you went through, Nico- I mean, no wonder you were having flashbacks I- I am so, so sorry."

"It's whatever, Solace. It was more than a month ago. It's easy enough to forget."

"You shouldn't have to forget. What you did was so brave. Not to mention something no one should have to go through." He opened his eyes, and took Nico's hand back, holding it in between both of his own. "I may not have known her, Nico, but I know Bianca would be proud. I am."

Nico felt like he was melting. Falling, liquified, straight through the pale bedsheets, through the floors, and the dirt, sinking into the ground, a puddle of Hades, Maria di Angelo, and years of painful, sinful memories.

He opened his eyes and found Will Solace looking straight into his eyes, no sign of a joke, or a pity fueled lie. Before he even knew what was happening, he was sitting up, launching himself at Will, his arms wrapped around his neck, his head resting on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Will."

After a few seconds, his position finally seemed to sink in, and Nico quickly pulled away, sharply wiping at his eyes.

"Well, I think we've done enough remembering today, Sunshine." Will got up, opened one of the upper cabinets, and pulled out two strawberry lollipops. "Courtesy of the satyrs and the strawberry fields."

Nico sighed, and reached out to grab the lollipop, careful not to touch Will's fingers. He met his eyes in silent thanks and unwrapped the lollipop.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, reveling in what they had just seen. Eventually, Will finished his lollipop and threw it away, before, still silently, climbing into Nico's cot.

"Solace, you- you don't have to. You can go sleep with Mia, it's fine."

Will's eyes widened.

"Oh my gods not like that, that's not what I meant!" Nico said quickly. "You should go sleep upstairs like Mia, she seemed to want to see you, and I get it if you're disgusted, or offended or whatever after what we- after what you saw."

"Di Angelo?"

"Y-yeah?" Nico stuttered.

"Shut up."

And with that, they fell asleep on Nico's last night in the infirmary.

***

"Di Angelo." A faint whisper and a light shove.

"Di Angelo!" Louder now.

"Nico!" the loudest, aimed right at his ear. Nico's eyes flew open, giving him an eyeful of bright blond hair.

Will backed up and smiled, blowing a few stray strands of hair away from his face. "Here's breakfast before you leave."

He presented a plate of eggs and bacon and a water bottle on the cot in front of Nico, his own plate resting on his lap as he sat at the edge of the bed, his thigh brushing up against Nico's foot.

"I made the offering for your father for you." He hesitated. "Mine still isn't responding, but Hades seemed appreciative."

Nico nodded curtly. "Thank you. But you didn't have to."

He shrugged. "I wanted to. Hey! The infirmary's pretty empty today, almost everyone injured is all patched up by now, and I know you're probably sick of me by now, but I saw we have training at the same time, and I was wondering if you could show me some of those tricks you do with your sword? I'm shit with weapons." He laughed as Nico took a sip of his water.

"Sure." Nico answered simply, picking at his food.

"Great!" He could've sworn that Will was literally glowing. It was way to early for anyone to be so enthusiastic. "So when you're done with breakfast, I'm just going to check to see how your wounds are healing up, and check on your breathing, and then you'll be good to go."

Nico nodded. He didn't feel like talking. He was uncomfortable. Will was acting like it had never happened. That was what he wanted, it was. But somehow things just felt wrong. Will ignoring and Nico overthinking. It felt like the roles were reversed.

A few hours later, after being let out of the infirmary with strict orders to stay out of the shadows and within the camp's boundaries, Nico was back in his cabin, sitting on one of the bunks. He had a few hours until any of his scheduled activities- which were incredibly stupid, by the way. No one should have to go through arts and crafts with Clarisse. It was almost as terrifying a thought as capture the flag with Reyna.

He hated it in his cabin, but it was the only place he had to escape- oh for fucks sake, no, to hide. And after days of way too much social interaction, that was exactly what Nico needed- to hide.

He had been there when the cabin was built, and he had designed the outside, but he hadn't stuck around for long. He had no idea who, but someone had finished his cabin for him. Coffin beds? Really?

Either way, the velvet sheets were comfortable, and he liked that it was dark, lit only by the few greek fire torches, leaving the room glowing green.

On the bunk besides him was a copy of Romeo and Juliet. Nico didn't like to show it, but he had a soft spot for good romance stories. Maybe it was to make up for what he couldn't have. Maybe he just enjoyed the fantasy. No matter what it was, when he went through the struggle it was for him to read, it was usually a romance. He'd kill anyone who found out.

Right now, however, he was sat up with his arms around his knees, and his face against his legs.

He couldn't stop thinking about that morning. He'd never shared a dream with anyone before. Sure he's had Clovis direct him into memories, or show him things, but Clovis was never there while he was watching. And it was always a choice he made, not some decision he was thrown into where he was forced to show the cute boy from cabin 7 one of his worst memories.

Not cute. He misspoke. Misthought? Whatever. Very annoying, relentless boy from cabin 7. That was what he had meant.

Either way, he was glad for Will's company. He'd done his best to block that experience, and who knows where he'd be if Will wasn't there to ground him while reliving it down to the placement of blood on marble. He'd be a wreck without him.

Eventually he would need to get up. Eventually he would have to brave the whole camp again. Leaving would be so much simpler. But did he even want simple anymore? He had made a promise. And for the first time since Percy and Annabeth were falling into the depths of a place he'd braved, a place he barely survived, as he was powerless to do anything more than watch, he intended to keep that promise.