Solangelo Oneshots (Fluff/Angst)

Playground (TW)💔

TW: SUICIDAL IDEATION!!!
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Nico never quite understood the sentiment of going to playgrounds alone.

What was the point? Who would you play with if you were all alone?

It took him a year after this thought, or he supposed 70 years, to find the answer.

Being alone was the whole point.

It was easy to get lost in thought, realizing how tall the play structure actually is and that a fall from there could hurt.

He wondered how much.

It was easy to imagine slipping and jumping too far because of the rain the previous night. Hitting the pavement at just the right, or wrong depending on who you are, angle and then crack.

Nico remembered the rain. He could still feel it tickling his back.

He hoped the rain remembered him too.

It was easy to look at the monkey bar handles and see nooses, hung neatly in a row as if waiting for the next batch of kids that they could strangle.

Nico wondered how it felt to be strangled.

Did it hurt? Would his lungs and throat burn?

Would the pressure on his throat make him bruise?

Would he bruise if he died first?

He didn't have to wonder about that for too long either.

Apparently, Percy lashes out when angry.

He didn't hold a grudge though. It got harder to after Tartarus.

The wood chips surrounding the playground reminded him of the glass sand there.

He choked in Tartarus too. The air was like trying to breathe in live bees.

He choked in the bronze jar as well. Any time he woke between death trances was agonizing. You don't realize how good air tastes and feels until you haven't breathed in days.

"Being alone was the whole point" Nico now told Will, doing his best to sound annoyed. "But who do you play with if you're alone, Nico? Its a playground" Will gestured at the play structure for emphasis.

Nico frowned. "I don't come here to play, Will". "Then what do you do?".

Nico pointed at the swing set. "Do you ever wonder how much it would hurt to hit the pavement after jumping from the swing?"

"No? Nico-"

"Or how monkey bars look like nooses?"

"Nico."

"Or how tall the play structure actually is? If you fell-"

"Nico!" Will raised his voice, not quite yelling but definitely loud enough to dislodge Nico from his train of thought.

Will took both of Nico's hands in his own and sat next to him on the park bench. "Don't-" Nico started. "Don't touch you, I know" Will said, letting go of Nico's hands and letting his own drop into his lap.

"Nico..."

"Does choking hurt?"

"What?" Will asked, surprised.

"Does choking hurt?" Nico said, a little slower.

"I- uh... I would guess? But-"

"Have you ever been choked?"

Will went red "Um I mean...no? Nico what are you-"

"I've been choked before"

"Wha-"

"By Percy actually"

Will coughed, spluttering. "Nico what are you-"

"Why are you acting weird?"

Will wasn't sure how to answer.

All Nico knew is he liked how red Will's face was getting.

He smirked. "Do you wanna know what being choked feels like?"

Will just stared at him, red.

Will knew Nico was just avoiding talking about the park but Will didn't mind as long as they talked eventually.

"Maybe," Will said, a little more confidently, giving Nico a cheesy wink.

Nico snorted. "Will what the Hades."

And suddenly, Nico didn't understand why you would go to the park alone.