A Beautiful Demise [Solangelo]

6. Operation Solangelo is A Stupid Name

Will met Piper outside the gates of the city that evening, ignoring the statue yelling at them to stop loitering.

"You're not going to like it," Piper said. "I mean, you might. But it just depends on who you've fallen in love with." She took his arm and lead him further away from the wall, ensuring they couldn't be heard by anyone.

"You have to get them to return your feelings," Piper explained. "That way you've fallen in love with someone who you can have and the curse becomes void."

"Did Aphrodite really tell you that?" Will asked.

"No. Hazel and I figured it out."

"You told Hazel?" Will exclaimed. He really didn't want everyone knowing about this — it was beyond embarrassing.

"Well I wasn't getting anything from my mother... for obvious reasons. And Hazel knows what she's talking about." Piper's face fell. "Why? She won't tell anyone, I promise. She swore to it."

"It's just—" Will's ears and neck went red. "The person that I like..."

"It really complicates things if it's Hazel," Piper said quickly. "Because she is completely off limits."

Will blushed harder. "It's not her. It's... well, it's her brother," he whispered.

Piper gasped in delight. "Nico?"

"Not so loud!" Will said frantically.

"Sorry. Nico?" Piper's smile morphed into a full grin. "I can totally see it. Alright then: operation Willico is a go."

"I'm not letting you call it that."

"Fine. Operation Solangelo."

"Solangelo?"

"It's— never mind. Come with me." 

---

They were seated in the Pluto cabin on Hazel's bed, with an assortment of chocolate and chips in the centre.

"Okay. Plan C isn't going to work," Piper sighed, scribbling out the idea. She had acquired a whiteboard from gods know where, but it actually seemed to help with the brainstorming. Hazel was scrolling through her phone, custom made by Leo Valdez, speed reading what Will assumed was fanfiction and fandom forums. Because apparently, that was the most reliable information they could rely on and find.

"What if I just didn't do anything?" Will suggested. The very idea of 'making a move' made his heart shrivel to the size of a walnut. Piper glared and chose to ignore him.

"We just need to get you two in a romantic situation," Hazel said without looking up from her phone. Then she had an idea and practically through the phone across the room in her excitement. "I've got it!" 

---

Will did not like this plan. His heart rattled against his rib cage, also wanting to run very far away. But it was too late to back out, because Nico was coming over.

"What's up?" Nico asked, pulling up a chair and sitting across the table from him. It was dark and Piper and Hazel had organised for the two of them to meet at the café. They were inside this time. There were two other couples at other tables, quietly minding their own business.

Will really did not like this plan.

"Will?" Nico asked. "Hazel said you wanted to talk to me."

Abort abort abort.

"Yeah," it came out as a squeak and Will adjusted, "um. Piper told me to meet you here. I don't know why. They must be planning something. Scheming."

Nico looked confused. Will was confused; what had he just said? He should have asked the girls for a script.

"Okay." Nico made to leave.

"Wait!" Will jumped up and Nico flinched. The other couples looked over with disapproving glares. "We could," Will said with more control of his volume, floundering for words, "order something. Talk?" Will wanted to jump off a cliff and bury himself in his embarrassment. But Nico seemed to agree, and lowered himself back into his chair slowly.

There was silence between them for a while. Nico picked at the corner of the menu. Will ran over a number of subjects in his mind, most relating to what am I doing what should I do why am I here?.

Will had never done this before. Heck, he'd never really liked anyone before. There had been a small flickering of a crush back when he was twelve towards a Hermes camper, but that had dissipated quickly. He didn't know where to put his hands, where to look (should he look at Nico? Then he'd be staring, so probably not), what to say. Nico didn't seem to know either. They were saved from the silence when a waitress came over. 

Nico ordered a black coffee and nothing else. Will ordered a sandwich and coffee because 1) the stress was making him hungry and 2) the stress was making him tired. 

"How's your cough?" Nico asked after the waiter left. 

Will shuffled in his seat. He was desperate for a conversation starter, but this wasn't what he'd had in mind. 

"It's fine," he said. Nico frowned but didn't press further. 

"How long are you staying at Camp Jupiter?" Will asked, his chest squeezing. He needed to get out of here. He couldn't tell if he was just anxious or if he really needed to choke out flowers. Maybe both. 

"A couple of days," Nico shrugged. "Maybe the whole week." There was a pause, and then, "Will, you're acting weird. Well, weirder than normal. I figured you were just sick, but there's something else." It was as if his dark eyes could see straight through Will's very soul. He was a son of Hades, maybe he could see Will's soul. Did he see how stressed it was for this to be over, but how at the same time it was desperate for this to continue? 

Because Will did like Nico. He liked how quiet Nico was, how closed-off he was while also being the sweetest and most caring person Will had ever known - even if those kind of emotions were suppressed from years of trauma. Will wanted to spend more time with Nico. He wanted to hang out with him. He was desperate for Nico's company. It was unexplainable, so maybe it was, put simply, love. 

The familiar sense of tightening around his chest, like the roots of the plant were constricting around his lungs, made Will pause and look away. He shoved down the feeling of sickness and tried to focus on the wall next to him. Count backwards from ten. Count to twenty. Don't cough - because once he started he would not be able to stop. 

"Will?" Nico pressed. Then fell silent when Will didn't acknowledge him. Their food and drinks came. Will felt his stomach churn. This "date" had been a really bad idea.