Chapter Text
Jason stared into the distance.
Nico felt guilty for squashing his hopes, He was almost tempted to mention his own doubts... what a different sensation Leo’s death had given him, as if Leo’s soul had invented its own way into the Underworld, something that involved lots of gears, levers and steam-powered pistons.
Nevertheless, Nico was sure Leo Valdez had died. And death was death. It wouldn’t be fair to give Jason false expectations.
In the distance, the Romans were picking up their gear and toting it across the hill. On the other side, so Nico had heard, a fleet of black SUVs waited to transport the legion cross-country back to California...
“Ella the harpy is going with them, you know.” Jason said. “She and Tyson. Even Rachel Elizabeth Dare. They’re going to work together to try to reconstruct the Sibylline books.”
“That should be interesting.”
“Could take years. But with the voice of Delphi extinguished...”
________________________
Nico happened to glance towards the cabins and saw someone waving at him. Will Solace stood in the doorway of the Apollo cabin, a stern look on his face. He pointed to the ground at his feet, like You. Here. Now.
“Jason,” Nico said, “would you excuse me?”
“So where were you? Will demanded. He was wearing a green surgeons shirt with jeans and flip-flops, which was probably not standard hospital protocol.
“What do you mean?” Nico asked.
“I’ve been stuck in the infirmary for, like, two days. You don’t come by. You don’t offer to help.”
“I- what? Why would anyone want a son of Hades in the same room as people you’re trying to heal? Why would anyone want that?”
“You can’t help out a friend? Maybe cut bandages? Bring me soda or a snack? Or just a simple How’s it going, Will? You don’t think I could stand to see a friendly face?”
“What... my face?”
The words simply didn’t make sense together. Friendly face. Nico di Angelo.
“You’re so dense.” Will noted. “I hope you got over that nonsense about leaving Camp Half Blood.”
“I- yeah. I did. I mean, I’m staying.”
“Good. So you may be dense, but you’re not an idiot.”
“How can you even talk to me like that? Don’t you know I can summon zombies and skeletons and-”
“Right now, you couldn’t summon a wishbone without melting into a puddle of darkness, di Angelo.” Will said. “I told you, no more Underworldy stuff, doctor’s orders. You owe me at least 3 days of rest in the infirmary. Starting now.” Nico felt like a hundred skeletal butterflies were resurrecting in his stomach. “Three days? I- I suppose that would be okay.”
“Good. Now-“
A loud whoop! cut through the air.
Over by the hearth in the centre of the common, Percy was grinning at something Annabeth had just told him. Annabeth laughed and playfully slapped his arm.
“I’ll be right back,” Nico told Will. “Promise on the Styx and everything.”
__________________________
Nico studied his face, his sea green eyes, his grin, his ruffled black hair. Somehow Percy Jackson seemed like a regular guy now, not a mythical figure. Not someone to idolize or crush on.
“So,” Nico said, “Since we’re going to be spending at least a year seeing each other at camp, I think I should clear the air.”
Percy’s smile wavered. “What do you mean?”
“For a long time,” Nico said, “I had a crush on you. I just wanted you to know.”
Percy looked at Nico. Then at Annabeth, as if to check that he’d heard correctly. Then back at Nico. “You-“
“Yeah.” Nico said. “You’re a great person. But I’m over that. I’m happy for you guys.”
“You... so you mean-“
“Right.”
Annabeth’s grey eyes started to sparkle. She gave Nico a sideways smile.
“Wait,” Percy said. “So you mean-“
“Right.” Nico said again. “But it’s cool. We’re cool. I mean, I see now... you’re cute, but you’re not my type.”
“I’m not your type... wait. So-”
“See you around, Percy.” Nico said. “Annabeth.”
She raised her hand for a high five. Nico obliged. Then he walked back across the green, to where Will Solace was waiting.
___________________
“The Styx, huh? Someone sounds real eager to spend some time with me.” Will bumped his shoulder into Nico’s, hands in his jean pockets as Nico reappeared on top of the hill.
His words were cheery, but his face was wary. Nico felt a twinge of guilt for ignoring him the last few days, but it passed quickly. How was he supposed to know he was… wanted?
“Yes, Solace, ‘real eager’ for 3 days straight in your infirmary.” Nico responded, poorly imitating Will’s southern accent and shifting away from his shoulder.
“Not my infirmary,” he grinned, “but I appreciate the sentiment. You get everything you needed out of that confrontation?”
Nico looked back at Percy, at Annabeth happily swinging her arm around his shoulder and laughing at his face, still unchanged, and nodded. “Yeah, Solace. I did.”
“I’m glad.” He smiled. “Anyway, I was gonna say, let’s pick up some breakfast before we go. You look like you could use a pick-me-up. I’ll grab some Gatorade and meet you there, okay?”
Nico nodded, and walked away without a word. Misguided skeleton-butterfly resurrections or not, willingness to be or not, Will Solace was not a friend.
He passed Jason on the way, having moved from Nico’s cabin to the many SUVs being prepped to lug all the Roman demigods back to San Francisco. He and Piper helped move along a chain of people moving armor from a pile on the ground. It reminded Nico of a scene from a movie he and his sister had watched, one of the many nights they had run away from Westover Hall.
He wondered if he should help, being an honorary Roman, being the first link between the camps, so on, but he felt out of place. He had found his home now, as sappy as it seemed. Perhaps he really did belong here, at camp. What a dumb notion.
He had nowhere else to go, anyways. He was getting too old to sleep outside unnoticed.
When he reached the dining pavilion, it was empty, save for the rare early risers. He stood there awkwardly by his table, waiting for Will Solace to reappear.
Eventually he did, carrying a large bottle of fruit punch flavored Gatorade. Nico rolled his eyes.
“You had to bring me the bright pink one, didn’t you?” The bastard was out for his reputation, and Nico halfheartedly glared to show that the sentiment had not gone unnoticed.
Will grinned, handing over the bottle. “I’m not sure if there’s something very wrong with your eyes, but this Gatorade is red. But yes, the brightest drink, for my brightest patient.” He smirked. “But really, drink, you’ll feel better.” His eyes widened slightly before he made to straighten his face, struggling not to laugh. “I haven’t poisoned it, you know.” He took on a slightly wobbly british accent, and Nico realized for the first time just how obvious it was that Will was from somewhere south. He wondered where.
Nico squinted up at him, noting in the back of his mind that Will had no business being so much taller than him and yet only a few months older. “I didn’t think you had? Should I be concerned?”
Will shook his head, feigning disappointment. “I can’t believe I wasted that reference on you.” Nico squinted in confusion, and Will smiled. “Seriously though, drink a little. I’ll get us breakfast, and once we eat, we can head back to the infirmary.”
Nico nodded, and, ignoring the use of 'we,' sipped on the Gatorade, instantly feeling more energetic, which was a big feat considering he still hadn’t slept. Will laughed as his eyes widened and he studied the nutrition label furiously, wondering where this had been his entire life. They certainly hadn’t had drinks like this at Westover.
“I’m assuming no one has introduced you to the wonders of dextrose, salt, and monopotassium phosphate.”
Nico paused to look over at Will and make a face at that, then turned back to the label and shook his head in wonder, taking another sip and failing to smooth his face into a neutral expression. He had drank Gatorade before, but it had never tasted so good. The last time, his taste buds had been nonexistent, just shadows on his tongue, almost phantom like- the same as he had been while shadow traveling with Coach Hedge and Reyna. Untouchable. Now they had grown solid again, and it seemed that the taste of the Gatorade had a lot to do with the after effects. Will laughed, and walked off to get them each a few slices of toast, an apple, and some strawberries.