Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Nico was trapped in the Jar. Pomegranate seeds, No air, tiny space. I can’t get out I can’t get out.

He’s never going to see Will again. Or Hazel. He won’t see Percy either, but that doesn’t matter does it? He loves hard, he knows he does. But it’s not like anyone cares about him, Son of Hades, Death boy. They wouldn’t care if he perished in that jar all alone

and part of him wonders why he won't just do it already.

He has to hold out hope. He doesn’t know why. He doesn’t want to. but he also doesn’t want to give up just yet. He’s spent almost his whole life alone, looked down on. His mother’s dead, Bianca left him. 

They don’t care about him. No one does. They care about their camp, sure. They care if he comes back to save the camp, but once the battles over they’d probably be content with letting him slip into the shadows. For good this time.

But he doesn’t want to run again. He wants to believe that he made friends. That Jason doesn’t think he’s gross, and that Hazel isn’t disappointed in him. He hopes they can stop Gaea without him. He’s not sure if he’d make much of a difference though.

He’s already fucked up his task. He got caught. Now they were wasting their time to save him when they could be saving the world.

The scene fades in front of him, and turns into something new. Nico realizes it's a dream. It’s just a dream. But it was so real. It is real. He was there. He was really there, and no one cared and they almost didn’t save him.

Now, he’s younger. Not that much younger, but at a time that Bianca was still alive. He’s staring up into her eyes, she’s mad, saying something to him. He doesn’t know what it is. he’s too distracted by the flashing lights of the arcade games around him.

someone brushed his shoulder. “Another flower?” Her voice was high pitched and squeaky. The tray was being held in front of him, and he screamed when saw himself reach for one. no no no. he can't be back he can't be back they have to leave. He and Bianca need to leave NOW

Will wakes up to muffled cries and a thud. His eyes snap open, adjusting to the darkness of the infirmary. He stretches, his neck and back ache from how cramped he was in the uncomfortable chair. He could’ve gone back to his cabin, but he shooed Kayla off, insisting that he was to stay for the night.

He said it was to make sure nothing happened to the people left over in there from the war. What he didn’t say was that he wanted to stay because he had a crush on nico.

By now there weren’t many people left here from the war. The Apollo kids were able to heal everyone up quickly, and the rest gone released today. Free to go back to their cabins but were to check back in for the next couple of days.

He leapt up immediately. One hand reached out to touch Nico, try to wake his but it was hard with his arms flailing about. He had already hit it against the mental headboard of the bed. Will let forward to grab his arms before he got hurt, but as soon as he came into contact with him nico let out a cry. 

“Oh gods,“ Will muttered. “Di Angelo, wake up!” He finally got a hold of his flailing limbs. He hated to try and restrain him but he was not going to let this boy hurt himself more.

He’s just a kid,. They’re all just kids but Nico’s been through so so so much already. And Will is ready to do whatever he can to shield him from it for at least a little bit.

Nico’s eyes blink open slowly, the terror and secrets that normally hide in them are now shown clearly, along with the vulnerability that lies there. There are tears falling slowly, and drying on his face.

Will wants to scream. Nico wants to hide. Nico doesn’t cry, nico never cries. It shows weakness, and he wasn’t allowed to show that. He wasn’t supposed to let people in. 

I don’t have friends. I can’t have friends.

He’s chanting this in his head, and yelling at himself to do something. To stop crying and don’t show emotion. But he can’t. Because Will is looking at him like that. It’s not pity, he realizes. It’s Will caring for him, and seeing him. Like really him, the part of him that he feels is broken and yet Will still isn’t letting go.

He wants to believe that it’s because he cares about nico and not just because he’s one of his patients. But he can’t, he won’t let himself believe. 

He is not letting someone walk out of his life again.

But Will’s calm blue eyes, soothing voice when he says, “It’s okay.” Nico finds his eyes drooping, closing without his permission. He hates the way that he smiles when he lays back down. He hates that he believes Will, and that he likes Will.

Fuck he was so gone for this boy. Will could say the same.

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Chapter Text

• When Will first met Nico he went through his own emo phase. He got his ears pierced and some of the older counselors found this sunshine kid trying to look like a goth ridiculously funny. They bought him chains and fake lip piercings to go along with the “look.” They still bring it up whenever conversations get dull
• Nico steals Will’s hoodies. All of them. If will can’t find a hoodie or shirt, then chances are it’s in the Hades cabin. Nico claims he likes them because they’re big and smell like Will, but he also likes them because they don’t show off how skinny he is. After all the malnourishment and how frail and thin he is from it, he likes the way that Will’s hoodies hang off of him. That way people aren’t looking at him for how skinny he is rather they look at him because of how large that sweatshirt is.
• Kayla and Austin were the first people to know they were dating. It wasn’t intentional, no. Kayla had brought it up with Will that they should involve Nico more. He was finally out of the infirmary but he spent all his time alone in his cabin. It’s not like he had anyone to hang out with, and the healers—specifically Will—made it very clear that they’d have his head if he trained. So Will started including Nico more and more. Boat rides in the lake, light training, having the hades cabin join the apollo cabin for capture the flag. They started dating in secret, but no one thought much of it since then spend all their time together anyways. It was far past midnight and the movies were still rolling. Nico was falling asleep eyes drooping and leaning into Will’s side, whispering a tiny “night, Tesoro.” Kayla and Austin shared looks with Will, deciding that they’d talk to him in the morning and let Nico sleep
• Will has an older sister. She’s a lot older than him and had already moved out by the time he was 4. She lives in Texas, and attended college in Florida. She has long blonde hair with purple ends, she lives with her girlfriend, her cat, and wants to get a turtle. She and her mortal father are rebuilding their relationship and sometimes she tours with Naomi. Some of Naomi’s shows will open with a mother-daughter duet. She’s actually tiktok famous for her singing, life hacks, and trying to climb every single thing she sees
• After they’ve been dating for a while they learn that one of their favorite spots is the Strawberry fields. One day they agree to meet up for their date, Will told him what time to arrive so he could set up the picnic he planned. Nico takes this as his opportunity to shadow travel and show up in a black plaid skirt and carefully drawn on eyeliner. He can’t help but grin at the look on Will’s face
• If Will casually mentions he wants something, like a certain shirt or something but it isn’t in the store when they go into town, Nico will casually shadow travel to another location—if it’s in-state or not— to get it and give it to Will the next day. Nico walks in on Will one morning when he’s sad and homesick, so Nico shadow travels to his house in Texas and gets Naomi to bake some cookies for him to bring back to Will. Will cries happy tears at the taste of home, but also because Nico forgot that he could have just brought Will home with him 
• The separation anxiety in Nico is strong. He’s lost a lot of people in his life, some of them he can’t even remember, but the pain is still the same. He realizes quickly that if he doesn’t hear Will’s voice or see him in person for a couple of hours, he’ll throw himself into a panic trying to find him. Demigods don’t get much of a break and their friends die every day. He couldn’t stand it if he lost will. He doesn’t think he’d make it through leading Wills funeral. Will makes sure to check in with him whenever he can but sometimes when he’s with a patient or so caught up with paperwork he loses track of time. Typically, if he forgets, Nico will find him in the infirmary in a panicked state. They always end up in Will’s office, Nico clinging on as tight as he can to reassure himself that will is here, and he’s okay, and he’s breathing
• Nico’s been doing a lot better with eating after carrying the statue. Will’s been helping him with his diet and eating regularly. While his eating isn’t perfect, it’s progress. Some days are harder than others. Nico can’t get himself to eat his breakfast and trying to eat in the great hall is too hard. There are so many eyes on him and so many people. Will’s trying to quietly motivate him but he wants to cry because he just can’t do it. On days like this Will will show up at his cabin with McDonald’s. It’s not much, it doesn’t make everything okay, but it does bring back some familiarity that makes it slightly easier to stomach a few bites. And Will is so proud because Nico is so strong, and part of Will wants to try and protect him from the world since it’s fucked him over enough times. 
•  Nico absolutely hates PDA and at first, is uncomfortable with will touching him even in private. But he grows more comfortable with Will and turns out to be really cuddly because he learns that not all touch is a one-time thing or a bad thing. He’s allowed to hug Will and hold his hand because Will isn’t going to leave. Will isn’t one and done. He knows that Nico is broken down, but he isn’t broken. and he’s not going to leave him like he was only there for pity. This is real and Nico learns he isn’t alone
• When Will loses a patient he goes to Nico. He goes for comfort but also to beg for him to bring them back! Let them come back because the camper shouldn’t have died for his mistake and it isn’t fair. Nico holding him until he cries himself to sleep in the Hades cabin. Kaylah comes by sometimes late holding a special blanket that Will loves so much. It brings him comfort knowing his mother learned to crochet just to make it. It’s accompanied by a bit of ambrosia, which brings the taste of his mother’s hot chocolate and her mac and cheese. When he wakes up he's still curled around Nico, fingers running through his hair. He always asks, "Were they at least comfortable?" It's a whispered, raspy voice and everytime Nico responds the same way. "You made them as comfortable as they could've been. They were okay."
• they fall asleep in the Strawberry fields at night. They fall asleep to the sounds of crickets chirping and the wind bustling by around them. The stars twinkle in the sky and the moon serves as a nightlight, conveniently since Nico hates the dark. It’s comforting being wrapped in each other’s arms at night where they could be found but they know they won’t be. The Harpies let them stay out later at night. The two boys managed to find a spot in their hearts. They have both been through so much, whether its actually acknowledged or not. The two boys are trying to find their way in a world that isn’t safe for them, for multiple reasons. They don’t want to give them another thing to have to look out for.