Written for Drabble Game Challenge. Will/Nico with "Why do you love me?" for Amber
Word count: 493
Nico jerked out of the bed as beginning to scream, the nightmares still lingered and seemed as if they had no intentions of letting go.
"Nico. Nico! You're safe now, wake up!"
Then he's surrounded by warmth and brightness, and the demons that are holding onto him, hiss and pull away, and the Son of Hades can breathe. He laid on his lover's chest as Will rubbed the small of his back with one hand, and other hand ran through his sweaty hair. Even though Nico is relieved that the nightmares are gone and he's in Will's embrace, he can't help but hate himself for once again appearing weak. Once again, Nico is the one that needs to be saved.
"Why do you love me?" Nico asked bitterly. "I'm weak and pathetic and-"
"Stop it, you're not," Will assure him. "You're anything but that. In fact, you have to be the strongest and bravest person I have ever met."
"How so?" Nico said dubiously, pulling back slightly to look into Will's blue eyes.
The technically older boy smiled at his boyfriend and couldn't help but think how cute Nico was being. But he would never say the words out loud, not wanting to be punched by the Son of Hades.
"Where do I start? How about the fact that you're supposed to be in a different timeline? That you spent most of your life in Hotel, where you had no memory of your past. Or the fact that you was thrust into the world of demigods and lost your sister, Bianca, and later found out that you was a Child of the Big Three. How you could have easily been the Child of the Prophecy but you didn't succumb to the pressure. That when Camp Halfblood needed help during the Second Titan War you managed to get Demeter, Hades, and Persephone to help. You entered Tartarus on your own. And let's not forget the fact that you brought back the Athena Parthenos."
Nico merely looked down before shaking his head. "You give me too much credit. While I had no control over being in that Hotel, I was a brat. A brat to Percy, a brat to everyone. And I did almost succumb to the pressure, I was very tempted to join Kronos's Army. Percy helped me realize how ridiculous. Percy had to convince me to talk to Dad, Demeter, and Persephone. Entering Tartarus by myself was completely idiotic and reckless. And I'm not the only one to bring back the statue, Reyna and Coach Hedge."
Will shook his head and smiled. "You're completely hopeless, you know. I may give you too many praises but you put yourself down way too much. It wouldn't hurt to see all the good you've done as well. But I love all your perfect imperfections."
Nico gave Will a wary smile, "Are you really quoting John Legend to me?"
"I'm the Son of Apollo, I couldn't help."