Author's Note: Hey guys! This is my first fanfiction and I have decided to go back and revise it. The plot will stay the same (for anyone who had already read it), but I am fixing some of my grammatical errors and lines that I (looking back) find really cringey. I already have started the sequel. Thanks for your support.
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot.
Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are depicted within this story. TRIIGER WARNING! Please DO NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!
Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave suggestions. Enjoy!
Healing the Dark
Nico's POV:
Nico walked back over to Will Solace whose eyes lit up as he saw the son of Hades coming back. The skeletal butterflies came back. Nico forced them down, not trusting himself to jump into another unrequited crush.
"What was that about?" Will asked, curious.
"Nothing, just had to clear something up."
"Well alright, now that you've taken care of that, it's time for three days in the infirmary," Will said, a smirk unfolding on his features.
"Can we start later? I want to be able to say goodbye to Hazel and Reyna and everyone going back to Camp Jupiter." Will nodded.
"Of course, but if you don't report straight to the infirmary, afterwards I am going to-"
"What? Make me sit in the sun all day? I can summon skeletons and commune with the dead, so you can't really threaten me," Nico stated.
"Not without dissolving into a pool of shadows you can't. We've talked about this; no more Underworld-y powers. Anyway, I was going to say that I was going to curse you to rhyme and speak in couplets all day," Will smirked. The grin was wiped off of Nico's face. Nico had seen that before and that was NOT something he wanted to be on the receiving end of. He mumbled indistinctly. Will leaned forward with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"Fine, you win," Nico gave up. The son of Apollo started laughing.
"Those are words I never thought I would hear coming from your mouth." Nico felt himself turn red.
"Shut up, Solace." Will grinned even more, and opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted by one of his siblings calling for his help in the infirmary. Solace started jogging backwards, "That's my cue. See you soon, Death Boy!" He turned around and jogged the rest of the way down to the infirmary.
"Don't call me that," Nico muttered under his breath, but Will was already out of sight.
Nico had just finished helping Hazel load her stuff onto the van and had given her a kiss on the cheek. He had waved goodbye to Reyna who came up to Nico and gave him a hug. Nico tensed, but relaxed into it.
"We will see each other again. Please keep in touch, I want to keep an eye on you," Reyna whispered into his ear. Nico smiled. Just like Jason had become like an older brother to him, Reyna acted like an older sister.
"I will." Reyna pulled away to look at him. Her eyebrows knit with concern.
"And if you have any problems with anything or anyone, I'm just an Iris message away," Nico mentally rolled his eyes. Yup he thought just like a concerned older sister. "And please no shadowing traveling for a while. No use in injuring yourself,"
"You sound like Will," Reyna raised an eyebrow and gave him a look.
"Who is Will?" Nico mentally cursed himself in Italian.
"No one. Just a healer. Now get your Romans outta here." Reyna smiled.
"Goodbye Nico," she walked back over to the vans. Nico raised a hand up in farewell. He dropped his hand and turned back to the Camp. He headed back to his cabin, completely forgetting his promise to Will. He got to the door and looked up to see Solace, with his arms crossed, blocking his entrance to his cabin.
"No way are you getting in here, you made a promise," Nico cursed under his breath. "And me, knowing your disappearing and brooding ways, knew to make sure you remembered that you had an appointment."
"Brooding?" Nico asked angrily. Most people would back off at this point, but as Nico had learned, this certain son of Apollo was ridiculously stubborn.
"Oh, don't act like a drama queen. You know it's true. Everyone knows it," Nico's temper started rising.
"Don't pretend like you understand me, Solace."
"Don't act like you are so misunderstood, di Angelo. You are not as alone as you think you are," Will shot back.
Wanna bet? How not alone was I when I was trapped in Tartaru- Whoa Nico he thought, you can't afford to go down that path right now.
"Whatever. I am not having this conversation with you." Nico's walls went even higher than they already were. He was not about to let Will, much let anyone in. But, Will apparently had his own ideas.
"As your Doctor," Nico rolled his eyes. "It is my responsibility to heal you physically as well as emotionally." Yeah like anyone could do that.
"What can I do to make you shut up?" Nico asked.
"Infirmary and best rest for three days, starting now. Doctors' orders," Will stated, with a small smile.
"Look, I'm fine, I'm not injured, and I'm not tired." Nico was lying through his teeth. He had some pretty deadly injuries from his time shadow jumping halfway across the globe. Those werewolf lacerations, which were stitched hastily by Reyna, were not healing at all, though they were hidden under a black jacket. He was so weak from his days of shadow jumping that he shouldn't even be breathing by normal standards. He had countless other injuries that had never even been looked over by a healer before. And... other scars, that he didn't want to even acknowledge. He hadn't had a full night's sleep, which he didn't get from passing out, in months, because of the nightmares that were sure to come. He hadn't even eaten a full meal in months either. He was just a mess, but he wasn't going to admit that to himself or that accursed son of Apollo.
But, even as Nico lied, he knew it was weak. Will thought so too. His eyes narrowed and he said, rather forcefully. "Don't lie to me, Nico. I can see the bags under your eyes. You are as pale as a ghost. Your clothes are hanging off you. And I bet you that if I grabbed your hands, they would be oozing the darkness from all your traveling. You are coming to the infirmary and that is final." Nico stepped back. He had not expected Will Solace, who seemed so laid back to be so... passionate and determined to get him to the infirmary. "You have to let people in to help you Nico. You can't do everything alone," Will said, more delicately. Nico was about to make a scathing remark when Jason Grace decided now would be a good time to interrupt.
"Hey Nico! What's-" he stopped as he saw Nico glaring at Will and Will looking concerned. "Am I interrupting something?" Will looked at the son of Jupiter with a smile.
"No, you aren't. I was just escorting Nico here to the infirmary so he can get healed and get some rest." Nico backed further away from the healer, who moved to grab Nico's arm.
"I told you I'm fine,"
"And I told you to stop lying, you need to rest. You look dead on your feet,"
"Never heard that one before."
"Nico-"
"I am NOT coming with you," Jason was watching this conversation with his mouth open. Nico guessed Jason was just surprised as he was that Will seemed determined to break Nico's stubbornness and wasn't terrified of him. Nico knew that he intimidated Jason, even if they were friends. When Jason saw Nico looking at him for support, he cleared his throat.
"Yeah well I think you should go to the infirmary Nico. You haven't been since we've been back and from what Reyna told me you had some pretty nasty-" Nico eyes widened in surprise as he cut off the son of Jupiter.
"Shut UP, Grace!" Nico really did not want Will to know about those werewolf claw marks; he was going to get such a lecture from everyone. But, Will had heard what Jason had said.
"Pretty nasty what, Nico?" Nico groaned. Why me?
"Nothing okay, can you both just leave me-"
"Alone? Gods no, Nico," Jason said, protectively. "You need to get your injuries looked at and get some sleep. I know you didn't get much of that on the Argo II. I know you have more injuries than all of us combine. You've been through hell and back. Just accept some help." Nico gave him the death glare and Jason stepped back though he didn't turn away. He wasn't leaving. Nico threw his arms in defeat.
"Fine, take me to the infirmary. The sooner I get in there, the faster I get out." Will uncrossed his arms, a smile breaking out on his face as he clapped his hands together.
"Well if you are going to be so reluctant to go to the infirmary, I guess I am going to have to drag you there," Will said with a mischievous grin on his face. Warning bells went off in Nico's head.
"I don't think that's such a good-" Jason started, but it was too late. Nico instincts hadn't kicked in fast enough and he was thrown over Will Solace's shoulder, like a sack of pomegranates without warning. "-idea." Jason finished. Nico started freaking out. He did NOT like to be touched. Without meaning too, his emotions got the better of him and a skeletal hand broke through the surface.
"PUT ME DOWN," Nico screamed forcefully. Will caught on quickly and dropped him. Nico fell straight onto his back but pushed himself up using his elbows. He gulped down his frustration. Will looked aghast and tried to help him up, but stopped himself. Jason ran over to Nico and crouched down.
"You okay, man?" Nico was mortified. It was embarrassing to be thrown over someone's shoulder, but far more mortifying to freak out about it. He pushed himself up and didn't reply to Jason's question. He walked over to the bony hand, jutting from the surface, considered it, and sent it back underground.
"I thought I said no more Underworld stu-" Will was cut off by Jason.
"Look Solace, lay off him, okay? I know you are trying to help, but Nico's been through a lot and he really doesn't like being touched..."
Nico missed the rest of the conversation as he paced around a bit to get his emotions under control. He looked up to find to sets of eyes looking at him. Jason's were filled with protection and Will's with concern. Nico's started seeing black spots as he stumbled. Jason moved to catch him, but Nico righted himself. He shook his head to clear the dizziness. He should not attempt to summon any more skeletons. Maybe he did need to go to the infirmary.
"Okay, let's go," he mumbled, walking past Jason and Will, down to the infirmary.