A Hearts Abyss
Chapter 1: June Cold Front
Author's Note: This story is a continuation of my story Charting Unknown Territory (Solangelo). This story is Solangelo with a past Will and Connor relationship. It is highly suggested that you read Charting Unknown Territory first. The least you need to know is 1) Will and Nico had their first kiss the day before and 2) Jason for misguided reasons beats up Will and Connor stops him. This first segment begins in the present from Connor perspective and then the past is told in flashback.
***Warning Has MoA, HoH, and BoO spoilers. All characters are Rick Riordan's. ******
~* Present- 6 days after the battle with Gaea *~
As soon as he told Travis about Jason beating up Will earlier that morning he rushed to his infirmary room. Connor followed reluctantly. He saw Nico sitting on the bed and his slight blush that said all too much.
Travis exclaimed loudly, "Shit Solace! You're a mess! Glad I didn't have breakfast yet."
"Hey Travis, Connor," Will called lifting his chin.
He stayed near the door and frowned at Will before grimacing at Nico sitting on the bed. "Will, I've been release, but before I go you have to tell me what that fight was about. Can I talk with you? Um… Alone?"
Travis turned to Nico, "Hey Nico, tell me about your powers. I think they could lead to some sweet pranks." Nico turned to Will before jumping down and following Travis out of the room.
"Remember no underworld-y demonstrations," Will called as his bright eyes followed the boy. They dimmed as Nico left the room.
As soon as the door was closed, Connor flopped into the bedside chair dejected. He regarded Will with his injuries morosely and wondered why.
"He really fucked you up." Connor practically roared. "Travis and I will get back at him for you."
"I really don't want you to do that." He said frowning with a resolute look that reminded him of when they broke up. Will seemed so laid back but he had a will of steel about some things. Apparently this was one of them.
"Don't worry. He might not be so pretty when we are done, but he'll keep all his limbs." Connor assured him as his stomach twisted at his lack of anger.
"Connor, please don't." Will implored with the gentle gaze that had made him fall for the boy. It felt like rocks hit his stomach.
"Seriously? How can you say that? Is he a homophobe or something? He didn't even stop when you didn't defend yourself." He argued
"Nah, he's not. He's just over protective." He answered distractedly and looked away.
Connor suddenly had a glimpse of an idea, "This is about Nico right?" The son of Hades was close to Jason.
"He just got carried away trying defend him." He responded cryptically.
"From you? You're kidding?" He didn't know a gentler person at camp.
"I know, right? And all the time I was just trying to keep Nico from losing it." He blurted out and appeared to regret it.
Of course, how could he have missed it? It seemed so obvious now, the blush, and the look. Nico fucking di Angelo, the creepiest kid in camp. The load of rocks in his stomach sunk to his feet. He had to be sure, so reluctantly he went on, "Is it serious?"
"He starts to fade whenever the post-traumatic stress hits…"
Connor interrupted, "No, I mean you and Nico."
In his astonishment Will hesitated then admitted, "Yes, for me at least."
"But he's only been back a few days!" He said realizing how much he had depended on being wrong about this. His chest now actively ached.
Will fixed Connor with a poignant regretful stare and he understand his unspoken answer. Damn Apollo kids. Why couldn't Apollo have left Daphne alone? He asked with stoic regret, "Oh… how long?"
He uttered the unpleasant truth, "Always."
Connor's mouth opened stunned and then he gulped, "You… Oh…" He paled all color disappeared from the world. His beautiful Will had never been his, but always belonged to another. Now he had been beaten to a pulp as a result.
After a few moments, the brunette went on, "So you think Jason saw it?"
Will hesitated, "Worse, I told him."
"You are such an idiot" He accused, falling into playful banter because he couldn't handle anything requiring thought.
He laughed bitterly, "Yes I am, I enraged the son of Zeus. And I like to poke angry bears for fun."
"Come on Will! He needs to be taught a lesson." He insisted.
"NO!" He commanded, "He is Nico's best friend." He saw the steel in his words and everything seemed to crash in around him. He wanted so badly to hold him, help him, to be with him.
"But, Will?" He begged, gazing into his eyes at a loss for words. He could no longer resist and he tentatively reached up to touch Will's cheek.
"Connor, don't!" Will warned sharply and he withdrew his hand quickly looking down, defeated.
He still couldn't deny that he loved the idiot blond. He would do whatever Will asked. Despondently he said, "So, no reprisals?"
"Right, and can you try to quell the rumors, too?"
"But you don't care what people say. Besides Jason deserves a few evil rumors." He inquired confused.
"In the long run it will hurt Nico the most. He's afraid to come out." He insisted.
Right, it is all about Nico, "So help me out for old time sake?" Connor said in a strangely flat voice.
"That is my line." Will chuckled without any real mirth.
"Sure Will, for you anything." Connor said with resigned acceptance, as he turned to go.
"Thanks Connor, you're a gem." Will called. He glanced back and paused as if he might never look at Will again. He wanted him to take it all back and be his instead. He saw how distant his eyes were, they had none of the sparkle that looking at Nico had inspired. It was far too late. It had been too late before they even started. Instead he turned to leave, downcast.
Connor sat despondently at empty camp fire seeing nothing around him. He had told Travis what Will wanted in such a way that he would not argue. Then he asked to be alone to his brother's bewilderment. Why did his first time in love have to be so fucking tragic? He thought back to when Will had broken up with him and the wound still felt open and raw, as raw as the first time. It didn't help that he now could piece together exactly what had caused it.
~*** Flashback – June ***~
It was the end of June and the Argo II left camp just a few days ago when they got a message from them. The head counselors were sitting around the ping pong table, but the mood was somber as Chiron told them about the accidental attack on the Roman camp and the war brewing. They spent the next couple of hours talking about camp defense. Connor had held Will's hand under the table squeezing it occasionally, but his attention was on the defense plans.
Right before they left Chiron announce, "While in the ancient lands the crew of the Argo II has an additional task to finish. I regret to inform you that Gaea's giants have captured Nico di Angelo and he is being used as bait to lure the seven to Rome. They only have until July 1st to rescue him. As you know he is a son of the big three and an exceptionally fierce demigod, but he was captured in Tartarus. I'm afraid that just surviving long enough to be captured is amazing. Yet for all that, these foes are beyond his surely waxing strength. Please pray to the Gods to help him as well as the other seven of the prophecy."
Everyone gasped, so Connor barely registered that Will had dropped his hand and had gone deathly pale. He told Will he had to work defense plans with Travis but would see him later. Shocked discussion went on for a while, but Will turned and left without a word. Oblivious the brothers had left at an unhurried pace as they discussed how to best use Hermes gifts to protect the camp.
It was a couple of hours later when Lou Ellen demanded "Connor, come help me with Will." And she ran off toward the arena. Connor and Travis only needed to glance at each other to agree to run after her. He was amazed to see Will clubbing the training dummy with a training sword. Most campers stabbed or swung, but Will really didn't know anything about sword fighting. He looked exhausted with his tee shirt torn, drenched in dust and sweat. As they came closer they heard him shout a string of angry obscenities as tears ran down his face.
"Fuck… you're a cunt Gaea… and all you mother fucking… giants… I hate you all… Damn asshole Gods… can't even help… your own children…" Each pause coincided with a hit of the dummy that was looking rather bedraggled.
Lou Ellen choked out, "I think he has been here since the meeting. I've tried to talk to him, but he ignores me."
Connor was thunderstruck, he had never even imaged Will could act this way. He was always the calm, rational, pacifist of the camp. He didn't even fight in the battle of Manhattan until the last stand. He had Travis keep a step behind him as he walked closer to Will.
"Will… babe… You need to put the sword down." He said consolingly.
"I can't fucking stand… losing anyone else… That bitch will kill us all…"
"WILL, ITS CONNOR, LOOK AT ME!"
"Son of a bitch… death everywhere… Shit, I can't fight… I just have to watch… everyone… fucking die…. again…"
Connor nodded to Travis and they rushed him. Travis wrenched the sword out of his hand and Connor gabbed him tightly from behind pinning his arms down. Will fought knocking them both to the ground. Connor turned him face down and brought his arms around to his back. Travis came to help him pin his legs down.
Slowly Will stopped cursing and struggling and went limp. He began heart rending sobs and the brothers slow got off him. Connor clutched him to his chest where he clung racking with each cry. He held him tight making shushing noises while Lou Ellen rubbed his back. Nobody said anything, because they'd all been though the Titan war and they knew what was coming would be worse.
Travis put the sword away and then went back to help Will and Connor up. They walked the blond to his cabin as he continued to cry. They asked another Apollo camper to get a sedative and Connor helped Will clean up and get ready for bed, never taking his arm from around him as he softly whimpered into his shoulder. When Kayla came in with the sedative Connor helped him take it.
"This will knock him out until morning. He may be a bit hazy on the last hour or so when he wakes, but it will come back in time. For him that may not be a bad thing." Kayla said disconcerted by Will's inconsolable state.
Connor then crawled into bed with him in his small head counselor's bedroom, still holding him tight "I'm staying until he's out," he demanded. Nobody protested and Lou Ellen pulled Kayla away to tell her what happened. Travis patted Will on the back and gripped Connor's upper arm tightly once before leaving them alone.
In the morning, Connor returned to be sitting by the bed when Will woke. "What are you going here?" Will asked confused as he stretched.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Connor asked carefully.
"Um…" Will eyebrows creased and he shook his head. "I don't know. My dismay after the counselor meeting and walking around camp lost in thought."
"Nothing more?" Connor prompted.
"I had a vivid dream that I was cursing at a giant and beating it into the ground."
"Well that is close." He chuckled, "We found you cursing and beating a training dummy to a pulp. Travis and I had to tackling you to get you to stop." Will made an 'o' with his mouth and his eyes went wide. "Kayla gave you a sedative and said you may forget. So, I'd ask you what was going on, but I don't think you know."
Will frowned, but didn't say anything. He looked away out the window as if gauging the time, "Um… I should get to my infirmary shift."
Connor was taken by surprise at Will's distance, but he put it down to embarrassment. He leaned forward to give him a small unacknowledged kiss on the cheek before leaving the cabin.
After dinner, Connor bounced over to the Apollo table for their usual 'walk' after dinner. Will again frowned slightly when he saw him. He appeared indifferent to the son of Hermes grabbing his hand and pulling him away, but did not fight it. He was beginning to get uneasy, as he looked at the blond's morose expression.
He waited until they were well hidden behind the canoe shed before pressing Will against the wall and kissing him. He was sluggish in returning his kiss. Connor broke off saying seductively, "I can make you forget about your troubles."
Will let out a shaky laugh and pushed him away, "I doubt it."
"Come on Will talk to me. I know having a war coming is hard, but we knew this coming," Connor argued.
Will only looked down saying, "Yesterday it just got a lot more real. I can't explain, but I just snapped and had to let off some steam."
"That was more of a hurricane then a little steam. Is this about Lee and Michael?" Connor knew he had been close to both previous head counselors and it had been devastating when they died.
Will looked away, "Maybe, but it was more than just that. We are talking about everyone dying."
"You can't think that way. Percy and Annabeth defeated Kronos. This time they two of seven powerful demigods. They will find a way. We just have to be ready to support them in battle." The brunette reasoned.
This was followed by a longer pause before Will raised his head and looked him straight in the eyes, "Connor, I can't do this anymore. I know how you feel about me and it isn't right to lead you on." Connor felt stricken. "None of us has much time left and I can't lie about it anymore." Will continued.
"You're not lying to me Will. It is alright, I don't mind." he begged pitifully as his mind raced. How did he know? He wasn't supposed to know I was in love. I was so careful.
"I mind." Will declared in a way that brooked no argument with a hard look in his eyes. Connor felt his heart break where Will had just stomped on it with those two little words. Not that he just gave up. He kept trying to convince him that night and many more times before the war, but nothing worked. He messed up. He always knew to Will it was just a fling and he had tried to keep things light and casual, but the blond had seen through all his careful subterfuge.
~* Back to Present- 6 days after the battle with Gaea *~
Now he was dating Nico fucking di Angelo and had apparently always been in love with him. It all was clear, once he thought Nico was about to die, he thought it was wrong to be with some else. Moreover, Connor so soft that he would do anything for Will, just to see him happy. And annoy as it was, he had to admit that Will was happy. He could see it so clearly in the bright eyes that had followed Nico. Before Will would smile and laugh, but his eyes remained distant. So here was Connor, bleeding all over and unable to staunch the wound. He was pathetic and nothing was about to change that fact.
Authors Note: I'm telling about Connor and Will's relationship from the end to the beginning with a related present story that leads to the flashback. Let me know how you like it. Don't worry I plan to take care of Connor by the end.
Thanks,
Anne