WILL
Nico was just so gods damned cute. The thought kept playing in Will's head. This was the second day of the doctor-recommended/enforced bed rest for Nico. At first, it didn't go over too well because sticking a demigod with ADHD in a single place without entertainment was a recipe for disaster. Then Will had the brilliant idea of offering Nico his own laptop for use and running to the library for Blu-Rays. Nico was flustered and embarrassed about how thoughtful and generous Will was being to him. He blushed before stammering his reply. He was so gods damned cute. Will wanted to hug and squeeze the little guy. He didn't know if the reason he was drawn to the guy was because of Will's healing abilities that made him protective of his patients or more realistically, he got his dad's proclivity towards pretty boys. It was selfish of him, he knew, that he was secretly glad that Nico's being the son of Hades made the other campers give Nico a wide berth because if they had gotten close enough, they would have seen how expressive his dark eyes were, how his thick lashes curled towards his eyelids and how his fine-boned hands gesticulated when he was talking...like right now.
"Will...Will, are you there?" Nico was asking with both of his hands waving in the air in front of Will's face.
"Er, uh yeah, I'm here. You were saying?" Oh Solace, keep it together. What's wrong with you?
"This OS is really weird. Which app should I use to play the Blu-Ray?"
"It should come up in a bit and it would give you choices. What are you planning to watch anyway?"
Nico blushed again. "Er, um, a recent production of La Traviata. It's...it reminds me of my mother. She enjoyed opera. For a long time, I couldn't listen to this kind of music because I couldn't deal with quests and memories of her at the same time. But now, maybe it would be good to remember her during a time of peace."
This was probably the most words he had heard Nico speak since...since, well they weren't really close enough to be talking about heavy stuff but it made Will's heart skip a couple of beats. Nico, the ever sullen Ghost King, was comfortable enough to talk to will about his deceased mother.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed about the music you like. Your mom certainly had good taste. You're Italian, right? Lucky you, to be able to understand the words." Will flashed him a brilliant smile. He tried very hard to not waver because he was feeling fluttery around Nico. For all his flirtatious bravado, Will was actually feeling insecure. Here before him was a mysterious and underrated demigod hero whose travails were more harrowing than Percy Jackson's. Nico may have come in a tiny fragile-looking package but the truth of the matter was he was a big shot in the annals of their history. He hoped to the gods for more clues and that he wasn't misreading Nico's shyness around him. He overheard Nico's conversation with Percy. He hadn't meant to and he didn't exactly have a diabolical plan but he was glad he was throwing the ball in the right direction.
In answer, Nico ducked his head and smiled at his hands that were on the laptop. "I guess but most of Verdi's work is tragic so maybe people who can't understand Italian can appreciate the music better because that's all they have to focus on."
"You've got a point there. Still, it would be good to appreciate the whole thing as a story told in song. Of course with dyslexia, the English subtitles don't really help."
Both of them laughed at that. Will laughed wholeheartedly and Nico's shoulders were just shaking slightly. Gods knew following operatic subs were the least of their problems. "But tell you what, Nico, when I'm done taking the rounds, can we watch Rigoletto together so you can give me a summary of each act? I love the arias there. I'll bring some ice cream and chips."
Will saw Nico swallow and twiddle his thumbs a little. Then he gave Will a slight smile. "Sure Solace but only if the ice cream isn't strawberry flavored."