Nico thrashed in his sleep.

Nightmares were common occurrences for demigods, but Nico's were a special case. They had started to plague him every night since his trip through Tartarus, replaying the excruciating moments he had endured there.

He whimpered and tensed as the images got worse, the details his own personal hell came back to him.

He gasped as he felt the mind numbing pain all over again, throwing him out of his dreams and into the reality before him. He was in the infirmary at Camp Half Blood. He was safe? Nico didn't know the meaning of the word.

He let out a shaky breath and started scolding himself. Get it together you buono a nulla.

But he couldn't.

He was spurred out of those thoughts as he glanced around the room and noticed a figure in the corner. Sitting there, on a small stool, was a blond holding a tray of food. He was sun-kissed, with freckles dotting his face. The room felt warmer with him there. The blond was dozing off and his head slipped from the hand that had propped it up. His head hit the tray as Nico looked up, sending some of the contents on the floor and waking the blond up.

"Mmm...Hey Nico. Just thought I would check on you. It's nearly noon, you should eat. Doctor's orders."

Nico huffed and scowled. "I'm not hungry. And that clock says it's three o'clock."

"Nice to meet you, Not Hungry. I'm Will. Now eat. Jason picked out the food just for you."

He set the tray on Nico's bed, picked up the spilled bits, and left, closing the door behind him. Nico looked at the plate; it was filled with brussels sprouts, spinach, an apple, a weird looking grain, and a wrapped chocolate bar. The chocolate was dark, his favorite.

Will peaked his head in a few minutes later, seeing Nico nibbling on the chocolate. He smiled.

"Good." Mumbling to himself, he left again.

"How's Nico doing?" Jason asked Will. It was only Nico's first day in the infirmary but Piper and Jason were already dropping by to check up on him.

"It's hard to tell. He's still faded from all the Underworld stuff he did, not to mention pretty beat up. A few days in here will bring him back to normal though, I have no doubt."

Jason grinned. "Can I see him?"

"Of course."

Will led them back to Nico's small room. On the way, he though about his moment with Nico earlier. Stupid, stupid, stupid! You fell asleep on duty, in a patient's room! Not just any patient's room either, but Nico's of all people. Why did it have to be Nico? Why did he have to notice?

He snapped out of it and tried to pull himself together as they approached Nico's room. He knocked and opened the door. Nico was laying half on the bed, his head and torso hanging upside down off of it.

"What?" He said when he saw Will. Will found himself smiling. That attitude of his, he's like a little kid.

"Di Angelo! How are you feeling, man?" Jason burst into the room, grinning from ear to ear. He looked surprisingly well considering the war that had happened.

Nico's scowl softened slightly.

"Grace, get your sorry ass in here! Will tells me you were the one responsible for the tasteless food I was given. Brussels sprouts? Really? Wipe that smirk off your face or I'll do it for you."

Gods, Will loved that tough act of his.

Jason had a smug look. "Hey, I heard vegetables were nutritious! Plus, if you hate them, it must mean they're good for you."

CRASH.

Nico threw the empty tray at him and Jason ran out of the room laughing.

Wow that kid has anger issues. Will filed that away for later.

"I love you too, Nico!" Jason shouted from a safe distance in the hall.

"Sorry about him. I hope you're doing better. Everyone's been worried about you." Piper said, peeking in from the doorway and rolling her eyes at her dorky boyfriend.

"At least he brought me chocolate. How'd you know it was my favorite?" The question to Jason, who was now hiding behind his girlfriend.

"I didn't bring you chocolate. Do you have any left?" Jason sounded hopeful.

"Get out Grace!"

Will chuckled to himself and watched as Piper and Jason said their goodbyes and promised to visit again soon. He couldn't help but stare at Nico's big dark eyes. They always looked so piercing, as if they were seeing into the depths of your soul. He could have stared at those eyes all day.

"Alright, spit it out. How'd you know I like dark chocolate?"

"Hm? Oh. Who me?! Well, everyone loves chocolate and I figured you'd like yours the way you act, dark and bitter." He winked at Nico and started to close the door. Before he had shut it all the way, he caught Nico smiling and thought he heard him mumble, "Touché, Solace."

His heart leaped.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-KNOCK KNOCK...KNOCK KNOCK!

Nico groaned and flopped over on his temporary infirmary bed. He was tired.

"Mmmmm."

The knocking continued.

"Go away!"

Despite his demand, the door swung open and in came Will holding two plates piled high with pasta. Of course it'd be Will. Nico's heart fluttered.

Following Will was Piper, Jason, Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, and Frank. Each of them carried a plate of food. Nico's attention was still focused on the plates in Will's hand. His Italian side got the better of him and his stomach roared.

"Hungry?" Will laughed, raising an eyebrow.

Nico's heart was soaring now. Italian style pasta and Will, what more could he want in life?

"Shut up." Nico said this more to himself than to Will but he snatched the plate away when Will was close enough.

Everyone got comfortable on the floor and started eating. Someone had brought a cooler and the drinks from it were being passed around.

Nico noticed halfway through devouring his pasta that they were all still there and seemed to have no intention of leaving.

"What are you guys doing here?" Nico asked through a mouth full of food. He grabbed a orange soda out of the cooler but was met with glares from Will who was now perched on the foot of Nico's bed. The soda was stolen away from him.

"Jason suggested a picnic and I thought it would do you good to socialize some. Don't drink that, it's not good for you."

Nico glared at the blond, Will just stared back smiling.

"So Nico, how's your stay been so far?" Percy asked, breaking the silence.

"Spectacular." His voice was dripping with sarcasm and the tomatoes from his pasta.

"I should hope so, considering you have skilled cough-hot-cough doctor." Jason piped in.

Nico turned bright red and scowled at him. Jason just wiggled his eyebrows and smirked. If Nico hadn't been giving him a death glare he swore that Jason would have broke out into Ooh la la's.

Dork. What will Will think?

"So Frank and I are heading back to Camp Jupiter tomorrow. We're going to straighten the camp out over there and try to fix the damage that Octavian caused." Hazel broke the long silence that had followed Jason's remark. Everyone had finished eating.

"Do you need help? I can meet you there in a few days." Nico's voice was gentler when he spoke to his sister. Will found that attractive.

Hazel smiled and shook her head. "No, you rest. I'll take Arion and visit when things calm down a little." She stood up, walked over to where Nico had retaken his upside down position, and kissed him on the cheek. "Take care of yourself, Nico."

With that, Hazel and Frank waved goodbye to the group and left. Piper and Jason followed soon after, and then Will, who took his and Nico's plate, muttering something about seeing a patient. He really didn't want to leave but there were still his rounds to make before he went to bed. He gave Nico a smile before leaving, feeling sad that Nico did not return it.

Gosh darn it Will, you're like a lovesick puppy!

Only Percy and Annabeth were left in the room with Nico.

Awkward, Nico thought. He really wished Will was here. Then he wished he didn't wish that.

"Hey...I know it's a sensitive spot, but we're here for man. I don't know how hard it must have been to be in Tartarus alone, but we understand how things can get to you down there." Percy tried broke the tension that had began forming in the air.

Of course you don't understand. You had Annabeth. Annabeth had you. I had no one. I have no one.

"Thanks." Traces of Nico's emotions formed in the corners of his eyes but Nico didn't cry in front of people. He blinked hard. "Uh...same goes for you guys."

Annabeth smiled and went over to lay a hand on his shoulder. "We'll let you sleep now. Goodnight Nico."

With that, her and Percy slipped out of the room and shut the door. Nico willed his eyes to stay opening, dreading the nightmares that were sure to come. His eyelids protested though. In a minute he was asleep.

Author's Notes:

Hey guys! This is my first fanfiction, I would appreciate any feedback you guys have. For those wondering, the Italian phrase at the beginning means "good for nothing." Solangelo is my favorite thing ever, they're so cute together! I'll try to update this often, I'm not sure how many chapters it will have but I will definitely go until they hook up.