(AN: This is the longer part of the 2-piece section. The reason it's in 2 instead of one is that it feels weird to have too many awkward breaks. Either way, rate, comment, follow and enjoy! No major triggers yet, but there are references to cutting. More will come as the story develops, maybe. I think. I might take that out, since this is more of a happy sort of thing.)

"Nico?" Will asked, once Nico was safely in a bed. "Are you sure you're comfortable, or do you want another pillow?" Nico sighed and rolled his eyes. There were four or so pillows stacked up behind his back and Will had just retrieved another from an empty cot.

"Will, I'm fine. Can I just get the 3 days done with?" Nico complained.

"You wouldn't have had to spend the days if you didn't use those Underworld powers of yours," Will reminded, smiling nervously.

The skeletal butterflies in Nico's stomach started fluttering again. To be honest, he had no idea how he felt about Will. What he did know is that he felt the same way about son of Apollo as he used to around Percy- a bit of loathing, endearment and slight annoyance, but all the same less miserable than when he wasn't there. Except without the hatred bit. He was certain that he did not hate Will. And now that he didn't like Percy anymore, he didn't feel any of those- just that it was Percy.

He checked the time on the wall clock. It was nine, and he was tired. Very tired. So. Tired. He decided to sleep. He was going to tell Will, but…

Time Skip

Nico woke to an alarm clock- not a little one, going 'brring!', but the huge clock that everyone could see, no matter what- buzzing and screeching with a great zeal. Will jerked his head up from the foot of Nico's bed, partially panicked for a moment before remembering. For a moment, Nico was confused about why he was in the infirmary (before remembering) and was still confused as to why and how Will came to sleep on a stool next to his bed.

"Oh yeah," Will muttered blearily, walking over to the clock and jerking on the off-string that hung from it, silencing the racket that had erupted from the machine. "Rounds. You know," he added. "It really sucks not being a morning person."

He then went around the room, taking pulses and checking the vital signs of the annoyed and tired patients that resided there whilst apologizing excessively, before collapsing back on the stool, almost completely draped across the cot that was Nico's.

Will woke up as his head fell. What? He looked up, confused. When he realized what had happened, he felt his heart drop. He had slept across Nico's cot- gods knows why. Actually, he did know. He just…well…now was not the time. The blankets that had rested on the teen's body were resting practically undisturbed on the bed. Nico's silhouette shimmered where the solid, real Nico should've been. Will's eyes opened wide. He was awake now. Making his way quietly across the room-there was no reason to disturb other people-he retrieved the thing he was looking for: heavily diluted nectar. Also, a plastic IV bag, and an IV cart. Trying not to rattle the equipment, he moved it over by the bed. There he waited, by Nico's bed until he became solid. Just for a minute or so- that was all he needed. Will had to wait more than ten minutes before Nico's form took up space again. In this small window (or Will proposed- he didn't want to risk it by waiting) he wrapped a rubber tourniquet around Nico's arm. It was cold, but he could feel a pulse. Wincing, he plunged a needle into an arm vein. Much easier than a hand vein. Thank the gods he received training. He glanced nervously at the IV drip, making sure the drip was getting through. Yes. Finally. Nico's arm felt slightly warm to the touch, but in a good way. Okay.

Looking at Nico's arm, though, he noticed something. Stripes, he thought vaguely. Cuts, he realized, with a growing sensation of horror. He should've expected something like this. He wondered when he had done this to himself- in Tartarus, or after? Probably after- and maybe even before that. He felt his blood run cold just thinking about the son of Hades sitting alone, blade in hand. He nearly wanted to wake him up just to talk to him- bring in a therapist? No. That was too disruptive. None of the cuts were infected, and they didn't look too recent. If new ones appeared, he would definitely talk about it with the kid, but he didn't know how to bring it up- and it would only be painful memories if he had stopped already.

He covered up Nico in blankets and tried to sleep.

Time Skip and POV Change

Nico noticed that Will woke up for real, about an hour after most of the patients woke up. He had probably been staying up all night after Nico had initially fallen asleep, tending to the patients with more important and dire injuries that had to wait to make room for Nico's comfort-which he didn't even need. Who needed four pillows? And why…and since when was an IV connected to him? That was weird. The liquid drip felt warm in his arm and he could smell and feel the slightly sweet, warm liquid. Nico felt a bit guilty for that, but stopped thinking about his guilt when he saw how Will was marching over with a bowl and spoon in hand.

"Will," Nico tried to protest. "I'm not hungry right now!" Will gave Nico a stern look.

"Rules, patient," he said, humor lying underneath his words. "Eat up."

After having cups of cereal in the Underworld for every meal, every day, while he was staying with his father, he wasn't prepared for the food that Will was giving him. He thought that it would be cereal. It would make sense if it was cereal. It was healthy, and it was a breakfast food. Instead, it was a soup. A delicious soup. It was amazing.

It had a tiny bit of nectar in it, and a quarter of a dissolved ambrosia square and it tasted wonderful- made especially for the infirmary, Will said. Nico couldn't stop marveling at the soup. As he praised the breakfast, Will leaned back on the stool, watching, smiling, blond hair shining in the sunlight. Curse you, butterflies, Nico thought to himself as he finished his breakfast.

Elevenses (as Will called it- it was supposed to be a reference of sorts, but Nico didn't get it) was at 11:00 sharp and was brought in by helpful satyrs and demigods with spare time on their hands. Nico's was brought personally by Will.

"No- Will, you really don't have to…" Nico groaned.

"You made an agreement," Will pointed out.

"An agreement in which there was no backing out of."

"Fair enough. Now eat. Today's elevenses is a Greek salad, complete with lamb and feta, prepared by yours truly."

"Oh, um, I can't. I'm a vegetarian," Nico confessed. For a moment, Will looked panicked.

"Nico di Angelo," Will reprimanded, obviously relieved. "Do not lie to me. You said you ate anything except pomegranates. We also happen to have records. Lots of records. You need to work on your lying skills."

"You totally fell for it, Solace. You should have seen your face."

"I hate you, Death Boy."

"You really don't." Nico smirked and rolled his eyes, but then stiffened as Will's brow creased with concern.

"Nico," Will asked worriedly. "Do you realize- you were transparent last night. Like, literally, I could see you, but then I could also see the bed- and- are you sure you feel okay?" And are you okay, mentally- I mean, like….? Do you need to see a therapist? Are you okay?

Nico's eyes widened. "I, uh, was not aware of this." He was transparent? That wasn't a good sign. No wonder Will was trying to get food into him. He shoveled some food in his mouth. "Well, um, thanks for telling me. I didn't know that people…" he trailed off, not sure how he was planning to finish the sentence without sounding a) needy, b) horribly uncared for or c) pitiful and d) uncaring when e) he actually did and f) unaware that g) he was being cared for while h) felt like i) Will was doing too much although j) didn't want to convey the message that k) Will wasn't doing enough because l) that was most definitely not the case and m) if that was, then Nico would feel n) bad o) really awful since p) Will was doing a lot and q) Nico was recovering wonderfully r) and Nico was a lot better than he ever was-it was just that s) Nico was starting to t) develop a crush on Will and u) he didn't want Will to know that that was the case or even that v) he liked guys when w) guys tend to like girls but still x) he liked guys anyway and would come out hopefully soon y) and hopefully everybody would be okay with that and/or z) all of the above. Nico didn't know how Will would get from point A to Z, as they were fairly unrelated, but still.

"Nico-will you please stop saying that?" Will's pained voice broke Nico's train of thoughts. "Death Boy, people care about you. A lot. Hazel, Frank, Jason, Reyna, Annabeth, Percy, me…" Nico caught his breath. Will cares about me, like, a lot? And where did Frank come from? I never really paid too much attention to him, except for the fact that he was Hazel's boyfriend…? "Nico, we all would really hate it if you, um, died. Like, to get you back? That requires a hell of alot of trouble. Both literally and figuratively."

"You do all that for me?" Nico's voice came out all squeaky, rather than the sarcastic tone he meant it to be. Will nodded slowly.

"Yes- yeah. I would," he responded after a moment.

"…thanks," Nico said simply. The word held a lot of weight, as did the guilt- Nico wasn't sure where it was from, but it was there, weighing down on him like wet, heavy clothes clinging to his body. "May I have some food now?" Those words did not have weight associated with them.

"Finally!"

Part 2: Mythomagic

Nico smiled in anticipation. He had spent his mealtime thinking. "Will Solace, I have decided to make today extremely hard for you. Would you like to play Mythomagic with me?"

Will frowned. "Mythomagic? Sure. Can you teach me?" Nico grinned.

~~~Later~~~

"No. He only heals. You cannot use Apollo, Will. This is your very first move. We just went over the rules for the fourth time, Solace!"

"But- okay. How about-this card!" Will threw down a card at random. Nico laughed.

"Try it, Solace. You'll end up doing more damage to you than me- I've already seen practically all of your hand. Try reading the description, will you?" Will looked at the card. Hydra: Once per turn. Cannot be regularly summoned. Must be specially called for (from your hand) by having 4 or more different Underworld monsters, but costs one Being, this monster cannot attack.

"What's a Being?" Will asked guiltily.

"We- again, we just went over this. It's a god or titan."

"Dammit! I…ugh…what about…" This time, Will looked carefully through his deck, trying to ignore Nico's triumphant and amused grin. "This one?" Nico nodded in approval.

"Better. See, since you played, uh, Chiron, now I just lost 700 MP, but I have this card here…" Nico stumbled on his words as he looked up at Will. Those goddamn butterflies! He looked down at his card again. "Since I have…I have this satyr, I can play healing woodland magic- so, see I only get 300 MP off instead of 700-" Nico stopped and looked up from the cards.

Will looked at Nico in amusement. Nico looked at Will in bemusement.

"You're not getting this, are you?" Nico asked.

"I'm trying," Will said, clearly enjoying Nico's reaction. "But you know, it's really hard to pay attention…" Will trailed off, glancing at Nico. "…Death Boy."

"Really, Will? Now-um-really? Okay-satyrs! Um- satyrs play healing magic…"