Chapter Summary: Nico is traumatized, Will is an ass, and Apollo has gone off the deep end. What could possibly go wrong?

XxxX

"A … Apollo," Nico stammers.

Oh, gods. Will's dad! Kill me now!

"You're cute, but …" Apollo says – he doesn't look much older than Percy, but the fact that this guy, this god, is Will's dad, creeps the Styx out of Nico – "… unfortunately I'm forbidden to form dalliances with campers. I know … it's hard to hear."

Nico can only shake his head, tugging half-heartedly in an attempt to to free his arm.

The sound of footsteps in the hall outside breaks Apollo's focus on him and Nico's finally able to reclaim his hand. He holds it up to his chest, cradled like it's wounded in his other arm.

Will steps into the room, yawning, his hair tousled. He's wearing his green surgeon's shirt over a pair of jeans. "Hey, you're up."

Nico looks to him, pleading with his eyes.

Save me.

Will takes him in and hurries forward. "Are you okay?" He grabs Nico's wrist, fingers pressed to the pulse point. "Nico, you look like you're in shock."

Nico shakes his head and manages one word. "Bathroom?"

"Yeah, alright." Will turns to Apollo, who's watching them, bemused. "We'll be right back. Thanks for helping out."

Apollo smiles brightly at Will, though Nico can't help but notice it's forced. "Anytime, kiddo."

Nico follows Will to the infirmary bathroom. "So that's where 'kiddo' comes from," he mutters as his legs give out, and Will has to carry him the rest of the way to the toilet.

XxxX

"You left before I had a chance to tell you about the staff meeting," Will explains while Nico relieves himself, not letting go of Will's hand this time. He's had too much experience recently with falling on his face to risk it again. "Apollo's taking over for Mr. D as camp director, for the winter at least. Ares brought him. He says Zeus has decided it's too much trouble to find and train a replacement for the sun chariot."

Nico smacks Will's arm to signal he's ready to get up. He hadn't realized he's back to wearing the horrible yellow pajamas the infirmary stocks. "Gods, I think I'm gonna be sick."

Will pulls the shower chair over and helps Nico into it. Nico grimaces, hating the hard plastic seat and how the wheels make him feel like he's off-balance.

"Hang on just a sec," Will says. He kicks the brakes on a couple of the wheels and rummages in the supply cabinet, then comes back and hands Nico a bowl in the shape of crescent. "It's an emesis basin. If you need to be sick …"

Nico shakes his head, leaving the bowl in his lap. He props his elbow on the arm of the chair, and covers his face with his hand. "No. Well, maybe it's a good idea … I don't even know."

Will rubs Nico's back through the open slit down the back of the gown, his palm warm on Nico's skin. "What is it?" Will asks. His voice is so concerned it almost makes Nico feel like crying. He has no idea what's up with that.

"Will, have you mentioned that we've got a … that we're … you and me … to him?"

Okay, that wasn't the most refined way of putting it, but Nico's been traumatized. He can't be expected to make complete sentences.

"Not yet, why?" There's a note of trepidation in Will's voice.

Nico looks up, his mouth trying to form the words, but failing. He probably looks like a hungry goldfish. He drops his face in his hand again.

"Did he do something, Nico?" Will asks, this time tinged with anger.

Nico shakes his head, his face still firmly hidden by his palm.

Will gets down on his knees, peering up and trying to see past Nico's hand over his face. It's a bit ridiculous, and Nico can't help peer at him between his fingers. "Come on, tell me," Will coaxes, his lips doing the funny little twitchy thing that Nico can't help but watch.

"Will, I thought he was you," Nico says, cringing. "I … I felt up his chest."

Instead of instant anger or indignation Will busts out laughing. "Oh gods …" He buries his face in his arm, not even trying to stifle his giggles. Nico frowns at him.

"It's not funny."

Will shakes his head, still not done, and Nico ends up watching him cracking up for a full minute or so, and then, when it seems he's got a handle on it, he looks back up at Nico and dissolves into another laughing fit.

Finally, Will gets to his feet, his face blotchy from exertion. It's the face Nico would love to see post-orgasm, shining down on him in the afterglow, but now, he hates it. Sort of.

"Come on," Will says, kicking off the brakes, and to Nico's mortification pushes him out into the infirmary on a toilet seat on wheels. "Let's get you back into bed. I want you to rest at least another eight hours."

XxxX

When Nico wakes again, it's to the sound of muffled sobs. He sits up; it's still dark and Apollo's hunched over the desk, writing something down.

Nico's not sure where Will went and he's also not very comfortable being left alone with Apollo. Especially after the incident-worse-than-that-time-in-Albania.

Nico's about ready to lie back down and pretend he's still asleep when the strangest sort of music begins playing, and he risks another look. Apollo sits on the wheeled stool with the oddest contraption Nico's ever seen propped up between his knees. He strums a set of strings stretched over what looks like a funnel, his other hand working a series of buttons and gears at the base.

The melody is sad, seeming to reach inside and touch Nico's heart with an icy finger, reminding him of all that he's lost. And then Apollo begins to sing, the light shining around him stutters and dims with each verse.

"Delphi, my muse of the future
I kneel in honor of you.
Rise from the kingdom of vapor
and speak only words that are true.
The wind it carries my whisper
to your ears and your ears alone.
I'm hurting inside for outward you've died,
but I hear you calling me home.

"Steadfast, and strong as a mountain
serving music and sunlight, your king.
Prophecies reach beyond heaven
choked by the poisonous green.
I hold you close and give you a dose
of love, a potent medicine.
When shadow and sun come together as one
we shall be whole once again.

"Great One I stand by your side
and watch the turning of time.
Defenses crushed by Gaea's maw
and we weep at such a crime.
I've been misplaced; fallen from grace
empty stands the throne that was mine.
My only Queen, I hear you scream;
the serpent's embrace binds your spine.

"I float upon the wind of change
to find the place where we once reigned.
Buried beneath both brick and stone
you've disappeared without a stain.
My cry is weak, I barely speak,
without you I'm losing my voice.
I'll fade to grey, and waste away,
erased from time without choice."

Tears stream down Nico's cheeks. He doesn't notice them until the song ends and the overhead lights turn on. Will Solace stands in the doorway, his eyes fixed on his father. Nico quickly wipes his face dry with his hands.

"You're not well."

Apollo sniffles and tucks the curious instrument away, then blinks and offers Will a weak smile that doesn't stay put. "I'm just fi– owwww," Apollo moans, dramatically clutching his chest. Will's at his side in an instant, running his hand over his father's face and then over his hand on his chest, while Apollo squirms, nearly unseating himself.

"Damned wheels."

Will stops the chair, paying no mind to Apollo's theatrics. "This is bad," he says, looking over at Nico. "Are you well enough to give me a hand?"

Nico starts. "But … I'm a son of –"

"Nico!" Will shouts. "Who your godly parent is doesn't count for shit right now. I need your help!"

Nico climbs out of bed and joins Will. Together, they coax the oh-so-awesome sun god to lie down on one of the beds.

"It's really not so– ahhhh!" Apollo whimpers, clutching his chest again and then curling onto his side. He hides his face in the pillow.

"You sense it, don't you?" Will says, and Nico tears his eyes from Apollo and looks at Will. He's pale. "The darkness. There's something eating him up from the inside."

Nico nods. He had felt it when he first touched Apollo, but only now that he's witnessing the agony Apollo's in, does he realize the darkness is some sort of death. "Yeah," he manages at last. "It's like cancer. But he's immortal, I don't know what could do this to a god."

"Dad," Will says, his voice suddenly sounding much younger. "You know what it is?"

Apollo seems to collect himself, then rolls onto his back. He sits up and turns to Nico. "Fluff my pillow."

Nico stares at him, lip curling in distaste.

"He knows what it is, Nico," Nico supposes Will is translating. Gods only know how the Apollo kids and their dad seem to 'get' each other. "But he can't say what it is. We have to figure it out, and that means …"

Nico meets Will's determined stare, an eyebrow raised.

"… We need to petition Chiron for a quest."