Summary: This one's a surprise :)
Sun on their faces Nico di Angelo and Will Solace strolled hand in hand to their tree, deep in the woods, a place that was all their own. Where Nico first confessed his feelings to Will, where they had kissed as a couple for the first time, and where, in a momentary lapse of their normal judgement, the two had carved their initials (W+N) into the base of the trunk, all dorky and romantic like.
It was so special, and held so many memories. And where, most importantly, they could be away from everyone else. It was so deep into the forrest, it took them a little while to walk there, but it was so beautiful it was worth it.
Nico felt Will's hand flinch, and was made aware of his boyfriend as he tripped on the path. He smiled at him, as he tried to regain his balance.
"Are you okay?"
Wills eyes snapped to his and he smiled his stunningly bright smile.
"Yeah, fine!"
The son of Apollo raised Nico's hand in his, kissed the back of it and kept walking.
Nico couldn't hold in a smile at his adorably clumsy boyfriend, and he let it spread right across his face. No one would ever have to know.
His smile faltered, however, when a few minutes later, Will tripped again. Nico reached forward and grabbed the son of Apollo's elbow to steady him. For someone so careful with their hands in the infirmary and so precise with his words, Will was acting unusually unsteady.
"Will, are you sure you're okay?"
The son of Apollo waved him off, having regained his balance, he stood tall and took a shaky breath. He turned back to Nico and smiled.
"Yeah, like I said, fine,"
He winked and reached for Nico's hand once more, but as they continued their walk in silence, Nico was all too aware of Will's gradually tightening grip, and his uneven pace.
All seemed well enough when they arrived, and as they spent the morning in each others company, the worry slipped from Nico's mind, and he relaxed into the calm atmosphere Will always brought about wherever he went.
Between that, and the warming sun, the comfort of having Will so close, and his complete and utter contentment, Nico felt his eyelids grow heavy, and began to close. Leaning back, making himself comfortable against the other boy, Nico to began to doze lightly against Will's chest, breathing in time with the rhythmic beat of his heart.
The ache in is back was the first thing Nico noticed when he woke up. Peeling his eyes open and squinting against the sun peering through the trees, its was easy enough to see why. He and Will had fallen asleep normally enough, but while they slept they had wrapped themselves up in an awful tangle of limbs. Nico gently shifted one of Will's arms from his waist, and stretched the tension from his spine. As he shook out the pins and needles from his arm, he turned and shuffled away from Will, still resting against the trunk of the tree.
Nico stood slowly, muscles groaning at their first movement in hours. He attempted to shake off his drowsiness as he made his way back to Will, ruffling his curls.
The son of Apollo cracked open one eye, peering reluctantly up at him. Nico laughed.
"Hey there sleepy head. I'm sorry to wake you, but we need to be heading back," he said quietly, placing a kiss on Will's cheek to stir him into a functioning consciousness.
Will just sighed and closed his eyes again. When Will failed to get up, Nico reached for his hand and began to tug on his arm to get him to stand.
"Fine, fine, I'm getting up, I'm getting up," Will said quickly, but Nico kept pulling on his arm.
"Give it a rest, Death Boy."
"I gave you a rest, and look where that got us!" Nico sighed jokingly. Will returned his smile and struggled to his feet.
Nico turned and began to make his way back down the trail to camp, all too aware of how late it was getting. When a second pair of footsteps didn't join him, he hesitated, looking over his shoulder for his other half.
"Will? Will!"
The son of Apollo stood rigid, staring straight at the ground a few feet in front of him, clenching and unclenching his fist. Nico dashed back over to him, holding Will steady, eyes darting over his face, trying to unmask the issue, but he was met with only a vacant stare.
"Will, what's wrong? Please, please, tell me what's wrong,"
"I'm fine, just a little dizzy is all,"
Nico stared into the beautiful blue eyes of his boyfriend, but for the first in a million times, he saw nothing behind them. They were glassy, unfocused. Nico's reflection blurred in the waxy pupil, which could see him no better than he could see himself. He searched desperately for some recognition within them, but lost sight of them when he was blinded by a mass of blonde curls as the son of Apollo's head rolled forward onto his chest.
"Will! Look at me would you?"
Will sagged against him, but Nico gladly took the weight, slipping his arm around the son of Apollo. Bracing his boyfriend's uncooperative body against his own, he looked around frantically for help. His eyes darted around but he saw no one. Why would he? This was his and Will's place. This was where they came to be alone together, and now, feeling more alone than ever, the irony was not lost on Nico.
The trees began to shift towards him and he panicked; surely he wouldn't faint too?
No. A pair of pine green eyes met his from the shrubs and breathed a sigh of relief. The Nymphs.
Grunting with the growing deadweight on his shoulder, he hissed to them the last words he ever thought he'd say.
"Go get Percy. Please,"
The eyes blinked, disappearing into the shrubbery and he watched the breeze dance with a whisper through the trees. He prayed to his father and to Will's that his message would get back to camp. As much as Nico hated asking anyone for help, especially Percy, he know couldn't handle this alone. Kneeling on the forrest floor, Nico laid Will carefully on the ground, cradling his shoulders in his lap. He brushed aside Will's golden curls, begging for his eyes to open, for him to smile at him and make some adorable teasing jab at him for being worried. Timidly, the son of Hades pressed his ear to the other boys chest. It was warm and comforting like Will, but most importantly it was rising and falling, however shallowly.
Gods what was taking Percy so long?
Nico contemplated shadow travelling the two of them back to camp, but had just decided against it, being uncertain of the consequences it may have on Will, when Percy came sprinting into clearing.
It took the son of Poseidon a moment to focus on him, his sea green eyes darting around the clearing, catching a final glimpse of the nymphs that had lead him here. If there was anyone you could rely on to show up when something went wrong, it was Percy Jackson.
The second he saw the two he let out a breathless, "Oh, gods."
Nico choked back a sob at the sound, and fought out the words, "Help me,"
Without a second thought, Percy scooped up Will and slung his lifeless form across his shoulders effortlessly.
Nico dismissed the flash of jealousy that rippled through him and scrambled to his feet.
"This way!" He called and took off, checking over his shoulder to make sure Percy was behind him. They seemed to travel incredibly fast, as if the ground was moving with them, and as he looked to the sides and saw nymphs flying beside him, his worry lessened.
They could do it. They could make it there.
Will was going to be okay.
"What do you mean I can't see him?"
"I'm sorry Nico but-"
"Kayla,"
Nico's voice sounded so raw, like a dull blade ripping through canvas material. Will could hear the viciousness rippling through it, and though his eyes were being uncooperative in opening, he could practically feel the rage in his boyfriend's eyes. Anyone in their right mind would back off, but not Kayla.
"I'm, I'm sorry Nico, but, but its just, it's policy, and -"
"Fine, whatever. But you'll tell me the second he wakes up?"
Again, Nico that commanding tone. How worried was he? Oh gods, thought Will. What have I done. He wanted desperately, desperately, to open his eyes. To tell Kayla he was fine, to tell Nico he was fine. But his body wouldn't listen, he lay there, suffering in silence, straining to hear them as Kayla's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Yeah, yeah of course."
"C'mon man, we should go,"
Wait, was that Percy?
"Yeah, okay. We can go,"
If Nico was agreeing with him, then there was no way the voice belonged to Jackson.
Someone left the room, which, given its familiar smell of nectar and disinfectant, Will was beginning to suspect was the infirmary. But how had he ended up here? He was going out with Nico to their tree and then...
And then nothing, there was no more after that.
"He'll be alright won't he?"
"I'm sorry, Percy. I really don't know,"
So it was Percy there in the infirmary. But that didn't make any sense. Oh gods what had happened?
Will felt a thousand questions swarm to the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't seem to form the words. He grew more and more frustrated as his body fought against him, refusing to move or shift how he wanted.
Finally, light flooded his eyes as won the battle, and he slid off the bed into a standing position. He stood with his arms out wide as if to say, See Kayla? I told you I was fine! when Will Solace heard the most bloodcurdling scream ever to trespass his ears.
Through all his years in the infirmary, listening to campers delirious, bleeding out, or sitting with bones sticking out of places they certainly didn't belong, never had he heard such a scream.
He watched as Percy leapt in front of the doorway, catching the son of Hades as he attempted to barrel through it. Nico's eyes were wild and frighted, but trained on a spot ahead of him. He tried to shove Percy away, but the son of Poseidon held firm, turning to look in the same direction.
Kayla too, stiffened and spun around, hands flying silently to her face.
Will, in his confusion, turned to see what could possibly be holding their attention. There, in the infirmary bed, was someone who looked just like him. Unless, unless it was him. But that would mean-
He snapped his head back to Nico, and the son of Hades eyes slowly shifted to his. Nico began to scream his name, as Percy continued to restrain him, reluctance and guilt clear on his face.
The voices grew dull and his vision blurred as the infirmary suddenly turned to black, and Will experienced the falling sensation one often feels before jerking awake. This time, however, there was nothing to wake up to.
"Do you have your coin boy?"
A raspy voice hissed through the air. It seemed to part the darkness as it did, a dim red glow illuminating a river, peaceful enough, but with no visible end in sight.
A man stood in a small boat, cloaked from head to toe. His eyes held fire burning with all the intensity of Tartarus.
Wait. Was Will in-
"You can't cross without a coin. Hand it over or go join the other lost souls and stop wasting my time." The figure hissed.
"Leave him be Charon."
A deep voice rumbled behind him, and Will felt the ground shudder with the force of it.
The cloaked figure seemed unshaken, simply scowling and muttering, "But sir,"
"I know the rules as well as you, but this time, we are making an exception."
Will looked around frantically for the source of the voice, but saw only more darkness and river extending beyond a blackened horizon that seemed too seep into the water like ink.
Charon still seemed displeased until the voice echoed.
"Perhaps later we can discuss that raise you expressed an interest in,"
The sneer did not leave the daemons face, but he and the scenery melted from view and Will found himself instead in a beautiful garden of pale trees and precious gemstones.
"Sorry about that boy, don't mind Charon, he despises the dead."
Will spun of his heel and came faced to face with a man who looked shockingly like Nico, though he appeared to be in his early forties. His skin was a pasty white, in stark contrast to his jet black hair and eyes that glowed with faintly flickering purple flames.
"Lord Hades, S-sir. I, uh, um well its an honour to meet you, sir." Will stuttered, bowing his head in respect and fear.
"And you as well, young William, though I can say I hoped it would be under different circumstances," replied the God of the dead.
"Sir?"
"I usually despise demigods, Apollo's brats in particular. You're all so flashy and heroic keeping people from me. But you I can stand."
"Um, thank you? Sir,"
Hades sighed and took a slow step towards him.
"You make Nico happy, and that's something I could never do. I told him once that my children rarely have happy lives, and if you look at his past especially, you can hardly dispute it. But then you came along, and I thought maybe some rotten curse had been broken. But alas, here you are."
He gestured back to the vast underworld around them, infinite horrors that lay just beyond this field of crystals and poplar trees.
"So, William, I am offering you a choice."
"A, a choice sir?"
"For a son of Apollo, you really aren't very bright. Yes boy, a choice! You can stay here in the underworld, you'll make it to Elysium for sure, perhaps you could try for rebirth. Or, I deliver you back to your mortal body and you can live out the rest of your short miserable life on earth."
Will contemplated this for a moment.
"With Nico?" He asked.
"With Nico," Hades confirmed, a slight smile on his face.
There really was no choice.
"Nico, I'm so sorry, but we need to move him,"
"Five more minutes Kayla, please."
"Of course,"
Nico di Angelo had not moved from his boyfriends side for days. Almost every demigod from camp had come to pay their respect and give their condolences. Even some of the Roman demigods had made the trip.
Hazel could not stop crying, and hugged Nico so hard he worried his ribs had broken. Not that he cared. There was no Will here to fix them, so what did it matter.
Reyna had tried to console him, explaining that death was a part of life, and that she was certain Will was in Elysium. It hadn't helped, but he'd thanked her regardless, surprised when she too had pulled him into a crushing hug.
He'd been hugged so many times in the past few days. Annabeth, Piper, Jason, Frank, Percy and even Leo all decided it was their obligation to hug him. But none of them were as satisfying as Will's.
Nico realised that nothing was ever going to be as satisfying without Will there. Nico had lived his entire life around death, but this one had hit him so much harder than any before. Even Bianca's death, as much as it pained him to admit, hadn't caused him as much heartbreak as Will's.
Perhaps that's why hearts were kept in cages.
He stood, his joints aching from lack of use. Sighing, he knelt down next to Will, finally ready to say goodbye. He wiped what must've been the hundredth tear from his eye, angry at himself for crying again.
Leaning in close, he brushed Will's fringe from his eyes from the last time, and pressed a final kiss to his forehead.
He backed out of the room quickly, worried he was going to start bawling again, but never taking his eyes off the boy who could just as easily be sleeping, but who's blue eyes would never open again, and who would never smile at him like he was smiling now.
Wait, smiling...
"Hey Nico," Will's voice croaked, and he smiled his beautiful blinding smile and Nico went giddy with happiness and relief.
"WILL!" he cried, leaping across the room and flinging himself into his boyfriends open arms.
This time he wasn't ashamed to cry, sobbing freely into Will's shirt. Will's arms wrapped tightly around him and finally, it was a hug that felt right.
They were still wrapped up together when the Seven, accompanied by Reyna, Kayla, Austin, and several other demigods swarmed into the room.
They stood in shock until Percy let out a 'whoop!' and the camp erupted in cheers.
Will laughed weekly, allowing Nico to pull away far enough for him wipe the tears of the son of Hades' face.
"So," he said, "How long was I gone?"
"Oh, not very long," Nico replied, still grinning through the tears, "Just three days."
That day, three very significant things happened at Camp Halfblood.
One boy came back from the dead.
Another came back from a broken heart.
And there was the biggest bonfire celebration in camp history, in honour of Hades, the God of the Dead.
It was a day for the ages, but a day everyone could agree they were in no rush to relive.
:)
A/N There's something very final about this chapter, so if I do end up writing more one shots, I'll publish them before this one.
Thank you for sticking with me this long, even when I didn't update for like 3 months.
Now go get some sleep you little gremlins, put the fan fiction away, and dream some beautiful dreams. 333