"You owe me at least three days of rest in the infirmary. Starting now,"

Will's voice echoed through Nico's head as he thought about the last thing Will had said to him. He sat up on his bed in the Camp's infirmary, confused as to why his mind was always drifting over to that boy from the Apollo cabin. Sure, he had stayed by Will's side for some of the battle with Gaea today and Will was constantly on his tail by ordering him not to use anymore "underworld-y stuff" and sending him to the infirmary. But there were so many other things he could have been worrying about. Why had he constantly been intruding in Nico's thoughts?

He contemplated this for a while before rolling over onto his side and pulling the bedsheets over himself. He gently closed his eyes and fell asleep. Fortunately, despite the traumatic events of yesterday, he was able to sleep without any dreams, or nightmares for that matter.

Time passed and Nico found himself waking back up, almost getting blinded by the morning sun shining directly onto him from the adjacent window. He noticed a boy in the room with him, facing the window and gazing out into the meadows of Camp Half-Blood.

"What time is it?" Nico asked flatly, as he pushed a few locks of his raven-colored hair out of his face.

"It's nice to see you too..." the boy muttered before turning around.

Nico sat up on the soft mattress, rubbing his eyes before looking up at the boy's face and studying his tan complexion and his long blonde tufts of gold-blonde hair. Of course, Nico thought to himself, it just had to be Will.

Will walked over to Nico, his footsteps making small creaking noises in the floorboards. He crouched down slightly so they were both at eye level.

"It's about 8 AM, and you've been asleep for about two days, Nico."

"...Oh."

That realization, ironically, was enough to fully wake Nico up. Two days…? My gods, I really did need to rest. Nico eventually became so enveloped in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice how close he was to Will's face. And he was so distracted by these thoughts that he definitely didn't take the time to notice how radiant Will's eyes looked, or how perfect his tan was, or even how cute his face looked in the sunlight.

"Yeah, well it's time to eat something now, Death Boy," Will replied after a very long two seconds.

"I told you not to call me that!" Nico snapped back, at Will who just looked unimpressed. Nico immediately realized that his and Will's faces were still just inches apart and he quickly retracted his head, like he'd just gotten an electrical shock.

"I- I'm sorry, Will."

"It's fine, Nico. You just got up. And you've been through a lot these past few weeks." Will said, gripping Nico's wrist sympathetically, causing the boy to quickly tense up for a second but eventually release.

"Will, could you go get me some nectar or something?" Nico asked, while nervously trying to avoid eye contact and get Will to leave the room.

"Of course, just stay right here." Will soothed as he took his hand off of Nico and he stood up.

"...Thanks"

Oh, my gods, I am just such an idiot. Nico berated himself in his own thoughts after Will walked out the door. He kept trying to push away the one guy who actually wanted to be his friend. But it's not like he could help it, he always got flustered whenever Will was nearby.

Is there something wrong with me?

His thoughts came to a halt when Will returned shortly after with a small vial containing a thick, honey-colored liquid.

Nico thanked Will again, took the vial, uncorked it, and took a few sips. He felt himself regaining his strength as the nectar ran down his throat. He finally gathered the nerve to look back up at Will, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts while his gaze was settled over Nico. They both made eye contact for a hot second before awkwardly turning away from each other.

"You have a visitor," Will noted, as he looked over at Hazel who had just come into the room. Either Nico had imagined it, or there had been a twinge of disappointment in his voice.

"Hi, Nico," Hazel said in a bittersweet tone, standing in the doorway. She was no doubt still thinking about the casualties of the battle two days ago.

"I'll give you two some privacy. I've still got a few more patients to take care of." Will announced, stepping out of the room. Nico was pretty sure he heard Will whisper something before he left, but he couldn't really understand what he'd said.

Hazel pushed some of her long, dark curls off of her signature purple Camp Jupiter t-shirt. She and Nico talked for a while about how everyone was doing, Hazel filling him in on a few things he missed the last two days, and the most agonizing topic of all, Leo.

Nico felt Leo's life force being expelled after he nobly sacrificed himself to defeat Gaea, but he knew something had been off about it. For all he knew, it could mean Leo was still alive somewhere, somehow.

Hazel and Nico talked for a while, she told him she'd be leaving at the end of the day and she told Nico to take care of himself while she was gone. They hugged and said their goodbyes. A few other people came by to visit Nico throughout the day too, like Frank and Jason. Nico appreciated them being there and talking with him, but deep down the one person he wanted to see right now was none other than the son of Apollo himself, Will Solace.

Deep down he knew that his feelings were more than just that of friends, but he kept denying it to himself. He'd already gotten over Percy, he didn't need anymore heartache in his life. Maybe if he told himself that his feelings were totally platonic enough times, it might become true.

After people stopped coming in to see him, Nico kept glancing over to the hallway to see if Will ever walked by. He looked out the window, gazing out at the now darkened meadows of the camp. It was pretty late now, Nico had just lost any hope that he'd see Will again that day.

He lowered himself onto his bed and pulled the bedsheets over himself, finding it a little bit harder to sleep that night. Eventually, he was able to push all his pestering thoughts to the back of his head and drift off to sleep.

He was falling… well, he was dreaming, but he still felt like he was falling, and being the son of Hades his dreams were infinitely more horrifying and intense than that of any other demigod. He desperately tried to wake himself up, however to no avail. He was being consumed entirely in a void of pitch-black darkness, watching himself as he disappeared.

Back at the Apollo cabin, Will laid in his bed, fully awake, his mind going into overdrive. It wasn't fair to him that he kept his emotions bottled up all the time. He was always under a lot of stress between being the head of his cabin and having to tend to several people's injuries these days.

And the worst thing of all? His undying feelings for Nico. He could picture the boy now in full detail… his clear pale skin, his large dark eyes that were always calculating and analyzing, his black untamed hair and the way it fell over his face, he could even picture his soft rosy pink lips and the rare occasions Nico actually smiled.

Of course, Will wasn't superficial, his love went deeper than looks. He admired Nico for so much more than that. Will knew Nico had faced problems, losses, and conflicts all his life but despite that, Nico still stood up for what was right. He was brave, courageous, and truly a hero at his core, even if he didn't realize it himself.

But Will's mind was still pacing, wondering. How could Nico not pick up the most obvious of hints? Is it wrong to be so upset with him for that? ...Probably. But did he really not hear me when I whispered that I loved him? Will eventually determined that he'd probably explode if he kept thinking about Nico… but he just couldn't stop. I have to tell him… I have to tell him now.

He rose slowly and pulled himself out of bed cautiously, as to not awaken any of his cabinmates. He stumbled around as quietly as he could in the dark, his eyes fully widened and watching his every step. Quickly, he laced up his sneakers, which was admittedly difficult to do in the dark, and he slowly stepped towards the window. He hesitated before opening it, listening for anyone who might be awake. After a brief period of silence, he pushed the cool glass panel and winced as it made a small creaking noise. He decided to take a chance, and he lept out the window and fell onto the soft grass below. After shutting the window from the outside, he stealthily made his way over to the infirmary with his path illuminated solely by the moonlight.

Still suffocating in darkness and falling in his dream, all Nico saw were flashbacks— terrible ones at that. He rewatched and re-lived his breakdown in the hands of Eros where he had been forced to admit his love for Percy, feeling every single bit of humiliation, self-hatred, and misery once again. As he plummeted into nothingness he could feel Eros mocking him, laughing at him as if his suffering was the most entertaining thing in the world. Nico wanted this hellish nightmare to end but he just couldn't find the strength to wake up.

But then, he saw the sun— or rather, a large sphere of light off in the distance. He felt himself being yanked away from the void and he fell into a pair of someone's arms. He looked up at his savior, who had a tan complexion and soft blue eyes. Before he even recognized who it was, he woke up with a jolt.

(warning: sex or something idk)

"I—" Will had only just walked down the hall and over to Nico's bed. He hadn't planned on Nico waking up himself.

Fortunately, he didn't have to defend himself because Nico shut him up by grabbing his shoulders and planting his lips softly against Will's. It was just a kiss, there wasn't even any tongue, but it was still so emotional, so intimate, and so passionate.

The two boys separated and Will took the time to admire Nico, who somehow looked even more beautiful in the moonlight that was pouring in through the window. He gazed longingly into the son of Hades' eyes, who just stared right back at him with the same adoring expression.

Will moved closer and pressed his lips against Nico's once more, this time the kiss grew a lot deeper and a bit less gentle as Nico wrapped his arms around Will and pulled him onto the bed.

"Uh. Maybe we should go somewhere a little more private…?" Will suggested, breaking off the kiss, clearly cautious of waking up the entire infirmary with the sounds of love-making.

Nico glanced over the bedside which was completely darkened by the night. He wrapped his arms around Will's waist as a devious smirk settled over his face. He tightened his hold on Will and rolled them both off of the bed together and into the shadows where they both were immediately liquified.

A second later, they resolidified inside the Hades cabin.

"Nico! I didn't mean shadow-travel!" Will scolded in a harsh whisper, flailing his arms frantically either to emphasize his point or perhaps he was just really bad at dancing.

Nico just smirked with newfound confidence, Will liked him back, that was all the validation he wanted right now. He stepped over to the blonde boy and wrapped his arms around the slightly taller boy, one arm went behind his neck and one over his waist, forcing them closer. Will immediately shut up, in response to Nico's sudden change in attitude.

"You're cute when you get all worked up like that, y' know? ...Besides, today was my last day in the infirmary anyway," Nico whispered seductively.

"But—" Will managed to get out before his voice failed him. Fortunately for him, it was dark enough that Nico wouldn't be able to see how much he had been blushing. He trembled in Nico's embrace as he was led to one of the coffin-shaped bunks— very creepy but he wasn't going to let questionable interior design kill the mood.

Nico laid on top of Will, kissing him once more, but those gentle, affectionate kisses gradually became more sultry and desperate. Will pushed his tongue against Nico's mouth, who obliged and opened up for Will to intertwine his tongue with his. He ran his fingers through Nico's soft, glossy black hair as he moaned into the kiss.

Nico took this as an incentive to go further. He pulled away, leaving a saliva trail between him and Will and he quickly pulled his shirt off, exposing his pale complexion. Despite being skinny, Nico was still relatively well-built. He hovered over Will and peeled his shirt up for him, and Will threw it across the floor. Will was still a bit bigger and a little more defined than Nico was.

Will pushed Nico back down onto the small bed and pinned him against the mattress. "Bet you thought you were gonna top, huh?" he teased, as his warm breath settled over Nico's face. Nico just looked away, blushing and a little embarrassed. He felt Will press himself against him, their skin making full contact, creating infinitely more mutual pleasure and intensity.

Soon enough, they were both in their boxer briefs, with their thighs slipping in between each other's as they were locked in an intense make-out session. Will bucked his crotch against Nico's hips, eliciting a small groan from the smaller boy.

"Are you ready?"

"Uh, yea… you don't have, like, any diseases or anything though, right?"

Will paused for a moment "Of course not! Geez, Nico, you'd think I'd be the one asking that. Being the son to the god of healing and all that—"

"Will, it's my first time and I'm just kind of anxious about it."

"Yea… well if we're being honest, I've never done anything like this before either… I'll try to go easy on you."

Nico nodded slowly, and he reached over to an end table and picked up a jar and opened it.

"Olive oil…" Will chuckled slightly, "Of course,". He saw this as a nod to his and Nico's Greek heritage. Will slid off Nico's black undergarments, making the boy involuntarily let out a small whine. Will placed his index and middle fingers into the jar, oiling them up and he spread his partner's legs apart and started swirling his now oily fingers around the entrance to the boy's hole. Nico shuddered and Will pushed his fingers inward about an inch while the dark-haired boy tried to keep his composure. Soon both fingers were in all the way, twisting and moving around inside Nico lubing him up.

Will took out his fingers and finally gripped the elastic bands of his boxer briefs, tugging them off and revealing his erect member to Nico who blushed and let out a soft gasp.

He took it slow, putting the tip in first and carefully watching Nico's expression in case he went too far. "Will…" Nico moaned "Please… I- I want this...". With that incentive, Will gradually pushed himself all the way inside, earning a high-pitched squeak from Nico which Will had thought was adorable. Will kissed him on the forehead and began to pull out, watching Nico's chest rise and fall as his breathing became slightly heavier.

He thrusted back in once again, a little quicker this time. He began to start picking up the pace, listening to Nico's grunts and small whimpers become affectionate moans. Will was enjoying it about as much as well, with each push bringing him closer to his edge. He'd had half-expected Nico's body to feel like an old corpse, but fortunately, Nico was soft and warm on the inside. The pleasure felt unreal to Will.

"Faster… Will, please…"

Nico's growing dependency on Will turned him on more than anything. He more than happily obliged Nico, picking up the speed and allowing himself to go fully in each time. "Oh... my... gods…" Nico whimpered as he felt himself tear up, not from pain, but from sheer bliss. As Will rammed his member against Nico's prostate, Nico felt himself reaching his limit as he clawed and grasped at the sheets around him.

"Will I'm gonna— Oh my gods, Will..."

Nico's breathing became extremely heavy now, with groaning and pelvic thrusting right as he gave into the intense pleasure Will was giving to him. He climaxed all over his stomach and chest.

"...I love you."

Will immediately stopped himself and looked down at Nico in shock. Gods dammit, I messed up didn— Nico's train of thought was interrupted by Will pushing both their lips together and picking his pace back up. Once Will started feeling himself going over the edge, he just allowed it and suddenly Nico felt another warm sensation inside himself.

They were both covered in semen, but who the hell even cared at this point. Will embraced Nico, with tears in his eyes. He hovered over his lover and looked adoringly into his eyes.

"Did you really mean that...? You love me?"

Nico struggled to keep his composure. He smiled and nodded "Yes. I really, really do." he added in a heartfelt tone.

"I love you too, Nico... my gods, this is what I've kept trying to tell you these past few days,".

Nico laughed a bit "Nothing says 'I love you' like an order for 3 days in the infirmary".

"You're so annoying, Di Angelo"

"Not as annoying as… as…" Nico's speech began to waver as he fell asleep.

Will smirked and wrapped his arm around his love and pulled him close. He fell asleep right next to him, knowing that nothing and no one could break their bond.

End.

A/N: Thank you for reading my first submission on this site! Be sure to leave a review and tell me what you thought! Also, side note: I realized that I glossed over the fact that Nico usually passes out after shadow-traveling as I was finishing writing this. But uh, let's just not dwell on that little factoid too much, kay? Peace out-