A/N: I am sorry that this story was not updated in a while; it was entirely my fault. While HashtagMC had his chapter ready and finished, for like, weeks ago, I was busy setting off things and had a USB misplacement. — SilverStreaksofStardust

A/N: This is most likely the second-to-last chapter of this story. Just to let you know. And, of course, thanks to all of you for your review, favourites, and follows! — Hashtag

Nico

"Why… why are you crying?" I stuttered. Will never cried. Jason was like a big brother, Percy was stupid, Will Solace was always happy. Okay, maybe that was a bit too soon, considering that I had only known him – besides the two wars – for one day, but he had spread such an atmosphere of sunshine and happiness – well, besides the Jason-incident – that I had assumed that he always was the impersonation of cheerfulness. Okay, fine, I had made a hasty judgment.

Will sat up and wiped his eyes, though they remained teary and bloodshot. Whatever it was that was bothering him, it had to be a big deal. He took a deep breath, sporting an expression as if someone had just announced his death sentence before he spoke up. I knew this expression, it was probably the same I had worn several times in the past.

"Let me finish before you say anything" he croaked. I nodded. "Promised."

"I… I like you, Nico. I like you very, very much. I've been – been all confused and flustered ever since you've been here, and I've felt really… hurt when you didn't face me after the battle. I know it's stupid, because… because you're a hero and I'm a nobody, but I can't… can't stop, stop noticing you… can't stop stare at you and think of how cute you are… and whenever you look so down, I want to – to cuddle you and tell you how great you are…" He sniffed. "That sounds totally creepy, right?" He sighed. "But," he swallowed visibly hard, "if you want to be with Jason… I have to – have to let go. If he makes you happier, than – than he should be the one to make you happy." He broke into sobs at the last sentence.

Okay, that was a shit load of new information to process. If I had understood that correctly, than Will – was in love with me? And – he was willing to give up on that because he assumed that I loved Jason? And why the fuck would he assume that I was a hero? Or that he was a nobody? He had risked his fucking life in the Battle of Manhattan to save people's lives, for Hades' sake!

Before I could even think of it, I had grabbed the son of Apollo by the shoulders, shaking him. I didn't even know when I had started yelling, but I was yelling, definitely.

"How can you be so stupid? Are you really so fucking stupid, Solace? Don't ever, ever say such things again!" I saw tears filling his eyes and let go of him, wanting to slap myself. Of course, my words could so easy be mistaken for rejection! I was really an expert at screwing things up.

"You kn-know, a s-simple 'n-no' would – would have done" Will sobbed, turning away from me and clutching his pillow, his body shaken by sobs again. I had only made things worse than they already were.

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" I yelled in an attempt to undo the damage I had caused. "Will! Look at me!" The healer turned around, and if it is true that eyes are a window into people's soul, then Will's soul was shattered into little pieces of smashed hopes. "What do you want?" he choked out. "Laugh at me and gloat in your victory?"

At these words, something inside me snapped. How dare he assume that I would laugh at his pain? I had gone through so much pain myself, if there was anybody on this god damn planet who did not 'gloat in his victory', then it was me!

"NO YOU IDIOT" I screamed. "I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!" Slowly, I calmed down. "Don't ever say again you're a nobody" I whispered. "I'm no hero, but if you insist that I am a hero, then you are at least as much as a hero as I am. And about Jason," I laughed a bittersweet laughter, "you misunderstood everything. We aren't a couple, Will. Jason is like a big brother to me. A sometimes annoying big brother, but if I need him, he'll have my back. He," the words almost got stuck in my throat, "he was the first one who – who learned that I – I am gay." The last parts were a mere whisper. It was good that Will was a healer, because I felt like having a heart attack. I had never, never before said these words out loud. I am gay.

But I still owed Will the rest of the explanation. "The day you walked in… I had a panic attack. I needed a place and someone to feel safe, and since Jason had really cared about me – I went there. And…" that was going to be the hardest part, "I talked to him, about – about my c-crush – my crush on you" I whispered.

"On… me?" Will whispered, definitely a glint of hope in his eyes. I nodded, unsure what to say, my heartbeat only slowly returning to normal. For some reason, I had the feeling that Will was waiting for me to act.

"B-Based on what you've said earlier… you don't mind… if I k-kiss you?" I stammered more than I was comfortable with, and I was really afraid I might screw things up again, either with this request or with being a really bad kisser, but the thought of how a kiss with Will might feel had gnawed on me since I had noticed how much I cared about his opinion. In the three days between the battle and my confession to Percy I had thought a lot about Will.

"I don't mind" Will breathed, and the hopeful look he gave me was all the confirmation I might have needed. Slowly, I brought our faces closer, and gently brushed my lips against his. And again, this time a bit more determined. The third time, I didn't break the connection again. And this time, Will's hands moved to the back of my head and held it in place, fingers running through my hair as his lips moved along with mine.

"I love you" Will mumbled into our kiss. But I wasn't able to speak those words myself. 'Love' should not be said thoughtless. It was a meaningful word.

I settled for keeping to kiss him instead.

Will

"Why… why are you crying?" Nico asked.

"Let me finish before you say anything," I said.

"Promise."

"I… I like you, Nico," I admitted, letting those words sink in for a moment. "I like you very, very much. I've been – been all confused and flustered ever since you've been here, and I've felt really… hurt when you didn't face me after the battle. I know it's stupid, because… because you're a hero and I'm a nobody, but I can't… can't stop, stop noticing you… can't stop staring at you, and thinking of how cute you are… and whenever you look so down, I want to – to cuddle you and tell you how great you are …" My words were rushed out, and I wondered if I was speaking another language, because Nico had an odd look on his face. "That sounds totally creepy, right?

"But, if you want to be with Jason… I have to – have to let go. If he makes you happier, then – then he should be the one to make you happy." The last part hit me hard. I felt a part of weight dropped off of me, yet it was replaced with complete dread and a sliver of hope. I let out a steady breath, trying to recollect myself.

The son of Hades' frowned, his lips pursed. And then he shook me, while yelling. "How can you be so stupid? Are you really so fucking stupid, Solace? Don't ever, ever say such things again!"

My heart instantly collapsed at that. I hardly registered what I was saying or doing – just thinking of those words, replaying in my head. I had just admitted my crush, and Nico immediately rejected me.

"No! I didn't mean it like that!" he protested. "Will! Look at me!"

I did so, but stared as if he wasn't there. This was just too cruel. "What do you want? Laugh at me and gloat in your victory?"

Nico's eyes darkened. He breathed hard, and then started to yell. It gradually turned into his normal voice, explaining about my quick jumping to conclusion about Jason … "We aren't a couple, Will. Jason is like a big brother to me. A sometimes annoying big brother, but if I need him, he'll have my back. He … he was the first one who – who learned that I – I am gay."

I finally stared into his eyes, curious. Was Nico actually going to talk about this? Opening up to me?

"The day you walked in…" he said slowly, "I had a panic attack. I needed a place and someone to feel safe, and since Jason had really cared about me – I went there. And… I talked to him, about – about my c-crush – my crush on you."

"On…me?" He nodded his head, and then said,

"B-Based on what you've said earlier…you don't mind…if I k-kiss you?"

A smile goes on my face – a real smile. "I don't mind," I whispered.

We edged closer to each other, and Nico did a soft, light kiss, and then slowly it became deeper. I hold him closer, and part away for a bit.

"I love you," I whisper.

He doesn't say anything, but we kiss once more. And at that moment, everything is okay.