Archive of Our Own

Will Solace wasn’t quite sure what to do. Ever since coming to camp, he felt that he had found his calling: to be a healer, to fix what was broken. He pretty much failed at anything else children of Apollo were supposed to excel at, so how was he supposed to deal with something that wasn’t even linked to his father? He didn’t know the first thing about how to deal with crushes, less with one on a boy, yet the Fates had put this predicament on him.

Ever since first seeing him, he had been drawn to Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades. There was just something… different about him. At first, Will wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad different, after all, there was no one quite like Nico.

And he didn’t mean his origin as a time displaced teenager or his parentage, but rather the way he moved, the way he presented himself. Nico di Angelo was an enigma, a mystery, and as a son of Apollo, there was nothing Will wanted more than to shed light on it.

This curiosity had turned into an active interest after they got to work together during the war with Gaia, and only intensified after, when he had helped out at the infirmary despite his rather lacking knowledge on the subject.

There was a tenacity to him Will couldn’t help but admire, and it only made him want to solve the mystery behind the son of Hades even more. Who was he? What did he like? Why was he so dead set on believing that no one wanted to be around him?

Will wished he could point at himself as an example that people were not instinctually repulsed by Nico, but that would be too obvious, wouldn’t it? It would be putting himself out there to be rejected, hurt, left behind.

It didn’t help his chances that Nico seemed so guarded about him. When they first started hanging out, he thought he might be receptive to any advances he might make, but over the days it seemed apparent that something prevented Nico from opening up to him.

“Will, nice to see you here,” Nico said. Will yelped, but he at least resisted to urge to jump in surprise. The son of Hades raised a brow, but didn’t comment. “I have never seen you around the arena.”

“Um… yeah, not much of a fighter, so…” he looked him up and down trying to find something, anything to… aha! “There’s a wound on your arm.”

Yeah, people may call him shifty or opportunistic, but what other choice did he have? It wasn’t like Nico’s activities overlapped that much with his. He needed any excuse to get him to talk to him.

Nico raised his arm and looked at the cut a bit above his wrist. It was superficial at most, it hadn’t even drawn blood, and the son of Hades seemed to notice that, too.

“It’s just a scratch,” he said, shrugging. “I’ll be fine.”

“It still could get infected,” he insisted, taking his hand and dragging his arm closer. “Here, let me.”

Nico pulled a grimace. For a second, Will thought the wound was more serious than he expected, but soon he realized it was just Nico’s usual aversion to touch.

He gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he sang a simple healing hymn. The cut close instantly, not leaving even the slightest mark behind.

“Thanks, I guess,” Nico said awkwardly, taking his hand back. “But hey, if I lose my hand, there’s always hooks!”

Will blinked, utterly bemused.

“Even if that ever happened, there’s always better options,” he said, uncertain. “There’s prosthetics and—”

“Nah, hooks are cooler. I could live the pirate life, you know? Die plundering the wrong booty,” Nico said, smirking as he made a flourish with his arm while his hand curled in a hook shape. Will grimaced at that, which Nico noticed. “It’s a joke, Will.”

“Why do your jokes always involve you dying?” He asked seriously. “That’s really worrying, Nico.”

“I don’t see it,” he said, shrugging. “I’m a son of Hades, the Underworld is home… and the people who get me will laugh along with me.”

Nico smiled softly, almost as if remembering a secret. Will didn’t know how to make Nico understand.

“But you are alive!” He exclaimed, unable to hide his fear. Nico had all these problems believing he didn’t belong with the living, and he didn’t understand why. “That kind of talk is not going to make people laugh, it will just worry them!”

He tried reaching for Nico once more. Even if he couldn’t quite say what he was feeling, he could show it through other means, right? However, before he was even close to touching him, someone pulled him backwards. Percy Jackson had grabbed Nico by the back of his shirt, and now had his arm around his neck, almost as if he planned to choke him from behind.

“You worry too much, Will,” Percy said, giving him a somewhat terrifying smile. “Nico is just being Nico.”

He looked at the son of Hades, expecting him to be as uncomfortable with Percy touching him as he was with Will just a minute ago, but Nico still had that smile on his face. If anything, it was even wider now that Percy was here.

“What are you doing here, Percy?” He asked. There was an almost teasing tone to it that Will didn’t understand.

“Oh, you know… Mrs. O’Leary missed you,” he said somewhat lamely, though his glare still had Will pinned in place. “She’s been whining all day.”

“Oh, has she?” Nico seemed amused at the thought. He turned back to Will. “Well, better not keep her waiting. See you later, Will.”

Nico moved forward, and almost in sync, Percy moved with him, slowly dropping his arm until it was straddling Nico’s hip. Will raised an eyebrow.

“Later,” he grunted.

He couldn’t help but think that he was missing something here.

Will sighed as he walked the same beaten path from the Infirmary to his cabin. Most days, he only had to deal with stomach aches or combat wounds. It was a bit repetitive, but there was no one better than him at camp to do it. Anaphylaxis should have been a welcome change, but to be honest it just scared him seeing that Demeter girl so swollen.

However, that girl had actually helped him when he talked to her regarding his biggest concern of the moment.

When he had begun treating her, the girl was just cracking jokes about looking like the blueberry girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and saying honestly outrageous stuff about whether she looked fat and that bees were just ‘breathtaking’.

It had shocked Will how she could joke around when she had almost died before her siblings rushed her to the infirmary, but then she had said something that had just made something in Will's brain click.

“Well, it’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last,” she had said, lying on the bed and waiting for the swelling to go down. “It’s just the way I find humor in hard times.”

And just like that, Will got it.

He knew that Nico had a hard life as a demigod. He didn’t know all the details, but people didn’t just start wearing all black and avoiding the Sun for no reason. Nico was obviously hurting and using that macabre humor to cope about it.

But… that wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with it, was it? He’d admit, psychology wasn’t his strong suit as a healer, but joking about dying and being unlikable so much couldn’t do him good, right?

“Will!” Nico’s voice called. The son of Apollo turned quickly, trying to think of what to do. “Careful there, you almost walked into the wall.”

Will turned his head. Indeed, the crudely painted red wood of Ares cabin was right in his path, and he had been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed.

“Oh, yeah, got a lot on my mind,” he muttered, looking at Nico.

What could he do to cheer Nico up, to stop him from degrading himself with jokes and ironic comments?

“Okay, then,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Do you… need to talk about it or…?”

Maybe he needed the opposite of his jokes. Fun comments and quips that were meant to remind him to be positive and that he was important and wanted.

“Aw, look at you, caring about others,” he said, ruffling his hair. Nico frowned and swatted his hand away. Will almost forgot what he was doing. Nico’s pout was just too adorable. “You’re growing up so fast!”

“I’m older than you,” he said, frowning. “An old man, with a foot already in the grave.”

Now it was Will’s turn to frown. Well, it wasn’t like he expected immediate progress, but hearing him answer his comment about personal growth with yet another morbid joke was a bit disheartening.

“Does the old man want to learn about us fellow kids?” Will blinked. When had Percy arrived? “I got them.”

Nico’s eyes widened as Percy produced what Will believed was an old school game console with a cable.

“You’re joking,” he said in an excited tone.

“Had to bribe the Stolls with… a lot, but here you go, your own Gameboy and Link Cable,” he said. “Mythomagic: the Videogame and Sorcery Brawl included.”

“You’re the best b… just the best!” Nico said, giving Will a quick look. “Now, ready to have your ass kicked by an octogenarian?”

“You don’t know how to play,” Percy pointed out. “It’s your funeral, grandpa.”

“Well, death agrees with me,” Nico shot back, grinning as he walked alongside Percy towards Cabin 3. “It agrees that you’ll go down.”

“I’ve met death once, you know?” Percy kept saying as they got farther and farther from Will, who could no longer hear them.

“See you later, Nico,” he said to the empty space where the son of Hades used to be.

Despite everything, Will was nothing if not persistent (or stubborn if he was to go with Kayla’s wording). He kept trying to talk to Nico again, just like he used to when he helped at the infirmary, but the Fates, it seemed, were against him.

Percy Jackson just kept appearing out of nowhere, taking Nico away before he even had the chance to approach.

“You know they are friends, right? Friends hang out,” Austin pointed out as he patted him on the head. “Percy has seen better days; he probably needs the company.”

Yes, Will was aware of his break-up with Annabeth. The golden couple had somehow fallen apart mere days after they had come back from their quest to stop Gaia rising.

While officially there were no ‘sides’, everyone seemed more sympathetic towards Annabeth, who had left camp in a hurry right after crying her eyes out and throwing a lunch tray at Percy’s head. There were rumors of some other girl having taken Percy from her, and the Athena and Aphrodite cabins were out hunting for who it could be, though Percy didn’t seem to have a new girlfriend.

Last news he had heard, the main suspects were girls from the Roman camp or some European beauty that had charmed Percy right under Annabeth’s nose. Percy did seem different, too. He was quieter and more taciturn, except when it came to Nico, which brought it all back to Will’s problems.

“I know he does,” Will whined pitifully. “But it’s still annoying!”

“Well, Percy’s giving sword fighting classes now,” Kayla mentioned. “And I saw Nico going to Arts and Crafts…”

His sister left the sentence hanging in the air, but Will got it.

Giving them a grateful smile, he stood up and raced towards Arts and Crafts.

He expected Nico to be at some class, maybe listening to Malcolm Pace go on about pottery and how to make it just like Athenians did back in the day. He chuckled, imagining Nico trying and failing to do an amphora. Maybe Will could appear in the nick of time and help him out.

He blushed as he let his mind wander, thinking of the possibility of helping Nico with the pottery wheel as an excuse to hug him…

When he got to the Arts and Crafts Center, however, he saw the Athena kids alongside some assorted demigods engrossed in their own projects, talking to each other as they weaved, worked the clay, or painted on canvases all around… except for a corner that seemed to repel them.

Nico was sitting there with a small block of marble, about half a foot tall. The son of Hades was engrossed chiseling at it to give it shape.

Will couldn’t help sighing. He knew how it went. People had tried to approach Nico, to help him feel at home, but Nico had just answered with sarcasm and irony, until everyone just gave up.

He remembered what he had said to Octavian, that awful day, that no one liked him and that he didn’t belong at camp. To Will, that just wasn’t true. Camp Half-Blood was a friendly place, even to Nico, he just had this idea that he wasn’t liked, and he sabotaged himself.

“Hey, Death boy!” He said excitedly. Nico jumped and his chisel hit the wrong angle, breaking of a swirl that looked like a 6 he had made on the block. He swore. “Are you making a giant dice for Mythomagic or something?”

Nico glared at him, but Will only felt bad for him. Even now he couldn’t believe people actually wanted to be by his side.

“Mythomagic doesn’t use dice,” he managed to say between gritted teeth. “It’s a frieze, an art form using reliefs.”

“Oh,” he said, feeling a bit stupid. Of course Nico had more interests besides that card game. “Isn’t it supposed to be over a stone tablet?”

“Not the way I do it,” he muttered as he rotated the block, showing off a pirate type skull (anatomically inaccurate) that seemed to be made of fish scales, surrounded by waves that covered the whole face of the block.

“Wow, you’re… talented,” he said. He noticed further reliefs going into the nether face of the block, and he couldn’t help but wonder how long it must have taken. “Did some Athena kid teach you?”

“Nah, my mom did,” he said as he rotated it again and tried to remake the swirl he had been working on. “You already know I creep out most campers.”

“You don’t!” Will exclaimed, almost instinctually. “People approach you and try to be your friend all the time, Nico! I’ve already told you!”

“Yeah, that’s doubtful,” Nico said, half of his focus back on the block. “The only time I got people wanting to be my friend was after the War with the Titans. It lasted a whole week and a half.”

“Well, maybe it was something you did,” Will said. Nico dropped the chisel and turned to look at him incredulously. “People have tried to include you all along, but you push them away.”

“Did you?” Nico asked, eyebrow raised.

“What?”

“I don’t remember that many people trying, so my memory might not be the best,” Nico said, though there was an edge to his voice. “Were you one of the people that tried being friendly that I ‘pushed away’, Will?”

Will gulped. He didn’t know how to bring up that he had been too nervous to try, unsure of what Nico’s difference meant, if his instincts were telling him he was dangerous or fascinating.

“I’m trying now,” he said instead, voice filled with a courage he did not feel. “And you are—”

“Working hard as always, huh?”

Will cursed inwardly. Percy, a bit sweaty and red from exertion, was standing behind them. He gave Nico a smile before turning to glare at him. Something in the expression reminded him of a hurricane.

Before he could say anything else, he sat between them, shoving him aside in the process. Nico, with wide eyes, covered his frieze with a sheet.

“Yes, and you still can’t see it,” he said, giving Percy a glare. “Not until it’s done.”

Percy raised his arms in surrender and chuckled.

“I know, I know,” he said lightly. “But I’m still curious.”

“What part of ‘surprise’ don’t you get, Percy?” Nico huffed. “It’ll be done before you go back to school, promise.”

“I’d say I can’t wait, but after that we won’t be seeing each other that often,” he said wistfully. “So, take all the time you need.”

Will stood up suddenly, making Nico glance at him. Well, it was also the fact that he was emitting a soft glow, his very own version of an ‘idea lightbulb’.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to it,” he said. “Talk later, Nico?”

Nico gave an uncertain nod, but he didn’t seem that enthused with the idea.

Will didn’t care. He had to contact his mom and tell her he wouldn’t be going on the road with her after summer.

He finally had the chance to get closer to Nico without Percy’s interference.

Despite his best efforts, finding Nico after Percy (and most of the campers) had left for school was almost impossible.

There was only a dozen or so campers left around, and yet Nico tended to disappear and only show up for meals and some random activities.

Will was starting to worry that Nico was eating so little, maybe even secluding himself from others now that Percy wasn’t at camp anymore.

And yes, it was true Will had wanted alone time with Nico, but if the only way to make it a reality was to turn Nico into even more of an antisocial hermit, then it really wasn’t worth it.

Still… Kayla had been telling him to be more proactive.

He rose with the Sun the next morning, and set up by the Hades Cabin. He saw Nico appear out of the cabin’s still elongated shadow, and his eyes widened.

“You didn’t sleep in your cabin last night,” he accused him, making Nico jump.

“Jesus, Will!” He exclaimed, looking around in a panic. “I almost ran you through with my sword.”

Will didn’t let Nico stray from the topic at hand. He kept frowning at him, focusing all his disappointed doctor energy at him.

“I saw you come out of a shadow,” he said, trying to get it through Nico’s thick skull that he was putting himself in danger. “I thought I said no more Shadow Travel. Doctor’s orders, remember?”

Nico rolled his eyes.

“I thought that was only while I was in the infirmary,” he said, crossing his arms. “I’ve done this for years. If I don't practice often, I'll get rusty.”

“Well, you shouldn’t!” Will said, trying to calm himself down. He couldn’t just nag Nico if he wanted him to take better care of himself. “Nico last time I… we almost lost you to the darkness.”

His voice was pleading, begging, but he didn’t care. He needed to impress on Nico how painful it had been to see him almost vanish.

“Last time, I had to carry another demigod, a satyr, and a forty-feet tall statue halfway across the world,” he pointed out. Will noticed he seemed a bit less guarded, more understanding. “It was an emergency, but I know my limits.”

“You knew your limits before,” he stressed the word, trying to not sound judgmental. “Right now, after almost losing yourself to the shadows once, we don’t know how much is too much.”

Nico stayed quiet, probably thinking about what he had said. He was frowning and avoiding his gaze.

“Look, just, stop with the Shadow Travel, okay?” he said softly. “At least for a few months. It’s not like it’s the only way to move around.”

“It’s the fastest, though.”

“Well, I think you’d benefit from stopping in the road and… smelling the roses. Doctor’s orders,” he said, smiling slightly. Nico nodded gruffly and walked towards his cabin, though he seemed to be limping a bit. “Are you okay? Where did you teleport to, anyways?”

Nico stood still halfway through the stairs and looked at him. He bit his lip.

“Going back and forth to the forest,” he said. “Landed on a branch and it broke.”

Will frowned. Nico was usually better at lying.

“You fought a monster,” he accused. “Probably while you were tired because of the Shadow Travel.”

Nico hung his head low, but nodded, nonetheless. Will felt a bit bad that he was nagging him again.

“Look, I’m not mad, just… be honest with me, okay?” he asked. Nico remained with his head down, but he could see him flush in shame. “I care about you, and I’m a healer. I need to know what’s up to better heal you.”

“I don’t need healing this time,” he insisted, voice tired and strained. “I was just… unprepared. I’m a bit sore, though, so I’ll have some ambrosia and sleep a bit.”

“Okay, but if anything comes up—”

“I’ll go see you,” Nico promised. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I really need some sleep.”

Will nodded and went towards the mess hall, almost skipping in happiness.

Finally, some progress! That had been his best conversation with Nico yet. The son of Hades had even opened up a bit.

He just needed to keep at it, and eventually he and Nico would get closer, just like he wanted.

Things started looking up in the Nico department over the next two weeks. Nico showed up more often to meals and even talked a bit with some of the remaining campers. It seemed that trying to have that much interaction was a bit exhausting for Nico, who tired easily and often didn’t talk with Will for more than a few minutes.

Will didn’t let it get to him. He knew getting closer to Nico would take a long time. Not that he knew how to take the next step anyways. People usually just talked until one day they realized they were friends, but that wasn’t his end goal.

Maybe he should be looking up how to flirt, how to make his intentions with Nico clear…

As he was making his way back from the Strawberry Fields (he liked making his own jam sometimes, sue him) he believed he saw Nico, staring directly at him.

He blinked to make sure he hadn’t imagined it, but Nico was still there, though he seemed to be staring at the sky instead, giving a smirk as a Pegasus made a couple of circles in the sky before landing inside the stables themselves.

He was a bit far for Will to be certain, but he swore Nico moved his head to call him over and started walking towards the Pegasus Stables, and Will, without thinking twice, started following after him.

His stomach did somersaults as Nico looked around, seemingly checking if he was still tailing him before he sneaked behind the Stables, near the edge of the forest.

This was it. Nico wanted to talk with him privately. He felt like he was going to throw up from nervousness and sing the entirety of his mom’s love ballad repertoire. No matter the result, he and Nico would finally take another step in their relationship.

“You did come!” Nico exclaimed, excited when he was still a wooden wall away from the back. Gulping, he stepped forward to say something, anything, but…

“Why wouldn’t I?” someone else said. Will froze, half his body in sight, so he could see Nico, but not the other person who was probably leaning against the back wall of the stable. “I’m always happy to see you.”

“Well, with school and everything, I wasn’t sure you—”

Will stifled a gasp when Percy Jackson leaped forward and shut Nico up with a kiss. Both boys closed their eyes, and a million thoughts passed through Will’s head.

Had Nico known he would follow, or had he just misread him as wanting him to follow when he was just skittish and looking around? Was he the exotic beauty that had stolen Percy from Annabeth, or was this just some casual thing that had nothing to do with that breakup? And, perhaps more importantly, if he could see them clearly, would they spot him once they opened their eyes?

Not having any time to react, Will flung himself into a nearby, unkempt bush, wincing as the leaves rustled when he hid behind it. Percy stopped kissing Nico and looked around.

“Did you hear something?” He asked, looking around in Will’s direction.

Nico blinked slowly, following Percy’s gaze. Will tensed, now sure Nico hadn’t actually intended for him to follow.

“Huh?” He asked, dazed. Will bit his lower lip, trying to keep quiet. “Maybe a Pegasus or something?”

Percy turned to look at him and gave a smirk.

“Come on,” he said, voice teasing. “That wasn’t one of your so-called ‘mind-melters’.”

He laughed. Nico sighed contentedly.

“It’s been a week,” Nico pointed out. “Any kiss would have been a mind-melter.”

Percy smiled, obviously proud of himself, before going back to capture Nico’s lips once more.

This kiss was different. While the last one had been relatively chaste, even if a little long, this second kiss was desperate, passionate. Will observed raptly as Percy pried Nico’s mouth open, making the son of Hades moan.

He was so focused on the movements of their mouths, the small glimpses of tongue moving, that it took Percy’s appreciative groan for him to notice that both of them had done away with their belts, and now were grinding against each other, making their pants slowly but surely pool around their ankles.

“Wait,” he said, interrupting the kiss. “We can’t, what if someone—”

“Didn’t seem to bother you that night,” Nico whispered into his ear, loud enough that Will could hear. “Sally and Paul are not around this time, there are barely any campers around, this is safer.”

Will could never had imagined Nico, shy, polite Nico, saying anything like that, ever. But there he was, hiding behind a bush with Nico chuckling and moaning as Percy fumbled to take off Nico’s boxer-briefs.

He watched with rapt attention as Nico’s smooth, round ass was exposed by Percy’s hand pulling the underwear down slowly, and a single thought kept repeating over and over.

“They have done this before.”

Will knew he should leave, that he shouldn’t be intruding on Nico’s private time, but he found he couldn’t move an inch. If he did so, the leaves would rustle again, and if Nico found out he was watching them, he would not only lose his friendship, but also gain the title of camp Peeping Tom.

So, he stayed, almost drooling as Percy’s hands pulled Nico’s glutes apart, revealing more of Nico that Will had ever thought he would see (but oh, he had hoped).

Nico’s hole was enticing enough, but seeing Percy use his index finger to circle around it, teasing it as Nico hummed in appreciation was enough to make Will’s throat dry.

Percy pressed his finger against the rim, using a modicum of force, only to surprise both himself and Will when it buried into Nico up to his middle phalanx.

“Wha…?” he said, surprised.

Nico was blushing a bit, looking ashamed.

“I hoped we would… you know… so I prepped beforehand,” he admitted sheepishly.

“I was just… unprepared. I’m a bit sore, though.”

No way. Had Nico really…?

Despite everything that was happening, his cargo shorts were getting more and more uncomfortable by the second.

“Heh, naughty, naughty,” Percy teased. He added another finger, giving a low, raspy chuckle when it also entered easily. “And yet you still can’t say it out loud.”

Despite Nico’s words, Percy took his sweet time fingering him, making sure he was stretched enough (and despite not knowing that much about that area of medicine, Will couldn’t help but agree that probably was for the best). By the time he was done, both their shirts had joined their pants on the floor, and Nico's pale white skin was flushed, with him a panting mess.

"Come on," Nico begged rubbing his own body against Percy's. "I'm ready."

“Back pocket,” Percy grunted once he took his fingers out. Nico followed his directions and knelt to rummage through Percy's discarded jeans, pulling out a light blue sachet. He teared it open and poured some lube into his right hand before taking off Percy’s blue boxers with his left.

Will’s mouth hung open. He couldn’t exactly measure or compare from his position, but Percy was… definitely above average. Nico, still kneeling used his hand to lube him up, and the son of Poseidon understandably groaned at the image of Nico's face being so close to his cock. Once he deemed him slick enough, Nico stood up and walked towards the wall, leaning forward against it and pushing his ass out enticingly.

“Is this good enough?” Nico asked, looking back at him and raising an eyebrow coyly. If Will tried hard enough, he could almost imagine he was talking to him.

“Not quite,” Percy said as he turned Nico around, finally giving Will a good look at Nico’s cock. It was a bit smaller than Percy’s, but definitely thicker. He had to adjust himself through his cargo shorts, especially once Percy maneuvered them so Nico’s legs wrapped around him.

“He must have very good core muscles,” Will thought as Nico gave a chuckle and put an arm behind Percy’s neck.

“Romantic,” Nico said, a hint of irony in his tone as he fumbled with his other hand, probably helping Percy’s member find its way. Will knew he had succeeded after both gasped at the same time, Percy’s hips moving slightly forwards.

The next minute or so, was filled with moans, grunts and loud kissing sounds as he saw Percy’s hips slowly pull forwards, only to retreat at a slow, steady rhythm and Nico’s legs tightened around Percy’s torso, locking them as they continued their… activity.

Will suddenly realized that they were being loud, completely lost in each other’s sounds. He could probably sneak out from the bush and not worry about being found out by the sound of rustling leaves but… his leg was probably asleep, he had been in the same position for a while, so he should at least get a bit more comfortable for a while until another chance showed up.

Well, he did have a problem most urgent in the uncomfortable department. He unbuttoned his cargo shorts, relieving some of the pressure of his crotch and, to make sure he could move around without making to much noise, started rubbing himself over his white briefs, pleased to not hear any rustling over the sounds Percy and Nico were making.

He observed, almost spellbound, as Nico moaned and asked Percy to pick up the pace, but the son of Poseidon didn’t comply.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, voice strained. “Last time we did this you—”

“I told you I prepped.” Nico groaned, this time out of frustration, as he moved his hips to try and increase the pace. Percy’s arms tightened to hold him in place. “I’m not that delicate, Percy.”

“Please, Nico, humor me,” he asked, his lips against his neck. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Nico sighed and looked around. Will ducked a bit trying to remain hidden, but Nico’s gaze passed over him. In fact, he seemed to catch something beyond the bush. He smirked.

“Say Percy,” he said, his voice a bit breathless. “Do you remember that first night? What made you go wild?”

Percy grunted a bit. It was obvious he was struggling to keep a slow pace despite what he had said.

“You, you did,” he said. “Having you under me, in my room—”

“Where your parents could catch us at any moment,” Nico interrupted. Percy went in a bit faster before catching himself, but Nico still gave a small squeal at that. “Yeah, you definitely remember.”

“Nico…” he warned.

“What if we got caught?” Nico kept going. “What if a camper just happened upon us and saw us like this?”

“Don’t.” his tone was halfway between an order and begging. “Don’t say that.”

“Hmm, imagine if Will Solace was watching us.”

Three things happened in quick succession after that statement. First, Percy’s hips stuttered, breaking the rhythm and doing a sharp, deep thrust, then Nico threw his head back and moaned loudly, almost, but not quite, masking the almost animalistic growl from Percy, and finally, Nico used his arms to hug Percy closer to his body, and he looked straight at the bush Will was hiding in, a knowing smirk in his face.

Will locked up, face white as a sheet. How long had Nico known? When he looked around after Percy said no? Since he dove into the bush? Even before then?

Why hadn’t he said anything, then? Had he… Had Nico planned this all along? To be caught by Will? Why? What had he expected him to do?

Percy pulled back. From the bush, most of his face was hidden, but Will could easily discern the glare he was giving Nico.

“Why him?” He asked gruffly, refusing to move further.

“Because I notice stuff,” Nico said back in a conspirative tone. “So please… humor me?”

“I…”

“What would you do, what would you say, if Will was here, looking at us, seeing me like this, all—? Ah!”

Percy resumed thrusting inside Nico, pistoning himself in and out as his ass tightened and relaxed in quick succession.

Nico’s eyes rolled up, his mouth in a perfect ‘O’ shape as he was shaken by the son of Poseidon’s thrusts. Percy took advantage of that to bite down on Nico’s neck, making the teen whimper in need.

“Go away,” Percy snarled, looking in the wrong direction, but Will still felt as if he was being talked to, and shivered at the rage there. “He’s not interested, get it through your thick head.”

As he kept moving his hips with tremendous force, Percy pressed even closer to Nico, as if trying to hide him from onlookers, until only his arms and legs, wrapped around him, and the top of his head were visible to Will.

But Percy was not done with the roleplay that wasn’t truly a roleplay. He moved his head a bit, leaving Nico’s head visible, only to suck on the bite he had made, making sure to leave a mark on the son of Hades.

“Pe-ercy,” Nico said, voice shaky from the movement and probably the shock of the love bite. “He… he doesn’t know…”

“Know what?” Percy asked. He changed his angle a bit and Nico lost it. A high, continuous whine came out of him, changing slightly in pitch in tandem with Percy’s movements. “Say it, Nico!”

“That I’m yours, Percy!” Nico said desperately. “Only yours, forever!”

And Will felt his heart break even as his pulse sped up at the image of Nico coming undone in Percy’s arms. As Nico made such debauched sounds, expressions, and movements that the son of Apollo had pictured on late nights but now realized he never got quite right, he had an epiphany about the reason behind this setup.

This was Nico’s rejection.

He hadn’t been as subtle about his interest in the son of Hades as he thought. In fact, he had probably come off as annoying and even overbearing but… he had really thought Nico was at least a bit receptive to him, at least at the beginning and in the past two weeks. Had all that been only in his head? Did Nico hate him, or had he just wanted him to get the hint by being as obvious as possible?

“So… close…” Percy said between gritted teeth as he picked up the pace even more, bringing Will back to reality. “I should—”

“No!” Nico said, tightening his legs around him in a vice grip. “I… I can… please…!”

Percy groaned at that, he shifted Nico’s weight was partially supported by the stable’s back wall and moved his hand to jerk Nico off.

“With me,” Percy commanded. Nico nodded, cheeks flushed and eyes teary from pleasure.

Percy gave a low moan as his hips stuttered before staying deep inside Nico, who gasped at the feeling of being filled up.

Percy collapsed, bringing Nico down with him, giving Will front row seats as he kept jerking him off until Nico spilled all over their stomachs a few seconds later.

They kissed again, softer, more tender, and for the first time since he had gone into the bush, Will felt like an outsider. He knew he hadn’t been supposed to watch any of this, but this part felt even more private, special to them. He looked at his crotch, unsurprised to see his arousal coming down.

He felt something poking him in the back, making him turn away from Nico, who was now using his finger to draw nonsense patterns on Percy’s chest.

There, behind him, was a skeleton soldier, poking him with the shaft of a lance.

It moved its head away from the couple and looked at him expectantly. The message couldn’t be any clearer. ‘Show’s over, get out of here’.

Will stood up, holding his still unbuttoned cargo shorts with his right hand. The leaves didn’t rustle, his leg was completely fine. He quietly walked back towards the Strawberry Fields, the skeleton following behind him.

In a way, he had known his excuses for staying were just that, excuses, but now he couldn’t help but wonder why. Had it been because of perversion? Curiosity? Maybe Jealousy? Had he tried to see himself in Percy’s place? Had he wanted to make sure Nico was unavailable by seeing him being with someone else with his own eyes? Or had he realized from that first kiss, and just wanted to shock himself out of his crush on Nico?

The soldier poked him again, telling him to move even further away. Will sighed as he buttoned up his shorts.

Even after all that had happened, he didn’t know the answer to any of those questions.

“Better now?” Nico asked lazily as he leaned his head against Percy’s chest. He felt a bit too drained to get up and put his clothes on, and he could imagine Percy, who just held him up for nearly half an hour was any better.

“What do you mean?” He asked back. “Was I acting weird?”

Nico didn’t quite know how Percy acted when in a relationship yet. They were barely a month into this, after all.

Nico couldn’t help but smile at that. If someone had told him after Tartarus that confessing to Percy would lead to him breaking up with Annabeth, ask him to give him a chance to ‘prove he could win him back’ and end up with them dating in secret, he would have… well, not laughed, he would first have asked what hallucinogens they were on and then kill whoever blabbed (Jason, it had probably been Jason).

“Not weird, just… down,” Nico said, unsure. “At first I thought it was because you were afraid you hurt me our first time, or that we weren’t seeing each other that often, but… there’s something else, isn’t there?”

Percy remained quiet for a while, not looking at him.

“Was this whole thing just an excuse to show me you were fine?” He said, a small, fragile smile on his face. Nico frowned.

“Percy…” he warned, giving him an unimpressed look. His boyfriend sighed and closed his eyes.

“It’s just… I hate this,” he said. Nico tensed up, and Percy’s eyes widened immediately. “Not this! This is great! You are great! I mean—”

“Breathe,” Nico said gently. “You know I’m not going to throw a lunch tray at you.”

Percy grimaced at the joke. Nico knew he was giving Annabeth time to cool down, but they had been friends for a long time, and even if the breakup hadn’t been as friendly as he wanted, he still missed her.

“I know you won’t,” he muttered. He placed a hand on his cheek, but still looking absolutely miserable. “It’s that… I hate that this is a secret.”

“You know I wouldn’t mind telling others,” he pointed out. He put his own hand over Percy’s reveling in his warmth. “Who cares if the Athena and Aphrodite cabins hate me? It’s not like I was their favorite person before.”

“That’s the worst part… I do,” Percy said quietly, ashamed. “I care about them hurting you but… I’m also scared of how they’ll see me, how I’ll change to them once they know about us… I’m a horrible boyfriend.”

Nico frowned at that. He propped himself up and climbed on top of Percy. He expected for him to huff at his weight, but he had overestimated just how much he had recovered from his time in the jar. Instead, Percy blushed a deep crimson while he stared at his naked form sitting on his stomach. It was not the time, but he filed that information for a later date.

“Shut up,” he said with finality. “You’re the best boyfriend ever.”

He raised an eyebrow at that.

“Nico, I’m the only boyfriend you’ve had.”

“And the only one I'll have, if things go the way I want,” he insisted. “Percy Jackson, I’ve wanted you since I was an eleven-year-old who thought playing card games while holding hands would be the height of romance.”

Percy snorted, probably picturing them doing just that.

“You can teach me to play, if you want.”

“My point is, do you really think that you not being ready to be public about us is a deal breaker?” he said. He got off him and went looking for his underwear. Percy stayed quiet the whole time. He sighed. “Look, Percy, I… I was forced to tell others about me, I didn’t have a choice.”

Percy looked at him with pure sympathy. Nico had told him about Cupid while they were hanging out at his apartment, in one of the rare occasions when Sally was out. The way he had hugged him and told him he hadn’t deserved it, that he didn’t owe that information to anyone, was seared in his mind.

“You do have a choice,” he continued. “And it’s up to you if you want to say it tomorrow, next summer, or not at all.”

He picked up his boxers and threw them at him. He caught them midair and looked at them, deep in thought.

“It wouldn’t be fair to you, though,” he said, trying to figure out the mysteries of the universe in the blue plaid underwear. “Are you honestly okay with us being a secret our whole lives?”

“I don’t care,” Nico responded flatly. “I’m not dating the world, I’m dating you. It’s not about them, it’s about us.”

“Our dates will be shitty, only in the apartment or your cabin.”

“Like I enjoy being gawked at.”

“People will try to get us dates, or try to get me and Annabeth back together.”

“You’ll never say yes.”

“We’d only be known as roommates at best, we’ll live a lie the rest of our lives.”

“Still a better deal than I would have gotten in the 40s.”

“Why are okay with any of that?!” Percy finally exclaimed, eyes bugging out.

Nico kissed him.

“Because it’s you, Percy,” he said against his mouth. “You are brave, loyal and just the slightest bit stubborn. You’ll do things at your own pace, and I want to be there with you every step you take.”

Percy chuckled a bit. His fresh breath against Nico’s face made him picture his boyfriend chugging on mints while he waited for him, and he couldn’t help but join in on the laughter.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“Just be there for a scared boy who needed a hand in this crazy world of monsters, gods, and revenge-driven ghosts,” he said back. “You know, the bare minimum.”

They kissed again, only separating when the chill of the late afternoon forced them to get dressed.

“By the way,” Percy said once he had buttoned up his slightly baggy shirt. Nico silently said bye to the glimpse of pectorals. “Why Will Solace?”

Nico held back a smirk. He couldn’t tell Percy that Will had been a pain in the ass lately, trying to control everything about how he acted, presented himself or used his powers. He couldn’t say he had decided to use Percy’s visit to kill two birds with one stone by getting his boyfriend’s mood up and Will off his back.

“Because you know he has a crush on me, and it drives you mad,” he said instead. When Percy had mentioned it before leaving, Nico had dismissed it as the son of Poseidon being a bit insecure in their new relationship, but as the days passed and Will kept trying, Nico had had to accept his boyfriend was on to something. “I wanted you to let loose, go wild, so you’ll see I can take it. Better yet, that I enjoy it.”

Percy stared at him, shocked, but Nico had memorized every feature of Percy over the years, and he could notice any change, like his pupils slowly dilating, for example.

“That’s a bit evil, Nico,” he finally said.

He chuckled.

Oh, Percy had no idea.

“It’s a bit unusual, but I have no problem with it,” Chiron said from his wheelchair as he gave a smile to Percy. “Enjoy the weekend at camp, Percy.”

“I will,” he said back. “Thanks, Chiron.”

It had been Nico’s idea, since camp was almost deserted, they could find getaways to be together without Percy worrying about being seen. He still wanted to be able to be open about it someday, and he was sure he would, eventually.

He wasn’t ready yet, however, and he was glad Nico understood and accommodated him.

“Percy!” Nico exclaimed, as if they hadn’t been naked together less than ten minutes ago. He was carrying a basket filled with strawberries. “What are you doing here?”

His boyfriend may be a master actor, he realized. He seemed to enjoy the theatrics but didn’t overdo it so much it sounded fake.

“Percy wanted a rest from his studies,” Chiron explained in his stead. “He’ll be staying the weekend with us.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” Nico said. “Let’s get you settled in before dinner, then.”

He grabbed Percy’s duffel bag and waved at Chiron. Percy waved too before running after him.

“Did you have that basket prepared?” Percy asked, impressed with Nico’s foresight, but he shook his head.

“No, this is— oh, Will!”

And despite himself, Percy’s expression soured. The son of Apollo seemed lost to the world, staring at nothing by the entrance to the cabin area.

Nico was a very nice, kind person. He just didn’t understand that Will was thick and wouldn’t get that it was just that, kindness. If he ever ended up going public with their relationship it would probably be to get Will to back off.

At the sound of Nico’s voice, Will tensed and looked back, making Percy frown. Now that was an uncommon reaction.

He paled when Nico offered the basket.

“This is yours, right?” He asked, smiling. “I was by the fields when I found it.”

“U-uh, yeah. Thanks, Nico,” he said awkwardly. He purposefully avoided his gaze, only for his eyes to widen when he saw him. “P-Percy! You… you…”

“I’m here for the weekend,” he said, shrugging. “Hope that’s okay with you.”

He couldn’t help the tinge of sarcasm in his voice. He just knew the boy had been hoping to sweep Nico off his feet while he was away, and he couldn’t help rubbing it in his face a bit that it wouldn’t be that simple.

“N-no, I mean yes! No problem at all!” He stuttered.

“I picked a few extra, Will,” Nico said. “As a thank you for what you did.”

Okay, now that was strange. Will hugged the basket against his chest and nodded stiffly.

“I see… um… anyways, I have to go turn these into jam so… I’ll see you guys later!” He said, turning towards his cabin, where Percy was sure was no way to turn strawberries into jam. “Enjoy your stay, Percy!” He shouted at the last second, then cringed and ran away.

“Now that was weird,” he commented. He turned to look at Nico suspiciously. “What were you thanking him for?”

“He might think it’s for hanging out with me this week or something,” Nico said simply. “But really, it’s for making you possessive.”

Percy felt his cheeks grow hot as he remembered their little rendezvous behind the stables. He might have to find an excuse to thank Will, too.

“He seemed… different, towards you,” he kept prodding, trying to understand.

“Well, I met with him earlier today,” Nico explained sheepishly. “I guess it’s awkward for him after I left my feelings for him clear.”

“Oh… I hope you guys can remain friends?”

“Liar,” he accused him, giving a quick peck on the cheek and smiling wickedly. “I wouldn't mind us staying friends, but… I may have been a bit too blunt when rejecting him.”

Nico didn't look that troubled about it at all, but Percy knew Nico treasured what few connections with others he managed to make. He put an arm around him.

"If he really wants to be your friend, he'll get over it," he reassured him. "But I'll be honest, I'm glad he'll stop going after you like a lovesick puppy."

"Oh?" Nico said, a glint in his eye. "Well, show me how glad you are, then… this time I get to top."

Percy blushed and his eyes widened. He looked around, but the cabin space was deserted now that Will was gone.

It was true that after their first time, he had let Nico top the week before out of fear of hurting him again. However, he had to admite that despite the suggestion coming from guilt and fear, the experience itself hadn't been bad at all. In fact, he understood why Nico became a mess their first time.

"Dinner is—"

"Not for another hour or so," he interrupted him. "And I promised to help you unpack, didn't I?"

And with that, Nico took his hand and dragged him towards Cabin 3, where Percy knew no unpacking would be done.

Nico di Angelo was truly a menace.