『〔Solangelo One Shots〕』

Three days is all it takes

yolo guys.
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Nico thought staying at the infirmary for three days wouldn't be that bad, but he was wrong. Dead wrong.

He wasn't exactly sure what it was that triggered it, but seeing everyone's siblings coming into the not very private "rooms" (like— okay, they aren't even rooms, they're like beds that are divided by a curtain, Nico wanted to have a talk with whoever designed this) to hug them as they were bandaged up and healing made Nico's throat tighten. Hazel left a few days before this and a part of him wishes she showed up suddenly to hug him.

Not that he needed a hug. No, of course not.

He wasn't exactly lonely either, Will made sure of that. Despite being so damn busy after the battle, he still made sure to see Nico.

Still, Nico's mind drifted from Hazel to Will to... Bianca. It felt weird thinking about her. Despite being with her for probably a century, her face was... fuzzy. He could make her out in a crowd, see her hair and her hands, her jacket and her lovely laugh, but... not her face. It was blurred and muted, unlike her fiery spirit.

He didn't even notice when he started spacing out, trying-begging, to remember a fraction of the freckles dotted onto her face, or almond colored eyes. He could picture them individually, but trying to picture her whole face was so difficult.

"Death Boy? Sunshine? Nico?" the clear, yet somewhat slightly southern accent broke him from his trance.

"Huh? What? What did you say?" Nico looked up to meet the golden, glowy blonde hair and glacier blue eyes.

"I didn't say anything, I just wanted to know if you're okay... you're crying," Will sat down at the base of his bed.

Nico didn't even know why he had to stay in this bed for so long, it was only a lycaon scratch. Well, yeah, he needed a redo of stitches, and yeah, it might have been a little infected, but Nico was positive he could've recovered in his own cabin. An, okay, yeah, upside of staying in the infirmary might also be the person in front of him.

"I am?" Nico reached up to feel a line of tears falling from his cheeks. "Oh, I didn't notice."

"What, Death Boy didn't know he could cry?" Will smiled, and Nico swore he could see the sunlight dull as soon as he did.

"I know I can cry!" Nico bristled, before dropping his head, "I just... was thinking about something."

"Like what?" Will adjusted his spot so he was fully turned towards the son of Hades.

"Like... Bianca?" Nico mumbled, a part of him wished Will didn't fully hear him.

"Oh... oh, Nico, I'm sorry," it was a miracle Will even recognized the name of Nico's older sister. Yeah, he was at camp when they both arrived, but he was like 11, cut him some slack.

"It's okay," Nico sighed, looking up at the ceiling as if it would stop his tears from unceremoniously falling from his tired eyes. "She's been dead for a while, I just-- wished she came in here to give me a hug like everyone else."

"Well, I know I am of no comparison, but do you want me to...? Be a substitute?" Will reached out to hold the tired demigod's cold hands in his, receiving a flinch at first, but it soon relaxed. Nico turned his head back towards Will, he looked to the side as if contemplating if he should or shouldn't. The son of Hades soon gave in with a sigh and nodded his head, the action so small, Will almost missed it.

Will scooched closer to Nico and pulled him into a hug. Nico was quite stiff at first, making the son of Apollo wonder when the last time this kid had a hug before a head was wedged in between the crook of his neck and face and arms were wrapped around his back. Soft sobs were coming out of the once emotionless child. Will could feel his scrubs and orange camp shirt scrunch up in the boy's hands, as he slowly rubbed circles into the back of the black haired boy. Before Nico knew it, Will's hands found his way into his hair, slowly stroking up and down, his long, soft fingers that never once found its way to a weapon, tangled in the unmanageable black hair of the son of Hades.

Nico felt so numb, so emotionless, so... calm. His back was starting to hurt from his weird angle, making him shift to be closer and more comfortable, without wanting to break away. Unsurprisingly, Will somehow noticed this softly muttered in Nico's ear, "do you want to lie down?"

"Yeah, but... I don't want this to end," Nico whispered into his neck, a part of him thought that if they broke away, Will would never talk to him again, or see him as broken. Nico desperately knew he needed help, but was afraid of what that would ensue. Maybe asking Will for a hug might have been the lead to the road that he knew he didn't want, but needed anyway.

Will let out a soft laugh, the action shocked Nico, as his chest shook the injured teen. Will rubbed his back once more before saying, "I won't, but I'm sure it would be better to lie down."

Not wanting to use his words, Nico buried his head deeper into the blondie to signal that it was okay. Will understood and gently lowered Nico and himself into the bed, they found themselves entangled together, legs wrapped around legs, arms around torso, hair scattered around their heads like halos.

Will took his time to analyze Nico, whose eyes were shut, some strands of hair still on his face, and tears still lingered on his pale cheeks. He withdrew his hand away from his head to move the piece of hair behind his ear, and wiped away the tears, the action making Nico open his eyes to look back at Will. Apart of Will admired how long his hair way, and how his eyes were a deep, rich onyx brown.

Nico equally matched Will's actions, looking at his blonde curly hair, trailing his finger across his jawline, counting all his freckles, looking at his long eyelashes and the burning urge to touch his soft looking lips.

So enamored with each other, they didn't hear Kayla's voice coming from outside of the curtain. "WILL! What the Hades are you-- oh. Oh, I'm sorry, please continue," she stopped at the sight of the two together and walked away.

Nico tried hard to muffle the laughter forcing itself out of his lips, but it was no use. He nearly opened stitch at how hard he was laughing. Will wanted to laugh as well, but the sight of the boy so happy in his arms just made him content with a smile.

"Well, I guess that's one good hug therapy, go ahead, Sunshine," Nico whispered, "go do your job."

"Just when I thought you were opening up to wittle ol' me!" Will raised an eyebrow, slowly untangling himself from Nico.

"Oh shut up," Nico scoffed between a fit of laughter, "I was just using you for warmth."

"Oh sure," Will sat up in bed and combed some of Nico's hair with his fingers away from the boy's eyes. Will soon began standing up and stretching. He looked back at the boy in the bed and smiled. "Don't miss me too much, holler if you need me."

"As if I--" Nico was about to scoff before a pair of soft lips were on his forehead. He looked at the Apollo kid in shock, his face heating up.

"Bye, Sunshine!" Will smiled and walked out of the enclosed "room", making sure to close the curtains as he left.

It took a few moments for Nico to fully process what happened, his face still on fire before he screeched, "WILL!"
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I'm sad, lonely, and cold.

Happy (unlike me) Reading!

-Tin~

Words: 1348