(Nico's POV)
Will stumbled through the door. The lights were off. Of course. Nico never wanted them on. He felt more comfortable in the dark.
Will flipped the lights on. "Darn it, Nico, the lights?" Nico looked up, surprised at his tone. He almost never got this way. In the light, his eyes were lined in dark. Nico glanced at the clock. It was 3 A.M. He hadn't realized. He stood and walked towards Will.
"I'm sorry, Will," he murmured. "I didn't notice the time."
"Of course you didn't," Will grumbled. He was stomping around the entryway, throwing his jacket on the table. Then he stopped and took a huge breath. "I'm sorry, Neeks."
"It's okay, Will," Nico responds. "Why are you so late?" Nico walked up to Will. He didn't touch him, but he could feel the tension underneath his muscles and the aura of death around him. "Will, what's going on? How was work?"
Will broke down. Tears started to fall down his face. "Nico, people are dying," he sobbed. "Every day. This virus is killing people." Will fell into Nico's arms. Nico stiffened, but slowly his arms softened around Will.
"I know, Will," Nico said. "I've felt it." And, in fact, he had. The aura had been hovering over New York City for weeks. Foolishly, he had never thought about how it would affect Will.
"I can't even do anything," Will continued. "I'm supposed to be helping. And I'm supposed to be good at it. I can't do anything." His tears fell through Nico's black sweatshirt. Nico was going to cry soon too.
"Will, don't say that. You're amazing," Nico replies.
"I'm freaking helpless," he answers. He pulled himself away from Nico and wiped his eyes on his sleeves.
"Will," Nico said, his voice breaking. Will looked Nico in the eyes for the first time since he had arrived home. His eyes were rimmed with red. Nico noticed that he had marks on his face from wearing a medical mask all day. The thing that killed him the most was that Will wasn't smiling. His Will, his favorite person in the whole world; and if Will wasn't smiling, what reason did Nico have to smile?
"Nico, don't," Will said dangerously. Nico knew that Will could tell what he was thinking. He knew him to well. But then, Nico noticed something behind will in the hall. There was a flash of shimmery color, like a gust of mist. Nico knew what it was. He had seen things like it so many times.
"Nico?" Will asked. He was looking at Nico strangely. The spirit behind him moved towards him and placed its hand on Will's shoulder. Will obviously couldn't feel it. The spirit had the face of a woman; its eyes were sad, but looked accepting, as though it had decided it was in the best place it could be. She clung to Will's shoulder and nodded hello at Nico.
"Nico," Will repeated, "What's wrong?" He walked towards him and the ghost hung on.
"Nothing," Nico replied, "I'm just... thinking, I guess." He paused again, looking at the ghost. Will probably thought he was crazy, staring at the space over his shoulder. "I'm glad you're home, Will," he added quietly. Will enveloped him in a hug, his chest deflating as he finally relaxed.
Nico's face was now right next to the ghost's. She looked at him in wonder and happiness. Then she whispered to Nico, "This man saved my daughter."
Nico started to tear up. It wasn't fair; this woman who was so thankful for Will, and she had been taken by this disease. The woman spoke again in her hoarse voice, "Tell him thank you from me. From Edith." And then she floated backwards and sailed through the door of the apartment.
Nico's tears flew faster. Will released him from his hug and held his shoulders an arms length away. "Nico, what's up? You have to tell me."
Nico looked at Will with pride on his face. "Edith says thank you," he whispered. Will's face broke into a sad smile, and then he truly sobbed, a sound that Nico never wanted to hear again. They hugged again, and Nico never wanted to let Will go.
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Hey guys!!
I got the idea for this and wanted to write it, and then I cried when I did. I'm praying for all the Wills of the world.
El
