Home ( A Solangelo story)

Chapter 1 - After the War

It felt like just yesterday since  Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter had rallied together to defeat Gaea, because well.......it had been yesterday. All those months of physical and mental pain and the war had ended just like that, it all felt so surreal to Nico but he was relieved he thinks. It's not that he wanted more people to suffer on dangerous quests, it's just that now the war was over he didn't know what he would do as now he didn't have a distraction from his own problems, the problem of where he belonged. 

Nico had told the others that he would remain at Camp Half Blood however this decision was still plaguing his thoughts as he sat in the infirmary pondering what he would do when Will Solace, the councillor of cabin 7, let him out. Honestly, Nico didn't see much point in remaining at Camp Half Blood as he felt like all the hardships that had happened in his life were more than enough training than what Camp Half Blood  could teach him in a life time. Despite, these thoughts there was a small part of Nico that wanted to try residing at the camp as deep inside his seemingly stygian iron heart Nico wanted to try and make more friends and to find a place he could finally call home. 

"Well that's your three days up death boy." Will Solace said strolling over to Nico. "Hey don't call me that." Nico grumbled, despite Nico's moody exterior towards Will he had grown quite fond of the son of Apollo the past few days. It just felt nice to Nico that Will treated him like a friend he had known for years with the witty remarks and stupid nicknames instead of walking on eggshells around him like everyone else at camp seemed too. "Oh what in Hades will I do without that positive attitude lighting up the infirmary every day" Will said sarcastically, bringing  his hand to his forehead in feign distress . Nico rolled his eyes and stood up getting ready to leave, part of him wanted to ask Will if they could spend time together again even if it was just Nico helping out in the infirmary but he swiftly shoved that thought aside, there was no way Will would want that Nico thought, after all he had been nothing but moody towards the golden boy. 

Nico was just about to leave the infirmary when Will's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Dude we spent three days bonding and you're just going to leave like that, I honestly feel quite betrayed I was positive you would want an UNO rematch." Nico turned around hesitantly, he honestly didn't know if Will was just joking with him again or if he was actually hinting that he wanted to maintain a friendship with him. "Erm sure whatever you know where my cabin is." Nico muttered out and made a swift exit. For some reason his heart was racing, maybe it was because he wasn't used to friendship yet and there was still that nagging voice in his head that told him he would never fit in and that he would truly find a place he belonged. 

Nico opened the door to the dimly lit Hades cabin and took in his surroundings. Honestly, the decor was a joke it was as if the children of Hades had been mistaken for vampires with the beds resembling coffins and the windows being bordered by thick ebony curtains presumably to block out the sun. However, what it wasn't the decor that really upset him it was the massive wave of loneliness that crashed over him as he walked in. He knew this was a selfish thought but he wished Hazel could have stayed at Camp Half Blood as she was probably one of the only people who could lure a smile out of the son of Hades and her infectious laugh and kind eyes made the dim cabin a little brighter. The cabin also made Nico miss living in the underworld a little bit as even though Hades wasn't the best dad he had been trying and even though Nico wouldn't admit it to his face he enjoyed it when his Father would teach him some of his jobs as King of the underworld. 

Suddenly, a knock on the door pulled Nico out of his melancholic thoughts. Perhaps Hazel had somehow read his thoughts and come back but that was wishful thinking. Nico opened the hefty door and was confronted with ever radiant Will Solace who couldn't be mistaken for anyone but a son of Apollo. "Missed me already." Nico said sarcastically, it was kind of odd to have playful banter with someone after shutting himself off for so long honestly, he had been afraid he no longer had a sense of humour. "You wish death boy. However I know first hand how terrible you are at looking after yourself so as your Doctor I'm forcing you to have dinner with me." Will said gesturing for Nico to follow him. In the past if someone had demanded him to eat with them he would have given them a venomous look and shadow travelled hundreds of miles away from them but Will had been taking care of him the past few days so he might be seen as ungrateful which definitely wouldn't encourage the other campers to view him in a better light. "Fine but only this once." Nico replied following Will to the dining pavilion.