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Storm Clouds, Mt. McKinley by Sydney Laurence

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If you randomly see me reblog shonen yaoi from an old show just know those are the sleeper agent OTPs I've shipped since I was 11

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“Will. Hey.” He reaches out when the medic doesn’t react, forcibly stilling his hands. Even then, he can feel the minute twitches, the fighting he’s doing with himself to keep still. “It can wait until tomorrow.”

“They leave tomorrow,” Will stresses, finally pulling his hands free. “The Romans are early risers, Nico, you know better than anyone, I need this done before they —”

He cuts himself off, too invested in the sprawl of paperwork completely covering the nurse’s station. Under his eyes is almost completely bruised black, not unlike the war paint he wore so long ago, and there’s a grey dullness to him. If he stays in one place too long, he sways on his feet.

“I’m fine,” he says, suddenly, as if remembering Nico is there. He pauses briefly to shoot him a small, strained smile, then returns to his frantic sorting. A red thumbprint bleeds onto the corner of the page of one of the files. He doesn’t seem to notice.

Without straying too far, Nico gathers the supplies he needs. He pulls out a tray to grab some antiseptic, swipes a Pac-Man bandaid off a box on the counter. Arms laden with his spoils, he nudges the half-door open with his hip, setting the supplies down when he’s inside the round desk-station.

“Will,” he says quietly, wrapping his hand around his elbow. He jumps.

“I’m — fine.”

“You’re bleeding.”

He blinks, staring down at his hands; brows furrowing as he notices the several scattered paper cuts crossing almost every finger. Many of them are clotted, scabbed over; dried blood streaking between his freckles and swirling around stark white scars.

“Come here.”

Without protest, for once, he does. He sets down the pen clenched in his left thumb and turns to face Nico fully. In the minimal space between them, his hands shake.

“I didn’t notice,” he murmurs, flinching as Nico soaks a cotton pad and presses it to a cut on the inside of his thumb. Nico can’t quite read the expression on his face, although there’s a choked quality to his voice. “I need to — before they —”

“Not everything is your responsibility,” Nico interrupts. He meets Will’s gaze head on, his own gaze steady, heart breaking at the fragility in his ice blue eyes. “Not everything is your responsibility, Will,” he repeats, firmer this time.

Will’s face crumples. “I haven’t slept in five days.”

Nico closes his eyes. “Gods, Will.”

“I’m sorry.”

In moments like these, Nico hates working for his father.

He had left to relative chaos. Relative, meaning in comparison to what the rest of the eight billion people on the planet would consider calm, camp wasn’t it, but by demigod standards it wasn’t too bad. Several Romans, including Reyna and Hazel, were due to arrive the day after he was summoned by his father, which was a bummer, but he had assurance from both of them that they’d stay long enough to see him. And reassurance from his father that the errand wouldn’t be too perilous. And, lastly, a threat (warning out of love, he would say, but Nico knows a threat when he sees one) from Will to take it easy.

He got back to debris and blood and a flurry of stress — a weapons development disaster, he’d been quickly informed. No deaths, at least not yet, but several in critical condition that were quickly approaching it.

And Kayla and Austin, back at school, and Will in the infirmary by himself.

“Will,” he repeats for the third time, a little more urgently this time. He places a gently finger under his chin. “Look at me a second.”

He regrets asking, almost, when Will meets his eyes, although he immediately feels guilty for the thought. The son of Apollo is so rarely vulnerable, stubbornly intent on carrying the burdens he’s stuck with without half a hand of help. It wears on him, and the proof of the weariness hurts Nico somewhere, deep in his soul; he hates bearing witness to it.

Worse, though, is the knowledge that Will is struggling with it himself.

“Everybody critical has been stabilized,” he says firmly. When Will opens his mouth in protest, he adds, “I can feel it, Sunshine, do you trust me?”

“Yes,” he says, immediately. He snaps his jaw shut. “Yes.”

Nico’s own shoulders slump when Will exhales, long and exhausted. “Good. This —” he gestures to the paperwork — “this is secondary, Solace. I don’t care if they want to leave tomorrow. You need rest, and, hell, if they’re that pressed about it, I’ll make them do the fucking paperwork.”

“Please, don’t,” Will says, laughing feebly. He swiped quickly under his eyes, pulling away, and Nico lets him, if only because his small smile seems genuine, if not exhausted. “The idea of that actually makes me want to puke. I hate paperwork, but I hate anyone else doing it more.”

“Right, right.” Nico nudges his shoulder, something like teasing showing in his eyes. “Heaven forbid someone dot their i’s incorrectly.”

“Exactly.” Will looks so serious that Nico stills, trying to figure out just how anal, exactly, his friend is, before his face breaks out into a wide, genuine grin. Nico’s stomach flips. “I’m only teasing, Death Breath. I don’t actually care if people dot their i’s incorrectly. And I would appreciate the help.”

“I feel like it hurt you to say that,” Nico says, once he recovers from the staggering force of one million megawatts of smile power.

“It did.”

“Also, you implied that there genuinely is a wrong way to dot your i’s.”

“…Of course there is.” Will looks at him strangely. “Maybe I’m not the one who’s sleep deprived,” he muses, reminding Nico that oh yeah, dumbass, Will is actually genuinely sick with how little sleep he’s gotten, maybe fix that.

“Will you sleep, now?”

Will hesitates. “There was a girl with a — skull injury.”

Nico understands immediately. (He saw the mangled mess of Lee’s shroud.)

“Come sleep in my cabin,” he suggests, squeezing his wrist. “I’ll keep watch, and you’ll have some privacy.”

“Okay,” he says quietly. He allows himself to be tugged out of the infirmary, only looking back a couple times. “Thank you, Nico.”

“Anything for you,” Nico responds, just as quiet, and his heart races when Will beams.

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Does anyone else wanna go on a walk and hold hands and get silly snacks and drinks and build a soft fort while watching our favorite comfort shows and cuddling and petting our cats and just have a nice warm evening with each other totally platonicly?

No, just me?

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Some Interactions I Think Nico Would Have Had If Bianca Hadn’t Died

Based on this post by @yonemurishiroku on how Nico would still have been that bubbly, cheerful little kid if he hadn’t lost her.

Part 2

Nico, looking at Percy’s infected wound: *Tone delighted* It’s green! Percy: I know, Nico. Nico: That’s my favourite colour :D Percy, gritting his teeth: That’s great, Nico.

Nico, while brutally murdering a Titan: Aww man, you’re not nearly as strong as my cards made you out to be :(

Percy: The last time I asked Mr. D for anything he threatened to turn me into a dolphin! Face it, he hates us. Nico: He likes me though :)) Percy, sarcastically: Gee, you think he likes you enough to ease up on us just a tad? Nico: I’ll go ask! :D *Runs off* *Five Minutes Later* Nico, coming back: He said no but I brought you a blueberry muffin from the dining hall to make you feel better :) Percy, taking it: Gee, thanks. 😒

Bianca, as she and Nico run from a monster: Who the hell is this?! *Shoots arrows at it* Nico: I don’t know!! *Frantically looks through cards* Uhhh, a Laestrygonian? A Hekatonkheire, maybe? Monster: I! Am! Porphyrion!!! I was created to be Zeus’ replacement, born to destroy the lord of the sky! I shall take his throne. I shall take his wife- or, if she will not have me, I will let the Earth consume her life force! Nico: Well fudge, you don’t look anything like your card! :( Bianca: Language!

Nico, miserably: I spent so long not knowing my mother and father, or what happened to them, and now I find my mom is long dead and my own dad hates me :(( Percy, sympathetically: … Heh. Godly parents. They’re the worst, right? *Thunder booms and lightning flashes somewhere in the background* Nico, looking up at him in mild shock: Huh? Percy: Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em because they insist on asserting just how “important” they think are and think that everything else must revolve around them somehow. *Another flash of lightning, this time much closer* Nico, trying not to laugh: I… I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to say that… Percy: Who cares? Listen Nico, forget about what your dad thinks. No one here has a good relationship with their parents, so we look out for each other instead. *Bumps Nico’s shoulder* You’re one of us now, and for the record, I think you’re pretty cool. Nico: Nico, in awe and blushing slightly: Thanks, Percy…

Nico, diving behind Annabeth out of the blue: Who’s that? Annabeth, confused: … Will Solace? He’s from the Apollo Cabin… *Smiles down at Nico, still hiding behind her* Don’t worry, he’s friendly. Wanna go say hi? Nico: *Eyes widen* I don’t… I’m not good at first impressions. *Shifts awkwardly* He’ll probably think I’m weird. Annabeth, looking down at him fondly: You wanna know a secret? *Leans down to whisper in his ear* Will is just as much a dork as you are. I’m sure you two would get along great. Nico: … I’ll see… Will: *Spots Nico and smiles, waving* Nico: *Freaks and hides behind Annabeth again* Will, confused: Annabeth: *Waves and tries not to laugh*

Nico, upon finding Hazel: Oh my Gods, this is so great. I always wanted a little sister! :D Wait till I tell Bianca-

Percy, barging into The Big House: Yo, Mr. D, we’re- what the fuck?! Dionysus, playing cards with Nico: *Tone annoyed* What is it now, boy? Nico: We’re playing Mythomagic together! After this, Mr. D promised to teach me Pinochle. *Puts down card* I win again. Dionysus: What?! How?! Nico: My Ares has a higher attack point average than your Demeter card! So I win :) Dionysus, mumbling angrily: Curses. Percy, knowing full well Dionysus would smite literally anyone else if they talked to him like that: *Gawks*

Dionysus, stepping into the dining hall: What are you all doing out of your cabins so late at night? Percy: Connor: Travis: Will: Nico: Nico: We’re summoning a ghost :D Will: *Elbows him* Nico: Ow! *Rubs at his arm* What did you do that for?! Dionysus: Dionysus: I see. Well, carry on. And don’t die. If I have to do paperwork for you ungrateful little mortals one more time so help me, Gods. *Walks off like he didn’t see anything* Nico, as everyone turns towards him in shock: What?

Percy: We need a ride. Nico: I got this! :D *Chants ominously, eyes glowing as he raises his hands to the sky* *A limousine unearths from the ground, the driver’s seat window rolling down to reveal a zombie* Annabeth, Percy and Grover: *Gawk* Percy, eventually managing to pick up his jaw: You… you have a zombie chauffer? Nico: Neat, right? :D

Nico, frantically outrunning danger: I can’t die, Bianca will kill me, then resurrect me, and then kill me again!

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My favorite thing ever?

Nico has a service dog 

Because after Mr. D diagnoses him with PTSD he feels kind of hopeless and overwhelmed (especially after her hears that it can’t be easily fixed with magic or anything) 

So Mr D. Suggests that he get a service animal. 

Nico argues that animals hate him because he ‘smells like death’. Mr. D Points out that Mrs O’Leary doesn’t hate him. 

They both go talk to Hades who jumps at the excuse to win back his son by buying him more stuff. 

The dog ends up being a hellhound mix (don’t ask how.) 

The mix is mostly so she is a bit smaller for convenience (so she can fit in places.)

I'd assume she looks something like a Burmese mountain dog mix.

Her names Penelope (Penny) and Nico loves her. 

Nico and Her spend a couple of months doing service dog training with Artemis and the hunters (dogs are one of her patron animals.)

the time he spends with them also gives him a bit of closure and helps him process what happened to his sister.

soon enough she's graduated their honorary service dog school and is fully trained.

She goes with Nico everywhere. Since she is half hellhound she can assist with shadow travel and make it easier for Nico. (To Wills relief) 

She helps Nico with panic attacks and nightmares. 

She grabs things for him (KitKats, sword, water, pillows.) 

she can even open the fridge in the big house.

If Nico is having a really bad episode or a flashback he can’t come out of or if he’s in any physical danger, she knows to go get Will Chiron or MR D. In a heartbeat. 

Again a shadow traveling dog being useful.

Will makes extra sure that everyone at camp is aware of how service animals work. 

He teaches all the campers about what Penny's job is and why they’re not allowed to distract her.

On occasion when she isn't working she'll play fetch or get pets from some of the kids. 

All Nicos freind's and family love her.

Like everyone wants to be a part of this dogs life, Nico has literally never been more popular.

Hazel buys her a sweater for the holidays.

Rachel helps Nico also dye part of her tail at one point (to keep her identifiable) and they give it a cool design.

Annabeth asks if she can make her a cool dog house.

Piper insists that they take her to the groomer and buys her little bandannas.

Percy helps Nico teach her how to swim.

She will also grabs medical supplies for Will sometimes.

Grover also knows how to talk to her and regularly lets her know how Nico is doing (not that she doesn't already know.) 

Nico finds it easier to eat with Penelope.

It kind of forces him to eat on a schedule, since Penny has to be fed three times a day and the two of them can eat at the same time.

Nico also gives her little scraps off his plate sometimes which makes them both happy.

She gets absolutely spoiled. 

At one point Nico gets worried that she might get hurt fighting a monster. Hades assured him she won’t but Leo makes her some extra cool dog armor just in case

She also has a little bag attached to her vest for carrying supplies on quests and long journeys. (list of things these bags might contain: Ambrosia, Dog treats, Water/kitkats, extra weapons, drachmas.)

Nico connects so well with this fucking dog.

Like he always struggled with people and he never really even considered being an animal person.

But he absolutely adores Penny.

He talks to her about things that worry him and just finds her presence so unbelievably comforting.

Will solace (who I think personally would become a vet sooner than a doctor) Has this dog on the best fucking diet you could imagine

you have never seen a more medically healthy dog.

And she ADORES Will

Partially because of how calmer Nico is with him, and partially because he keeps a treat jar in the infirmary now.

The best part! she cannot die (from old age at least) Immortal service dog!

Having a huge fluffy head is great for pressure therapy.

Nico (neurodivergent) likes the texture of her fur and stims by petting her or playing with her ears.