#nicostolemybones

[mediumgayitalian]

(very late im so sorry) fic rec friday 7

hi!! welcome to fic rec friday. every week, i pick five fics i have bookmarked and rec them with a little review. check them out!

i am indeed aware it is monday. i am a fool who is Bad at planning. my bad.

A Place To Start by @wintersky101

Nico can speak English, Italian, Latin and Ancient Greek. Unfortunately, he can only read and write in two of the four, and even more unfortunately, English isn’t one of those.

paul blofis & nico isn't something i knew i needed but i LOVE. like lets maybe get this kid a real grownup, huh? also i think it's really funny that nico is older than paul technically. like i imagine paul, who is a history nerd, would be spending half their tutoring sessions grilling nico about the 40s lol

2. Transitioning to Manhood by @nicostolemybones

Will gets a box from his mom of childhood memories.

i have quotes from this fic framed. it is deeply moving, especially that one paragraph about conditional love....like yeah it got to me. i wept about the conditional love paragraph. if you are ready for some catharsis this is indeed the fic for you

3. Doctor solace to the rescue by Phantomxlegend

Will idolized Beckendorf when he was younger, and who wouldn’t pass up on a chance to heal your idol and prove that you could be just as strong?

ON MY HANDS AND KNEES ON THE FUCKING FLOOR......WEEPING AND CRYING AND CLUTCHING THE BLUE FUCKING CURTAINS. WHY. WHY. CLAWING THE SKIN OFF MY FACE AND SOBBING INTO MY HANDS. no exaggeration when i say i never fully recovered from this one. baby will and quiet nobel beckendorf. beckendorf i love you. beckendorf you deserved a thousand times more than what you got. i can't feel my chest

4. Silver Rings by @buoyantsaturn

Barely a second later, he said, “What’s that?” “What’s what?” Will said back to him, not taking his eyes off the gash. “That ring.” Will froze, eyes widening. “Isn’t that Nico’s?

secret relationship my EVERYTHING. makes me buckshit feral every time its so FUN. cj ur iconic and you have been THEEE backbone of this fandom for years. i love this one particularly bc the whole thing with will glowing will never not be funny shdhfdjsnfkf

5. A Little More in the Closet Than Out of it by @buoyantsaturn

The only thing they could do to keep Harley in the infirmary so they could keep him monitored was to keep him entertained, and somehow, Will had gotten himself roped into a game of hide and seek.

giggle was giggled at the title. i am easily entertained. but the fic was fun and sweet; harley is the camp's darling as is his right. nico is such a dweepy dork loser hes so real i love him

thank you for joining me this friday!! happy reading!!

[nicostolemybones]

Can't argue with that logic

Apollo: Will, you're not allowed to seduce patients it says in the oath you swore to the gods, what do you have to say for yourself

Will: He's pretty

Apollo:

Apollo:

Apollo:... nice!

[meetmyglowinthedarkboyfriend]

[solangelover]

Heyyy maybe wanna collaborate on the latest solangeloweek challenge? It's perfectly okay if not ofc! ~nicostolemybones (formerly nicohasahappymeal)

Hey omg I’m so sorry for the late reply! Life has been whack if you didn’t know already :P I’d love to talk more about collaborating!! Send me a message! (Also that is such a smart way of asking from a side blog wow)

[buoyantsaturn]

For the how others in the fandom see you thing: When I first came into the fandom I remember coming across your blog and I just spent hours liking a lot of your fics back when I was too scared to reblog anything but this isn't my main blog and I'm a scaredy cat so I barely interact but I think your fics are amazing and pretty central to the fandom in a way and they were my introduction to Solangelo and your blog is cool I'm just awkward~nicostolemybones

aaaaaaaa thank you so much!!!! <33333

[whoredad]

UR URL YOU'RE RIGHT AND YOU SHOULD SAY IT I'M GONNA SCREAM~nicostolemybones

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME SPREAD THE GOOD WORD

[mulletnico]

For the how others in the fandom see you thing: I'm in so much awe of your art honestly, your blog is amazing~nicostolemybones

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[ask-will-and-nico]

I'm doing a big bang rn and took on a lot of work, and coming back to this blog when I get a notification to read a little more genuinely boosts me because I won't get distracted reading a 20k fic all at once but I do get an update on one of my favourite fics~nicostolemybones

I read this on break at work n....thank you,,, for getting me through the rest of my shift

[after-everything-pjo-zine]

After Everything Zine PDF Downloads Open!!!

Hey there, demigods!

This zine has been in the works for a while now, and it’s finally ready to be released! The writers, artists, and betas worked hard to bring this together during a tumultuous time of change and hardship. We are thankful for their perseverance, and can’t wait for you all to see the final product!

Click the Google Drive link below to view and download the After Everything zine PDF:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hirwp492cHp9JtCpNl4352L8P_S9IgiB/view?usp=sharing

If there are any issues, please let us know! We’d also love to hear how you like the fics and art! Please support the content creators as well—their Tumblr URLs and Ao3 usernames are listed in the zine.

~participants~

@nicostolemybones

@worteltje7

@solangelover

@kalytera

@thebluesideofmyworld

@gattonero17

@meetmyglowinthedarkboyfriend

@daughter-of-nemesis / @heythereamigos

@moonlight22oa

@moustiel

[annalrk-art]

one of my pieces for the @pjo-hoo-bigbang, a scene from @nicostolemybones‘s fic found here

image ID: Nico and his mom stand facing each other behind a foreground of skulls.  She's holding his face, his hands are on her arms.  Nico is wearing a dark hoodie and a black bracelet, his mom has a long flower patterned skirt, button down shirt, an old-fashioned hat, and gloves. She's is smiling, Nico is emotional, both of them are crying. end ID.

[punk-nicodiangelo]

Art for my fic A Starship Scandal (@nicostolemybones is my pjo blog, this is my art blog)

Will is the half Vulcan Chief Medical Officer and Nico is a quarter Romulan

(click for better quality)

Drawn by hand and coloured digitally on my phone. Feel free to colour the transparent and reblog it here/ tag me and link back to this post!

@solangeloweek

//DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT PERMISSION//

[mediumgayitalian]

fic rec friday

hi!! welcome to fic rec friday. every week, i pick five fics i have bookmarked and rec them with a little review. check them out!

let there be light, let me be alright by annaaperson

His words stopped short as he, along with the rest of the cabin, stared in wonder-filled horror at Will. Specifically Will Solace. More specifically, his hands. His hands that were glowing a soft golden light into the night’s bleeding darkness. (aka, 5 times Will freaked people out by cracking his joints and lighting up like a glow stick and the one time he doesn't)

this was very sweet. glowstick will solace is such a funny fucking character trait and it does not have the spotlight it should have. loved the will & lee and will & clarisse. and i am a 5+1 truther why are those fics like actual crack

2. Death Boy by percyspandapillowpet

The three times Nico said he hated the nickname Will gave him and the one time he didn't.

okay full and fair warning i WILL be talking about this author all the time. they carried the pjo fandom in 2016 truly. and this fic is so tooth-rotting!! love fics where nico slowly warms up to having friends as he deserves truly

3. The Thing You Need Most by @wintersky101

When he's finished in the infirmary, when he's finally done all that he can to keep himself distracted, Will staggers into the Apollo cabin and immediately crumples to his knees, tears already springing to his eyes.

no this one is so important bc sometimes i feel like this fandom falls into the repetition of sad-nico-comforting-will and while thats not necessarily bad!! its nice to have some variety. and having nico be there for will when will cant be is so important and lovely to see. this fic does it so well!!

4. I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asclepius, and Hygieia and Panacea and all the gods and goddesses as my witnesses, that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this Oath and this contract: by @nicostolemybones

Will breaks the entire Hippocratic Oath.

i read this fic months ago and i literally think about it all the time. the quiet bitterness. the rebellion borne of a deep deep love for everyone around him. the backbone made of steel. william andrew solace i would die for you

5. Beautiful pain by Phantomxlegend

Will can take the pain of others and bear it himself. Half the time it’s not even a conscious decision and he doesn’t even know he did it... until later when the pain hits.

is this a little out there? yeah. a little wumpy?? yeah. but what is the point of fandom otherwise. this fic is exactly what it advertises

thank you for joining me this friday!! happy reading!!

[nicostolemybones]

A prom date, you and I?

A collaboration for the @solangeloweek Spring Ball between me and my partner, @sanderssideburns so this is short but sweet and super super full of love. He writes as Will and I write as Nico for this!

-

Will stood trembling with excitement. His heart reminding him with every loud thump that it was the day he has been impatiently waiting for. He felt jittery and anxious as he straightened his tie, face all flushed and smile stretched from one ear to the other.

Prom day.

The one day of the school year where everyone came together collectively to enjoy a night with their friends and dates. The one day Will refused to be fearful of homophobic remarks hushed in not so friendly tones because today was the day Will got to scream from the rooftops that his date was Nico Di Angelo.

Nico was the only truth in Will's life, the only constant. The only person that would make him feel better without fail. No matter what, the one thing Will knew for sure, is that Nico was home. Will loved him. Will never wanted to be without a home again.

His blue eyes peered back at him from the window hanging over his sink, showing him just how nervous he really was. Will didn't want to be nervous but he couldn't help. Too many times in his life good things turned bad but... No, he willed the thoughts away and focused on Nico. Nico was excited for today and Will was excited to spend today with Nico. He would never let a few anxious thoughts keep him from having the best date with the love of his life.

With that Will smiles, leaning in closer to the mirror, and starts dotting the concealer on any of his blemishes. He wants to look perfect, he wants to feel confident, so he wouldn't have any worries while he held Nico close and whispered how much he loves him into his ear while they dance.

He can't wait to dance with Nico, arms holding his boyfriends hips as they sway around the dance floor. The rest of the world shrinking away as they float around on cloud nine. As they drift in each other's arms safely.

Will looks at his pink suit and smiles, noticing how it brings out his natural blush, and it makes him blush darker. He knows Nico is going to love how he looks, he knows that Nico is going to look amazing too. Nico always looks amazing. He flushes a bright red just imagining Nico in his black suit, his undershirt matching Will's suit. Will looks at his own undershirt, black, matching Nico. He loves that. 

He loves that they feel safe together, comfortable with matching their prom outfits. It's pretty cheesy but the thought alone makes Will's nerves settle. Nico is choosing to be seen with him, he wants to be seen with him and isn't trying to hide it. He knows Nico will protect him and he knows he would do anything to protect Nico.

He doesn't need to worry, they'll be safe. 

Nico always protects him, sometimes without even realizing. All Nico has to do is smile at times and Will's anxiety will ease. A single smile is all it takes sometimes for Will to feel safe. Will loves feeling safe because of Nico. Will loves feeling cared about because of Nico. Will honestly loves anything because of Nico.

Will giggles to himself and whispers, "I'm so whipped." 

He continues with his makeup, adding a bit of glitter to his eyelids to make them pop, not enough to be obvious but enough for Nico to see when they're face to face. He wants his eyes to pop because he knows Nico loves his eyes. 

He loves Nico's eyes too. How soft and familiar they are. Their warmth makes Will feel giddy inside. Everytime Nico looks at him with those gentle brown eyes, Will feels a little more in love.

Will loves everything about Nico. He loves his kindness, even when Nico doesn't always openly show it. Will loves his humor, his late night thoughts, and even his crude inappropriate jokes. Will laughs thinking about them. Will especially loves how genuine Nico is. How Nico is true with his feelings, he doesn't always show or talk about them, but when he does, Nico is truthful. Will loves that. 

Will loves knowing he can trust Nico no matter what. He knows Nico would never hurt him, or lie to him about something important, or do something to break his trust. Will loves that stability. Will loves having something, someone, to trust with no doubt in the back of his mind.

Will trusts Nico, he loves him, and he wants tonight to be the most perfect night. Because Nico deserves that. Will likes to think he deserves it too.

After all the shit and pain they have gone through, a night of love and joy is just what the doctor ordered. Will should know, he's the one who wrote the doctor note after all.

He glances at his phone, beaming at his lockscreen that's a picture of them together smiling, and checks the time. It's still way too early to be dressed and almost ready to leave. It makes him flustered that he's so nervous. 

The thing is, he can't calm down, because he's so fucking excited. He's excited to hold Nico’s hand, see him all dressed up, and spend the night dancing with him and loving him freely and without any fear.

Tonight is about having fun and Will refuses to let anything ruin that for them. 

He runs a hand through his hair anxiously, thoughts going wild. He wonders how Nico is doing his hair, should he text him and ask? Maybe they should do matching hairstyles… No that's way too much. But he hopes Nico is happy with whatever hairstyle he chooses. Will looks at his hair, he should definitely keep it soft and fluffy, no hair products if he can. He wants Nico to be able to run his fingers through his hair… Will loves when he does that.

Will closes his eyes imagining it. He loves how warm Nico’s hands are. How soft they are when tangled in his wavy hair or cupping his cheek.  Will feels his chest tighten in happiness. 

He hopes they have a lot of moments like that tonight. A lot of embraces, kisses, giggles, gentle looks, blushes, and happiness. He hopes with everything inside him that tonight is everything he wants it to be, for both of them.

A loud snap makes Will jump, but he laughs loudly when he realizes it was just the comb falling off the sink. He picks it up and starts brushing his hair, giggling a little at how it fluffs out in funny angles. 

Nico would tease him about it before running his fingers through it and kissing him, saying how much he loves Will. It almost makes Will tempted to keep it how it is but he decides against it quickly because he would rather Nico tease him in private. He would also love for Nico to see him and immediately know how much effort Will put in to make himself look good. He wants Nico to know he cares enough to put in that extra effort.

Will starts actually styling his hair now, brushing it back into a neat simple look. He isn't very good at hair anyway, so he's pretty happy with how it ends up. Even if it isn't very impressive. 

He takes a deep breath and looks at himself fully, taking a step back. His pink suit is still crisp and fresh, the black shirt underneath ironed straighter than Will’s sexuality, and his face looks soft. He smiles, dimples popping up among the array of freckles. He can't help it, Will shoots himself finger guns, “lookin good Solace.” He says to himself with a semi confident chuckle. He feels good and he's more excited than ever for Nico to see him.

In a rush, Will leaves his room, triple checking anxiously to make sure he has everything he needs. Wallet, phone, stim toy… He pats himself down and runs out the door. He immediately runs back in remembering an extremely crucial thing he forgot, his shoes. 

After slipping them on he's off again, practically running to where their prom is being held and he holds his breath upon entering.

Because there's Nico.

Nico smiles, eyes beautiful and staring at Will. Will can feel his heart speed up, but not with anxiety this time… but with love and warmth and all things good.

Will can't believe he was so nervous before, because now he's here, he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Nico seems happy and content. Will plans on doing everything he can to keep that happy look on his face.

Will loves him, he knows that, it's his single truth. But right now he can feel himself falling deeper and deeper in love the longer they stare at each other. Nico’s eyes warm, giving Will the reassurance he needs for the last bit of his anxiety to slowly melt off. 

They're here, standing in the middle of their prom, and safe together. Will smiles and takes Nico in, his eyes, hairs adjourned with flowers, and suit. Will smiles at his suit. It's black and makes the pink undershirt stand out beautifully. Hell, everything is standing out beautifully because Nico is wearing it. Nico looks beautiful, more than beautiful. He looks gorgeous and handsome and… and cute? 

Will can't think of the perfect word to describe him other than beautiful. Absolutely beautiful and he grows more beautiful somehow the longer he's smiling.

Nico is smiling and it makes Will glow gently, eager to be with him and hold his hand and dance the night away.

Because they can.

Because this is their night and their turn for that happily ever after they deserve. 

-

He loved Will. Of that, he was sure. Out of all the things in all of the world, his love for Will was his only objective truth.

It was everything about him, from the way he smiled to the way he laughed. When Will would smile, the corner of his mouth would quirk up and his eyes would light up before his whole face would relax into a wide smile, one where the freckles on the bridge of his nose would crinkle, one where his cheeks would dimple either side in a way that had Nico wanting to grab his face and kiss them both before worshipping every last freckle on his face. Each freckle was like a star in the night's sky, constellations and nebulae, and Nico was a sailor lost at sea, guided home into Will's safe arms by the ever-constant freckles on his face. Love alters not. Nico couldn't help but think of sonnet 116 whenever he looked at Will. He was so sure of his love for Will. Will's laugh. Will's laugh was music, the best kind of music, full and loud. He wasn't a songbird when he laughed, rather he snorted and wheezed and giggled in a way that made him tear up, his whole body shook, the blood flooded his cheeks until they were a ruddy wine pink to the tips of his ears, until the blotchy blush spread down his neck and reached the constellations on his back and chest.

Nico had spent so long in the bathroom already, trying to figure out how to wear his hair- he'd scrubbed the gel out twice and given up, and he was about to grab the straighteners when his sister Hazel leapt up from her seat on his bed, reminding him that his curls were beautiful, putting two simple braids either side and tying them at the back, weaving in daisies. She still had her nightie and bonnet on- after all, it was five am and way too early for Nico to be getting ready and he was probably going to sweat too much and have to shower again and ruin his hair. Nico would do his best to return the favour, although he'd probably call somebody in to spend the time to braid her hair correctly.

And his suit, his suit was black, cut crisp and ironed out straight, tailored exactly to his measurements. It complimented his rich olive skin, and the baby pink shirt, pleated at the front, worked well. Nico wasn't one to wear pink, but it was going to compliment Will's suit, and if he was honest, it suited him, and he liked the colour connotations for himself. He'd decided on the bow tie, black, of course, with gold trimmings like the gold of Will's glow. But he quickly took it off- he wanted to match Will, wanted to be cheesy, so he put on his black tie and undid it and repeated the process for at least ten minutes before deciding it looked good. 

He wore a small amount of eyeliner, just to bring out the deep glass brown of his eyes, and perhaps distract from the still reddened acne scars on his cheeks. He didn't mind them, of course, they were natural- he just loved his dark brown eyes, and wanted them to stand out the most today. He knew Will liked his eyes, loved the way Will would look him in the eyes, his blue ones scanning between Nico's eyes in search of Nico's feelings. And Nico would always melt under the concern and sincerity in them, would melt in the way Will's salt damaged curls felt beneath his fingers, dry, but so soft, like cat fur, but longer, and a sunrise blond. 

Nico was nervous of everything about today, from the fact he was ready so early, to the fact he was arriving alone, and what if Will was late or what if Will was sick and couldn't make it-

He must have been pale with anxiety, because Hazel had made him sit down. He took a moment to look at the shake of his hands, attempting to will the shake away. His skin had finally lost the unhealthy ghostly tone- the way that his rich skin would seem to have a translucent mottled appearance, almost greyed with the sallow pallor that had taken over. He'd looked so ill, like a ghost, not white, but intangible, or like a corpse, like there was no blood beneath his skin, his tan faded enough that his olive skin looked dull. Not white, far from white- after all, his olive complexion was there to stay- but it looked ashen. His skin was a warm tan, the olive undertones seeming to almost glow with vitality now- like it once had when he was a child.

He was so happy.

He knew that the moment he arrived, he'd be unable to breathe. He knew- he knew he'd get that sudden surge of life inside the pit of his stomach, fluttering out of his chest like caged songbirds- he knew he'd be unable to help the goofy smile that crossed his expression as he found himself looking at Will. Because Will was stunning, Will was pretty, Will was handsome, and Will was beautiful. There wasn't many men that Nico considered beautiful, but Will? Will was beautiful. He was beautiful when he laughed so hard he hiccupped light butterflies and he was beautiful when he cried over puppies. And he was beautiful when his glow shifted into warm ambers and sunrise yellows, and he was tragically beautiful when they shifted into sunset oranges and dark ambers. Will was beautiful, stunning, acne scars to match Nico's own.

Nico wanted Will to know that he was beautiful, that his soft features were kind and reassuring, that his flesh was beautiful over every pound of flesh beneath, over every pale bone and every bloody muscle, over every thin tendon and every working organ. Nico didn't always have faith in the gods, but he believed in them with his whole being and vitality when he saw Will's baby blue eyes, the way that Will was so beautiful, so angelic, so goddamn handsome, that there was no way he hadn't been delicately crafted by the gods themselves.

Will was so kind, so loving, so tender, in the way he'd hesitate before every kiss and the way he'd cup Nico's jaw with the softest touch, to silently wait for Nico's consent before kissing him so tenderly, so lovingly, that Nico could feel every ounce of emotion behind it. Nico knew he was loved, in the way Will closed his eyes and sighed, in the way Will held Nico close long after the kiss had ended.

Will was so genuinely kind, so loving, so considerate and so talented. Nico had never been more sure of anything more than this as he slipped the gold ring inside of his jacket's inside pocket. 

He looked in the mirror one last time, before changing back to the bow tie. Maybe he wouldn't match Will today, and maybe that wouldn't matter- because he knew- he knew, looking at his reflection, that the small accent of gold would be a comfort whilst he travelled, like Will was right there, always, close to his heart.

He'd never been more nervous, and he was sure he'd be more nervous in the future, but right now, he knew that his nerves were a precursor to something good, that today, he would unlock a future he once would have only dreamed of. He found himself not particularly caring what anybody would have to say. Will was his king tonight.

And he waited hours, hours until finally- finally, he was able to sit inside the slick black limo he'd hired, finally able to anxiously count down every second until he arrived. He was so wrapped up in his anxiety that he hadn't the chance to think- but as soon as he stepped out, as soon as he calmed his breath and looked up, everything stopped.

Will was ethereal. He was breathtaking, stunningly beautiful, stood there nervously in his baby pink suit and his black shirt. And their eyes locked. Nico felt as though his feet moved on their own, unable to think of anything, anything other than Will, beautiful, kind, loving Will- and he knew more than anything else in this world that he was going to love this boy with his whole soul, knew that he was going to hold this boy and never let go, knew that he was going to marry this boy.

Will was the sun, the sunrise, and the sunset. Will was the warmth across the shadows. Will was the embracing light and comforting heat of the soft golden glow of every morning and every evening, he was the fire that kickstarted Nico's heart, and he was the ray of light that bathed every worshipper in his luxurious golden glow- the giver of life. Being with Will was a religious experience.

"Hey," he punched out in a stuttered breath, reaching his hand out with a genuine, heartfelt smile, "care to dance, sunshine?" 

[meetmyglowinthedarkboyfriend]

[solangelover]

3 Days + 1: Day 1

Solangelo Spring Ball 2020 - Collab w/ @nicostolemybones

Read on AO3 or FF.Net

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

A/N: For @solangeloweek ’s Spring Ball event, I worked with @nicostolemybones​ to write a 3 days infirmary fic (plus an extra bonus day). I’ve wanted to write a 3 days fic since the beginning, so it was great to finally get it done in my first collab! The days will be linked above, including linking over to my friend’s posts. Happy reading!

As Nico jogged up to Will, who was waiting on the steps of the Big House, Will blurted out, “What was that about?” He glanced over Nico’s shoulder at the power couple of camp. Percy and Annabeth seemed wrapped up in their world, as per usual. Though, no one could really fault them anymore. They’d literally been through hell together. Probably no one was happier that the war was over than those two.

“Just saying bye,” Nico rushed out, now standing directly in front of the healer with a light blush covering his cheeks. “He and Annabeth may be leaving soon.”

“Leaving camp?” Will tapped his chin in thought. “I guess that makes sense. Gods know they deserve a freaking break.”

Nico nearly scoffed, “Yeah, if another war happens in our lifetime…” He trailed off, shaking his head. Like he really needed another reminder that, as a child of the Big Three, he would forever be a prime candidate for major prophecies. After all the burial rites he performed recently, he was getting tired of the death that followed him around like a led ball chained to his ankle. He was feeling exhausted just thinking about another war.

“Nico,” Will’s fingers snapped right in front of Nico’s eyes, jerking him out of his thoughts.

“Huh?” he responded, straightening up his stance. Once aware of his body, he realized that he was practically sinking to the floor. Will had a hand wrapped around his forearm to steady him. The hand felt warm on Nico’s cold skin.

Will’s blue eyes bore into Nico’s brown ones, concern evident as he scanned demigod’s face. “You zoned out on me,” he frowned. “Come on, I told you you should’ve come here sooner. Let’s get inside.”

With that, Will shifted his grip down to Nico’s wrist and tugged him along into the infirmary. Nico could do nothing but follow, heat flooding into his cheeks both at the contact and the fact that Will seemed so concerned about Nico. After all, they didn’t know each other that well. Up until that day on the hill, he and Will hadn’t really had a conversation before. Of course, that was Nico’s fault for never being around. Or friendly. Or really giving anyone a reason to be his friend. But still, he was confused as to why Will seemed to care just as much as his close friends did.

As they marched through the infirmary, Nico glanced at the few campers still recovering from the battle. Other than some nasty scrapes or broken bones, no one seemed on the verge of death, which Nico was happy about. He shook his head as his thoughts wandered toward the way it felt during battle, with death surrounding him on all sides. That’s not what he should think about in a place of healing.

Nico was also concerned that his dark thoughts were making his aura of death stronger than normal, or maybe it seemed that way when juxtaposed with the sense of life and light that emanated from the Apollo healers. Some of the conscious campers eyed Nico with suspicion or fear, like he was the grim reaper coming to take them away. Even a few of the healers seemed wary, though they all looked away quickly. When Nico looked back toward Will, he noticed the blonde had the trace of a glare in his expression. He wondered what that was about.

The boys ventured deeper into the infirmary than Nico had ever gone, not that he visited often anyway. He cleared his throat to get Will’s attention. “Uhm, I don’t know if I should be here.”

Will huffed, “Nico di Angelo, I already told you, three days. You need to be checked out—I mean, medically speaking,” Nico had no idea why Will needed to clarify that, “—and you are not getting out of it.”

“No, I meant, like, I shouldn’t be here. Like, physically in this specific place.”

They stopped in front of a curtain at the back of the infirmary, far from everyone else. Nico wasn’t sure if this made him more comfortable or nervous.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well,” Nico said sheepishly. Wasn’t it obvious? “People come here to get healed. And I don’t do that.”

Will rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah, neither do the Ares kids, yet we still let them come in, even when the injuries are their own doing.” His eyes softened when he gazed at Nico. “You’re not the harbinger of death, we both know that. Your father is god of the underworld, and riches or whatever. If anything, you and your father care for the dead like we healers care for our patients.”

Nico snorted at that, which made Will smile brightly. “Not quite, Solace, but sure, I guess.” His countenance became nervous once again as he glanced back toward where the other campers were. “I don’t want to make people uncomfortable, though.”

Will was still smiling when he pushed the curtains aside, bringing Nico’s attention back to him. “Well, they’ll have to get used to it. You’re my patient now and no one is stopping me from doing my job.”

Right, caring was Will’s job. He doesn’t care specifically about me, Nico reminded himself. He couldn’t get ahead of himself, couldn’t risk hoping for something that wasn’t really there. Nico sat on the white bed at Will’s ushering, his shoulders sinking in exhaustion he hadn’t even realized was there. The son of Apollo left momentarily, saying something about medical supplies that Nico barely understood.

While he sat there, Nico could feel his eyelids growing heavy. He leaned his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands, pressing his palms into his eyes. He was so tired. Nico was always tired, especially given what he went through over the past couple months, but it was like, now that the war was over, his body didn’t have any adrenaline to keep him upright. Part of him was nervous about falling asleep in a semi-public place, but the other part knew he could sleep on the cold, hard floor if he had to.

As he rubbed at his eyes, trying to push the exhaustion away, he started to feel an ache in his neck and shoulders. It’s not like he was surprised, but he realized that the familiar pain had faded into the background as everything else had called his attention. Instead of trying to stretch it out, he just continued to sit, hunching up his shoulders a little.

Will cleared his throat when he re-entered the room, causing Nico to rub his eyes one last time before straightening up. When he looked at Will, he noticed he had a cart full of supplies in tow. His mind became more alert when he realized that all of those medical things were to be used on him.

“That’s,” he croaked, like he hadn’t spoken in a while. He coughed and restarted, “That’s a lot of stuff there.”

Will blushed a little as he sat on the chair near Nico’s bed. “Well, I’m not really sure what kind of injuries you have or treatments you’ll need, so I kind of just… brought everything.”

Nico chuckled, leaning back on his hands as Will grabbed his clipboard.

“Okay, let’s get started.” Will clicked his pen. “How do you feel?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Solace? That’s how you start?”

“It’s a standard question! If you know what needs healing, then we might as well start there.”

“Whatever,” Nico rolled his eyes again. “I’m fine.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “Really? You’re fine? A second ago, you looked like you were ready to pass out right there.”

Nico flushed a little at the observation. “I’m just tired.”

Will hummed as he looked Nico over, making him fidget under the scrutiny. “So it’s gonna be like that, huh?” He placed his clipboard to the side, then said, “I’ll give you my assessment, then you tell me if I’m right.”

Before Nico could ask how he’d do that, Will’s hand darted out and snatched up Nico’s own. Nico instinctively leaned away and tried to pull his hand back, but Will held fast as he closed his eyes in concentration. Nico gulped as he watched the healer’s expression become pinched with concern. Will mumbled under his breath for the next ten seconds before his eyes flew open with a gasp. Nico took the opportunity to yank his hand back, cradling it to his chest like he’d been burned.

“What—”

“Nico di Angelo,” Will cut him off in his stern doctor voice, and Nico’s jaw snapped shut. “So, you’re going to sit here and tell me that irritated and badly healed wounds, torn muscles, extreme exhaustion, and power drain make you a perfectly fine demigod?”

Nico blinked at the slew of information. He wasn’t sure exactly what Will was talking about, but he had a few ideas. Unsure of how to respond, Nico just shrugged at the irate healer before him.

Will pinched his nose before dropping back into his seat and picking up his clipboard once more. He scribbled furiously while Nico looked on. “How did you do that?” Nico asked.

Will glanced up through his bangs before going back to his notes. “Son of Apollo thing. I can get a general health assessment through touch. It varies between demigods, but I’ve gotten pretty good at quick checks because of the wars.”

Nico frowned as Will kept writing. He hated that they all had to say “wars” now, like one wasn’t enough.

“Okay,” Will sat up straight and glared at Nico. “I’ll ask again, di Angelo, and you better not lie. How are you feeling?”

Nico frowned. “I really am tired, I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“Hm,” Will thought, leaning back in his chair. “More specific questions then. Does your body hurt at all? Strained muscles? Headache? Fresh wounds? Bruises? Anything causing you pain?”

The son of Hades tilted his head in thought. He knew things vaguely ached, but what exactly, he wasn’t sure—too used to the feeling, probably. “Um, I guess my shoulders kind of hurt. And my head, probably from being tired.”

Will jotted a few things down before setting the clipboard aside. “Okay, let’s deal with some of that first, though I know there’s a lot more going on.” He shot Nico a glare over his shoulder as he stood up and moved toward the supply cart. He handed Nico a square of ambrosia, who gratefully accepted and began taking small bites of it.

“Just for some of the general pain. You’ll need actual rest for the fatigue once we’re done.” He moved to crouch down next to Nico. “Can I take a look at your shoulders? I’m going to just roll up your sleeve for now to assess the damage.”

Nico nodded, only flinching slightly when Will’s fingers brushed his bicep. Will smiled at him as he pushed up the right-side sleeve. Once it was up, however, his eyes widened and he gasped. Nico tried to get a glimpse of what Will was looking at, but it was a little too close for him to see. But, knowing what the injury was from, he’s not surprised that it’s still bad. “Monster attack,” was all he said.

“Oh gods, Nico, I can’t believe you said you were fine. Doesn’t this hurt?” He touched his fingers lightly to the angry red skin on Nico’s shoulder, all puffed up around what was clearly a nasty gash. Nico shivered at the touch and stared straight ahead.

“It hurts a little, but it’s been a while, so I’m probably just used to it.” He heard Will let out a disbelieving huff, staring a little longer before quickly going back to the cart.

He pulled out an ice pack, saying, “We’ll use this to keep the swelling down for now. The ambrosia should be enough for you to rest easily and we can treat it tomorrow. I’ll check your other shoulder too, just in case.” Nico nodded as Will moved to his other side, taking the ice pack and holding it in place. This time, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when the sleeved was rolled up and no wounds were present.

Will stood and wrote down a few more things on his clipboard. “Okay, Death Boy, we’ll do more treatment things tomorrow, I think today, we can focus on rest. You look like you’re ready to pass out.”

Nico narrowed his eyes at the son of Apollo, swallowing the rest of his ambrosia before saying, “Really? Death Boy?”

Will smirked, and it was a look Nico hadn’t seen yet on Will and okay that’s something. “I have a few other names in mind. We’ll test them out and see what sticks.” He turned toward the cart and began packing it up. “Be right back,” he threw over his shoulder while pushing the cart out of the curtained-off area.

Alone again, Nico continued to hold the ice pack in place, feeling marginally better as the ambrosia began to kick in. He didn’t exactly forget about the injury from Lycaon, but he will admit that it didn’t cross his mind to get it looked at at the infirmary. Reyna and Coach Hedge had done enough for him to be in fighting condition, so he figured it would heal on its own.

Nico pulled his legs up onto the bed and leaned back, suddenly realizing how tense he had been this whole time. As he rolled out his neck, he felt exhaustion tug at his mind. But he couldn’t sleep yet, he didn’t know if Will was done! His body, however, had other plans as he felt himself sink into the cot and his eyes slipped shut.

He heard the curtain rustle, followed by a soft chuckle. Will slid the ice pack from Nico’s loose grip and shifted his arm down to his side. The touch was light, but still present. Nico made some kind of sound in an attempt to say… well, something, he didn’t know what. But Will shushed him, smoothing a hand over his hair.

“It’s alright. You can sleep now. Get some rest, Nico.” Then, Will began to lightly run his fingers through Nico’s hair, probably a natural comforting gesture. To Nico, it felt like warmth was radiating out from where Will’s fingertips brushed against his scalp. He felt his whole body relax, down to the tips of his toes. The ever-present ache in his bones subsided a little, and Nico felt a peace he hadn’t felt in a while.

He fell asleep to soft hums and small comforts.

[theonlyoneworthseeingzine]

Writing preview from @nicostolemybones​ for The Only One Worth Seeing Zine! The Only One Worth Seeing is an Adashi PDF zine for charity. 100% of proceeds will be donated to the Yemen Red Cross to help those affected by the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. Orders open tomorrow, September 19th!