Work Text:
Will knocked on the door to the Hades cabin, hoping for an answer. He’d been looking all around camp for Nico but couldn’t find him in any of his usual spots: the arena, the climbing wall, or the big house. Percy and Jason hadn’t seen him around either. Will knocked again but heard no response.
The door creaked as he opened it slowly, not wanting to startle a possibly sleeping son of Hades. Sure enough, Nico was there on his bed, but he wasn’t sleeping. He was sitting with his back leaning on the wall, staring off into space as if lost in thought.
“Hey,” Will said softly.
Nico looked over to his boyfriend, but his face didn’t change. Will sat down on the bed next to him.
“Can I hold your hand?”
Nico nodded.
Will scooched closer to Nico, gently enveloping his boyfriend's small hand in his own larger one. He started rubbing the back of Nico’s hand with his thumb, trying to comfort him.
“What’s on your mind?” Will prompted. He knew that Nico may not open up without some gentle pushing.
Nico shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not that important.”
Will squeezed Nico’s hand a little and looked into his eyes. “Of course it’s important.”
Nico shrugged again. “I’m just kind of upset I guess.”
Will kept rubbing Nico’s hand, leaving space for his boyfriend to continue. Nico knew Will was listening, and Will knew that he shouldn’t push too much. Nico would talk when he was ready.
A couple moments went by with no speaking, but Will started to hear soft sniffling.
“I just…” Nico started. “I’m just frustrated. No one gets it.”
Will reached up with his other hand to brush Nico’s curly bangs out of his face. He knew what Nico was referring to when he said “it,” but he thought he should specify just in case.
“Your disability?” Will asked.
Nico nodded, reaching up to wipe a few tears from his eyes.
“What’s going on?” Will asked, trying to keep some of the concern out of his voice. Nico’s accused him of being a worried mother before, and he wanted to keep the focus on his boyfriend.
“I just feel like I always have to explain myself and I’m so tired of it. And it’s annoying for my friends too, I must seem so high maintenance to them and I don’t want to be that way.” Nico looked down at where Will’s hand was still holding his own. He squeezed Will’s hand gently.
“What makes you think they find you annoying?” Will asked.
“I don’t know,” Nico’s eyes were downcast. “They haven’t really done anything. I just feel bad. I’m always turning down plans that don’t work for me when they work for everyone else. I just feel difficult. I feel like they think I’m just turning it down because I don’t like them or because I’m trying to get some sort of attention and I hate being the center of attention. It’s just easier to turn things down than to make the outing about me and my stupid needs when I’d much rather fade into the background like usual.”
Will waited a moment to make sure Nico was finished, running his free hand through his hair again.
“That sounds really hard,” Will said, not wanting to say he understands exactly because he knew he didn’t. “I get not wanting to feel like you’re imposing on your friends or making it about you, but I don’t think any of them feel like you’re doing that. I think they’d be happy to do a little extra to make sure you feel included and able to hang out with them if you want to.”
Nico shrugged. He knew Will was probably right. He and Leo had been getting closer lately, and he knew that Leo would be overly enthusiastic about anything he needed. But he was even conflicted about that. He didn’t like feeling like he was being fussed over, he’d grown used to looking out for himself since his mother and Bianca had passed. He didn’t want to feel like he was relying on anyone else for anything. Maybe Will was right, maybe he was the one pushing back and creating more problems when his friends would be more than happy to help.
“You’re probably right, I don’t know…” Nico trailed off.
“You don’t like accepting help,” Will said.
Nico scowled, but he couldn’t deny it.
“There’s nothing wrong with accepting a little help,” Will squeezed Nico’s hand again. “It doesn’t make you weak.”
“The thing is… I find myself wanting to be cared for sometimes, like deep down. I kind of crave it, but I just can’t let myself accept it. I can’t depend on you like that.” Nico’s heart was beating fast, he felt like he had said too much, been too vulnerable with Will and he’d regret it later.
“Baby, of course you can depend on me.” Will maneuvered them so he was sitting with his back leaning on the wall and pulled Nico’s back to his chest, hugging him around his front. “I’m here for you.”
“I know that, I just- one day you won’t be. And I can’t let myself get comfortable because I won’t be able to deal with it when…” Nico’s voice faltered, “when you leave.”
Will felt his heart ache for the boy he cared so deeply about. He felt tears coming to his eyes, and he was glad Nico wasn’t looking at his face.
“Nico, baby, I will never leave you,” Will said, his voice a bit shaky. He hugged Nico tighter, running one hand up and down one of Nico’s arms.
“I know you think that now but people always end up leaving me one way or another,” Nico said as if it were a matter of fact, no emotion behind his words.
Will gently turned Nico so he was looking into his beautiful onyx eyes. They simultaneously glittered and sucked in all the light from around them.
“Nico, I mean this from the bottom of my heart. I can’t see myself or my life without you. I…” Will’s voice broke, but he kept speaking. “I love you.”
Nico froze, staring into Will’s eyes. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard, he had no idea how to respond. He felt his eyes start to burn, welling up with tears.
“Will…” Nico stayed looking into Will’s eyes, as much as he wanted to look away and hide. “No one’s ever said that to me before, aside from family, I mean.”
“I mean it. I love you, Nico di Angelo,” Will was still looking intensely into Nico’s eyes, now blinking and flooded with tears. “I love you with all my heart.”
“Will,” Nico looked down, trying to find his words, before looking back up at Will’s smiling face. “I love you too. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. It’s scary.” Nico hid his face in Will’s chest and let his tears fall freely.
“It’s okay to be scared. I’m here for you.” Will embraced Nico, running his fingers through his hair, soothing his crying boyfriend. Nico rarely showed this type of emotion in front of him, or anyone, really. It was kind of nice, in a way. Will felt like Nico really trusted him, and he was proud of the relationship that they’d built together.
They sat there for a few more minutes, Nico feeding off of Will’s warmth and Will content to be supporting his boyfriend in more ways than one. Then Will remembered what started this whole conversation in the first place.
“How are you feeling?” Will asked.
“Really good about us,” Nico smiled up at Will. “I don’t know how I feel about everyone else. I feel like you’re right, they probably don’t mind helping…”
“Mmm,” Will affirmed, leaving room for Nico to continue.
“I think Percy was talking about hanging out after the campfire tonight. Maybe we could go if I’m feeling up to it?”
“I’d love that,” Will smiled, his eyes beaming. He was proud of Nico, and he looked forward to enjoying the night with his boyfriend and friends.