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It was such a long week, and Will was so tired. He'd been working long shifts at the infirmary due to the influx of summer campers, and he was bleeding himself dry. Metaphorically, of course.
Nico had noticed. Of course he had; they were so close, so in tune with each other, it would have been impossible for him not to. His siblings were either oblivious or just fine with letting the oldest take the most responsibility. Whichever it was, it didn’t matter. Will had to work, he had to fix people, or he would fail. That was just how it was.
But Nico refused to let it become the norm. Will had tried to explain that he was used to it, really, he was, but Nico wouldn’t take a word of it.
“C’mon, Will,” Nico near-whined. He could be annoying, and so persuasive, when he wanted to be. He swallowed before saying, much quieter, “I miss you.”
Will knew that it wasn’t the easiest for Nico to say things with such vulnerability. “Fine. Just tonight,” Will sighed. He didn’t really have the time, but he supposed that he could get Kayla or Austin to fill in for him, and if he picked up an extra morning shift… “Just this once.”
Nico smiled widely, and Will revelled in the sudden burst of warmth it brought him. “Thank you,” he said softly, and reached out to squeeze Will’s hand. He darted off towards the arena the moment he let go, and Will couldn’t help but wish he would’ve held on even a second longer.
Will informed Kayla and Austin of the change in plans, and they reacted more positively than he’d expected. Maybe they’d been paying more attention to his overworking himself than he’d thought. Either way, he thanked them with a hug, and a small kiss on the forehead for Austin as he allowed it.
The campfire that night passed energetically, smoke scent in the air and fire high with the spirits. Marshmallows were roasted and songs were sung. Will was so tired that most of the event passed in a sort of hazy, warm blur for him, but he didn’t mind. Nico let him sit at the back with him and lean on his shoulder, and though Nico nudged him away whenever he felt eyes on them, Will didn’t mind. He understood not to take it personally.
Nico was tough and selfless and fierce, that was certain, but he was also fragile and flighty, and prone to overthinking other’s opinions of him. He would second-guess himself consistently in their friendship, and Will had more than once helped him through an anxiety attack where he convinced himself he was a burden on everyone he loved and should leave, for good this time. Will supposed he wasn’t so dissimilar, except he tended to keep his emotions closer to his chest, than Nico who would leave them visible on his sleeve but angrily lash out at anyone who dared to stare at them too obviously. It was tricky, navigating a friendship with Nico, but Will wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Nico shook him mostly conscious when people started to disperse from the campfire. Will sat up straight and shook the sleep from his eyes.
“Ready for bed?” Nico asked.
“’M gonna get the kids, then shower, then I’ll join you,” Will mumbled.
“Don’t fall asleep in there,” Nico joked. He bumped his elbow with Will’s, briefly and affectionately. “I wish you luck.”
“Thanks.” Will tipped his head back in recognition, an easy grin across his face, which switched to authoritative enthusiasm for the young Apollo campers gathered at the bottom of the tiered seating. “Alright, guys! Let’s head back to Cabin Seven.”
Through the groans and complaints, Will herded the children back with Austin’s help, thanking the gods that Kayla had taken up the night shift, as she would have only encouraged the children’s rebelliousness.
Austin kindly offered to let Will hop through the shower quickly while the others organized themselves, and Will thanked him and grabbed a stall before the pre-bedtime rush. He didn’t bother to wash his hair, but scrubbed himself clean from the smell of fire and changed into his pyjamas.
He got the kids situated in bed with Austin and quietly let himself out the door, sneaking across the grassy common to Cabin 13. He knocked on the door, and when no one answered, let himself in quietly.
The shower was running in the bathroom, so Will made himself comfortable on Nico’s huge bed in the meantime. It was piled with a ridiculous amount of blankets, the mattress was so soft Will never wanted to leave in the mornings. It was a good thing that Nico never set an alarm, so Will could sleep for as long as he wanted without anything waking him.
Will had just started to drift off when Nico exited the bathroom, water still dripping from his hair and a towel slung over one shoulder. He didn’t seem surprised to see Will, and instead dropped his towel on the ground and flung himself on the bed next to him.
“Shouldn’t sleep with your hair wet,” Will muttered.
“Why? ’Cause it’ll get me sick?” Nico scoffed.
“No, ’cause then bacteria will grow and you’ll get dandruff,” Will said. “Sit up and dry it.”
Nico groaned, but he sat up and yanked his towel off the ground, roughly drying it. Will rolled his eyes and got up as well, moving behind Nico to take the towel and slowly and carefully scrunch his hair until it was dry enough not to be an issue. “Dumbass.” Will tugged on a strand of hair, and Nico squeaked involuntarily.
“Mean.”
“It’s the truth.” Will shrugged loftily, and Nico’s mouth twisted into a smile at it.
Nico took the towel back from Will to put it in the bathroom, and Will took the opportunity to burrow under the mountain of blankets and get comfortable. Nico only sighed long-sufferingly when he saw Will, barely even visible beneath them all, and he went to join him.
Nico tucked himself under the blankets, somehow with even more than Will. Will knew Nico ran cold, but sometimes the sheer amount of warmth he preferred was a little alarming.
“Good?”
“Yeah.” Nico shuffled around so he was facing Will, just his head poking above the blankets, comical. Will resisted the urge to giggle at it. “Good?”
Will exhaled lengthily. “Yeah.”
“Gonna admit you needed the break now?”
The mood shifted. Will bit his lip. “Yeah. I guess.”
“It sucks.”
Nico didn’t elaborate, and he didn’t really need to, Will guessed. What was there to elaborate on? It sucked. He’d get through it. “Yeah.”
A sudden feeling swelled up in him, and Will felt himself furiously fighting back tears. “Sorry. I’ll- it’s gonna be fine, I know.”
“Yeah.” Nico studied him nonjudgmentally. “Here. Hold my hand.” Will’s hand scrambled to find Nico’s in the sheets, and he clung tight to it. “You’re gonna be okay.”
“I know.”
“I thought it might help to- be told.”
“It does.”
They didn’t speak after, and at some point, Nico closed his eyes, so Will closed his as well. Nico’s hand wasn’t as cold as he’d expected, and the feeling of their fingers woven together was comforting. He took solace in the comfort, and he fell asleep.