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[Well this is just a simple song,
To say what you've done.]

Nico di Angelo stood in the bedroom of his and Will's apartment. The 23 year old son of Hades stared at the little black box he had set on his night stand.

[I told you about all those fears,]

A million thoughts of fear laden hesitation ran through his mind. Endless scenarios and outcomes of today made his head spin. The stakes had never been higher when it came to He and Will.

[And away they did run,]

Will. The name had become a prayer over the course of their relationship. One he often found himself whispering when he was afraid or unsure.

[You sure must be strong.]

A light in the dark to chase the shades of his fears away.

[And you feel like and ocean being warmed by the sun.]

Nico smiled, the irony was not lost on him. He a child of death and darkness, in love with a child of healing and light. But he'd long since stopped trying to fight it or proclaim it impossible. He loved Will and that was all there was to it.

A knock on the bedroom door startled Nico out of his thoughts and sent him scrambling to grab the box.

“Nico, you in there?” came the voice of his boyfriend/room mate.

“Y-yeah,” Nico stuttered as he shoved the box into the pocket of his aviator jacket.

“You can't keep stealing my hoodie!” Will had told him when he got him the new jacket. “I don't care how adorable you look in it. It's COLD in the morning.”

“Are you decent?” Continued the 24 year old, in a tone that implied he was hoping for an answer in the negative.

“Yeah, dressed and ready to go,” Nico replied with a smile.

Will entered the bedroom and crossed over to Nico. He sighed dramatically, before enveloping him in a warm hug.

“You and your chaste attitude,” Will mock pouted. “I thought you said you were going to make this date special.”

Nico grinned and leaned up for a kiss which Will generously returned.

“I promise to make it up to you,” Nico assured. “Are you gonna wear your necklace?”

“You mean the cursed medallion you stole from the ancient crypt?” Will asked wryly.

Nico sighed with a smile.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Nico mock scolded. “I didn't steal it, I liberated it.”

“Off a dead body,” Will countered. “In a crypt.”

“It's an amulet to your brother Asclepios,” Nico corrected. “That was stolen from one of your Dad's temples. The body I took it off was the son of Hermes that stole it. Giving it to you was the right thing to do.”

Nico stuck his tongue out to push the point home. Will just chuckled and pulled it our from under his collar.

“Already wearing it,” he said gesturing to the little gold medallion hanging by a silver chain necklace.

Nico smiled, despite feeling the ever present weight of the small box in his jacket pocket.

“Well then we should go,” Nico gestured to the door. “I don't know if Julius Albert can get impatient, what with being a zombie and all, be he's still driving us and I'd hate to be rude.”

Will's laugh caused a warm shiver to shoot up Nico's spine and goosebumps to a erupt on his skin. But all he showed was a tender smile as he ushered his love out the apartment to their car.

xXx

[I know that things can really get rough, when you go it alone.
Don't go thinking you gotta be tough, to bleed like a stone.]

“Nico if you don't want to stay in Cabin 11, that's fine. We'll talk to Chiron and work something out. Maybe you can stay in the Big House. Just please don't leave. You don't HAVE to be alone.”

[Could be there's nothing else in our lives So critical.
As this little home.]

“Maybe it's time you came out of the shadows.”

As the car ride passed, Nico couldn't stop himself from reflecting on Percy and Jason's past advice. He couldn't help it. It is what guided him to this point. His nerves were starting to become unsettled again. It was getting harder to keep himself calm.

“So where are we going?” Will said ripping Nico back to the present.

Nico sighed inwardly. Will to the rescue yet a gain.

“I told you,” Nico taunted. “It's a surprise.”

“Oh come on,” Will pouted. “Just a hint.”

“Nope,” Nico replied resolutely. “You're too smart. You'll figure it out.”

Will shoved Nico playfully.

“But it's big?” Will asked hopefully.

“It's the anniversary of our first date,” Nico assured “Of course it's big.”

Will smiled and took his boy friend's hand.

Julius Albert brought the car to a stop. Nico got out and held the door open for his beloved, then dismissed the zombie back to the underworld.

Will face fell a little in disappointment when he realized where they were.

“Camp Half-Blood?” he asked slightly crestfallen. “You made it sound like we were going to a 5 star restaurant.”

Nico chuckled.

“Be patient Solace. I promised you a good time.”

Nico offered his hand again. Will smiled a little at that and took it. The two of them ambled up the hill, stopping to give Pelius a scratch behind the ears as they passed.

“He's getting big,” remarked Will.

The two of them roamed through Camp Half-Blood mingling with the campers and staff. Some they knew others they didn't. They stopped at some of their favorite spots. The infirmary was still busy treating injuries sustained from quests, pranks, or stupid stunts. Nico had to drag Will away by the collar to keep him from jumping in.

“We're on a date,” Nico hissed.

“Sorry,” Will said with chagrin. “Old habits.”

Nico shook his head and smiled. They kept moving.

Cabin 7 was as packed as ever. Will made the rounds and greeted his siblings, new and old. Everyone was proud of him for getting his medical license.

Cabin 13 was as deserted as Nico had left it 4 summers ago. No new children of Hades had yet popped up. But the cabin itself had been tirelessly kept clean. The couch and arm chairs were fluffed and polished, the beds were turned down, the fire place was empty but immaculate, even the porch was swept free of dirt dust and other debris.

“I'm glad they didn't put the old coffin beds back in after I left,” Nico smiled.

“You threatened them with an eternity of personalized torture if they did,” Will reminded him.

“Oh yeah,” Nico smiled. “I did didn't I?”

Will shook his head and they moved on.

“Ok Death boy,” Will said elbowing the son of Hades. “I've waited long enough. Spill.”

Nico smiled mischievously as the butterflies returned to his stomach.

“We're going to have a picnic on the hill where we used to watch the stars,” Nico revealed. “All your favorite foods, nice open area, and the whole day to enjoy.”

Will made a shocked face. Nico froze.

“You hate it don't you?” Nico worried. “Ugh I knew it. It's just with all the crazy we've had lately I thought you could use a slow down and-”

Will cut Nico off with a tender kiss. Some passing Aphrodite girls gave catcalls, but Nico only barely noticed.

[Well this is just a simple song,]

“It's perfect,” said Will breaking the kiss. “Really, it is.”

[To say what you've done.]

Nico smiled and took his hand.

[I told you about all those fears,]

“Only the best for you,” Nico said as the last of his momentary fear slipped away.

[And away they did run,
You sure must be strong.]

“Shall we?” Nico asked offering his hand.

Will responded by smiling and taking his hand.

[And you feel like and ocean being warmed by the sun.]

They walked hand in hand to the place on the hill they had all but put up signs claiming as theirs. Nico could still remember the night Will had found him there chilled to the bone waiting for the sunrise. It had been their first night truly together. And now, gods willing, it would become even more important.

When they reached the top of the hill Will, did a double take. What he had expected to be a quiet place was a buzz with activity. Instead of a empty hill side, there were picnic blankets, a grill, and people. Not just any people either.

Percy and Jason were arm wrestling, with Reyna refereeing. Annabeth and Piper were deep in conversation with each other, vehemently denying that their full grown husbands had devolved to such childish competitions. Hazel was talking with Calypso and Lou Ellen about Magic. Cecil and Leo were manning the grill and exchanging mischievous ideas. Frank, Austin and Kayla were comparing Archery notches. And Chiron was off to the side talking with, was that his Mom?

Will was about to voice his confusion when Percy shouted his name with joy. Jason noticed them to and ran over with Percy, their competition forgotten.

Suddenly Will's senses were overpowered by smell of sea breeze, as he found himself in one of the son of Poseidon's famous death grip hugs.

Jason stopped short of Nico asking a question with his eyes. Nico extended his arms in submission and allowed himself to be swept into Jason's version of the bone crushing bear hug.

“Percy! Let the poor man breathe,” Annabeth called.

“Sorry,” Percy said releasing Will with a blush.

Will gasped for breath red faced.

“G-good to see you too Percy,” Will choked out.

Percy smiled rubbing the back of his head a little embarrassed.

Beside him he could see Jason releasing Nico as well. The son of Hades looked in much better shape than the son of Apollo. Jason moved over to Will extending his hand in lieu of a hug.

“We heard you aced your Exam,” Jason said. “Congratulations Doctor Solace.”

Will shook his hand warmly allowing some pride to shine through.

“What are you guys doing here?” Will asked

He was glad to see them all, but he had expected to share this day just with Nico. He hadn't expected a reunion.

“We're here to see you,” Percy said smiling knowingly.

“Me?” Will questioned, confused.

“Yup” Jason affirmed echoing Percy's smile. “You”

[Remember walking a mile to your house, a glow in the dark?]

The rest of the group migrated over to stand in front of Will. They were all beaming.

“How did you even know I'd be here?” Will asked genuinely lost.

[I made a fumbling play for your heart, and the act struck a spark.]

Behind an unsuspecting Will, Nico pulled his precious cargo out of his pocket, opened the box and knelt.

“Why don't you ask Nico?” Mrs. Solace suggested. “He was the one that invited us.”

[You wore a charm on the chain that I stole, special for you.]

Will immediately turned on bis heel, his amulet of Asclepios catching the light with a golden flash, to launch a volley of questions at his boyfriend.

Every single one of them died on his lips however, as his eyes took in something his brain could quite process.

[Love's such a delicate thing that we do, with nothing to prove.]

Nico di Angelo was down on knee, knelt in the grass of their favorite hill. A small black box in his hand opened to reveal a soft white lining. And on a velvet red pillow, rested a gold ring etched with little skeletons dancing in rays of a tiny sun.

Wills voice caught in his throat as the realization hit him like a fist to the gut. The air whooshed out of his lungs, tears sprang to his eyes.

Nico was....

“William Solace,” Nico spoke in a nervous voice. “Will you, in the presence of our friends and family, do me the greatest honor in your power, and marry me?”

Percy had once recounted to Nico, his experience of holding the sky. It was during one of those nights where the nightmares won over both of them. In the sleepless hours he had recounted how the weight felt like a thousand tractor trailer trucks were baring down on his back, fusing his spine. For the first time, Nico felt he understood Percy's experience, even if it was just a little.

It felt like an eternity before Will shook off the shock of the moment and in a single word, made every second of anxiety that Nico had suffered since planning this moment, worth it's weight in gold.

“Yes,” will croaked beaming so hard his cheeks hurt. “Yes you dope, of course I'll marry you.”

Nico's smile lit up the world. He rose and slipped the ring on Will's finger, then allowed Will to sweep him into a hug. The gathered friends and family erupted into cheers, tears, and everything in between as the new couple sealed the deal with a kiss.

Ok so maybe they wouldn't have the quaint and quiet afternoon that Nico had let on about. But Will didn't care. He wanted them all here to see that Nico was now officially his forever. And Nico had delivered. For it was, in Will's opinion, definitely a surprise worth the wait.

[Which I never knew.]