Sunlight streamed through the dusty window of the Hades cabin, painting stripes across the worn floorboards. Nico stirred, the familiar scent of damp earth and rain filling his nose. He blinked, the remnants of a dream clinging to the edges of his mind. As his vision cleared, he saw Will in the corner, slumped in a rocking chair. His usually vibrant face was pale, his brow furrowed in sleep. A pang of concern shot through Nico's chest.

Will, ever the dedicated healer, must have spent the night by his bedside, watching over him while he slept. Nico watched him for a moment, the steady rise and fall of his chest a comforting rhythm. He remembered the events leading up to his exhaustion - a particularly nasty quest that had left him drained, both physically and emotionally. A wave of gratitude washed over him, intertwined with a familiar knot of complicated emotions. He knew he needed to say something, but the words wouldn't come. He simply sat up, the movement catching Will's attention.

Nico remembers the previous night. How Will came in, hearing from the Apollo cabin Nico's screams from his nightmares, wrapped him arms around him, and sang "You are my sunshine" to help him fall asleep.

As Nico sat up, the creak of the bed jolted Will awake. His eyes fluttered open, blinking away the remnants of sleep. A tired smile tugged at his lips as he saw Nico.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Will rasped, his voice rough from disuse. The memory of Nico's fear the previous night flickered in his eyes, laced with a quiet understanding. "How are you feeling?"

Nico gasps, startled. "Oh, uh..." he blushes, remembering the previous night. "Fine. You?"

The sudden gasp startled Will, his smile faltering slightly. He noticed the blush creeping up Nico's neck and a flicker of amusement crossed his features, despite his fatigue.

"Just a little rough around the edges," Will admitted, stretching his arms above his head with a groan. "But I'll survive. You okay, Nico? Still having nightmares?"

Well, I wasn't, and then you left the bed, Nico thinks, and curses himself for doing so. "Yeah. A little."

A slight flicker of disappointment crossed Will's face, so brief Nico almost missed it. "You should have woke me up," he said gently, his voice still husky from sleep. "We could have talked about it." He reached out a hand, then paused, hesitating before letting it fall back to his side. "Unless you'd rather be alone."

Nico was confused. Where had that came from? Maybe Will really did had some darkness in him, afterall. He didn't respond. Not verbally, anyways. Instead, he walked up to where Will was standing, and the short raven-haired wrapped his arms around his waist from the front, nuzzling his face into Will's shirt.

The unexpected embrace caught Will off guard. His eyes widened momentarily, surprise flickering across his features. But as Nico's arms wrapped around him, a warmth spread through Will, chasing away the remnants of sleep. He tensed slightly at first, unsure how to react, the memory of Nico's earlier pushback fresh in his mind.

However, as he felt Nico nuzzle his shirt, a soft sigh escaped his lips. He reached out tentatively, his hand hovering at the small of Nico's back, hesitant at first, then gently resting there. His touch was light, almost questioning, as if waiting for permission.

"Nico..." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, a mix of concern and a gentle curiosity lingering in his tone. It was an unspoken question, an invitation for Nico to share more, if he was willing.

Nico only buried his face deeper into Will's abdomen. "Please," he begged. "Let me have this."

Feeling the warmth of Nico pressing closer, Will's initial surprise melted into a quiet understanding. He didn't push, allowing Nico the space to express his emotions in his own way. He gently squeezed the small of Nico's back, a silent reassurance and a promise of support.

Will knew Nico's struggles, the battles he fought within himself. He recognized the fear and vulnerability hidden beneath the surface, the same vulnerability that made him push everyone away, even those who cared for him most.

The silence stretched between them, filled only with the soft sound of Nico's breath and the rhythmic beating of their hearts. Will waited patiently, his touch a constant presence, a silent message that he was there, no matter what.

"Okay."