While Will always had to be the one to initiate what he liked to call 'cuddle time', Nico would without fail snuggle up to his partner despite any previous objections.
On that particular morning, when Nico had seemingly gone back to sleep, Will smiled softly and ran his hands through his boyfriend's dark hair. "Typical. I try to talk about work and you fall asleep before you can hear about all of my amazing achievements."
Nico turned over and wrapped his arms around Will's waist before he sleepily muttered something under his breath. "È troppo presto per essere così carino ma bisognoso." *Translations are in the AN at the end of the story*
"What did you just say?" Will asked, but Nico had already fallen fast asleep. Will sighed to himself. Nico had a bad habit of speaking in Italian and then he pretended he had said nothing at all and ignored Will's requests to translate what the son of Hades had just said.
And despite his best efforts, the few campers who actually understood Italian would tell Will that Nico had 'forbidden' them from helping the blond. And since it was winter, the few campers were all away at school.
The pet names are what bothered Will the most, though. He had a few select favorites that he always used for Nico, such as Sunshine, Death Breath, Angel, etc. Yet all of Nico's nicknames for him were also spoken in his native language.
"Come on, Tesoro, we're going to be late for dinner."
"Conforto, just five more minutes."
"Since I know I don't get a say, I'll go to the infirmary. Do whatever you need to, Infermiere."
Will hoped that whatever it was that Nico kept saying was romantic, but for all he knew, Nico called him annoying, a burden, a pain in the as- well, you get the picture.
"Okay, enough is enough," Will muttered to himself in the infirmary as he re-organized different healing ointments in one of the medicine cabinets. "I can just go buy an English-to-Italian dictionary or something."
"Will, if you keep talking to yourself, we may need to bring in a specialist," Austin commented as he passed by the frustrated blond. Will sighed in irritation and chose to ignore his half-sibling.
'Learning another language should be easy. I already know Greek. How hard can it be?' Will thought to himself.
Several hours later, Will cursed himself for being so cocky. As it turned out, there was not a single book about learning Italian anywhere throughout Camp Halfblood. Which meant Will had to make a trip to the nearest bookstore without raising suspicion from Nico.
"Why do you need to go to a bookstore? It's getting dark," Nico asked. Will glanced at the snow to avoid eye contact before he muttered some excuse about wanting another medical book for him to study until school started again. "Perché sei così adorabile?"
"Come again?"
"I said you're a nerd and have fun at the bookstore," Nico replied curtly before he headed back to his cabin. Will quickly took out a small notebook and pencil he always kept with him to write down his patient's symptoms and jotted down the phrase and hope he spelled it right.
Will smiled to himself as he thought of a brilliant idea (brilliant in his mind, anyway). "I can write down everything Nico says, translate it, and that can give me a basis to start understanding the language."
"Will, what did I say earlier?" Austin stated as he walked past Will, carrying a box full of medical supplies. "Keep acting like this and we'll need to get you a therapist."
Will walked away, grumbled about 'annoying siblings', and walked towards the stables to borrow Blackjack. Aka, Will hoped that Percy wouldn't notice and that Blackjack wouldn't blab to anyone who spoke horse.
"Perché sei così adorabile?" Nico murmured one night as Will told an animated story about how confused he and his half-siblings were over a demigod's strange condition. "Do you always have to talk about work when we're trying to sleep?"
"Sorry," Will apologized before he swiftly wrote down what Nico had said in his little notebook that had quickly gotten filled up with different phrases Nico tended to say right before he often contradicted himself in English. And while Will's understanding of Italian was rough at best, he understood that adorabile meant 'adorable'.
That meant that on some level, Nico had to at least have some kind of interest when it came to Will's work as a healer. And once Will learned enough Italian to converse with Nico, the blond planned to lord that interesting detail over the son of Hades.
"Puoi stare zitto e baciarmi già?" Nico exclaimed in the middle of an argument between the demigods, which Will initiated after he discovered that Nico had skipped breakfast so he could sleep in. "If I agree to eat now, can we drop it?"
Will picked up on the word zitto, which he knew meant 'shut up' so Will just bit his tongue and grabbed Nico's hand the drag the pale boy to the Dinging Pavilion. Once they were seated, Will wrote down the sentence but failed to notice the annoyed expression on his boyfriend's face.
"Ti amo troppo," Nico whispered in between kisses. Will smiled softly and tightened his grip on Nico. The tender way Nico had said the foreign words, the gentle look in his dark eyes, only drove Will's desire to learn how to say romantic things to his boyfriend.
"I don't know what you just said, but it sounds hot. Love you, Sunshine," Will stated firmly before he continued on with their impromptu makeout session.
Winter had turned to spring, and Will's notebook had been filled with everything Nico said in Italian (at least, everything Will had remembered to write down). Will had stayed late in the infirmary after all the patients had gone to sleep, that way he wouldn't be disturbed by Nico or his half-siblings.
Will flipped through his English-to-Italian dictionary and quickly wrote what each word meant. Then he flipped through his How to Speak Italian for Dummies book to factor in any grammar rules that could alter the translation.
When Will finally got through every sentence and word, his face turned as red as blood. He was both embarrassed and in awe that Nico said such romantic/cute things. And not just to anyone; but to him, Will Solace.
Will's Notes on Patient #13: Nico
"Perché sei così adorabile?" = "Why are you so adorable?"
"Puoi stare zitto e baciarmi già?" = "Can you just shut up and kiss me already?"
"Ti amo troppo," = "I love you too much."
Nico and Will had decided to spar for an hour or so before they joined their friends for dinner when all of Will's hard work paid off.
"So what did you get Chiron for his birthday?" Will asked as his sword clashed with Nico's, the force of which caused Will to stumble back a few feet. "Each Cabin presents their gifts tomorrow."
"I don't know. Hazel said she'd take care of it. Although," Nico parried easily and stepped to the side before he used the stilt of his Stygian Iron sword to push Will to the ground. As Nico pointed his blade at Will's neck, he smirked. "Sei un dono degli dei." 'You are a gift from the gods.'
Will grinned and used his sword to help him stand up, wary of Nico's blade. "Se qualcuno è un regalo, sei tu, Angelo." If anyone's a gift, it's you, Angel.
Nico's jaw dropped, and it seemed to temporarily stun the son of Hades as Will managed to unarm Nico and finally won a match against the well-trained swordsman that was Nico di Angelo. Nico blinked and came out of his daze, though he still looked astonished.
"If I'd known that me speaking Italian would shut you up, I would've learned it ages ago."
"How did- when- why would you...?" Nico just stared at Will flabberghasted, unable to finish a complete sentence.
"With a couple of books, I started to learn in late winter, and because I wanted to understand what you were saying," Will explained as he crossed his arms and smiled smugly. Nico sighed and shook his head.
"Of course. Wait, does that mean you've understood what I've been saying this entire time?"
"No...I had to translate a lot of the stuff you've said to me, which, by the way, makes me feel like you're the real hopeless romantic in this relationship. I've practiced by myself and with my siblings to help comprehend everything you say to me. I'm not fluent, but I can at least understand a conversation or two," Will stated. Nico blushed at the 'romantic' part and rolled his eyes as Will repeated everything he said in Italian.
"Well, congrats. I guess I can help you...though I'm never gonna live down everything I've said, will I?"
"No-" Will was cut off as he saw Percy and Jason wave their arms as the two demigods walked by, headed towards the Pavilion. "Guess it's time to go eat. Come on, Sunshine."
Will grabbed Nico's hand and entwined their fingers as they made their way to a table (Chiron had long ago given up on assigned seating) and they both sat down. As Leo talked about some new invention of his, with the occasional question or insult thrown his way, Will smirked as he had an idea on how he should celebrate his success on finishing his quest to learn Italian.
Will leaned down and whispered into Nico's ear, though it was unlikely their friends had picked up on Italian. "I nostri amici non conoscono l'italiano ... e sai cosa significa?" Our friends don't know Italian...and you know what that means?
Nico huffed and tried to wave Will off, but the blond was persistent. He grabbed Nico's hand again, ignoring Leo and Percy when they got into a debate on who's ideas were better and whispered again.
"Posso dire che sei la persona più bella qui e nessuno si offenderà. Fiduciosamente." I can say you're the most beautiful person here and no one will get offended. Hopefully.
"Non rischierei. Perché lo stai facendo ora?" Nico shot back, neither he nor Will noticing the confused looks they received from their friends. I wouldn't risk it. Why are you doing this now?
Will smiled at the blush that crawled up Nico's face and kissed his boyfriend's cheek softly. "Voglio solo dire al mondo quanto ti amo." I just want to tell the world how much I love you.
Before Nico could respond, Percy sighed in irritation and elbowed Leo to do or say something, though what Percy expected was lost on the mechanic. So Leo just rolled his eyes and dramatically slammed his hands on the table, which effectively silence everyone who sat at the table.
"What in Hades are you saying?!"
AN: I do not know Italian so I had to use Google Translate. If my translations are off, I apologize. Other than that, I hope you guys enjoyed the story.
1. È troppo presto per essere così carino ma bisognoso. - It's too early for you to be this cute yet needy.
2. Tesoro - Treasure
3. Conforto - Solace
4. Infermiere - Nurse ;)
Also, if you like Heroes of Olympus (and Disney) then go check out a story my friend, Jade, aka Reader4ever1 wrote called the Little Merman. It's a crossover between Percy Jackson and the Little Mermaid (if that wasn't obvious) and it's nearly finished! It stars Percabeth but also has a bunch of other canon couples too, including Solangelo. So go check it out! Until next time...
- Kitkat Out!