ҡɪɴɢʟʏ

Ren gave the other a look – he had to get better at names. It wasn’t his fault in a way - he never really got the chance to interact outside of JNPR. And even if he did, it ended shortly after it began.

“It’s alright.”

“But it is nice seeing you again – despite our current situation, that is. I guess you already said that, huh?” He finds himself forcing something of a smile – whatever that was. This clearly wasn’t his best suit.

“I can’t really complain about my living situation…it’s alright, just crowded at times.”

    — [♆] — Neptune finds himself relieved that Ren is so happy to see him. He expected distaste or eye-rolling; the smile is really disarming, and it makes Neptune more comfortable instantly. He returns Ren’s slight smile with a broad grin. He nudges Ren lightly.

    ❝Hey, man, I’m glad to hear it. Some people get stuck in, like. Shacks.❞ Neptune pulls a face.  ❝I’ve gotten a pretty okay deal. An apartment and all. My roommates are strangers to me but I got my own room at least.❞

Neptune finds himself walking with his hands in his pockets, meandering aimlessly next to Ren.  ❝Let’s see...Uh, Blake’s here. And Weiss. Truth be told, I feel like...❞ Neptune cuts himself off, shaking his head. It’s none of his business if...something is going on with Weiss and Blake. They’re both his friends (sort of?) and he’d be happy for them if it were the case, but...to speculate would just be petty.  ❝I dunno about any of the others. Sun’s back. I’m not sure if any of your crew are around, bar Pyrrha.❞

                   「☠」—» For a moment, Nico wondered if the sickness burrowing itself into every fiber of his body was making him insane as well. Everything seemed doubly funny, even serious things, and he couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up in the back of his throat. His swimming vision and cotton-stuffed hearing weren’t helping, either. And neither, of course, was Neptune’s reply. Had the demigod heard him right? The concept of being “hot” seemed like some sort of jabbing joke that someone like Leo would make, but with Nico’s distorted senses, he couldn’t sense any cruelty in Neptune’s voice. And though some part of him assumed it would have to be there, another, softer-spoken part of him couldn’t quite believe the blue-haired boy would do something like that. After a struggle of confused and fleeting thoughts, Nico managed to come to the conclusion that Neptune was just teasing. Of course he was.

                   Nico’s sluggish gaze slid to the other boy’s face a moment before Neptune shot to his feet, squinting slightly in the bright light of the apartment lights. He could have sworn Neptune was… blushing? Well, he was obviously hallucinating now. The son of Hades couldn’t think of anything that would make someone like Neptune blush, so that was the logical decision to come to, though Nico couldn’t help but find the concept that hecouldn’t trust his own vision disconcerting. But, then again, he had more pressing matters to deal with than his failing vision. Neptune was already back, a glass of water in his hand, though Nico could have sworn he’d only been gone less than a second. Another concerning thought that the demigod pushed into the back of his addled mind.

                   Being propped up on the soft, engulfing pillows was like being a kid again, along with needing help to drink. The memory of his mother taking care of him through the night surfaced in his mind for the second time, and it once again brought the faintest smile to his expression. The small gesture quickly brought about another bubble of laughter, a slightly choked sound coming from Nico’s mouth for a moment before dissolving into a coughing fit. For several moments, his shoulder trembled under the onslaught, throat quickly rubbed raw. When Nico took his hand from his mouth, he found the pale olive skin flecked with blood.

                   “ I don’t think… a doctor can help. “ Nico’s voice was rueful for a moment before dropping to a whisper. “ I’m sorry. “

     — [♆] — The son of Hades removed his hand from its perch against his own mouth, and Neptune’s stomach gave a jolt when he noticed the splatter of red against Nico’s pallid skin. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Nico was really bad-off, and Neptune was starting to understand that there might not be anything he could do.

          ( still, he had to try. )

     ❝No, hey. C’mon, don’t talk like that. It’s gonna be fine, man, you’re gonna get better. You just need to rest.❞ Neptune worried his lip with his teeth for a moment before setting the ice bucket aside and doing something slightly impulsive: he draped Nico’s arms around his shoulders, wrapped Nico’s legs around his waist, and lifted the smaller boy off the couch, carrying him toward Neptune’s bedroom. He made a small oof against the shell of Nico’s ear while he carried him.

     ❝You...are surprisingly heavy.❞

Had Nico been well, Neptune wouldn’t have considered doing something like this; it wasn’t just that he was sure Nico would think it unacceptable, either. It was just...uncomfortable, toting a (basically) grown person around like a doll. It didn’t help that Nico was basically dead weight. Still, Neptune wanted him comfortable, and the stiff, rough cushions of the apartment couch couldn’t guarantee that.

Instead, Neptune placed him gently in the cool sheets of a queen bed, throwing the comforter off in favor of lighter, cooler dressings. Neptune removed Nico’s shoes and tossed them into a corner, sliding the demigod’s legs under the sheets before fluffing up the pillows under his head. He pressed his hand against Nico’s forehead once more, and winced at the startling heat coming off of Nico’s skin.

    ❝Now, okay.❞ Neptune knelt at Nico’s bedside and gave him a stern look, urging the dark, unfocused eyes to focus on his face. ❝If I could get you anything to drink -- anything at all -- what would it be? Here.❞

Concerned about the state of Nico’s throat, Neptune fiddled around in his nightstand drawer for a small pad of paper and a pen, which he placed in one of Nico’s weak hands.

    ❝Write it down, and I’ll get it for you. Whatever you want.❞

                   「☠」—» Physical contact was an absolute “no” when it came to the likes of Nico di Angelo. People had been injured for less than what Neptune was doing now, but at this point, Nico didn’t care all that much about it. Plus, the support and the coolness from the other boy’s body was a relief next to the crippling exhaustion seeping into his bones and muscles. No doubt he would have collapsed the moment he’d entered the apartment if not for Neptune’s shoulder, and he allowed the moment of contact simply for the fact that he had no strength to repel it. His feet were blocks of lead as the demigod was lead into the apartment without protest, eyes half-closed against the glare of the overhead lights. Somehow he felt… safer here. Sheltered and protected, like he could finally relax. He was used to dark alleys and the night sky, but the warm glow in the apartment appealed to Nico in his weakened state. It reminded him of nights spent with his mom and Bianca when he’d had a cold and they’d cared for him. The memory brought the ghost of a smile to his lips as he closed his eyes all the way, only to flicker them open again when he was set on the couch.

                   Nico watched Neptune fuss through narrowed eyes, flinching slightly at the touch of a hand to his forehead. Compared to his burning temperature, it felt like a touch of ice on the Italian’s skin. But he still remained a compliant patience as he was encouraged to lay down, sagging into the couch cushions like someone already dead. It felt like a pile of feathers after all the effort of getting over here, and a soft puff of breath from Nico’s mouth signaled his relief. For a moment, he simply reveled in the slight comfort among all the pain wracking his thin form, trying to ignore the fire burning the inside of his skin and the sweat that coated his entire body. The addition of a cool touch to his forehead made it slightly easier, and dull eyes slid over to the fuzzy face of Neptune above the demigod, struggling to focus his gaze. In the grips of fever, the blue-haired boy appeared back-lit to Nico, an angel come to ease his suffering; an ironic thought, considering the son of Hades always thought of himself as a little damned.

                   The cold touch of ice on his lips made Nico start, unsure how he’d missed its journey to his mouth. He couldn’t recall, although the world seemed sluggish around him, so it almost didn’t surprise him. Neptune’s words sounded murky, like they were coming through a thin veil of water, and Nico had to strain to make them out. What he heard made a small giggle escape his lips, opening them enough to let the ice cube settle on his tongue. Another laugh bubbled up from his throat, the hysteric laughter of the terminally ill.

                   “ Hot like you, you mean? “ Had he said that out loud? Nico couldn’t seem to remember.

     — [♆] — At first, Neptune was convinced he’d heard Nico wrong; he paused his movements to stare at the smaller boy, green eyes widening briefly in shock. A dark flush crept to Neptune’s face before he could stop himself from reacting in a physiological way, and he could only hope that in the haze of his illness, Nico couldn’t see Neptune’s face. He busied himself with the ice bucket to keep himself from getting too flustered.

          ( he’s just sick. don’t read anything into it. )

     ❝Yeah, yeah,❞ Neptune chuckled, pressing another ice cube into Nico’s mouth and dabbing at his forehead with the rag, newly cooled.  ❝Hot like me.❞ He hesitated a brief moment before venturing with what he hoped would be a somewhat comforting remark:  ❝Or, hey. Hot like yourself.❞

He wasn’t actually certain Nico di Angelo could be described as hot in the way he meant it; he was a thin, tired-looking boy, always looking like he wanted to hide from scrutiny. But he was...Well, there was something about him...That is, he was good-looking, in a classic way, and his hair was really soft and shiny and --

Neptune leaped up from where he was kneeling, blushing down his neck by now. God, this was so, so inappropriate. Nico was sick. Neptune shouldn’t be flirting with a sick person. That -- even if it was second nature to Neptune -- was just playing dirty.

When Neptune returned, he carried a glass of water with him, and propped Nico up with a couple of pillows as he maneuvered the cool crystal to the boy’s lips. Neptune urged them apart, then tilted the water so it could cascade into Nico’s throat, cool and clear.

      ❝Are you good to talk?❞ He kept a reassuring hand on Nico’s shoulder, his hair, the side of his neck as he examined him. Anywhere he could reach; anywhere unobtrusive.  ❝Nico...you seem really sick. I think we should probably take you to a doctor, before...❞

“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“Death isn’t the end of true love, only a test.”

“Dogs are always gonna chase cars, just like I’m always gonna chase you.”

“Heaven without you would be hell.”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am that I don’t just love you, that I get to say I’m /in/ love /with/ you.”

“I don’t know what scares me more, the fact that one day you might ask me to leave, or that I love you so much that I would leave immediately to keep you happy.”

“I don’t want happily ever after with you, I want the realness of love. I want the mountains but I also want the valleys, because I’m stupid and arrogant and if it were just the mountains I would never truly appreciate what an amazing gift the universe had blessed me with.”

“I don’t want to choose between your life or mine. I’d rather have ours.”

“I don’t want to spend eternity with you, it’s much too short.”

“I love you so much it makes me sick. There’s no cure, but an effective treatment is your love in return.”

“I need air more than you, but only so that I have the breath to tell you how much I love you.”

“I want to have good times with you, but I also want the bad times with you because any time with you is better than time without you.”

“I was scared to admit that I had started loving you because it would mean admitting that I would never stop.”

“I’d destroy the world for you. I would tear it apart piece by piece all for you, and I would do it with a smile. But, on the other hand, I would strive to make the world a better place for you. I would build it up brick by brick all for you, and I would do it with a smile.”

“If you ever see me with a big goofy smile on my face for seemingly no reason, don’t worry, I’ve only just remembered how lucky I am to have your love.”

“In the beginning I was so terrified of losing you that I didn’t want to fall for you. I still live with that fear, but you give me the strength to overcome that fear and give you all the love I have.”

“My memory fails me sometimes. I don’t always remember your name, or who you are, but the one thing that always sticks in my mind is that you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in the whole world.”

“My whole life I’ve felt like I didn’t matter. I still struggle with that feeling, but every time I see you smile, I remember that as long as I matter to you that’s all I need.”

“People are always saying they would die for their love, they would kill for their love. Me? I’m willing to live for you, to bring life into this world with you.”

“There’s nothing in this world that I need more than your happiness. The fact that your happiness happens to include me is just a bonus.”

“When you cry, I die. When you smile, I soar. ”

“You frustrate me more than anything in life- that’s how I know I really love you.”

“You help me to love myself because how could I have earned your heart if I wasn’t a good enough person to deserve it?”

“You make the world a better place just by existing, and the fact that the world I’m talking about happens to be mine doesn’t make you any less extraordinary.”

“Your love is like food in that it’s all too easy to get addicted to, but so hard to have in moderation because I need it to live.”

Scenarios range from fluff to angst. Some trigger warnings apply.

#1-20

                   「☠」—» Nico’s dark eyes had slid shut in the time it took for his knock to be acknowledged, accenting gaunt features and the dark smudges of exhaustion that had taken up residence under the boy’s eyes. The moment of vulnerability only confirmed just how much the sickness had taken from him; as a demigod, Nico had been trained to always be alert, on guard, even while he was sleeping. Now, however, he seemed to have abandoned the practices that had been ground into him years before, the crippling weight of illness making it seem almost useless. Why be afraid of an outside attack when you already had an inside one?

                   Pale hands were pressed against Nico’s stomach a moment before the door before him opened, revealing a flash of blue hair and a surprised expression, which quickly melted into one of concern. Nico’s eyes opened fractionally to behold the person who had answered the door, and a sob of relief stuck in his throat. He’d been afraid he’d been given the wrong address, but the ghosts that had whispered to him proved reliable. Neptune look incredibly solid in the shifting, haze-ridden world of fever, and the weight of the other boy’s hand on the demigod’s shoulder was like an anchor. He couldn’t help the soft sigh of relief that escaped his mouth as Nico allowed himself to be guided into the safety of the apartment, feet dragging and head drooping.

                   An unfocused glance at Neptune brought Nico again to the reason why, when he’d realized he needed help, he had decided to go to the blue-haired boy. He didn’t really understand it himself, but the fact that he was with him now eased Nico’s pain in a way he couldn’t quite comprehend. Still, he felt his chest unloosen the tiniest bit, though the fire blazing under his skin remained as hostile as ever. It felt like it would never go away, and he’d have to live with it for the rest of his life. The thought terrified him, so instead he forced himself to focus on the person before him, fixing his gaze on Neptune.

                   “ I don’t know… what’s wrong. “ Nico’s voice was strained and hoarse, a clear indication of how dry his mouth felt, and it held a note of desperation rarely heard. “ But I’m sick. “ It was an explanation that skirted around the heart of the problem, but how was he supposed to explain it otherwise?

     — [♆] — Nico sagged against Neptune’s frame as the latter led the former deep within the warm confines of his apartment; for the first time, he felt as small && frail as one might expect him to be, his flinty strength crumbling under the weight of what felt like an intense fever; Neptune steered Nico toward the couch and sat beside him, pressing a hand against the demigod’s forehead in a reflexive display of nurturing. That frown that had been creasing Neptune’s brow only deepened.

      ❝You’re burning up,❞ Neptune hissed, licking his lips. He hesitated for a brief moment, then gently pressed on Nico’s side until he was lying down on the couch with his head on a soft, plush cushion. Neptune hopped up and strode swiftly to the kitchen, where he grabbed the ice bucket and ran a washcloth under the cool water of the faucet before returning to his newly-arrived patient.

      ❝Here,❞ said Neptune, softly. He set the ice bucket on the coffee table and pressed the cool washcloth gingerly to Nico’s forehead, brushing back the bangs that would otherwise obscure his skin. Neptune dabbed the feverish, flushed flesh of Nico’s face for several moments, only to recoil in alarm; the intensity of Nico’s fever heated the water more quickly than Neptune had anticipated, and the washcloth in his hand was now almost hot.

          ( whatever’s happening, neptune thought, it’s worse than a simple cold or flu. )

Still, Neptune didn’t want to alarm Nico, who already seemed shaken enough. Instead, he smiled softly and reached for an ice cube, which he pressed patiently against Nico’s tightly-shut lips.

      ❝Sorry. I know this is -- weird, probably -- but you’re dehydrated. And hot. This’ll help, I promise.❞