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[lordofdarkness]

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[solaceful]

[ will is. uh.











]











Uh…

[lordofdarkness]

[His hands pause on the stalk between his fingers and he focuses on Will now, surprised by the lack of answer. Maybe Will doesn't know either.]

I mean, I know. Just. Specifically. What do they do?

[solaceful]

[ will is a combat medic who has cut through shirts to get at a flail chest, sliced pants straight off legs to treat a laceration in the area of the femoral triangle, and, oh yes, delivered a satyr baby to an aura.

that last one might be the reason he now looks terrified and is turning red. ]

Why are you asking me? Wouldn't it be better to ask Mal?

[ also why does nico want to know but that question doesn't occur to him in his gay panic. ]

[lordofdarkness]

[Nico blanches on cue, his own gaze taking on a haunted stare as he gives a very firm and very immediate] No.

I can't-I was trying to-I mean there was this one time-and it was green? And I was latching it for her and how do they even do that? How can they reach? [As if demonstrating his nonsensical mutterings will help, Nico drops the herbs and reaches behind his back, one arm around his side and the other over his shoulder as he tries to latch an imaginary latch. He gives up and his arms fall to the side, his expression as lost as ever.]

And she was...no, no I can't ask her...

[solaceful]

[ uhhh. ]

…Why were you latching it for her?

[lordofdarkness]

[In a panicked voice, rising in pitch.]

She couldn't get it, and I mean who could! Seriously how do they do it? [He pauses and then realizes he's left out a crucial detail.] Her wrist was hurt! My eyes were closed! It was a whole thing and I don't want to talk about it!

[He goes silent then but just when it seems he's done, he starts again, more of a shout this time.] And fashion is stupid!

[solaceful]

[ now it makes sense. ( thanks, context. ) he thought she had looked a little more casual than usual when she walked in to get her wrist healed.

but now there is another question will needs answered first. ]

Nico, are you okay?

[lordofdarkness]

[No, he's dying. All of the blood in his body has rushed to his face and sooner or later all of his organs are going to give out. Death by bra. Death by embarrassment. He's ending up in the Asphodel fields for sure.]

I'm fine. [He's not fine and he's given up any semblance of being fine, burying his face in his hands. He's so gay. He's so gay.]

Girls are weird.

[solaceful]

[ will comes over and just. pats nico's head. ]

You're a good brother.

[ he loves his sisters ( that he has met ) and he too would step up and help them if they were injured. but he is also immensely fucking glad that apollo has so many kids that the odds that there would not be any other girls in the cabin to step up instead are slim to none.

if it were a stranger it'd be one thing but. sisters. ]

[lordofdarkness]

[Sisters!!!

Nico groans and lets his hands slide off of his face, fixing Will with a pained expression. He is a good brother.]

Mal deserves a brother who will latch her bra for her. [If the gods show him any kind of mercy it will never happen again, but if it does, he'll be there. With one hand slapped over his eyes, but there all the same.

After another pause.] So. Are they just like...to...um...keep...everything in place? [This would be easier if they were talking about generic boobs and not sister boobs. He amends his previous statement. Girls aren't weird, sisters are weird.]

[solaceful]

[ unfortunately, context now comes to bite will in the ass because he might not want to think about boobs, but he really does not want to think about nico's sister's boobs. ]

Well…mostly?

[ solace, you're going to be a doctor, you can do this. maybe if he treats it like a theoretical exercise. the proven benefits of bra-wearing, let's go. ]

They help with back pain when someone is…bigger. And they're important during exercise or else the…movement [ he nearly said "bouncing" and he hates himself ] can damage the Cooper's ligaments in the breast.

[ looking down, he notices he made a cupping gesture by his chest. will drops his hands. forever.

he finishes a little lamely, ] I think most just wear them to make clothes fit better.

[lordofdarkness]

[There are so many words that Will didn't say that Nico heard anyway and he sits in silence, trying to digest all of that. It's a lot. Being a girl is a lot. A long silence falls between them and Nico stares at his hands for a long while before staring at his chest.]

...they hurt? [He didn't know they hurt. That sucks. Bras are important.]

[solaceful]

[ well, he cannot speak from experience obviously, but. ]

They can. Try carrying something strapped to your chest all day. It can't be comfortable.

[lordofdarkness]

[It sounds obvious when Will puts it like that but he'd never given it any thought. Nico is silent, his expression contemplative.]

Huh. [The more you know.

Another silence descends on them and Nico finally breaks out of his thoughts, turning to Will again.]

Okay, I know I brought this up but let's talk about something else now.

[solaceful]

[ thank the gods. ]

I have to collect a few more herbs tomorrow.

[lordofdarkness]

[His eyes narrow, the previous subject mercifully put out of his head at this new development.] Night blooming herbs?

[solaceful]

If I say no, are you going to shadow travel away?

[lordofdarkness]

[Sulkily] No. [He's weak.]

Mid-day blooming herbs?

[solaceful]

[ as much fun as it'd be to drag nico out at the crack of dawn — ]

Mid-morning?

[lordofdarkness]

[Again. "As much fun as it'd be to drag nico out at the crack of dawn AGAIN." He fixed it. The pout on his lips curves into a smirk and he gets up off of the bed, coming to sit on Will's desk, his arms crossed over his chest.]

Eleven thirty. [That is the voice of someone beginning to haggle.]

[solaceful]

Eight.

[ will's fingers curl around the belt loops of nico's jeans. ]

[lordofdarkness]

[Nico lays his hands on Will's shoulders because Nico is an idiot who doesn't learn from his mistakes.]

Eleven.

[solaceful]

[ will's thumb slips under nico's t-shirt, finding the skin just above his jeans. ]

Eight fifteen.

[lordofdarkness]

[He'd like to tell Will that fifteen minute increments don't count, but he's very distracted by what Will's thumb is doing.]

Eleven. [Wait.] Ten forty-five. [His own hands slide from Will's shoulders to the nape of his neck, and he slides his fingers into Will's hair, tugging lightly.]

[solaceful]

[ will lets nico tilt his head up. he leans closer to nico, their noses barely grazing. ]

Seven forty-five.