Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Room 137. 

That was his dorm room. 

Will held the key in his hand, bubbling with excitement as he stood outside his door. His college life would start as soon as he opens that door. He had waited for this day ever since he received his acceptance letter from New Rome University. It fueled him to excel in his AP classes, earning A's and B's in high school, which meant his parents would cover the remaining expenses that his scholarship didn't cover. 

Will stared at the number in awe. 

His Aunt Artemis had gone here and recommended this place to complete his premed courses. Even his father, Apollo, knew a professor whom he wanted Will to meet, and could get a recommendation letter if Will did well during his four years here. 

This was the start of something big for Will, and all he had to do was open that door. 

"Will, I get it, but please open the door so I can put your things inside," Apollo complained, holding several of Will's luggage and a couple of bags. "Sorry," Will apologized. Using his key, he unlocked the door and held it open for his dad, taking in the clean lemon smell of the entrance. In the open living space lay a comfy couch that faced a television mounted on the wall, with a nice coffee table in the middle. Will assumed there was cable, though; he did see an old-time-y DVD-VCR combo set. 

"Damn, I should've went here instead of Olympia," Apollo commented. Will closed the door behind him and walked into the bedroom since the door was open. He knew he would have a roommate...

He didn't know his roommate to be hot. 

Currently placing his clothes in the closet, Will watched a guy just a bit shorter than he was with a black t-shirt and skinny jeans carefully hand his MCR shirt up. He was pretty skinny, but leaned as Will admired his arms; his skin was pale as if the sun had not yet kissed his skin, which was a lovely contrast to his black, fluffy hair. The top part of his hair was pulled back into a small ponytail, some strands held down by cute gold hairclips. When the guy turned towards him, Will noticed his dark eyes, but thanks to the sunlight beaming through the window, Will noticed they were dark brown, like the color of dark chocolate. 

"Damn, he's hot," Apollo whispered into Will's ear with a smirk before placing Will's things down.

Will contemplated if his mother would be okay with a dead husband for a good few seconds, but realized he should say something rather than stare at the stranger like a doofus. Will stuck out his hand to greet him. "Hey, I'm Will Solace, your roommate for the year." 

The stranger looked at Will's hand, briefly wondering if he should shake his hand, but he would rather get along with someone he was going to be staying with. He took Will's hand and noticed how warm it was. "Nico Di Angelo. I hope it's okay that I took this half of the room." Will nodded, his tongue nearly stuck to the roof of his mouth. 

Will could appreciate a good-looking male physique, but Nico was definitely the best by far. 

"I'm leaving him in your capable hands, pretty boy! Will, I'm getting the rest of your things." Apollo shouted before leaving. Nico was confused about being called a pretty boy, then watched Will's face turn into a strawberry. 

"Please ignore him. He doesn't know what he's saying most of the time. He doesn't think before he speaks." Will said, now really wondering if his mother held life insurance. Nico smiled a bit, but turned his head before Will could register it. 

"It's fine. Do you mind if I..." Nico held up his earbuds. "Oh, yeah! No problem! I need to unpack anyway." Will said, backing away. Nico gave thanks before plugging his ears, signalling the end of their conversation. 

Well, at least Nico won't be able to hear any more embarrassing things from Apollo. 

Since Nico didn't want to speak anymore, Will started unpacking his things as Apollo brought up the rest of his stuff and asked if Will had everything he needed. They still had to go shopping to fill up Will's mini fridge later, but Will had most of the essentials, so other than that, Will was fine. He had a week before class started to explore around campus. 

"Oh, I wanted you to meet Chiron. He's an excellent instructor. He can also get you into workshops that can prepare you for MCAT, and of course, I'll work you into volunteering at the hospital I work at in a few weeks once you adjust to college life." Apollo thought out loud as he helped set up Will's desk with Will's books, computers, and laid out Will's school supplies. Will focus on making his bed and organizing some of his clothes, but gave up in favor of decorating his side of the room. 

Compared to Nico's side of the room, it was pretty bright and colorful. His of the room held a yellow fluffy rug Will brought from home, purple blankets that represented the university, but held his blue throw blanket that belonged to his mother. At the head of his bed, on the wall, hung a big dream catcher that his brother had gifted him a long time ago to help with nightmares. It was a lovely white and yellow with decorated sunflowers and pretty brown feathers, the string shaping into the sun in the middle of the ring. 

Will had taken care of it for years, part of him thinking it was magical. 

He needed it. 

Apollo, after he was done with the desk, caught Will staring at the dream catcher. He smiled and placed a hand on Will's shoulder, getting his attention. "Hey, you enjoy yourself this year, alright? If anything happens, I'm only an hour away, and if things get worse, I can always fly you out to your mother's in Texas. You got this, and I'm proud of ya." Apollo reassured. Will nodded and thanked him. 

Unaware, Nico watched them, slightly listening, but giving them privacy. He found their relationship pretty nice, a big contrast to his relationship with his father. His father was trying, but it was more awkward than anything else. 

"Hey, Nico?" 

Nico turned his head towards Will. Will was a bright person, almost like the bright light personified. He had a warm presence that filled the room, his side just as bright. He was tall, his hair was a shiny blonde, and his eyes were a pretty blue. Nico felt annoyed that he liked the color. If summer were a person, it would be this guy, and his father would be the sun himself. 

Nico felt like he had to wear shades. 

"Yeah?" Nico answered, taking out one of his earbuds. 

"My dad and I are going to the store and wondered if you wanted or needed anything," Will said. Nico wasn't sure if it was okay for Will to be this nice towards a stranger. Nico told him no and thanks, just to be nice, and turned away. 

He just wanted to get through the year without any problems. 

When he looked back up, Will and his father were gone. Nico sighed. Taking the moment of peace, Nico went to his bed and lay down. On his side of the room, it was decorated with the things his sister and friends got him to expand his color scheme because, in Percy's words, "You can't make everything black." 

That was coming from a person who makes his side of the dorm room feel like he is underwater. 

Blue everywhere. 

He really shouldn't take Percy's advice. 

But he did take Hazel's advice and accepted the grey rugs, the black Halloween theme blanket decorated in dark orange pumpkins and black cats. Frank, as a gift, gave Nico a few cards and figurines from his mythomagic collection. Nico was touched and promised to take good care of them, which was currently on his desk. Nico looked at the brighter side of the room. He had hoped he would have his own room, that maybe his roommate wouldn't show up. 

Or maybe someone normal would be his roommate. 

He should've known better than to wish for that. 

*************

After about two hours of meeting Chiron and shopping, Will waved as his father drove away, signalling the start of his independent college life. He was a bit nervous since he was away from home, but it was also exciting. 

His father mentioned going to college parties, trying new things that he is mother would tell him not to do. Apollo even offered to buy him his first drink, but Will refused because one: he was underage, and two: he did not want to explain to his mother why his father would be getting arrested for buying a drink for a minor. 

If he was going to drink, he would rather do it with his peers. 

With his father long gone, Will carried his groceries into his dorm hall using his student ID, grateful that he was on the first floor. He waved at a few familiar faces since he had graduated in California while staying with his father. Since it was a Co-ed dorm, he said hi to Drew, who was currently mad that Piper was her roommate, Lou Ellen, who showed him a new lava lamp her mother had gotten her, Conner Stoll, who invited him to a party his brother, Travis, told him about, and Paolo, who asked him to hang out tomorrow to look around campus and check out the clubs. 

Eventually, Will walked into his room, expecting Nico listening to music while organizing, but was surprised to see two other guys in the room with him, one Will recognized to be the RA. 

"Uh, hello," Will greeted. 

Nico and his guests looked towards Will, and Will suddenly felt unwelcome. It wasn't like they were rude, but Nico's friends were clearly popular and one of the cool kids. Will, on the other hand, was usually part of the weird kids or nerdy group since he was in AP classes. 

"Hey, Will Solace, right? I'm Jason, your RA." The guy, Jason, greeted. Will noticed earlier, but Jason looked almost regal, the definition of a perfect guy, despite his small lip scar. Compared to Will's curly hair, Jason's blonde hair was short and neatly cut. Even his electric blue eyes, compared to Will's sky blue eyes, were more intense and sharp behind his glasses. He was just as tall as Will with an air of maturity and authority. 

Will heard that he was a sophomore, surprisingly. 

"I remember," Will said, putting his groceries down. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting. I didn't expect you to have company." Nico got off his bed, Will noting a rainbow flag sticker on his cheek. 

"Neither did I," Nico grumbled. Jason was only supposed to check up on Nico, but was overstaying his welcome. As for Percy, he just wanted to be nosey. "No need to apologize, they were just leaving," Nico said with a glare, trying to push his friends out. Nico's other friend took the chance to move closer to Will. 

"'Sup, man! I'm Percy, Nico's best friend-"

"He's lying," Nico interrupted, glaring at Percy. Percy waved him away and wrapped an arm around Will's shoulders. 

"Ignore him. Anyway, I'm your upperclassman, so reach out if you need anything or if Nico is being a creepy ball of darkness." Percy said with a smile. Will gave a nervous smile. If Jason was perfection, then Percy was natural. Everything about him was untamed, and yet, still good-looking. His black hair was messy as if he rolled out of bed, ran his fingers through his hair, and called it a day. Then there were his sea-green eyes that gave a familiar gleam Will often saw in Connor before he pulled a prank. 

Will, out of habit, searched his back for a kick-me sign. 

"Um, okay?" Will said. 

"Leave, Percy," Nico demanded. Percy proceeded to ignore him. 

"So what's your major?" Percy asked. 

"Biology..." Will answered. Nico, noticing Will was slightly uncomfortable, glared at Jason. Jason sighed, getting the hint. 

"Sweet! I'm a Marine Bio student! If you have Professor Neptune's class, don't worry. He's kinda strict, but the class is easy. I even have notes I can share with you- Hey!" 

Jason grabbed Percy by the back of his shirt. 

"Time to go, Percy. Will, it was nice to meet you. Tomorrow, there's a dorm party so everyone can get to know one another. I hope to see you there." Jason said warmly before leaving, Percy complaining on the way out. Nico and Will waited until they heard their door close to speak up. 

"Sorry about that," Nico said. Will moved to put his groceries in his mini fridge and closet. "It's fine. I just didn't expect them." Will politely told him. To be honest, Will was slightly intimidated by Jason and Percy. They held an air about them that screamed that they were better, and it was probably true. 

"You can say they are a bit much. Jason might come in since he's the RA, but I'll keep Percy out of our room. He doesn't stay in this building, anyway." Nico promised. Will nodded. He wanted to say that he didn't mind, he was just caught off guard, but felt like the moment had passed when Nico pulled out his phone. 

So he focused on organizing in the meantime. 

Nico, whenever Will wasn't looking, snuck a few glances at the boy. Despite earlier confidence when Will was with his father, he looked more reserved now. He was surprised that Will looked shy and uncomfortable with Percy and Jason's presence, expecting Will to be more carefree since Will had no problem trying to talk to Nico as soon as they met. 

Well, they did have to live together. 

"Hey, Will?" 

Will looked up at Nico, who was awkwardly trying to hold his gaze. "Yeah?"

"I'm... not great at this. Sharing space, having a roommate, I tend to keep to myself for the most part. But um, if you like, maybe we can make rules so we don't cross any boundaries and we can get along a little better." Nico suggested. 

Will turned towards him with a soft smile Nico briefly thought was cute. "Alright. I like that." Will agreed. Nico grabbed his notebook and joined Will on the floor, sitting close so Will could see what Nico would write. 

"So, we can agree that we won't bring friends into our private space, right?" Nico asked. Will blushed. "I don't mind. It's just... your friends looked really cool. I guess I came off as uncool." Will admitted. 

So, he was shy, Nico thought. 

Nico still wrote down the rule, mostly so he could keep his other nosy friends out. "They might look cool, but I promise that they are anything but. Percy is a pain in the ass, but means well, and Jason is kinda like my older brother. So if they won't leave you alone, tell me and I'll kick their ass." Nico explained. Will chuckled, liking that Nico was a bit more relaxed around him than when they first met. 

"What would you like as the second rule?" Nico asked. Will shrugged. "Communicate if one of us has a problem with the other to minimize any awkwardness and anger," Will suggested. Nico nodded and wrote it down. If Will was suggesting it, then Nico would try his best to discuss his boundaries, like making sure Will asks him before touching any of his stuff. He would do the same for Will, though he wasn't interested in anything Will had. 

"For rule three, can we agree to keep any partners out of the dorm room, or if you do bring them, keep pda low?" Nico asked. Will nodded. "I can do that. And I wanted to say that if you bring any guys around, that's fine too. You don't have to worry about any homophobia from me." Will told him, trying to be supportive. Nico gave him a confused look. 

"What?" 

Will pointed at Nico's cheek. "You have a pride sticker on your cheek. Are you... not part of the LGBTQ+ society?" Will asked. Nico blushed and touched his cheek, then cursed Percy to hell as he took the sticker off. Will looked away, embarrassed for assuming, while Nico was embarrassed about getting outed. 

Well, he wasn't trying to hide that fact. He was already planning at some point to tell Will since he was planning to join the Pride Alliance Club with Piper to make a few friends, and be more comfortable in his skin. Maybe even find a boyfriend. 

"...I am. I'm gay. I would appreciate it if you don't go telling everyone. I'm not exactly trying to keep it a secret, but I don't feel like it's something everyone has to know. Um, are you still comfortable rooming with me?" Nico asked. Will can put in a request for a room change since it was the first day. Will nodded. 

"Yeah, I'm good. I don't care." Will shrugged. Sexuality didn't seem important to him as a person's character and attitude. Nico seems nice, so that's all that matters. 

"Are you part of the community?" Nico asked. Will shook his head. "I'm an ally, but pretty straight. But to be honest, you don't have to worry about me bringing girls here. I have been told I'm more work-focused. I just want to pass my classes with good grades so I can go to a good med school in New York." Will explained. 

Nico raised an eyebrow. He always thought Biology was an easy major since Percy seemed to do well in those classes, but to know that Will was majoring in that subject as a premed student impressed Nico. 

"Wow. It seems like you know what you want to do with your life," Nico commented. Will shrugged. "More or less. Can I ask what your major is?" Will asked. Nico turned away to write the no partners rule, finding himself less tense since Will didn't make Nico's sexuality a big deal. 

"Undecided. I wanted to look around at the programs and join a few classes to decide. I'm stuck between History, Communications, or Political Science." Nico said, feeling a bit embarrassed compared to Will, who seemed prepared. 

"What's holding you back?" Will asked. Nico handed Will his notebook and pencil for him to write down what should be rule four. "I guess the material. I'm dyslexic, so the reading is kinda hard for me. So I'm kinda trying to pick a battle that would be the least struggle." Nico explained. Will looked at Nico's writing. His letters were careful and neat. 

"If it matters, I think you're doing great so far. Don't let it be the determining factor of what you want to do. Accommodations can be made, and I can help pick out audiobooks for you, or you can reach out if you need help." Will offered. 

To Nico,  Will was way too nice. This was what Nico expected to expect Will to act like around Percy and Jason, with a bit more excited energy. 

He kinda liked that he was being treated pretty special. 

Nico cleared his throat. 

Now was not the time to get attached to someone who was giving special attention to him. 

"What would you like as rule four?" Nico asked, looking at the notebook. "Well, I'm a morning person-"

"I hate mornings," Nico interrupted, causing Will to smile and chuckle. Nico frowned, and Will briefly thought Nico looked like a grumpy kitten. 

He was cute without trying. 

"I'll be quiet in the mornings if you'll be quiet at night. I have a bedtime at ten during school nights. You can be as loud as you want on the weekends." Will said, writing it down. 

"Alright. What's rule five?" Nico asked. Will thought about it, then blushed. "How about when we handle our business? I mean, morning wood is natural and nothing to be disgusted over." Will brought up. Nico crossed his arms, ignoring the heat rising to his face. 

"We ignore it if we see it, and handle it in the bathroom. Also, we clean up after ourselves. No evidence left behind." Nico demanded. Will laughed. 

"Evidence? You make it sound like a murder scene." Will said as he wrote down the rule. "What would you call it?" Nico asked. 

"It's our baby batter," Will joked, wiggling his eyebrows. He laughed hard at Nico's horrified look. Nico snatched the notebook from Will and added a new rule. 

BANNED WORDS: Baby batter. 

"I'm sorry! I couldn't resist. The look on your face!" Will tried to compose himself, but lost it when Nico wrote with a Sharpie. Nico rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Really immature. I think we're done here." Nico said, getting up. Will laid on the floor, holding his sides, and gave Nico a bright smile. 

"You're not so bad, Nico. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Will announced. Nico huffed, then put his earbuds back on, once again signaling the end of their conversation. 

But as Nico gave a glance at Will, who was still staring with a smile, Nico secretly thought the same. 

Chapter Text

Nico and Will spent most of the day unpacking, making their dorm room somewhat homey. Most of their things were in their room, but they both added a few things to the living space, such as an extra lamp Nico had that he didn't mind sharing, and Will laid out a few of his DVDs he brought from home. Will suggested a movie night every Friday, but Nico didn't want to, telling Will he could do it without him. 

Then Will suggested they head to the cafeteria together and take a chance to look around together, but Nico told Will to go without him, and he had already taken a tour multiple times, so he was already familiar with the campus. Will pouted, but got distracted by Nico's figurines. 

Nico tuned most of it out, but Will went on to inform Nico about how he liked mythology, that his dad's side of the family was nuts about it. He listed off his favorite myths like the twelve labours of Hercules, the Odyssey, his favorite gods, which he clearly chose Apollo since it would be rude not to, but liked Hermes, Hades, and Demeter. 

Somehow, it went from Greek mythology to Will talking about Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe, even making an offhand comment that Nico would fit into the latter's poetry. While he liked Romeo and Juliet, he liked the Annabel Lee poem better. 

Will had talked for two hours straight, forgetting he was hungry. 

Nico, who was trying to mind his own business, felt like his head was gonna explode. "Will, I'll go with you to the Cafeteria if you please shut up for five minutes!" Nico nearly shouted, glaring at Will. When Will didn't say a word, Nico thanked whatever deity that was listening, and bathed in the silence with a sigh. 

It lasted exactly five minutes. 

"What do you think they have for dinner?" Will asked, now that his five minutes were up. He searched on the school website on his phone, lying upside down on his bed, missing the glare Nico sent his way. "Oh, they have chocolate cake! We should go so we can get a good piece! Oh, do you have allergies? Allergic to anything? I know how to do CPR and how to-"

"Will, do you have an off switch?" Nico asked tiredly. Will smirked. "If I do, no one has found it, but food tends to work." Nico sighed, but grabbed his jacket, making Will smile. He got up and hurriedly put on his shoes. "Why couldn't you go alone?" Nico asked. Will put on his red jacket, which seems bright compared to Nico's black one. 

"I would get lost and get a bit distracted. I might've graduated in California, but I only started living here recently, so I could get in-state tuition. I kinda feel like a tourist." Will explained as they headed out the door, locking it. 

"Where are you from?" Nico asked. Will was glad that Nico was interested in knowing about him. "Texas! I'm a country boy at heart. Southern hospitality, all that jazz. I rode horses. I'm not very good yet, but I like grooming them. And-" 

Nico began tuning Will out again, but noticed Will talking with his hands. As they walked out into the streets, Will was still talking, but also looking around, proclaiming that everything was so cool, to which Nico noticed Will had a very limited vocabulary when in awe or nervous. While he seems excited, Nico noticed Will sticking a bit closer to him. 

"Are you nervous?" Nico asked, finally shutting up Will. Will blushed, surprised he was quickly found out. "Maybe a little," Will admitted. "Why?" Nico questioned, now more confused. For a few minutes, Will was quiet next to Nico until they were about to pass the clock tower. Will looked up at it, slightly in awe, while Nico just viewed it as a clock. 

"I just hope I like it here. I had options to stay home, go to more local universities, but I wanted to explore, to see more than what I'm used to. It's scary." Will explained. Nico could somewhat relate. Maybe not in a physical sense like Will, but stepping into uncharted territory can be frightening. 

"Alright," Nico said before walking away. 

"Alright what?" Will asked as he caught up to Nico. Nico tightened his jacket as the cool wind blew. "I get that you're nervous and afraid. I understand a bit better. But do you have to talk my ear off?" Will smiled. 

"I promise I'm not always like this."

"Liar."

"I'm not, honest!"

"Liar, Liar, pants on fire."

"Rude! I'm a truther!"

"I don't think truther is a word, Will."

"Still true. And it is a word!"

__________________________

Okay, Nico decided to forgive Will once he had eaten his chocolate cake.

He decided to venture out only for chocolate cake. 

Will thought the same, moaning in delight, but also liked the many healthy options he could choose from. After they ate, Nico entertained Will by going to the library. They both browsed through the many books available, Nico surprised to find Will in the nonfiction section, skimming a thick book, looking interested. 

After that, they went to the Student Center to explore. Nico was grateful to know he could go here for Starbucks coffee in the mornings before class. He had one class on Mondays and Wednesdays that starts at nine in the morning, his three other classes thankfully starting after twelve, which meant he could sleep in most days. 

At least he can perk up during those days. 

Other than that, Nico explored the three-story building, the first floor consisting of game rooms, lounge areas, and the clubs that were asking for members. On the second floor were the support resources like tutoring, career services, and counselling. The third floor was much the same, with more meeting rooms and quiet space to get away from the nosiness of the first floor. 

After exploring and Will treating himself to a cakepop, a friend of Will's stole him away, which meant Nico was free to leave and go back to his dorm in peace. He felt exhausted. Will was a lot like a big ball of energy that couldn't be tamed. 

Not to mention, he felt blinded like he had been staring at the sun all day. 

So he enjoyed watching the fading sun and watching the night sky take over, finally ending the hectic day. He yawned as he used his ID to get inside the building, heading for his room. He decided to take advantage of Will's absence to shower first, checking the time since Will said his bedtime was usually at ten. 

He wasn't sure if that still applied since, while it was a weekday, they had no class for another week. He didn't want to wait to figure that out. Since he had to room to himself, he played his music while showering, appreciating that the bathrooms were clean and the water did get hot. 

He took his time without urgency, eventually leaving when he felt anew. As he dried off, he sent his father and Hazel a text that he was situated, to which Hazel video called so she could see. She and Frank were currently in their senior year in high school, with Frank planning to join the military while Hazel pursued education. He admired them and their relationship. They had only dated for a year at the time, but Nico was impressed with how they planned to date long-distance to pursue what they wanted. Hazel had her worries, as did Frank, but Nico figured they would be fine. 

Nico quickly threw on some clothes before showing Hazel around. Like Will, she was impressed. She was planning on coming next year, after she graduated. "Looks like you have a fun roommate," Hazel teased. Will's side was pretty bright compared to Nico's black and grey, with an occasional orange popping up. 

"You have no idea. He talked my ear off and dragged me around campus because he was nervous. We just met, and I feel like his emotional support dog." Nico complained, ignoring Hazel's giggling. 

"He sounds like a pretty nice guy. You think you'll be okay with him for a year?" Hazel asked, adjusting her phone so she could get ready for bed as well. Nico wanted to complain and say no, but remembered that Will was pretty helpful and nice when Nico wasn't sure what to major in, not to mention that he didn't make Nico's sexuality a big deal. 

"Yeah. He isn't all bad." Nico mumbled, but loud enough for Hazel to hear. He laid down on his bed and eyed his bag on the floor that held medication to help him sleep. He occasionally needed them, but wasn't sure if he should take them. 

"That's good. Does he know?" Hazel asked as she slipped her bonnet on. Nico nodded, and Hazel paused to examine Nico's face. "He didn't make it a big deal or ask weird questions. He's pretty nice about it." Nico explained. Hazel smiled, loving that Nico had a positive experience. 

"Good, then he won cool points from me," Hazel declared. Nico smiled. They continued talking for a while longer about Nico's classes and Hazel's anticipation of graduating already. Their conversation was cut short when Nico heard a door open and close, then saw a tired Will Solace walk in with two gift bags. Nico secretly switched the camera view so Hazel could see his roommate. 

"Sorry about earlier. A friend of mine wanted me to step in to meet his brother at a party. On the plus side, I got us goodies! You look like the type to like hot cheetos and chocolate, but if not, we can switch." Will said, giving Nico a gift bag. Inside was the usual assortment of items, including pencils, pens, a ruler, and a small notepad, but there were also a couple of bags of chips and sweets. 

"Thank you," Nico said, pulling out a chocolate. 

Sue him, he had a sweet tooth. 

Will smiled at him before declaring that he was going to wash up. Nico waited until he left the room to acknowledge Hazel. 

"Aw, he's sweet! I think you have nothing to worry about." Hazel said, mostly speaking about whether Nico had an episode with Will around. Nico quietly agreed. He hoped he wouldn't have any bad nightmares that would wake Will up in the middle of the night, but Will looked friendly enough not to judge him for it. "Well, he is a premed student," Nico commented. 

"Even better. So he's smart, sweet, and really handsome." Hazel winked, and Nico rolled his eyes. "And straight. I came here for a degree, not for a boyfriend." Nico told him before stuffing a second chocolate in his mouth. 

"You can kill two birds with one stone, Nico. Isn't the point of college is to have a bit of fun? Try some new things and get out there!" Hazel urged. Nico sighed. That was the point of joining a club: to put himself out there and explore. Nico promised that he would before telling her that he was about to go to bed, avoiding any more talk about getting him a boyfriend. 

Hazel caught on, but didn't push. They spoke a bit longer until Hazel crawled into bed. They both said goodnight, and Nico closed the call. He put his phone aside and buried his face in his hands. 

Nico had boyfriends during high school, but nothing serious. Just enough for Nico to gain a bit of experience, not to mention that the guys he was dating were either experimenting with him as well, very shallow, or weren't serious. His longest relationship was about seven months, but it was the healthiest. It boosted his confidence and taught him how to be in a relationship. 

But they had broken up due to the guy graduating first and didn't want to be tied down entering college. 

It was a dick move, but Nico respected it. 

Better than getting cheated on.

They broke up with no hard feelings, and Nico felt prepared now. 

But no one prepared him on how to deal with a very hot straight guy fresh out of the shower. Like, yes, once upon a time, he held a crush on Percy, but he was a kid at the time. 

He was older now and liked to think he was very mature, which meant he knew what he liked now. 

And a sexy body still damp from the steam, water droplets rolling down his chest, with tired blue bedroom eyes that were so inviting, and blonde hair slightly curly but with droplets dripping from the tips, is what he would love to see daily. 

Nico's mouth felt dry. Painfully dry. He had the absurd, treasonous thought that maybe—maybe—licking the water right off Will’s skin would fix it.

"Put On A Fucking Shirt!" Nico barked, his voice cracking. Will pouted while drying a portion of his hair with a towel. "I'm hot," Will whined, "Besides, I am clothed."  He didn't see the point. They were both guys, and he had his pajama pants on.

It's not like he was nude.

"Pajama pants don’t count. New rule—always be clothed in each other’s presence." Nico proclaimed.

Then, he quickly got up and added the new rule, then pointed at it like it had been there all day. Will grumbled, but went ahead to grab a shirt. 

"Do you not have any reservations about rooming with a gay guy?" Nico asked, surprised Will was that comfortable despite the knowledge. Will shrugged, taking his time to put on a shirt, not like Nico minded. 

At least Will was actively putting one on.

"Should I? All because you're gay doesn't mean you're gonna crush on every guy you see. I don't feel threatened or whatever." Will shrugged. "I've seen a fair share of pretty sexy guys. It's no big deal if you look. Besides, I don't see you crushing on me anyway." Will explained, finally putting on a shirt. 

There were so many questions Nico wanted to ask. 

Will, as a straight guy, looks at other men and thinks they're sexy?

As a straight guy???

And that last sentence sounded like Will was putting himself down, as if it wasn't a possibility.

As if it were a fact. 

"What?" Nico felt dumbfounded, but he must've been silent too long because Will looked confused, like he didn’t understand what Nico was struggling to compute. 

"What?" Will had put on a shirt like Nico told him, but why did Nico look like his brain had stopped working? 

"It’s too late for this shit. Goodnight, Will," Nico muttered, waving it all away as he headed to bed.

Will, since Nico wasn’t going to unpack whatever just happened, shrugged and crawled into his bed. "Night, Nico."

They both switched off their lamps, letting the silence settle, closing their eyes, and letting sleep consume them.

And just like that, the first of many weird days officially came to an end.

Chapter Text

As promised, Will kept quiet when he woke up at seven in the morning. He was a natural early riser from childhood. His mother once teased that Will had bad FOMO, always having to wake up as soon as the sun touched the horizon. He looked over at Nico, who was sleeping heavily with little snores filling the room. 

It was adorable. 

Not wanting to interrupt, Will made his bed, changed his clothes, and took his toiletries to minimize going in and out of their room. He sent Paolo a text since he wanted to check out the clubs, but he knew he wouldn't get a response until later in the day. 

Besides, Will wanted to check out the gym first, maybe have a brief workout, then breakfast afterwards. If he can start now, he can incorporate it with his class schedule. Once done brushing his teeth, he headed back inside, put extra clothes in a small bag, grabbed what he needed, and quietly left. He noticed, as he walked down the hall, how quiet and peaceful it was. 

He buzzed with excitement. 

He was away from family, surrounded by friends, and able to do what he wanted. This is his first taste of independence, then once he graduates, he'll move across the country to go to school in New York. Will sighed to calm his nerves, taking in the fresh air once he stepped out of the building. Since it was still early, there were a few out walking around, a few coming from the direction of the cafeteria. 

It made him curious about how the campus would look once school was in session. 

Overall, the campus was beautiful. He walked along the stone walkways, a detail that Will liked, and knew this school cared a lot about its aesthetics. The grass was a healthy green and looked soft to lie on. To his left was an open area with hammocks, picnic tables, and lounge chairs; the area was called the relaxation station. 

He never thought about studying in a hammock before. 

To his right, the path that headed towards the Auditorium, a section of it was covered in an archway of trees, something straight out of a fairytale. His dad had entertained him when Will pretty much danced under it, enjoying the shade from the sun. His dad did join him until they gained weird looks. They had laughed it off before heading out.

Will smiled fondly at the memory. 

Despite loving the independence, he was going to miss living with his dad. He already missed his mother. He was alone now.

Will pushed himself to hurry towards the gymnasium, trying to leave his loneliness behind. 

He walked towards the bright building, its automatic doors opening up with a soft hiss. Inside, it was pretty empty. Through the see-through window, he could see his friend Austin playing around with a basketball, dribbling and doing a few test shots. Will turned towards the attendant, who was downing his coffee. 

"Excuse me, do you know where the workout room is?" Will asked. 

"You go down that hall and take the stairs to the second floor. But come here and sign in first." Will walked over and did what he was told before heading upstairs. He was on his own, so he was going to start his new life right. 

****************

Nico felt very well rested. 

It was cool, dim, and quiet. 

Too quiet. 

"Will?" 

Nico looked over at the neat bed, as if untouched. He wondered where Will went, but didn't give it too much thought. Where Will went wasn't his business. 

At least Will was quiet and left Nico alone. 

He debated staying in bed today, to do nothing at all, since nothing needed his attention, but he had been depressed for way too long that his friends were basically trained to get him out of bed. 

And Jason was the RA, which meant he had the keys to his room. 

Granted, RAs can't just walk in, but if he doesn't reach out to let Jason know that he is alive, rules be damned. 

He'll walk right in. 

So, he sent Jason a text, then started getting ready when Jason texted back that he was on the way. Despite it being warm out, since it was eleven in the morning now, Nico wore his usual black skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, and well-worn sneakers since he had a feeling he was about to do a lot of walking. He was putting up his hair by the time Jason knocked on the door, a few strands escaping. 

"Coming!" 

He quickly grabbed his satchel that held important paperwork, just in case, then headed out. 

"Morning! How was your first night here?" Jason asked as he handed Nico poptarts he got from the vending machine. Nico wasn't too much of a breakfast person, but this was enough. Nico looked at Jason's purple shirt with RA bolded in white on the back. 

"Better than expected. The bed isn't as stiff as I thought." Nico voiced. He heard stories of how it was to live in dorm rooms, but so far, everything has been impressive.  

"New Rome University is still relatively new, so everything is still in working order. Are you coming to the dorm party?" Jason asked as they left the building. Nico stuffed his face, refusing to answer. Jason knew the answer. 

He didn't have a choice. 

Like Hazel, Jason wanted Nico to try new things and create a new self-image, a better image than when he was in high school. High school was learning how to navigate through puberty. College is when you experiment and be who you want to be. 

He didn't know who he wanted to be... well, he kinda did. 

He didn't want to be afraid or worried all the time that he would be rejected by his peers. He wanted to be happy and enjoy life with confidence, but wasn't sure where to start building that. 

"Where's Piper?" Nico asked. Jason ignored Nico's lack of an answer to his question. Didn't matter anyway. 

"Art building, most likely getting to know the club members," Jason answered, steering Nico towards the building. 

"How do you feel about that?" Nico asked, curious. Recently, Piper had come out as bisexual or possibly pan, and Jason has been supportive of her questioning sexuality, but never voiced how Piper figured it out. According to Jason, to ease Nico's worries over him, he told him that Piper didn't cheat, but rather, it was something she realized over time. Still, Nico tried not to bring it up for fear of making Jason upset, but he was anything but. 

He looked pretty happy. 

"Are you expecting me to be upset about it?" Jason chuckled as if it were a funny assumption. "If we broke up, yeah, I would be upset, but we're not. We talked about it, and I was the one who told her to try out that club. If she finds a girl or someone she wants to explore that side of her, she will tell me, and we will do it together." Jason explained. Nico, confused, didn't understand. 

"So you're okay if she kisses a girl?" Nico pondered. Jason nodded. 

"Sounds like a fun time," Jason teased with a joking smile. Nico rolled his eyes. "But seriously, we talked, and it took time for her to come to that realization, just as it took time for me to accept that. We still love each other, and she is being considerate of my feelings. All we can do is communicate, and I trust her. Besides, for now, she's just kissing girls. Kissing girls is amazing." Jason said. 

"Speak for yourself," Nico mumbled. Only once time he kiss a girl, and it was the worst time of his life. He prefers pecs, not breasts. Jason hummed, amused at Nico's disgust. As they approached the art building, Nico could hear a faint sound of music, and it wasn't from a radio. Inside, the halls were covered in artwork such as amazing photographs, realistic paintings, and posters of historical musicians. 

The further they went, Nico liked the faded painted Music notes on the walls, a painting of a camera down the hall on his left, and the rainbow colors up ahead. Nico kinda liked the chaotic atmosphere he was feeling. Jason and Nico followed the signs towards the Pride Alliance club. 

"A place where freedom of expression is allowed and the practice of inclusivity is included. Love who you are, because there can only be one you." Jason read off a flyer he took from a bulletin board they passed. "I really like this," Jason commented as Nico got closer to read the flyer. 

"Wanna join?" Nico offered. 

"I wouldn't mind, as an ally, but I do want to give Piper space to explore who she is without me over her shoulder," Jason explained. He kept the flyer for later, thinking he could put some up in the dorms. 

"I don't think she would mind," Nico said as they arrived. As expected, outside the doorway was decorated with pride flags, signs that stated You Belong Here and Safe Space, and twinkling Christmas lights decorated the entryway. What Nico didn't expect was music playing, people gathered around laughing, and Will dancing with some guy Nico had never met before. 

Nico was not an expert on straight, but... would a guy dance with another guy? 

He would ask Jason or Percy, but they had some type of bromance going on that Nico didn't understand, and they were pretty accepting, so he wasn't going to get a good answer from them. 

"That's Paolo Montes. He stays on the third floor with Cecil." Jason remembered. When Will and Paolo were done dancing, Paolo happily kissed Will's cheek with a smile, spoke briefly, then waved goodbye. 

And that's when Will saw Nico with a confused expression, once again. 

"What?" Will asked, wondering what he had done this time. He looked at Jason for answers, but he was too busy trying to hide his laughter from Nico. "What?" Nico decided now wasn't the time to get a headache. 

"Nothing. What are you doing here?" Nico asked. He walked passed to take a peek inside, feeling a bit nervous. 

"Checking out the clubs around campus with Paolo and Austin. Paolo is joining this one while Austin is joining the Future Musicians club down the hall." Will looked at Paolo, who was talking to an upperclassman, looking somewhat bashful. "They are currently ditching me." Will pouted with crossed arms. 

"You're not joining?" Jason asked. 

"Why would I?" Will answered. This time, Jason looked at Nico, confused, and Nico only nodded. He just woke up almost an hour ago. 

Don't ask. 

"Anyway, I was on my way to the auditorium to sign up for the Stage Left Theater club, then the science building for the Future Healers Pre-med club," Will explained. 

"Theater? You can act?" Nico asked, doubting it. 

Will could barely act like he wasn't nervous when he was. 

Absolute bullshit. 

Will wanted to argue that he could, but Nico raised an eyebrow, asking if Will really was about to lie to his face. Jason looked at them both having a silent conversation, impressed that Nico had gotten Will pretty much whipped. 

"Okay, so I can't act. But it would be fun and I can practice! Don't judge me!" Will admitted. 

"I'm not judging," Nico stated. 

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not."

"I know when I'm not wanted around!" Will declared, trying to escape what he got himself into. 

"No one is telling you to leave, Will," Nico said, recognizing that Will was pouting even harder. He has never been around someone with so much expression, and easy to read. It was kinda refreshing. At least he didn't have to step on eggshells and guess how Will felt. 

He actually preferred this. 

"I'm leaving!" 

"Bye, Will."

Will grumbled about being called out and ditched all in one day, claiming today was horrible. Nico let him go with a chuckle, feeling slightly better about his nervousness. Jason cleared his throat, wondering if he had been forgotten. 

"What was that?" Jason asked, following Nico into the clubroom. 

"Will being childish," Nico answered, looking around. 

"No, I meant the bickering. I don't think I've ever seen you make friends same day." Jason clarified. Nico frowned. That was true. 

"Kinda hard to resist, I guess," Nico excused. It was somewhat true since Will was a force that Nico didn't know how to fight back against. Will respected his boundaries, was friendly, annoying, a bit chaotic, but also very compassionate. 

Plus, he had to room with the guy. 

Will wasn't the worst person to deal with since he was pretty nice. 

He can deal with this for a year. 

"And he's not queer?" Jason asked. Nico shook his head. 

"He said he was straight. I'm ruling it as him being too friendly." Nico decided, spotting Piper. Jason wasn't sure he believed that, but kept quiet. Besides, if Nico was fine with it, then it was none of his business.  

Chapter Text

Will walked into the auditorium, the cool air hitting him in the face. It was like stepping into a different world. The lobby itself was seemingly royal, with hard marble floors and a white light that made the place heavenly. Will followed the signs to where he needed to go, passing the ticket booths, the concession stand, and the gift shop. He walked through the only double doors that were open, and the sounds of talking reached his ears. 

He wanted to join the theater club to do something that didn't pertain to his career. He had time to build his experience and resume, and acting could be fun. If he couldn't act, since Nico seemed insistent that he couldn't, he could help out by setting up props, joining the production team, or assisting with writing the script.  

Anything to honor his brother's death. 

Will shook his head. 

He was not going to think about it. 

Will walked down the aisle that cut through the rows of red seats, going down the gentle slope toward the elevated stage. 

Join Stage Left! 

Actors, Crew Members, Writers, Tech - All are Welcome! 

Play a Part to Create a Magical Experience!

Will walked onto the stage, towards the table with the sign-up sheets, information packet, and flyers. The guy handing it out had a name tag: Lee Fletcher, with a painted Comedy mask on one cheek, the other having the tragedy mask. He sent a bright smile towards Will, his dark blonde curls a mess with a few strands covering his eyes. 

"Welcome to Stage Left, where you can act, write, run lights, and act as dramatically as possible," Lee said as he pointed to the guy behind him acting like he was shot before falling onto the floor with a thump. Will laughed as the group around the actor clapped. "So, what would you like to be?" 

"Um, I'm not fully sure, but I would like to try acting. I don't know if I'll be any good." Will said, scratching his arm, feeling nervous. It was exciting that he was already on stage. 

"Well, this is a safe space where you can try new things. If acting isn't working for you, there are other roles you can do, and it's just as important. So don't worry about whether you're any good, and have fun doing what you want." Lee advised.  Will nodded, feeling welcomed. Lee grabbed the sign-up sheet to hand to Will. 

"Feel free to sign up for the club, but it's no pressure if you ever want to leave. In the fall, we usually do a few tragedies like Medea and, of course, the classic Romeo and Juliet, then when do a fun thing called Performance Poetry around midterms to lighten the mood. During the spring, we tend to do more comedy plays like The Taming of the Shrew, and we usually collaborate with another club to create something fun to do." Lee explained as Will filled out the sign-up sheet. Will handed it back once done. 

"Sweet. In about a week, a group chat will be created and emails will be sent out," Lee said as he looked at the sheet, then frowned. 

"Thank you! I'll be looking forward to it-"

"Solace? You're Will Solace?" Lee asked, feeling his heart speed up. Will took a step back. 

"Yeah?" Will was pretty sure he didn't do anything wrong for anyone to confirm his name. Lee laughed in disbelief and pulled Will in for a hug. 

"It's been so long! I haven't seen you since you were six. Look at you!" Lee held him out to get a full body view. "Man, you look like Dad! I thought it, but I wasn't sure!" Lee said happily. Will pulled away from Lee, not sure what was going on. 

"What?" Will asked. Lee blinked, his brown eyes full of confusion, then cursed. 

"Shit, sorry! Um, I'm Lee, Lee Fletcher. I'm your older brother, well, half-brother. We share the same dad. I met you and Michael years ago, but haven't heard from you since. You were probably too young to remember me since you were more excited about dolphins and surfing." Lee said. Will looked him up and down. 

He had another brother?

Lee didn't look like Dad, not much. 

"You're my brother? Prove it." Will said, close to calling Lee a weirdo. He kinda hoped Lee was just acting suddenly, and Will didn't catch on to it. Lee hurriedly pulled out his phone. 

"Dad and my mother aren't on good terms, so our dad doesn't get updated about anything unless I remember to tell him. I probably told him years ago I was coming here, but he tends to get caught up in work. How's Naomi?" Lee asked as he called Apollo. 

Will nearly ran when he heard his mother's name, but she was a country musician. So if Lee was a fan of country music, it didn't take much to put the two together since Will had his mother's last name. He decided not to answer because it was creepy that Lee knew for sure that Naomi was his mother. 

On the phone, Lee heard Apollo pick up. "Lee! Champ, how you been? Please tell me you moved out of your mother's place already!" Apollo begged, but was only half serious. 

There was a very good reason he slept with her in the first place after all. 

"Not yet, but one thing, can you tell Will that I am his half-brother?" Lee requesting. Apollo paused in his work. 

"You're in New Rome University? Since when?" Apollo asked, feeling bad that he didn't know. He tries his best to keep up with his kids, but he couldn't do much when he wasn't allowed much time in his son's life. 

He didn't even know Lee existed until the boy was five. 

"I transferred here last fall. Don't worry about it. But can you tell Will, really quickly, before he runs away?" Lee asked, then gave the phone to Will. 

"Hello?" 

"Okay, don't get mad, but Lee is your brother. I met his mother a few years before I met yours, but he is legit your half-brother. Trust me, I checked." Apollo stated. Will eyed Lee. 

"And I'm just now knowing this, why?" Will asked. 

"You two met, but it's not my fault his headstrong mother didn't want to accept you as his new brother. I did the best I could." Apollo argued. Will sighed. If that was true, he could see why Apollo never brought up Lee before. 

There wasn't a point in telling Will that he had a brother if he wouldn't be able to bond with him like he did with Michael. 

"Okay," Will said tiredly. There was too much new information he had to process. He had an older brother. Lee looked at him, feeling guilty. He could've delivered the news better. He was just happy to have a little brother after being raised as a single child. He watched Will speak quietly to Apollo a bit longer, then he got his phone back after they said goodbye. 

Before Lee could speak up, his phone vibrated with a message from Apollo. 

Don't bring up Michael! Text me later when you are alone.

Lee cleared his throat. He knew a bit about what happened to Michael, but it must still be a sensitive subject, despite it happening years ago. "Um, I'm sorry you had to figure it out like this. I could've done a softer approach." Lee apologized. Will waved his words away. 

"It's fine. Just give me time to process, please?" Will requested, Lee nodding. 

"Of course! Take as much time as you need! Are you... Do you still want to be in the club? I won't tell if you're not ready for that, or maybe I can work around you so we don't have to interact." Lee suggested. Will shook his head with a soft smile. 

As weird as it was, it was nice to know he had an older brother again. 

"You don't have to do that. I still want to join." Will confirmed. Lee smiled brightly, and Will could see how they were related. He pulled Will in for another hug, but then jumped back, trying his best not to cross boundaries. 

"Sorry! Sorry! Is it okay if I can get your number? I won't reach out until you do, but I would love to have it." Lee asked, trying to hide his excitement. Will nodded and gave his number, Lee acting like it was a sacred treasure. After that strange encounter, Will left with Lee shouting goodbye and to reach out. 

It was only a bit past two in the afternoon. 

Today was a long day. 

************

Nico was lying on his bed, a book open in his hands, and earphones in his ears to listen to the audio version of said book, when Will entered their bedroom, looking half dead. 

As if he had gotten run over repeatedly. 

He didn't bother prying, since it wasn't his business, but did expect Will to go off about his day so far. Instead, without a word, Will kicked off his shoes and flopped face-first onto the bed, lightly groaning. Nico waited for something, a comment or a rant, but Will simply pulled his blue blanket over his head like it would protect him from whatever he was feeling. 

Since Will wasn't talking, Nico went back to his book. 

After an hour of silence, with no one bothering him, Nico looked over at Will, slightly concerned. He took out an earbud, about to call out his name, but heard quiet snores coming from the blue mound on the full-size bed. 

Honestly, a nap sounded perfect. 

 Nico bookmarked his book, then got up to close the curtains, shut off all the lights, and take a nap as well. If he was going to go to a dorm party and socialize later, he needed to charge his battery first. He wasn't going to stay long, only long enough to say that he was there. 

For a couple of hours, it was quiet with the sound of traffic and occasional students walking outside their dorm room. Nico is always down for a nap, but for Will, it quietly tamed the storm that had been brewing ever since he realized he was away from family, and only gotten stronger when he had family here. It was too much and caused him a headache, so waking up to a dark room was perfect. 

So he took a moment to calm down. 

He brought the blanket to his nose, smelling his mother's perfume she used, lavender and vanilla tickling his nose. He didn't mean to, but a few tears slipped out, running sideways across the bridge of his nose, racing to the pillow underneath his head.

He missed home.

Whether that meant living with his father, hearing a pop song blasting from their living room, or living with his mother, smelling the home-cooked meal floating in the air. Don't get him wrong, he loved it here, it's just that...

It was a huge adjustment. 

And now he has a new older brother. 

He was abandoned five years ago, the day he heard sirens blaring in his ear, red and blue blinding him as he regained his vision. That day, he was happy. After that day, something was missing, and it took forever to realize why the empty chair across the dinner table made him upset. 

Why his mother's friend stopped showing up after giving one last goodbye. 

Why he needed the dreamcatcher just to sleep well at night. 

Someone was missing, and it took forever to realize who. 

"Will?" 

Will flinched. The voice was soft and careful, unsure but laced with worry. Will swallowed the knot in his throat and looked over at his roommate. Nico sat up when he heard sniffles, unsure if Will was crying. It was too dark to tell, and Will was still hiding part of his face. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Will muttered, not wanting to speak any louder. Nico moved to lie on his side, trying to see Will through the darkness. 

"You didn't," Nico said quietly. "You okay?" 

Will chuckled like it was a funny question, but lacked any happiness. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just... thinking." Will excused. 

"While crying?"

"I wasn't crying." 

Nico rolled his eyes. "Okay, you were making noises that resembled crying." 

"I don't want to talk about it. I'm over it." Will declared, burying himself deeper under his blanket to escape the conversation. Nico sighed. 

"Okay."

The lump didn't move, so Nico got up and walked closer to Will's bed. "You do know saying that you're over it doesn't mean you are." Will removed the blanket from over his head to narrow his eyes at Nico. 

"Nico," Will said flatly, "you have extreme eye bags, meaning you lack sleep, which is weird because you seem to love sleeping. You didn't eat a proper breakfast, and I know that because, in the art building, you still had bedhead and looked half-dead, as if you were part zombie or vampire. And, finally, you obviously hate socializing, or just mankind in general, which is a sign of antisocial behavior. Possibly depressed."

Will paused for dramatic effect, raising an eyebrow. "Do you really think I should take advice from you?" 

Nico flicked him on the forehead.

"Ow! Mean." 

"Observant, much?" Nico muttered. Will smirked. 

"I'm going to be a future doctor, darling. I have to be observant." 

"Darling is about to be a banned word," Nico warned, a light blush covering his cheeks. 

"Do you prefer sweetie? Honey? Pumpkin? I see you like pumpkins on your blanket..." 

"Banned." 

"You come down south, and every sweet southern lady is suddenly your auntie, and you're getting called baby as if she's known you her whole life. How're you doin', baby?" Will teased, his accent thickening.

"Will Solace, I will put in a room request and leave you stranded." 

Will gave a cheeky grin, apparently loving torturing Nico until he threatens abandonment.

Or just like working up Nico's nerve. 

"As if you're antisocial ass would want someone other than me. I'm amazing." Will gloated. 

Nico huffed. "You like to hide behind a pretty smile and act like everything is fine. You're just as depressed as I am."

Nico walked towards his desk to check his phone,

"You're not fooling anyone, Solace."  

Silence.

Then:

"You think my smile is pretty?"

Nico didn't entertain Will with a glare, only checking the time. "Shut up, Solace."

But when he finally glanced at Will, he was grinning.

A smile suited him better than tears. 

And he felt somewhat proud that he put it there. 

Chapter Text

The Banned Words list has gotten longer, and Will felt pretty proud of that, much to Nico's annoyance. So far, Will's favorite nicknames for Nico that were banned are Death Boy, Sir Dark-and-Creepy, and Hot Mess. To combat those nicknames, Nico decided to call Will Goldilocks, Crackhead full of Sunshine, and Chaotic Mess. 

Apparently, Will loves those names. 

"Ready to go, my little Stud Muffin?" Will asked with a smile, knowing he was going to get yelled at. 

"I know how to hide a body, Will," Nico warned dryly, adding another line to the ever-growing banned words list.

After some back-and-forth bickering and a few more mock threats of death, the two finally headed out toward the dorm party happening in the third-floor lounge.

On the way there, Will greeted a few of his friends who were also en route, which meant no more tormenting Nico, for which Nico was incredibly thankful.

Once they arrived at the lounge, they split off naturally. Nico made a beeline for Jason, while Will was quickly swept away by a group of his friends.

For now, the party seemed relatively low-key and chill. The tables lining the walls held an assortment of finger foods, chips, cupcakes, and a couple of colorful punch bowls. There were also goodie bags—ones Nico assumed were similar to what Will had received the night before. More people were coming in, but for now, this was fine. 

"Why does it look like you want to kill someone?" Jason asked as Nico approached, spotting flushed cheeks. Nico grumbled about rooming with an idiot who had no boundaries whatsoever. Jason wanted to ask what happened, wondering if Will was overstepping, but Nico stopped him before he could inquire. 

"It's nothing I can't handle. How long do I have to stay here?" Nico asked, moving closer to Jason as more people filed in. He was a wallflower when it came to parties, not really a fan of being too close to anyone. 

"Just until Piper and Leo get here. Just chill for a minute and eat something. There's a table that's about to play Uno, and another playing Spades if you wanna join." Jason offered. 

"I'm a video game type of person," Nico said, heading for the table. Someone made a dip that smelled pretty good. 

"Frank would disagree," Jason said, following. 

"Frank is a special case. He's dating my sister, so I have to whoop his ass at everything so he doesn't forget I can kill him if he breaks my sister's heart." Nico explained. Honestly, he knew his sister could hold her own, and he wouldn't have to do anything if they broke up. The truth was that Frank was fun to play with. He even introduced Nico to a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with a few of his friends, and Nico felt pretty comfortable playing with them. 

Jason rolled his eyes, knowing Nico was mostly lying. He was pretty much protective of Frank as he was with Hazel. 

"Sure." 

Nico asked about Leo to change the subject as the party started getting louder. "Surprised he isn't here by now," Nico said, filling his plate with chips and dip, a couple of cupcakes, and a bit of fruit to "balance" his plate. 

Fruit was healthy, right?

"He got caught trying to flirt with a few upperclassmen girls. Surprisingly, got a few numbers. His ego is sky high right now, so Piper is dragging him back to earth." Jason explained. Nico hummed. Sometimes, he wished he had Leo's confidence to go up to someone attractive and shoot his shot. All his previous boyfriends asked him out. 

Nico looked over to Will. 

He sometimes wished he were able to make friends as easily as Will, who was currently surrounded by a couple of people, with one girl holding his arm. Will did say Nico didn't have to worry about girls, but the girl on his arm was beautiful. She was tall, slim, with long dark hair that fell down her back. Her red lipstick was perfect, along with the rest of her makeup. 

Even her outfit made it clear she was sexy, and she knew it. 

Sensing that he was being stared at, Will looked at Nico, who seemed to be listening to Jason speak while looking in his general direction. He figured Nico wasn't a fan of parties, since he made it clear he liked personal space better. 

At least he didn't look bored. 

But, to spice things up, Will blew a kiss in his direction, which earned him the most horrified look ever on Nico's face, followed by a middle finger. Will laughed. Nico was just too easy to tease. 

"What's that about?" 

Will looked over at Cecil, who raised an eyebrow. It wasn't the first to see Will acted weirdly, but he didn't know who it was for this time. 

"My roommate, Nico," Will answered with a grin, now seeing that Nico had turned his back towards him. "I was just teasing him a bit. He made a banned words list that I can't say because he flusters easily." Cecil looked over at the guy who seemed to radiate Don't touch me energy. Drew looked over as well and lessened the grip of Will's arm. 

"Oh, is he friends with Jason? You should introduce me." Drew said, eyeing Jason up and down. Will shook his head as he looked over, just in time to see a girl and a shorter guy join Jason and Nico. Drew grimaced while Will barely stopped himself from laughing. Nico had a friend who was just as short as him, and now Nico was clearly, if unconsciously, trying to stand a little straighter to look taller.

"Ugh, I was hoping Piper wouldn't come. Or at least hoping elf-boy would date her." Drew complained, her fantasy ruined when she saw Jason kiss Piper's cheek. 

"Who?" Will asked. Cecil nudged him. 

"That's Piper McLean, daughter of the famous actor, Tristen McLean. And the other guy is Leo Valdez, the one who made the news about the science lab exploding. Pretty famous duo." Cecil introduced. Will oh-ed while Drew grumbled with a scowl. "Anyway, as a mastermind of pranks and public embarrassment, blowing a kiss? C'mon, Will, I taught you better than that. Go big or go home." Will rolled his eyes. He didn't want to push his limits with Nico, who was thankfully just as funny and nice to him. 

Besides, Nico was a good roommate. 

"I give it a month before Will is lip-locking with the guy. He's pretty sexy in a mysterious way. Like an emo vampire or something." Drew commented, sipping her drink.

“I’m in. Fifty bucks says it happens before midterms,” Cecil added casually. Will frowned as Lou Ellen and Paolo walked over. 

"Dude, what? I'm not into guys." Will argued. It wasn't the first time they had this argument. So he likes to admire guys who look good. So what if he noticed when guys had good biceps or nice back muscles?

If a guy were handsome, then Will could enjoy looking. 

"Someone is knocking on the door of your closet, and you are ignoring it," Lou Ellen teased, gaining a laugh from Cecil and Paolo. Will groaned. He played smash or pass one time. One time. And okay, maybe he said smash to more guys than girls, but that wasn’t proof. He’d just been honest.

Now his friends legit think he was possibly not straight. 

He would definitely bend over for a few celebrities, but he wouldn't consider that as proof. 

"Will, darling, I flirted with you for half the school year, and you're the only one who couldn't catch a hint. I'm more than convinced that you're more gay-leaning. No one turns me down unless they don't swing that way." Drew brought up, crossing her arms. 

"I agree, she's hot, Will," Cecil said, who was looking at Drew's top. Drew, who loves attention, thanked him with a wink. Even Lou Ellen nodded. Will frowned. Drew was stunning, but he was more focused on getting good grades than dating, and he just didn't feel that drawn to Drew. 

Will looked back at Nico. 

He would sleep with Nico before sleeping with Drew. 

Will frowned. 

"Whatever. Who wants to play Uno?" Will asked, his friends sharing a look. 

It was going to be an interesting year. 

*******************

Nico stayed at the party longer than he thought, but his social battery was dying. It didn't help that Leo was a ball of energy, practically sucking the life out of him. 

Figuring he had stayed long enough, he was about to tell Jason that he was leaving, but got distracted when he heard his name. 

Will was whining for him. 

Normally, he would pretend that he hadn't heard, but noticed Will was playing Uno while holding so many cards that Nico couldn't hide his snort. Will pouted. 

"I called you to hide my friends' bodies, not laugh at me!" Will complained. Nico looked at the table, remembering Jason pointing out Paolo, and was told earlier that the other guy was Cecil and the girl was Lou Ellen. Piper warned Nico to watch out for the pretty girl who was eyeing Jason, Drew, but she was nowhere to be found currently. 

"Ignore him. He's just mad he lost five times in a row." Cecil explained. 

"You cheated!" Will cried. 

"I cheated the first two rounds, and Paolo and Lou Ellen beat us. The last three times, I played fairly. You just suck!" Cecil confessed, and no one else was shocked. 

"Travis and Connor will be so disappointed in you," Lou Ellen added, shaking her head. 

"Pretty sure we took it easy on you the last two rounds," Paolo said, all his cards gone. Nico walked behind Will to look at his cards. He had a good hand, which meant Will really was bad at Uno. 

"You have a good hand. How did you lose?" Nico asked. Will looked away, embarrassed. 

"I used to be good until I moved here. Now I'm surrounded by cheaters." Will grumbled. Nico took Will's cards. 

"Are y'all stacking?" Nico asked. Paolo nodded. 

"You want in?" Paolo invited, about to pull up a chair. He remembered Nico from the Pride Alliance club introduction earlier, though they hadn't spoken to each other yet. He figured this might be a good chance to become friends with him.

Nico shook his head. "I'll help Will next round. Sorry, Will, but you really suck."

"Shut up!" Will blushed while scowling, which was funny to see. "Cecil doesn't get to shuffle the cards!" Cecil put his hand up with a smirk. 

"Alright, no need to get your panties in a twist," Cecil said with a mock surrender.

Lou Ellen shuffled all the cards before passing them out, face down, so no one could see each other's cards. Will picked his cards up, but Nico’s fingers brushed his as he arranged the cards into a more manageable order, stacking numbers together, then colors, then special cards at the end.

Will still didn't understand, but didn't argue. 

Not like he had a lot of cards that matched. 

Once the cards were passed out, the rest lay in the middle, and Lou Ellen placed the first card down from the stack, which was a green three. Everyone else placed a green card down, and Will was close to using his plus two card to get back at Cecil, but Nico stopped him. 

"Not yet," Nico whispered, making Will choose a random green card. Will's mind blanked. He didn't understand it, but he shivered when Nico whispered to him. Feeling Nico's breath against his ear made him blush. 

Good thing Nico was doing the thinking. 

So far, the game started innocently, but Will recognized the glint in the look that Lou Ellen and Cecil shared. 

Why was he even friends with them? 

Lou Ellen started it first, placing a skip card down, skipping Will. 

"What the fuck?!" Will complained as Cecil went. Then Paolo, who placed a reverse card down, only for Cecil to place a skip card down as well. Lou Ellen and Paolo laughed as Will glared at Cecil, who was proud of his move. 

They were starting their shit again. 

Then Will realized Nico was chuckling behind him. He was about to give up, but Nico placed a hand on Will's shoulder. "Sorry, but just trust me," Nico said with a smile. He figured this was good payback for all the teasing Will had done earlier. 

Karma was great. 

Since Will was skipped again, Lou Ellen went, then Paolo, then Cecil, then Will, who was able to play now. He wanted revenge so badly since Lou Ellen and Cecil had ganged up on him, but Nico didn't allow it. Since there was a blue seven, Will had a green seven and told him to put it down, changing the color. 

Luckily, it made Lou Ellen draw a card, since she didn't have a green. 

"Remember, for now, she doesn't have a green," Nico said, Will nodding until Lou finally put down a green reverse card with a vengeance she got from the pile. Will nearly panicked slightly until Nico told him to put down his red reverse card, saying not to give her time to come up with a plan. 

Sadly, Lou did have a red, but Will felt like he was playing a good game thanks to Nico. Then Paolo placed a plus two card, and Cecil did as well. "Nope," Nico declared, making Will put one down as well. 

Lou cursed, forcing her to draw six. "C'mon, Nico, Will needs more cards," Lou complained. That's when Will realized he had four cards left. He was about to cheer, since this time he didn't have the most cards this time, only second to Paolo, who had three, but Nico covered his eyes. 

"The reason you keep losing is because you have a poor poker face. Don't let them know you have a good hand." Nico whispered, and Will's happiness turned into a crisis. 

Nico's voice sounded nice. 

Really nice.

Oh, this felt dangerous.

His panic was enough for Nico to uncover his eyes, now that he was looking like he had a bad hand. 

"Now that she has more cards, it means she possibly has a green now, along with some plus fours. Someone here has one, and they are going to use it on you or Paolo." Nico warned. Will eyed Cecil, who looked extremely focused on his cards now. 

He was so close to winning. 

He flinched when Cecil put down a yellow card. Cecil noticed and smiled. 

He must have a plus four. 

Will didn't have one. 

Will put down his card carefully, looking at Nico to make sure he made the right move. Nico, strangely, looked calm. Lou stacked her cards, changing the color to red, but then Paolo put down his plus four, only for Cecil to do the same. 

Will had to draw eight. 

He was about to commit murder. 

"Trust me, remember?" Nico told him, drawing eight cards. Since Will lost his turn, Nico helped Will organize the cards again with a smile. 

Again, he didn't know what was so good about his hand. 

Then Lou put down her draw four, thankfully adding cards to Paolo's hand. 

"There are only four draw fours in a deck, and three were used. I think Paolo has the fourth one." Nico said, sharing a look with Paolo. Will didn't know why Nico thought that, but trusted him. For now, Cecil had the fewest cards. Cecil put his card down, now having two cards. Nico made Will stack his cards. "Everyone will be going after Cecil now." Nico notified. 

Good, Will thought. 

Leo, who thought Nico had already left, spotted Nico leaning over and whispering into Will's ear. "Who's the guy?" Leo asked, elbowing Jason. Jason looked over, surprised that Nico was still here. 

"That's Will, Nico's roommate," Jason said. 

"Roommate or Roommate?" Leo asked. 

"What's the difference?" 

Leo rolled his eyes. "You know, Roommate! Is Nico dating him or trying to get with him?" Leo inquired. Jason shook his head. 

"Will is straight." 

"You're lying!" 

Jason shrugged, watching the way Will practically leaned into Nico like he needed him to survive the Uno war. Nico whispered something else—too close, too casually—and Will's ears turned pink again.

"I'm not lying," Jason said, though his voice was full of doubt now. "That's what he said." 

"Yeah, right. And I'm Beyonce." 

"Hey, Bey." Jason laughed while Leo flipped him off. Curious, he walked closer to the table, watching Nico whisper into Will's ear, who then put stacked plus two cards for Cecil. Will was getting rid of his cards quickly. "We can finish this," Nico said, making Will excited. As promised, Nico carefully guided Will away from danger until Will could stack his last two cards. 

"UNO AND UNO OUT BITCHES!" Will shouted happily, cheering. Paolo congratulated him while Cecil mumbled that Will wouldn't have won if it wasn't for Nico. Will didn't care. 

"You're right, but guess what, I won!" Nico moved away quickly enough for Will to do a victory dance, bumping into Leo. 

"New friend?" Leo asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Nico ignored him while Cecil grumbled. Will paused to stick out his tongue at Cecil. 

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you.” Will teased.

“Neither does losing five games in a row,” Lou Ellen combated, a bit annoyed. Nico steered Leo away as Will started an argument with his friends. 

"He seems fun," Leo stated. 

"You have no idea." 

Chapter Text

"I have a brother here."

Will and Nico returned to their dorm after Lou Ellen and Cecil decided that Will had celebrated his Uno victory a little too much. The party was winding down anyway, and Will was more than happy to retire, declaring he was ending the night undefeated.

Almost like a handler to a dog, Nico took Will away, reminding him that it was getting dark and it was time to chill out. So Will offered to wash up first to chill out, which Nico was thankful for, and even praised the boy for coming out dressed this time. 

But something had shifted.

By the time Nico finished his shower and stepped back into the room, he found Will looking at his dream catcher in deep thought while holding his phone. He’d started to learn that Will Solace was the most emotionally transparent person he’d ever met—and somehow also one of the most difficult to read. Sometimes, he wore his feelings on his sleeve, clear as day. Then, there were times Nico couldn't read him, but wore an outward smile. 

Will clearly had friends and was openly friendly, but was nervous to speak to Percy and Jason. He expressed feeling like a tourist despite looking like he belonged here. When he came in earlier that day, basically depressed, but avoided the topic together, using Nico as a distraction. 

He didn't realize it at the time, but Will was really good at being happy. 

"A brother?" Nico repeated, not sure if he heard correctly. Will nodded, his eyes dropping to his phone. Picking up on the lack of excitement, Nico figured maybe Will was disappointed that he had a brother. "I'm sorry?" Nico suggested. Will shook his head. 

"It's not that. It's just... I found out when I signed up for the Stage Left club. I didn't know I had an older brother. It feels... wrong." Will mumbled. Nico furrowed his brow. He didn't know how finding a sibling could be wrong, unless Will was used to being the only child. When Nico found Hazel, he loved and grew protective of her after losing his older sister. 

He was the older sibling now. 

"Wrong?" Nico asked. Will chuckled. 

"Never mind, I'm being silly," Will adjusted himself, crawling under the covers. "Are you ready for class next week? All the homework, sleepless nights, and exams? Gosh, it's going to be a pain." Will voiced. 

Once again, he was changing the subject.  

Nico followed along. 

He only met Will yesterday, and if Will didn't want to talk, fine by him. 

"Never ready for that. At least the first week will be just an introduction and getting supplies." Nico guessed, getting in his bed as well. "I'm more worried about the group projects. That's going to be a pain." 

Will nodded. He could log on to his school's LMS and see who was in his class ahead of time, but it wouldn't help much once the work was passed out. He was serious about his grades, and he had his fair share of having to do the most of the work in group projects. 

He didn't care, but he didn't want to go through that again. 

"I agree, but that's life. We always gotta work with someone. We can only hope for the best.

Will said, voice muffled slightly by the blanket pulled up near his chin.

Nico let out a quiet, dry laugh. "Hope is not a strategy."

Will raised an eyebrow and sat up a bit. “Spoken like someone who’s been burned before.”

"I have," Nico admitted simply, turning onto his side to face Will. "Group projects never end well for me. People either try to make me do everything or think I don’t want to participate, so they don't ask for my input. Not to mention, some people just really suck to work with."

Will was quiet for a second, then said, “If we end up in the same class, I’ll be your partner.”

Nico blinked, surprised. "You don’t even know what class I’m taking."

"Don’t care. I’ve already seen your Uno strategy. You’re ruthless and organized. I need someone like that on my side.”

Nico rolled his eyes, but a tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "That’s the worst reason I’ve ever heard to pick a partner.”

“But it’s true,” Will said, smile in his voice now. "And I can make amazing PowerPoints.”

Nico snorted. "Wow. What a talent."

"You’ll see," Will replied, almost mock-defensive. "When we crush our first presentation, you’ll be thanking me for my consistent fonts and tasteful slide transitions."

Nico laughed under his breath while rolling his eyes. "If we’re in the same class," he said, humoring the idea, "I’m holding you to that."

"Deal," Will said easily, as if sure they were going to share a class. They were freshmen. There was a Freshmen First Year class every freshman had to do, so while they may not be in the same class, they may have the same course material. 

Sounded fun to work with Will, especially since Will said he would help him when it came to reading assignments. Nico reached up to shut his lamp off, Will doing the same. As the darkness covered their room, only distant sounds of people outside their dorm room and an occasional sound of laughter outside breaking the silence. 

Nico never thought he would sleep so easily in a room with a nice stranger. 

"Hey, Nico?" 

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being a good roommate." 

Nico smiled, glad it was hidden by the darkness. 

"You, too."

He really lucked out with a good roommate. 

*******************

The next day, Nico spent his time indoors, looking over his class schedule and the email he got from his Pride Alliance Club. He had room to join one more club, and he had his eye on an anime club that looked fun. 

Leo said he would be in the club, so he wouldn't be alone. 

While Nico stayed indoors, Will went out with Cecil to look for all his classrooms, just so he knew where to go, and hopefully talk to a few of his professors. He wanted a good first impression and hoped to get another recommendation letter after his four years were up. 

Nico figured it was too soon to think about that, but Will argued that it was never too soon, and he wanted to check out his options. He voiced that he was already going to be mentored by Professor Chiron, who was a friend of the family, but wanted to seek out others who didn't know him. 

Once again, Nico was reminded that Will was smart and knew what he wanted to do with his life. It was amazing, but it made Nico wonder what he wanted to do. 

He had time to ask for another class. 

Nico sighed. 

He'll just wait for now to see if he's going to like it here first. He didn't need to rush or figure his shit out now. That's what his advisor said, at least. 

It was around one in the afternoon when Will came back, whining about why the campus was so big, then started sharing everything he did without being asked. Nico, now used to it, let him while he closed everything up, knowing Will was going to make him do something with him. 

Not like he had anything to do. 

"What's your schedule like?" Will asked. It took Nico a moment to realize that Will was expecting an answer. Instead of answering vocally, Nico waved him over to show him. 

Will started cheering when he saw that he shared the First-Year Foundations class with Nico and that he could have lunch with the boy as well. But other than that, Will realized he had a much fuller schedule than Nico. 

"Let's walk to First year together and have lunch together too! And can we please have Friday Night Movie night? I have good movies and apps." Will begged. Nico shook his head. At first glance, Will looked like the type to watch sad and romantic movies, which Nico refused to sit through sober with the same old trope of a woman meeting a handsome man, somehow date, then have an emotional moment, fuck, separate due to some circumstance, and in the end, somehow come by together while sacrificing something great for love. 

If he had a choice between becoming CEO and tripling his income, or moving in with a man and having to take care of a farm or whatever...

He's choosing the CEO option. 

"Why not?" Will asked, pouting. 

"Okay," Nico said, grabbing his water bottle and taking a sip. "Name your favorite anime. Based on your answer, I’ll decide if I’m willing to sit through movies with you." He was expecting Ouran High School Host Club or maybe a gen anime like Naruto. 

"Black Butler and I want to be the Nun so badly!" Will blurted, making Nico choke on his water. 

Nico choked on his water so hard he almost died. "What?" he coughed out, eyes wide.

"What? Not a good enough answer. Jujutsu Kaisen is a close second, only because of Sukuna. Gojo is amazing, but it's the mouth on the hand that gets me. Do you know the number of things he can do in bed? I also like Yuta and Maki, but Yuta is definitely getting pegged, and I love that for him. And-"

"William!" Nico shouted now that he caught his breath, quieting Will because he hadn't heard anyone call him that in a while unless he was in trouble. Maybe he should've thought properly or kept his mouth shut. 

"I'm sorry," Will mumbled, feeling embarrassed. Nico shook his head. 

"No, no, it's not that. I just... I didn't expect you to say that." Nico explained. "I agree with Sebastian, but Sukuna is a brave choice." Will blushed, figuring it was best to calm down. 

He should've known better than to have coffee so late in the day. 

"Yeah, sorry. As for movies, I like an action-packed movie or a fantasy. I like Harry Potter." Will said softly. Nico smiled at Will's sudden shyness. He got up from his bed, crossed the small space between them, and without thinking, reached out to boop Will on the nose.

A puppy. That was what Will was. 

"Nerd," Nico walked out of the room and looked back at Will, "I think I found your off switch." Nico teased, a faint smirk on his face. Will blushed harder, his heart skipping a beat. 

He forgot that Nico was hot, hotter than Sebastian for sure. 

"So... can we have movie nights?" Will asked, unsure if he fucked up or not. 

Nico looked amused, which, low-key, made him hotter.

"If I can pick the movie, you can pick the snacks. I have nothing to do for the rest of the day." Nico offered. He watched Will go from nervous to excited. 

A puppy wagging its tail.  

Will nodded with a big smile. He shouted that he would be back, leaving Nico. Left alone, Nico shook his head, a gentle smile ghosting across his lips as he muttered to himself, "Adorable."

Chapter Text

The rest of the week was mostly spent preparing for their first day of class, some already assigned assignments, but it was mostly asking what they expected from this school year, what their major was, and what their future plans were. 

Nico went ahead and completed those assignments since it was pretty simple. 

As for Will, by the time it was Friday, Will was looking ahead at his classes' curriculum and started assignments that weren't due for a few weeks. He had most of his books, just waiting on two more, so he figured he would have a head start. 

Nico was slightly concerned about it when he spotted Will writing two full pages in his notebook, but Will told him this was how he calmed his anxiety. Later, in the clubroom, Paolo clarified it for him.

"He just wants to be prepared, but also, he tends to keep himself busy. His dad had to look over his schedule to make sure every timeslot wasn't filled with work." Paolo revealed, eating a bag of chips that the club offered. They were both sitting on a nice couch with chill music playing in the background. The upperclassmen were still up and about, inviting people, answering questions, or just checking in with people sitting around and making themselves at home. 

Nico liked it here despite the room seeming to try to keep every shade of color, flags, and inspirational quotes inside. 

Paolo shrugged and sighed, leaning back like he belonged here. Nico caught himself staring for a moment. Paolo wasn’t his type, not even close, but there was something about him that was almost breathtaking. Will thought he could try playing match-maker now that he knew, in his words, "Two hot gays who could destroy reality if they got together. 

Both Nico and Paolo shut that down quickly, which earned Will a smack from Paolo. 

Still… Nico could see the appeal. Paolo’s skin was smooth and warm, like rich cocoa on a winter day. His build wasn’t overly muscular, but solid, comforting. Even his brown eyes, soft and deep, could steal the breath right out of someone’s lungs.

But he and Paolo were looking for two different things in a partner that neither of them had. 

"Will tends to think he needs to be perfect, often overworks himself, and gets upset at the slightest blemish outside his expectations. He cried over getting a B minus and asked for extra credit to change his grade one-time." Paolo said before sticking another chip in his mouth. He offered Nico some, which he gladly took. 

"Is he like that in group assignments?" Nico asked since Will was determined for them to work together one day. Paolo shook his head. 

"Nah, he's more lenient. He's not controlling if that's what you're trying to ask. He'll ask to look over it before turning it in and touch up on a few things, but nothing to worry about." Paolo answered. A smile played on his lips, soft and loving. "He's the best roommate you could have." Nico raised an eyebrow. 

"History?" Nico asked. Will was already suspect to Nico, even though he was still placing it as Will being overly nice for the time being. 

Paolo quickly shook his head. "Uh... no, not the way you think!" He said quickly, waving his cheetos-covered fingers. Nico chuckled, thinking Paolo may be in denial. Will was a good-looking guy. Even he had trouble keeping his eyes to himself, only taking glances when Will wasn't looking. 

"I won't tell. He's pretty cute." Nico admitted. Paolo looked away, quietly admitting that Will was cute, but shook his head, not wanting to fall into the trap of gossiping about Will. 

His diary was already full of that. 

"We're just friends, and that's how I want it to be. I mean... I guess I had a little crush on him at first. Who wouldn’t? But that’s not what we are. We figured it out; we’re… platonic soulmates. That’s what we call it." He explained, only to realize Nico wasn't believing him. 

Nico was pulling the That's pure bullshit look, and now Paolo understood why Will told him that Nico could see through his shit so quickly. 

But Paolo wasn't lying. 

"Look, I moved her from Jamaica a few years ago, and it was hard adjusting. Not to mention, being queer didn't make it much easier." Paolo held his Cheetos as he remembered the time of not feeling like he belonged. He didn't understand the dialect that much, and turning away girls made him get side-eyed more, to the point that Paolo kept his head down. "Will... he was the first to say hello to me, didn't judge me, and made me feel comfortable. He would always search for me, talk my head off in the halls, and welcome me into his friend group. At some point, I started talking back." 

Nico nodded and said, "Sounds like him," to which they both laughed. Paolo looked down at his Cheetos, now with a less-pained smile. 

"I didn't want to get my hopes up, thinking of him as a friend, so... I decided to come out to him. He was the first one I ever told I was queer. He didn't care. He only asked if I was okay and thanked me for being brave. Then told me that he finally has someone to watch RuPaul's Drag Race with." Paolo chuckled and shook his head. "He went to dances with me, Prom, and we would talk about anything that came up. I love him, but I promise it's not in a romantic way." Paolo finally looked back up at Nico. "Even if he was queer, he's attractive, but not what I'm looking for." 

"Do you really think he's not queer?" Nico asked. He had to know because the number of times Will liked a male anime character was... suspect. 

"Well, Will hopefully knows what he wants, but personally," Paolo leaned in closer as if whispering a secret, "far from straight as possible. He's about as straight as a zig-zag." 

"THANK YOU!" 

Nico finally felt justified. His gaydar isn't as good as Piper's, but he knew something wasn't right.

"What's crazy is that his father is bi, so it's weird sometimes, but Will is a pretty open individual." Paolo shrugged. "Like, he's very touchy-feely, so some gestures are just that to him. We sometimes cuddled back in high school around midterms and exams when I stayed over, but he's a medical nut, so he's fine with it because it's healthy. He would explain that it lowers anxiety, blood pressure, blah, blah, blah, so he doesn't overthink it. Then, since he's fine with guy talk, he always says that he enjoys looking at men's physiques since it's a well-built body. He's just an open guy. I did ask to make sure, but the thing is that he never felt any romantic feelings towards a guy, so he's just comfortable with himself. And as I mentioned, he's a perfectionist sometimes, so he focuses more on work than building romantic relationships. I accept what he's okay with. I would rather not push him and confuse him." 

Nico nodded, understanding Will a bit better now. 

So he was just a friendly, open-minded guy. 

He believed it... until Nico was taken to a Saturday night party that Percy dragged him to have one last night of fun before class, Monday. Will had mentioned it and left a couple of hours before, so Nico knew Will was going to be here. 

He just didn't expect Will to be lazily dancing with a guy whose hand was on Will's waist, whispering in Will's ear. He was about to go help Will, just in case (and have a reason to leave early), but was yanked away by Cecil, who was dancing with Drew, and Lou Ellen filming on her phone. 

"'Sup, dude! I didn't expect you to be here!" Cecil greeted. Nico moved away, getting closer to Lou Ellen. He pointed towards Will, trying to notify Lou of their friend, but she only looked over and laughed, snapping a pic. 

"That's Travis. He's fine." Lou shouted over the music. While Lou was explaining that Will was fine because Nico looked worried, Will was too busy enjoying his buzz he was feeling since Connor had offered him a "special" drink, which Will knew meant alcohol. 

As of now, he was kinda swaying with his friend behind him, somewhat listening to Travis, while dancing with Katie in front of him, who was taking his drink away and replacing it with water. 

"Why did you take the cup knowing you can't handle it?" Katie asked, giggling as she looked at Will's flushed cheeks. Will groaned as Travis adjusted his hold of him. 

"Just nervous. I finished next week's assignments already and organized what classes I am going to take next year. College isn't like high school, ya know?" Will said.

The truth was, he already missed high school’s predictability: the fixed schedule, the guaranteed breaks, the clean cut between class and free time. College felt like walking on a high wire without a net. Everything was up to him now—when to eat, when to study, when to sleep—and the idea of oversleeping on his very first day made his stomach twist.

And the scholarship… well, that was another weight entirely. No room for mistakes.

Not like he ever had that problem, but it was still a worry. 

Taking theater was his way to calm himself down, but now he knows that he has an older brother here, which was still bothering him for some reason. 

So Will was thankful that Connor offered him a drink since word spread throughout his friend group that he was stressing himself out. So he drank, danced like no one was looking, and now enjoyed the comfort of his friend, now that he felt great. 

"You're worrying for nothing, Will," Travis said, loud enough for him to hear over the beat. "The first day is always the scariest, then it turns into an ordinary day. Plus, it's college. People are more chill and slightly more mature than they were in high school." Katie nodded. 

"And you're a smart guy. Everything will work itself out. Just trust the process." Katie added. Will nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, shutting out the bright lights to take in his friends' words. 

"Sorry," Will mumbled, the words lost in the sound of music, but he still felt Katie pulling him into a hug and Travis tightening his hold. They knew it was more than just college anxiety, but didn't push, only reassuring him that everything would be fine. When Will opened his eyes, he looked over at Lou Ellen awkwardly dancing with Nico, which made him laugh. 

It was cute, but so ridiculous. 

He thanked Travis and Katie for keeping him company before going over to save Nico, who needed it, wiggling through the crowd. 

"You have two left feet, Nico!" 

"I told you I can't dance!" 

Nico really was trying, but he couldn't catch the beat of the song, and didn't like that there were so many people around. He felt step-conscious as he tried not to step on Lou's feet while also trying not to bump into anyone. 

"Mind if I steal him for a bit?" 

It was something straight from a romance movie to Nico. Will, seemingly more relaxed than the past few days, was wearing a nice fitted tee and shorts, coming to save him with neon lights lighting up behind him like he was a savior. 

Well, he was saving Nico, so he kinda was. 

"Yes," Nico answered before Lou Ellen could, taking Will's hand. Nico apologized, but Lou was already shooing them away before whispering to Cecil that she was joining the bet. 

"Fifty bucks that they'll be together by Halloween." 

Cecil smirked. "Twenty bucks says they'll be at second base by then." 

"You're on."

Chapter Text

Nico thought Will was trying to rescue him from dancing with Lou Ellen, but instead, Will pulled him deeper into the crowd to dance with him. Nico wasn't a fan until Will stopped at a more open space. 

"I really can't dance, Will," Nico told him over the pop music. He could smell the alcohol coming from Will's lips, but it wasn't strong, nor did Will seem drunk. 

Actually, he seemed more relaxed now than in the past few days. 

"It's not hard," Will said as he pulled Nico close to gently sway as if they were slow dancing. "Doesn't take much effort. See?" Will's hand firmly held Nico's as his other rested on Nico's waist. It didn't match the atmosphere nor the song, but looking at Will's soft smile, his eyes half-lidded as he looked at him, made it feel like they were the only ones in the room.

It was stupid and slightly embarrassing, but Nico decided to focus on Will and ignore any looks aimed their way. 

"Are you okay?" Nico asked eventually when he found his voice. There was a hair of space between them; close enough to feel each other's warmth, to smell Will's cologne and feel Nico's breath on Will's skin. 

"For now, yeah. I promise I didn't drink much. I only drank a cup." Will said, his impulsive actions winning as he rubbed his face against Nico's hair. As he thought, it was soft. 

"Where did you even get the drinks from?" Nico questioned. Sure, there was beer around, but it didn't smell like it on Will. Will backed up and gave a mischievous smile, reminding Nico that Will was best friends with Cecil. 

"From good friends who are a bad influence," Will answered. Nico rolled his eyes. At least he wasn't drunk, then Nico could deal with this. "I can get you some," Will suggested. Nico shook his head as the music changed to something slower, but not slow enough to match their dance. 

"I prefer wine," Nico said. Will didn't expect that answer, thinking Nico never drank before. It made Nico chuckle. "I'm Italian, remember? I usually drink a bit when I have dinner with my family. It pairs well with a nice meal." Nico explained. Will nodded as if it made sense. 

"Studies show moderate consumption of red wine may have health benefits like protection against heart disease, lower choles-"

Nico covered Will's mouth, a smile tugging the corner of his lips. 

"It's good for you, Mr. Encyclopedia," Nico summed up. He removed his hand from Will's mouth, revealing a grin that made Nico's heart speed up. Will was a naturally attractive guy, so Nico let the feeling pass as Will took his hand back. 

"Well, I am going to be a doctor one day. Just you wait, Mr. Dark and Creepy, I'm going to be your doctor who gets to take care of you in a patient gown." Will declared. 

"The Horror! The Torment!" Nico teased as he let go of Will's hand, backing up. 

"Shut up!" Will said, pulling Nico back in with a laugh, and Nico joined in.

"Just for that, you get the biggest needle." 

"Will, I'm gay. I know how to take a "big needle," if you know what I mean." 

Will laughed harder and now had questions, to which Nico invaded with a smile. 

Will was so easy to talk to if you ignored his touchiness. Nico didn't want to crush on a straight guy again, so it was easier to rule everything Will was doing as overly friendly. 

As Paolo said, Will was an open individual. 

So he should ignore how nice it felt to have Will's hand on his waist, how nice it was to hear Will laugh because of him, and how much his hand fit with Will's. Will twirled him around, calling him a pro dancer now, to which Nico ignored, but they settled down as the music changed to something softer.

It felt nice to slow dance with Will, slightly hoping they would do this again one day. 

"I always thought about dancing around with my lover when I get older and have my own place." Will brought up. "You know, like in those romance movies when the couple dances in their living room, being playful. My dad used to do it with my mom, who's a country singer. Every time her song comes on the radio, my dad would pull her up to her feet and twirl her around, burning breakfast." Will, now with a slow song playing in the background, rested his head against Nico's. "Everyone should know how to dance. And now you can do it with a person you'll love. Doesn't take much at all." Will mumbled close to Nico's ear. 

Nico wondered if his parents ever danced before. His mother died when he was young, and as far as he knew, his father never danced with his stepmother before. 

Well, it took forever for Nico to accept her, so he wasn't around much to conclude that. 

Still, Will's dream sounded nice. 

He wouldn't mind doing this with his partner. 

"All I'm missing is a partner," Nico muttered, resting his head against Will's shoulder. Will hummed, but kept quiet, letting the music wash over them, making them feel like they were the only ones left in the room. They both felt comfortable with each other, the warmth encasing them like a hug as their heart grew in sync. 

This moment was perfect. 

But every perfect moment had to end, and theirs ended when the song did, with Will backing away, but Nico refused to let go,  moving his hand to press against Will's lower back. 

Just... not yet. 

"Will, the next time you're stressed out, just talk to me, okay?" Nico requested. Will blinked, trying to get his brain to work while loving how firm Nico's hand was against his back. 

Their positions had switched. 

"I promise I don't drink that much, but okay," Will agreed. He thought that was it and tried to back away, but was surprised that Nico didn't let him. Nico had a brief moment of confidence and felt like he received an achievement when he watched Will blush. 

"What rule number two?" Nico asked. Will frowned as he tried to remember, then softly laughed when he did. He rested his arms on top of Nico's shoulders, his hands dangling behind Nico's head. 

He was cute when Nico was like this. 

"I didn't have a problem with you, though," Will said. Nico shrugged. 

"Don't care. I wanna know that way I can understand and... maybe help out." It was ridiculous, but it unsettled him to see Will dancing with someone else. He ruled it down that he didn't know the guy, while Will and his friends did, and it was a bit shocking that Will was friendly like that to everyone else. 

He should've known when Paolo said he and Will were platonic soulmates and that they had cuddled before, but it didn't bother him the same way. Paolo was clear that he wasn't planning on pursuing Will since:

1. It would be a waste of time pursuing a self-declared straight guy. 

2. Will, if he were gay, apparently gave out bottom energy, which Paolo wasn't looking for. 

3. Will, albeit attractive, he now knew what he wanted, and Will wasn't it. 

"You're sweet. I'll make sure to talk about it if it'll make you feel better." Will said. Nico thanked him and felt Will trying to move away again. He kept Will there a bit longer, just for the hell of it. Will didn't say anything about it. 

Heck, he looked amused. 

"Anything else you got to say, or am I being held hostage?" Will said with a slight tilt of his head. While Will was the one who drank, Nico felt like he was drunk. 

It was the lights. 

It was the music. 

It was the way Will looked at him, not once giving any signal that he didn't like it. 

"Held hostage. Don't wanna go back to dancing with Lou Ellen." Nico excused. 

It was the way Will moved closer until there was barely any room between them. 

It was the bedroom eyes. 

It was the way Will lowered his head, his breath hitting Nico's lips.

"Do you wanna go back to our room?" 

Nico needed a cold shower. 

He was slightly thankful when Paolo came over, getting Will's attention, then sending Will towards Cecil. He finally felt like he could breathe, but was missing the warmth Will had. 

"Sorry to interrupt that little moment, but you're playing with fire, flirting with Will," Paolo said. Nico eyed him. 

"I thought you said you weren't interested," Nico reminded, thinking Paolo was jealous.

"I'm not, but if you're going to go down that rabbit hole, make sure Will isn't drinking. Trust me." Paolo said, as if speaking from experience. Nico didn't know what he meant by that, only saying okay and leaving it at that. 

But understood the next day, that Sunday morning, with Will covering his face in shame while apologizing profusely to Nico as soon as he woke up. 

Will didn't mean any of the suggestive flirting. 

"Did I really ask you to come back to the room with me?" Will wailed, trying to suffocate himself with his pillow now. Nico watched, slightly tired, a little annoyed, but also amused. 

"Were you really thinking about sleeping with me?" Nico asked. He had never done a one-night stand before, but he was embarrassed to say that he was close to taking that offer. 

Thankfully, Will thinks he did most of the flirting, not Nico. 

"N-No! I wasn't!" 

"Closet is made of glass, Will."

"Shut up, you dick!"

"You wanted this dick, remember?" 

Will proceeded to yell into his pillow, having a full-body blush. Figuring he wasn't going to go back to sleep, Nico got up to get ready for today. He was supposed to hang out with Jason and Percy today, so he definitely needed coffee soon. 

"I'm never drinking again. Again, I'm sorry!" Will said after he removed the pillow to look at Nico. 

He really did look apologetic. 

"It's fine, Will. Besides... you made last night pretty fun for me. So, thanks." Nico told him before leaving. Will felt his heart rush and groan. 

Nico was going to give him a heart attack, and Will refused to acknowledge why. 

Chapter Text

"Hey, wanna have lunch with Percy, Jason, and my other friends?"

"...Nah, I'm good."

"You get to pick the movie on Movie night..."

"..."

"We can watch Captain America..."

"...Which one?" 

"The one where he holds onto the helicopter, with his muscles gleaming. And Bucky." 

Will was so easy. 

He was already daydreaming as he was carrying his tray to the table. 

The sunlight caught on those sweaty biceps as every muscle strained to keep the helicopter in place.  His chest, the veins, and his sheer willpower showed on his face. 

You just know he can destroy a bed. 

"Will, you're killing me. Any argument you have in your arsenal of "I am a straight guy" just died." Nico said as he carefully guided Will to the table. Will had the biggest smile as soon as Nico promised, then the first one out the door. 

So they were a bit early, but Nico didn't mind waiting for the others. 

"You're not gonna ruin my good mood. And Chris Evans is my Hear-Me-Out." Will said happily as he prepared his salad. Nico chose a more greasy option since the fries looked seasoned and tasted just as good. 

"Chris Evans is not a Hear-Me-Out; he's the correct answer if he invites you to bed." Nico corrected. Will mixed his salad with his dressing. 

"Okay, what's a Hear-Me-Out?" Will asked before taking a bite. 

"Red Skull," Nico said, earning a disgusted look. 

"You're trying to tell me you can get fucked by that thing and have an orgasm looking at that nasty ass face?"

"It was an example, Will!" Nico said before laughing. Will almost looked traumatized at the thought, with his eyes wide and fork halfway to his mouth. Will sighed, thankful Nico had better taste. 

He was too good-looking to be fucked by that guy. 

With his curiosity piqued, he asked, "Alright, what's your actual Hear-Me-Out?" Nico thought about it, then shrugged. 

"The Predator from Aliens Vs Predator. Shame he died in the end, but it was strangely hot when he marked the girl on the cheek with the alien blood. Actually, he was hot throughout that whole movie." Nico gushed. 

Now that was a man. 

"So you're a monster freak?" Will concluded. Nico blushed, but glared at Will. 

"This is coming from someone who wants to be torn apart by Sukuna," Nico reminded. Will opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. Nico had him there. 

"Okay, you got me. But the real question is, do it with his mask on or off?" Will questioned. Nico took a long sip of his drink, thinking about it before answering. 

"If I'm wasted, Mask off. If I'm sober to three drinks, mask on." 

Will nodded like it was a good answer. Nico finished his fries, then turned his attention to his burger. 

"Alright, now that you know Chris Evans isn't a Hear-Me-Out, who's your actual Hear-Me-Out?" Nico asked. Will thought about it because any of the people he crushed on was relatively hot. Then thought of one. 

"The Beast from Beauty and the Beast. Only beast form, not whatever he turns into at the end. They fumble that so hard that even Belle looked disappointed."  

For a beat, Nico just stared. Then he set his burger down carefully. "…You want to bang a Disney animal."

"He's not an animal!" Will protested. "He’s a cursed man! And—he’s kind! Protective! And those arms? You know he could hold you and make you feel safe."

Nico pinched the bridge of his nose. "Will. He growls."

"That's part of the appeal!"

Nico was fighting so hard not to laugh; his shoulders shook. "You were giving me grief over Predator, and your big confession is—" He broke off, covering his mouth with his hand, but the smirk bled through. "Beast."

Will groaned, dropping his head to the table. "I regret telling you this. I regret everything." Will was being dramatic, which was why Nico laughed so hard. He didn't hear Will calling him a jerk and saying how he wasn't supposed to judge, but it held no heat. 

Besides, Nico looked adorable when he laughed so freely. 

Will closed his eyes, feeling the fluttering in his chest. 

He needed to control whatever was going on with him. 

He felt a hand rest on his head, so Will opened his eyes to a beautiful sight. 

Nico's dark hair fell in messy strands over his forehead, catching the light in a way that softened his sharp features. The shadows always seemed to cling to him, yet right now, with the faint cafeteria light above them, Will swore Nico almost glowed.

His skin was pale but not sickly, more like porcelain, smooth and striking against the dark black of his hoodie. His mouth, usually set in a thin line, was relaxed, the corners just slightly tilted in what might have been the ghost of a smile. And then there were his eyes; deep brown, dark as earth, but warmer than Will had ever noticed before. They weren’t guarded, not sharp like they usually were. They were open, soft, and completely focused on him.

That feeling in his chest was getting worse. 

He shouldn't have drunk last night. 

"Sorry for laughing," Nico said quietly, only meant for Will's ears. 

Will didn't mind getting laughed at if it was Nico the one laughing. 

"It's fine."

Was Nico a Hear-Me-Out or the correct answer?

************

"Did you know Octopuses have three hearts?"

Will wanted to smack himself in the face. 

It was only fair that he should get to know Nico's friends, considering Will's friend group basically adopted Nico without hesitation. But there was a big difference between Will's friend group and Nico's friend group. 

Will's friend group was a random bunch of people who somehow got along six out of the seven days a week. 

Nico's friend group was cool kids on steroids. 

Sure, Will knew Jason, but it was still uncomfortable to sit next to, feeling like a dollar tree, bootleg version of him. If Jason were a straight line, Will was a wet noodle. Then there was Percy, effortlessly hot without trying, and he somehow looked even more attractive with his smart girlfriend sitting next to him. Annabeth seemed nice, but Will couldn't look her in the eyes. Piper, Jason's girlfriend, made him feel underdressed and dirty, and all she was wearing was a nice, fitted shirt and khaki shorts. Will liked her outfit, but still felt like he rushed to get dressed. Leo was the only one to look normal, someone Will could attach himself to, but didn't know him all that well. 

Frankly, he didn't want to know any of them because he felt out of place. 

So instead of asking Nico if it was okay to leave, he sprouted a random fact about octopuses because Percy pulled out his marine biology book. 

Now all eyes were on him. 

Will wasn't cool, at least, he didn't consider himself cool enough to hang with Nico's friends. And it wasn't like they were freshmen either. Piper and Leo were, but the rest of them were upperclassmen. 

Will suddenly became hyper-aware of every move he made. Was he holding his fork weird? Had he chewed too long? Was the smile he gave Jason too big? Too small? He felt so awkward that he wanted to shrink. He was even afraid of looking at Nico, thinking that he had fucked up. 

"Three hearts?" Percy repeated, leaning forward on his hands like he was interested. Nico glared at Percy, silently warning him not to push him. It was weird to see Will frightened to meet his friends, but he was able to greet other people and party with them.  

What was so frightening about his friends?

"Uh... yeah. Two for the gills, one for the... Sorry, ignore me." Will quickly said before stuffing food into his mouth. He was nervous and said the first thing that popped into his head. 

He really wanted to leave. 

"Hey, it's cool. That was nice to know." Percy said, receiving a jab to his side as Will's face felt hot. 

Someone please change the subject!

"Anyway, it's not every day Nico brings a friend over. You must be pretty special. So, what's your major?" Leo asked with a smile. Nico knew what Leo was implying, but thankfully, Will missed it as he answered, expanding that he's on a Pre-med track. Leo whistled, impressed, and breaking the nervous trance Will was in.

Nico wondered how Leo did that. 

"Damn, so you're like super smart, huh? Hey Neeks, I'm gonna steal your roommate away when it gets close to exam time." Leo notified. 

"I like to see you get past the door," Nico warned, definitely banning Leo from ever entering. Leo wiggled his eyebrows. 

"It's like that?" Leo asked, waving a finger between Will and Nico. 

"No, it's not," Nico shut down. 

"Are you sure?

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Leo, I will break your finger."

"And Doctor boy here can put it back together, ain't that right, Will?" 

Will blinked, still trying to figure out what Leo was implying, but shook his head. He told Leo that he could, but told Nico not to break any fingers. Nico grumbled, but continued eating his burger. Piper remembered seeing Will dancing with Paolo in the art building and asked if he was part of any clubs there. 

Will shook his head, saying he was only there to support his friend, but revealed that he was part of the theater club to do something fun this year and improve his acting. Annabeth informed that the theater club was a well-regarded program that talent scouts sometimes visit. Will confirmed, saying his friend, Travis, was hoping to get scouted, but as for Will himself, he just wanted to do something different. 

Slowly, Will got a bit comfortable as questions were asked, shared opinions, and topics were brought up, making Nico proud that Will was warming up to them. He kept quiet mostly, only speaking when asked or to quietly tell someone to lay off when Will got nervous. 

Other than that, things went well. 

But Nico noticed Will gravitating to Leo the more he started speaking with his hands, explaining a new personal project he was working on, but was having a hard time with the anatomy. Will grew animated too when he offered to help, which somehow turned to Will explaining he really did have medical experience since his father was a doctor. 

He really knew how to treat a broken bone, minor stitching, CPR, and a little blood work. 

It was good that Will was talking like he used to...

Really, it was...

Piper, who was sitting next to him, cleared her throat, a feather dangling in her hair. 

"You have been glaring at Leo for five minutes straight," she noted, even showing her timer going on her phone. Nico said nothing as he looked around, spotting Lou across the room, then pulled a book out of his bag. 

"Hey, Will, can you give this to Lou Ellen for me, really quick?" Nico asked, interrupting his conversation with Leo. Being the nice guy that Will was, said yes and left to do the task. 

"Jealous much?" Leo commented with a smirk. 

"How do you do that? He was nervous earlier until you whistled." Nico asked. Leo popped his collar. 

"I'm just that lovable." 

Nico stared at him until Leo sighed. 

"He was hyper-focused as hell and avoiding looking at anyone. I simply made a noise he wasn't expecting. Kinda like tapping the bell." Leo explained, then smirked. "There's a lot I just learned now that even you don't know." 

"Like what?" Nico asked, narrowing his eyes. 

Leo crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. 

"I'll tell you the day you come to me for love advice. My door is always open, and for you, it'll be free." Leo said confidently. Nico rolled his eyes. He'll never go to Leo for love advice. 

And there's no way in hell he has a chance with Will. 

Last night, Will had drunk alcohol. 

And Paolo said Will was just open-minded, not to mention, he would be playing with fire with the possibility of getting burned. He didn't want to crush on another straight guy. 

Not again. 

Nico turned around to figure out where Will was. Lou didn't ask for the book he had; he just needed Will to step away for a moment.

Nico's gaze swept the cafeteria, scanning over the tables until he spotted Will. He was standing a few feet away, holding the book for Lou. The sunlight caught on his hair just right, and Nico’s chest tightened before he even realized it.

He quickly turned back towards his empty tray. 

"I would never go to you for love advice."

"Sure, sure, I'll be waiting."

Chapter Text

Since today was Sunday, Will mostly stayed in his room, preparing for class the next day. He made sure his laptop was properly charged, his important books in his bag, and set alarms on his phone. 

Mon/Wed: 

• Intro Biology at 8 am
• First-year Foundations at 11 am
•  Intro to Sociology at 2:15 pm

Tues/Thurs:

• Chemistry Lecture at 8 am
• Anatomy & Physiology at 1pm

Then Will looked over his emails about when his Theater Club was meeting and updates about his Future Healers club, remembering a member mentioning a blood drive. But most of his days usually ended by three, which left him plenty of time to do homework, exercise, and study during his weekdays. 

During the weekends, he would have time to run a few errands, hang out with friends, and volunteer at his father's hospital, although his father suggested that Will take an easy freshman year since he had joined the Future Healers club. 

After his bag was packed, he opened his mini fridge to prepare lunch for tomorrow. His lunch was free, but he would like to snack in between his classes. 

This was his schedule, his routine, something he could do to prepare for the chaos brewing until things settled down. It felt nice, but there was only one dilemma he had to get used to. 

Nico likes to work out in the afternoon. 

It shouldn't bother him as much, but it did. 

Not in a bad way. 

Oh, no. Far from it. 

But Will felt like he was hitting puberty for the first time after Nico came back from working out with Percy in a sweaty, sleeveless t-shirt. It was unfair how Nico could look like sex on legs, and Will was having a hard time processing it. 

His hair was damp, a few strands sticking to his forehead despite his hair being pulled back, with his usual gold hair clips keeping the short strands down. His shirt clung to Nico, and it was safe to say that Will's brain short-circuited. 

Nico's clothes didn't do him justice if this was what Nico was hiding. 

He wasn't bulky, but scrawny wasn't even the right word to use. 

Hell, tiny was almost offensive. 

His frame was lean, but muscular from hours of training, something Nico definitely did over the years. Will had a thing for arms, and Nico fit the bill. His shoulders were defined, leading to those wonderful triceps that naturally flexed with movement. His biceps weren't too noticeable until Nico flexed when picking something up. 

Then there was Nico's chest. It wasn't broad, but it was solid and firm beneath his clinging shirt. Nico's stomach was flat, at least, Will assumed so until Nico took his shirt off. 

Will nearly thanked any deity for the sight, but instead, he quickly got up and left, leaving Nico dumbfounded at Will's sudden exit. Will didn't know where he was going, but he took the stairs instead of the elevator, then found himself knocking on a door. 

Drew opened the door, who was in the middle of taking off her makeup, but paused because...

Well...

Will was currently having a nosebleed. 

"You're bleeding," She stated. Will was red in the face and actually looked scared. Being a somewhat good friend, she groaned, but told Will to come inside since Piper wasn't here. She had Will sit on the couch before she finished taking off her makeup, giving Will a few tissues to clean himself up. 

Drew joined him after she was done, ready for whatever was causing Will to panic. 

Because most likely, it was a stupid reason. 

"Spill," Drew demanded. 

"I'm feeling weird things, and it's not normal." Will covered his face with his hands and whined. 

See, a stupid reason.

"Do I look like a doctor, Will?"

"Nico took off his shirt." 

Drew paused. Then smirked.

Oh, well, this she can deal with. 

"Go on." She was glad to finally get so good tea tonight. 

This year was going to be good. Will moved his hands to give Drew the rundown.

"I don't know. He came back from working out with Percy all sweaty and whatever. I mean, that's expected. I work out in the mornings and come back sweaty. That's nothing special. My chest did this thing, and my brain froze, and I ran. Who does that when he only took off his shirt? It's just a body... a sweaty body. Is there something wrong with me?" Will ranted. Drew smirked. 

So, today was the day Will finally wakes up. 

She knew he was fruity the moment Will ignored her obvious advances. 

Drew’s smirk widened like a cat who just caught a canary."So, you find him sexy?" Will blushed. 

"No!" Will blurted, then quieter, "I mean, he has a nice body... It's a male body. I have one too. It's a normal-looking body." Will explained. Drew raised an eyebrow. 

So, Will was one of those who liked to give every excuse instead of acknowledging the truth. Well, it was time for her to help her poor friend out... and get tea from Nico if she could catch him. But first...

"Yeah, I understand. I mean, Piper has a nice rack, but I still hate her ass." Drew said. Will wasn't sure if that was the same, but stayed quiet. "But anyway, what you're feeling is normal. It just means that you like what you see, nothing more. So it's okay to look." 

Will nodded, but wasn't sure if that was correct. 

He possibly came to the wrong person. 

"So, it's normal that my chest is doing weird things? Today has been really weird for me." Will asked once more. Drew nodded, which made Will sigh in relief. 

Will is smart, but an absolute dunce, Drew thought. Though that led her to her next question. 

"It’s not like you have a crush on the guy…" she tested. "You do know what a crush is, right?"

"Scientifically?"

Drew pinched the bridge of her nose. ABSOLUTE MORON. 

Drew dug further. "You never had a crush on anyone? Maybe kiss anyone?" Will shrugged. 

"Not really. I didn't like anyone back home. I was more interested in my studies to become a doctor like my dad. I mean, I went to dances with friends, and had a date or two kiss my cheek, but I never pursued anyone." Will admitted. It was kinda weird saying it out loud. 

Many of his peers growing up sometimes gloated about receiving a kiss, touching a boob, or having hidden pornography. Other than a kiss on a cheek, he had touched a girl's boobs before.

"Well, okay, there was this one time," he admitted, fidgeting. "A girl asked me to… uh… check for breast cancer. Like, for lumps or whatever. So I examined her. Multiple times. Then I told her she was fine and left."

Drew’s jaw dropped.

"She never talked to me again." Will wondered. 

You would think she would be happy to know she didn't have cancer.

And then it hit him. Four years late, but it hit.

"Oh no," Will muttered, going pale. "She was trying to… invite me. For possible sex."

He buried his face in his hands.

He couldn't believe he missed that.

"I’m a bit slow when it comes to these things," he mumbled, voice muffled with shame.

Drew just stared at him.

Will was hopeless, and Nico was going to have his hands full. 

"But I don't have a crush on Nico. He is just very good-looking, and I just have to adjust. Once class starts, I'll be fine." He needed to be busy or his mind was gonna wander. 

He was looking forward to homework. 

"You feel better?" Drew asked, deciding to let Will lie to himself for now. 

He'll be back. 

Will nodded and thanked her for clearing things up. Drew waved him away and told him to have a good night. She wasn't going to get many details from Will until he had a full-blown sexuality crisis, and she was definitely gonna be there when it happened. 

But for now, she might need to corner Nico and see how he thinks of Will and if there was something there. 

She liked drama, and she liked messy. 

And those two were going to get messy, and she was here for it. 

************

Will walked back to his room with a lighter heart, just in time to see Nico walk out of the bathroom, freshly done with his shower. 

"Will, you're back. Everything alright?" Nico asked as he dried his hair. Will nodded, deciding to focus on a spot on Nico's face. 

Like his lips. 

His pink lips. 

Nope, Will moved his eyes to Nico's nose, since that was safer. He didn't even bother looking Nico in the eyes, or he was going to run back to Drew again. Nico didn't believe Will, about to remind him of rule number two, but Will said, "Just nervous about class tomorrow. All I need is sleep." 

Nico closed his mouth. That was a good reason, considering Will had been acting weird this whole week. Nico walked closer, and Will stepped back until his hips hit the couch. 

"Nico?" 

Will didn't know what to expect, but he felt nervous. 

He didn't know why, but all Nico did was hand him his damp towel.

"Your nose is bleeding," Nico pointed out. 

Oh... so that's why Nico came closer. 

"Stress," Will explain before taking the towel. The towel smelled like Nico's hair shampoo. 

It smelled nice. 

"Tomorrow will be fine. We share the same First-Year class, remember?" Nico smiled softly. "I kinda look forward to seeing you in class tomorrow. I know you're a nerd and all. So get better so I can have a good partner." 

If Nico saw Will shut down, he didn't mention it. 

Will meekly said okay, then watched Nico walk back to their room, leaving Will speechless with a towel to his nose. 

This was going to be a long year. 

Chapter Text

The next few weeks went as expected, but Will loved every second of it. After the first week, which was filled with introductions and expectations, classes started rolling into tough subjects that made Will's brain alert and interested. 

So far, Dr. Asclepius was his favorite professor, who taught Intro Biology. He was clear with his expectations, urged students to ask questions, and was strict about his due dates. Will respected that, so he made a daily reminder to make sure his assignments were done ahead of time. If there was one class he refused to slip up in, it was this one.

First-year Foundations were taught by Professor Chiron. The man was patient, calm, and gentle since the class was filled with freshmen. He understood that it could be confusing living in a new environment, and things could be overwhelming as they built their educational career. He taught the class how to find their Student Portal, so he could show how to find resources they could use, events they could join, and more. 

Will made a note of it, writing it down in his notebook. 

Nico, who was next to him, found it interesting how different Will was in a classroom setting. He was focused, always jotting down notes, and didn't hesitate to ask questions. 

And it wasn't stupid questions, but rather, questions that benefited the whole class. 

Nico liked it, then liked it even more when Will didn't mind sharing his notes. His handwriting was beautiful and easy to read. He was glad to be sharing a class with Will and felt lucky that he already had dibs on being Will's partner. 

As for Will, he had noticed Nico, too. Nico didn't like to attract attention, most times wearing hoodies even if it was warm outside. He liked to sit closer to the window, not too close to the front, but never the back, so he could see. He was a good listener, memorized things so long he could see them, and sometimes wrote notes that mostly summed up what was said, like:

Student services: Check main website. 

Keep ID with you at all times. 

Advisor's office in English building. 

Will smiled at how short and simple it was, versus himself, who tried to remember what was said word for word. If it was something Nico knew he needed reminding, he'll write it, but other than that, little notes like this were enough. 

Other than classes, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nico and Will would meet up for lunch in the cafeteria and rant about their classes. Nico found it embarrassing how Chiron taught his first two classes, but it was also convenient that he stayed in the same class. He liked his Classical Mythology class, but Composition & Writing was going to kick his ass. 

Will voiced that his Sociology class might be his hardest and thought his professor, Athena, might hate him. Percy had overheard and told Will not to take it seriously since "That lady hates everyone." Nico wished him the best, which was code for "You're on your own, buddy." 

Will ignored him. 

After they finished their classes, Will would usually go to the library to study while Nico went back to the dorm to decompress. He was a night owl, so he would study later when Will was getting ready for bed. As the weeks went on, they also went to their respective club rooms. Will was taught about the stage and backstage mechanics, and Nico was given resources to use in case he was struggling with self-acceptance, which included therapy. 

Hazel claimed Nico needed it for sure. 

Nico ended that call without hesitation. 

And as promised, Nico joined Will for movie night, which was fun. They would argue about which character was better, whether DC was better than Marvel, or cry while watching an anime that had a gruesome death. 

Then there would be times they would watch a romance vid, like Heaven's Official Blessing, and they would be quiet, sharing a blanket, and would be close enough to feel each other's heat. Their shoulders would bump, their hands would accidentally touch, and only once did they fall asleep together while having a movie marathon. 

Nico fought the feeling of crushing on a guy who might not be interested, and Will told himself that the things he was feeling were normal.

Everything was fine...

"I'm going to go on a date." 

Everything was not fine. 

Will looked over at Nico, who was checking himself in the mirror. He was wearing his favorite skull shirt and shorts for a change since it would be a warm night. 

It explains the long shower.

Nico told him days ago that he was mingling more, befriending others, and going to chill gatherings in his club. Will was happy for him, glad Nico was putting himself out there. 

Not like they had to be together all the time. 

It was mostly Will sticking with Nico like a parasite, so he ignored his weird feeling in his chest. 

"Oh yeah? Cute guy?" Will asked, looking away from Nico. He touched his chest, wondering what was wrong this time. It made it hurt to breathe, made it painful to look at Nico. 

"He's a seven," Nico told him. He met the guy in his Elementary Latin I class. They had paired up a couple of times, practicing the language, and laughing at each other when they messed up. He had a warm smile and liked how his eyes softened whenever they could talk to each other. Only a week ago, they had met up for lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays, the days Nico didn't have lunch with Will. 

He didn't know why, but he felt like he had to hide the guy from Will. They met only in class, at lunch, during the time Will was in the library, or at his theater club. He made sure to keep his Fridays open because that was his day with Will, a day he looked forward to. 

He looked towards Will, not sure what he was looking for. 

"He's funny," Nico added. Will hummed, keeping his eyes on his blank paper, tapping his pencil. 

"Oh, that's good," Will said mindlessly, then finally looked at Nico with a smile. 

It was the first time Nico couldn't read him. 

"So don't wait up?" Will assumed. Nico shook his head. This conversation felt strained. As if Will was only talking to be polite to Nico. His words weren't genuine. 

"Nah. Don't stay up too late. We're just going to see a movie and come back. I won't be out long." Nico explained. Will nodded and looked back at his paper.

It was weird...

This feeling of numbness...? Fear? 

Will sighed, then got up.

He was too distracted to work on homework; it wasn't due for another month anyway.  

"Alright, have fun," Will said lightly. Nico frowned. Will was usually more talkative, readable...

Will was being short with him, dismissing him.

Nico moved before he could think things through, taking hold of the front of Will's shirt and pressing him against the wall. What was he expecting from Will? Pleading for him to stay? Jealousy? But as he looked at those blue eyes...

Nico didn't know what Will was feeling. 

"What's wrong?" Nico demanded. 

"Nothing."

"Rule number two, Will!" 

Will was about tired of Nico reminding him. He looked over at his dreamcatcher to avoid looking at Nico. His chest was starting to hurt, so Will made a mental note to take medicine later. 

"Is it wrong to take a step back since you're going to be dating?" Will asked. That wasn't his initial worry, but he hoped it was good enough for Nico to back off. Whatever he was feeling, he hoped would go away when Nico left. 

"I never asked for that," Nico told him. He didn't want distance, for Will to keep him at arm's length.

Nico didn't know what he wanted.

Will swallowed, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He didn’t want to admit it, not even to himself, that the ache in his chest was getting painful. Maybe this feeling was the fear of being left alone. 

Or because Nico was leaving at night. 

But Nico wasn't Michael... He said he'll be back. 

Will sighed, glad to finally have a name for this feeling. 

"Sorry," Will apologized, looking back at Nico. He was just afraid for Nico for leaving at night. 

Right?

That's why his chest hurts. 

"I'm overreacting," Will mumbled, then laughed at himself. Nico let go of his shirt, but didn't move. Will was being weird...

Weirder than usual. 

"Overreacting?" Nico repeated. Will nodded. 

"Yeah, my bad. Just promise me that you'll be safe out there. Wear a seatbelt, watch out for others, you know? Come back in one piece." Will told him. Nico wasn't sure if Will was being honest, but he looked better than a few minutes ago. 

Was he just worried about his safety? 

"I will," Nico promised. He backed away, giving Will space. "I'll be back soon."

"Alright, have fun." 

Whatever Nico was expecting, this wasn't it. 

He frowned as he left. 

He wanted Will to tell him to stay. 

*******************

Will was happy for Nico to have a boyfriend. He smiled more, texted more, and often tried to gush about him, but Will avoided most of it by excusing himself mid-talk, then running to his theater club. 

For now, he was grateful for the club, which distracted him perfectly. With the announcement of a play in the works, Will tried out for a background character. The problem was that his personal life was getting stressful, so he messed up his role, thus not getting it. 

Lee comforted him, telling him that he could help out backstage. Will didn't mind but apologized for wasting their time. It was embarrassing to blank like that in front of people, so Lee offered to help him, which he quickly took up. 

It gave him more reasons to stay away from Nico. 

If Nico noticed, he didn't bring it up. 

Will made sure Nico couldn't bring it up. They worked together on a small project for their shared class, and Will made sure their conversations stayed on that topic. He made sure to have lunch with Nico, but cut it down to once a week with the excuse that he was meeting up with Lee. 

As for movie night Fridays... Will claimed to be too busy. He didn't miss Nico's hurt expression, and he felt bad for causing it, but his chest felt too off to be alone with him. He felt sad, mad, and confused. Since Nico was dating, Will grew careful of what he did around Nico. 

He made sure there was space, refrained from joking about pet names to call him, and kept their interactions as brief as possible, even if it meant going to sleep early or arriving as late as possible, so Nico would be less likely to talk to him. 

So when Nico told him he was going to a football game on Saturday, Will figured he could have that evening to himself while Nico was gone, then possibly go to sleep by the time Nico came back. 

That didn't go as planned because Nico was still in the room by the time Will came back from chilling with Paolo. Nico was pissed.

"So you are avoiding me," Nico stated. Will dropped his bookbag and gave a forced smile. 

"No, I'm not," Will said quickly, keeping his tone light. "I've just been busy." 

"Bullshit," Nico spat. Will avoided looking at him by pulling out a snack from his minifridge. He wanted to run, but hated that Nico was mad at him. "Why are you avoiding me?" Nico demanded. Will's throat felt dry. He didn't want to explain why, mostly because he didn't know himself. 

"Are you uncomfortable with me, now?" Nico asked softly, the tone making Will look up at Nico. With his anger gone, Nico had tears in his eyes, and that broke Will's heart more than whatever he was feeling. 

"No, of course not!" Will answered. He took a step forward, wanting to comfort Nico, but stopped himself. Nico saw, so he covered the space between them. This wasn't the Will he knew. 

"Then why? What did I do?" Nico wiped his eyes, feeling mad that this was bothering him. He gave Will space, accepted every excuse if that meant Will worked out whatever he was feeling. 

But Friday came, and Will was nowhere to be found. 

It was stupid to be upset about that, but he was. 

"Yesterday was our day," he reminded. 

Will wanted to hug him badly. 

"You're dating now. I didn't want to get in the way of that." Will lowered his eyes. "I didn't want to make things complicated." 

He already felt confused; he didn't want to take it out on Nico. 

"Isn't this already complicated? And what do you mean, in the way? You're my friend, Will." 

"Wouldn't it be better to spend time with your boyfriend, Nico?"

"I made time for you! I want to be with you! I want to have lunch with you, play stupid games, and fight over the blanket on movie night! I never asked for space!" Nico argued. But despite his strained voice, Nico touched Will's face, coaxing him to look at him. 

To please understand what he was saying. 

Will was so warm. 

When was the last time they were close? 

Two weeks ago?

"Fridays are for you. Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch are for you. I get that you might be busy now, but please don't avoid me. Can you do that? Can you please talk to me?" Nico begged. 

Will didn't know how to answer. If he knew what was wrong, why did it hurt to be with Nico, then maybe he could explain to him why he had to stay away. But he didn't have the words. 

"Please, Will?" 

He didn't want to hurt Nico again, so he nodded and softly said Okay. He'll try his best to support Nico. He'll be a better friend since Nico made it clear he made time for him and him only.

Friday was his day. 

Two lunches a week. 

Sharing a class where they promise to be partners. 

Roommates... Friends... 

Nothing more than that. 

Chapter Text

Nico wanted to say that things got better... but while Will was trying his best to be his usual self, it felt strained. Like Will was forcing himself, and Nico didn't like it. Will kept his jokes brief, but listened more. He hardly laughed, but when he did, it was because they weren't alone. 

So made sure they weren't alone. 

Nico invited Cecil and Lou to their movie night, and saw Will visibly relax. He didn't force Will to sit with him, but Will did sit with Nico when he was with his friends, often talking to Leo. 

Nico spoke to Paolo about it, asking if this was normal. "It's normal for him to distance himself because he's a touchy-feely guy, and he doesn't want to cross any boundaries. Not to mention that midterms are coming up, so he's probably preparing for that. Try introducing your boyfriend to him so they can be friends with each other. That's what I did when I was dating." 

So Nico planned for that. 

"After midterms, there's a Halloween party off campus we can go to," Nico suggested, taking a break from writing an essay. His head was starting to hurt after looking at the screen for so long. Across the room, Will was at his own desk, studying his chemistry notes. 

"I never pegged you to be a party animal," Will commented, showing a hint of a smile. This was the Will Nico knew. Nico leaned back in his chair, finally feeling relaxed. 

"Neither did I," Nico admitted. "But I'm in college now. New me, I guess." Will chuckled softly. It was nice to hear after two weeks of silence. "Would you go with me? We can even dress up. I can be a vampire, and you can be the werewolf." Will shook his head and smiled towards Nico. He looked tired, and downright sexy when he wore a loose t-shirt and shorts stopping mid-thigh. 

"I'm already hairy enough. I don't need more hair." Will said, gesturing to his legs. To Nico, Will's legs were hot. While Nico mostly focused on core workouts, Will always ran and worked on stamina. They had only worked out one time together before deeming that it was too distracting. 

Will had a nice ass and Paolo loved talking about it...

Nico never stopped him...

Okay, so Nico brings it up, but in his defense, he rooms with Will, so it was a daily battle not to look. Paolo always said he was lucky. Anyway, back to the legs, it wasn't as furry as Will thinks. His thighs were nearly hairless, while his shins and calves were coated in a light covering of blonde hair. 

Will had muscular legs... distractingly nice legs...

Was Will still talking?

"-rather stay on campus around this time." 

Nico missed whatever was said. 

"Why?" Nico asked, hoping he wasn't making Will repeat himself. He watched Will look at his dreamcatcher with a soft gaze. 

"I had a bad Halloween experience." Will didn't explain further, and Nico decided not to push. 

"I'm sorry." 

"It's fine," Will shook his head, then looked back at Nico. "It happened years ago. Maybe I should go. It's just a party, right?" Will asked. Nico nodded, making a mental note to stay close to him that day. 

"I'm guessing Halloween is your favorite holiday," Will assumed. Nico crossed his arms. Sure, he likes dark and spooky things, but was it obvious? 

"What makes you say that?" Nico asked, ready to call him out for judging. Will raised an eyebrow and pointed at Nico's bed. His covers were literally Halloween-themed with dark orange pumpkins and black cats. "Oh." 

Okay, so it was obvious. 

"What do you want to go as?" Nico asked, changing the subject. Will eyed him up and down, and Nico then knew he was fucked. 

He started dating to turn his attention away from Will, and his boyfriend wasn't half bad... but he wasn't Will. 

His boyfriend was a six, Will was a ten. 

Cuddling his boyfriend was alright; being close to Will felt like heaven. 

His boyfriend wasn't as nice, more so careless at times, during the time Nico hung out with him and his friends. 

Will and his friends were chaotic, but not reckless. 

Fun, but careful. 

If anyone snuck any alcohol, no one got drunk, and at least one person stayed sober. 

He contemplated breaking up with the guy, but he didn't want to go back to pinning for Will. He was a good roommate, and Nico didn't want to ruin that.

"You should probably talk to your boyfriend if you want to dress in couple costumes. As for me, I was thinking about going as a Western cowboy. Maybe show a couple of rope tricks." Will said, and Nico instantly thought about Will lassoing him, maybe tying him up. 

Okay, maybe he needed to get laid.

"Maybe I should go as your horse," Nico thought aloud, not really all that serious. 

"Is that your way of telling me you like being leashed? Maybe put a halter on you and drag you around." Will said with a raised eyebrow. Nico smirked. 

"I was thinking you should ride me, if you're okay with an audience," Nico said suggestively. 

"Kinky, Di Angelo. Don't threaten me with a good time." Will said with a blush. Nico made sure to look him in the eyes and wondered who would look away first. 

"Let me know when you join the dark side, then I'll make sure to give you a great time," Nico promised. Will looked away first, but Nico continued to stare. It was definitely a promise he didn't mind following through on. 

Will, on top, with nice thighs and a sweet ass, bottoming. 

Will looked back at Nico, seeing his dilated eyes, then suddenly got up to gather his things to take a shower. 

"Where're you going?" Nico asked. 

"To take a shower." 

"You already took a shower."

"I'm taking another shower. Is that a problem?" Will said, his voice a bit high-pitched. Nico shook his head with a knowing smirk and shooed him away. After Will closed the door, Nico sighed. 

He had about five minutes, right? 

Other than taking care of his business, one thought stood out the most. 

There was a chance, a slim possibility, Will was definitely in the closet. 

________________________

Nico hated studying, he hated essays, and he hated tests. 

The tests were the easy part, but the essays kicked his ass, and it didn't help that when Nico asked Will to review it, he told him to do it over with suggested improvements. 

Then told him to edit it. 

Then told Nico to read it out loud.

It was only then that Nico could submit it, but Nico hated Will for a good three days.  

At least before midterms, there was Homecoming. Nico went with his boyfriend, while Will went with his friends. It was a little fun, but Nico noticed Will was making sure not to show himself then. 

When confronted, Will told him that he wanted Nico to focus on his love life, and dancing with your partner was romantic. Nico denied that he danced, not because he didn't want to, but because his boyfriend thought it was weird for two men to dance together. 

Will was confused about that, but didn't say anything about it. After midterms, though, things returned to normal... ish. 

While Nico was having lunch with Will, a stranger, seemingly a senior, approached them, mostly looking at Will, with a clipboard tucked under his arm and an excited gleam in his eyes. 

"Will, right?" the guy asked, taking a seat next to Will. 

Will blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... yeah?" 

"I'm Dylan." The stranger said brightly. "I'm directing one of the fall student productions, and I was hoping you could come and audition for one of the lead roles." Dylan smiled widely as he eyed Will up and down. Will laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. 

"I'm sorry, but I'm not exactly actor material. I bombed my last audition." Will explained. Dylan waved that away. 

"I understand, but I noticed you have been practicing with Lee. You're exactly what I am looking for, and you'll be doing me a big favor if you could audition for the role." Dylan insisted. Nico was about to speak up on Will's behalf since Dylan wasn't getting the hint, but halted when Will decided to ask about it. 

"Okay, so, it's called Wishing Upon a Star. It's a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, but instead of rival families, the tension comes from the society around them. You see, instead of the classic doomed straight couple, it's about two guys falling in love, going against what is expected of them." Dylan explained. 

"So, a queer Romeo and Juliet?" Will questioned. 

"Exactly. It's not a word-for-word retelling, but it keeps the theme of this being a tragedy. It is more modern-leaning, but focuses on what it means to love someone openly, acceptance of oneself, and much more. You know how you wish on a shooting star, even though it's not magical? Imagine the couple, looking at that shooting star, wishing for a chance to love each other openly, but having to go back to hiding their romance to stay alive." 

Will was speechless. 

It sounded beautiful. 

"...I don't know. I'm not-" Will quieted. He wasn't sure anymore about not being queer. He had never gotten horny because of a person before. Sure, he watched porn and reacted to it, but it was a first to jerk off to the thought of someone real, who was in arm's reach...

Who was outside that bathroom door, forcing him to keep his moans quiet. 

The memory hit him hard. Heat crawled up his neck. Guilt pressed on his chest, heavy, but damn, it had felt good as he resisted saying Nico's name. That shower was a long one. 

He felt confused, a bit conflicted, but felt like he was on the right track. 

"When's the audition?" Will asked. 

"What?" Nico blurted, shocked that Will was considering it. 

"This Friday, at six. If you can't make that, text me." Dylan said, handing him a card. "Send me your email, and I'll send you a script for you to practice on for Friday. Thank you for considering it! You're a big help." Dylan shook Will's hand, then got up and left. 

Nico instantly grabbed Will's shoulder. 

"Will, do you know what you're signing up for?" Nico asked.

"Yes." 

"It's a queer play." 

"I know." 

"He wants you in a lead role."

"I know."

"You might have to kiss a guy. A man."

"I know." 

Nico blinked. Will was okay with kissing another man? 

Since when?

Who made him realize it? 

Nico's chest felt tight as jealousy took hold. 

He remained quiet for the rest of their lunch. 

Chapter Text

Nico was pissed off all day, and Will didn't know why. 

Nico was briefly on his phone, presumably sending a text; then he ignored it for the rest of the day, even though his phone continued to ring. It buzzed every few minutes, texts, calls, and voicemail piling up. 

Will learned why after a particularly loud knock was heard, making Will flinch. The person didn't even wait for someone to open the door, making a beeline for Nico. 

It was the first time Will met Nico's boyfriend. 

Well, Ex-boyfriend. 

"You piece of shit!" the guy spat, marching straight toward him. "I've been calling you all damn day! What the hell, Nico?!"

Nico blocked the doorway to the bedroom, thus hiding Will from the chaos. He looked cool and unbothered while the ex went off, and Will learned a few things. 

He did not like Will. He hated that Nico kept Fridays for Will, no matter how many times he tried to push that boundary. He hated that he had never met him, accusing Nico of cheating. Will wanted to speak up, but Nico looked over at Will when he heard the slightest movement, and Will sat his ass back down. 

His sharp gaze spoke that he could handle it and to stay out of it. 

So far, Nico hadn't said a word. 

Then the ex reminded Nico about all the things they had done. Will expected romance, but instead, he spoke of the number of times he took Nico to parties, drunken makeout sessions, and things Will didn't want to hear. 

Based on the details, the ex mostly took advantage of Nico. Showed him around as a hot freshman like a trophy. Like a fish he's caught. 

It was disgusting. 

Will knew something wasn't right when Nico said they didn't dance because of a stupid reason of them being guys. 

"Do you have anything to say for yourself? Talk, dammit!" The ex demanded, his face red. 

"Are you done? If you are, please get out while I'm being nice." Nico said calmly, and that was colder than ice. The ex blinked, taken aback by Nico's calmness, but recovered, his jaw tightening. 

"Nice?" The ex repeated, taking a step forward. "I'm being nice by not beating you into a pulp right now. You and your little boy toy." 

"You lay a hand on him, and you won't see the light of day ever again. Now get out of my room before I give the Dean a reason to get you booted from this university. Video and all." Nico warned. 

The ex hesitated, then cursed under his breath before leaving. Will let out a breath of relief he didn't know he was holding. Nico looked back at him, not looking upset, and his eyes softened. 

"You alright?" Nico asked, his voice warmer than earlier. Will nodded, not understanding why Nico asked, since he put himself between him and the ex. "Sorry about all that. Won't happen again." 

"It's okay. How about you?" Will asked. Nico stretched as if he had taken a load off. 

"I'll be fine. He kept pressuring me about my boundaries. He hated that I always made time for you, hated Jason, which should've been a big red flag, and tried to flirt with Annabeth one time when I was studying with her. Percy only told me a couple of days ago." Nico went to his chair and groaned. 

"He was decent, but a turn off. Too many parties, and his friends are horrible. Definitely a homebody. I wasn't perfect either." Nico admitted. Using him as a distraction was wrong, especially since he realized his feelings for Will were bigger than expected. 

He was able to go days without speaking to Percy when he used to have a crush on him. Hell, months. 

But all it took was two weeks of Will avoiding him, which almost caused him to have a mental breakdown. He closed his eyes, accepting that he's going to be crushing on another guy this year. 

But funny enough, he felt like he had a chance. 

Nico frowned. 

Regardless of that feeling, he wasn't sure yet. Will was okay with playing a queer role, but many straight actors have done a queer role or two. Nico wanted to know if Will was curious or if he was experimenting. If so, he wanted to be first in line for it. 

He looked over at Will, who was briefly looking at the script. There had to be a chance, right? Even so, Nico didn't know if he could flirt all that well or court someone. 

Sure, they were kinda joking/flirting about having sex to the point Will had to jack off, but was that proof? And now, Will was okay with kissing a guy. He didn't know if he had something to work with. 

Which only meant one thing. 

Will looked over at Nico just in time to see Nico silently cursing himself out. Then Nico stood up violently and marched towards the door. "Dammit!" Nico growled out before leaving, leaving a very clueless Will behind, wondering what he had done wrong. 

****************

Leo had every right to gloat after today, looking at Nico fighting himself to ask for tips on flirting like a pro. Leo managed to pull a sexy Junior girl named Calypso. 

That meant Nico had hope to pull Will. 

But it was so hard to ask. 

"You can do it, Nico. It's not that hard." Leo teased. That lopsided grin with a twinkle in Leo's eyes was enough to commit homicide. The sheer confidence radiating off him was obnoxious. Hair sticking out in its usual chaotic curls, smudges of soot or grease from god knows what contraption he’d been building today, eyes glinting with that playful smirk; it was unfair. Nico wanted to throttle him and beg him for tips at the same time.

He would go to jail with a smile 

But Will wouldn't like that. 

Jason's and Percy's presence didn't make it any better. Percy took a picture while Jason had the decency to feel sorry for him. He should've gone to Piper, but Jason told him that she was out on a date, and Nico refused to ask. Annabeth was a good choice, too, but he didn't need sane advice. 

He needed insane advice. 

"T-teach me," Nico said through gritted teeth. "How to... pull Will." 

"Speak up, Death boy, I can't hear you." 

Nico was going to kill him. 

"TEACH ME HOW TO FLIRT WITH WILL, OKAY!" Nico shouted. 

Damn it all, he was desperate. 

"See, was that so hard?" Leo asked, knowing he was half a step away from getting stabbed by Nico. Thankfully, there were no pencils nearby. "Alright, for a free price, I'll tell you. Come, sit in my office." Leo said, patting the space beside him. 

Leo's office was Jason's couch, but Nico didn't say a word. 

For now, he was in Leo's hands. 

The thought almost made him want to puke. 

Jason and Percy sat on the floor like curious students, ready to listen to what Leo had to say. 

"Alright, first things first, you have to be direct with Will. Like when you go to the doctor's office, you have to be direct about your symptoms, you have to be direct about what you want. And you want him, right?" Leo asked. Nico nodded. 

"Yes, but I'm not sure if I have a chance. He's about to audition for a role on Friday for the male lead, and he stated that he's okay with kissing another man. I don't know if that meant he's curious now or if he just views it as platonic and meaningless." Nico explained. Leo nodded, agreeing that there wasn't a clear answer. Will was already with most things, like dancing with other men, hugging, random touches, and even talking about how hot some men were. 

Will being okay with kissing wasn't far-fetched.

"That's why you're going to test him. It doesn't take much effort, even you can do it." Leo stated. Nico ignored the jab. 

"How?" 

"We know he likes hot men. So, you're going to become the hottest man he's seen. It can be as simple as wearing a fitted tee, maybe coming out of the bathroom after a shower, shirtless. Even having him dry your hair would work because it's intimate, which is hot." Leo held up two fingers. "Next, you're going to tease the hell out of him. Keep him thinking of you. Sure, he might be experimenting, but if you do this right, he'll go to you to try it out. But don't get mad if he does it to someone else." 

"I don't want him to do anything with someone else," Nico argued. 

"You have to, and it's important. Will is realizing he might like men in that way. He's going to kiss other people. But the difference is that when he kisses others, he won't feel anything about it. He'll think, 'Oh, I'm okay with this.' With you, when he kisses you, he's gonna be like, 'Holy shit, I wanna do it more' or 'Oh my gosh, I like him.' Having the comparison will help him realize his feelings." 

Nico grumbled, but nodded. At best, if he gets the role, he'll just be practicing with the other male lead. That's just one other person. Nico, with great strength, can deal with that. 

"Fine. How do I tease him?" Nico asked, leaning back on the couch. Leo got up.  

"Like I said, you have to be direct. You can do this," Leo lightly straddled Nico, caging him between his arms. "This gives a feeling that all your attention is on him, and if Will is brave enough, he could turn this into a nice makeout session. Bonus points if you," Leo grabbed Nico's chin sternly, making it so Nico couldn't turn his head away, "make him look at you. Eye contact is very important. Don't ever forget that." 

Leo quickly moved away so Nico won't complain. 

"It's fall time, leaves are falling, pretend you're picking one off Will's hair. It'll give you a chance to caress him." 

"He's taller than me," Nico reminded. Not by much, but enough to make it weird. 

"So what? Us short guys mean we have more rizz than them tall, dumb men." Leo gloated. 

Percy and Jason verbally complain, but Leo shushed them. 

"It's true! Percy, it took you five years to get with Annabeth. Like seriously? And Jason, it would've taken you longer to get with Piper if it weren't for my help. I got with a baddie in less than two months because I'm just that good. Say I'm wrong." Leo argued. 

Percy and Jason pouted, but didn't deny it. 

"Exactly!" Leo looked back at Nico. "You will not turn up like them. Trust me." Nico laughed, but nodded, thanking Leo for his help. Nico stayed with Leo until it was close to dinnertime, then left with them to eat dinner after verifying that Will was there. 

It was time to work some of Leo's magic. 

**********

It was a chilly October evening, with the wind blowing cool air and the sun nearly hidden behind the horizon. It was nearly November, which meant Thanksgiving was coming up. That day was a day he didn't want to think about, so he focused on what he could handle. He sent a text to Nico to tell him to wear a jacket, texted Lee for advice on how to capture the emotion of the character he was playing, and sent a text to his dad because Will was close to having a sexuality crisis. 

He would love the fact that Nico was the one who did it. 

It was a new feeling he had to explore, wondering if he was overreacting or if he was truly attracted to guys. It was one thing to acknowledge that some men were hot, but Will had always viewed them from an objective point of view. 

He never felt sexually attracted to a man before. 

Yes, he would definitely let Sukuna crack him open, but that's 2-D men. 

Realistically, he would die before getting the chance. 

Of course, there was the fact that Sukuna was evil, but that could be overlooked. 

Regardless, Will was okay with 2-D men. 

It was fake. 

Nico was very much real. Will knew Nico didn't mean it when he said he would give him a great time, but his brain took it there. The kissing, the touching, the praise he would get if he actually rode him to-

Will bang his head on the table, telling himself to snap out of it. Those around him looked concerned, but the only one who mattered was Cecil, who was used to Will's antics. 

"Go on, spill," Cecil said before taking a bite of his pizza. 

"I might be okay with getting fucked by men." 

Cecil proceeded to choke, with Will only passing him water. It took a moment for Cecil to catch his breath, but when he did, he made Will look at him. 

"Since when?!" 

"Before midterms. A couple of weeks." Will admitted. "I'm struggling, Cecil, what do I do?" 

"I have so many questions, but first, I fucking told you so! Knew you were fruity as hell after smash or pass!" 

"That's not proof!" 

"It's proof, Will. Accept it! Everyone knew except you! Your closet was nonexistent!" 

Will proceeded to whine as Cecil spread the news to their friends via group chat. 

Will refused to look at his phone. 

"So, tell me how you figured it out?" Cecil asked with a big smile. Will knew better than to share, so he shook his head, ignoring Cecil until he saw Nico with his friends, getting their food. Thankfully, he was wearing a jacket, which meant Nico did see his text. 

"C'mon, I'm your best friend! Tell me!" Cecil begged, then smirked as Nico walked over. "Oh, roommate?" 

Will refused to answer. 

"Hey, Will- what happened to your head?" Nico asked, looking at a red spot on Will's forehead. 

"I tried knocking sense into myself. It didn't work." Will said nonchalantly, as if it were an everyday thing. Nico raised his hand to touch Will's forehead, and it felt nice. Nico always ran a little colder, and since he just came from outside, the touch was soothing. 

He wondered how it would feel to cuddle him. 

Will heard himself hum, then frowned. Nico touching him was not helping. He moved his head away after a moment too long, but thankfully, Nico didn't bring it up. 

"Be careful, okay? I can get you an icepack or something." Nico offered. Will shook his head and thanked him anyway. He turned to Leo, who was next to Nico, and asked him about his latest project. 

Leo went on about it, saying thanks for the help and how it was coming along. Will listened until Nico took off his jacket. 

He was wearing his workout shirt, specifically, his muscle tee. Nico always wore clothes that hid his body most of the time, but Will had the glory to see, usually when he was going to work out with Jason and Percy. Will looked over at Jason and Percy, and they had their workout clothes on as well. 

"Will, are you listening?" 

"What?" Will blurted, then realized he had tuned out Leo just because he saw Nico... with nice arms and shoulders...

There was no hope for him. 

"Sorry, I got distracted," Will said, looking away. Nico, seemingly unaware, was eating, only glancing at Will when he wasn't looking. Will proceeded to eat as well, trying to act normal. 

"So... going to the gym after?" Will asked, figuring that was a good conversation starter. 

"Yeah, but I won't be there long. We still need to talk about our Halloween costumes." Nico slid closer to Will so he could keep his voice low. "Or we can stay in and do our own thing." 

"I thought you liked Halloween?" 

"I do, but I can think of something better we could do together." 

Will, at first, didn't know what Nico was talking about, still stuck on the fact that Nico might not want to dress up. Then his mind jumped straight to him and Nico staying indoors, sitting in the dark, horror movies playing on the television, cuddling under a blanket... maybe doing more than just cuddling... With Nico doing-

Will stood up, claimed that Lee was waiting for him, and left. 

He had a dirty mind... a very dirty mind, and it was all Nico's fault. 

Chapter Text

Nico didn't know if his flirting was working. 

For the next few days, Nico played suggestive songs that made Will blush, "forgot" his clothes, so he walked out in a towel, and touched him more, like on the shoulder, knee, and hand. 

But the thing was... Will always act blushy around him. 

So Nico couldn't spot the difference. 

So, on Halloween, Nico backed off a bit. 

"Do you still want to go to a Halloween party?" Nico asked, rummaging through his closet. He wasn’t prepared at all, but he figured he could throw together a vampire costume if needed. When he didn’t get an answer, he glanced toward Will, who was sitting on his bed, just staring at him, lost in thought.

Will was deep in thought, enough so that he didn't notice Nico walking up to his bed, then touching his leg. He flinched at the touch, then realized that Nico looked worried. 

"You said something?" 

"Are you okay?" Nico asked, frowning slightly.

Will nodded, even smiling at Nico. "Yeah, just been thinking. Nothing bad, just confused. Sorry." Will explained. 

Nico's hand was still on his thigh. 

"Do you still wanna go out?" Nico asked. He was actually thinking about taking Will to the nurse's office. He wondered if Will had too much on his plate after trying to memorize his lines for his audition. His audition was pushed back due to a clash of events, since Will had a blood drive to do that Friday. 

Now it was on Monday. 

Was Will stressed about that?

"Is it okay if we stay in and watch horror movies? Maybe binge the Walking Dead series?" Will suggested. Nico gave a soft smile and nodded. 

He didn't mind doing that. 

"Want me to get snacks?" Nico offered. He moved back when Will jumped off his bed, then went to his snack stash. 

"Way ahead of you." Will threw Nico a bag of chips, then pulled out a pack of Oreo cookies and a couple of gummy candies. Nico always found it amusing that while Will always aims to eat a balanced and healthy meal, he was the one who held the unhealthiest snacks. 

It was Will's fault that Nico had a slight chocolate addiction. 

It wasn't that bad. 

Sure, he snatched the Oreos and ignored Will's laugh, but it wasn't bad. 

Nico headed to their living space to set up their show, and Will soon joined after bringing his and Nico's blankets and pillows. It was comfy, warm, and full of unhealthy snacks. After Nico cut off the lights, the room was filled with the soft glow of the television, the Walking Dead theme song filling the room. 

This is why Nico liked Movie Nights with Will. 

It wasn't much, but it was enough to break away from classes and homework, and it was time he felt was intimate with Will. When their legs touch, hearing Will laugh or gasp at scenes, it made Nico excited for next Friday once their day was over. 

Because it was their day. 

Nico and Will sat on the couch, then proceeded to eat their unhealthy snacks. When they were done with season one, they had a bathroom break, then Will would force Nico to drink water (because it was better to be hydrated at the very least if all they were going to eat were snacks) before continuing season two. 

By season five, Nico was about to suggest a break, but noticed Will was starting to nod off. Will always went to bed early, though, on the weekends, he does try to stay up as late as possible (so far, midnight was his cutoff while Nico's was three in the morning). 

"Will, c'mere," Nico told him, holding out his arms. Will looked at Nico, but thought nothing about Nico welcoming him to lie on top of him. He simply moved so he lay between Nico's legs, his head resting on Nico's chest. Nico put both blankets on top of them as he lay against the pillow. 

It was comfy. 

It was warm. 

It was perfect as Nico lightly scratched Will's hair by his ear. Will fell asleep before Nico started season six. 

When Will woke up earlier that next morning, the first thing he heard was a quiet, steady heartbeat against his ear, followed by soft breathing. He wanted to panic...

But he didn't. 

Instead, he focused on how it felt to be held by Nico. It felt nice to feel his arm around his shoulders, how Nico had adjusted himself to make sure Will stayed in between his legs. Even the blanket mostly covered Will than Nico. 

Will always ran hot anyway, so Nico was probably warm enough. 

This was nice, but then he realized something. 

He used to cuddle against Paolo, but as friends. He never felt anything towards the guy other than the fact that he slept well. It felt like a sleepover to him. With Paolo, it was strictly platonic. As Will moved to look at Nico's face, he realized he had never thought about kissing Paolo, like he wanted to with Nico. 

He never wanted to touch Paolo's face the same way Will wanted to touch Nico. 

Only Nico made his heart race. 

Only Nico made him confused. 

Only Nico made him feel this way. 

Will accepted that he may be sexually attracted to Nico, but this feeling was more than that. 

And that scared him more than expected. 

Due to Will moving around a bit, Nico opened his eyes to pretty blue eyes looking back at him. He couldn't read them like usual, but for now, it was fine. Will lowered his head once he realized that Nico was awake, but thankfully, he didn't ask any questions. 

Nico let Will lie on him, let him do what he wanted. He felt Will's hand touch his sides, move up to his shoulder, then down his arm until his fingers lightly touched Nico's, hesitant, nervous. 

"Did I wake you?" Will asked quietly, his voice only to be heard by Nico. 

"No," Nico answered while playing with Will's fingers, testing his limits. Their fingers slowly intertwined, holding each other loosely as Nico's other hand played in Will's hair. 

Will waited for Nico to say something about it...

Something...

"Nico, I-" Will didn't know what to say. His heart felt like it was in his throat. He didn't know what to say, but wanted to say something. 

"Do you have plans today?" Nico asked. Will felt Nico tighten his hold on Will's hand, making his heart rate spike. What did that mean? Does Nico like holding his hand?

"My dad... he's coming by to check in," Will told him, his voice steadier than expected.

It wasn't the full truth.

Apollo was in the middle of a date when Will called. Will first expressed that he needed Apollo to come by to... You know, say hi. When Apollo said he would come by next week, Will confessed that he may be bi...

Apollo said he would be there in 48 hours, only because of work, or else, he would've been here within thirty minutes (Apollo lives an hour away). 

Will could've sworn he heard cheering, but he was too busy dealing with a crisis to make sense of it. 

"I guess I should check in with my dad, too," Nico thought aloud. He mostly talked to Hazel and Frank, but he did send a text to his father from time to time to confirm he was still alive and well. 

Maybe he should call. 

"You don't talk to your dad much?" Will questioned, trying to sit up, but was surprised to feel Nico tighten his hold on him. 

He was like this when they first danced, just before class started. Nico refused to let go of Will, keeping him close until Will talked, and even after they talked...

Nico kept him close just for the hell of it.  

Will was afraid to admit that he liked it. 

"We don't have a bad relationship, if that's what you're asking. He shows his support through his actions rather than words. If you think I'm bad, I get it from him." Will chuckled, but definitely knew the feeling. "You would like him... I think." Nico added. He never really brought anyone home before. 

No one serious. 

All his other boyfriends didn't stay long enough, except the one who taught him the most, but by then, his father didn't really care much anyway. 

If he brought Will home...

Will is not even my boyfriend, and I'm already thinking about bringing him home... Nico thought. He sighed. He was a goner. 

"I would like to meet him one day." Will voiced shyly, not sure if he was overstepping.  

Nico's gaze flicked toward him, sharp and unreadable, but he didn’t answer right away. Will wondered, briefly, if Nico would finally bring up the fact that they were still holding hands, that Nico hadn’t let go once, but he didn’t.

"Sure," Nico agreed, his voice a bit higher than normal. He wanted to ask what he should introduce him as. 

Friend?

Roommate?

But the moment passed when Will lay back down, so he gave up. 

At least Will didn't take back his hand. 

That was a win... right? 

When it came to Will, it was hard to tell.

**********

Nico watched Will get dressed, mostly because he had nothing to do. It was Sunday, and most of his homework was done alongside his part in the group project he had for Latin. 

He could probably go to Leo and see if he had any more advice on wooing Will, but he'll wait until tomorrow for that. For now, he'll enjoy the grey area he and Will were in. 

They held hands until Will had to use the bathroom, so Nico had to relinquish him, taking the warmth with him. After that, their gaze would linger on each other a little longer than normal. Will was nervous while Nico seemed relaxed, his eyes soft. 

He looked at Will as if he were precious, which stressed Will out more. Both wanted to ask the question on the tip of their tongues, but were hesitant. Nico was worried that Will still viewed him as a friend, while Will was scared to take the leap into dating a guy. 

He never had a crush before, much less a crush on a guy. 

Will had a plan for his life. 

He was going to get his degree, complete med school, make a name for himself at a nice hospital, and perhaps marry a girl and have kids. 

You know, nice house, white picket fence. 

The American Dream. 

That was what was expected of him. 

Nico never fit into that, which was why Will felt like he was in such a mess. 

He still was a mess. 

He just hoped... Nico would understand. 

Will pulled out his edited copy of the script he printed out. He was scared of asking directly, but he could ask indirectly. 

"Hey, Nico, can you help me with the script? I'm a bit nervous about tomorrow." Will asked, handing Nico the script. He has memorized it by now, so he didn't need to read it. 

"Sure." They both sat on the floor as Nico briefly looked over the script, mostly skimming it. "So, I'm Ash and you're Noah, right?" Nico asked.

"That's right," Will confirmed. "Ash is really in love with Noah, but Noah refuses to think they could be together. This part is supposed to be high with emotion." 

"I'm not sure I can do that." Nico was far from an actor. 

"It's fine. All you have to do is read it." Will said, and Nico nodded. He cleared his throat, then began. 

"The scene begins with Noah on a hill, looking at the night sky full of twinkling stars. Do you want to make our room dark?" Nico suggested. Will shook his head, so Nico continued. It was going to be weird to call Will a different name. 

"Noah! There you are. I have been looking around for you. I... I heard the news about your engagement." Nico read. He looked up at Will, then turned his eyes away. 

Will was looking at him weirdly. 

"Came to say congratulations?" Will memorized. When he first read that line, it felt painful. His character, Noah, clearly didn't want to be engaged. It wasn't the same, but Will related a bit, but more so with Ash's response. 

"Of course not. I just wanted to know what would happen next. What will happen to us?" Nico read. It was that line that helped Will realize he was jealous when Nico dated someone else. He didn't know what would happen to their friendship since they couldn't tease each other, call each other dumb nicknames, and have their intimate moments during their movie nights. 

Will didn't want to cross any lines, but that was the excuse he told himself to explain his feelings. In actuality, he was jealous and didn't want to see Nico happy with someone else. 

He really was good at lying to himself. 

"There were no us. It was just a bit of fun. Nothing more than that." Will said, his voice coming off as stern. 

"You know that's not true. I know you don't believe that." Nico strangely felt sad and angry on Ash's behalf. Hearing Noah dismiss his relationship with Ash felt similar to when Will ditched him for two weeks, especially on Fridays, as if it was nothing. 

"What do you want me to say? That we can be together? If we so much as hold hands, we will be ostracized. Treated as if we were murderers. It's best we agree we had a good run, but we can't go back to that." Nico instinctively looked up, thinking Will was truly sad. 

For now, Will wasn't looking at him. 

He wondered if Will believed those words. While he was open-minded, there were homophobic people out there. Nico wondered if Will was afraid of that, but went back to reading. 

"Do you truly believe that?" Nico said softly, almost as a whisper. It almost sounded like a genuine question that Nico was asking, not Ash. Will ignored it, keeping his thoughts to himself. 

"I have to," Will said, just as quietly. Nico read that this was the part Ash and Noah noticed one, then two, then multiple shooting stars streaking across the sky, painting a magical moment. 

"It's a beautiful night out. You know what they say to do when you see a shooting star." Nico read aloud. Will huffed out a quiet laugh, which convinced Nico that he was a good actor. 

"Make a wish, right?" 

Nico nodded, then remembered Will was still doing the script. It wasn't a genuine question. 

"Yeah. If you could wish for us to be together, would you?" Nico continued. Will shook his head. 

"That's one way to waste a wish." 

"But if you could-"

"Wishing upon a star doesn't work, Ash."

"Humor me." 

Nico looked over the words, reading that this was the part Noah would get up and face Ash, who looked sad and desperate. Ash would feel defeated and slightly used. For a moment, Ash fought the idea that their secret relationship meant nothing, but it was short-lived. 

Nico read the next lines, and nearly wanted to cry. 

Maybe because he had the same question. 

"Do I mean nothing to you? Is it easy for you to cast what we had aside?" Nico looked up at Will. Will was looking at him again with that unreadable gaze. "I'm sor-"

Nico's mind blanked. 

Unexpected and unprepared, Will took hold of Nico's face and pulled him in for a quick kiss. It barely lasted two seconds, a simple touching of lips...

But Will kissed him. 

"Does this answer your questions? Wishing on a star for that would be painful, knowing it won't come true. So please don't tell me to wish for that unless you want me to suffer from a broken heart." Will finished, but Nico wasn't listening. 

He wasn't even holding the script. 

Will kissed him. 

"Nico?" 

"You kissed me..." Nico mumbled. Will looked away, embarrassed. 

"I'm sorry. It was probably crappy because it was my first." Will confessed. 

Nico was still shell-shocked, making Will nervous. 

"I should've asked. I'm sorry, Nico." Will said sadly. 

Was this his answer?

Did Nico not like him?

Will's hands shook as a few tears escaped him. 

He overstepped. 

"Are you mad?" Will asked, hoping for a response. 

And he got it, quickly. 

Nico lunged forward, spooking Will until he felt lips against his, needy, greedy, and it was taking his breath away. The force knocked Will onto his back, but Nico didn't let that stop him. He was pretty much on top of him, kissing him as if finally getting a drink of water. 

And he wanted much more than a drink. 

One hand stayed behind Will's head, the other touching Will's torso. He felt Will gripping his shirt, trying his best to keep up, then panicked when he felt Nico's tongue slip past his lips. He pushed Nico up, breaking the kiss, huffing. 

How does one breathe while kissing? 

The movies made it look easy.

Hell, Will felt lightheaded. 

Nico, with his racing heart, counted to ten, then figured that was a long enough break. 

"Nico-"

"Will, don't tell me to stop," Nico quietly begged. Will blushed. 

"I just... can't breathe," Will mumbled. Nico smiled, finding Will's inexperience cute. 

"Breathe through your nose," Nico told him before claiming his lips, this time, going slower. He'll teach Will anything he wants to know, so long as he gets the first taste. 

Chapter Text

Will might not have kissed before, but he was convinced that Nico was trying to kill him. The kiss was a bit messy due to Will not knowing what the fuck he was doing, while Nico was suffocating him. Will didn't know what to do with Nico's tongue in his mouth, how to stop shivering whenever Nico's hand grasped his body, or how to ignore the heat pooling low in his stomach because of Nico's thigh against his groin. 

Clutching Nico's shirt like a lifeline, Will pushed weakly, just enough to breathe. Nico stopped, pulling back slightly, only for his lips to trail down Will's jaw, then his neck.

Everything was new. 

Will didn't expect the moans that slipped through his lips, his body turning against him as his back arched involuntarily, melting under Nico's touch. 

But it felt good. 

He felt the kisses going down his neck until Nico found a good spot. He felt the warm tongue taste his skin, sending shivers straight down Will's spine. And then Nico sucked, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. A strangled cry was heard by Nico's ear as Will unconsciously exposed more of his neck. 

Will was like a buffet table, and Nico was starving.

Which was why he was ready to murder someone when he heard Will's phone ring. 

"N-Nico, my phone," Will gasped. Nico hummed that he heard, but wondered if he had time to place another hickey on the boy. 

"Nico~," Will whined, his breath shaky.

Nico moved back up to shut Will up with a kiss, going slightly slower so Will could keep up. He took the time to lick and nip Will's lip, then teased his tongue to see if Will would allow him to get another taste. For a blissful minute, Will forgot the phone even existed...

But it ranged again.

Will gently pushed Nico to stop, which he reluctantly obeyed. At least he had a beautiful sight to look at. Looking absolutely breathless, Will was pink with his lips faintly swollen, and a nice mark on his neck that Nico hoped would last a day or two.

"Can we stop here?" Will asked, looking at Nico's flushed cheeks and dilated eyes. Nico hesitated to move, wanting to keep Will underneath him as long as possible, but did so with a grumble.

"Fine."

This is why he keeps his phone on silent. 

Will sat up and reached for his phone on the desk, answering as normally as possible, but his voice came out a bit husky. Will cleared his throat as he listened to whoever was on the phone. 

Whoever it was, Will had forgotten about them. 

"Okay, I'm coming," Will said as he got up to his feet. Nico crossed his arms, disappointed that they couldn't resume, but then smirked when he realized that Will didn't know he had a very exposed hickey on his neck. 

Will was going to yell at him later for that. 

Nico was looking forward to it. 

Will hung up on his call and quickly put on his socks and shoes. "Sorry, I have to go. I'll be back in about an hour or so." Will notified. He looked over at Nico, expecting a frown, but Nico looked relaxed as he got up. 

No, he looked proud. 

"Alright," Nico said, quite cheerfully. Will wanted to question it, but he had to go. After grabbing his keys and wallet, he headed for the door, but paused. He wasn't sure about the protocol for what to do after kissing. 

Do they kiss goodbye now? 

Are they together? 

Was Nico his boyfriend now?

Will's ears turned red. I have a boyfriend, he thought quietly. It was weird that he had someone more than just a friend. 

"Something wrong, Will?" Nico asked, wondering why Will was smiling at the door. 

"Um, do we... kiss goodbye now?" Will shyly asked. It was embarrassing to ask, but Will had never been in a relationship before. 

They were in a relationship, right? 

Nico's lips twitched in amusement before he walked over and kissed Will's cheek. 

"Anything you want. I'll see you in a bit. We have some things to talk about, but whatever you are curious about, let me know so we can do it together." Nico told him. If Will wanted to test around with other guys, like Leo said, he had to let Will do it. 

But Nico was going to make sure he was the first. 

Will nodded, then left. 

He had forgotten his dad was coming today, as Will had panicked a couple of days ago. He couldn't believe he was so stressed about crushing on Nico. Based on the kiss, Nico wanted this just as much as he did. Will couldn't keep the smile off his face. 

He has a boyfriend. 

Will rushed out of his dorm and into his dad's car, where Apollo and Lee were waiting. Whatever conversation they were having, it stopped as soon as Will got in the backseat. He was about to greet them, but was confused by his dad's attempt to keep a smile off his face and Lee's failure to laugh as quietly as possible. 

"What?" Will asked, looking at the two. 

"So," Apollo began casually, "I take it you fixed your problems and everything has been worked out."

He loves this roommate so much. 

"Yeah? We talked... and stuff," Will said, eyeing Lee, who was quietly dying in the passenger side seat. What was so funny? 

Lee choked on his laughter. "Just talked, huh?" 

"I get it. So you and your crush had kissed and made up." Apollo said, elbowing Lee as if he had made a good joke. Must've been hilarious considering Lee couldn't look Will in the face. 

"Hey, Dad, I think they did more than a little kiss," Lee teased, making Apollo snicker. Will went scarlet, his eyes going wide. 

"Is it obvious?" 

"Son, you look like you had a good time." 

"A very good time." 

Lee laughed harder while Apollo pointed at Will's swollen lips and messy hair. Will pouted as he tried to, at least, tame his hair. 

"We only kissed! We didn't do any more than that." Will argued. 

"Are you sure?" Lee asked, having a grand time eyeing Will's new mark. 

"Yes...?" Will said, a bit unsure. Apollo handed Will a compact mirror and pointed at Will's neck. 

It was only then that Will realized he had been marked...

And that's why Nico was looking proud. 

Will was going to kill that smug idiot. 

*******************

"Answer it! And put it on speaker! 

Nico was chilling in Leo's room since he had nowhere to go, and he was pretty sure Jason and Percy didn't want to hear details about kissing a guy. Nico had called him and spilled the first chance he got as soon as Will left. Leo had then begged him to come up to his room and spill, baiting him with icepops. 

Nico wasn't the type to gossip, but he needed to tell someone. 

And Leo was all for it. 

Their gossip was interrupted when Nico's phone went off, and Nico knew Will was out to end his life. Leo was dying when Nico explained, but he had to hear it go down, so he begged Nico to put it on speaker, saying he would be quiet. 

Will didn't even wait for him to say hello after Nico pressed the green button. 

"NICO DI ANGELO, YOU BIG DUMMY!" 

Nico bit his ice pop with a smirk while Leo quietly died in a corner. 

"Hey, Will," Nico said calmly. 

"Don't 'Hey Will' me! You gave me a hickey! On my neck!" 

"I got hungry."

"Then you go get food, you vampire! Do I look like food to you?" 

"Yes." 

Nico heard laughter while Will was silent, plotting Nico's demise. 

Sorry, not Sorry?" Nico offered. He could hear Will rolling his eyes. 

"Whatever, Death boy, bring your butt here. I'm not going through this alone. And tell Leo to shut up! I can hear him!" Will ordered. 

"Congrats, Sunshine! Wear that hickey like a badge of honor!" 

"Leo, I will light your bed on fire." 

"You'll be doing me a favor, babe. It's about to get cold soon," Leo shouted. 

Again, Nico could hear Will roll his eyes. 

"I'm coming down," Nico notified. Will said he'll be out front before hanging up. As Nico got up, Leo did so as well. 

"So, you two official?" Leo asked as he put on his coat. Nico shrugged. 

"We hadn't talked yet. Like you said, I don't know if he wants to try out other guys, and then there's the play where he's going to kiss another guy. I'm confident he wants to be with me, but I don't know if he's comfortable with his sexuality yet." Nico explained. 

"I feel ya," Leo mumbled, making Nico raise an eyebrow. Leo waved it away. 

"You got this, but let him take the speed of things. Anyway, I have to go meet Jason. Something about Spanish." Leo said. They both walked out of the dorm room, but headed in separate directions. Nico told him Thanks for the help before heading down. 

He remembered Will saying that his dad was supposed to be checking in, so that was probably him laughing. Once Nico got to the first floor, he headed back to his room. If he was going to meet Will's dad as a potential boyfriend, he was going to dress to impress.

Chapter Text

Will begged his brother and dad not to embarrass him...

The first thing his father did was blast a popular sex song. 

Will was five seconds from disowning them, but thankfully, after having his laugh, Lee turned off the music and promised that they would behave themselves. 

Will highly doubt it, but it was the thought that counts. 

"I'm finally getting to meet this mysterious roommate," Lee said, cracking his knuckles like he was preparing for battle. "He'd better be worth all the moping you did the last few weeks."

Will gave him a look. "You're not fighting him."

"I didn't say I would fight him," Lee said innocently while batting his eyes. "I just need to make sure he is right for my sweet baby brother."

"We met a couple of months ago."

"So? It's my duty as an older brother."

Will shook his head, but it did make him curious who would win in a fight. 

Lee or Nico?

He didn't know much about Lee for him to be confident about his ability to fight, but he did know Nico could be aggressive. Will remembered how cold Nico was towards his ex. Nico even blocked the entrance to their room when he came in. 

Nico was prepared for a fight if his ex went for Will, which was probably the reason he made sure Will kept quiet. 

Will hoped he wasn't the reason they broke up. 

While he was guilty about the thought, it made him feel special if Nico chose him over the ex. He wondered what he had that the ex didn't. Will cleared his throat while ignoring his racing heart by pulling out his phone. 

Nico should've been out by now. 

Neek Neeks: Do you need your jacket? 

Will looked at the text, finding it sweet that Nico was being thoughtful. Will texted him yes and thanked him. Another five minutes passed, then Will heard Nico come out. 

Hot damn.

Will might still be confused about his attraction to guys, but he knew for sure that he had the hots for Nico. Neeks stepped out like a sin dressed in black. Half his dark hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, his eyeliner sharp enough to cut someone, his lips glossed just enough to catch the light. He wore those familiar black skinny jeans that Will definitely had thoughts about, but it was the shirt that did him in: a fitted, black button-up with intricate silver detailing along the cuffs and collar, and a subtle skull design curling around the chest. A simple black choker rested against his throat, pulling Will's gaze down before he could stop himself.

But it was the earring that did it for him.

Nico approached casually, jacket in hand, like he had no idea he'd just ruined Will’s entire nervous system. 

"Here's your-"

Will grabbed Nico and pulled him back inside the dorm, his body moving before he could think. Nico grew worried that maybe he overdid it, but it flew away when Will pulled him into a deep kiss, surprisingly pushing him against the wall. 

It was messy, impulsive, and hungry. 

Nico chuckled into the kiss, letting Will take the lead for half a second before taking control back, feeling Will shivering against him. When they finally broke apart, they both huffed, making sure to keep as little space between them as possible.

Will's lips were shinier than it was three minutes ago. 

"You should've warned me you were going to come out like this," Will mumbled. He felt somewhat underdressed, but that insecurity was overrun by the need to keep Nico indoors. 

Felt nice that he could think these thoughts now. 

Because this hot guy was his boyfriend...

Nico was his boyfriend, right?

"I wanted to look nice since I'm going to be meeting your dad," Nico told him, pressing Will's jacket to his chest. Will took the jacket, noticing Nico was holding his own. 

"You have already met him, and he had called you hot within the first five minutes of seeing you. I think you're good." Will remembered. 

His dad wasn't wrong. 

Nico took Will's hand, leading him back to the front door. "I met him as your roommate, not as your boyfriend... at least, I hope you want me as your boyfriend." Will looked confused, not understanding why they weren't together now. 

"You're not my boyfriend yet?" Will asked. Was that the whole point about the kiss?

"We... need to talk about that, but to clear things up, I do want to be your boyfriend. I just didn't want to hold you down while you figure things out. Not to mention the play, if you get the role, I don't want you to feel guilty about what you have to do. We can be more serious once it's done, if that's okay with you." Nico explained. Will wanted to say that he can cancel and not audition, but he worked hard with Lee so he could get the role and not be backstage again. 

He didn't want all that effort to go to waste. 

Nico wasn't saying no to being his boyfriend; he was just giving Will more room to figure things out. Will nodded, understanding, but a bit sad. 

"I can still call you my boyfriend, right?" Will asked quietly, just to confirm. Nico nodded and kissed his cheek, which was seen by Apollo and Lee since Nico and Will were standing in front of the clear door. 

"Whatever you want, Will. You run the show." Nico told him before stepping out. Will quietly followed with a lot on his mind, but was still happy about the verdict. He actually felt relieved that Nico was letting him control the pace of the relationship. 

At least now he didn't have to worry about trying to prove himself to be better than Nico's ex.  

"Hey, Roomie!" 

Now he just has to survive a day with his dad. Nico greeted Apollo with a hello, then eyed Lee, not sure who he was. 

"Nico, this is Lee, my brother," Will introduced. 

Nico gave a shocked look at Will. "Brother?" All this time, he thought this mysterious Lee was someone he had to worry about. 

"Yes, I told you I found a brother here," Will said, crossing his arms, then he smirked. "You thought I was always out with a random classmate who was teaching me how to act?" 

Nico refused to answer because that would mean revealing that he gets jealous every time Will leaves him for Lee. 

"Nice to meet you, Lee." Nico greeted, sticking out his hand. Will wrapped his arms around Nico from behind with a bright smile on his face. 

"Were you jealous, Nico?" Will teased. Again, Nico refused to answer. Lee chuckled and shook Nico's hand, figuring Nico had enough on his plate with Will. 

"'Sup, man," Lee said. 

"Nico! Don't ignore me. Were you jealous?" Will pushed, looking over Nico's shoulder. Nico looked at him with a raised eyebrow that Will considered hot. 

"Were you jealous the whole time I was dating, which is why you avoided me for two weeks?" Nico asked. 

Will did not want to open those cans of worms. 

Will pouted and let go of Nico to get in the car, ignoring Apollo's chuckling. "Touché, Death boy." Nico chuckled at Will's antics, climbing into the backseat with him while Lee got back into the passenger seat. 

"Thanks for taking me along, sir," Nico said as Apollo started the car. He felt Will softly take his hand, resting it in the middle seat. Nico automatically started rubbing his thumb across Will's knuckles. 

"Sir belongs to my father. You can call me Apollo, future Son-in-Law." Apollo joked, winking at him in the rearview mirror. 

"Lee!" Will complained, reminding them that they would behave. Lee chuckled, then thankfully decided to play music to pass the time, and hopefully keep Apollo from embarrassing Will more. 

It only lasted fifteen minutes. 

Apollo and Lee soon started singing Beyoncé and Katy Perry songs, which Nico thankfully enjoyed watching. Now and then, Will would join in singing a Taylor Swift song, but was more focused on looking out the window once Apollo started driving on the highway. 

Nico would notice Will squeezing his hand whenever Apollo changed lanes, sometimes freezing when passing a truck. Will never mentioned he was car sick. Nico took off his seatbelt to move over, sitting in the middle seat so he could be closer. Will noticed, giving a small smile. 

"You okay?" Nico asked quietly as Apollo and Lee argued over what song should go next. 

"Yeah, just anxious. I don't like being in cars that much." Will explained. 

"Claustrophobic?" Nico guessed. Will shook his head, squeezing Nico's hand once more. 

"I was involved in a wreck that took my brother's life a few years ago," Will revealed, keeping his voice low. Apollo knew, and Will assumed Lee knew by now, since he never offered to take Will out by car, only walking distance, which was what Will preferred. "Back home, my brother and I were coming home from the state fair that night. A semi... the driver fell asleep behind the wheel and swerved into us last minute. Michael... he swerved to make sure his side took the most damage to protect me. He died while waiting for help to arrive. The dream catcher was the last thing he ever got me." 

Nico didn't know how to respond to that. He didn't expect Will to go through something so traumatic, considering he was pretty happy most of the time. Sometimes, Nico thought Will had a perfect life compared to his own. Will's family was so lively and seemingly carefree, but now that Nico knew, he noticed small things Apollo would do. 

Apollo mostly stayed on the right, only getting to the left to pass a car before getting back on the right side again. Whenever they encountered semi trucks, he would drop speed so the truck could pass quickly. He made sure to keep an eye on Will. 

Nico figured that was just how Apollo drives. 

And the dream catcher finally made sense. During the time Nico was dating and Will was clearly stressed, he would look at the dream catcher before telling Nico to be safe while going out at night. Will always told him to be safe, never to stay with him. 

"I'm sorry," Nico said, because there was nothing more he could say in that moment. 

"It's fine, honest. I'm a lot better about it now." Will told him. It was true. After the accident, he couldn't get in a car for three months. At least now he only gets jittery. 

"Does this only apply to cars?" Nico asked, bringing Will's hand to his lips. 

"I've only been in cars, why?" 

"Well, I have a bike. I would love to give you a ride on it, maybe down a quiet road one day. I can adjust, but I still want to take you on dates and stuff. I'll be extra safe with you." Nico explained. Will wasn't expecting that answer. 

He didn't expect Nico to accept and work it out with Will. 

"I kinda expected you to call me dramatic." 

Nico shrugged. "I take pills for nightmares." 

"I noticed." 

"How come you never asked about it, then?" 

"If it helps you sleep, then I have nothing to say about it." 

Nico felt his heart flutter, once again glad that Will was his roommate. He was the perfect person who understood boundaries and gave sympathy without hesitation. That's how he knew Will would be a fantastic boyfriend. 

Unexpected and unprompted, Nico gave a brief kiss to Will's lips. Will quickly looked over at his dad and brother, who thankfully weren't looking. 

At least, not in that moment. 

Lee watched curiously for any negative reactions, but Nico passed with flying colors, which meant Nico was cool in his book. As for Apollo, he noticed one thing as he continued driving. 

Will had stopped shaking. 

If Nico was able to calm Will down, then the Italian was good in his book. So, the two kept their eyes forward, allowing the two teens to whisper amongst themselves, hearing cute giggling and seeing Will become brave enough to steal a kiss from Nico. 

Chapter Text

Jason would always find himself either in Leo's room or accepting Leo randomly walking into his room without warning. He didn't mind it, not really, since he could always lock the door when he had private time with Piper. But the last conversation with her left him... looking. 

When Jason first entered college, he and Piper opened the relationship. It was his request since they would be farther away, and being a freshman in a college known for its parties...

He didn't want to slip up. 

Piper had agreed, so long as the same went for her once she got there. Jason agreed. They told no one about it since it wasn't anyone else's business. (They both had to tell Leo, who got pissed on Piper's behalf when Jason got caught by him at the beach). To be honest, Jason felt closer to Piper as they swapped stories. It wasn't like they whored around. 

He had only been with someone else three times. 

Two times for Piper. 

And no one was mad. Hell, they were introduced to new things that they tried on each other. 

What changed was when Piper got with a girl for the first time, and Jason listened as she shared passionately. He wasn't jealous, but happy for her. He thought maybe it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments, but it was more than that for Piper. 

When she arrived on campus, they were inseparable. They went on dates, made out, and the sex was great. They made up for lost time, and they were still in love with each other. 

Jason had to remind her that it was fine if she wanted to try being with women. She was hesitant since they were in the same place; the possibility of running to each other while they were with someone else would be embarrassing. Jason agreed, so they did it one night when they were both out with someone else, then came back to each other the next day. 

Jason mostly hung out with Leo, playing video games, but seeing Piper's eyes shine was worth it. She got more comfortable as Jason told her it was fine. When she was occupied...

He stayed with Leo. 

Piper got a bit concerned about only her having a good time, actually having a girlfriend that Jason had met, but he assured her that everything was fine. They talked until Jason confessed that he had to know the person pretty well before sleeping with them. 

Which was why his experiences happened later in the school year, not earlier. 

Piper understood, but wanted him to talk to her if he was ever uncomfortable with the arrangement. He promised and just hung out with Leo when he was bored. 

Which led him to his dilemma. 

He was always with Leo. 

Granted, he was with Percy, too, but Leo was his best friend. 

His dilemma was that Leo didn't care about how he looked. It wasn't bad, maybe it was normal. And since Leo was staying the night, he was currently wearing boxers and a tee, helping with Spanish. He only took the class because of the one time Leo cussed him out in the language, and he had grown curious about what he was saying. 

With that said, it wasn't hard to learn the basics. 

He just made the excuse because Leo would wear boxers around him, slowly swinging his legs in the air as he either talked or studied on his stomach. Leo's legs caught his attention. 

That was all. 

Okay, maybe his ass too, but not like Leo had to know that. 

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." 

Nevermind. 

Jason moved his eyes from Leo's rear legs to Leo's face, who was smirking in amusement. Not like Leo cared; he caught Jason looking multiple times. He found it funny that picture-perfect school boy was enjoying the sight of him in boxers. 

It was harmless and meant nothing. 

"Like what you see, Grace?" Leo asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Jason rolled his eyes, then went back to focusing on his homework. 

It didn't last long. 

When Jason heard Leo tapping on his phone, his eyes wandered right back to where it was. 

His rear legs. 

It wasn't until his phone buzzed did he realized Leo typed in the group chat that he, Leo, and Piper were in, telling Piper that Jason was checking him out with a winky face emoji. Piper texted back to give Jason a show with the hot and sweaty emoji. 

Leo and Piper were like chaotic siblings. 

"Snitch," Jason called him, Leo snickering in response. 

Guess they weren't studying anymore. 

"Hey, I can't blame you. I'm hot as hell. I'd look at me, too." Leo gloated. 

"All because I think your butt looks nice, doesn't mean I think you're hot," Jason said, though it was a full-blown lie, but hot wouldn't be the word he would call Leo. 

Leo was pretty. 

He was slim and scrawny with small shoulders and curly black hair that framed his face. He looked delicate, but Leo would kill him if he told him that. So for now, they'll settle for hot. 

"Liar!" 

Jason ignored him. With a smug little grin, Leo made his way over to sit in front of Jason, tossing his study material aside. "So," Leo started while taking Jason's glasses away, "Do you check out Percy's butt, or Nico's, or am I special?" 

"And if I say that you're not special?" Jason asked. 

"I'd say you're lying."

Well, he wasn't wrong. 

"Fine, you're special," Jason told him. 

"Was that so hard?" Leo teased. Again, ignored him as he watched Leo play with Jason's glasses. He laid down on his back, trying to see out of said glasses, then quietly complained that he couldn't. Jason's eyes stayed on him, his thoughts wandering as he examined Leo's body. 

It was tempting to move over the boy, to caress Leo's thighs and run his fingers through Leo's hair, and wonder what Leo would say then, or would he be speechless. 

Piper did tell him to look around. 

It would help her feel less guilty, even though Jason reminded her it was his idea. 

"What happened to Calypso?" Jason asked. He watched Leo stop fiddling with Jason's glasses for a moment before tossing those, too. He winced at that, but it thankfully landed on Leo's pants on the floor. 

"Broke up. Way too mature for me... I guess." Leo voiced, not really wanting to talk about it. It wasn't a harsh breakup, but one that everyone but Leo expected. She was way out of his league, so maybe he should've expected it. 

He took it like a champ, cried one full day, then kept it moving. 

"But don't tell Nico, or he'll think his relationship is doomed or something. Will has been digging him since they played Uno. Those two were definitely gonna last." Leo added, trying to get rid of the tense air around them. 

"Sorry to hear that," Jason said. Leo shrugged. 

It is what it is.

Jason watched him turn to his stomach while reaching for the Rubik's Cube Leo had left behind, and Jason had not bothered to return it. He waited for a little while, fighting his morals about, possibly, sleeping with his girlfriend's self-proclaimed brother. 

Leo's rear won. 

"Do you wanna talk about it or forget?" Jason asked. Leo paused, taking in Jason's words. Ever since the breakup, Leo hadn't been acting like himself, like a flirt. Yeah, school work got in the way, but Leo knew that wasn't the main reason why he wanted to stay indoors most of the time. 

He really was heartbroken. 

At least Jason was in an open relationship, and Piper wouldn't mind him borrowing him a bit.

So he turned around with a sly smile and pulled Jason by the shirt so he was between his legs. He hadn't done it with a guy in a while, but he wasn't rusty. 

"Forget, but I don't think you can do that," he teased. 

"How much you wanna bet?" Jason asked, and Leo was reminded that Jason wasn't always a model student. It confused the hell out of him why Piper dated Jason, but he could see why now. To others, Jason was perfect, but by himself, well...

He was more fun. 

"Just prove it, Sparky, then maybe I'll give you something better in return." 

And Jason must've taken that challenge seriously, because in the end, Leo was left seeing stars. 

**********

Will's family was an absolute menace to society, and Nico kinda loved it. 

"Hey, Will, what would you say if I made that pretty lady your new stepmom?" 

"I'd kill you and bury you in a garden." 

Lee and Nico laughed while Apollo commented on being single forever. Nico asked Will about his mother, thinking Apollo was still married to her. Will explained that they were married, but in the process of a divorce due to having different paths in life. 

Apollo added that he still found Will's mother hot, which earned him Will kicking his seat. Other than watching Apollo and Lee check out women while stuck in city traffic, Lee made it his mission as an older brother to embarrass the hell out of Will at every chance he got. 

Lee had stolen Apollo's phone just to show a pic of baby Will in a cute bee costume with red cheeks that Nico adored while Will died next to him. He revived himself once Lee showed a picture of Will in a bubble bath with bubbles all around his face. He quickly took the phone and held it hostage, which prompted Apollo to tell the story behind it. 

"He was so cute. He was dirty from playing around with the chickens, so I bathed him before his mother came home. I overdid it with the bubbles, but Will loved it. He put bubbles around his face to pretend he was Santa." Apollo shared. Nico found it adorable while Will verbally disowned them. 

After being satisfied with embarrassing Will, they blared songs that they sang their heart out to. Will joined in after a while, and Nico thought Will had a nice voice. 

They were loud, chaotic, and crazy, but Nico loved it all. 

After another hour in the car, Apollo eventually stopped at a beachside Italian restaurant. Lee complained that he wanted Mexican food, but quieted down as they walked in, smelling the garlic bread in the air. 

"This place has huge reviews, and there's a frozen yogurt shop nearby we can stop at afterwards," Apollo explained as they were guided to their seats. Will notified them that he had to the bathroom first, then asked Nico if he needed to go. 

Nico shook his head and shooed him away. 

Besides, he expected to get the shovel talk at some point. 

"So, what are your intentions with my son?" Apollo asked, sounding serious. The waiter with a thick accent asked for their drink order, Lee requesting three waters while Nico asked for a Coke. Apollo waited expectantly once the waiter walked off. 

"I want to be with him and make him happy," Nico answered.  

"That's a very generic answer. I can assume that." Apollo said, his tone serious. "I'm not a helicopter parent, but I do care about who he's dating. I'm glad that he is exploring his sexuality. I knew since he was seven." Lee chuckled at that part, but otherwise stayed quiet, keeping an eye out for Will.

"My problem is that you're the first boy he's dating, and he's very clueless about being in a relationship as a whole. That accident took more than just his brother away." Apollo sighed before continuing. "If you're with him because you are getting sick joy about 'converting' straight guys or something, break his heart now while this relationship is still fresh." 

Lee elbowed Apollo, signalling that Will was on his way back. 

"I'm not getting anything from this, nothing like that. I just like him, but I promise he's the one running the relationship. We're not even officially together because I know he still has questions about his sexuality. I'm not going to be mad if he kisses other guys, explores a bit. I just hope he'll choose me in the end." 

Apollo nodded, seeming satisfied with that, before giving Will a big smile. Will narrowed his eyes at him. 

"Whatever he said, ignore it," Will told him as he sat down. Nico took his hand under the table, then watched Will's ears turn red. He had forgotten that he could be affectionate with Nico, and he could do it right back. He was already touchy as is, but simple handholding now held more meaning than just being friendly. 

Nico was his boyfriend. 

Boyfriend. 

Will didn't hear whatever was said, only drinking his water once handed to him. Noticing Will was not paying attention, Nico squeezed Will's hand and used his left hand for the rest of dinner. 

Perks of being ambidextrous. 

Apollo noticed and smiled to himself as Lee and Nico chatted while Will was getting over the simple affection of handholding. He was glad he didn't have to worry about his son. Will was clueless about all aspects of a relationship, which meant he was easy to manipulate. Luckily, he doesn't think he'll have to worry about that from Nico, who seems just happy to be there with Will. 

He quietly wished them luck in their relationship and hoped Will was ready to face the trials and tribulations of being with a guy. 

Chapter Text

The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly. Dinner was great, and Will learned that Nico could speak Italian fluently after their waiter had slipped up due to forgetting a word. Will watched them communicate in awe, wondering what was being said. When asked, Nico simply smiled and told him it was a secret. 

Will did end up getting a free dessert, so he wasn't going to argue. 

After dinner, they walked down the boardwalk to explore a bit. Nico let Will ramble on about the most random crap, from surfing to roasting marshmallows. For one, Will's voice was nice to listen to, even if a few things went over his head. But also, Nico found it endearing to see Will talk on and on until Nico kissed his knuckles to shut him up. 

"You could've told me to be quiet," Will mumbled with a blush. 

As it was getting dark, Will voiced that he would be okay for the drive back, but his confidence was cut short when he heard someone blaring their horn and yelling. Needless to say, Will decided for all of them that they were going to take a mental health day tomorrow, aka skip class, because he was not going to be okay for the two-hour drive back. 

Nico didn't mind, and no one argued, so Apollo got them a hotel for tonight. All four of them were going to stay in one room because Apollo wanted to keep things PG-13. That earned him Will stuttering and mortified, while Lee groaned. Will looked at Nico, to which Nico told him he didn't have to worry about that for a long, LONG time. 

Will didn't know if he liked that answer, but let it slide for now. 

They all stopped by the store for essentials before checking in. As Apollo and Lee called dibs to shower first, Nico joined Will on the balcony, feeling the cool air. 

"Sorry for this spur-of-the-moment vacation," Will said quietly. Nico leaned on the railing, looking at the lights below. They weren't far from the beach, but past the city lights was pitch blackness, an empty void filled with water crashing against the shoreline. 

It was peaceful. 

"You don't see me complaining. I had fun. Your family is-"

"A lot?" Will filled in. Nico shook his head, then turned to face him. Will couldn't help but think that Nico was beautiful, seemingly glowing. If Will were the sun, Nico would be absolutely the moon. Will felt his heart race at the thought. 

This guy was his boyfriend. 

"Sweet," Nico corrected. "I like them." 

"Good. Then you'll love my mom. She'll treat you like her own, mother you, ask for your favorite meals..." Will said happily, but then his smile slowly fell off. He looked down at his fingers, lightly playing with them. "Thanksgiving is going to be a pain. My grandmother... she's gonna hate that I'm dating a guy. She already hates my dad, but tolerates him because he's a great doctor." 

"Do you have to tell her?" Nico asked. Will looked back up at Nico, a little sad. Nico moved to sit next to Will, wanting to make him feel better, but wasn't sure how. 

"I don't want to pretend. I'm still in the process of accepting myself. If I pretend... I'll be more confused than I am now." Will explained, then took Nico's hand. "And I want to tell people you're my boyfriend. You're pretty fucking hot, y'know." Nico squeezed Will's hand with a soft smile. 

"You're not so bad yourself," Nico said, and Will acted offended. 

"Not bad? Need I remind you that you made a rule to keep my shirt on after I come out of the shower? I think I'm pretty sexy!" Will complained, making Nico laugh. 

"Alright, maybe you're sexy."

"Maybe?!" Will exclaimed, placing a hand on his chest as Nico laughed more. "I have you know that I am hot and sexy! I have people lined up to get all this!" Will gestured to himself, making Nico roll his eyes. "You're lucky I chose you within the sea of people who want all I've got." 

Nico shook his head, but reached up to touch Will's cheek. 

"I am lucky," Nico whispered, making Will's heart flutter. Will definitely felt he was the luckier one between the two. 

"Me too. Can I... get a kiss?" Will asked. Nico didn't say a word, only sliding his hand from Will's cheek to the back of Will's head, then pulling him in to close the gap. Will could never get used to Nico's soft lips against his own. 

It was gentle, but enough to stop his heart. He could feel a firm hand behind his head, his fingers tangling in Will's curls. He could smell Nico's cologne, though faint, but it still made him blush at the thought that Nico looked and smelled good all for him. They only separated for a fraction, just enough for Will to remember to breathe, but whatever breath he took was taken away as Nico threatened to make the kiss deeper. 

He squeezed Nico's hand, hoping he couldn't hear Will's beating heart as he allowed Nico to do what he wanted. The warm tongue that quietly asked for permission, then pushed past his lips, faintly tasting the frozen yogurt Will had earlier. 

It was delicious. 

The shared breath they shared when Nico would try to back away, but Will would chase his lips, begging for it not to end, made Nico shiver with anticipation. Will was slowly learning how to kiss Nico back, learning what to do with his tongue, which slid against his own, and Nico could've sworn he heard Will quietly moan. 

Or it could've been himself who did it. 

Either way, Nico felt like he was melting. 

Until someone cleared their throat. 

Nico and Will shot apart as if caught doing something wrong, then looked at Apollo leaning against the doorway. He looked amused and took in quiet joy scaring Nico, though Will looked like he was close to having a heart attack. 

Will's mother was going to love this. 

"Shower is open," Apollo notified with a smirk. Nico shot up, saying he was going to go next, then quietly apologized as he went inside. Apollo waited until Nico was far enough to quietly laugh, but realized he had to soothe Will, who looked a bit guilty. 

"You do know that I'm not mad, right?" Apollo asked. It was only then that Will started to relax, which made Apollo slightly concerned. "You do know I date guys, right? I'm like the last person who's going to get mad at you or him. Kissing under the night sky is romantic." Will nodded as Apollo took a seat. 

"Sorry for scaring you," Apollo said. Will sighed. 

"It's fine. I, um, kinda forgot you and Lee were in there. And before you decide to give Nico another talk, I was the one who asked for the kiss! He tried to stop it earlier, but I wouldn't-"

"Will, it's fine. There's no need to explain. He probably made your heart flutter in your chest, and you had the urge to kiss him. Nothing wrong with that." Apollo interrupted. Will quieted down to give himself a chance to relax, faintly hearing the TV blare inside and Lee's voice, presumably on the phone. Apollo waited next to Will, knowing his son had more to say.  

"I know I preach and practice acceptance with my peers," Will said quietly, afraid to share how he was feeling, "but it's harder for me to accept myself. Like, get it now. Definitely, over the years, I gave excuse after excuse when I... found a guy attractive. Actors are fake, so are anime characters. With the guys around me, I accepted that they are physically attractive. There's nothing wrong with that. Like looking at art and appreciating it. It's okay to look." Will sighed as Apollo quietly listened. 

"But... with Nico, we were joking around, saying things we didn't mean. Like, I do that with Paolo sometimes! It doesn't mean anything, and I'm mostly just joking with him. But with Nico... It was the first time I ever felt something deeper than physical attraction. Gosh, I felt like I was hitting puberty. Like what the fuck?" Apollo chuckled while Will groaned. He leaned back and crossed his arms, looking at the night sky. There weren't many stars out tonight. 

"I love being with Nico, love holding his hand and kissing him, but... I can't shake this feeling like I'm doing something wrong. That people shouldn't see. And Thanksgiving is going to be horrible because my family might hate me. After all, I know I'm going to slip up and talk about Nico. I'm so scared of that because I never thought I had to worry about that. I'm scared of being ostracized, of being treated differently." Will finished. Apollo took his hand, making Will look at him. 

"First, don't you worry much about Thanksgiving. I'm going to go there, and your mother knows as well, so we are going to plan for that. For now, I want you to learn how to be comfortable in your own skin. None of your friends is treating you differently, right?" Will shook his head with a smile. 

He had the best of friends. 

"There's your support group full of peers. Of course, you have me and your mother. And talk to Nico. Tell him what you are okay with and not okay with. Ask him questions, and if he doesn't know, go search for those answers." Apollo squeezed Will's hand, proud that his son was finally branching out. He was concerned after the accident that Will wasn't expressing any interest other than going to med school. He stopped hanging out with friends, didn't express any attraction to anything like a healthy, growing boy. 

He was happy Will was finally going to learn something that not even science could explain. 

"Don't feel guilty for feeling happy with the person you are with," he said softly. Will nodded and hugged him. He'll try his best, and he hopes the play will help him. After they separated, they both got up, ready to go inside, just as Nico got out of the bathroom

"Alright, you go on and shower, and tonight, try not to make any noises while sharing a bed with your boy." 

"DAD!"

"What? It's healthy. Do I need to give you the talk?" 

"Oh, please, no!"

"I think I need to give you the talk."

"Dad-"

"You see, one guy gets with another guy they REALLY like, their dicks-"

Will ran inside, begging Lee to get Apollo to stop giving the talk, before running into the bathroom, locking the door. 

"I'm a doctor! I'm the number one person you can trust to-"

"Dad," Lee interrupted. "I would rather watch a YouTube video than get an in-depth description of how sex works from you. That's too weird." 

"I'm a medical professional! Nico, didn't your dad give you the talk?" Apollo asked. 

Nico was horrified at the thought of his father, of all people, talking to him about sex. 

Gay sex, at that. 

"No, thankfully. He gave me a book against his will and told me I could go to him, but I think we would rather just die before having that talk." Nico answered, silently thanking his father for sparing him that embarrassment. All Nico did was ask about condoms, and all his father did was hand him cash and told him to go to a CVS, and read on the back of the boxes, or watch an educational video. 

If you ask Nico, that was supportive as hell and more than enough. 

Apollo looked at Lee and Nico, slightly pouting, but dropped the subject. 

"Pantsies," Apollo mumbled, but neither Lee nor Nico cared. 

The three got ready for bed, cutting off the lights as Will walked out of the bathroom after his shower. He made his way to the bed where Nico was still sitting up, texting on his phone. Will reminded himself that this wasn't the first time he had slept with Nico, but it was the first time lying in the same bed with him. 

Nico watched Will crawl into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin, his back turned towards Nico. It was too dark to tell if Will was being shy or just ready for bed, so he finished up his text to his sister. Will quietly listened, waiting for the moment Nico would stop and maybe touch him. 

He was hoping they would cuddle. 

But instead, Nico put his phone up, then laid down, facing away from Will. It took a moment for Will to realize that he wasn't going to be held. Feeling a bit peeved and a little brave, Will turned around and grabbed Nico, pulling him to his chest. 

They were going to cuddle, dammit!

Nico flinched at the sudden touch, then relaxed as he felt Will's breath against his neck and Will's legs tangling with his. Nico couldn't help but smile. 

"Alright," he whispered. He turned around so they could cuddle like they did that morning: with Will half on top of him with his head on Nico's chest, and with Nico's fingers in his hair. Nico would never say it out loud, but he loves having Will lie on him, like a warm, heavy weighted blanket. 

"Goodnight, Will," Nico whispered, closing his eyes. It was going to take a while for him to sleep, but he'll treasure this moment until then. Will yawned, feeling comfortable and cared for. 

"Goodnight, Nico." 

Will was the first to fall asleep, with Nico following after while listening to Will's quiet breaths. 

Chapter Text

The next day, Apollo made sure to treat them all to breakfast before taking them back to campus. Lee complained about assignments he had due in two days and hadn't even started. Will found it weird for anyone to wait until the last minute to turn in assignments, but Nico reminded him that not everyone was a nerd who loves homework. 

Will pinched him for calling him a nerd. 

It didn't help, though; rarely, he wore glasses during times he had to look at his computer screen for long periods of time. It was a lovely sight to see. Will would be focused, playing with a pencil with his notebook at his side and the laptop on his lap. Nico has seen Will wear glasses exactly three times, specifically, late at night, a little bit past bedtime. He would be tired, but almost done. With Nico being a night owl, he would usually be in the living room, watching a show until he had to go to bed to properly function the next morning. Nico would come in, be shocked that Will was still up, and watch Will look up at him. 

Maybe it was the computer screen, or the pencil twirling, or the daze look Will would wear, his focus breaking due to Nico walking in the room, but Nico found Will so attractive during that split-second moment. It would make him shiver as his mind would create scenarios that would never happen. 

Of Will beckoning him over, saying naughty words that make Nico blush... maybe asking Nico to teach him something new, something a little hands-on...

Will pinched Nico harder once he realized Nico was daydreaming about something naughty. Granted, since they were technically boyfriends, Nico had the right to have those thoughts, but Will would feel embarrassed at the thought of him doing anything sexual in nature. 

Hell, he still felt guilty every time he jacked off, which was perfectly normal by the way. 

His father is a doctor; Will knows it's okay, but being sexual with someone else... 

He would rather jump off a building than risk Nico judging his naked body. 

Well, Nico did tell him that he had a long, LONG time before any of that happens, and while that was comforting... he didn't want to wait that long. That was another reason he wanted to do the play. His character was flirty, dancing the line of attracting men, or just being a bit feminine in nature. 

To pretend to be someone like that, he hoped it would help him be more comfortable with himself, teaching himself that it was okay to find men more than just visually pleasing. Who knows, maybe he'll learn what he'll like and dislike. 

Speaking of that...

"Lee, do you know who would be playing my love interest if I get the part?" Will asked. If he had to kiss someone, he would hope the guy was decent-looking and not a complete douchebag. 

"Travis Stoll, your friend. His audition was amazing and believable. And I guess he looks good. I wouldn't know, I don't swing that way." Lee told him. Will smiled. He could kiss Travis, maybe get permission from Katie first, before doing anything sexual in nature. It would be acting anyway, but Will had never kissed another guy other than Nico before. 

Nico had told him it was okay, but Will felt nervous about it. 

While Will was feeling nervous, Nico was trying his best to seem nonchalant about this... Travis... person. At their second party, when Will was feeling slightly tipsy, he remembered Lou Ellen pointing to the guy Will was swaying with. The guy who was holding Will from behind, with his hands on Will's waist. 

That Travis, right? 

The one Lou told him that Will was fine with him. 

That was the guy Will would have to kiss? 

Of all damn people...

Nico ignored the rest of the conversation as they arrived back on campus. Whoever Travis was, that was his competition, right? The only other guy who could steal Will away from him. 

Leo did say to let Will kiss others, but dammit, he never said anything about being present when it happens, right? He can make sure that the kiss stays professional, no feelings involved. With a plan in mind, Nico smiled brightly at Will and told him he was going to do great at his audition...

And he'll make sure to be there to see it. 

*************

The day was spent skipping class and Will practicing his lines in privacy. Lee stayed around to help out until it was time, telling Will that he was going to ace his audition. Nico knew Will was going to be fine. He worked hard for this, so it was a no-brainer that Will was going to get the part. 

His main mission was figuring out who the fuck Travis was. He scanned the crowd for a familiar head as he sat in the back with Lee, but couldn't see the guy. So while Will auditioned, Nico was looking around to see who was too interested in Will, but everyone was pretty normal. 

No one was too eager to have Will as the love interest. 

When Will was done, he listened to the critiques and praise about his performance, which apparently improved significantly from his first audition for another play. He felt like a proud boyfriend, a smile resting on his face, knowing that it was his pretty boy with a bright smile on stage. 

Until some tall brunette guy hugged Will. 

That guy was Travis Stoll. 

Nico felt a bit jealous that Travis was slightly taller than Will, while he was a bit shorter than Will. Based on the BL mangas he had read, Will was the perfect height to play the uke role, the bottom, in other words. 

Nico wished he were taller in that moment. 

And they did look good together... or whatever. 

They looked comfortable with each other, too. 

Nico watched them talk and walk, Will even blushing slightly while Travis laughed at whatever Will said. 

"Dude, you look like you're about to kill someone," Lee commented. Nico sighed. 

"This is just my resting bitch face," Nico told him. Lee smirked. 

"If that's your bitch face, I hate to see you angry. But cheer up, Will is coming over," Lee said, elbowing his side, even though it wasn't necessary. Nico could clearly see Will coming over. He didn't need an announcement. 

Okay, he was in a pissy mood, but still. 

"Nico!" 

But Will was too precious to stay upset around. 

He was so whipped. 

He's never going to tell Hazel... EVER. 

He got up in time for Will to hug him, then rest against him. He couldn't even stop the smile appearing on his face. Will whined, voicing how nervous he was on stage, then complaining that he would have to do that with a full crowd one day. 

He was still smiling, so Nico quietly praised him for working so hard for this role. 

Will was adorable. 

Then, like a switch, he glared at the boy, Travis, who was waiting behind Will, enjoying the heated stare he was receiving. He was in the group chat when Cecil sent the text that Will confessed to liking men FINALLY. It didn't take much to realize this was the guy Will was liking. 

Nico had been glaring at him since hugging Will. 

"Will, your boy is glaring at me," Travis said. Nico took the poke to his side, grumbling about Travis being a snitch. Will let go of Nico and smirked. While he figured Nico would be jealous, considering that Nico first thought Lee was Will's "friend," it was sweet that Nico didn't stop him from auditioning. 

He was still supporting Will. 

"Nico, this is Travis, my engaged friend. If you look over there," Will pointed at Katie, who wanted to know more about the play with Connor, "That's Katie, his girlfriend, and Connor, his twin brother." 

Watching Nico's jealousy melt away was adorable. 

"Wait, seriously? If he's engaged..." Nico decided to never be jealous again. 

Apparently, he keeps getting the wrong idea. 

"A talent scout will be coming to this play, and if I do well, I could get recruited. And I was told beforehand that the producer really wanted Will to play the love interest." Travis shrugged. "I knew who Will was, and I don't mind kissing this idiot." 

"Hey!" 

"I have no interest at all in Will, and I asked Katie, who is also a good friend of Will's, if it was okay." Travis rolled his eyes. "She thinks it'll be hilarious watching me be with a man. Especially since Will is far from my type, even if Will were a woman." 

"Are you calling me ugly?" Will asked, getting a bit peeved. 

"Yes," Travis said with a mischievous smile, not missing a beat.

In the background, Lee was laughing his butt off about the whole situation. 

Nico watched Will argue with Travis, saying Connor was the better brother, but Travis wasn't falling for it, teasing Will until he was pouting. Travis... was just a good friend of Will's. 

A friend who was engaged. 

Nico felt embarrassed, but also relieved. 

"I'm putting Will in your hands. He worked hard to get this part, so don't fuck it up for him." Nico ordered. Travis blinked, shocked Nico even said it, but then playfully punched Nico's shoulder. 

"Sure, sure. I'll do my best," Travis then winked at Will, "Don't fall for me, I'm taken." 

Will never looked more disinterested. 

Travis walked away chuckling, Lee following to apparently share how Nico thought the same about him when he first met him. Nico and Will waited until they were further away, sharing shy but loving gazes. 

They both were ridiculous. 

"You have quite a jealous streak," Will noted. Nico grew red, opening his mouth to apologize, but he was stopped by a quick kiss. A little too quick, but it happened. Will kissed him. "I have been friends with my male friends for more than a year. You became my gay awakening within a couple of months." Will averted his gaze, his cheeks flushed. "You're the only one I think about in that way," Will confessed. 

Will hoped it didn't sound weird, hoping it would comfort Nico to know that he didn't have to worry about anyone else. When Nico didn't say a word, Will carefully looked at Nico. 

"I really want to kiss you right now," Nico mumbled quietly

Thankfully, Nico didn't grab him, knowing Will wasn't too confident about public affection yet. Not enough to make out in public. 

"If you can wait five more minutes, we can... go back to our room and kiss a little." Will offered. Nico smiled softly. 

"I can wait," Nico said. Will felt his heart flutter, and a shot of lust that made him shiver. He knew one thing for certain: he loved kissing Nico. Will turned away, taking careful steps, trying not to look eagered and excited. After today, Will hoped that Nico knew that he was the only one he had his eyes on. 

Chapter Text

Will was walking on air. 

Making out with Nico was slowly becoming his favorite thing to do. It taught him how to kiss, which, thankfully, Nico never told him he was horrible at. It also made him feel things that he thought were exaggerated in romance movies and manga. 

To put it simply, kissing was just a mashing of lips, swapping spit with a bit of tongue for those who like it a bit messier, passionate. It was a basic view Will believed for a while. Even porn made kissing such a dirty act. 

But kissing Nico didn't feel dirty. It was loving, passionate, and addictive. His heart would race, making him lightheaded as his stomach felt weird. Gosh, he felt like putty in Nico's hands. Nico had straddled his lap, a hand on each side of his face, and kissed him until his heart was content. 

"Do you like kissing that much?"

"You sound so pretty." 

"I'm feeling hungry again." 

Needless to say, he had another mark on the side of his neck, but Will didn't care as his friends teased him mercilessly, with only Paolo offering a bandaid to hide it. Anyway, he came to them for a reason. 

"I feel like we should be compensated for dealing with your shit since high school," Lou Ellen said, looking at the dumb smile on Will's face. She was happy for her friend, and clearly, Nico definitely liked Will just as much. 

At least it wasn't one-sided. 

Cecil elbowed her with a smirk. "He did such a horrible job of gaslighting us. Will, you're a terrible liar." 

Paolo gave a sympathetic look. "Well, maybe not bad considering he believed his own lies." Drew scoffed, taking a break from examining her nails. 

"That's because he's an idiot. At least someone got him out of that damn closet. Sorry, darling, but at that point, the closet was holding you hostage." Cecil and Lou laughed, breaking Will's daydream. This is why Paolo was Will's best friend. 

"Ha, Ha, very funny," Will voiced sarcastically with an eyeroll. "Anyway, I came for help, specifically, I was going to ask Drew for help." Cecil gasped, as if he was betrayed. Drew lightly hit him. 

"Dude, I thought I was your go-to for advice!" Cecil cried, ignoring the comment that he was the worst person to go to. 

"Isn't Drew your girlfriend?" Will reminded. 

"So? You're breaking bro code!" 

"Pretty sure that's not bro code. And I don't think you can teach me how to be seductive." 

"Like with swag?" Cecil questioned. Will shook his head. 

"More like drag. My character in the play is seductive, and there's even a moment I wear feminine attire and hide my face while seducing Travis. And if you know me, I suck in that department." Will explained. 

Everyone stared at Will, taking in that information, then held an evil grin that made Will shudder. 

"I made a mistake coming here." 

He should've known better than to ask for advice from his friends. 

*********

For the next two weeks, Will was busy, but also secretive. Nico would question it if it weren't for the fact that Will was being cute. After a long shower, Will, in his t-shirt and boxers, would walk straight to Nico's bed. 

"Will, that's my bed," Nico told him, but it fell on deaf ears as Will crawled underneath the covers, getting comfy. It smelled like Nico, which was comforting as he closed his eyes. 

"Are you saying you want me to get out?" Will asked. Within two minutes, Nico was in bed to prevent Will from leaving. Will giggled at Nico's antics, but readily accepted Nico's goodnight kiss. 

He was so adorable. 

"Nico, you're creeping me out, man." 

Nico opened his eyes to the harsh reality that he was next to Leo, of all people, waiting for Percy and Jason. The only reason they were waiting was that they wanted to see Hazel and Frank, who were coming by to look around. 

Well, Jason wanted to say hello. 

Percy wanted to tease and show off his cousin, maybe convince the guy to join the football team. Nico argued that Frank was going to join a DnD club, not football. 

You would think they were Frank's parents with the way they argue about him. 

"I'm just happy," Nico said. 

"Exactly. Tell me, do your cheeks hurt?" 

Nico was close to punching the guy. 

"Anyway," Leo continued, "glad you got with Will. By the look on your face, he definitely got you wrapped around his finger. 

"No, he doesn't." 

Nico was lying through his teeth. Will wanted Nico's bed; he could have it. If he complained about wanting coffee while getting dressed, doordashed. If he was cold, blanket. Wanted a spontaneous cuddle session, and he was there.

The word no was slowly leaving his vocabulary. 

"You were just smiling like an idiot for three minutes straight; it was close to concerning. If Will asked you to kiss his feet, you would do it without hesitation." Leo assumed, and he may be correct. 

Not like Nico was going to confirm it. 

Nico checked his phone, seeing a message from Hazel that they were close by. 

"Let's go, we'll meet them later. When you see Frank, don't annoy him. He could probably crush your skull if he wanted to." Nico said, kinda imagining it. It would be funny to see Frank get mad. 

"He could try," Leo said with a maniacal smile. Nico shook his head. Leo must not love his life. At least Frank is a gentle guy. Perfect for Hazel. He was protective, too, though fighting was his last resort. 

But the guy can fight. 

They headed towards the parking lot near Nico's dorm, since that was where they were going to meet them. Coincidentally, Will, Travis, and Drew were there, chatting at the entrance of the building. Nico wondered if Will and Travis came to Drew for advice on how to act lovey dovey... the thought almost making him jealous again. 

Will didn't need help in that department. 

He was already pretty loving in Nico's eyes. 

"Will!" Leo shouted. Nico was going to leave them be, mostly because he didn't want to hear how Travis and Will are practicing together. Will hasn't mentioned any kissing, but he does brush his teeth before giving any kisses if he had practice that night. It was so cute and considerate that Nico didn't bother stopping him. If it made Will feel better, then Nico wasn't going to complain. 

They looked over, Will beginning to wave, but was stopped by Drew saying something, Travis snickering at whatever was said. Nico was going to ask what Drew said to make Will blush, but his brain crashed when Will wrapped his arms around him, gave him a brief kiss, and whispered, "Can we go to our room for a moment?" 

...Was Nico supposed to be waiting for his sister, who was pulling up at any minute? Yes. 

Was he supposed to meet up with Percy and Jason soon? Yes. 

Did any of that matter when Will tilted his head, smiling, giving bedroom eyes that promised he would be greatly rewarded if he went with Will? 

"O-Okay." 

No, because they can wait five minutes... or an hour, if it means he could make out with Will. He ignored Leo's laughing, Drew's thumbs up, and Travis shaking his head, because Nico was too busy watching Will's rear as he was dragged inside. 

Did Will's hips always sway like that? 

Actually, this was the first time Will had initiated a makeout session. He would usually ask for a kiss, which was usually small until Nico chased his lips for more. Will was comfortable with kissing him on the cheek and a brief peck in public, and was typically shy in private. 

But Nico wasn't the type to complain. 

He wasn't going to complain when Will opened the door and pulled him inside. 

He wasn't going to complain about Will pushing him onto the couch and getting on top of him. 

He wasn't going to complain at all because this was heaven. Will was on top of him, grinding against him so that it made Nico's hips jerk, eating up the moans Nico made as Will's tongue explored his mouth. Then he felt Will's hand slip underneath his shirt, making him shiver. His hands were so warm, mostly rubbing his sides because Will was too nervous to do anything more, but that was fine. 

It was more than fine. 

It was perfectly fine because Will's mouth moved down his jaw, to his neck, and began to mark up his neck. Nico exposed his neck more, giving Will a blank canvas to do what he wanted. If Will kept this up... well, he was going to embarrass himself. 

But who cares? Not him. 

His teeth nip at his skin, which made Nico smile a bit, but it went away when Will found a good spot that made Nico whimper. He wondered if Will was motivated by that since he seemed more confident to mouth Nico's throat, a brush of his tongue seemingly tasting Nico like he was a yummy treat. 

Then he heard tapping, though it didn't come from the door. But just like that, Will stopped all his teasing, leaving Nico cold and horny. "What?" Nico said, in a daze. Will looked proudly at his artwork on Nico's neck, kinda understanding why Nico liked doing it to him. 

"Think you can finish up? I gotta go." Will told him. Nico shook his head. He didn't want to stop now, not while he was extremely hard. Yes, he had a sister to meet, but she and Will's friends can wait, dammit! Nico stubbornly put his fingers through Will's belt loop and pleaded with his eyes. 

"Don't go. I promise I'm close. Just... keep moving your hips." Nico begged. Will blushed. Usually, they would handle this problem in the bathroom with the shower running to drown out any noise. That was what Will did every time their makeout session got too heated, while Nico looked pretty calm in comparison. 

This was a first to see Nico close to losing control, his hips still moving on their own accord. Drew did teach him how words and mannerisms could make a guy melt, and he more or less practiced that with Travis, but it was awkward because Travis found Will silly. It didn't boost his confidence at all. So he started practicing with Drew, which felt weirder until Piper popped up and told him that he could do it, mimicking just fine, but Will had to learn that he was attractive. 

Nico definitely wanted him. "So don't be insecure when there's a hot Italian daydreaming about you every day." 

And that boosted his ego. Which was why Drew told him to do it on Nico so he could get truthful results. Will didn't expect it to work this well, and now, Nico was close to having an orgasm, which was pretty shocking to Will. 

So, shyly, he moved his hips, grinding against the bulge of Nico's pants. Nico shuddered, Will's name coming from his lips. He hoped he wasn't crossing a line, but he needed Will in this moment. He needed to see him, touch him, hear him because Will was absolutely beautiful and no amount of imagining would do him justice. 

"C'mere," Nico whispered. Will lowered himself down to kiss Nico, but this was different. It was still passionate, still the same method, but more lustful. Will found himself wanting to bring Nico to completion. It was a different feeling, and yet, it motivated him, knowing Nico needed him. He felt a hand slide between them, brushing against his hips. Will stopped kissing to see what Nico was doing, but Nico's other hand grabbed Will on the back of his head, pulling him towards his shoulder. 

"Don't look," Nico mumbled as he unbuttoned his pants, a moment of insecurity passing through him. Will smiled, glad to know Nico was shy too when it came to this. It helped him feel normal about being nervous about being naked around Nico. Feeling brave, Will kissed Nico's neck, slower, savouring the coolness of Nico's skin. 

He could feel Nico's grip on his hair, his fingers tangling in Will's curls. By Will's hip, he could feel the brush of Nico's knuckles as he slowly stroked himself, a low hum making Will shiver with delight. He didn't quite know what he was doing, mostly enjoying himself since Nico wasn't stopping him. 

Maybe he should watch more porn. 

Well, Will remembered hearing a few things like it feels better if it were someone else. Will didn't know if that saying was true, but he wanted to do more than just kiss. So he lowered himself down a little, now in between Nico's legs. He briefly glanced down since he had the time. Nico's dick was... was pretty a good description? 

From a medical standpoint, Nico was about a good seven inches, healthy, circumcised, and without blemish. His pubes were just as dark as his hair, which made Nico's cock more inviting. Especially with Nico's precome spreading as he stroked himself, making the skin wet and shiny... kinda made his mouth water. 

Holy shit, he really was gay. 

"I told you not to look," Nico said softly, but was amused that Will was kinda staring. Will looked at him with a blush. 

"Couldn't help myself. It's really pretty." Will confessed. 

"My dick is pretty?" That was a first for Nico. No one ever told him that before. 

"It's the only non-lewd word I can think of," Will said, sitting up. "Can I touch you?" Nico was pretty sure he had died, but just to be sure, he pinched himself. Yeah, he was still alive, which meant Will really was asking to touch him. He sat up as well, but kept Will between his legs, basically straddling him now. 

He just wanted to be closer to him. 

"Go ahead," Nico permitted, but kissed him to distract Will from staring again. It was slightly embarrassing, despite Will being in awe of it. With his mouth occupied and eyes closed, Will moved his hand blindly, wrapping around Nico's length carefully, then slowly stroking like it was his own. 

Nico bucked, Will's hand so soft and warm versus his slightly rough hands. Will tighten his grip more securely, then speed up a bit to go at a nice steady rhythm. 

"Oh, Will, that feels good," Nico moaned out, breaking the kiss and taking uneven breaths. "Don't go any faster, you hear me?" Will nodded, feeling Nico's breath hit his lips. Will nodded, but did tease the tip, swiping his over the sensitive head before continuing the steady. 

Nico shuddered, a small cry escaping that went straight to Will's groin. His pants felt tight, feeling a wet spot growing on his underwear, and it didn't help that Nico was thrusting his hips again. 

"Stop moving or it'll break the rhythm," Will ordered, wrapping an arm around Nico's waist to keep him still. Nico whined, but listened, curling his toes. He didn't want this to end yet, but he couldn't hold back any longer, not with the way Will was using his thumb. 

So he clung to Will, his breathing rapid as the pressure grew to be unbearable. 

"Don't stop, please don't stop," He begged, sounding desperate. Will's heart raced, feeling Nico's nails dig into his skin. He'll never forget this day, seeing Nico unravel because of him. 

"Will! Fuck!" 

Will felt something warm coat his hand, watching Nico lose control of his hips, the sinful sound nearly undoing him as Nico gripped him as if he was falling apart. Not once did he stop, milking every last drop he could get until Nico stopped him, feeling overstimulated. 

Nico slumped against Will, feeling too tired to even move. It has been a while since he felt like this. Not even his last boyfriend was that good, though, part of that was his own fault. He still gets glares from him in Latin class. 

Nico looked down to see Will wiping his hand on his shirt, which made him cringe, then looked over, noticing Will was hard, his dick surprisingly still in his pants. Nico thought Will was getting off at some point, but it must've been his imagination. 

"I can help you out," Nico suggested, his hand on the hard bulge in Will's pants. He thought Will would be appreciative, maybe moan or something...

Nico didn't expect to get thrown off as Will quickly stood up. 

"N-No! I'm good! I'll handle it in the bathroom!" Will quickly said before heading towards the restroom. "I'm sorry," then closed the door. That whole reaction was strange, a part of him wanting to get up and check on him, but remembered...

He was handling a virgin in all senses. 

Not only does Will have limited experience touching girls, no experience with other guys, Will also has no experience being touched. Will was a little bit of a people pleaser and a giver. It was probably easier for Will to accept touching others than being touched. 

Nico fell onto his back with a groan. 

He'll think of all that later. 

As of now, as he heard the shower going, he was going to enjoy his afterglow. 

Chapter Text

After taking a long shower and managing to leave before Nico could ask him questions, he quickly headed to the auditorium for rehearsal, where Travis was waiting. 

For a good thirty minutes, Travis didn't mention it, which made Will feel on edge. It wasn't until they were told to practice on their own, while they wait for Dylan, that Travis spoke. 

"Did you wash your hands, because I don't wanna touch any-"

"Travis!"

"Or brush your teeth? Did you-"

"Please shut up. And yes, I washed my hands. I also brush my teeth after your nasty mouth touches mine. You're disgusting." 

"Says the guy who stuck his tongue in my mouth."

"I panicked, okay!"

"And that was your first choice?" 

It was a miracle that they could act like lovers when they needed to, but any other time, they acted like children. 

"How's your training with Drew?" Travis asked. While it was helpful, Will felt like he was being bullied, which was probably payback for all the times he argued with them after playing Smash or Pass. It was well deserved if he was being honest. 

"Good," Will answered as Travis pulled him close to dance. There wasn't any music since this was a way for them to get used to being touchy and close. At this point, Will was fine with Travis's hand on his lower back, the space between them damn near non-existent. 

Drew taught him that he had to be flexible, yet graceful. He had to learn how to open his hips and move them, so he wouldn't come across as stiff. Then there were mannerisms he had to learn, Drew mentioning that there is always someone watching you, so present yourself as you want to come across. 

Since Will's character is mostly teasing and seductive, he had to come across as someone who wants male gazes. Expressions, revealing skin, tone of voice; Will was glad he was a guy. 

At least he had gotten his expressions down since it made Nico go crazy, but intentionally trying to be attractive was hard. The first part of the play was literally a game of cat and mouse, and Will had to be the tempting mouse for Travis to want to catch. 

So far, he just looked stupid. 

At least Travis did say he was getting better. 

"From a friendly standpoint," Will said carefully as they moved, "do you think I'm good-looking?" Travis raised an eyebrow. Will always knew when Travis was joking, but didn't know that it was a real insecurity.

"Yeah," Travis answered, which Will wasn't expecting. "Back in high school, you had a few secret admirers, and when you did those surfing competitions, I'm pretty sure some people fell in love with you. I didn't know this was something you questioned." Will shrugged before Travis twirled him around, then pulled him back, his back now against Travis. 

He used to flinch and shy away whenever he had to be close to him, but now, it felt comfortable. Kinda like whenever he platonically cuddled Paolo whenever they were stressed. 

"I never thought about my looks before. Feels kinda selfish and self-absorbed." Will explained.

"I think you're confusing that with self-care. Taking care of yourself is fine, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to look good." Will turned around to face him, Travis keeping his hands on Will's hips. "Though Drew's level of self-care might be a bit excessive." Will quietly laughed before Travis lifted Will's head by his chin, his thumb caressing his cheek. "Natural beauty-wise, you're good." 

Will blushed. He knew Nico would've told him that he was hot, but Will wouldn't have known if Nico was saying that because they were dating. But Travis, who can be as cutthroat as Clarisse, Will knew this had to be the truth. 

"Thanks, Travis."

"No problem." 

Their quiet moment was interrupted by a squeal of excitement. They looked over, realizing nearly everyone was watching as if they were a show, Dylan in front with an excited smile. 

"This play is going to be a hit!" Dylan mumbled with glee. Will quickly let go of Travis; even he was looking bashful. "Alright," Dylan exclaimed excitedly, "Let's get to work!" 

**********

Nico eventually left the couch in a better mood to go see his sister. By the time he showed up, Frank was on the brink of popping a vein while Hazel laughed gleefully. Jason and Percy were there too, but weren't helping Frank's case. 

Nico showing up saved his life. 

Nico greeted them all and ignored Leo's comments about him getting laid to show Hazel and Frank around, eventually going to the on-campus Chick-fil-A for dinner. They spent hours talking and asking questions, which Nico answered to the best of his ability. 

"Will might be able to tell you more than I can. His friend, Lou Ellen, is majoring in Fine Arts. I could give you her number if you wanna chat with her." Nico suggested to Hazel as he pulled out his phone. "And are you still speaking to Clarisse about majoring in Physical Education?" He asked Frank. 

Frank downed the rest of his drink before answering. "Yeah, she said it'll be a good focus for me. She still wants me to join her gym, which she wants to open up one day, but it's still too soon to answer." Nico gave his phone to Hazel so she could get Lou's number. 

"Have you thought about football? I know Percy wants you to join." Nico asked, because maybe Frank was interested. Frank shook his head. 

"He goes to every single one of my games. While it's fun to do in high school, I don't wanna keep doing it in college. It's not something I want to pursue. I don't mind helping other athletes, maybe do physical therapy or something." Frank shrugged, his shirt briefly tightening around his chest. "Better than my dad, who wants me to join the military." 

"You change your mind?" Nico remembered Frank being excited to join before Nico graduated. It was shocking that he didn't want to go now. Frank avoided Nico's gaze, looking at his fries. 

"Even if I go reserve, I, um... don't want to separate from Hazel." It wasn't very comfortable to say out loud, especially in front of Nico. Frank hoped he wasn't coming off as stupid. "I put a lot of thought into it, and Hazel isn't the only reason I changed my mind. My dad, he's pretty strict and... I just don't want to turn out like him, if that makes sense." 

Frank's dad ruled the house like a Sergeant ever since his mother died. Tears weren't allowed to be shed unless there was pain involved. His father pushed him to the brink, physically, basically basic camp every morning. When his hair was growing out, his father personally cut his hair short enough to pass military inspection. The only reason his father allowed football was because the training was equally brutal. Not like Percy knew that. Frank wasn't a fan of sharing his private life, even if they were cousins. 

"It makes sense," Nico said with a smile. Frank shyly looked up and quietly thanked him. Nico looked over at Hazel, who was giggling at something she was looking at. "What are you looking at?" Hazel handed back Nico's phone. 

"Will sent a text that was nothing but emojis. It's so cute how he talks to you." Nico checked the text, which was a bunch of crying emojis, followed by Chinese takeout, a smile, and prayer hands. 

"He's suffering and wants Chinese food from Panda Express." Nico translated. Ever since Will got busy, he would eat quick meals like canned food or noodles if he stayed up too late, before crashing wherever he lay, mostly on Nico's bed, but occasionally his own, or that one time on the couch. 

Nico told him to never do that again and offered to pick something up from the cafeteria that he could eat later. It was simple enough that Nico didn't mind doing it. If Will wasn't rehearsing, he was studying. If not studying, maybe going to his med club or talking to Chiron. 

Even Apollo had commented for Will to take it easy, but apparently, Will didn't know what that meant. He got up to get in line for Panda Express, which was next to Chick-fil-A, getting the usual fried rice, orange chicken, and veggies. Nico didn't want to admit it, but he liked doing these things. Will was already helpful, kind, and considerate, only wanting physical touch as a reward. 

Nico figured gift-giving was his love language since he liked watching Will smile, thank him, then kiss him on the cheek. He shook his head at his own antics while holding the bag with Will's food. He was a fool in love when it came to Will. Nico walked back to the table, beckoning them to follow. 

"Wanna meet Will? He should be getting done soon, but would be too tired for a long chat." Hazel happily nodded while Frank followed behind. Nico explained what Will was doing, the details of the play, to which Hazel asked if she could go see it too.

"Who knows, maybe Dad would want to come." 

Nico grimaced. He couldn't see his father sitting down to a play like that. He decided not to answer, making Hazel chuckle at his displeasure. Nico watched the dying light fade by the time they reached the auditorium, following the signs of where rehearsal was, since the place was so big. 

They could hear them before they entered the theater. They were careful not to make any noise, choosing seats in the very back. Nico scanned the crowd for his blonde boy, spotting him mid-yawn, but content. 

"Again! Page twenty-four. Let's make this our last run through. Will, go back to the podium. Travis, more energy. I get that you're not looking up at him, but pretend. I'm sure you two remembered your lines by now." The director shouted. Travis groaned while Will seemed to mumble something, but moved dutifully to the podium. 

Everyone who wasn't supposed to be on stage sat in the front row, or stood off to the side, Nico spotting Lee not too far away. Travis took a sip of his water while Will leaned on the podium, waiting, letting another yawn out. 

He was definitely going to crash tonight. 

Travis walked to his mark, then gave a thumbs up. 

"Alright. You are walking, looking up to see if you can spot the girl you danced with earlier through a window." Travis acted out what was said, being told to go slower before he stopped in front of Will. "Instead of a woman, you spot a man walking to the balcony. Will, you see Travis below you, amused that you captured his attention." 

Will gave a sly smile, looking at Travis. "Are you lost, stranger?" Will asked, and Nico was surprised that his voice was lighter than his actual voice. Travis waited one beat, then spoke. 

"I'm sorry, I was looking for a lady I had met earlier. Perhaps a sister of yours?" Nico raised an eyebrow. Travis really did sound confused. It came out naturally, which meant he really was a good actor. Will tilted his head. 

"There's no lady here. And my sister is below age, I don't think you met her." Will answered. The director held up three fingers, then two, then one. 

"Perhaps not," Travis walked closer to the podium, "But I do know that the lady I was with, the temptress, is here. I followed her here, hoping to speak to her. Are you saying that lady doesn't exist?" 

"That's what I said. If you wish, you can walk through the front door and search the place yourself. Maybe there's an intruder here that I don't know about." Will offered.

"Or maybe she wasn't a woman at all." Travis combated, though, didn't sound disgusted, but rather interested. He took another step closer to the podium, a step block directly in front of him. 

"Dancing with a man? Sounds silly. How can you confuse a woman for a man?" Will told him, placing his hands on his hips. 

"Well, she never spoke a word to me, only beckoning me with her body and her eyes." Travis took the first step. "Her touch was like fire on my skin, warming me from a coldness I didn't know existed. And her body moved like a serpent, and I was unable to resist." Another step. "Her scent was that of a rose, irresistible, that I must have another sniff. I fear I have fallen in love tonight." Travis took the final step, his hands resting on the podium now. 

"And you wish to believe this was done by a man?" Will asked. Travis leaned in close, Will holding his ground. 

"I only wished to know a name, from man or woman, it holds no matter to me." Travis placed a hand on Will's cheek. "So tell me, my love, what is your name, so I may remember the person who managed to steal my heart." Will leaned in close, their lips close enough to feel each other's breath. 

"Julian, and remember it well, Stranger. From this day forward, you'll never find another to replace the heat you crave." 

"I don't wish to seek another. So please, burn me once more, so I may feel warm again." 

Will and Travis waited for a moment for the director to yell cut, but when that didn't happen, they looked towards the crowd, who were speechless, some with tears in their eyes or fanning themselves. Will even looked at Lee for help, but had his phone out, recording with his mouth open. 

Even Nico was speechless. Putting aside their interactions, that moment spoke acceptance when Travis, well, his character, realized the lady he was searching for was a man, but his love was still the same. The longing, lust, and attraction were thick enough to cut with a knife. 

"Perfect! That was excellent! The emotion, the touching... Hold on to that feeling! Let that guide you throughout the rest of the play. Make the audience feel your feelings and root for you two till the end." Will and Travis thanked him, then listened as the director gave praise and critiques before dismissing them. 

Nico watched them pack up, Will and Travis having a small chat before getting interrupted by Lee. Travis laughed as Will shook his head, then quickly looked towards Nico's direction. 

Will never smiled brighter. 

Will hurried off, waved away his friends before hurrying to Nico, who stood up in time to catch Will's hug. "Nico! How long have you been there? Oh! Did you get me food? I'm starving." Nico handed him the bag, which made Will sigh in relief. "No kiss scenes today," Will told him before giving him a peck on the lips. "Thank you!" 

Nico's face burned, realizing Will hadn't noticed Hazel and Frank. 

He must be starving for him not to notice. 

"Will, hold on. I want you to meet someone." Nico told him. It was only then that Will realized Nico wasn't alone. 

And he kissed Nico in front of them. 

Fortunately, he was too tired to be embarrassed. 

"This is my sister, Hazel, and her boyfriend Frank." Will greeted them happily with a sleepy smile.

"Hi! It’s really nice to meet you," Will said, even shaking Frank's hand.

Hazel and Frank praised him for his performance, which Will shyly accepted.

"Maybe another day we can all hang out when you're less tired," Nico suggested. Will agreed and apologized if he was being rude in some way, then offered to walk them back to their car if they were parked far. Nico rolled his eyes. 

"Will, go to our room and eat. You're tired, hungry, and overworking yourself. They parked near our dorm anyway, and I just wanted you to say hi." Will wanted to argue, but the rumble in his stomach stopped him. 

Yeah, he needed to eat. 

"Alright. Again, it was nice to meet you! Get home safely. I'm leaving now, Nico." Will said, clutching his bag. Nico waved him away, telling Will that he'll be there soon. Three watched Will walk away, only looking back once at Nico. 

"...You're a sucker for him, huh?" Hazel teased. Nico shrugged. 

"You have no idea." 

Chapter Text

Will grew increasingly excited as the days passed, but he felt the looming threat of Thanksgiving drawing closer, like a ticking time bomb. He tried his best to put those worries aside, focusing on homework, class, the play, and Nico. 

Will didn't know if Nico could tell he was getting antsy, but wouldn't be surprised if he did. Nico would often attend Will's rehearsal, timing it so he could pick Will up and either listen to him ramble on or hurry him off to bed.

Well, to Nico's bed. 

Will would often crash in Nico's bed, which always delighted Nico to no end. Will would always feel Nico getting in bed, either pulling Will close or pushing himself against Will if he wanted to be the little spoon. Will would always receive a kiss on the head or cheek, then feel Nico's thumb rub circles on his hand or fingers in his hair until his breathing evened out. 

That was their nightly ritual, one both looked forward to. 

"Your play is tomorrow. Are you excited?" Nico quietly asked. Tonight, Nico was in bed earlier to cuddle against Will, holding him as he scrolled through social media. He frowned when he saw that Jason had changed his status to single, making a mental note to ask what that was about.

"Yeah," Will said quietly. Nico waited for him to add more, but when the silence stretched, he set his phone aside and gave Will his full attention.

"Will, what's going on?" Nico asked. 

Will sighed, pulling the covers up higher to his chin. 

"Remember when I told you about Thanksgiving, going to visit my grandmother?" Nico nodded his head.

"I'm scared. Once the play is over, I only have a few days to prepare before I have to see her. Her, my cousins, Aunts, and Uncles... they aren't all bad, but I know they won't be nice once they find out." Will sat up to properly look at Nico, taking in his brown eyes. 

"My family is a bit conservative. Old school. She's pretty much head of the family. They're not as open-minded, so to speak. My mother is pan, but because she dated mostly men, my grandmother likes to overlook it. She used to be happy when my mother married my father, but then found out he was bi. Let's just say, she believes it was hereditary." Will laid back down, taking in Nico's warmth. 

"Coming out to them... She's going to be pissed." Nico sat up. He knew Will was growing anxious, but thought it had something to do with the play. He didn't like that Will was frightened to go home, of dreading being around his family.  

It's not like he can fight Will's family if they overstep... could he?

"What if I went with you?" Nico suggested. 

Will blinked, turning his head slowly to look at Nico. "What?"

"What if I went with you?" Nico repeated, more firmly this time. "If they try to say anything, I'll be there. You won’t be alone."

Will sat up fully now, blanket sliding into his lap. He stared at Nico, his mouth opening and closing like he didn’t know where to start. "Nico… you can't just… meet my entire family like that." His voice cracked, and he groaned, dragging his hands over his face. "It would be so embarrassing to get told off in front of you."

"They won't. Let them try." Nico’s tone was sharp, but not directed at Will. He softened it quickly, reaching for Will’s hand under the covers, lacing their fingers. "I mean it. You're brilliant, kind… mine. They don’t get to take that away from you all because they don't agree with who you're attracted to." 

Will's throat tightened, his eyes stinging. 

He didn't have to go alone? 

"You'd really come with me for Thanksgiving?" Will quietly asked. Nico smiled, removing the blanket to straddle Will. 

"Yeah, I've been through worse things than passive-aggressive relatives," Nico said with a shrug. He kissed Will softly, feeling a little satisfied when he felt Will's hands on his waist. "Trust me when I say, figuring shit out on your own sucks and makes everything else worse." 

"Experience?" 

Nico shrugged. He didn't want to get into it... not now. "Yeah, mess me up a bit," Nico admitted. He gave Will another kiss, watching the blush spread across his face. "I don't want you going through that." 

Another kiss. 

"And if you start feeling confused, I can always remind you why you fell for me in the first place." 

Another kiss. 

"And if you're feeling brave, I can give you more reasons to stay with me." 

"Nico," Will said carefully, trying to keep his hands above Nico's hips. "What are you doing?" Nico smirked, kissing down Will's jaw. 

"Kissing you," Nico answered lightly, sneaking his hands underneath Will's night shirt. "Helping you feel better." Nico pressed a kiss to Will's neck, his teeth lightly grazing Will's skin. "Is it working?" Will groaned, his fingers grazing Nico's waistband of his boxers. 

"Yeah, but no marks," Will warned. "Because of the play tomorrow." 

"Fine, but do you want me to stop?" Nico asked. Will swallowed, accepting Nico's distraction because it was too good to resist. With Nico firmly proclaiming that he was coming with, thanksgiving didn't seem so scary. 

"Nico..." he started, but shivered when Nico's hands grazed his ribs, slowly lifting his shirt higher and higher. 

"Do you want me to stop, Will?" Nico murmured against his ear. Will shook his head, heat rushing through him. No matter how many times he kissed Travis, it never felt like this. Kissing Travis felt like a handshake, an action that didn't mean anything at all. 

Kissing Nico always lit a fire inside of him, and he has yet to figure out how to extinguish it. 

"No." 

That was all Nico needed. He greedily claimed Will's mouth, taking Will's breath away. Will moaned, clutching Nico's hips as it pressed against his own; the only thing separating them was their boxers. Nico's hands were sure as his hand found its way to Will's nipple, swallowing a whimper as he played Will like a fiddle. 

Will's hands were still hesitant, trying not to cross any boundaries, even if there weren't any. So, Nico decided to be bold for both of them, teasing Will's nipple one last time before tracing his fingers to Will's clothed cock. 

"Nico..." Will pleaded, his voice shaking. Nico pulled back just enough to look Will in the eyes, loving the lust that was swirling in Will's blue eyes. 

"Tell me to stop, and I will." 

Will swallowed hard, softly shaking his head. "Don't stop." 

If only. 

Nico moved Will so he was lying on his back, moving himself to settle in between Will's legs. "Be careful telling me that, or I might follow through in ways you hadn't imagined. You also have your play tomorrow." Nico reminded him as he slid Will's boxers off. Will bucked at the coldness, his eyes staying on Nico. 

"I'll do what I can, give you a happy ending you won't regret." Nico laid between Will's legs, then kissed Will's inner thighs to Will's length. Will's breath labored, his cock stiffening when he felt Nico's breath against the tip of his cock.

"As for marks, I'll make sure it'll be somewhere no one will ever find them." Nico licked the wet pearl resting on top of Will's cock, earning a sharp gasp. Almost from instinct, Will spread his legs further, giving Nico full access. 

"Thank you, Angel." Nico praised. 

Will froze, not expecting the pet name or the thrill that shot through him, but he didn't have time to process before Nico's mouth was on him, erasing any thought or worries. For now, he only hoped he wasn't being loud. 

*************

Jason arrived the next day at Nico's room, just in time to see Nico get kicked out of his bedroom. Nowadays, Nico was always sporting a big smile when it came to Will, even now, while Will was yelling behind the door about Nico being insatiable and "a fucking sex demon," then telling Nico that he was banned from calling him any petnames. 

"C'mon, Angel isn't that bad. It's fitting!" 

"Shut the fuck up, Nico, or I'll stay with Cecil tonight!" 

Like an old married couple. 

"Hey, Will!" Jason greeted, just so Will knew he was here. Will quickly open the door, eyes wide with panic. 

"Are you here with a complaint?" Will asked. Jason tilted his head in confusion. 

"No, why?" Other than loud music and a couple of pranks, he hadn't received a complaint. Nico smirked and winked at Will, looking pretty smug. 

"I told you that no one heard you, but let's try to get a noise complaint next time." 

Will glared at him before slamming the door shut. 

"What was that about?" Jason asked. Nico waved the question away, deciding Will had enough teasing. Besides, what happened last night was only for him to know, and the proof of it was all over Will's inner thighs. 

Will could hide the hickies just fine, but he was mostly shocked at how many there were. Then Will was embarrassed that he had his dick sucked, and Nico swallowed. The horror on his face was comical. 

But Will's biggest issue was being called Angel or babe, nearly causing Will to make a banned words list of his own... not that Nico would listen since Will was his boyfriend. If being called Angel makes Will pop a boner, Nico would happily take responsibility for that. 

"Ignore him, he's just being a brat," Nico told him. Jason decided to drop it as they left the room, heading out of the dorm. "I don't have any morning classes, just that I have to be at the library picking out source material for an essay. I asked to have more online source materials, but I need to pick out one book, at least." Nico was not looking forward to picking out a decent book. Thankfully, the assignment wasn't due until after Thanksgiving, but he did want to have a good head start. 

"I can help out if you like later," Jason offered, and Nico thanked him. "Starbucks?" Nico nodded, already heading in that direction.

Now, Nico's first sign of Jason trying to kiss his butt was when Jason paid for his drink and three cake pops. Nico thanked him, not thinking much of it. His second sign was when Jason offered to take Nico out to McDonald's later and to get a bouquet for Will during lunch. Nico side-eyed him, but thanked him because he did want to give Will flowers after his performance. Nico's final sign was when he was waiting for his drink, scrolling through Instagram, and remembered Jason had changed his status. 

"Oh, what happened between you and Piper?" Nico asked, and Jason stiffened. 

And that's how Nico figured out Jason was hiding something. 

"Uh, we broke up. It wasn't messy but.. uh, we figured out that we have... different tastes, I guess." Jason tried to explain. Nico wasn't buying it. 

"That better not be a sorry excuse for one of y'all cheating." 

"No, I'm being serious!" Jason hurriedly said, putting his hands up. "We still love each other, we just... fancy other people. Piper wants to be more serious with her girlfriend, who is nice by the way, and I... uh, am thinking." 

"Jason Grace, what does that mean?" Nico interrogated. Jason was granted a bit of grace when Nico's name was called to get his drink and cake pops, but he avoided Nico's gaze as he headed back. He let Nico get a couple of sips of his drink, hoping that would calm him down, but Nico's glare was burning a hole into his head. 

So once they were in a more open space where Nico couldn't kill him, he decided to confess. 

"Nico, you know I view you as my little brother-"

"Jason spill," Nico demanded. 

"I slept with a guy... multiple times." Nico blinked, expecting something crazy and outlandish. Jason sleeping with guys... well, it was shocking, but better than him cheating, considering he was in an open relationship. 

"Oh, okay. That's not bad. So, you slept with a guy and want to pursue that relationship? If Piper is fine, then I don't have a problem." Nico said with a shrug. Jason sighed in relief. "What? You thought I would get mad if you slept with guys? I can't believe you felt comfortable telling your ex, but not me." 

"It wasn't that part I was afraid of telling you," Jason mumbled, but Nico didn't hear it as he slurped his drink. He was glad his friend came out to him. 

"Also, if you need help getting with this guy, ask Leo. I hate to admit it, but he's pretty good about relationship advice. Whenever you're ready, I would like to meet him. Maybe we can go on a double date." Nico said happily. Jason gave a nervous laugh. 

"You already met him," Jason said carefully. Nico pulled out one of his cake pops, slightly distracted. 

"When?" Nico asked, not able to think of someone new Jason had introduced to him. "Who is it?" 

"...Leo?" Jason watched Nico drop his jaw and his drink, slightly surprised that the cakepops were safe. "We're not together, we're just sleeping with each other! Piper figured it out first, and she said I should pursue him. Turns out I might be Demi-"

"LEO?!?!" Nico shouted. Jason tried to cover his mouth, but Nico invaded his hand. "Like, Leo Valdez? Oh shit, did he seduce you with those steps he told me to use on Will? Is he fucking you?" Nico quickly eyed Jason up and down. "Nah, you're definitely bending his small ass." 

"Nico-"

"When did this happen? How long had this been going on?"

"Nico-"

"Did you ditch me for him or meet me after you fuck him? I know it's been colder lately, but were you actually hiding marks, you whore?!" Jason chuckled, but nodded, earning a gasp. Nico was being dramatic. 

"Are you done?" Jason asked. 

"Hell no! You owe me another drink, twice as many cake pops, and fuck that double date idea." Nico proclaimed. Jason rolled his eyes and smiled, accepting his fate, guiding Nico back to Starbucks. 

"Are you at least happy for me?" Jason prompted. Nico scoffed, but eventually nodded. 

"Yeah, I guess. Give me a week before you come to me for any advice." Nico stated. "The Spanish thing... was that-"

"Yeah, every time Leo came by to help me with Spanish, I fucked him." 

Nico proceeded to cuss him out in Italian, making Jason laugh. 

Regardless of Nico being a drama queen, after receiving more cake pops and a new drink, Nico gave Jason a pop, wishing him genuine luck. Jason thanked him with a blush, and Nico decided not to mention it. 

Chapter Text

Will spent most of the day getting ready for the play. He took time to look over his script in between classes, practiced a few lines he was shaky with, then headed to the auditorium after a shower to physically get ready. He had to sit still as he got extensions in his hair, making his head slightly heavier, and a bit of makeup done. 

He watched the people around him move around each other, setting the stage, checking costumes, and checking lights and mics. It was exciting, but also made him nervous. He hoped his voice wouldn't crack or that he wouldn't forget a line. 

He gripped the script in his hands. 

He took this role on a whim to learn about himself. His character, now named Elias, was a natural flirt who enjoyed freedom. He liked going to parties, most of the time dressing as a woman to tease other men and prevent any engagements. He was a wild spirit who didn't want to be tied down by marriage, didn't care for reputation either. 

All of that changed when he met Travis's character, Gabriel. 

Elias's wild heart was tamed by Gabriel's gentleness and want. It made Elias want a different type of freedom, one filled with love and happiness. Will understood it the more he played the part. 

He wasn't a natural flirt, but he understood the attraction towards the men. Just as Elias teased men, Will liked toying with the idea of being with men... well, fictional men. Playing as Elias helped him accept that men were attractive to him. He liked pecs more than breasts, the hardness of a man rather than the softness of a woman. He would rather grind against a man, tease him while being touched, than touch a woman's rear and grind against her. 

He still found women attractive; he would absolutely let Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, or Megan Thee Stallion use him up, but if asked, he would choose to let Chris Evans ram him first. 

In other words, he was more gay leaning just as Elias was. 

Elias knew one day he would have to settle down, get married, and have kids, just as Will thought his life would go, but he avoided it as much as he could. Will avoided the thought of relationships by focusing on his career. But just as Gabriel showed up in Elias's life, Nico showed up in Will's. 

They both gave another route that neither Will nor Elias thought was available; being with a man, loving a man, and pursuing the same type of relationship equal to a straight couple. 

Sadly, only one of them had a happy ending... Will hoped it would end happily at least. After the play, he and Nico will be official boyfriends, not like Will wanted to test around with other guys, even though Nico gave him the option. 

After the play, he would only be kissing Nico, loving him, touching him, and receiving the same from Nico. The thought excited him, but made him nervous. He didn't want to accidentally cheat. Is looking at a girl or smiling at one cheating? Would he be allowed to work with a woman? Will had read Reddit stories about people having work wives and work husbands, whatever that meant. 

He didn't want to upset Nico in any way. 

Was being in a relationship this stressful? 

The phone buzzed in his pocket, making him jump. He let go of his rumpled script to pull out his phone. 

Paolo💕: Break a leg, but not literally! Can't wait to see you on stage!

Lou💫: You're gonna do great! I'm going with Cecil, Drew, and Paolo. We'll be watching!

Leo💥: I got an up close seat! Rooting for ya, bud!

Apollo❤️: Your mother is coming down to see you and meet Nico. We'll be heading back with her around Thanksgiving, but don't think about that! Love you! Break a leg!

Nico🥵: Knowing you, you're overthinking something and panicking for no reason. You'll be fine, we'll be fine, and you're going to do great. Lee got me tickets up close, but I'm not telling you where. 

Nico🥵: I'm looking forward to seeing you, Angel. 

Will's face was on fire, his heart racing just from reading the texts. He had the best friends, family, and boyfriend, and they were going to see him up there. Other than that one time of Nico being jealous, not once had Nico shown that he was controlling, never badmouthed Travis, and had been nothing but supportive while knowing Will was kissing another guy. 

He was worried for nothing, and even if he did have worries, he could ask Nico to clarify their relationship. Will couldn't stop the smile growing on his face as he sent a text back to Nico. 

Will🌹: I wanna kiss you so badly.

It took about ten seconds for Nico to respond, making him chuckle.

Nico🥵: Be there in five!

**************

Nico got kicked out from backstage as Travis accused Will of cheating, Lee was laughing his ass off, and Will looked relaxed and happy before they gave Nico the boot. 

He just about had enough of getting kicked out, already planning on locking a door the next time he catches Will alone. With an hour to spare, Nico left to get Will's flowers and to get properly dressed since Lee had notified him that Will's mother was coming. 

He had to at least look decent for Will's mother, figuring the bad boy look might be a bit much this time. So he was going for soft and sweet, going for a nice button-up and slacks. He Facetimed Piper just to make sure he looked nice, who told him to lose the tie and button his sleeves. Managing his hair was the hard part; his hair fought tooth and nail to stick out, so Piper told him to come by so she could do it for him. 

For a good ten minutes, Piper trimmed up his hair while Drew judged him, but complimented him on his cologne choice. Piper asked if Nico wanted to leave his hair out, but Drew told him to put half up since Will mostly liked it that way, but leave some to cover his ears since it was cold. 

Nico quickly learned Will gushes about him and his gold clip, which he had found cute. He put one in for the hell of it. He grabbed his bouquet of blue and white roses, which Percy praised when he first saw them, and met Lee out front so he could meet Will's mother first before the show starts. 

"It was a good thing you came by earlier, Will is fired up now," Lee told him as they arrived. The doorway was plenty crowded, making Nico nervous for Will. 

"Was he that nervous?" Nico asked as they waited in line. 

"More or less. He has been hyper-focusing on the play for the past few days, and I think Thanksgiving is playing a part in that. You know how he is." Lee told him. 

"Can't you send a text and be done with it?" Nico suggested. He didn't understand why Will had to go in person if it was making him this afraid. 

"Will wants a final goodbye. Trust me, I don't understand it either, but Will wants to see them and enjoy the holiday before having to cut them off. I think a part of him is hoping they would accept him." Lee explained with a shrug. "Just be there before he crashes. I heard you were going. I think that's the right move." 

Nico stayed quiet, thinking about what he could do for Will once there. They wouldn't be able to be as hands-on as they are now, and Nico wouldn't be able to kiss him whenever to help him feel better. On the other hand, there was something exciting about hiding their relationship. 

They could kiss behind closed doors and find a place to have a moment to themselves. One way or another, he wasn't going to go a day without kissing Will. 

"How's Will's mother?" Nico asked. 

"You'll love her. Warning you now that she's gonna hug you. I don't know if we'll be able to find them, though. I wasn't expecting a big audience. Since it's a student-directed show, the performance is supposed to be only one night, but if it's doing this well, they might add another night." 

Nico remembered Will mentioning how Dylan was promoting the play. He would put up flyers, tell clubs to spread the word, but he mentioned one time he had to walk around in his costume with Travis on campus. Nico was at the library at the time, but Will was glad Nico wasn't there. 

His precious angel thought that if Nico saw him that day, he probably wouldn't be a virgin, as if Nico didn't have any self-control. Granted, it might be true, but Will didn't have to call him out on it. 

Well, he did get a handful of Will's rear when he kissed him, part of the reason why he got kicked out. 

Will had a nice butt. 

Sue him. 

Anyway, whatever he and Travis did attracted big attention and talk. Will had to do it two more times, and specifically did it when Nico was busy. 

Rude as hell, but whatever. 

At least tonight, he was going to see him on stage, and if the outfit was that bad, Nico was definitely going to drag Will back to their room and really try to receive a noise complaint. 

Okay... maybe he didn't have any self-control. 

"We are going to see them just because of that dumb look on your face," Lee decided. That wasn't the reason, and Nico knew, but still called him a cockblocker. Lee placed a hand on his chest, acting dramatic. "Yes, because no one is going to defile my baby brother on my watch! Instead of bending him over, you should be doing the bending!" 

"I'd be happy to. Ass up any day he wants." 

Lee choked out a laugh as Nico smirked.  

Benefits of being a switch. 

"Oh my gosh! Damn, alright, you win. Oh, I feel sorry for Will when that day comes." Lee said, catching his breath. Nico handed his tickets of admission, then followed Lee throughout the building. They briefly stopped at concessions for a snack, Nico catching Jason and Leo not too far away...

With Percy and Annabeth. 

Nico was still trying to figure out how to cuss Leo out for fucking his friend while making sure not to reveal Jason's affections for him. He was happy for them, truly was, but as a good friend, Nico was obligated to cuss them out. 

It was simply how life worked. 

Nico left them be, as he grabbed his drink and snack before heading to their seats. They were up close, a little off to the side because Nico didn't want to be directly in front. He didn't know if his presence would mess Will up, so it was better to be hidden a bit. 

Nico checked his phone; the play was starting in ten minutes. 

Angel😇: Are you here? Holy fuck, there are so many people!

Vampire😈: Yeah, I'm here, but don't worry about where I'm at. Just focus on what you have to do. 

Angel😇: Hon, you're the only one with a gold clip in your hair. You might as well have an IM HERE sign on top of your head.

Nico placed his phone down, embarrassed, and refused to figure out where Will was looking from. He didn't think about the lights reflecting off his clips, so he was pretty much wearing a beacon. 

...

Vampire😈: I hope you fuck up. Fuck you!

Nico decided he was done talking to Will, knowing somewhere backstage, Will was laughing his ass off. 

Chapter Text

Up on stage was Elias, not Will. It was strange to see Will play a part that wasn't like himself, or maybe it was. Elias argued with his father about the future, about marriage and duty, about being forced to carry a family name. The young man's defiance was fiery, but the audience could feel the weight of expectation pressing down.

When the father insisted Elias meet the mayor's daughter to arrange a marriage, Elias fought back in the only way he could: by disguising himself as a woman, slipping out while keeping his face hidden.  

The scene changed, the music shifted, the lights softened, and Nico found himself holding his breath. Will- no, Elias, moved across the stage in costume, dancing with other men until Travis entered as Gabriel.

"Who is that?" Gabriel asked, sounding breathless, captivated by beauty. 

"Ellie, she's a temptress. I'd be careful with that one." One answered.

Will's every movement was deliberate, each step teasing, each glance daring. He moved away from his dance partner, eyes catching Travis's, inviting him closer with nothing but his body. The sway of his hips, the tilt of his shoulders revealing skin; every motion screamed seduction, and yet it was perfectly controlled. You would forget that a man was playing the role. 

The scene of them meeting was nothing but sexual tension. Even the way Travis touched him with need made Nico shiver. They quietly danced to the music, seemingly speaking a language only they could understand. Travis, seemingly hypnotized, touched all that he could, silently claiming the temptress as his own. Travis came in for a kiss, and it was only then that Will moved away, not exactly saying no, but silently saying Not here. 

He walked away, glancing back once at Travis, beckoning him. Almost in a trance, Travis followed, ignoring his friends in favor of the beautiful woman whom he didn't think was a man. The scene ended, the air in the theater thick with unspoken desire.

Nico exhaled without realizing he had been holding his breath. He could see why Will had been so nervous about him watching; he probably thought it would feel like cheating. But Nico couldn’t bring himself to regret it, not even a little. Every second of watching Will move like that, owning the stage and the attention, made him fall for him harder.

Even as Will’s performance carried on, watching Will's character fall in love with Travis's character, Nico felt secure. They weren’t official yet, but the loyalty and love they shared were undeniable. He just hoped Will didn’t feel guilty for this, because Nico loved every second of it.

**************

Nico remembered this scene, the scene Will practiced with him to confess, when they had their first kiss. It was different from the way they practiced, the lines a bit different, but it still held the same climax. 

"I hear you're getting married," Gabriel announced as he approached Elias. "Congratulations are in order."

Elias let out a humorless laugh, looking back at the man who held his heart. "If that's true, keep it to yourself. I don't wish to be married, nor do I ever want to. I'd rather be dead."  

"Never?" Gabriel asked softly, placing a hand on Elias's face. Elias, so used to the contact, welcomed it. "Not even if I asked you to marry me?" 

Elias chuckled at the cruel joke, but Gabriel's eyes were serious. "Don't speak of things like that," Elias whispered, moving closer. "But you know my answer if it were possible." 

"I wish to hear it. Say it so I know for sure." Gabriel softly demanded, his gaze gentle. 

"There's no use in pointless words with no meaning. Even if I were to answer, what then? Dreams are nothing more than pointless fantasies, and a marriage between us is one of them." Elias spoke, his frustration evident. 

Above them, the lights dimmed. Stars lit up across the ceiling, and the backdrop seemed to glow. The audience gasped softly, enchanted, but stayed quiet as the two men continued.

"How about wishes? Are those pointless, too?" Gabriel asked with a soft smile. "I heard if you wish upon a star, it may come true." 

"A lie told to children," Elias mumbled, but found the thought beautiful. 

"Would you wish upon a star for our love? For a long and happy relationship with me?" Gabriel asked, his hands sliding down to Elias's hips. 

"No, I wouldn't," Elias answered, but Gabriel didn't believe it. 

"Why not? Do you not want to be with me?" 

"Of course I do! It's silly to wish for it on a shooting star." 

"Humor me. Let me hear you say it." 

"No, I can't," Elias whispered, shaking his head. 

"Please?" Gabriel begged, but Elias still shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "Elias, is it silly to wish to be with me? To have me as your own?" 

"It's cruel for you to have me say it when you know it can't come true!" Elias cried, pushing Gabriel away. "I want nothing more but to be with you, however that would look. I want to be your husband, your love, yours, but if I so much as utter those words, I know it won't come true!" Elias wiped his eyes. "Even if I wish for that, and if stars grant wishes, it still won't come true."

Gabriel took his crying love by the waist, then kissed his head. "Try," Gabriel whispered. Elias calmed his hiccups as he looked Gabriel in the eyes. Elias wanted to say it was a waste of breath, but found himself closing his eyes. 

"I wish to be with my love for all of eternity," Elias said quietly before opening his eyes. Hardly any space was in between them, only a short distance to Gabriel's lips. " I love you, Gabriel." 

Gabriel kissed him then, desperate as if that was all he needed. Elias was equally the same, his arms holding Gabriel as if he might disappear. 

The crowd gasped, and some even cheered, the air electric. It was almost indecent, the kiss so raw and real. Nico watched, understanding, but then looked away once he felt himself get jealous. 

He wanted Will to kiss him like that, desperate and needy. Nico shook his head. Will was still new to intimacy, slowly learning thanks to Nico. That display on stage was just acting, nothing but a show for the audience. 

Nico was silently grateful Will did brush his teeth after his rehearsals, now knowing he had been practicing that kiss. He looked back once Will and Travis separated. 

"I'll make sure your wish will come true, whether in this life or the next. I'll make sure you're mine for eternity." Gabriel smiled, then took Elias by the hand. "Come with me!"

"Where to?" Elias asked, but allowed Gabriel to pull him. 

"To get married!" Gabriel said happily. 

"No one will wed us." 

"I have someone. He's waiting." Gabriel kissed Elias's hand, happy beyond words. "With God as my witness, you will be my husband, and you will be mine tonight. Come, marry me. Make me the happiest man on earth, and allow me to love you properly." 

Elias blushed, then smiled. Only his love can somehow make this happen. Laughing with excitement, they ran off to get married, unaware of the danger ahead. 

Nico clapped as the room darkened, listening to the cheering around him. Lee, smiling big, leaned over to whisper to Nico. 

"Will had a hard time doing this scene since it was so passionate and emotional. Travis told him to think of you while doing this scene. Guess how quickly Will got it since then?" 

Nico's face felt hot. Will thought of him during this scene? Does that mean Will wanted to do that with him? Proclaim their love for each other? Nico lowered his head to hide his smile, his heart full. Regardless of what happens on that stage, Will was still his, and the thought brought immense love for his precious angel.

*********

It was getting closer to the end, and things weren't looking so good.

After marrying Gabriel, Elias abandoned his family for a few days, spending his time making love with Gabriel, enjoying being married. Doing so, he missed an important meeting with the mayor and his daughter, causing anger amongst the families, and Elias's father demanded that he be found. 

That night, when Elias and Gabriel went to the chapel, a simpleton spoke to the father about seeing Elias, which led to the interrogation of the priest. The priest held strong, even under the threat of death, but once family was involved, he cracked, only sharing a little. 

Elias was already married off, but the priest wouldn't say who, saying he didn't know the name of the spouse. The simpleton, a snitch, said that Elias was with a man. Elias's father grilled the Priest more, but he insisted that he didn't know the name of the man. 

But the damage was already done. 

When Elias finally arrived back home, his father had him arrested, but only to scare him into revealing the man he had married. Elias kept his mouth shut, offering to spend more time in jail, but an accusation was all they had. 

They had no proof. 

So they spread the rumor that Elias would be put to death, an empty rumor... But Gabriel didn't know that. Once Gabriel was captured, he was angry, boasting that Elias's body, heart, and soul belonged to him. That he had tampered with something beautiful and made it his own. He declared his love so that Elias would be viewed as a victim of his advances. 

Elias refused to agree to that.

He was thrown out of jail, and Gabriel replaced him. 

"Gabriel! Let go of me! Gabriel!" 

Nico's heart hurt to hear Will scream like that, a part of him wanting to go up and soothe him. The crowd was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. No one was eating, most holding their breath as Will's pleas faded. 

Everyone was waiting for a happy ending, but this was inspired by Romeo and Juliet.

Elias begged for help from the priest, but he had to protect his family. He begged his friends, but they avoided him. As a last-ditch effort, Elias begged the officer, offering that he and Gabriel would leave, disappear from the face of the planet. 

He begged for exile. 

And the Officer agreed. 

He was granted a few minutes with Gabriel, allowing them to speak, but the bars kept them separated. "I spoke to the officer, Gabriel, and he agreed to exile us. We'll be together soon!" Elias told him, grateful to finally touch his husband. Gabriel smiled, but didn't believe it. Still, he allowed Elias to be hopeful. 

"Not once have I regretted being with you. Even behind bars, my love still burns for you. I only regret not fulfilling your wish." Gabriel said softly, taking in Elias's face. Still so beautiful, his fingers brushing through Eilas's blonde hair. 

"You can and you will. In this life, we'll live a long life full of happiness and love. I'll give you everything and will continue to do so for the rest of my life." Elias stated. 

"Or the next life," Gabriel reminded. Elias shook his head. "No matter what, I'll be searching for you. If you are a flower, I'll be your butterfly. If you are a dog, I'll be your owner. No matter what, I'll love you for eternity." 

They kissed between the cold bars, and that was when Elias was told to leave. Once outside, the officer told him that they would need to die to vanish, to make sure Elias's family would never search for him again. Given hope with the idea of faking their deaths, then escaping during the night, Elias packed a bag. He hid it outside, then acted like the perfect son. 

He was bewitched, listened to the devil's tongue, and fell victim to it. He apologized for his actions and accepted the next marriage proposal, if anyone wished to have him. 

"I'm glad you came to your senses. To ensure your future and prevent any future accidents, we are going to have a private event. That boy, Gabriel, will be put to death. This ridiculous notion of you marrying a man will be buried tonight. Do you understand?" 

Elias nodded like a good boy, then left. He quietly received a poison from the officer that would mimic death, which even a doctor would declare him dead if he were examined. Elias thanked him, then updated Gabriel. Looking at Elias's bright smile, Gabriel didn't have the heart to tell him it was all a lie. 

He wanted his last view to be of Elias's smiling. 

Nico quietly watched, even feeling hopeful that maybe this play would have a happier ending than Shakesphere's tragedy. At this point, watching them get exiled would be a happier ending. 

But Nico looked at the disaster on stage. Travis was on his knees, bound and gagged, slightly beaten, but his head was held high. Will was playing the role of a good son, but glancing at Travis, his eyes full of hope.

Tonight would be their final night apart, then they could be together.  

All they had to do was fake their death for their freedom. 

It was a simple plan. 

But Nico flinched as he heard a bang, a gun going off, and Will's screams made him cry. 

Elias shouted, not to act for his father, but because Gabriel, his husband, got shot in the head, and was dead by the time he hit the floor. "NO! Gabriel! Gabriel!" 

He raced over to hold his limp body, crying for him to wake up. Gabriel's death wasn't fake. The illusion of hope was shattered in that instance. 

"If you wish to hold a man, let it be a dead man." Elias's father spat. Elias looked at the officer, now understanding that he had been tricked. 

"We would have left! You told me you wouldn't kill him! We just wanted to love each other!" Elias cried. 

"Hush now, child," Elias's father demanded, paying the officer. "You should be thanking the man. You're free. And as my son, I had already set up the arrangement to marry you off. Exile was not an option for you." 

Elias turned away, crying onto Gabriel's body, feeling the warmth leaving. Elias's father and family left to celebrate, leaving the Officer and Elias alone. 

"If you wish for a way out, that vial will do just fine. All it takes is a drop. If you can't live life correctly, then drink the whole damn thing." 

The scene faded out with Will's cries, apologizing to Gabriel for his naivety. To be honest, Nico was surprised there was one more scene, the stage holding two areas. One was where the family was celebrating with wine, and the other was a dark bedroom, Travis lying still on the bed. 

The family's cheerfulness didn't match the audience's mood. Some were crying, but overall, everyone was silent. Will appeared with a bottle of wine, quietly serving, then pouring himself a glass, but never drank it. He watched everyone talk, making sure everyone had a sip, even the officer who was paid handsomely for a job well done, and the mayor, hoping the officer would get promoted. 

Will never looked so serious, so... defeated. His long hair was a hot mess, and Will was still wearing clothes with 'blood' smeared over them. Will lifted his glass, then down what Nico assumes was actually grape juice, catching the family's attention. 

 "I want to thank you, Father, for giving me peace. I never felt better than I do right now." Elias smiled, and it was unsettling. "He's waiting for me, searching for me, and I don't want to keep him waiting." 

"Enough of that talk, boy. Once you have your marriage night, you'll forget all about him." The father claimed, sounding a bit drunk as he laughed with the other men in the room.

Elias's smile widened, almost cruel. "I already had my marriage night. I gave him my body, and he treated me tenderly-"

"Shut up about-"

"No!" Elias shouted. "You are going to listen! He was more of a man than every single one of you combined in this damn room, and I loved every second of it!" Elias smiled sadistically. "He defiled this body, tainted my heart and soul, and claimed it as his own. I was like a woman in heat." 

"Enough!" The father shouted as he stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, but stumbled, holding his chest. Others around the table began to panic, some coughing as others fell to the floor. 

"All we wanted was to leave and never show our face here ever again. Was that too much to ask?" Elias mumbled, closing his eyes. "We met at a party, and I seduced him as a joke. Once he figured out his temptress was me, a man, he still wished to kiss me. He chased after my heart and gave me love I will never experience again." 

Elias stood up, but grabbed the table for balance, watching his father fall to his knees. "That night, when the sky was lit up by stars shooting across the sky, he asked for my love and devotion. I wished to be with him for eternity, and he promised to grant my wish. My love, my darling husband, is waiting for me in the next life." 

Elias walked away from the table, his steps a bit wobbly. Surrounded by gasps and groans, Elias looked at the Officer, who was wheezing in pain. "You all should thank the officer for giving me freedom. Only a drop, correct?" Elias smirked as he looked at the suffering officer. "I wanted to share it. If my love isn't allowed, then your hatred is forbidden. If any of you see me in your next life, do me a favor, and stay away from us." 

Elias coughed, feeling his chest hurt. 

"I'm coming, Gabriel. Forgive me for this." 

The stage darkened as the Father weakly called out for Elias, eventually quieting. The bedroom lit up, and Travis appeared more clearly, unmoving. Will wandered in, barely able to stand on his feet. He stumbled to the bed, then weakly climbed on.  

"I'm sorry for taking so long. Please don't be upset." Elias adjusted so he was lying next to Gabriel, a hand resting on his chest. "I hope... you will find me in our next life. I'll wait for you." Elias leaned up and pressed a light kiss to Gabriel's lips. "I love you. I hope whoever finds us," Elias laid his head on Gabriel's chest, then closed his eyes, "will keep us together." 

The stage went black, signifying Elias's death. 

Applause thundered, as Nico sat stunned. He wanted to scream at the play for ending it like this, which was crueler than the death of Romeo and Juliet. He was impressed with Will's performance, the person who captured the audience's heart and shattered it. He wanted to find Will and give him a better ending. 

They weren't Gabriel and Elias, and their story was going to end happier. Once they get past Thanksgiving, if Will breaks into pieces, he'll be there to put him back together. 

Chapter Text

After the cast took their final bow and the curtains fell, Nico slipped into the busy current of people leaving, making his way backstage. He clutched the bouquet in his hands, holding it close as if it were fragile glass. 

His heart was racing with a heavy feeling of love, a need growing to see him right this second. Backstage, buzzed with joy and relief, they were glad the performance was over, while shaking off the heavy tension of having eyes watching them. Nico looked around, trying his best to search him out. 

It wasn't until he was pointed towards a crowd huddling did he saw Will, still in half costume, standing next to Travis, who was grinning like a fool, and Dylan glowing with pride. 

A man in a sleek suit stood with them, surrounded by the rest of the cast. Nico figured he was the talent scout since he was the only one back here looking professional. 

"Remarkable! The chemistry, the raw emotion... That finale? Broadway material. I haven't seen a student's performance with such daring acts of love, lust, hatred, and heartbreak!" The man's voice carried over the crowd of people that was straightening up. 

The man praised Dylan, promising to keep in contact, making the guy smile with excitement. He then turned to Travis, praising the way he portrayed a man who had fallen at first glance, an ideal man many had fallen in love with tonight. 

When he turned to Will, he first asked if he had a female understudy. When Will answered no, the scout expressed awe at how Will took on the role of Elias. First, how he made the crowd lust for him with the way he moved while hiding his face. Then the transition from a lustful, cold being to a foolish man in love. 

When he was handed a card, Will denied it, explaining that he only performed as a hobby, for his club, not because he wanted to pursue a career in acting. Once the talent scout left, Dylan thanked them for a job well done. It was only then that Will looked around, searching, before his eyes landed on Nico, a shy smile on his face. When dismissed, Will ran over, quickly hugging Nico as if he wanted to do that all day. 

"You were incredible," Nico mumbled against Will's ear, one arm holding while his other kept the flowers from being crushed. Will whined, pulling Nico closer as if he could hide within him. 

"I can't believe I did that in front of people," Will said before backing away just enough to look at Nico's face, his arms resting on Nico's shoulders. "You're not mad, right? Can we be official now?" Nico's heart thumped harder, louder, and he wondered if Will noticed. 

"Is that all you've been thinking this entire time?" Nico asked, watching Will's cheeks flush as he nodded, then ducking his head. 

"I was worried you might... I have been kissing Travis all night, and you saw all of that. I didn't want you to get mad and... not want me anymore." Will explained. He could honestly say he doesn't remember half the things he did, only focusing on the people on stage and catching cues. He tried his best not to look at the crowd, not to search for Nico after kissing Travis so many times. 

He was afraid to see Nico angry. 

Nico took in his angel, who still had extensions in his hair and makeup on his face, but tears pooled in his eyes as his hands shook, holding onto him. He didn't make things official because he wanted Will to do what he wanted, maybe figure out if he truly wanted to be with Nico, or just be with a man in general. 

Maybe even get his excitement and curiosity out if Will wanted to explore with someone else. 

But Will only thought of him, and any anxiety that Nico held left that second. 

"I'm not mad," Nico said softly, his voice only meant for Will's ears. "And I still want to be with you." Nico pressed a tender kiss to Will's lips, shocking the blonde, who thought Nico wouldn't want to kiss him until he erased the evidence of Travis from him. "You're mine from here on out." 

Will smiled as tears streamed down his face, then pulled Nico in for a tighter hug, wetting Nico's shoulder. Nico was sure he didn't voice any jealousy or anger about Will kissing Travis, so that meant his weeping beauty was overthinking again. 

Still, it felt nice to know Will only thought of him. 

When Will finally let go, Nico handed him the flowers, who held them just as gently. Will quietly thanked him, then came in for a kiss, but flinched as arms came around him from behind. 

"I'm sorry to say this, Will, but we have to break up. I fell in love with another and I'm marrying her!" Travis declared as if it were a woeful moment. Will rolled his eyes as Nico shook his head. 

"Sorry to say this, but I agree. I have been cheating, and I prefer him over you." Will told him, nodding towards Nico. 

"Rude!" Travis said dramatically, then let go of Will and fist-bumped Nico. "Take care of this sap, alright? Other than Conner, he's a big baby." Will complained that he wasn't, but it was cut short as Nico held his hand, intertwining their fingers. 

"Yeah, I will," Nico responded. Travis smiled, then turned away, leaving the couple alone just as Will weakly complained that Nico didn't defend him from being called a baby. 

"At least you're my baby." 

Nico regretted those words ever since he said them. 

That was the cheesiest shit he ever said, and he will never say it again. 

"I take it back," Nico mumbled as Will laughed, the happiest sound he heard all day. 

**************

After Will took out the long hair, got rid of the makeup, and got dressed in his regular clothes, he went out, hand in hand with Nico, greeting his friends who waited for him. He received more flowers from Paolo and Jason, and then praise from everyone, which made him feel loved. It took about a full thirty minutes of talking and laughing before they made it out of the building.

He gushed to his group about how he was officially dating Nico, which none of them were surprised. They were just happy Will was out of the closet and not full of denial. Meanwhile, Nico was saying something in Italian to Leo, who didn't understand a word, only receiving a pat on the shoulder from Piper. 

Whatever Nico was saying, and if Piper knew... Leo glared at Jason, who was only shaking his head, convinced Nico really was a jealous younger brother who was mad he had to share attention. Leo complained to Will, who looked over to see Nico smiling as if everything was fine. Percy laughed as Annabeth whispered Jason luck dealing with those two. 

Once they reached outside, everyone said their goodbyes and wished a happy Thanksgiving, since Percy and Annabeth were heading to New York tomorrow, while Jason, Piper, Leo, and the new gf were going to Piper's house for Thanksgiving. 

Will's friends were going to be here for a bit longer, so they were going to talk tomorrow during lunch or dinner. Now alone, Nico thought he could take Will back to their room and give him proper loving, but his plans were cut short by a woman shouting Will's name. 

Will let go of Nico's hand to hug her, and he briefly felt short. The woman was tall as well, with equally curly blonde hair cascading down her back. She was rocking a cool jean jacket with fringes dangling from the sleeve and a pretty cool cowgirl hat on her head. 

Nico had no idea who this was, but barely had time to acknowledge her letting go of Will to hug him. "Thank you for looking after Will!" Oh, so this was Will's mother. Nico blushed, hearing Will and Lee giggle not too far away. 

Lee did warn him. 

When she separated, she eyed Nico up and down, then looked back at Apollo, who was giving her a loving gaze. "You're right, he is cute." Then she turned to Will with a wink. "Good job, Will." 

Will mumbled something about being an orphan, while Apollo was glad the woman thought the same as him. Lee wrapped an arm around Nico's shoulders. "Nico, meet Naomi, Will's mother. Naomi, Nico.  We'll be flying back with her in a couple of days for Thanksgiving." 

"That's right," Naomi blurted, interrupting her conversation with Apollo. "I was told you were coming with. Are your parents okay with that?" She asked, concerned. Nico nodded, feeling Will holding his hand again. 

"Yeah, my family doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving together, so my dad doesn't mind me going with Will," Nico explained. For the past couple of years, they might have an early, kinda awkward dinner, then Hazel would visit Frank's family while Nico went with Percy to New York to spend time with Sally. 

Because heaven forbid they stay there and deal with the mother-in-law, Demeter, and the other chaotic family members coming over. 

His father, Hades, was on his own. 

At least they spend Christmas and New Year's just fine. 

"That's great! Oh, Will, text me if Nico has any allergies or any food he wants made for Thanksgiving. Or give him my number, whichever is easier." Naomi said happily. She turned to Apollo to discuss the times of their flight back, Will adding in when he and Nico have their last class on Tuesday.

Lee leaned in closer to whisper in Nico's ear. "We're going to be leaving on Tuesday afternoon, so we can give Will a whole day to prepare for Thanksgiving. Depending on how things go and if Will is fine, we'll be coming back on Saturday. Thursday and Friday, we'll be around family." 

Nico nodded, then looked at Will, who was smiling, but his grip of Nico's hand was slightly tighter. Will wasn't anxious about being around his mother, but now that the play was done, he was worried about going home. 

"I think we need to turn in tonight," Nico announced. Apollo caught on, then quietly told Naomi they had to go. Naomi looked a bit upset, but understood. Will let go of Nico's hand to hug his mother, the hug lasting slightly longer as she whispered words of encouragement and praise, then kissed Will's cheek. Everyone gave a heartfelt goodbye before Nico led Will away, heading to their dorm. 

"I'm sorry for gripping your hand earlier," Will said softly, taking Nico's hand back. It felt nice to do it in the open. While they could have done this earlier, Will was shy at the time, plus he felt guilty since he was doing romantic stuff with Travis. 

To hear that Nico still wanted him soothed his worries tenfold. 

"It's no problem. I wanted you for myself anyway. Feels nice to have all your attention." Nico told him, pulling him closer. Will was grateful that it was night out. They walked slowly as they took in the quiet buzz of people still out and about, some families lingering around to spend a bit of time with their college kid. 

Will didn't mind it. It felt romantic to walk together, the open area lit up by lamp posts, casting an orange glow. The air was slightly chilly, but Will felt so warm next to Nico. This dark-haired beauty was his boyfriend, a guy who wanted him as well. 

Being in the play helped in a lot of ways; how to be intimate, how to express his feelings, and understanding lust. As of now, the lustful part was the hardest to do. Nico had been with other partners. Will wasn't his first. 

For research purposes, Will quietly looked into gay porn. He never told Nico out of embarrassment, but he wanted to come across... well, experienced when the time came. Nico said they had a long time, but Will didn't want to wait that long, and he didn't want Nico to go limp because he was a clutz at handling and taking dick. 

He knew he could ask Nico questions...

But Will was too prideful to do it. 

"Will?" 

Will looked around, realizing they were in their dorm room. He was caught up in his head that he basically missed their walk. He wasn't even sure if Nico spoke to him during that time. 

"Let's go on a date tomorrow," Nico decided. "To celebrate us being official. Any places you wanna go to? My treat." Will blinked, slowly processing that Nico was asking him out. 

They were going to go on a date!

Granted, they had cute dates around campus, but this sounded like an actual date. 

"Um, museum?" Will suggested. He was feeling a lot at once. He was nervous about family, worried about sex, confused about how he arrived back in their dorm room, and excited about going out. 

But his brain short-circuited when Nico started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing a sleeveless tee underneath, a black one that made him ultra sexy as if Nico was a sexy bad boy. 

Or a biker. 

Like those men Will would read in dark romances. The dangerous ones who could either break you in half or make you want to get on your knees. 

"Will?"

Nico had a sleeper build, a body that didn't look all that strong, but he absolutely was. Will felt it a couple of times when his hands would touch his body when they made out, Nico's body tensing underneath his fingertips. When Nico would flip him onto his back, having his way to the point Will didn't want to fight back. 

"Will."

And it wasn't just that. It was Nico's dark eyes when they were alone, and he could express his want without prying eyes. He would look amused, like right now, because Will was acting shy or stupid. It was Nico's inky black hair that would cover his forehead, framing his face, like right now, as Nico took off the clip and undid his ponytail. It was those pink lips Will loved kissing, and behind those lips was a tongue that could melt him in an instant. 

"William."

And, hell, Nico was already possessive. Not an abusive type of possessiveness, but the type that makes you wanna put on a collar and bark on command. The proof was right on Will's inner thighs, dots of hickies everywhere, all because Will wasn't paying attention. 

Not like he minded. Sure, he complains, but it was never serious, and he was being a brat, but Will knew he couldn't get away with that during the time Nico was getting his fill. Nico would always say he was hungry, and it's never about food. 

And he wanted every damn crumb. 

If Will so much as covers his mouth because he was moaning too loudly, Nico would snatch his hand away, all because he wanted to hear Will clearly. 

He would probably be tied up if Nico got the chance to do it. 

Nico was freaky... but Will was kinda liking it. 

He could match that. 

Maybe. 

"Angel." 

Will tensed, blinking back to reality. Nico was on his bed, leaning back on his hand, his pants unbuckled, revealing a sliver of skin. Nico had that hungry look in his eyes, which meant he wanted Will, not food. 

"Yes?" Will answered, and Nico was pleased Will had responded when he heard his pet name. Nico beckoned him over, so Will took careful steps until he was in between his legs. 

"What were you thinking about?" Nico asked, noticing Will was sporting a hard-on. Will considered telling him, but diverted his gaze, because he was not going to say those words aloud. 

"Nothing," Will lied. Nico raised an eyebrow. It definitely wasn't nothing since he was staring so damn hard. Nico grabbed him by the shirt, Will catching himself with his hands on the bed as Nico kissed him. It wasn't deep, quick, and desperate, but slow, just enough to light a fire within Will. The hand that was on Will's shirt now rested in blonde curls on the back of his head. Will nearly melted. 

"Angel," Nico said lightly, keeping Will close so he could pay attention. "You're lucky I'm being nice tonight since you worked so hard earlier. But the next time you stare like that," Nico pulled Will closer so he could whisper in his ear, "I'm going to fuck you on this bed until your voice gives out." 

One second, Will was frozen; the next, he was shutting the door behind him, panting. Okay, maybe he wasn't ready for that type of sex, hoping Nico would start off vanilla, but as Will turned on the shower, he was going to quietly beg for it. 

Chapter Text

This was love, right? 

This feeling... it felt so weird in his chest that he almost wanted to contact a doctor about it. Will slowly opened his eyes, the nearby clock showing it was eight in the morning. 

He couldn't be bothered to get up, not with Nico resting in his arms, sleeping so peacefully. As of now, they were sleeping on Will's bed, Nico insisting his bed was better despite having the same mattress, and Will was too tired to argue. 

He listened to Nico hum in his sleep, trying to move closer, his nose nuzzling his shoulder. He must not have liked it since he turned over, facing away, then shuffled against Will, chasing the warmth. 

He was adorable. 

So adorable. 

Will couldn't help wrapping an arm around his waist, molding against his body to the point that no space existed between them, pressing kisses against Nico's neck. Nico grumbled, trying to move away, but Will wouldn't allow that. 

"Will, five minutes..." Nico moaned, blindly and weakly smacking towards Will's head. Will chuckled at the attempt, but still held on. 

"Morning, Doom and Gloom," he whispered, earning another smack on the arm. 

"Morning, Pain in the ass," he responded. He cracked his eyes open to check the time. "It's eight."

"I'm aware," Will said, sitting up slightly to see Nico's grumpy face. 

"You woke me up at eight..." Nico turned his head to glare at Will. "What did I tell you about waking me up early?" 

"Only wake you up with a blowjob?" Will teased, hopefully to get him back for last night's tease... or promise... or threat. Will was still trying to figure that out. He still couldn't believe Nico threatened to have his ass if he stared again. 

Nico smirked. "Are you offering?" Will rolled his eyes, deciding he should get up before Nico fully woke up. 

"You were more fun when you were a prude," Will mumbled with a pout. Nico closed his eyes with a smile. 

"I'm a prude to strangers and friends, but you're my boyfriend. You get the pervy me." 

"Don't ever say that again." 

Nico chuckled as Will shook his head, moving a safe distance away to stay away from Pervy Nico. 

"When do I get my Sweet Nico back?" Will asked. Nico moved to the side where Will had lain, savoring the warmth. 

"In two hours, if you let me sleep," Nico answered. Will smiled, taking in the sight of Nico snuggling his pillow, his heart feeling weird again. While he tried not to push, Nico was too cute in the mornings. 

Like a cute, lazy cat. 

"What did I tell you about staring?"

"Shut up, Nico."

***************

Nico slept for an hour before officially getting up and stumbling to the bathroom. He blames Will for making him wake up at nine, but he didn't mind being woken up like that. A cute, sweet furnace kissing his neck, yes please. 

With sleep leaving him, he brushed his teeth, took a quick shower, and then wondered if he should leave in his pjs or make an effort to look nice to go get breakfast. Hell, his hair looked like a rat's nest in the mirror, and he did not want to fight it. 

He'll text Piper later, hoping she is still around to do it. 

Feeling too lazy, he decided to eat whatever was in his mini fridge, not ready to be blinded by the sun. He walked back to his room, stretching, but stopped at the random takeout on his desk, the smell of breakfast filling the room. 

He was pretty sure it wasn't there when he woke up. 

He turned his attention to his phone that buzzed on Will's bed (technically their bed, but Nico refused to smile like a goofball at the thought).

My Official Bf (Will changed it out of excitement): I came back with a plate and heard you in the shower. Should still be warm. Can't wait for our date!!!

Nico was glad he was alone. 

He was going to die from this. 

They had been official for a day, and Nico was going to die. 

Well, technically, they have been dating for nearly a month. 

Was a month too soon to say he loved him? 

"Get a grip, Nico, this isn't the first time he's gotten you food," Nico spoke aloud, trying to calm himself, but found himself calling the one person to gush because he had to get it out. 

"'Sup?"

"I'm going to die. I'm in the middle of having a heart attack, and I'm going to die."

"...Nice knowing you. I'll plan the funeral." 

Leo was the only person he could call since he liked getting updates, which Nico usually refused, but still found himself spilling at least three times a week. 

"Also, shouldn't you be calling your boyfriend, or is he the one causing it?" Leo asked, though he knew the answer when Nico made a sound that made no sense. "What did he do?" 

"He brought me food." 

Nico walked over to his desk to open up the plate. Pancakes and eggs. Will knew he ate light in the mornings, so this was perfect. 

"Seriously? That's it? I thought you were going to tell me something good, like he agreed to have your baby or something." Leo grumbled. Nico poured syrup, thinking. He wasn't sure how Will felt about going all the way. In the play, Will was sexy and alluring, but his Will was shy. 

"That probably won't happen for a while." 

"Having your baby?"

"Sex, Leo. I'm talking about sex. Have you forgotten that two males can't reproduce?" 

"Have you forgotten about evolution? Fuck him hard enough and it'll work." 

Nico almost hung up due to Leo laughing at his silence. 

"Is Piper with you?" Nico decided to ask, changing the subject. 

"Nah, with Jace. Perks of having a best friend who has his own room." Leo gloated. Nico took a minute to eat while thinking of his next words carefully. 

"Is that all?" Nico prompted, wondering if Leo was going to tell him. It wasn't like Leo had to; Nico wasn't Jason's parent. He really does think of Jason like a brother, but it was more than that that made Nico concerned. 

"Were you cussing me out last night in Italian because you found out I was sleeping with Jason?" Leo guessed. 

"How long did it take you to figure that out?" 

"When Jason apologized on your behalf, then made me forget by giving me good pipe," Leo admitted. You would think he was talking about the weather and not sex. Nico tried not to puke, and Leo called him dramatic. 

"Have you at least treated him to dinner first?" 

"I'll have you know we do go get dinner together. We even went to the movies sometimes." 

"Like a date?" Nico asked. When he didn't receive a response, he checked to see if Leo had hung up. "Like a date, right?" Nico repeated. "Jason wine and dined you. Is that bad?" 

"I didn't think of it as a date..." Leo mumbled. Nico heard Leo close the door, probably stepping away from Jason. "I thought Jason was being nice or something."

"I'm not saying it was a date, but it sounded like one. Is that bad?" Nico asked. If they were both single, he didn't see a problem. 

"I mean... I wasn't thinking about dating my sis ex-boyfriend. That's disrespectful." 

"Leo, you're getting fucked by him." Nico reminded. 

"I know, but that's different! He and Piper were in an open relationship, meaning they were still together." Leo explained. 

"And now he's single and up for the taking. What are you going to do if Jason starts dating again?" Leo was silent on the other end, not able to comprehend the thought of Jason dating someone else. 

"I-I don't know. I didn't think of that." Leo said in a small voice. Nico wondered why Leo was making it complicated. They were already fucking, and Jason was a good guy to date. 

Why was Leo so against it? 

Nico turned his attention to the sound of his door opening, meaning Will was here... And he wondered if he was in trouble as Will took Nico's phone from his hand. 

"Hey, Leo, everything good? Yeah? You should be excited. You're going to a penthouse for Thanksgiving! Make sure you send me pictures! Alright, gotta go." Will hung up, then held Nico's phone up. 

"You, sir, are not allowed to help Leo's love life. Piper sent me a text that he was scared out of his mind outside Jason's door." Will told him. Nico never felt so confused. 

"What did I do?" Nico asked. Will smiled and tossed Nico's phone aside. Nico watched Will move closer, then his brain crashed when Will straddled his lap. He was looking really pretty right now, even smelled so good that it made Nico's body buzz with excitement. 

"Darling, you're too blunt, and he needs to figure this out on his own right now." Will guided Nico's hands to his rear and tilted his head. "So promise me, no relationship advice until I say it's okay." Will pressed a light kiss that Nico wanted to chase. 

Look, he knew he was getting manipulated, basically silenced, but this is exactly where he wants to be. 

Touching Will's butt. 

Will was playing with fire. 

"I promise," Nico mumbled, feeling his dick twitch. "But Will, you have five seconds to get off," Nico warned. 

"But our date!" Will reminded. 

"Four." 

"But I worked hard to look this nice!" 

"Three."

"Why can't I just sit here without you wanting to take my ass virginity?" 

"Two."

"Nico!" 

"One." 

Will shot away, grabbing a chair to put between them, ready to run if he needed to. "What happened to Sweet Nico?" 

"The two hours aren't up yet, Will. You have thirty minutes left." Nico told him, pointing at the clock with a smile. Will left coldly, saying he was going to come back in thirty minutes, and Sweet Nico better be here. 

Yeah, this just might be love.

***************

Eventually, Sweet Nico came out of the bedroom and kissed Will, who received it happily. Will was excited now that their date was starting, maybe a little too excited, but Nico found it too cute to see Will unable to keep a smile off his face. 

They took an Uber to the Science Museum, even though Lee offered to drive them there. Will just wanted today to be about them, and only them, so Nico made sure his phone was on silent, promising to give Will all his attention. 

After they arrived, and Nico paid for entry, Will acted like a child in Candyland. 

"C'mon, Nico! Let's check out the dinos first!" 

"I'm coming, Will, it's not going anywhere." 

Apparently, Nico was moving too slowly since Will grabbed his hand, pulling him along, making Nico laugh. He never thought going to the museum would be a romantic date spot. He listened to Will read the plaques, took a picture of him in front of a poster of a velociraptor, and humored him at the Fossil Dig Pit that was meant for children, brushing away the sand from the bones. 

After the Dinosaur Hall, they headed to the science area, which Nico assumed was Will's favorite. He dragged Nico to a mirror maze, where they proceeded to nearly bump every mirror on their way out. Nico was slightly annoyed, but couldn't hold his scowl as Will laughed, never letting go of Nico's hand. 

But out of everything so far, Will's favorite moment was making Nico touch the static ball, then laughing at Nico since nearly every strand of hair on his head stood up, as if he had been electrified. 

He got Will back by making him touch the damn thing, but Will was laughing too much to care. At least he got a kiss as an apology. It was the first time Will kissed him in public, surrounded by people. Needless to say, Nico quickly forgave him as Will straightened his hair, giving him more kisses until they were getting a few looks. After that, they were heading to the food court, but Will got distracted as the approached the butterfly garden entry.

"Nico, can we go to the butterfly garden?" Will asked excitedly, looking at the staff member gathering the next group as the other left. 

"Whatever you want, Will," Nico said softly. Will calmed down, noticing Nico wasn't as excited. He hoped he wasn't overwhelming him, which he knew he could be a bit much.

"Are you tired? We can go sit down if you like." Will suggested. Nico furrowed his brow, confused why Will suggested it. Well, he has been a bit quiet, but it wasn't because he was tired. 

He was just... 

His heart was beating too hard, and his breath often left him every time he looked at Will. It was ridiculous, really; They had been together for about two hours now, yet every time Will smiled, laughed, or looked at something in awe, everything would pause, and it would be just them. 

As if the things around them didn't matter. 

Then, when their eyes would meet, time stopped. The utter joy in his eyes, how Will would search for his hand, every moment made his need to kiss him stronger, but he was resilient. When Will kissed him, surrounded by workers, families, children... and it wasn't a quick kiss, but one that was tender, slow, and without care of who watched because Will wanted to show his appreciation. 

It was...

That was...

"I'm not tired. And I'm having a good time. I just... I realized I'm in love with you. I like seeing you have a good time, so c'mon, let's go check out the butterflies." Nico told him, pulling Will by the hand. 

"Wait!" Nico was in love with him? How? When?

Why?

Admittedly, he had been acting like a kid to the point that a few adults looked at him doing activities meant for kids, like playing with metal shavings with magnets. For the last month, he was kissing another guy, even if it was for another play, but still. Only recently, he figured out that he liked guys. He was inexperienced, a blank slate about relationships in general, only recently getting bold. 

He wished he knew what he did to make Nico realize that. 

Will cleared his throat once he was with the group of people, not wanting to make a scene. Once the last group left, the staff member led their group inside the garden, the air suddenly sweet and warm, heavy with the scent of flowers. Sunlight filtered through the glass ceiling, catching onto drifting wings of blues, oranges, and pale whites.

Will tilted his head back in awe, eyes wide with wonder, unaware of Nico's sweet gaze. Being the sun beacon that he was, Nico wasn't surprised to see some butterflies land on Will, though there was one on Will's head he wasn't aware of. He looked away before Will could catch him staring. 

The garden itself was beautiful with bright blue, yellow, and purple flowers that his step-mother would love. He pulled out his phone to snap a few photos to send her, just to be nice since he was in a good mood. Maybe she'd drag his father here. The thought made Nico chuckle. If his tall, dark, and perpetually brooding father stepped into this garden, the butterflies might scatter like startled birds.

In the process of sending the pictures, he received a couple from Will, practically spamming him with...

Nico looked at Will, who was smiling brightly because there were a couple of blue butterflies on Nico's head and an orange monarch on his shoulder. 

"I knew you looked good with more color than black," Will said, snapping another picture. 

"Will, I swear, if you buy me a pink shirt, I will kill you." 

With the way Will smiled, Nico knew his threat went right out of the window. 

And it didn't help that after they left the butterfly garden, Will bought a pink shirt from the gift shop, just out of spite, then forced him to carry the bag along with other trinkets. 

"You are so lucky you're my boyfriend," Nico grumbled. Will smirked. 

"And you're going to wear it when we leave on Tuesday." Will declared as they headed out. Will wanted to explore everything else next time, but didn't want to stay out that late, which was fine by Nico. 

"Oh yeah? And what am I going to get in return?" Nico asked. 

"My happiness?" Will offered. 

Judging by Nico's unimpressed look, that was not enough to make him wear pink. 

"Breast cancer awareness month?"

"Will, that was last month." 

"Because you're in love with me?"

"I can be in love with you while wearing black." 

Will scoffed, making Nico chuckle. He'll still wear the pink shirt anyway because Will asked, but it's cute to see his angel annoyed. Nico pulled out his phone to get an Uber, but paused as Will took his arm, looking shy. 

"I don't want to head back yet," Will murmured, his voice shy now. "Can we... grab lunch and a movie? I can pay for it if it helps." Nico stared at him for a moment, then put his phone away. 

"I can grab the snacks," he said quietly. "I don't want our date to end either." 

And when Will smiled, looking relieved, Nico knew he would go anywhere with him. 

***************

Will kept them out as late as he could, stretching the afternoon into something soft and golden. They had an hour before their movie started, which gave Will plenty of time to come up with ideas Nico would never suggest. His latest plan? Sneaking candy into the theater.

They ended up at a CVS a few blocks away, Will marching down the candy aisle like a man on a mission. Nico trailed after him, holding a basket while Will piled in everything from chocolate bars to sour gummies.

"You know," Nico said, deadpan, "we could just buy candy at the theater."

Will tossed in another pack of M&M's. "And pay nine dollars for it? Absolutely not. CVS candy tastes the same, just cheaper."

Nico sighed, but couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips. "Fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming you."

"That’s fair," Will said cheerfully, completely unbothered.

Will paid for it since it was his idea, even after Nico argued that he was supposed to pay for snacks, but arguing with Will could be like arguing with a brick wall; Will didn't budge. 

They left the store laughing at their haul, the faint rustle of candy bags betraying them as they walked down the sidewalk. They had time to spare, so they wandered through the nearby shops, passing displays of scarves and holiday lights starting to go up in the windows. The air had that early-winter chill that bit at their fingers, but Will’s hand in his made it bearable.

When they finally returned to the theater, they decided to grab lunch there. Just simple things: fries, popcorn, two drinks. The theater lights dimmed as they found their seats, sharing the bucket of popcorn between them. Thankfully, Will hadn’t chosen anything overly sappy. The movie was lighthearted, funny in places, and Nico didn't find himself fidgeting the way he usually did because of the AC.

It helped that he had a human furnace for a boyfriend.

The theater was cold enough for Nico to tuck closer, leaning into Will's shoulder, his hand brushing against the warmth of Will’s arm. Will immediately wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in without a word. The steady beat of his heart beneath the fabric of his shirt, the scent of popcorn and something sweet from the candy, it all felt absurdly domestic, like something out of a dream Nico didn't want to wake from.

When the movie ended, the lights came up too bright, too soon. It was close to four, and the sky outside was already fading to a soft orange. They stepped out into the cooling air, their breath misting faintly as they walked.

Will reached for his hand again as they made their way back to campus, fingers fitting easily between his as they rode in the Uber. Nico didn’t say anything about it. He just held on tighter, letting Will talk about the movie, the day, the butterflies, anything and everything.

At some point, Nico tuned him out, not to be rude, but because Will's voice sounded nice, soothing, a sound he could fall asleep to. Once they arrived on campus, they decided to keep their moment. Their day. 

No one else, just them. 

They headed back to their dorm, a noticeable number of people gone for the holidays. While they didn't have any classes today, Nico had one to go to tomorrow, but it was probably gonna get canceled in the morning, already expecting an email. 

So Nico already planned on sleeping in tomorrow. 

"Mind if I wash up first?" Nico asked once they were back inside. Will nodded, waving him away as he put their leftover candy away, and made sure Nico's pink shirt made it safely to Nico's closet. 

It was the brightest thing in it, and Will looked proud. 

Nico was going to 'lose' it in a month, aka, possibly burn it. 

Will looked over at Nico's frown and blew a kiss towards him, getting an eye roll in return before he headed towards the bathroom. Once the door closed, Will waited a moment, then carefully headed to his drawer. He pulled out his night clothes, then a bottle of lube he had hidden in the back. 

He wasn't sure what to expect now that they were back in their room, and with most people gone for the holidays, wouldn't today be a good day to take the next step? Other than the play, Will remembered seeing Leo, slightly limping, but not really noticeable, and wondered if he would be the same way. 

Cecil and Drew usually get together sometimes. 

Travis and Katie were engaged, so they definitely did it. 

Even Paolo had sex during his senior year in high school. 

He was curious. 

And don't dates usually end in something? 

Will wished he had dated at some point in his life so he had a bit of experience. He didn't want to make a fool of himself. But he wasn't experienced, which meant he was going to do something stupid, and Nico may not like it. 

They were official now, so they should celebrate properly. 

It was clear that Nico wanted him; he did not doubt that, but he was sure he would do just enough to be satisfied, whether that meant only doing handjobs and blowjob and only jerking off to the thought of having sex with Will. 

It was sweet, though, to wait for him.  

Now, Will had one problem: How to ask Nico to have sex with him. He couldn't just ask with a straight face, but didn't want to cross a line if Nico wasn't in the mood. Will flinched at the sound of the bathroom door opening, then quickly hid the lube in his night clothes. 

He came in, stretching with a towel wrapped around his waist, and his hair was damp. Will turned away out of habit and respect, his face feeling hot. 

Yeah, he really wanted to do something more with Nico. With a body like that...

Will raced inside the bathroom, the leftover steam still floating in the air, making his skin damp as he closed the door behind him. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to cool himself, but Nico's nearly naked body was burned in his brain. 

He can't just jump him; he has to prepare first. 

Mentally and physically. 

***********************

Will took nearly an hour to thoroughly shower, and Nico almost grew concerned. He didn't know why he had to shower that long, but didn't bother asking. There were times Will would sing in the shower, though he didn't hear him this time. 

If Will was having a grand time in the shower, he wasn't gonna judge. 

He was currently on Will's (their) bed, scrolling on his phone and texting Percy, his mother, Sally, wanting to say hi and check up on him. She was a sweet woman, the first mother figure he accepted in his life. When he was younger, she would always listen whenever he wanted to speak, give comfort without overstepping, give advice that often made him think, and was the first person he had ever cried to. 

He had come out to her first before his parents. She offered him a safe space if things didn't work out, but told him to give his father time as well. And it worked. Took about a week before his father came to his room and sat down with him. His father was honest, saying he was still learning how to be a parent after his mother passed, and wanted to do right ever since his sister passed. He wasn't sure how that looked, but it was the first time his father said that he was proud of him. That he would help him if he was needed in any way. His house was Nico's home, and Nico thanked Sally for helping him become close to his dad. 

They weren't attached at the hip, but he knew if he ever needed him, he would be there. 

His father would like Will. 

Curious, Nico sent a picture of him to his father, stating that this was his boyfriend, then put his phone away. It probably won't be until later tonight that he gets a response. He sat up when he heard Will shuffle inside their room, closing their door. 

And locking it. 

He raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing about it. 

"Planning on going to bed early?" Nico asked. It was already close to six, but the sky outside was fading into black, not long until the stars would come out. Will usually went down with the sun, so he wouldn't be surprised if Will decided to go to bed early. 

They did do a lot today. 

It was possible that he was tired. 

"I... I just wanted to cuddle you, undisturbed," Will mumbled, putting his clothes in the hamper. Most of their friends were gone, but Nico understood. He wouldn't be surprised if Cecil and Lou barged in, arguing and wanting Will to break a tie. 

"Alright," Nico said, holding his arms out to welcome him. Will blushed, but climbed on, straddling Nico, then leaning down, resting his head. Nico closed his eyes, a hand sneaking to Will's back, underneath his shirt to rub gentle circles on the soft skin. He wouldn't mind ending the day like this. He had fun and hoped they would do this again soon. 

Maybe after finals. 

Maybe a Christmas date. 

Actually, what were they going to do for Christmas? Nico wanted to bring Will over for Christmas, maybe invite Lee and Apollo for support, but didn't want to push. Just like how Sally took him in, he wanted Will to know that his family would accept him just fine if his own family cast him out. 

He'll talk to his dad about that, but that's a conversation to have after Thanksgiving. 

Nico halted his hand when he felt a small kiss on his neck. It was fleeting, but it was followed by another, then another. He resumed his hand movements, figuring Will just wanted to kiss him. Will sometimes just like kissing, and Nico enjoys receiving it. 

But he halted once more and gasp, feeling Will suck on his neck, his teeth grazing skin as he created a hickey. 

A dark one at that, with the way he was sucking. 

Damn, it felt nice. 

Will backed off with a pop, admiring his handy work. Hickeys on Nico's skin always stood out almost harshly against his skin, and Will always felt secret joy in knowing he did it whenever Nico didn't hide it from the public. 

Motivated, Will went back in to make more, one closer to Nico's throat, and another by Nico's collarbone. By then, Nico was moaning lowly, feeling Will's hands sneak up his shirt. Not wanting to waste time, Nico lightly pushed Will up, momentarily making the boy panic, but Nico just wanted to take off his shirt, since it was getting in the way. 

After that, Nico pulled Will back down with a kiss, wrapping his arms around him to keep him close. 

Will had gotten so much better at kissing, enough so to let him do what he wanted. He could still taste the sweet candy Will ate earlier, and he couldn't help but think it was sweeter this way. 

If Will wanted to fool around a bit, he could've told him instead of acting all innocent, not that he was mad. 

Will can do that anytime he wants. 

As usual, Nico pushed up against Will, trying to take control, but he only got so far before he was pushed back down, breaking the kiss. 

That was... pretty rough. 

"Will?" Nico called out, a little shocked. Will moved lower before Nico could ask any questions while he was feeling brave. He read that nipple play was stimulating and sensitive, just like ears and neck, so he attached his lips to one while teasing the other with his fingers. 

He rubbed the bud gently with the pad of his thumb in a circular movement, letting the nipple harden before giving a gentle pinch. As for his mouth, he used his tongue, doing the same as his thumb, then giving a gentle suck. 

The reaction was more than he anticipated, his moans louder as he arched his back, a hand weaving through Will's hair before taking hold. 

"Don't be afraid to go harder," Nico said. Will took in Nico's words, then switched nipples, doing as Nico suggested, pinching and twisting the wet nipple while he lightly grazed his teeth on the other. Nico let out a string of curses, then praised him for doing good. 

Feeling pretty confident, Will shuffling lower, lowering Nico's pants and boxers in one go, Nico trying to help out as he lifted his legs, forcing Will to rest in between. Will gave one last lick before kissing Nico's chest, down his abdomen, feeling Nico's cock standing stiff the lower he moved. 

Nico's cock twitched in excitement when Will's face was close, able to feel his breath on his inner thigh. Will, to be honest, underestimated how easy giving a blow job would be. Nico made it look easy, and Will was a normal size for a healthy male. Nico was about the same length...

But how the fuck is he supposed to put it all in his mouth? 

It was the one thing he couldn't prepare for. It's not like he could suck a banana, and he was too shy to buy a toy to practice. Watching videos was all he could do. 

And they all made it look easy. 

Will cleared his throat, sensing Nico was about to stop him, then wrapped his lips around it, trying to take it in one go. 

He nearly choked. 

He hoped it would get easier as he bobbed his head, but he didn't know what to do with his tongue; his eyes were starting to water, and Will learned he does have a gag reflex. 

The worst part, Nico was chuckling. 

"Angel, this is pretty bad," Nico said with a smile. Will popped off, embarrassed. 

"Well, I'm sorry for not being experienced at a blowjob! It's not like I could practice on anything!" Will said angrily, wiping his mouth. He moved away, tempted to leave, but he didn't want to explain why tears were streaming down his face. "I tried, alright!" 

Nico sat up, still smiling. It's not like he hated it; it just sucked so badly that it was funny. A for effort, at least. 

"What was your goal anyway? I didn't expect you to get so horny and dominant." Nico asked as Will faced away from him. Will ducked his head, holding himself. 

"I wanted to have sex. Don't people usually have sex after a date?" Will asked. 

"Sometimes, but not really. You have been watching too many Hallmark movies." Nico answered, making Will even more embarrassed. "And have you thought about what sex with me consists of?" 

"I know sex ed, Nico. Your dick goes in my ass. What did you think the long shower was for?" Will said angrily. He wasn't clueless for fuck's sake. 

Nico sighed. 

His angel really was an angel. 

"Will, do you want to have sex?" 

"Yes, dammit! Isn't it obvious?" 

"Not really." 

Will turned to him, wondering if Nico was being stupid, but his horrible boyfriend was still smiling. Nico seems to be enjoying this. 

He might actually leave. 

"Will," Nico began softly, "you're still dressed. Every time we get together, you always have something on. I took that as you not wanting or not being ready for sex." Will looked away. 

That part was true. 

He would either have his shirt on or his clothes wouldn't be all the way off. It was an unconscious decision, mostly because he didn't want Nico to judge him. It was a ridiculous thought, but it was still a worry. 

"I don't care that you're inexperienced," Nico said softly, tenderly, trying not to hurt Will's feelings. "It never bothered me, and I don't mind teaching you. As for the comment about practice, I don't mind being your practice dummy." Will looked back over at Nico, seeing the same look Nico had in the museum. That look of love. "If you want to have sex, we can have sex. And you do know you don't have to be the bottom, right?" 

Tonight was one embarrassment after another for Will. 

"Leo looked like he had a good time, and Paolo said he enjoyed it, so I wanted to try," Will explained. Nico nodded. He wasn't going to deny Will the experience, but he was going to take his time. 

"Alright. I would hate to let all your hard work go to waste. " Nico eyed Will up and down, then tilted his head with a smirk. "Take off your clothes." 

"Like, right now?" Will asked, just to clarify. Nico nodded. Will hesitated, not sure if he wanted to be watched. It really didn't make sense considering Nico had seen him shirtless, had touched his dick, and put his mouth on it. 

Not like Nico would laugh at him... hopefully. 

Taking off his shirt was the easy part, a simple pulling of his shirt over his head. Next were his pajama pants. Yes, he wanted to have sex, but he didn't want to seem too eager, if that made sense. After his pants dropped, all that was left was his underwear. He played a bit with the waistband, averting his gaze before lowering them. 

The first thing Nico noticed was tan lines. 

Will has tan lines. 

He was going to go feral. 

"Turn around," Nico said carefully, licking his lips. 

"Why?" Will questioned. 

"Because I find you sexy, Will, now turn around, I wanna see your butt." 

This was expected, the most logical reaction Will knew Nico would be like, but it still felt good to hear it. It was a confidence boost. Slowly, Will turned around, facing away. 

Nico wanted to take a picture, but Will wouldn't be happy with that. It wasn't a stark difference, but from Will's hips to mid-thigh, it was lighter than the rest of his body. He didn't realize when he went down on him, but seeing it now, decorated with his day-old hickies on his thighs...

Nico took a deep breath. 

Don't scare him away.

But he just wanna spank-

Vanila, Nico! Think vanilla!

Just wanted to see it red-

This is Will's first time, dammit! 

He has to fuck him from behind. 

"Nico?" 

Nico flinched, bringing his eyes up. Will was looking back at him, amused. 

"Y-yeah?" Nico answered, his voice breaking. 

"You look constipated." Will's eyes darted down, then back up. "And stiff." 

"...You have a really nice ass." Nico blurted. "Honestly, I'm mad I'm just now seeing this." His sanity was leaving him by the second. "Get on the bed," he ordered. 

"On my back or-"

"Stomach, Will, get on the damn bed." 

Despite Nico's urgency, Will took his time. He couldn't believe he was worried for nothing, and that his butt was what was making Nico stutter and stiff. 

Paolo did tell him he had a nice butt, but he never took it seriously then. 

Turns out, he was right. 

Will got comfy, resting on his arms, legs spread, unaware of Nico's mouth watering. Nico quickly moved to get his own bottle of lube and condoms (yes, more than one), so he wouldn't have to grab it later. 

He didn't even know where to start. 

Will was a full meal on a silver tray. 

Using his last remaining brain cell to remember this was Will's first time, he decided to test Will. He placed his hands on Will's rear, squeezing the lovely globes. Will jumped a bit, then grabbed a pillow to hide his face. 

Will's butt was firm and round, but jiggle just right. Nico wasn't ashamed to say he played with Will's butt, with Will growing redder by the second. When Nico figured he had had his fill, he spread Will's cheeks apart, looking at the real prize. 

At first sight, Nico wanted to bury his tongue in him, see if Will would like being eaten out, but told himself to calm down. He pressed the pad of his thumb against it, as expected, Will tensed and jerked away. 

"S-sorry," Will said, his voice muffled. 

"Don't be, turn around," Nico said softly. Will did so, still clinging to the pillow to his chest. Nico reached for it and gave a gentle tug, Will eventually relinquishing it. "We can stop anytime you want. Some parts are going to be uncomfortable, but if you can't handle it, tell me to stop, okay?" 

Will nodded, not trusting his voice. Nico moved closer in between Will's legs; hip to hip, chest against chest, and Nico pressed a kiss to Will's nose. "Hey, we're finally naked together," Nico whispered. Will huffed out a nervous laugh, wrapping his arms around Nico above. 

"Do you trust me?" Nico mumbled before giving a kiss on Will's cheek. Will nodded, but Nico wanted a verbal answer. 

"Yes," and that was enough. Nico kissed his lips, sealing the silent deal that he was going to take good care of him. 

*****************

Will was waiting for the inevitable of Nico going for his hole, of the pain he had read about online. Because between his mouth and his rear, his mouth had a better chance of taking Nico's cock. He waited for it...

But it has been thirty minutes, and Nico hasn't made a move yet. 

So far, they had been kissing, touching, and grinding, moans slipping out here and there. He knew Nico's body was sexy as he let his hands roam, but there was something special about hearing how much Nico wanted him. He wasn't sure if he was meant to hear it or if Nico was speaking to himself. Will that didn't want to believe it. 

And yet, those words made him relax, made him open up so Nico could find more places to compliment. He could feel Nico's fingers grip him, his thighs, his butt, his sides; their cocks rubbing against each other, smearing precome, making a mess. 

"You're starting to drive me crazy, Angel," Nico mumbled against his lips before giving a good yank of his hair. The noise that slipped out was unlike him, so unrestrained and lewd, but he didn't have the time to process it before Nico attacked his neck. He never felt so good. Nico gave a weaker tug and lightly bit him, slowly applying pressure until Will was crying out, feeling nails dig into his back. His hips jerked from the light pain, rewarding Will with a dark hickey that would last for days. 

He backed up, looking at the beautiful bruise, then looked at Will's face. Will had his face turned away, feeling slightly embarrassed to meet Nico's eyes. Despite that, he was still rocking his hips to chase the pleasure that was building between his legs, still holding onto Nico to keep him close, and when Nico made him look at his eyes, Will couldn't help but close the distance, silently begging for more. 

He was nervous when Nico first touched him, though mentally prepared that Nico was going to penetrate him at some point. But this, making out, touching, was familiar. Even better, they were naked, bodies pressed with a film of sweat between them, and Nico loved his body. 

Lusted for it. 

Nico would never know how much anxiety he erased just by staring and telling him he had a nice ass. He would never know how happy Will felt to feel Nico crave his lips, his body, him as a whole...

"Please fuck me now." 

That he didn't mind giving Nico everything. 

Nico nearly felt his patience snap. This had to go just right. First times were special, so Nico was going to make sure it was nothing less. He moved the lube and condoms lower towards Will's hip, but left them alone for a moment. He kissed down Will's body, letting his hands rub Will's side until he carefully spread Will's legs further apart. 

Shit, these tan lines were gonna kill him. 

Maybe he could talk Will into wearing a bikini. 

Next summer was going to be amazing. 

Because that skin was lighter than the rest, Nico dove in to decorate the blank canvas. He needed something to substitute for his craving to smack Will's butt until it was red. 

And who was gonna see?

So yes, he spent fifteen minutes decorating the pale skin until it looked like Christmas had come early. 

"Nico, seriously?" Will voiced, a little annoyed, but laughing. 

"Yes, this was needed. I also have a perfect Christmas gift in mind." Nico said against Will's thigh. 

"Nico, it better not be a bikini." 

"If you want me to wear a pink shirt, you have to wear a bikini." Nico bargained as he took hold of Will's cock and stuck it in his mouth. If Will had a rebuttal, he didn't get a chance to say it, focusing on his cock down Nico's throat. It was warm, wet, and Nico's tongue was to die for. He had to cover his mouth to keep from being loud, but that earned him a cold dick as Nico popped off, annoyed. 

"Will, hands behind your knees," he ordered, not leaving any room for argument. 

"But my voice-"

"Angel," Nico warned. Will whined as he obeyed, feeling exposed. That damn nickname has him in a chokehold for multiple reasons, but the main reason, Nico would mostly use it to praise him, and now, possibly punish him. 

It made him excited. 

"Thank you," Nico said softly, kissing Will's leg. Will may not like it, but Nico was enjoying the sight of Will's leaking cock to the pretty hole finally in sight. Oh fuck it, he's been patient enough. Nico went back to work, but this time, used more tongue than sucking. He licked up the shaft, placing open kisses up to the tip, then placed his lips around it, sucking and swirling his tongue to coax more precome to coat his tongue. 

"Fuck! Nico, you're so good! Feels so good!" Will whimpered out, still trying to keep his voice low, but failing. Nico snuck a peek towards Will, who had his eyes closed, then moved lower, briefly playing with Will's balls. Will tensed up, a little unsure, so Nico went back up to tease him more until he relaxed. It took a few minutes for Will to get used to a mouth playing with his sack, which Nico didn't mind. 

His reward was a little lower. 

"Uh, Nico?"

Nico kissed Will's thighs, getting ever closer. 

Will first felt breath, then lips, then tongue, and his first reaction was to move away, though he didn't get far. Nico quickly pulled him back down by the hips, then flipped him to his stomach, keeping Will's hips raised.

"Wait, Nico, that's dirty!" Will told him. Technically, after an hour shower, he was pretty clean; he just never expected Nico to put his mouth there. "Nico!" 

"Do you want me to stop?" Nico asked, sitting up on his knees. He brought Will's rear closer, then spread his cheeks apart. "Or do you want me to make you feel good?" Will wanted to argue, but kept his mouth shut. He knew what rimming was; he just wasn't prepared. 

A tongue is softer than fingers, and fingers are going to go in him regardless. 

"Feel good," Will said in a feeble voice. He felt a pat to his butt followed by a kiss to his lower spine. 

"You're not dirty. This," Another kiss to his spine, "isn't dirty. Now, when I get done with you, that'll be the definition of dirty." Will laughed quietly as he felt another pat. "When I get done with you, you'll be all mine." 

"Aren't I already?" Will asked. Nico cursed in Italian. "Well, aren't I?" Will wiggled his butt, teasing an already impatient man who was losing his last brain cell. 

Still didn't warrant Nico biting him on the ass. 

"Ah! Nico!" 

"What? I'm just claiming what's mine. For example, this ass." 

"It was a simple yes and no question!" 

"Angel, I'm already holding back and trying not to scare you away. Do not wiggle your butt." 

"Scare me how?" 

Will received a hard swat on the rear that shut him up real quick, leaving a sting that... didn't feel that bad... but he was not telling Nico that. 

"That felt nice to get out of my system. Now, can I eat in peace?" Nico asked, watching Will hide his face in a pillow. Will nodded, and Nico took that as an answer since his angel was embarrassed. Nico kissed his spine one more time, then got to work. 

*****************

Will was in love with Nico's tongue. 

His mind was quiet, his body was buzzing, and that damn tongue had him pushing back against Nico's face. This had to be heaven, right? Or at least close to it. 

"Fuck, Nico-" Will gripped the sheets, trying to quiet his moans with the pillow, but he was sure someone could hear him. He couldn't help it. Not with Nico circling his tongue against the rim, waiting for Will to relax just enough to push his warm tongue past the entrance. 

"Deeper, go Deeper," Will pleaded, but Nico's tongue was only so long. "Nico, please! I want you deeper!" 

Nico removed his tongue, laughing quietly at Will's desperation, but he didn't want to disappoint. He grabbed the lube and lubed up his fingers generously, looking at the pretty hole that was wet and clenching around nothing. He gave one more kiss to it before making Will turn onto his back. 

For the rest, he wanted to see Will's face. 

Will held on to the pillow again, holding it against his chest. He wasn't shy, but rather, he felt awkward looking at Nico after saying lewd things and grinding against Nico's face. 

But his leaking cock between his legs showed otherwise. 

For now, Nico let him keep the pillow. 

"Ready?" Nico asked, not wanting to surprise Will as he pressed a finger against the needy hole. This time, Will didn't flinch. The blonde nodded, but tensed up, mentally preparing. Nico needed him to relax. 

"You know you look sexy right now?" Nico voiced, catching Will off guard. 

"What?" 

"You look sexy," Nico repeated. Will furrowed his brow, not believing it, and it reminded Nico of the first day they met. Will didn't think Nico would find him attractive, that he wasn't worthy of a crush, then either.

"The freckles on your shoulders and back look like stars. Your curly hair looks soft and beautiful." Nico leaned over, making sure Will was listening, but kept his finger against Will's hole, waiting. "I can get lost in your eyes. I have been dying to kiss your lips for a long time." Nico tugged the pillow softly, silently asking Will to let go. 

"I like how easy I can mark your skin. I like kissing you all over, touching you." Will finally let go of the pillow, allowing Nico to throw it further away. "I like seeing you smile, laugh, the pure joy on your face makes my heart race. That's how I figured out that I was in love with you. Probably a little fast, but I think I was falling for you ever since that day we danced." 

"Liar," Will whispered, and Nico shook his head. 

"I'm telling the truth. I almost kissed you that day, you know." Will shook his head.

"I did," Nico insisted. "I should've. At least now, I can do it whenever I want." Nico kissed Will's chest, letting his lips linger until Will placed a hand against his cheek. "I like you, I'm in love with you, and I'm gonna take care of you." Nico kissed Will's wrist. "So let me in, okay?" 

Nico pressed his finger in with no resistance, watching Will gasp, then took deep breaths. It was a first for Will to have a finger inside him. It may not be pleasant yet, but it didn't hurt. It just felt weird. 

"You're doing so well. Take all of it." Will found himself arching as Nico buried his finger to the hilt, thrusting it deeper. It felt a little nice, since it went further than Nico's tongue. "Better?" Nico asked. Will nodded, focusing more on his breathing. 

"Good, do it again, Angel." Nico added a second finger, watching Will grit his teeth. Nico moved a little slower to bury his fingers, letting Will get used to the feeling before scissoring open. Considering all things, Will was accepting him fairly well. He wasn't clenching too tightly, didn't look like he was in pain; Nico quietly praised him, promising everything would feel better soon. 

"How does it feel for you?" Will asked, curious. 

"Warm, tight, wet."

"Wet?"

"The lube makes you slippery," Nico explained. "If you're ever curious, I can bottom whenever you like." Will nodded, but wanted to get through this experience first. The foreplay was amazing, but being fingered wasn't exactly to die for. 

At least, until Nico curled his fingers and began targeting Will's prostate. 

"Ah! Nico!" Will couldn't stop his thighs from shaking, rocking, basically riding Nico's fingers. Will knew about the prostate and heard it felt good, but with how Nico was playing him, it felt better than jerking off. The shivers of his spine, aching his back to get the fingers to go harder. "Faster, Nico! You fuck me so well!" First it was Nico's tongue, now it was his fingers. He could only imagine how Nico's dick would feel in him. 

Nico raised an eyebrow, then added a third finger, but still played Will like a fiddle. "You had me yet, and you're already praising me? Does it feel that good?" Nico asked, going a little rougher. 

"Yes! Good! Feels good!" Will moaned out. The three fingers made him feel fuller, a nicer feeling since Nico stretched him out. "Go harder, please." 

"This is your first time-"

"I know what I want, Nico, I'm not delicate, I promise." Will assured. He was going to eat those words later, but for now, that was what he wanted. He loved that Nico was tender all the way up to now. He had been nervous despite being curious, and he loved that Nico gave him attention and worked carefully throughout, despite his own aching hard-on. Other than grinding on each other, Will had been on his stomach most of the time. 

Maybe he could return the favor later. 

Nico removed his fingers, causing Will to whine at the loss. He sat up to see what Nico was doing, catching him opening up a condom. "I know you want it rougher, but at least have the real thing and not my fingers to make a request like," Nico told him, groaning as he rolled the condom on. 

He really had been neglecting himself, but he didn't want to make any mistakes with Will because he was getting greedy. 

"How many times do you plan on doing this?" Will asked, looking at maybe five more unopened condoms nearby. Nico smirked at him while lubing up. 

"Remember when I first kissed you and you thought I was trying to kill you?" 

"Yes?"

"You might actually die this time," Nico told him. Will looked at him wide-eyed, then the condoms, then back at Nico. He wasn't serious, right? 

"Uh, Nico-"

"You want it rough, right?" Nico reminded, lightly pushing Will back down to his back, hovering over him while lining himself up. "You want it deeper, faster? I have one thing that can satisfy all three." Nico kissed his cheek, then placed a hand over Will's mouth. "Forgive me for this, but if you don't want a complaint, I need you quieter for this part." 

Nico pushed in slowly, muffling Will's cries, feeling Will wrap his arms around him.  Nico's cock was a lot bigger than his fingers, his rim stretching wider than the fingers combined. It was harder than a tongue, longer than fingers, and reached deeper, filling him whole. 

It felt so good. 

"Does this feel good, Angel? You keep squeezing me?" Nico asked, though he knew the answer. Every slow inch pushed in encased him in warmth like no other, fitting around him like a glove. He groaned when he was finally buried, forcing himself still to delay his orgasm, and hopefully, Will would relax by then. 

He removed his hand from Will's mouth, hearing him pant by his ear. "You're in me. I can feel you in me." Will mumbled, his fingers gripping Nico's body. Nico hummed, kissing Will's neck. They were together, connected. "You're my first." 

"Any regrets?" Nico asked, just to be sure. Will shook his head despite tears sliding from his eyes. Nico raised his head to properly look at Will, watching the tears. "Will?" Will smiled before kissing him, shocking Nico, who thought Will might stay away since he ate him out. But he didn't refuse the kiss, letting Will lead the loving kiss, understanding the silent words Will might not be ready to say. When they separated, Nico was smiling as well. 

"Angel?" 

"Please move," Will requested. Nico did so lightly, letting Will get used to it. Just small, gentle thrusts, enough to stimulate, but not cause an orgasm. Every thrust seemed to knock air out of his lungs, the feeling of Nico sliding within him, against his walls. 

Will had never felt so full. 

"Nico, more," Will muttered, looking at the boy above him. "Please?" 

Will was going to be the death of him. 

**************

The bed was squeaking a bit too hard, threatening to not hold up, but all Nico could focus on was thrusting his hard cock into Will's tight hole, aiming at those bundles of nerves that were making him moan like a bitch in heat. 

Will wanted it rough. 

Nico was going to give him rough. 

And this was their third round. 

His balls slapped against Will's butt, an audible sound echoing throughout the room, followed by a desperate moan, a plea, or his name slipping past those lips that couldn't hold anything. 

They could be heard outside their room, but thankfully, most people had gone home for Thanksgiving, while the select few who had the honor of listening knew to shut the fuck up. Nico wasn't giving a shit at the moment, and Will was currently far from caring. 

All that mattered was each other and chasing the pleasure that was building within them. Red lines marked up his back as finger-shaped bruises appeared on Will's hip. Will's rear was slightly red because he couldn't resist slapping it a couple of times and squeezing the firm flesh. 

"You were made for me. All of this, all of you, all mine." Nico growled out, ignoring the pain in his thighs. He could feel Will's legs wrap around his hips, forcing him not to go far, keeping him close. 

"All yours! Nico! Gonna cum!" Will croaked out, the ability to form words leaving him. Every thrust sent lustful thrills throughout his body, his body shaking as if he could barely handle Nico abusing his spot without mercy. 

"Me too, shit, I wanna cum in you! You want that?" Realistically, Nico couldn't do it due to the condom. Nico wanted to be safe during their first time and a couple more times after that before doing anything unsafe. 

At least until they were further into their relationship. 

But when he was so close to cumming, and he could barely feel the condom, when Will was squeezing him just right, all he could focus on was cumming inside that warm cavern, claiming that sacred place as his. Will place a messy kiss on his lips, panting too hard for air. 

"Cum in me, Nico! Please! I want it! Fuck, I want it!" Will begged, nearly shouting. His toes were curling, a telling sign that he was able to spill. He held back just a little longer, savoring the look on Nico's face. The pure ecstasy on his face, making Nico bow his head against Will's shoulders, his hands clenching the messy sheets. Nico's moans were louder, audible, unfiltered sounds that told how good he was feeling, how close he was. His hips snapped forward, motivated to fulfill Will's request. 

"Yes, Nico! Nico!" Will's fingers dug into Nico's back, hearing the boy cry out in pain, but not stopping. He was so close. "Cum in me! Nico- Fuck! Don't stop!" Will's body seized first, pulling Nico in close as he came hard. Nico plunged his cock as deep as he could go before spilling, his thrust erratic, but not stopping until Will was done. The warm mess covered both of them since they were pressed together, but neither minded. 

They were already sweating and covered in Will's previous orgasms anyway. 

Nico slowed to a stop, panting against Will while his hands refused to let go of the sheets. He felt kisses on his shoulder and neck, tender rubs on his lower back. They stayed together for a little longer, touching, loving, riding out their high together until Nico felt sensitive and Will felt gross. 

Nico slipped out with a hiss, flopping next to Will before pulling the condom off. At least there won't be too much to clean up. Nico tied it up, then threw it into the nearby trash. "So... You wanted me to cum in you?" 

"Shut up, Nico." 

Nico tiredly laughed, turning over towards Will. "How was your first?" 

"Is that a question?" Will asked with a smile. He turned towards Nico, placing a hand on Nico's waist. "It was perfect. Thank you." Nico kissed him briefly, too tired to do much else. "Can we take a nap real quick?" Will asked. 

"You'll feel gross later," Nico spoke, though his eyes were already drooping.

"I feel gross now. A nap won't make it any worse." Will muttered. Nico yawned. He was too tired to care. 

"Mhmm," Nico managed to say. He truly didn't care, though he knew he should do aftercare. But his body was too tired and his back was sore to even try. Will took Nico's answers as a yes, slowly following Nico to sleep. 

They didn't wake up until the next day. 

Chapter Text

Nico knew Will would be anxious to go home, but to see Will totally quiet made him worried. The past few days, Will was pretty happy after they had sex. He was smiling, cuddling more, and basically asking for Nico's full attention. So stuck in love, Nico gave it without hesitation. He took in Will's quiet words in the dead night, held him as close as possible, and gave kisses as easily as breathing. 

But now, as they rode to the airport, Will was quiet, listening to music with headphones on. He didn't want to talk, didn't want to share eye contact with anyone in the car. Will's only request was for Nico to hold his hand, and he did so by lacing their fingers together. There wasn't much he could do. Apollo was looking concerned in the rearview mirror while Naomi typed away on her phone. 

There was nothing they could do...

Except for one person. 

And he was singing so badly. 

"I sHaKe It OfF, sHaKe It OfF, OOh OOh WOO~!" 🕺🏽

Will, who was sitting in the middle, slowly turned his head to glare at his older brother, Lee, who continued singing badly to Taylor Swift, dancing in his seat, bumping into Will every chance he got. 

Lee knew how to sing; he was a great singer, but he was being annoying on purpose to make Will feel something other than dread. "We'll tag team him," was what Lee told him before they got in the car. He didn't know what that meant at the time, but he figured it meant Nico was going to be Will's stability and comfort, while Lee would proceed to be as chaotic as possible. 

Nico didn't know if it was working, but it was a first to see Will actually annoyed. 

"Sing it with me, Nico! 'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play!" Lee pointed to Nico, who panicked.

"Uh... And the haters gonna hate?" He didn't know if Lee was being serious or not. 

"What the fuck was that, Neeks?"

"You put me on the spot!" 

"You sing the whole thing! You have to say hate five times! And put some damn soul into it! Don't form it as a question!" 

"I don't sing Taylor Swift! Do I look like a Taylor Swift fan?" 

"You look like you play Barbies in secret. It's okay, Nico, be yourself." 

"Apollo is about to have one less son." 

"Come on, Barbie, let's go party! Ah! Ah! Ooh, Yeah!" 💃

"Lee!" 

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world~!" 💅

Nico proceeded to try to kill Lee, while Apollo was half-heartedly attempting to stop the fight, Naomi was laughing, and Will decided he was surrounded by idiots. It didn't stop his lips from quirking up, even laughing a bit as Lee elbowed him, still singing the song while Nico wrestled with his seatbelt to choke his ass. 

That whole ride was chaotic, and Will loved every minute of it. 

It didn't help that someone played the song as Nico was pink the whole time. 

Surprisingly, they made it to the airport, and even more surprisingly, everyone acted like civilized people while getting their tickets and going through TSA. With an hour to kill, they all stopped at Chick-fil-A to eat before boarding. Nico looked at the window, watching a few planes land and take off with a frown as they sat at a table, waiting for their food. 

"I forgot I hate planes," Nico mumbled. He doesn't fly often if he could help it. He would prefer a cross-country road trip to being up in the sky with no control. First, takeoff is always bumpy to the point it would make him grip his seat, also hating when his ears pop. Then his mind would run rampant, thinking the engine or something was going to explode due to watching too many disaster movies. Finally, it was the landing, thinking the plane wouldn't land correctly, and they would somehow explode. 

There aren't many things that freak Nico out, but a plane is one of them. 

"Really?" Will asked, sounding like his normal self. Maybe he just needed to eat this whole time. 

"Yeah. I'm okay with heights, but up in the sky? Too high. Also, Final Destination really messed me up." Nico explained. 

"So... no more final destination?" Will suggested with a smile. 

"Never. Matter of fact, we should watch that as soon as we get to your mom's place." Nico said with a big smile. Will rolled his eyes. "You know, we kinda got together on Halloween. Well, the day after, but I like to think that night, when we were cuddling and watching The Walking Dead, was the night we silently got together." Nico silently asked for Will's hand to hold on the table. "I can't think of a more perfect day." 

"You're such a romantic." Will gave Nico his hand, looking slightly shy since they were in public. Nico shrugged. 

"I got a boyfriend on my favorite holiday." Nico watched Apollo get their food. "How does a Halloween-themed wedding sound?" Will never thought about a wedding before, then he was reminded that they could get married. He was proud that the lgbtq+ could get married, but it felt different now that it implied to him as well. 

He could marry Nico one day. 

The thought... kinda unsettled him. 

"I never thought of marriage before. Never thought of a wedding, kids... I kinda rule it as something that was gonna happen, not something I want." Will spoke. He always thought he would marry a woman, then fund her dream wedding. If she wanted kids, he'll give them, too. They both stayed quiet as Apollo handed them their food, waiting until they had a bit of privacy. 

"I wasn't being serious," Nico said cautiously as he picked at his fries. "I was being silly. A Michael Myers-themed wedding could be sick." Will picked at his salad. 

"I wasn't taking it seriously; I just forgot we could get married, that two men can get married. Being in a gay relationship is still new to me. I got the physical and romantic part now, but I never thought about this long-term." Will took a bite of his salad, thinking about what he said. 

"Ah, I didn't rudely mean that. I-"

"I know, Will," Nico said softly, but Will wasn't sure if he meant it. Nico didn't take back his hand, still ate his food, and yet, Will felt like he messed up. 

"I'm sorry," Will mumbled, taking back his hand. "I want to be with you, honest, I just... I never thought long-term about this yet. I mean, I find it amazing that we're going to be together a month from now. Everything is still new, but I am trying to fix things to make sure you'll be with me as well." 

"Fix things?" Nico questioned. Will nodded, averting his gaze. 

"I had everything planned out, you know that. I'm really firm about going to New York for med school. Relationships have never been something I considered." Will looked back up at Nico, hoping he wasn't mad. "I'm starting to consider it now, which changes things. My dad is Bi and an excellent doctor, so I know it won't hinder me, but my experience could be different. I don't want to use him to get ahead. Relationships aren't something I can count on without doubt. What if we break up in a couple of months? A year from now? It's a learning curve for me, but I want to include you in my life. I'm still trying to think of us long term." 

Will didn't know if any of that made sense. He just hoped Nico understood he wasn't viewing this as a fling or short-term. Nico ate a couple of his nuggets before speaking.  

"First, I wanna say that I would never take that dream of you wanting to go to New York away. If you want to build around that, that's fine. I was honest when I told you I know. I wasn't taking it as you not wanting me in your life long term. Probably too early considering we just got together and we're figuring it out. You're figuring yourself out." Nico sipped his drink. 

A part of him was waiting for Will to leave him or change his mind. He was an all-around nice guy; who wouldn't want to snatch him up? For now, he'll just enjoy himself. 

"Have fun right now. We'll talk about the more serious stuff later. Let's focus on one thing at a time." Nico leaned over the table to plant a small kiss on Will's lips. They had time to revisit the topic. "I'm not mad, and we're okay." Will nodded and placed his hands back on the table, Nico instantly taking hold of them. 

"Can I get another kiss?" Will asked. Nico didn't hesitate, granting Will's request, then was grabbed by the shirt before he could sit back down. 

"Another?" Will asked, trying to look innocent, but Nico didn't believe it. That didn't stop him from giving another. 

"Another?" Nico giggled quietly as Will smiled before giving several more until Nico playfully complained and Will begged for more. They didn't hear Apollo gossiping to Naomi, telling her they were like this at the hotel balcony not too long ago. They hear Naomi snap a couple of photos as she found them adorable. They didn't hear that their plane was starting to board. 

They didn't hear Lee approach and kiss Will's cheek since he was too busy begging one from Nico. Will shrieked, then fought Lee as he was love bombing him with hugs and more kisses to the cheek, calling him his precious little brother. 

They nearly got kicked out if it wasn't for Apollo hurrying them out while apologizing to everyone around. He had to make the three of them promise to behave on the plane as if they were little kids. It didn't help that Nico pointed at Lee, saying he started it, only for Lee to point out that he was nearly making out with Will in public. 

Two more minutes of arguing, then they promised to be on their best behavior. 

At least Will was smiling. 

Once they boarded the plane, Lee decided to take the window seat since Nico couldn't handle it. Nico happily took the aisle seat, feeling a lot less trapped. Will was sitting in the middle, checking over both of them like a mother hen. All three put their phones on airplane mode and dutifully listened to Will without argument. 

Nico took a few deep breaths once everyone was boarded. He wasn't deadly afraid, just... He was expecting the worst. He felt a tapping on his shoulder, looking over to Apollo, who was sitting across from him, handing him gum. 

"It'll help with your ears if you chew something," he said quietly as the flight attendants went over emergency procedures. Nico quietly thanked him and popped the gum in his mouth, glad to be doing something. When the ladies were done and the lights blinked off, Nico closed his eyes as the plane moved. 

Will noticed, then asked Lee if they could lower the shade until they were up in the air. Lee did so without argument before putting on headphones, not a fan of feeling his ear pop either. Then Will took Nico's hand, feeling him flinch. 

"You're doing pretty good if you ask me," Will praised quietly. "Thank you for coming with me." Nico hummed, not up for talking just yet. "Deep breaths, everything will be fine." Nico felt the plane stop, then closed his eyes. Will kissed his shoulder. 

"This is the hard part. We're going to speed up and start heading up into the air. It'll be slightly bumpy, but we'll be fine." Will notified so Nico could mentally prepare. The plane moved again, so Nico squeezed Will's hand. 

"Maybe for Christmas, we can spend it with your family, if you celebrate that. I haven't thought about gifts yet. Have you thought about what you're going to get me, other than a bikini?" Nico smiled and chuckled, remembering that he did say he was going to get that. Maybe he should start looking. The plane jolted forward, making Nico freeze, but Will continued whispering in his ear. 

"I don't know what I want. I don't ask for much. Maybe just a kiss underneath a mistletoe, I always wanted to do that. I wanna do that with you because... I think... I'm in love with you, too." 

Nico's eyes shot open to look at Will just as the plane lifted. He didn't even care about that. Did Will say he was in love, or had he misheard? Will was too busy resting away, closing his eyes as the plane shook lightly, but not as badly. 

But that really didn't matter. 

Not now. 

The plane straightened up, and it was smooth sailing from here on out. "Will?" Will looked over and smiled. "What did you say?" Nico asked. Will didn't say a word, only leaning his head down to rest on Nico's shoulder. It was probably uncomfortable, but he didn't move. Nico still wasn't sure if he said it, but dismissed it. 

He kissed Will's head, feeling his heart race. 

Whenever Will is ready to say it again, he'll be there to hear it. 

*******************

By the time they arrived in Austin, Texas, it was closer to nightfall since they left California that evening, and the sun now sets at five. Naomi's car was parked here, so after they grabbed their bags, they piled into her car, Apollo offering to drive because he was a gentleman (and still loved her). 

Will was back to being quiet, but he seemed to be taking in that he was back home now, as he was looking out the window, making Nico sit in the middle. They were still holding hands, now for Will because he was nervous about the drive back home. He would flinch if a truck drove past or the roads were too dark. 

It took a couple of hours, but they soon pulled into Naomi's driveway, Will finally relaxing. As they rode down the long driveway, Will shared that there were a few horses in the fields that he wanted Nico to meet, and some chickens in a coop that were batshit crazy. 

Nico believed him. 

He was not interested in getting chased by a chicken. 

The horses sounded cool, though. 

But he had a bad history of animals not liking him. 

He told Will such, a bit disappointed, but Will found it adorable. "Aw, Nico, you just have to show them you mean well. I'll teach you." 

For now, once Apollo parked, their main focus was getting inside. Naomi voiced that she ordered a pizza that'll be here in half an hour. In the meantime, they can make themselves at home. 

Nico looked around the big house. It looked loved in, messy, but homey. The walls were lined with photos of Will's childhood. A photo of Will in a mini graduation gown, moving from kindergarten to the first grade. The next one is Will at a small concert with Naomi dressed up, making funny faces. The last one was a picture of Will and another boy wearing matching outfits, caught mid-laugh. 

He wasn't blonde; a friend, perhaps? 

"That's Michael," Will explained, but said no more as he headed further into the house. Nico watched him go, then looked back at the picture. He looked happy, without worry. 

Nico realized Will never looked like that during the time he knew him. 

He walked onward towards the living room. The living room was cluttered but alive. A crocheted blanket draped over an armchair, stacks of medical journals and gardening magazines teetering beside it. There was a faint hum of an old ceiling fan that squeaked with every rotation. The coffee table bore faint water rings, a testament to years of cups set down mid-conversation. Lined against the wall were music awards Naomi won and science fair ribbons Will had earned. 

He looked over at Will and Naomi, who were talking quietly as Will held a thick book, a photo album, smiles appearing on their faces. 

At least Will wasn't upset about being home, surrounded by memories. 

Will looked at him, then waved him over. "You'll be rooming with me, of course," he said with a wink. "No rated R stuff. We're best friends if anyone asks." 

"Even then, we couldn't act like friends, even when we were friends," Nico said, remembering when Will was giving him pet names the second day they met. Hell, they slow danced and nearly kissed less than a week after knowing each other. Granted, Will was tipsy, but still. "We're really bad at being friends." 

Will couldn't even argue that. 

"Well, then I guess we'd better figure it out starting now," Will said, as if Nico was going to have the most trouble. Nico raised an eyebrow. 

"Alright, so no more kisses."

"What?" 

"Or hugging. Unless we're saying hello or goodbye."

"Wait!" 

"And no shirtless peeking. That's creepy." 

"Nico!"

"And holding hands. We're men."

"Nico, hold on-" 

"Or cuddling." 

Will latched on to him with a whine, Naomi laughing nearby. "Nico! We'll date in secret! We can do all those things when we're alone! You can't ban cuddling!" Nico banned a lot of stuff, but cuddling was not gonna be one of them. Nico shook his head while rubbing Will's back. 

"Alright, fine. I won't ban cuddling, and we'll only date in secret. Now show me where I'll be sleeping so I can shower." Nico softly demanded. Will backed off and smiled excitedly, making Nico confused before crossing his arms. "That was not code for fun things, Solace." 

"What happened to Angel?!" Will dramatically cried. 

"That's reserved for my boyfriend. You're my best friend, remember?" 

"We can date in secret! Call me Angel!" 

"No."

Will pouted as Apollo shook his head and Lee headed upstairs to avoid the second-hand embarrassment. 

His son was hopeless. 

His brother was half a step away from being whipped. 

Naomi, however, loved every second of it. Much like Apollo, she worried for Will's lack of social life and romance as he focused on his career during high school. He didn't care for dances, stayed home more after the accident, and she never pushed. But seeing Will so head over heels for Nico, who was experienced, attentive, and patient, made her happy. 

Nico headed towards the stairs after hearing Lee run up them, but stopped to look back at Will, who really was upset. 

Like a sad puppy. 

He was too adorable. 

"Will, what's the definition of a secret?" Nico asked. Will scoffed at the dumb question. 

"Something that is kept unknown or unseen from the outside party," Will mumbled. Nico smiled and thanked him before heading upstairs. Will looked at Apollo for help, who shrugged while smiling. Naomi walked towards Apollo, giggling, remembering the times she and Apollo snuck around when they dated. 

Will frowned, not understanding what was so funny. 

"Will," Apollo spoke, deciding to help his poor son out. "Is it a secret if you announce to everyone that you want Nico to make out with you?" 

"No?"

"So maybe don't announce it around us either that you want to be lovey-dovey with him. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're comfortable, love it, but in order to be secretive, you have to, you know, keep it a secret." Apollo explained. 

"But you already know we're dating." 

Apollo sighed. 

Maybe he should give pointers to Will about how to have fun in a relationship. 

"Will," Naomi said, laughing. "Nico is waiting for you upstairs, away from us, to call you Angel. When you're alone with him, you're his boyfriend. When you're around someone else, you are Nico's best friend. It'll help in the long run when the family starts coming by. Practice being secretive with us." 

"Act like we don't know," Apollo added.  

"You literally told him that you two can do all those things when y'all are alone. You're not alone yet." Naomi concluded. Will blinked, then looked at the stairway, then back at his parents. 

Granted, he never snuck around before.

He could barely steal a cookie from the cookie jar without his mother knowing.

But sneaking around with Nico without his parents knowing?

Oh, that was exciting!

Will gave a sorry excuse before trying to walk upstairs as calmly and collected as possible. He failed when they heard a door slam. Naomi and Apollo laughed. 

Their son was still learning new things. 

"Remember when we snuck out at midnight to play around in the corn field?" Naomi remembered. Apollo chuckled at the thought, holding Naomi close. It has been a long time since they were this intimate. 

"Yeah, I nearly got arrested because your parents thought I kidnapped you. Mind you, we were grown." Naomi was just starting as a musician, but was still home for the holidays. Naomi's mother was strict, which was why she snuck out in the first place. 

It was worth every second. 

Apollo kissed her gently, the vanilla scent of her lotion still making his heart race. It was heartbreaking that they were divorcing since Apollo wanted to stay in California while Naomi stayed in Texas, but she wanted to travel and explore all that she could. Apollo wanted that too, at some point, but craved stability once he received a good job offer. 

No matter what, though, if she ever asked for anything, Apollo would give it without regret. 

"Wanna do it again, tonight? For old time's sake?" She asked. Apollo answered with another kiss. For tonight, they were young and in love, doing childish things. 

They'll go back to being parents tomorrow.