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Nico di Angelo is not a party person.
He doesn’t particularly enjoy the taste of alcohol (though he doesn’t mind the sweet drinks that Percy and Leo shove into his hands as much as he dislikes the bland beer or disgusting tequila that he’s tasted. (The tequila was in Annabeth’s hand, and she handed it to him, asking him to sip it. He did, and immediately handed it back with a grimace. She laughed and drank the rest, shaking her head.)
He doesn’t like noise much, but the music isn’t too loud, though Piper’s and Leo’s singing is much louder. But it is funny, and he laughs as he watches them dance together, and as Jason rolls his eyes fondly.
He also isn’t too keen on company, and tends to spend as little time as possible around people, but when Hazel mentioned that Will Solace would be there, he begrudgingly agreed to go (much to her delight). He considered leaving, but was forced into a circle with the others, and then he reallythought about leaving, but Will sat directly across from him and looked at him with a soft smile and he decided to stay. (Then Leo sat next to him and he considered leaving again.)
“Seven minutes in heaven,” Connor says confidently, snatching Travis’s hat off his head and dropping slips of paper into it.
“What, why?” Will says with a grimace, and Nico looks at him confusedly.
“Why, because we’re dumb, drunk teenagers,” Travis says, his words slurring to prove his point.
“What’s… seven minutes…” Nico trails off when everyone looks at him, and Piper starts to coo.
“Awe, Nico…” Leo tosses his arms around him, and Nico topples over against him, making a face. “Little Nico. Precious Nico.”
“I’m not precious,” Nico says, shoving him off. “I just don’t know what it is.”
“‘S a game,” Percy says from where he sits next to Annabeth. (He’s leaning against her and her arm is wrapped around him. His cheek is pressed to it, squishing as he sips his beer, and he looks almost cute. Nico doesn’t care.)
“Yeah, no shit,” Nico says, his drinks getting rid of what little filter he usually has. “Just— What are the rules?”
“You reach into this hat…” Connor shakes it, and Nico hears the paper strips scraping together. “Pull out a name, and then the two of you go into that closet—“ Nico looks at said closet. The doors are shut and it looks almost ominous. “And…” He shrugs, doing a suggestive face. “For seven minutes.”
Everyone looks at Nico like they’re making sure he understands, and he’s quiet for s second before—
“Sounds dumb.”
“That’s because it is,” Will says promptly. “There are so many couples here, how is this going to work?”
“Truth or dare’s better,” Thalia calls loudly from where she’s laying on the floor, looking up at the ceiling.
“Agreed,” Reyna says, looking awfully sober except for the flush of her cheeks. (Though Nico suspects it might be just bc Thalia is laying next to her.)
“Nico, do know what truth or dare is?” Leo mumbles from where he’s still laying on the floor, and Nico rolls his eyes, ignoring him.
“Isn’t seven minutes a long time?” Nico asks. “What are we all supposed to do, just… sit?”
“Listen?” Hazel says, snickering to herself. She’s laying on Frank’s lap, and Frank is playing with her curls.
“Gross, Hazel,” Annabeth says while Percy cackles.
“Well, what else are we supposed to do?”
“Truth or dare,” Thalia and Reyna say simultaneously. Nico sips his drink quietly.
“So seven minutes and truth or dare while we wait,” Travis says like it’s decided, and Will groans, falling backward. Nico watches him, watches his chest rise and fall, watches how he holds his bottle in his hand.
“I feel… like we’re hurdling toward chaos,” Annabeth says.
“I agree.”
“Okay, then what?” Travis says.
“Truth or dare” Thalia and Reyna say again adamantly, and Percy makes a noise of agreement.
“But I wrote everyone’s names down,” Connor complains. “I even tried to write them neatly…”
“Oh my gods.” Annabeth reaches up and snatches the hat from him, pulling out a slip of paper. “Piper.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Truth or dare?”
A slow grin crawls across Piper’s face.
“Dare,” she says confidently.
“Go drink an entire bottle of water.”
“What?” Piper’s head jerks up and she looks at Annabeth blearily.
“Go. I know you need it.”
“You’re so boring.” She pushes herself up. “I thought you were gonna dare me to make out with Hazel or something.”
“I’d do it,” Hazel says after making a face, considering it. Frank chuckles, pushing her hair out of the way so he can see her whole face.
“You’re so drunk,” he says fondly.
“Yeah, I’m drunk, but my brain still mostly works,” she says defensively, rolling her head and gesturing to Piper, who’s finding a bottle in a cooler. “Who wouldn’t make out with Piper?”
“Me,” Nico says dryly.
“You’re gay, you don’t count.” Hazel waves him off dismissively. “Who, attracted to women, wouldn’t make out with Piper?”
Everyone turns to look at Piper as she cracks open the bottle and takes a gulp, spilling water down her chin. They all tilt their heads consideringly and agree.
“Yeah,” Percy says as Annabeth nods. “For sure.”
“See?”
“That’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten,” Piper says, gesturing at all of them with a finger. “…And my ego has grown three sizes.”
“What, are you the Grinch?” Travis says.
“Yeah, if the Grinch was a whore.”
“Oh my gods,” Annabeth says as Jason laughs loudly. “Drink your water, you menace.”
When she’s finished with the bottle she tosses it over her head, and it hits the wall behind her.
“My turn,” she says, making grabby hands at Annabeth. “Pass the hat.”
Annabeth drops Piper’s name back in and hands it over. Piper rustles through it before pulling a slip out.
“Damn, Connor, this was you being neat?”
Connor nods and she shrugs, sighing.
“Frankie.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Truth or dare?”
“Uh. Truth, I guess.”
She looks at him, narrowing her eyes.
“What’s your favourite thing about Hazel?”
He looks down at her, pushing her curls back again, and she beams up at him, closing her eyes. Nico smiles softly, watching as Frank considers. They’re so soft together, and it makes his heart swell every time he looks at them, every time he sees how Frank’s gaze softens on her, how Hazel holds onto his arm in a way that’s somehow both protective and vulnerable, how she jumps onto his back without warning and he catches her effortlessly.
“Uhm.” Frank clears his throat, shaking his head as Hazel starts to giggle.
The back of Nico’s head tingles and he straightens his back, looking away from where Frank is blushing to find Will looking across the circle at him. Nico’s stomach flips over and his grip tightens on his plastic cup. Will’s gaze is soft and he smiles. His cheeks have been flushed pink for hours and it makes his freckles stand out even more. Nico watches as Will pushes a hand through his hair bashfully, sitting back and looking away, taking a deep breath before he takes a sip from his drink.
“I think she has a beautiful soul,” Frank says finally. Hazel grins and reaches up, pulling him down for a gentle kiss, and the others coo, watching as Frank’s cheeks redden even more.
The hat is passed to Frank, and the game continues as Nico glances back at Will. He really is lovely, his hair grown out to his shoulders, tucked behind his ear, gold earrings flickering like candles when he moves his head. He’s wearing pinkish red shorts, and a too-big white t-shirt that reads directed by Wes Anderson across the chest. White converse, striped socks that reach his shins. Gold bands around his long fingers. Nico sips his drink to ignore his desire to touch him, to run his fingertips across his cheeks and jaw and the sides of his neck. (Gods, his neck. Nico might be a little obsessed. Percy jokes about Nico being a vampire, but…)
Will catches his eye and tilts his head, smiling again. Nico’s heart skips a beat and his lips part as if in awe. The alcohol muddling his brain doesn’t help.
He tears his gaze away when Annabeth says his name sharply.
“Yeah?”
“Truth or dare?”
“Uh…” He stammers for a second, his mind blanking. “Dare,” he says finally. “I guess.”
She grins evilly and he sighs, dropping his head.
“Take a shot of tequila.”
“No-o-o…” he groans, squeezing his eyes shut, and she snickers, getting up to get it for him. He watches, frowning grumpily, even as he hears Will laughing. “You are cruel,” he says when Annabeth hands him the pink shot glass.
“Bottoms up,” she says, joining Percy on the floor. Percy pulls his hair over her shoulders almost mindlessly.
He groans again, listening to the chorus of laughter before he takes a deep breath, squeezes his eyes shut, and throws it back.
He coughs when he swallows, tossing the shot glass to Annabeth, who’s laughing gleefully, and waving his hand in the air, swearing profusely in Italian.
“You’re the worst,” he says when the coughing subsides.
“Love you too.”
“Give me the fucking hat.”
She snickers, passing it to him.
He sets his cup on the ground, coughing one last time and revelling in the soft laugh from Will it elicits, and rummages around in the hat before pulling a slip of paper out.
“Connor, your handwriting’s shit.”
“I did my best.”
“Try harder,” he says dryly. “Thalia.”
She grunts from where she’s laying on the floor.
“Truth or dare?”
She hums before sitting up. She looks like she’s just woken up, her choppy mullet messy and tangled, her cheeks flushed and her eyes shiny and squinting at him.
“Truth,” she says. “To shake things up a little.”
“Uhm.” Nico looks at her blankly. “I don’t think I’m very good at this game.”
“Just ask anything,” Leo says, his voice too loud.
“Uh…”
“Nico,” Leo calls.
“Shut up,” Nico says sharply. “Thalia, what— what do you miss from camp? When you’re with the Hunters?“
She hums thoughtfully, and her head turns to Reyna, whose face flushes. Thalia’s eyes are still half-shut and she smiles lazily.
“Mattresses,” she says firmly, looking at Nico. “I love sleeping in actual beds.”
“Fair.”
“Hat,” she demands, reaching for it. He crawls across the circle to hand it to her.
Nico sips at his drink as he watches the rent fuck about. Jason is dared to juggle, and with nothing else to juggle, Piper pushes three shot glasses into his hands. He fails spectacularly, and Travis takes over, juggles the glasses flawlessly despite being drunk. Nico watches Reyna manage to do a backflip at Travis’s request, finishing with a flourish of her arms like w gymnast to cheers from everyone, and notices Thalia watch her with sparkling eyes. He listens as Leo chooses truth when Reyna asks, and rest of their conversation is in Spanish, annoying everyone else except Will, who listens, grinning.
“William,” Connor says dryly, and Will looks at him with wide eyes as he takes a sip from his drink. Nico smiles.
“Truth.”
“Who… is your favourite person in this room?” Connor is grinning, and Nico rolls his eyes, lifting his cup to his lips.
“Nico,” Will says firmly, without hesitation, and Nico chokes on his drink, coughing and covering his mouth with his hand as his face burns.
“What? Why?” Connor asks, disappointed.
“Because he’s the only normal person in this room,” Will says, even Nico makes a confused notice, wiping his chin.
“What the hell,” Reyna says dryly.
“In what way?” Piper says, offended.
“Give me the hat.”
“Why is Nico your favourite?” Percy asks. “He totally ignores your doctor’s orders.”
“He does,” Will says snatching the hat. “He’s a little dumb, but…”
“I’m feeling attacked,” Nico says finally.
“But he’s not a dick,” Will finishes, ignoring him, holding eye contact with Connor, whose jaw drops as he presses his hand to his chest dramatically.
“You’re saying we’re all dicks?” Annabeth says. Will shrugs, rustling through the names.
“You’re saying I’m a dick?” Hazel says loudly, and Will freezes, looking at the floor with a blank expression on his face.
“You’re saying my sister’s a dick?” Nico says. A smile crawls across Will’s face, and he pulls a name from the hat, holding it up in a sort of time out signal.
“…I’m a little drunk.”
Nico laughs lightly and finally takes a sip from his cup as Will reads off Jason’s name.
Favourite.
Will dares Jason to take his glasses off for a while, and Jason sets them on his head, immediately squinting and looking around as the others laugh. He turns to look at Piper, still squinting, and she leans in close enough that his face relaxes as he’s able to see her. He pauses before his eyes flicker up and down her face, and then he behind to smile slowly.
“You’re pretty,” he says softly.
“Shut the fuck up,” Travis says loudly, and they both start giggling, falling against each other as Will throws the hat at Jason. He has to hold the slip of paper close to his eyes to read it.
Favourite.
Nico looks at Will.
Favourite, favourite, favourite.
Nico is transfixed on Will, on his smile as he laughs at something that Nico doesn’t hear because all the noise of the room has been drowned out. Nico might as well be in one of those movies that Piper and Hazel have made him watch; it’s like Will is moving in slow motion, glowing golden as the background blurs.
“Nico,” Piper says loudly, almost shouting, and he startles, looking at her.
“Yes?”
“Truth or dare?”
“Uh.” He shrugs lightly. “Dare.”
She grins, and he recoils.
“Seven minutes in heaven,” she says confidently. “With Will.”
There are various audible reactions around the room, but Nico stares at her, lowering his cup. He knows his face must be redredred.
“…What?”
“Seven minutes,” she says sweetly, tilting her head. “With William.”
“Wh—“ He blinks. “But he… You can’t— You can’t dare him to do it, this—“
“Will,” she interrupts, looking at Will, whose eyes are wide. “Are you down?”
“I…”
“He’s down!” Travis says loudly, and then he’s moving to push Will up, taking his cup. “Let’s go, come on.”
“What…” Connor interrupts Nico by taking his drink and setting it on the ground, grabbing Nico’s hand and pulling him up before pushing him toward the closer.
“Who has a timer?” Thalia asks from behind him.
“I have a fancy watch!” Leo exclaims.
He hears tiny beeps from the watch as what pushes into the closet, directly into some hanging jackets and coats. Will is pushed in behind him, and the door clicks shut. It’s completely dark, and Will bumps into him. Nico gasps, startling and jumping back into the coats.
“Shit, sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Nico says, though his shoulders raise uncomfortably.
“You okay?” Will asks, trying to find him in the dark, lifting a hand to push a coat sleeve away from his face.
“Yeah, I’m just…” Nico takes a breath, closing his eyes. “A— A little bit claustrophobic.”
“We don’t have to be in here,” Will says quickly. “It’s just a dumb game, we don’t—“
“No, it’s fine,” Nico says. “I don’t— I don’t mind.” He can hear Will’s breath. “I just… kind of wish we had a flashlight or something.”
Will is quiet for a second, and Nico listens as there’s a rustling noise, before something lights up, almost blinding him.
“Fuck!”
“Oh my gods, I’m so sorry,” Will apologises, lowering his phone. The flashlight casts shadows across their faces and the walls of the closet, and Nico laughs, moving the sleeve of a coat aside so he can see Will’s face. “I forgot how bright this shit is.”
“Can we sit?” Nico asks, glancing around.
“Yeah, yeah, of course.”
Nico lowers himself the the ground and Will watches as he crosses his legs and places his hands in his lap anxiously, looking up at the hanging coats before he joins him, sitting across from him and setting his phone down away from them. It’s bright enough that Nico can see Will’s face, the shine of his eyes. The red flush of his cheeks.
“Better?” Will asks.
Nico nods.
They look at each other. Nico’s hands fidget in his lap.
“So…”
“We don’t have to do anything,” Will says quickly, shaking his head. “It’s just a dumb game.”
“I know.” Nico looks at the ground, biting his lip. “‘S dumb.”
“We can just…” Will lifts his knees, wrapping his arms around them. “Hang out.”
Nico swallows, his face burning. He takes a slow breath, listening close enough that he can almost hear Will’s heart beat.
“What if…” He swallows again. “What if we…”
“…What?” Will asks quietly. “What if we what?”
“Nothing,” Nico dismisses, shaking his head. “It’s dumb.”
“Ni,” Will whispers, leaning closer. Nico looks at him and his eyes widen. “What is it?”
Nico pauses, glancing at Will’s lips.
“Just… What are we supposed to do?”
Will leans back, sitting up straight and sighing.
“There isn’t really a purpose,” he says. “I think— I think people would usually expect the victims—“ Nico snorts, interrupting him. “To make out or fuck or… Something.” He shrugs nonchalantly. “We can also just talk. Or take a nap, or—“ Nico interrupts him with a giggle, his nose scrunching up.
“What do you wanna do?” Will asks nervously, rocking back and forth.
Nico bites his lip again, his fingers squeezing tight enough that it hurts, and he swallows, looking away. His face burns.
“I don’t know,” he mumbles.
“Nico…” Will whispers, leaning in and raising his eyebrows, teasing. “What do you wanna do?”
“I…” Nico’s breath is too fast, but he ignores it. “I kinda wanna kiss you. But I…”
Will is silent, and when Nico glances up at him, he’s staring back. His eyes are wide and shining, his lips parted as if in awe.
“Have you… Have you ever kissed anyone before?” he asks softly. Nico shakes his head, looking back down at his hands. Will’s arms fall away and he lowers his legs, mirroring Nico by crossing them and letting his hands fall to his lap.
“Do you wanna try?” he asks finally.
Nico might be dreaming. That’s the only reasonable explanation, the only explanation for the way Will’s eyes have softened, the way Will seems to be leaning closer, the way shadows are falling across Will’s face.
“Yeah,” he says so softly the word barely comes out at all.
“Come closer then,” Will says lightly, smiling, pushing his hair back.
Nico moves so he’s directly in front of Will, taking a shaky breath.
“We don’t have to,” Will tells him gently, but Nico almost interrupts with a sudden, “I want to.”
His lip is almost trembling, and his hands are shaking, and Will is staring at him.
“Do you want to?” Nico asks uncertainly, his face falling, and Will nods.
“Yes,” he says breathlessly. “Yes, I do. I really want to.”
“Okay,” Nico says almost silently. “Okay.”
He lifts a hand and touches Will’s face the way he’s always wanted to, brushing his fingertips over his freckles, pressing his palm to his cheek. His eyes flutter shut as he leans in, and Will touches his wrist, his long fingers circling it lightly when their lips finally meet.
It’s soft and tentative, and Will’s lips curve into a smile just before Nico pulls away with wide eyes, breathing heavily.
Will’s smile widens and he nods, sliding his hand up Nico’s arm to his shoulder and gripping him softly.
Nico blinks at him and slips his tongue across his lips before he leans back in and crashes their lips together. Will pushes his hand into Nico’s hair, pulling him closer and sighing.
Nico’s eyes burn and he squeezes them shut, tilting his head and letting his mouth fall open under Will’s. A small noise escapes his throat, a weak, desperate noise that makes Will’s hand tighten in his hair.
Nico pulls away, shivering at the slick sound of their lips separating, and he opens his eyes, looking at Will’s face. He almost looks asleep.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” he confesses softly, and Will smiles again, opening his eyes again.
“That’s okay,” he whispers. “Just…” His fingers tangle in Nico’s hair, scratching his head and making chills run down down his spine like a trickle of water. “Just do what you want,” he says. “What feels good.”
Nico watches his lips say the words, tracing the shape of them with the tip of his finger, admiring him. He really is beautiful. He’s almost glowing.
“Can you… Can you move back?” he asks quietly, shyly. “Against the wall?”
Will moves without question, uncrossing his legs and shifting until his back is to the wall, looking up at Nico with his eyes full of wonder. Nico moves and swings his leg over Will’s lap, sitting back on his thighs so his knees are on either side of Will’s hips. Will tilts his head back, looking up at him.
“Hi,” Will breathes.
“I think you’re beautiful,” Nico whispers like it’s a secret, leaning down and leaving a lingering kiss on his lips. “You make me really happy.”
Will grasps Nico’s sides, his fingers digging into him, his hands perfectly spanning across his waist like they were meant to. Nico huffs a breath, his chest squeezing like it does before a panic attack, all overwhelmed and breathless, but this is good. Usually Nico is thinking (and thinkingthinkingthinking) about what hurts, about what’s wrong, what needs to be different, what he wants to escape. But right now…
“Shit, you make me happy too,” Will murmurs, pulling him in until their chests press together, until their mouths meet, until Nico thinks he might be melting into him. “So happy,” he mumbles against his lips.
Nico whimpers, pressing his hands to Will’s face, rubbing his thumbs against the corners of his jaw and feeling Will’s mouth fall open. Will’s hands clamber over Nico’s back, gripping his hoodie in his fingers, pushing it up, pulling it tightly, and Nico runs his hands to the back of Will’s head, digging his fingers into his hair.
Will’s breath catches in his throat.
“Does that feel good?” Nico asks breathlessly.
Will huffs against his mouth, grinning.
“Yeah.”
Nico looks at him intently, tugging his hair gently and watching as Will’s eyes flutter shut and his mouth falls open. Will sighs, his breath floating across Nico’s face.
Nico swears under his breath.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he says softly.
“Do what?”
Nico tugs his hair and leans in, kissing him carefully, sucking on his lower lip softly, groaning lowly as Will’s hand spreads over the small of his back.
“This,” he whispers when he pulls away, out of breath. “Kiss you. Make you feel good.”
Will tilts his head up and presses a soft kiss to Nico’s chin. Nico smiles.
“Do you wanna go out with me?” he asks hopefully, his eyes shining, reflecting the light of his phone. “Like on a date?”
“Mm.” Nico kisses him deeply, sliding his hands down to Will’s neck and holding him tightly. “Yeah.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I wanna go out with you,” Nico says, pressing his thumbs against Will’s throat and feeling it bob as he swallows. “I’ve wanted to go out with you for ages. I… I really like you.”
“You do?” Will’s voice cracks, and his eyes are burning.
“You’re like… one of my favourite people in the world,” Nico tells him. Will rests his head against the wall, baring his throat and letting his eyes flutter as Nico stokes it lightly. “I love being around you, and you make me— you make so happy.”
Will reaches up and pulls him in, holding his face between his hands as tenderly as he possibly can, the softness of his grasp contrasting the force of the kiss. He furrows his brows and squeezes his eyes shut, letting Nico’s tongue pry his lips apart. He hums, whining, and his hands tighten.
“Do you like me too?” Nico whispers when they part, both short of breath, and Will starts to giggle, brushing Nico’s hair behind his ears. It’s grown out in the last few months, always falling across and hiding his face, his beautiful eyes. It’s soft between Will’s fingers.
“Yeah,” Will scoffs, laughing almost tearily. “Yeah, of course I like you too, you—“ Will exhales sharply, speechless as he looks into Nico’s dark eyes. He blinks, his mouth moving, but no words come out.
Nico interrupts his stammering by kissing him, smiling as he licks into his mouth, and Will leans away from the wall, his hands running over the small of Nico’s back as it arches.
“You’re everything,” Will breathes when Nico pulls away with a sharp gasp. “I’ve liked you since I met you, even with— with all your stupid, stubborn decisions—“ Nico interrupts him with a light laugh, his cheeks flushing. “And your shit attitude,” Will continues, caressing his cheek. “But you’re just… you’re so brave.”
Nico sits back on Will’s thighs, skimming his thumb over Will’s throat, his shining lips falling into a small sort of frown. Like he doesn’t quite believe Will, like he doesn’t understand what he’s saying.
“And smart,” Will continues, looking over his face. “You’re— You’re so fucking powerful, Ni, you’re so strong.” He leans in, pressing his forehead to Nico’s and whispering as Nico’s eyes fall shut. “And I know you think you give off a scary, dangerous kind of aura— and you kind of do—“ Nico giggles, pushing his fingers into Will’s hair and tugging lightly. “But, Nico…” He sighs.
“What?” Nico breathes.
“You make me feel so safe, baby,” Will murmurs. Nico’s nerves light up. “Not even, like… in battle and stuff, I mean just… Like I can be myself with you.” Nico nods, holding Will close.
“You can,” he murmurs against his lips.
“I know,” Will says, but his voice is swallowed by Nico, who leans in and catches his lip between his own, sucking desperately as he tugs Will’s hair, and Will wraps his arms around Nico’s waist.
Will lets out a soft moan, and Nico beams, squeezing his hands in his hair tightly.
“Gods, I like you so much,” Will whispers with his eyes closed.
Nico takes a breath to respond, but he’s interrupted by a banging on the door. He startles and falls off Will’s lap, hitting the side wall of the closet.
“Shit.”
“Hello-o-o-o!” Piper calls in a sing-songey voice through the door. “It’s been way over seven minutes, are you guys alive?”
“Yes!” Will calls back, reaching out and pulling Nico back to his lap. “We’re making revelations, go away!”
Piper cackles on the other side of the door, and Nico hides his face in Will’s neck even though she can’t see them.
“Okay, well, I’m just letting you know that you’re welcome to go if you need to, uh… Go to Nico’s nice, secluded cabin—“
“Piper!” Will yells. “Fuck off!”
She cackles again, tapping the door lightly before she walks away, and Nico and Will listen intently as her voice says, “The closet is occupied for an indefinite amount of time.” Leo says, in a much louder voice, “Are they fucking?”
Will snorts and rests his head on Nico’s, kissing his hair.
“Okay?”
Nico lifts his head and looks at him, tracing the freckles on his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, just over his eyes.
“Okay.” He leans in and kisses him slowly, wrapping his arms around Will’s neck, and Will sighs, setting his hands on his waist, squeezing before running them down to his hips. He pulls him closer, tilting his head to kiss him deeper. Nico’s shoulders hunch as he suppresses a shiver, feeling Will’s tongue press against his, listening to the sound of it, ignoring the sound of the others’ drunken laughter and banter. He pulls away with a gasp and presses his forehead to Will’s.
“Do you…” He swallows, listening as Will breathes heavily. “Do you wanna stay at my cabin tonight?”
“Do I?” Will asks sarcastically, squeezing his thighs. “Of course.”
When they finally rejoin the others, Nico’s hair is messy and he’s grinning. Their hands are clasped, and the others all turn to look, Jason interrupting himself with an “Oh?“
“Did you guys make out?” Reyna asks with her mouth of chips as they’re sitting on the ground together. Leo scoots aside to make room. (The circle is gradually becoming less of a circle.)
“Oh, yeah,” Will says, tossing his arm over Nico’s shoulder as the others cheer. Piper makes a fist pump to the ceiling.
Nico leans his back against Will, turning to hide his face in Will’s shoulder, feeling him shake as he laughs.
“Whose turn is it?” Will asks, rubbing Nico’s arm gently. Nico closes his eyes, smiling.
“Mine, everyone shush,” Jason says, and Piper snorts. “Thalia.”
“Brother dear,” she says.
“Get me a drink.”
“I didn’t even say dare,” she complains, lifting her head and glaring at him from where she’s laying on the floor, her arms and legs spread like a starfish.
“Truth or dare,” he says flatly, barely a question, and she stares at him, gears turning in her head, her eyes glassy.
“Dare.”
“Get me a drink.”
She groans, dropping her head back to the floor before she rolls over and stands heavily, huffing.
“I hate you.”
“I want one too,” Piper says, looking up at her.
“Me too,” Percy adds.
“…I’m gonna poison you all,” Thalia says.
“I’ll help,” Reyna says, getting up, and Nico can’t tell if she means with the drinks or with poisoning them all. “Does everybody want one?”
There’s a chorus of yes, and Nico looks up to nod at Reyna.
While they’re in the kitchen, Nico looks over as the others talk and laugh, watching them pass bottles and cups back and forth, watching Thalia bump her hips against Reyna’s to move her outbid the way, watching Reyna smile at her when she’s not looking.
“Ni,” Will says quietly.
“Mm.”
“C’mere.”
Nico lets him move him until Will is sitting between his legs, leaning his back against his chest, and Nico wraps his arms around him. Will sighs, laying his head against Nico’s shoulder and closing his eyes as he runs his hands over Nico’s firearms.
“Comfy?” Nico asks softly.
“Mmhmm.” Will turns his head, smiling. “Can hear your heartbeat.”
“How does it sound?” Nico asks, looking down at him. At the curve of his eyelashes fanning against his freckles cheeks. “Am I healthy?”
Will’s smile grows and he laughs lightly before pressing closer, listening intently.
“Mmhmm, okay.” He pushes Nico’s sleeve up and presses his fingertips into the side of his wrist, feeling his pulse. “Yeah, I got a diagnosis for you.”
“Mm?”
“I diagnose you with gay.”
A laugh bursts out of Nico and he squeezes his eyes shut, hiding his face in Will’s neck.
“You’re stupid,” he says when he finally stops laughing and Will scoffs.
“You found it funny.”
Nico groans in frustration, tightening his arms around him. Will’s hand drifts to his leg, gently squeezing his thigh.
“Can’t believe I have a crush on you,” Nico says.
“You have a crush on me?”
“Unfortunately.”
Nico gently pulls a hand away from Will’s chest and combs his hair away from his neck, looking down. There’s a freckle under his ear, and he impulsively leans down to kiss it. Will hums softly, tilting his head to give him better access.
“So pretty,” Nico murmurs against his skin. He’s warm, and he smells like oranges, and Nico thinks he might cry. (He wonders if he’d feel like crying if he wasn’t slightly drunk. Probably.)
“Your face is a pretty,” Will retorts, and Nico scoffs, kissing him again, slowly.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Feels good,” Will mumbles, pushing his hand up Nico’s sleeve and running his fingertips over his forearm. When Nico hums, Will drags his nails over his skin. (His perfectly polished nails; they’re a dusty sort of blue, complimenting his golden tan skin perfectly. Nico sometimes wonders if he’d like his own nails to be painted. Maybe he’ll ask Will to do it for him.)
“Gentlemen,” Reyna interrupts, holding out two cups to them, and Nico lifts his head, blinking up at her. “Gonna interrupt your PDA.”
Nico blushes, smiling bashfully as he takes one of the cups, and when he looks at Will, he’s grinning almost smugly, not an ounce of shame on his face, and Nico flushes.
“I get why he’s your favourite now,” Connor says.
Will just hums in response, his head on Nico’s shoulder, his eyes closed peacefully.
“My turn,” Thalia says, snatching the hat from Jason as she sits next to Reyna. “Hazel.”
“Hazel fell asleep,” Frank says fondly, and Nico looks over to her curled up, her head in his lap. He’s setting her phone aside as Nico looks, his other hand on her waist.
“Sleepy drunk,” Thalia says affectionately, tilting her head and smiling at them before she drops her name back in the hat and pulls out another. “Will.”
“Mmhmm.” He sips his drink and Nico sets his chin on his shoulder.
“Truth or dare?”
Will inhales slowly, dropping his head back to Nico’s shoulder.
“Truth,” he says to the ceiling. “I don’t feel like moving.”
“How long have you liked Nico?” she asks curiously.
Will inhales again, shifting against Nico’s chest. Nico’s cheeks flush and he looks at him, at the line of his jaw, the bridge of his nose, the way the corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles.
“Since I met him,” he says lightly.
“Really?” Percy says. “Wasn’t the first time you met him, like… in the infirmary?”
“Mmhmm.” Will nuzzles his face into Nico’s neck, and Nico smiles, sliding an arm around his chest. “Thought he was cute.”
“Wasn’t he…” Piper lifts a hand, waving it around in confusion. “Like… dying?“
“Basically.” Will sighs. “But he kept getting up to fight. Thought he was fucking brave.”
Nico looks at the floor bashfully.
“Also he’s hot,” Will adds.
“Y’know what?” Thalia says, passing the hat to Annabeth to pass to Will. “Fair enough.”
Will sets his drink aside and the game continues, but it’s slower than before. Sleepier. Nico presses his face into Will’s neck, watching Frank gaze down at Hazel. He watches Thalia lay on her back again, her arms outstretched, one of her fingers brushing against Reyna’s hand on the floor between them.
When they finally decide to call it a night, Piper and Percy have also both fallen asleep. Will leaves holding Nico’s hand, and they both ignore the teasing from the rest of them, and Nico turns to give Thalia a pointed look, gesturing subtly to Reyna. She just flips him off.
They’re quiet as they go to Nico’s cabin, and as soon as Nico is pushing the door open to lead him in, Will is right behind him, pulling his hair aside and pressing a kiss to the back of his neck, just under his hairline. Nico smiles and lets his head drop.
“What are you doing?” he asks when the door shuts, the cabin completely dark except the thin streaks of moonlight sneaking through the gaps in the curtains.
“What do you think?”
Nico turns around, looking up into his eyes. He was right; Will is glowing faintly, all the way down to his blue eyes.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers mindlessly, reaching up and pushing Will’s hair back. Will smiles lightly, leaning down and kissing him softly, slowly, and when he pulls away, Nico tugs Will’s hair to make him tilt his head and leans down, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.
“I’m so fucking obsessed with you,” he mumbles against his skin, sighing when Will rakes his fingertips across his sides. Will laughs lightly.
“You’re drunk, my love.”
Nico groans, squeezing his hand in Will’s hair and pulling him closer, sliding messy, mindless kisses across Will’s neck.
“Fuck, Ni.” Will presses a hand to the small of his backs tugging him in, gripping his hoodie tightly. Nico hums, smiling.
When he finally lifts his head, Will immediately crashes their mouths together, but the kiss quickly softens as Will moves his hands up to cradle Nico’s face between them. Nico sighs, holding him tightly.
“Will?” he breathes between slow, careful kisses.
“Mmhmm?“
“Can you…” His eyes flutter shut as Will kisses down his jaw. “Can you hold me tonight?”
“Gods, I would love to.”
He can feels Will’s eyes on him as he changes into a pair of joggers and a sweater, and he ignores him, smiling until he turns to find Will leaning against a wall, gazing at him with his head tilted.
“Are you watching me?” Nico asks, and Will grins.
“I was expecting you to trip.”
“Wow.”
Will gets hot when he sleeps, which makes sense to Nico, what with the glowing and sunlight in his blood cells. He helps him tug his t-shirt over his head, and lays right on his bare chest when they go to bed, tucking his face in his neck and kissing him some more.
“Are you gonna magically cure my hangover tomorrow?” he whispers. Will’s hand creeps under his sweater to his skin, running across his back.
“I’ll try.”
“Mm. Kind of you.”
Will sighs, leaning his head against Nico’s, and Nico smiles against his neck.
“I’ve never been so glad I went to a party,” Nico whispers as Will’s breathing evens out. Will doesn’t respond, but his hands slide around to his waist, holding him loosely.
When he wakes up, they’re laying on their sides, Will’s face pressed to his chest. Nico blinks his eyes open, looking across the cabin to the golden sunlight, to the clothes they left discarded on the floor below them. Will is breathing steadily, his arms around Nico.
Nico smiles lightly, running his fingers through his hair gently before he reaches past him for his phone, which is resting on the windowsill, half-under the heavy curtain. He sets his chin on the top of his head, letting his hair tickle him, as he opens it to find a few messages from Hazel. (She always manages to wake up before him, no matter how early he gets up.)
frank took these pictures of you and will yesterday and i though you’d like them
look how happy you look 🥹
He’s already smiling before he opens the pictures.
Will sitting between his legs, Nico’s arms wrapped around him, his face buried in his neck. Will looking at Nico, holding his wrist, Nico’s eyes squeezed shut as he grins. Will holding his cup in one hand, his other hand resting on Nico’s knee, teasing the skin exposed by the rips in his jeans as Nico rests his chin on his shoulder.
Nico stares at them in turn.
He tries not to look at his own face usually, but after gazing at Will for a while, he looks at himself. He’s never seen himself like this, smiling so softly and lightly, looking so… calm. At ease. Effortless. He is aware of his resting angry face, of how he constantly looks like he’s on his way to fight someone, and he supposes he’s grown used to it, and it’s almost odd to see himself looking so light and happy. He looks like a different person. He almost looks… pretty.
tell frank i said thank you, he texts back.
She respond almost immediately.
i’ll give him a kiss for you 💕
He laughs, furrowing his brows.
that’s not what i said
“Ni,” Will mumbles against Nico’s chest, and Nico lowers his phone, looking down at him.
“Mmhmm?”
Will takes a deep breath, nuzzling his face into him, slipping a hand under the hem of his sweater to touch the small of his back.
“You’re really comfy,” he says. His voice is rough, and Nico grins, ignoring the shiver that runs down his spine. He pushes his fingers into his hair again, tugging lightly and leaning down to press a kiss to the crown of Will’s head as Will sighs. “I don’t wanna move.”
“Then don’t.”
Will stretches his legs until they tremble, his arms tightening around Nico as he moans against Nico’s chest, and Nico snickers, biting his lip.
“Okay?”
Will hums affirmatively.
“You wanna see what Hazel sent me?” he asks, lifting his phone again to seen the smiley face that she’s responded with.
“Mm.”
He opens the pictures and holds his phone out so Will can take it.
“We’re cute,” Will mumbles as Nico combs through the tangles in his hair. “Did Hazel take these?”
“Frank.” Nico moves his head to look down at him, looking at his soft smile as he flips through the pictures. “With Hazel’s phone.”
“Mm.” He hands the phone back and presses his face into Nico, his forehead just under Nico’s throat. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Nico di Angelo.”
“Will,” Nico whispers.
“Nico.”
“Will.”
“Mmhmm?”
“I get to say your name now,” Nico says quietly.
“You couldn’t before?”
“Not without…” He shrugs lightly, playing with Will’s hair. “Feeling like I shouldn’t.”
Will lifts his head, pushing Nico onto his back and rolling on top of him. He looks down at him, his eyes half-shut. One of his cheeks has lines on it from Nico’s sweater. Nico’s breath gets caught in his throat, his eyes sting.
Will’s lips curve into a little smile as Nico looks up at him, looking back and forth between Will’s blue eyes.
“Will,” Nico breathes. His hands drift, sliding up Will’s bare arms to hold his shoulders. His skin is warm. Will’s hair falls around his face, brushing against Nico’s skin, shining like it’s threaded with gold. Nico tucks his hair behind his ears carefully.
Their legs tangle beneath the blanket as Will shifts, his forearms framing Nico’s heads.
“Truth or dare?” he asks softly, his eyes shining. Nico scoffs, blinking tears back.
“Truth,” he whispers after considering for a second.
Will sighs, his thumb brushing over Nico’s forehead.
“Why do you like me?”
Nico suppresses a smile, tracing Will’s face lightly.
“Are you crying?” Will whispers, lowering his face, his eyebrows furrowing in concern, and Nico looks away, blinking.
“I’m trying not to,” he says, his voice thin, laughing as he avoids Will’s eyes.
“Why are you crying?” Will asks, laughing with him, leaning onto one arm and using his other hand to wipe a tear from Nico’s cheek so tenderly it makes Nico ache.
“I like you so much,” he says, ignoring his voice as it breaks.
“Why?”
“You’re so perfect,” he says almost angrily, and Will laughs. “You always know exactly what to say and how to say it, and you’re so fucking patient with me, even though you shouldn’t be.” Will opens his mouth to interrupt, and Nico presses on. “And you’re so gorgeous, you’re so fucking pretty. And you’re so warm, it’s like you have the sun under your skin, and it feels so fucking good when you touch me, and you make me feel so— so safe—“
Will interrupts him, leaning down and crashing their mouth together, kissing him hard enough that Nico gasps, holding his face between his hands.
“How long have you liked me?” Will asks against his lips.
“Forever,” Nico whispers, before— “Basically since we met.”
“Gods,” Will whispers back, his nose brushing against Nico’s. “So we could have been doing this for ages, then?”
“You could have kissed me the day you brought me into the infirmary the first time and I would have let you.”
Will exhales, leaning down until their noses brush, his fingers playing with the ends of Nico’s hair that’s laying around his head on the bed, letting it curl around his fingertips. His eyes fall shut and Nico looks at his eyelashes. Just darker than his hair, spreading like a fan. Nico looks at his freckles, scattered across his whole face like stars in the sky, like splatters of paint. Will’s brows furrow and he swallows, his throat moving up and down. Nico trails his finger over his jaw, down over his chin, tracing a line down his throat.
When he gets to his collarbones, Nico dips his finger into the divot between them, feeling Will sigh. Nico’s finger traces across his collarbones lightly, barely even touching his skin. He can still feel the warmth almost radiating from him.
Nico takes a breath, pushing Will back lightly until Will, opening his eyes and looking at him, moves onto his back. His hair falls around his head, the blonde contrasting against the black sheets. His eyes follow Nico as he crawls onto him, straddling his waist.
Nico traces his collarbones again, lightly trailing his fingertips across them as Will’s hands find his legs, sliding up his thighs to his hold his hips.
There are freckles and moles scattered across Will’s chest and shoulders, and Nico traces them, connects them like constellations, meaningless abstract shapes written across his skin. Over his heart. Under his collarbones. There are stretch marks on his chest and stomach, branching like lightning across his skin, silver and standing out against his gold skin.
Nico can feel Will watching him, but his eyes remain trained on his skin. There’s a scar across his pec, just a shade different from the rest of him, and Nico touches it, tracing the delicate skin so lightly Will shivers. He leans down, kissing it gently.
“You’re so beautiful,” Nico murmurs, finding the other scars marking him, small, thin nicks on his upper arms and kissing those too, because if he doesn’t he thinks he might die. “Fucking everything about you.” He kisses down his arms, taking his hands from where they rest on Nico’s hips, kissing over the backs of them, his knuckles, his palms, the tips of his fingers.
“Nico,” Will breathes.
“You’re beautiful,” Nico says again, releasing his hands and sliding his own up Will’s stomach and chest. His palms press to his skin, letting the warmth heat him up.
Will holds him, his fingertips slipping under his sweater.
“Truth or dare?” Nico whispers.
Will chokes out a soft, startled laugh and thinking, tucking Nico’s hair behind his ear.
“Dare,” he says finally, and Nico grins.
“Kiss me.”
Will surges up, wrapping his arms tightly around him, kissing him, his lips not even landing square on his mouth. Nico is giggling, pushing his fingers into Will’s hair and pulling him away to kiss him properly.
“Your smile gives me butterflies,” Will says when they finally pull away for breath.
(It makes Nico smile.)