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phykios · 3 years

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honesty and promise me, part 4 [co-written with @darkmagyk] [read on ao3]

July twelfth dawns like any other day, Annabeth wrapped up in Percy’s sheets. She’s spent significantly more nights in his bed than she’s spent in her own apartment over the last two months, but who could blame her? This bed is literally to die for. Therapeutic mattress for the fucking win.

Percy, to her greatest confusion and chagrin, is a morning person. Well, actually, what he is is someone who runs on very little sleep for three weeks at a time, before crashing headfirst into his bed for thirteen hours. It is a decidedly unhealthy way to live, but it means that Annabeth is used to waking up alone. The nights where she gets to wake up with Percy are the nicer ones, sure, but his presence is suffused in every corner of the room, his smell wafting from every piece of sweaty clothing tossed haphazardly about the floor, so much so that she never feels like she is truly waking up alone.

Gross? A little. But the smell is oddly sexy, too, especially after he’s just come home from a run, all wet and glistening and flushed, panting hard--

Ahem.

The point is, when Annabeth rolls out of bed in one of Percy’s shirts (the one that says “Do You Even Lift, Bro?” with an image of a male dancer raising his partner, courtesy of one Jason Grace) and stumbles into the kitchen for one of Percy’s patented brunch specials, it’s a pretty normal morning. What catches her off guard is the spread: eggs and bacon, obviously, with fruit and granola and yogurt, but also an enormous tray of delicious, flaky croissants, perfectly crescent shaped, with little bowls of every condiment imaginable, multiple flavors of jams and preserves and Nutellas.

“Bounjour, mademoiselle!” Percy says cheerfully from the oven, perfectly accented, bending over to take out a tray. “Ça va bien?”

“Um… bonjour…” She pokes a croissant experimentally, and is equally delighted and dismayed to find that it is just as flaky as advertised.

“Take a seat, these ones just need to cool for a bit and then we can get started.”

Spring in his step, he opens the refrigerator, taking out the most beautiful cake Annabeth has ever seen in her entire life. Perfectly round, paper white, with little blue borders piped around the edge, but it’s got Annabeth feeling like she’s just been doused in cold water. “How the hell did you know it was my birthday?”

Immediately, she knows it was the exact wrong thing to say. His eyes go wide as the saucers on the table, mouth open in shock. “It’s your birthday?”

Goddammit. “Um.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Because birthdays were inherently a dumb concept? Because her father had to be reminded of her birthday more often than not? Because her mother had stopped sending her birthday cards after she turned thirteen, calling them a waste of money and resources? “I don’t know,” she shrugs, dipping her finger into the strawberry jam. “I guess I just didn’t think it was a big deal. Ooh, does this have rosemary in it?”

“Annabeeeeth,” he whines, plopping the cake onto the kitchen island. “I can’t believe you! I love birthdays.”

“Well,” she flounders, attempting to duck his sudden attention, “what were you originally celebrating? I don’t usually think of cake as a brunch option.”

He raises an eyebrow, not at all impressed with her attempts to change the topic, but he answers dutifully, “Originally, we were celebrating me being one month cig-free--”

“Percy!” Annabeth gasps, clapping her hands delightedly, and a little exaggeratedly. “That’s great!”

“But,” he continues, “now we’re definitely celebrating your birthday instead.”

“Oh, come on!”

“Nuh uh,” he chides, grabbing his phone and beginning to type something, “I am asking Nico to pick you up a birthday card as we speak.”

Oh. “Nico’s coming?”

“Well, this is his apartment. Part of the deal is that I make him breakfast. I think he’s bringing his boyfriend.”

“Is… anyone else coming?”

“Just a couple of people, my friends Frank, Grover, Rachel… I invited Hazel and Thalia, too, but I think Hazel told me she was busy, and you know Thalia. If it’s not at a crappy dive bar then the odds of her showing up are virtually none.” Percy pauses in his text, fixing her with an odd look. “You really don’t want anyone to know, do you?”

How easily he reads her is a little disconcerting, and also a thought that she just can’t handle right now. “I just don’t like people making a big deal out of it. You know, it’s just another day. I’d much rather celebrate you quitting.”

He holds her gaze for a beat, before smiling, finishing typing out whatever he was doing on his phone. “Yes, I am officially quitting. Cigarettes are terrible for you, and I do not have the money to keep up the habit. So, I swear,” he holds up a hand, “No cigarettes, no weed, no vaping. Not that I ever vaped before.”

“Oh, never?” Annabeth teases.

“Not ever.” He leans in, grinning that devastating grin that is seriously detrimental to her health. “You could not pay me enough.”

“Good.” She goes to meet him, pressing her mouth to his, sweetly and chastely, but swiftly turning deeper, almost against their higher brain functions, like they only exist to be here in this moment, lips against lips, tongue and tongue. She’s always hated the taste of cigarettes, she prefers edibles to blunts, and anyone who vapes is automatically dropped from her list of potential partners… but she’s never minded the taste of ash on Percy’s tongue. It was just another part of him, another facet of the whole sexy package.

Now, though, she has the full taste of him, unfettered and unfiltered, his morning coffee and his morning breath. It is disgusting, but again, oddly thrilling. This is Percy, stripped down and divested of all the trappings of blue lipstick and tight pants. She wonders what he thinks when he sees her like this, messy haired, face and ears empty of metal, last night’s mascara smudged all around her eyes. Given the way that he deliberately threads her hair through his fingers, winding the frizzy curls around him, pulling her close enough that the pristine cake is in danger from some serious smushing, she thinks he likes it just as much.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on which perspective, either Percy’s, Annabeth’s, Nico’s, or the cake’s, their little impromptu makeout session has cold water dumped on it before they can end up doing it on the kitchen island. The sound of someone unlocking the front door is almost comically loud, and they break apart, equally red and flushing.

“Gross,” says Nico di Angelo. “No heterosexuality allowed in my kitchen.”

“Take that back, you biphobic ass,” Percy says. “I have never been heterosexual in my life.”

“I’m not biphobic, I just don’t want to see you getting it on on my marble countertops.”

“Speak for yourself,” chimes in Will, setting down a grocery bag right on the spot which would have been ground zero. “Hi, Annabeth.”

“Hey, Will.”

“Nice of you to join us today,” he says, as though he doesn’t see her here all the time.

She offers her assistance in cooking or setting up, knowing full well that she will be firmly rebuffed--domestics are not her strong suit, by any stretch of the imagination--and is sent away with an iced coffee that Will has so thoughtfully bought for her instead of the birthday card she was dreading.

Soon after, the party is in full swing.

Well, she uses the term party loosely. It is fairly intimate, even with Nico’s enormous apartment making everything smaller. They have assembled an odd amalgamation of people: “You already know Nico,” Percy says, indicating the goth prince next to, “and Will,” his boyfriend, the perpetually cheery med student, next to, “and this is Frank,” a large, physically imposing man with a shy smile, next to, “Rachel,” a red-headed girl who looked like she just walked out of a paint shower, all making space for, “and my buddy Grover,” the guy in crutches who had immediately dropped into the single, out-of-decor, but extremely comfortable-looking loveseat Nico had placed nearest to the bathroom. All told, they look like the brochure for a community college who really, really wants to publicize how diverse their student body is, but with a kind of natural chemistry and camaraderie that those kids on that brochure could only dream of. “Everyone, this is Annabeth.”

They greet her, each giving a limp wave.

Then Percy leaves to attend to his brunch spread, but not before giving her a quick peck on the cheek. She can feel all eyes on them, hot and burning.

Silence.

“So,” Annabeth says, as awkward as a freshman in an orientation mixer. “What’s up?”

“Your hair is amazing,” says Rachel.

Hers is crusted with paint, a deep red that turns pink against the orange in the light, a close cousin to Annabeth’s, which is in dire need of a touchup, curls thrown in disarray by Percy’s grasping fingers. “Thanks, I--”

“So how do you two know each other?”

Annabeth blinks. “Friend of Thalia’s,” she says. “You?”

“Used to do ballet together,” Rachel says, brusque, efficient. “Frank, too.”

Frank waves again.

A beat passes.

Annabeth looks to Grover, who watches, bemused. “You, too, I take it?”

Another second. Then he laughs, weird, but hearty, a joyful bleat. “Oh, sure,” he says. “I’m a regular Baryshnikov.”

She can almost feel the room relaxing, heaving a sigh after holding its breath.

“Are you with NYCB, too?” she turns to Frank, shoving her hands in her pockets, fingers curling around the fabric there.

Shaking his head, he swallows his orange juice. “I mostly do modern and hip hop, now, music videos and stuff.”

Objectively, she knows that you don’t have to be skinny as a rake or bodybuilding champion to dance, but Frank is neither of these, a huge, sweet-faced guy with a healthy layer of fat around his face and torso--a strict counterpart to Percy, who could give the Belvedere Apollo a run for its money. “Have I seen you in anything?” Not that she really watches music videos, but she figures it’s the polite thing to ask.

“Um, maybe,” he shrugs, embarrassed. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with some really big people.” Though he offers no further details.

“Working on anything cool?” She asks, doing her best not to cajole.

He nods. “Percy and I have a thing coming out probably in the next month or so, with--ah, well. Can’t say.”

“Tease,” Rachel grumbles, tossing back her mimosa. “I’ve been trying to get the secret out of him for months.”

Frank smiles, secretive and a little smug. “Sorry. You’ll find out along with everyone else.”

“Do you work together a lot?” Annabeth asks. She had thought that Percy was strictly ballet--though, she supposes dancers do crossover work more often these days, if only for the money.

“Not as much as we used to, sadly,” he replies. “We actually lived together in Paris for a few years while he was contracted with the opera before I decided to come back home. Vancouver,” he adds at her unspoken question.

“Bit of a hike, from Vancouver to New York,” says Grover.

Frank shrugs. “I was in town anyway, and I haven’t seen Percy in about a year.”

Annabeth frowns, doing some mental math. If Frank hadn’t seen him in two years, then that meant… that Percy had been alone in Paris all that time. The man thrives off of friendship and social interaction; no wonder he was jonesing to come back to America.

“Remind me again how long you two were together?” Rachel asks, red hair bouncing as she cocks her head. A jolt goes down Annabeth’s spine, appraising Frank in an entirely new light.

“On and off for about two years,” says Frank, thoughtful. “But I just lived with him to save money. The rent in Paris sucks.”

“And you were the best roommate I ever had,” Percy says, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “Clean, good cook, better kisser--”

Frank shoves him away.

“You’ve only ever had one other roommate, other than Nico or your mom,” Grover points out. “That one guy when you first moved overseas--Frodo? Fedora?”

“Fyodor,” Percy corrects. “He was terrible. I didn’t know any Russian, he didn’t know any English, and our French wasn’t good enough to actually hash it out, so he just gave me a permanent cold shoulder.”

“Kind of a low bar, don’t you think?”

“And there was my roommate in Boston.”

Sharply, she turns her head. “You lived in Boston?”

“Yeah, for like a year. I told you I was with Boston Ballet for a little bit, didn’t I?”

Pretty sure he didn’t. She almost opens her mouth to retort, to ask when and compare notes, to mention that she lived in Boston, too, before remembering who she is with, swallowing her words.

“Fyodor hated you,” Frank hums, reentering the circle. He’d wandered away and returned with a croissant, dipped in chocolate.

“Trust, me, the feeling was mutual.”

“It must have been,” Frank says, “because I saw your new apartment after he kicked you out--that place made a shoebox look luxurious.”

Something in Percy’s face almost falls when Frank says that. Annabeth is sure there is a story there.

But Rachel laughs. “Annabeth, you have no idea. It was a Chambre de bonne ,” she says, exaggerating the accent, “which might sound super fancy and French and cool, but trust me, it wasn’t at all. It was this size.” She slaps the kitchen island, a little too hard, her third mimosa making her loose-limbed and loud. “When I visited for Thanksgiving that year I had to pay for the heating bill, because Percy basically refused.”

“It was cozy,” Percy mutters, suddenly very preoccupied with the half a croissant on his plate.

“It was not.” Rachel says. “It was sad and cold and small.”

Nico looks interested, but not nearly as boisterous as Rachel or Frank, “Was that the place…”

“Ye,” Percy cuts him off, “Yes it was.” He smiles, Stepford-strained. “But, then Frank came to town, and so did his grandmother’s money.” He slaps Frank on the back. “And I got a bathtub.”

“I still can’t believe that a ballet dancer lived anywhere for two years without a place to soak,” Frank says, shuddering.

“I can’t believe you waited until Frank got to Paris to get yourself a sugar daddy,” Grover quips. Percy throws a grape at him. Grover, to her immense surprise, manages to catch it in his mouth.

Annabeth can’t really be impressed. This is the second time someone has brought up Percy and Frank having a history. Something hot and angry curls in her stomach. But Percy is laughing.

Rachel laughs too. “Oh, he didn’t wait,” she says. “He had a bevy of sugar mommies for trips to Ibiza and Moscow and Beijing.”

“It was Tokyo,” Percy says, “and they weren’t my Sugar Mamas.” He turns to Annabeth, sheepish, but not actually shameful. “They weren’t. Honestly.”

“Uh huh.”

“They were mostly Kym’s friends, and sometimes we’d go out when they were in town, and if we had fun, they’d invite me wherever they were going next. And if I didn’t have to work, I’d go with.”

“I have heard rumors,” Will says, popping his head in, Nico attached to his hip, “of Percy Jackson, boy toy of the rich and famous of Europe. Is it true?”

“Yes,” Grover and Rachel say at once.

“Do you want to hear about that, Will?” Percy asks, “Or would you rather hear about the summer Nico came to stay with me and Frank before he started college, and slept with every single dancer in Europe except Frank?”

Nico waves him off. “Only because you were already sleeping with him, cause he was your sugar daddy. Not like I needed the money.”

“It wasn’t like that.” Frank says.

“And now that we’ve aired all of my dirty laundry,” says Percy, “I need to borrow Annabeth for a second.” Gently, but with force, he tugs her arm, his other hand around her waist, directing her where to go like she’s one of his dance partners. Usually, she minds--a lot. She’s not about to let anyone, let alone a man, tell her where to go--but, you know, it’s Percy. Alone time with him is never a bad thing.

He pulls her into the hallway, shoving his hand into his pocket. “What’s up?” she asks.

“So.” Mouth open, he pauses for a moment, just… looking at her. His eyes are soft, warm like the first day of spring.

“What?”

“Uh, nothing,” he shakes himself a little, pulling his hand out. “Sorry, I just--I know you said you didn’t want anyone making a big deal out of your birthday…”

Oh, no. She braces herself for the worst.

Uncurling his fingers, he reveals his present for her.

“It’s… a pin?”

“Yeah,” he smiles. “Remember when I took my sister to the Met a few weeks ago? They were having that thing on Egyptian jewelry? Well, of course we had to stop in the gift shop, and I saw this and just--you know, thought of you.”

It is a pin--one of those lapel pins that more often than not are added to a collection usually displayed on a backpack. This pin is a silhouette she recognizes instantly: the Parthenon, its columns and angles rendered in sterling silver, little grooves dug into the metal in an approximation of the fluting.

“Wow,” she breathes. “Thank you.”

“It was nothing.” His ears are pink. “Happy birthday.”

And then he hugs her.

After a moment, she hugs him back.

It’s amazing how she can have had sex with someone so many times, but feel so awkward giving them a hug.

“I didn’t, um, tell anyone else,” he says, pulling back. His hands linger on her shoulders, thumb tapping at the base of her neck. “But, I kept meaning to give this to you, so, you know, now was as good a time as any, yeah?”

“I love it,” she says, honestly. Which surprises her. “Thank you.”

She slips it into her own pocket, not even minding the sharp corners.

When they return, Nico has already cut into the cake. “You were taking too long,” he snips.

It really is delicious. Much, much later, Percy sends her home with a sweet, soft kiss, and one of the last remaining slices, rather than staying for dinner.

Percy is the kind of boy who goes to his mother’s for dinner every week. She had been invited, but also threatened with the promise of another cake, and his ten year old sister, who would “love to make you a present.”

It sounded nice, but Annabeth knew when she wasn’t really wanted, and so she demurred, citing a need for some solo downtime.

She hasn’t heard from Thalia in, like, four days, which meant she had probably gotten a short-term gig. (“You’re lucky, she’s had Jason paying for her phone the whole time you’ve known her. Before that, she was almost impossible to get ahold of.”) Piper would take her out to dinner tomorrow, “just because.” But they would both know it wasn’t true.

So, to refresh and relax after a long, harrowing day of socializing, Annabeth goes home.

Or at least to her apartment.

It doesn’t have a doorman, or the views, or the room, like Nico’s place. Nor does it have any of the people, the energy, the joy. Her furniture doesn’t fill it up. The most appetizing thing in her kitchen are the granola bars Percy had made the week before, or maybe the brownies he made four days ago. She sets her to-go bag of cake and croissants down next to them, a smorgasboard of Percy’s culinary prowess.

Despite the long hours, her clothes still smell a little like last night’s bar, and her skin has a faint patina of dried sex sweat, and smudged makeup.

She doesn’t want to start leaving things at Percy’s place--don’t want him to get the wrong idea--but she also occasionally needs to be able to touch up her eyeliner. She’s either going to have to find a bag that isn’t embarrassing to carry, or surreptitiously shove some eyeliner and lipstick next to the condoms in Percy’s nightstand next time they have a sleepover. Or raid Nico’s bathroom.

Regardless, she needs a wash something bad.

As she scrubs down, she does her best to focus on the lemon scent of her body wash, and not Percy’s perfect form, dripping with water. She tries to visualize her last trip to Sephora, not blowing him under the hot water.

It doesn’t really work, so she gets herself clean and gets herself off and considers just spending the rest of the day naked, in case the mood strikes her again. But it's only 5PM, and she doesn’t have Percy to cook her some dinner tonight, so she sucks it up and puts on some pants.

When she had visited Boston for work a couple of months back, Alex had insisted on taking her shopping, complaining that her sister and her friend Mallory didn’t understand Versace quite like Annabeth did, and that Blitz sucked all the fun out of fashion, anyway. Then, she had bullied Annabeth into buying a set of sweats, claiming it was because of the Grecian patterns, but probably because she thought Annabeth in that much purple would be funny.

But eventually, she had wheedled, cajoled, and threatened Annabeth into buying a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. After deciding to forgo a bra, because that is just one more area she has always fallen short in, she shoves on a School of Architecture underneath them. The crimson clashes terribly with the lavender and seafoam, but she kind of likes it. Piper would call it “artfully nauseating,” or something.

Besides, no one is going to see her but her delivery guy. And if someone did see her, someone like Thalia or Percy, well, the clashing colors would be the least of her worries.

She is folded into her couch, wedged into the corner, very much not looking up Paris Ballet clips from the past few years, trying to spot Percy in the background, when there is a knock on her door.

Not for the first time, she curses her lack of doorman--and then frowns. Who even knows where she lives?

Piper and Leo? Magnus and Alex?

Has she already ordered food and just forgotten?

Is memory loss a side effect of a SK-II mask no one had warned her about?

Tentatively, she creeps towards the door, opening it slowly. If this were a horror movie, the door would creak open, revealing the villain cast in the shadows of the hallway, holding his weapon of choice.

She sighs.

The man is only a few inches taller than her, and dressed impeccably in a t-shirt and jeans that probably cost half a year of her rent-- a big critique coming from her, since she wears a month of her own rent as sweats. His blond hair is impeccably combed, his tennis shoes impeccably white, and his smile the most charming thing you can find this side of the Brooklyn Bridge.

“Happy birthday, girly,” he says, giving her an awkward, one-armed hug, trying to avoid getting any of her facemask on his shirt.

“What are you doing here?”

“It's your birthday,” he reminds her, holding up the bag. “I told you I’d stop by last week.”

Had he? Maybe, and she’d just been too drunk or hung over to really process it. But maybe he’d also meant to, and then failed to follow through. Luke has a bit of a nasty habit of treating his intentions as the same as his actions. His intentions are good, usually, but it means that he often ignored the actual actions. Like how his intention was to support his mother in the best nursing home in the northeast, but his action was to work with Saturn, a very shady hedge fund, to facilitate it. Or how his intention was to have someone at a stuffy party to talk to, but his action was dressing up Annabeth as his arm candy because none of Piper’s models would call him back anymore. He hasn’t asked her to do that since, like, February though, thankfully.

“Sorry,” Annabeth says. “I just… you know I don’t like my birthday.”

He also has a bit of a habit of ignoring her distaste in a really blatant way.

He’s a little like Percy that way, actually.

She’d only ever told Luke about her birthday back in those embarrassing freshman days, when she’d thought he looked as good on paper as any Harvard MBA student possibly could, with a devastating smile to match. She’d been so convinced that he would be the right boyfriend that might finally get her mother’s approval, and she figured that her future husband should know her birthday.

“Come in,” she says, reaching for the bag, but he shakes his head and brushes past her, dumping his black back on the coffee table. Graciously, he doesn’t look at her as he starts to empty out its contents, giving her an opportunity to dart back to her bathroom and peel off her facemask. Luke would forgive designer sweats, but they aren't at the “just chilling in a facemask” level of a relationship.

When she returns, there is a small assembly line arranged on her coffee table: a stack of paper plates, a carton of Haagen Daas, forks and spoons, and a Milk Bar cake, all wrapped in its box.

“Is Milk Bar still the ‘it’ thing?” she asks. “With locations all over the country, I figured it would be passé by now.”

“I know it’s your favorite,” Luke says. “I don’t always have to choose the most popular thing.”

Milk Bar had been her favorite, that is true, right up until she’d started fucking Percy Jackson, and eating his food.

“Thanks,” she says, cutting herself a slice, and scooping herself some ice cream.

“That’s all you’re going to get?” he asks, cutting himself a sliver.

“I have had so much cake today,” she says. Milk Bar really isn’t as good as Percy's, but it reminds her of birthdays in high school, waiting for her mother to visit, sneaking out when she inevitably didn’t, convincing the local bad boy to buy her some alcohol. She eats it, eagerly.

Luke’s jaw drops. “You had a birthday cake? By choice? On your birthday?”

She shakes her head, swallowing. “No, I was at a party with some friends. They didn’t even know it was my birthday,” Until she had stupidly revealed it. Whatever. She just has to make sure he’s been excised from her life by this time next year. And maybe freeze some of his baked goods beforehand.

Luke doesn’t let her go through with her evening plans, which consisted basically of watching Legally Blonde for the gazillionth time while she slurped down some pierogies, but he capitulates to Roman Holiday , helping her put away the leftover cake and ice cream. “Thanks,” she says, when the movie was done. “I’m glad you came over. “

No one ever comes over. Thalia is her best friend, but Thalia would have questions about how she could afford the place, Piper never understood why she’d moved out here at all, and Percy… Percy was irrelevant. There is no reason for him to come here.

“I always like to see my best girl.” He smiles at her, charming and rogueish.

“If all those models you keep trying to date know that your best girl is an architect who lives in Brooklyn who you actually feed, that’s probably why they don’t want to date you back.”

Luke laughs, leaning over and knocking his shoulder against her own. “None of those girls could hold a candle to you.”

“God, you must be a terrible boyfriend.”

“Probably,” he agrees, sitting up and stretching, before reaching back to the bag he brought the cake in. “After all, you are the one I bring all the nice presents. But I think I’m a pretty good friend.”

He takes out a box, burnt orange, a black ribbon wrapped around it, because Luke is nothing if not predictable.

Annabeth sighs internally, quietly reminding herself that money is how Luke shows his love. And that she is wearing Versace sweats.

“Herm é s,” she says, pulling off the ribbon. “This box looks too small for a Birkin.”

“Do you want a Birkin?” he asks. “I can get you a Birkin.”

“I probably don’t need a Birkin,” she admits. Though maybe it would be nice to have one in her closet, if her mom ever calls her up for lunch again. She could show up with a Birkin and an eyebrow ring. Sweet revenge.

Luke waves a hand. “It doesn't matter if you need one, just if you want one.”

Inside the box is a scarf, the silk soft and smooth between her fingers, a pleasing gradient of oranges and reds and pinks and corals. When she unfolds it, laying it out before her, she finds a sharp, geometric design, columns stacked together like skyscrapers. Luke obviously had her in mind when he picked it out.

“Thanks,” she says. It’s pretty--perfect for an ambitious young architect with two degrees from Harvard who had moved to New York City with an offer from one of the best architecture firms in the world. And Annabeth has no idea where she could possibly want or need to wear it.

“Hey,” Luke says, suddenly soft, “don’t cry.”

Shocked, she reaches her hand up to her face. It’s wet.

Luke is probably the only person she will let herself cry in front of. She’d spent three years doing that in college. He’d seen her through heartbreak and hangovers, guiding her through it all like an aloof big brother.

“I’m okay,” she hiccups, wiping her nose.

He hands her a napkin.

Annabeth blows her nose, wet and gross. “I’m sorry, I promise I’m alright.”

“You sure?” He sounds sincere, but she catches him glancing down at his wrist.

“Do you have a date?”

“I…” At least he has the decency to look sheepish. “Just some guys at work. You can come, if you want.”

It could be fun. Hanging out with Luke can be fun. Get a little lit, take a business bro home, screw his brains out, send him on his way. But there’s an unspoken dress code to these things, and Annabeth just doesn’t wear Louboutins anymore. And the idea of fucking a business bro just… doesn’t hold any appeal right now.

“No thanks,” she nods, using the clean edge of the napkin to wipe her eyes. “I am going to watch The Search For Elle Woods , and you're going to strike out with some models, and everyone is going to be happy.”

“You really are so mean to me.” Luke complains, as she walks him to the door, before giving her another hug. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”

“I am.” She is different and new, but Luke is still her friend. She had survived. It would be okay.

“Well, call me if you need something.” He kisses her cheek, sweetly, without any heat. Perfectly platonic. “I love you very much. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” she says, “I’ll see you around.”

“Always.” And he is gone.

She folds the scarf, going to put it in the dresser in her room, shoving it among a handful of accessories, gathering dust. She realizes, with a start, that she’s left a week’s worth of clothes all over her room on the way to the shower, and, with a sigh of adulthood, and the knowledge that if she doesn’t follow the ADHD gods and pick them up now, they’ll be there for weeks, languishing on her floor and stinking up the place, she goes to at least move them into her hamper. She rifles through ripped jeans and band t-shirts and black socks as she goes, checking each for anything like discarded change or a bus pass she doesn’t want to wash.

She shakes out the pants she’d worn out the night before, and therefore the entire day until she’d gotten home. There is a rather unfortunate stain on the knee that she can’t quite parse--ketchup? Chocolate?

Then she reaches into the pockets, touching metal, and she suddenly remembers her other birthday present for the day.

Pulling out the pin, she feels strange, hot in the face, funny in the belly, tossing the jeans haphazardly in with the dirty laundry. It's small and shiny, cheap metal for mass market production, and yet, she walks it over to the dresser, laying it down on the silk scarf like it's the diamond broach her aunt gave her for her sixteenth birthday.

She really is beyond Hermès scarves now. But that pin? Well, you never really can get more Annabeth--the middle school know-it-all, teenage debutante, college perfectionist, New York yuppy, or barfly and punk princess--than one of the greatest architectural achievements in human history.

She is still a little shocked by how much she loves it. How much it means to her that Percy saw that it was perfect for her.

And like so many times when she is confronted with an emotion she doesn’t like, she slams the door closed, and goes and watches a favorite movie from high school.

She does order dinner, eventually, setting out her meal in between texting Piper about brunch tomorrow. It's a whole thing, pretending that they’re not going out for her birthday, but eventually they agree on a time and a place, and she can eat her sausage and watch everyone practice the Bend and Snap in peace.

So she is very annoyed when her phone buzzes again.

Maybe the reservation fell through. Or maybe she doesn’t want Annabeth to show up in ripped fishnets, even though that only happened once.

Her stomach sinks when she checks her phone. It isn’t Piper.

Hello Dear, Happy Birthday. We miss you. Please call anytime. Love Dad, Mary, and the boys.

Below the text is a link, leading to a gift certificate for $200 to Sephora, which has Mary’s name written all over it. Aunt Natalie would have suggested Bergdorf Goodman.

Her hand clenches, momentarily overcome with the urge to hurl her phone against the wall. But there is no one around, so there wouldn’t be any point to it.

She stabs at a pierogi with a chopstick, and watches the girls dance on screen, humming along.

She passes out on the couch after midnight.

Her mother never called.

#my fic #darkmagyk #pjo #percabeth #the rivalry ends here #ballet au #slightly douchey big brother luke castellan ftw!!!!!

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bookworlders · 4 years

Text

the wedding date - chapter 5

percabeth fake dating!au part 5!!!

part 1

Cabin 3 was unrecognizable from when they had arrived the night before. Annabeth’s suitcase had erupted and her makeup and hair appliances now littered every flat surface. Thankfully, Percy had vacated their room to hangout with Frank and Leo so she could ready in private.

It had been awhile since she’d gotten dolled up to this extent, curling her hair, a full face of makeup, and heels. Annabeth hadn’t gotten this glammed up since Piper and Thalia moved away.

Annabeth went out with Rachel occasionally, but it was always to some hipster dive bar in the Village where a flannel and jeans would suffice. Sometimes, if Annabeth was going straight from work to meet Rachel, she’d even try to make herself look worse coming from a day at the office to fit in with Rachel’s grungier friends.

It was nice to take time to do her hair and mix-and-match and pick out an outfit that matched with the bachelorette party sashes Leo had acquired for them. Getting ready was especially relaxing after she had taken the best shower of her life. It was a much needed hot, relaxing session after the day they had all just had.

After brunch, all of the wedding guests had returned to their rooms to change, and rest up for an afternoon of camp activities.

Annabeth set down her curling iron, and shook her arm out, sore from their first activity after brunch — archery. Annabeth had never been spectacular at it in camp, and the years removed their camp training days had made her worse. Not as terrible as Percy, though. Annabeth spent the morning laughing at the cute face he made while he aimed for the targets.

Annabeth finished curling her hair, and got to work concealing a scratch on her arm.

After archery, a group had taken an excursion to the training arena to spar.

“Who’s next?” Annabeth asked, eyes sparkling as she swiped sweat from her brow. She held out her hand and helped Jason up.

“Hades, Annabeth,” Jason muttered, sheathing his golden gladius, “Can’t even give me a break on my wedding weekend?”

Annabeth grinned, “I was already going easy on you, Grace.” She looked around for her next opponent. Piper, Hazel, and a group had gone to the stables to groom the horses. Leo sat, bruised, physically and his ego, on the sidelines nursing a scrape on his arm. Frank messed with the straw poking out of one of sparring dummies, and refused to make eye contact with her. “Come on!”

“I’ll have a go,” piped Percy, standing up from the bench where he’d been sitting with Nico watching Reyna and Thalia spar across the arena.

Annabeth shot him a look, “Really Percy? It’s alright. These guys are just babies.”

Percy stood directly in front of her, “No, for real, I’ll spar with you.”

“Percy, no it’s okay,” Annabeth sheathed her knife in the holster of thigh, “We’ve all trained to sword fight since we were kids at this camp, it’s—”

“You scared?” Percy said, his wagging eyebrow challenging her.

Annabeth gaze darkened, “Alright, then.” She unsheathed her knife, “Pick your weapon.”

Percy picked up a bronze sword from the chest Chiron had brought out to the sparring area, swinging it back and forth testing its’ weight, “You alright with those little knives, Chase?” He stood in front of her.

Annabeth unsheathed another, “Perfect with them. They let me get closer to my opponent.” She stood directly in front of him. Thalia and Reyna had paused their spar to watch.

Percy grinned, “Rules?”

Annabeth twirled the knife in her left hand, using them to point to the markings on the straw covered sparring arena, “First person to step out of the boundaries.”

“Not to the death?” Percy grinned at her.

Annabeth smirked back, “Ready, Jackson?”

The two faced each other within the ring and fell into a fighting stance. Annabeth beckoned him with her hand to make the first move. Percy made the first strike, and Annabeth parried him with a basic block, but Percy struck again, this time disarming Annabeth. Her knife cluttered to the ground. Annabeth raised an eyebrow, her face failing to conceal the shock.

“Jason, I think she really was going easy on you,” Percy said, sweeping up her knife and tossing it back to her. “Don’t you dare go easy on me, Chase. Let’s call that a warm-up round.”

Annabeth’s expression was unreadable, “Fine, let’s go again.” This time, Annabeth made the first move, which Percy smoothly blocked.

Suddenly, they were dancing. The clang of bronze against bronze and the whip of blades flying through the air filled the training arena. Every strike from another was met by a perfectly in sync parry. They fought as if choreographed, his body occupying the space hers was in seconds before being interrupted by the clang of metal. Annabeth didn’t know if she was fighting against Percy or with him. He seemed to know exactly what her next move would be.

Annabeth’s muscles burned in a way she hadn’t felt since her camp days — the exertion required of an equally adept opponent. No one had matched her combat skill like this since, well since Luke, who had taught her to fight in the first place. Fighting with Percy was a dance, and she didn’t want the song to end.

Annabeth knew that she wouldn’t be able to outpower Percy, not due to her own strength or skill, but because she was three rounds of sparring in and he was fresh. His technique was a little rough around the edges, but his natural skill was apparent. Annabeth noticed this in his stance, and they way his arms extended when he swung his blade at her.

She would have to end this round with strategy. He had caught her off guard with his skill when he disarmed her in the first round when she was going easy on him, but now she truly was exerting herself. Percy was having fun, too much to stop or give in. She could tell from the way he almost had her disarmed a couple times, but also eased up just in time for her to inter his saber with one of her knives. How dare he go easy on her now, Annabeth thought as she swung her blade as his throat.

Clang! Percy blocked it. She saw him grin and couldn’t help a smile from spreading across her face.

But she had a plan. Percy swung his sword at her, and Annabeth resisted the urge to block, just for a second, but that was all it took. Percy’s arm faltered, just for a second, when she didn’t move from his attack. The tip of the blade grazed her arm. That second hesitation was all Annabeth needed to get close enough to shove Percy off balance and take a step out of boundaries.

Jason and the others whooped and cheered from the sidelines.

“That’s what you get for going easy on me, Jackson,” Annabeth said, holding out her hand.

Percy shook it, and didn’t let go, “Believe me, I wasn’t.”

“Where’d you learn to fight like that?”

“I’m an actor. Years of stage combat classes.”

“Nerd.

Annabeth finished concealing the scratch on her arm, and began tidying up her mess of makeup and clothes around the cabin.

After a couple more rounds that afternoon (Percy and Jason fighting round after round until eventually calling a tie), they left to meet up with the stable group in the woods for a game of capture the flag — bridesmaids and dates against groomsmen and dates. Annabeth’s team won, of course. “I always have a plan,” Annabeth said with a wink. That plan had just so happened to involve Percy as bait and a distraction while Annabeth claimed Jason’s flag right from under his nose.

A walk through the strawberry fields in the afternoon had allowed Percy to bond with her camp friends. They all seemed to love him, and she did as well the more she got to know him. Percy was charming and funny and retorted back to her witty remarks with clever jibes at her that made her laugh. They hung back from the group on the walk and Percy told her about his mom, Sally, who raised him as a single parent and faithfully supported his acting career, and his stepdad Paul, who was an English teacher.

Annabeth justified it as informing Percy on the need-to-knows of being her fake boyfriend, but the sun and the smell of strawberries had her spilling tales of her stepmom and the rough years with her dad and the move from Virginia to San Francisco that made her summers at camp the best times of her childhood.

When they had returned from the strawberry fields, Jason and the groomsmen had invited Percy for a couple of beers down by the lake. Annabeth said goodbye to him with a kiss on the cheek to get ready for Piper’s bachelorette party.

That had been an hour or two ago before Annabeth had taken the best shower of her life, and washed away the grime and sweat of the day. It had been an amazing first day of Piper and Jason’s wedding weekend, participating in her favorite camp activities and getting to know Percy — bringing him as her date was a great idea from the looks of today.

Annabeth looked in the mirror hanging against the wall next to the door of Cabin 3 and adjust the bridesmaid sash over the short black dress she wore. Piper had no idea what was coming for her for her bachelorette party.

sorry for the long wait, hope you enjoyed xx

#mywriting #percabeth #fanfiction #the wedding date #percy jackson #annabeth chase #fake dating!au

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buoyantsaturn · 5 years

Text

I’m in Hell (7/?)

summary: Nico takes Will and Bianca to Montauk to meet the rest of the gang.

word count: 13,448 (99,310 total)

read on ao3

“I want to get married in a church.”

Nico’s head spun toward Will in surprise, the pencil in his hand halting over the notebook on his lap. They’d started up a to-do list in order start their wedding planning without overwhelming themselves right off the bat, though they’d just barely started talking about dates, not locations.

“Is that okay?” Will asked, turning his head to catch Nico’s gaze. “I’ve been dreaming about getting married in a church since I was, like, nine. I know it might be tricky to find a church that will have us, but--”

“I’d love that,” Nico told him, and set a hand along his jaw to draw him in for a gentle kiss. “What else did you have in mind?��

Will pressed his lips to Nico’s once more, then the corner of his mouth, trailing across his cheek to his jaw and then whispering in his ear, “I want to hold your hand as we walk down the aisle together, I want you to make me cry with how beautiful your vows are, and I want my first dance with you to be to the cheesiest song we can think of.”

“Will…” Nico breathed, his fingers tangling in Will’s hair and holding him close as Will started to kiss a line down his neck.

“I want the reception to be at some hotel so that we can sneak up to the honeymoon suite when we get tired of all the people, and hide there for a few days so I can prove to my husband how much I love him.”

“Will,” Nico moaned as Will’s teeth grazed his skin. He tugged on Will’s hair, pulling him back until their eyes met again - the blue of Will’s eyes had practically been swallowed by the dilation of his pupils - and Nico said, “No, Will. Not yet, not until you’re better.”

Will whined and dropped his forehead against Nico’s. “I feel fine.”

“You get your cast off next week, right? You don’t want to jeopardize your healing before that, do you? I know that if I were the one with the broken bones, you wouldn’t let me seduce you before I was cleared by a doctor. You wouldn’t want to set a bad example, would you?’

Will pouted. “I hate you.”

“You love me, or else you wouldn’t be planning a wedding with me right now. Now, how about we narrow this down to a season?”

Will hummed and leaned over to rest his head against Nico’s shoulder. “Let’s see: summer’s almost over, fall’s a little too soon to do any planning, but spring’s too far away. How do you feel about winter?”

“That doesn’t sound like you’re giving me much of a choice,” Nico joked, but Will gasped in offense.

“Of course you have a choice!”

“Maybe I want a spring wedding,” Nico teased. “Or summer, even. Ooh, but I bet our wedding pictures would look amazing with all the changing leaves, so now I’m thinking fall.”

“Alright, now you’re just being mean,” Will grumbled. “I thought we were on the same page of getting married as soon as possible?”

“We are, but I’m not the one that refused to go down to the courthouse and just get it over with,” Nico reminded him.

Will lifted his head and glared at his fiance. “That’s not a wedding and you know it.”

“It is for some people. Not everybody can afford a big wedding.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a doctor, and I only plan on doing this once, so we’re doing it right.”

“You really know how to sweep a man off his feet, don’t you?” Nico said with a roll of his eyes.

Will huffed. “Fine, do the planning yourself, why don’t you?” He crossed his arm underneath his sling and stared at the wall away from Nico.

“Aw, babe, c’mon, I was joking,” Nico said. He pulled his laptop off the coffee table and opened it up, already typing by the time he spoke again. “Here, we’ll look at churches and we’ll find the one we like the best - and that will have us - and whatever their first available date is, that’s the day we’ll pick.”

Will turned back to him with a bright grin, and realization hit Nico like a slap to the face.

“You tricked me!” Nico shouted.

“I did! And you totally fell for it!”

On the last day of Bianca’s first week of summer school, Will had a doctor’s appointment to which Nico had to drive him. It was mostly just so that Clarisse could remove Will’s cast and tell him officially that he didn’t need to keep his arm in the sling anymore, though she also made it clear that he should still take it easy for the next week or so. She set him up with a physical therapist, too, so before they left the hospital they went to meet Will’s physical therapist and schedule an appointment.

By the time they were finally leaving - they’d run into Lou Ellen as she was leaving the physical therapist, and Nico saw her walking around for the first time since they’d met - it was time to pick Bianca up from school.

“I was thinking that I might go back to work a couple days early so I can get back into the swing of things,” Will said as Nico pulled out of the hospital parking lot. “Not for full days, of course, and no surgeries, but to catch up on paperwork and get myself moving again.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Clarisse said to wait a week,” Nico reminded him.

“I won’t be doing anything strenuous.”

“You don’t have your own car, either.”

“Sounds like somebody doesn’t want me to go back to work,” Will said as he reached over and slid his hand onto Nico’s thigh, though Nico slapped it away immediately - not while he was driving.

“Of course I don’t,” Nico replied, his lips twisting up into a smile, though he kept his eyes on the road. “I’ll miss you. I’ve gotten used to having you around, after all.”

Will hummed. “I suppose I can wait to go back, but we’ll have to add car shopping to our to-do list.”

“Our to-do list? I already have a car.”

“And I thought you liked doing stuff with me,” Will countered, placing his hand on Nico’s thigh again.

Nico sighed and lifted the hand away, setting it back on Will’s lap before reaching a few inches further to pinch the sensitive skin on the inside of Will’s thigh.

“Ow! Hey!” Will exclaimed, flinching away as Nico started to laugh, returning his hand to the steering wheel.

“That’s what you get for trying to distract me while I’m driving.”

When they returned home with Bianca, Will made sure Bianca got started with her homework right away - it was a much lighter load since it was just summer school - while Nico searched the fridge and pantry in an attempt to figure out what they would eat for dinner.

As he was looking, he felt a pair of arms snake around his waist from behind and a pair of lips rest against his shoulder.

“Yes?” Nico asked as he brought one of his hands to rest over Will’s arm on his stomach, and felt as Will held him just a little bit tighter.

He hummed for a moment before whispering into Nico’s shoulder, “I’ve missed this.”

As Will began to kiss a line from his shoulder and up his neck to Nico’s ear, Nico asked, “Missed what?”

“Holding you like this.” He pressed a kiss to the shell of Nico’s ear, and sighed as he leaned his head against Nico’s.

Nico smiled to himself and allowed the contact for another moment before saying, “You’re about to miss it again.”

Will’s hold tightened again as he let out a soft and whiny, “No.”

“Yes, I need to make dinner.”

“Fine,” Will replied, and allowed Nico to pull himself free of his hold. “Can I help?”

Nico realized his mistake in saying yes when Will started leaving him little touches - fingers brushing against the small of his back whenever Will moved around him, a hand on his waist as Will peeked over his shoulder to see what he was doing - that hinted at Will having something more in mind. As soon as Bianca finished her homework and went to put her backpack away in her room, Will attached himself to Nico’s back, instantly trailing sloppy kisses over his neck. Nico shivered at the feeling of Will’s stubble scratching across his skin.

“Will.” Nico had tried to sound stern, but Will had bitten down on his skin just as he opened his mouth which made him practically moan the name.

“I’ve missed this too,” Will said into Nico’s ear, his voice low. With one hand, Will brushed Nico’s hair from the back of his neck as his lips started to attack the skin, and his other hand found Nico’s hip as his thumb started rubbing slow circles over the bone.

“I’m trying to make dinner,” Nico reminded him, though his voice came out breathy and he found himself leaning back against Will’s chest.

“So make dinner,” Will said, and moved on to the other side of Nico’s neck. One of his hands trailed down Nico’s arm to tug the hair tie off his wrist, and Will pulled back for a moment to tie Nico’s hair into a bun. He then returned his lips to Nico’s neck, now with two free hands to trail across every part of Nico he could reach.

He let Will continue for another moment before he straightened himself back up and turned to face his fiance. He grabbed Will’s face, pulling him down to bring Will’s lips to meet his for nowhere near long enough before holding Will back again.

“You have to stop,” Nico whispered, “or else Bianca’s going to come looking for dinner and find us in the middle of something that she is far too young to see.”

Will’s hands tightened on Nico’s hips, though after a second he sighed and stepped back. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Nico turned back around to resume cooking, though he could feel Will’s eyes on his back, like he was tracking Nico’s every move. He bit his lip as he thought out his next words carefully, finally settling on, “I can call Hazel, to...you know, schedule a sleepover, maybe?” He winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth, realizing too late how desperate that may have made him sound.

Though nowhere near as desperate as the “Please,” Will let out only a second later.

Will couldn’t have been happier to be laying in bed. He’d flopped down on his back, starfished across the mattress and barely leaving enough room for Nico to sit down beside him.

“I’m gonna sleep so well tonight,” Will announced.

Nico rolled his eyes and poked Will in the side. “Do I need to leave you alone with the bed for a little while so you can get reacquainted?”

“Absolutely not,” Will said, and reached out for whatever part of Nico he could reach, which happened to be the front of his shirt, and tugged him closer. “I’d love to get reacquainted with you, though.”

Nico grinned and allowed Will to pull him closer, straddling Will’s stomach as he laid down on top of his fiance and leaned down to kiss him. Will’s hands immediately moved to his waist then travelled over his back. He reached for the tie in Nico’s hair and pulled it loose to run his fingers through it.

Will broke the kiss to whisper, “I love your hair.”

“Really? You don’t think I should get it cut anytime soon? It’s getting awfully long.”

Will tightened his hold on Nico before flipping them, and covered Nico with his full weight. “Never.” He tugged his hands out from underneath Nico and went straight for his jeans, tugging them open before Nico reached down to pull Will’s hands away.

“Will, you’re not healed yet,” Nico reminded him, lacing their fingers together. Will pressed Nico’s hands into the mattress on either side of his head, pinning him down as Will held himself over him. “Clarisse said to take it easy for the next week, and this is not taking it easy.”

Will groaned and dropped down again, hiding his face in the side of Nico’s neck. “But I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Babe,” Nico told him, “but I’m not having sex with you tonight.”

Will sighed and released Nico’s hands to wrap his arms around him as best he could while laying on top of him. “Then I hope you’re comfy, because sex or not, you’re still not allowed to leave this spot.”

“Not even to put on pajamas?” Nico asked with a laugh.

“Nope.”

“What about to brush my teeth?” Nico tried again innocently, and Will lifted his head up to glare at him. “You wouldn’t let me go to bed without brushing my teeth, would you?”

“Why don’t you love me anymore?”

Nico snorted, and Will rolled off of him. “You know I love you.” He leaned over to kiss Will’s cheek before he climbed out of bed and dropped his already opened pants once he was standing.

Will groaned and shoved his face into his pillow. “Now you’re just teasing me.”

“Sunshine, c’mon,” Nico said, reaching over to poke his arm. “Get up, come with me.”

Will rolled out of bed with a huff but followed Nico to the bathroom to brush their teeth.

“You know, when you’re done brushing your teeth, you could shave,” Nico suggested, “now that you have two working hands, and all.”

Will wrapped an arm around Nico’s waist and pressed his lips to the juncture between Nico’s neck and shoulder, rubbing his stubble against the skin. “You love it.”

“You can’t prove that.”

Afterwards, they returned to the bedroom, changed into their pajamas, and crawled back into bed. Nico pulled Will in for a lingering kiss, and when he pulled away it was just far enough for him to speak.

“Tell you what, Sunshine,” Nico whispered, “I’ll call Hazel tomorrow and ask if Bianca can spend the night on Friday. That’s just four days away instead of a whole week, and in the meantime, we’ll get as much wedding planning done as possible. Deal?”

Will draped an arm around Nico’s waist and tugged him closer. “Deal. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Nico realized his mistake in letting Will come with him to drop Bianca off at Hazel and Frank’s once they were driving back. Will’s hand had started by innocently resting on Nico’s knee before slowly travel to stroke up his thigh - while Nico was trying to drive, dammit!

Will pressed himself against Nico’s back as he fumbled with his keys in the door, and Will pressed their lips together sloppily when Nico paused inside to kick off his shoes. They stayed attached at the mouth as they stumbled further into the house, tugging at each others’ clothes and hair as they went, until they finally reached the bedroom and tumbled onto the bed.

“Have I ever told you how hot you look in a tank top?” Will asked as he kneeled over his fiance, admiring the way he was spread out before him.

“Only every day this week,” Nico replied.

“Still hotter without,” Will continued, and shoved Nico’s shirt up to reveal his chest. Will darted down to lick a stripe from Nico’s belly button up to his chest, pulling a gasp from him. Will pulled Nico’s shirt off of him entirely and started licking and biting and sucking along his collarbone as Nico tugged at Will’s shirt until he got the hint to pull it off. Nico’s fingers tangled in Will’s curls as he continued working Nico’s skin between his teeth, intentionally rubbing his stubble against Nico’s skin to draw out shivers from him, and started removing Nico’s pants. “I told you you liked the stubble.”

Nico flipped their positions in order to kick his pants off completely before starting on Will’s. He pressed a line of kisses along the surgical scar on Will’s ribcage before moving down his stomach, smirking up at him as he finally tugged down Will’s pants. “Shut up, Sunshine.”

Hazel had had her suspicions as to why Nico had suddenly asked if Bianca could come over for a sleepover, and those suspicions had only been confirmed when she saw Will without his cast and sling when he dropped Bianca off - but nothing had prepared her for seeing the aftermath.

Nico had just walked through the door, looking blissed out and utterly exhausted. Hazel rolled her eyes at the sight. “Did you get any sleep last night?” she asked.

Nico smiled dopily and ran a hand through his hair, unintentionally revealing a line of hickies along his neck. “Not really.”

Hazel sighed and turned her back to him, heading toward the kitchen and calling back to him, “C’mon, you need coffee.”

“I already had some,” he replied around a yawn, but followed anyway.

“You need more. Take a seat, it’ll just be a few minutes.” She gestured to the table as she walked past, and Nico eyed the chairs before shaking his head.

“I’ll stand.”

For a second, Hazel didn’t respond, but when he glanced over her shoulder at her brother and saw him grinning, she cringed. “Ugh, gross! I do not need to hear about that!”

“I didn’t say a thing!”

“You said enough.”

Hazel took a mug down from the cabinet and filled it with coffee once the pot had finished brewing, then set it on the island in front of her brother. “So, where’s Will? Actually sleeping like normal people do?”

Nico stopped with the mug held in front of his face, halfway hiding his smug grin when he said, “Doing laundry.”

Hazel buried her face in her hands. “Why do I even ask?”

Nico laughed so hard that the had to set his coffee back down to avoid spilling it.

“I can’t wait for everybody to embarrass you in front of Will,” Hazel said. “It’ll be the payback you deserve.”

“What do you mean, everybody?” Nico asked.

Hazel lifted her head from her hands and raised an eyebrow at him. “Don’t tell me you forgot. Montauk? Labor Day is in two weeks, Nico, you’d better hope Sally reserved a cabin for you.”

“Oh, shit. Yeah, I completely forgot. Damn, what if Will can’t get the time off? He’s supposed to go back to work on Monday.”

“It’s just one weekend, I’m sure it won’t be that big of a deal,” Hazel assured him. “Drink your coffee. I’m going to go make sure Frank is helping Bianca pack her stuff up. You should text Sally and check on your reservation.”

“Thanks, Hazel,” Nico said, and took a long drink of his coffee before flinching. “Shit, that’s hot!”

When Nico and Bianca returned home, Bianca went to unpack in her room while Nico went to find Will asleep on their unmade bed with the windows open to air the place out.

Nico collapsed on the bed beside him, and even in his sleep Will automatically gravitated toward him, wrapping an arm around Nico’s waist and pulling him close. Nico began running his fingers through Will’s hair, watching as he slowly woke up and smiled softly when he finally saw those beautiful blue eyes.

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Nico whispered, and Will’s eyes slipped shut again as he pressed his lips to Nico’s forehead and repeated the sentiment. “Too tired to put the sheets back on the bed?”

“They’re in the drier,” Will replied.

“You have other sheets, don’t you?”

Will shushed him and tugged him even closer until they were fully pressed against each other.

Before Will could fall back asleep, Nico said, “Will?” He hummed in response to show he was listening. “Do you want to meet my friends?”

“You have friends?”

Nico huffed, feeling the smile the Will pressed into his forehead. “Shut up. Do you want to meet them or not?”

“Of course I do, Darling.”

“Okay, so, every year for Labor Day, we rent out a bunch of cabins in Montauk,” Nico explained. “I kind of forgot about it until Hazel reminded me this morning, and I know it’s kind of late notice, but--”

“You think I’m gonna say no to a weekend on the beach with you?” Will asked. “I’d love to go.”

“Yeah?” Nico asked. “Okay, I have to go call Sally, then.” He darted up to press a kiss to Will’s lips before pulling away and jumping out of bed.

“You have a friend named Sally?” Will asked, but Nico was already out of the room. Will sighed. He should probably get up, anyway.

They tried to finish as much of the wedding planning as possible before Will returned to work, knowing that once Will got back into the swing of things that they were barely see each other between then and the wedding. They did have to call in help eventually - Annabeth and Piper had both had suggestions on caterers and bakeries and a few other assorted things, though Nico had relied on Reyna for a lot of things. It was her that had had the idea to make reservations and deposits in her name so that nothing could be connected back to Will - thus, Apollo hopefully wouldn’t be able to track them down again.

They had a lot left to do, but with a few more months left until the wedding, they had some time to relax.

Will had started working half-days to ease himself back into the job, and had finally gotten himself a new car so that Nico didn’t have to drive him around anymore.

Nico still wasn’t used to Will being able to drive around on his own despite the fact that he had only been without a car for about two months, and was surprised to see Will sitting on the couch when Nico got back from picking Bianca up from school. Will had his laptop on his lap and one foot propped up on the coffee table when Nico walked up behind him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

“Hey, Babe, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon,” Nico said. “Is your foot bothering you again?”

Will tipped his head back with a questioning hum, and then lifted his foot off the table. “Oh, no, it’s fine, just a habit now I guess.”

Nico pressed a kiss to his head and said, “Glad to see you finally shaved.”

“I know you liked it,” Will shot back, and Nico winked as he started to walk away. Before he could get out of reach, though, Will reached out for his hand and said, “Hey, wait, what’s your middle name?”

Nico raised an eyebrow at him. “Why do you need it?”

Will turned his laptop screen to face Nico, revealing the wedding invitations he’d been working on since he got home from work.

“Why do we need our full names on the invite?” Nico asked, stepping closer. “I mean, it’s not like you go by William and nobody calls me Niccolo.”

Will’s eyes widened as he gazed up at his fiance. “Your name is Niccolo?”

Will was supposed to be packing, but kept finding himself sidetracked. He’d had to help Bianca first, and another time he’d stopped for a snack, and had remembered to check the mail for the first time all week - which was how he’d found a big, thick envelope with Nico’s name on it and still had yet to pack a single t-shirt.

Obviously, he couldn’t open Nico’s mail without his permission, and even though he knew what it was by the size of the envelope and the name of the sender, that didn’t make him any less eager to see it opened.

Nico walked into the kitchen while Will was staring down at the envelope, and alerted Will to his presence by sighing loudly. “Please tell me you finished packing,” he said.

Will turned to face him with a grin, one that apparently told Nico that he hadn’t made any progress at all since the last time he asked.

“Will, we’re supposed to leave in five minutes,” Nico reminded him.

“I know, I know, and I’ll start packing as soon as you open this,” he replied, stepping closer and holding out the envelope.

“Start?” Nico repeated, but Will didn’t respond this time, simply smiling a little brighter. Nico took the envelope and ripped it open carelessly, not even looking at it as he did so, and frowned when he reached inside. His eyes widened as he realized what it was. “I can’t believe I forgot about this, I thought it got lost in the mail months ago.”

“Aren’t you going to let me see?” Will asked.

Nico held the envelope against his chest protectively. “Start packing and I’ll show you.”

“Show me, and I’ll start packing,” Will shot back with a grin. Two could play at this game.

Nico’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll show you when you’re done packing, but I suppose I can read it to you.” He pulled the letter out from the envelope, leaving the rest of the contents inside, and started to read. “Dear Mr. di Angelo, as you were unable to attend the ceremony, blah blah blah--”

“Hey, you said you would read it to me,” Will cut in, “so I want to hear all of it.”

“I’m not reading this whole page, Will,” Nico argued, and picked back up in a different paragraph. “We are proud to present you with this diploma, blah blah blah, degree in creative writing… sincerely some guy from NYU.”

Suddenly, Will’s hands were on his face, tilting his head up and guiding their lips together. After a moment, he pulled away and wrapped his arms around Nico’s waist. He lifted him off the ground, spinning him around a couple of times and causing Nico to drop the envelope while he complained loudly.

“I’m so proud of you!” Will exclaimed, and finally set Nico back on his feet.

“Please, it’s not that big of a deal,” Nico replied, unable to hold back his laughter as he tried to shove Will away - though he more rested his hands against Will’s chest rather than really tried to push him away.

“Of course it is! This is physical proof that you’re smart and talented and dedicated, and it is a big deal. I’m so proud of you, Darling, and I love you so much.” He dropped his forehead against Nico’s and beamed down at him, his voice softening as he said, “I’m marrying a college graduate.”

Nico rolled his eyes, though he wrapped his arms around Will’s shoulders to keep him close. “Yeah, yeah, and I’m marrying a doctor. Can you please start packing now?”

“Yeah, I will. You said I have five minutes, right? I can totally get packed in time.”

Nico peeked over his shoulder at the clock on the microwave and said, “Actually, it’s two minutes now, so you better hurry up.”

“Easy.”

Nico stepped back, allowing Will plenty of space to get past him so he could start packing. “You think you can pack everything you need for a weekend on the beach in two minutes?”

Will had made it halfway down the hallway before he turned to grin at Nico, calling back to him, “Time me, Babe!”

Thirty minutes later - and yes, Nico was timing him - Nico and Bianca were laying back on the bed, their bags already loaded into Will’s new car. Will had yet to finish packing, and Bianca had started playing games on Will’s phone while they waited. Once they hit the thirty-minute mark, Nico decided to call ahead to let everyone know that they would be late, so he FaceTimed Annabeth, though Percy answered her phone.

“Neeks!” he exclaimed upon seeing him, and Nico rolled his eyes at the nickname. He would be hearing a lot of that name over the next few days. “Where are you? I thought you would be here by now!”

“Somebody doesn’t know how to pack, so we’re going to be late,” Nico responded.

“You’d think after all those years of summer camp, you’d have learned how to pack by now,” Percy told him, and behind him Nico could see a clear blue sky and a sandy beach.

“Not me, you idiot,” Nico said with a roll of his eyes, and switched to the phone’s back camera, pointing at Will who was currently loading up his suitcase.

Percy whistled approvingly. “Damn, Neeks, you sure know how to pick ‘em.”

“Watch your language,” Nico said, feeling his face heating up slightly, “and shut up.”

“Nico, don’t say that, it’s mean!” Bianca said, not even looking up from the game she was playing on Will’s phone.

“Sorry,” Nico muttered, flipping back to the front camera as Percy said, “What? Who was that?”

“Oh, did I forget to tell you that I have a daughter, Percy?” Nico asked innocently. “That’s so weird, must’ve completely slipped my mind somehow. Anyway, Will’s done packing, so we’ll see you in a few hours, bye!”

As Nico hung up the phone, Will looked up at him with a frown from where he was still, in fact, packing. “What was that about?”

“It’ll be funny, trust me,” Nico promised. “Now are you almost done yet?”

“I think I have everything, I just need to put it all in here,” Will replied, and Nico eyed the stacks of clothes and things skeptically, knowing that there was a very slim chance that everything would fit.

“Nico, will Aunt Hazel and Uncle Frank be there?” Bianca asked, still playing her game.

Nico and Will exchanged a look before Nico turned to her and answered, “Yeah, Princess, they’ll be there. How long have you been calling them aunt and uncle?”

“Since when we had that sleepover last time,” Bianca answered.

“Did they ask you to call them that, or did you choose to?” Will asked.

“I want to,” Bianca said, “because if Nico’s my dad now too, and Hazel is his sister, then she’s Aunt Hazel. Right?”

“Yeah, that’s right, Bi,” Will said, smiling at Nico, while the other’s heart nearly burst. Bianca had never outright called Nico her dad before, not outside of their adoption conversation, and Nico could hardly believe that Bianca actually thought of him as her dad.

Nico rolled onto his side and pressed a kiss to Bianca’s head. “I love you, Princess.”

“I love you, too, Nico,” she replied.

He felt like he was about to cry.

Another fifteen minutes later, Will had finally stuffed everything into his suitcase and was carrying it toward the door when Nico stopped him in the hallway. He wrapped his arms around Will and buried his face in Will’s chest.

“I thought you were eager to leave,” Will said, and Nico hummed. “She called you her dad.”

“She did,” Nico whispered.

“How jealous are your friends going to be when they find out that Frank and Hazel are aunt and uncle when the rest of them aren’t?”

“Oh, they’d be so jealous, but…” Nico tipped his head up to look at Will. “They’ve all said that I would be an uncle to their kids, so don’t you think I should do the same?”

“I think that’s a great idea. It’ll be nice for Bianca to know she has aunts and uncles that aren’t just the siblings I barely know.”

Nico smiled softly. “We should meet them sometime, don’t you think?”

“Let’s focus on your family first.”

Nico had not experienced a three hour drive with a seven year old since he himself was a seven year old. He wasn’t sure how Will had survived the drive from Nashville to New York with how often Bianca complained that she was bored, and Nico thought it was just some television joke that kids asked how much longer the drive would be, every twenty minutes.

Nico tried to help pass the time by telling Bianca and Will as much as he could about his friends before they arrived in Montauk, but most of the things he could think to say would be better to discover in person.

In reality, it wasn’t all that long before they were pulling off the main road, driving alongside a familiar beach and parking near cabins that Nico knew like the back of his hand. As far as Nico could tell by looking at the other cars parked nearby, just about everyone else had already arrived, and Nico was starting to get a bit nervous.

What if Will didn’t like any of his friends? What if his friends didn’t like Will? He knew he said that he didn’t need Sally’s approval, but what if Sally didn’t like Will? Nico had started to work himself up so much that he didn’t even notice when the car was finally parked and shut off.

Will’s voice finally shook Nico out of his thoughts. “This is the place, right?” Nico could only nod, afraid of what he might say if he opened his mouth. Will reached for the door, about to exit the car, when he grabbed Nico’s hand. “Your friends are gonna like me, right?” he asked nervously, and Nico realized that there was nothing to be afraid of.

He pulled Will’s hands up to his lips and kissed his knuckles. “They’d be stupid not to.”

They opted to leave their bags in the car for the time being, and headed toward the ring of lawn chairs around an unlit fire pit where all of Nico’s friends were gathered. They were laughing and chatting until someone noticed them approaching, and suddenly everyone was out of their seats and rushing toward them.

Nico squeezed Will’s hand reassuringly. “Don’t be nervous.”

“Shut up, you’re nervous too,” Will shot back. “Don’t think I can’t tell.”

“I’m fine,” Nico said, “everything’s fine.” He felt Bianca grab his other hand has she hid herself behind him.

Will laughed. “Sure.”

A whistle drew their attention back to the matter at hand, and Will saw a tall, tan, dark-haired man eyeing him up and down appreciatively, making Will tense uncomfortably.

“Damn, Neeks--”

“Language,” Nico cut in, though the other didn’t even hesitate.

“--the camera doesn’t do him justice.”

“Uh…” How was Will supposed to respond to that? “Thanks?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be straight? Anyway, Will, this is--”

“Wait,” Will stopped him, and squeezed Nico’s hand. “Let me see if I can guess.” He scanned the group for Frank and Hazel in order to greet them - with a hug for Hazel and handshake for Frank - as well as to narrow down the group a little further. He tried to remember the few pictures that Nico had showed him so many months ago, and recognized another face. “Piper, right? And that would make you Jason.” He shook each of their hands before looking back at the remaining three. “Annabeth, it’s great to finally put a face to the voice.” He shook her hand as well, and then stepped back to shoot Nico a look before he said, “And I don’t think Nico has mentioned either of two you before, sorry.”

“What? No way!” the dark-haired man exclaimed. “No, that can’t be right. We just FaceTimed earlier!”

Will shrugged. “I’m sorry, guys, but the only other people that Nico ever mentioned were Reyna and Thalia, and I’m pretty sure they’re not you.”

The shorter of the two turned to Nico and exclaimed, “You told him about Thalia, but not me?”

“Oh, come on, you know my wife, so you have to know me!” said the taller.

“Oh my god, Jase,” he heard Piper whisper, “look at Nico’s face.”

Will glanced down at his fiance to see Nico practically beaming up at him with hearts in his eyes, and Will smiled back.

“He knows who you are,” Nico said to his friends, though he didn’t look away from Will.

Will broke eye contact first and turned back to the rest of the group. “Yeah, I do, I’m just not sure which is which.”

“Leo’s the short one,” Nico said, to which Leo replied, “Look who’s talking.”

“And you’re Percy,” Will said, shaking his hand, before turning to Leo to do the same.

“Are you done now?” Nico asked.

Will smiled and said, “Yes, Darling.”

Nico turned to face his friends and said, “Everyone, this is my fiance, Will.” He tugged on Bianca’s hand to pull her out from behind him, and said, “And this is our daughter, Bianca. Bi, these are all your aunts and uncles.”

Will scanned their expressions - mostly shock from Jason, Piper, and Leo, and a sort of neutral happiness from Frank and Hazel - though rather than looking at them, he noticed that Percy and Annabeth were exchanging a concerned look.

Annabeth started, “Uh, Neeks--”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nico told her, his smile unfailing, “we already know.”

They’d gone back to the car to get their things, and made sure they were settled into the cabin they would share with Frank and Hazel for the weekend before they regrouped with everyone else, just as the sun was beginning to set behind the cabins. They set up a few lawn chairs to complete the circle around the fire and joined in on the conversation.

Nico waited until there was a lull to ask, “This isn’t everyone, is it? Where’s Luke? And wasn’t Grover going to try to make it this year?”

There was just enough light to see Annabeth roll her eyes from across the fire. “Luke’s in time out because I told him he couldn’t go swimming until tomorrow but he just ran right into the ocean fully clothed. I went to check on him while you guys were getting settled and found him sleeping, so we’re just letting him rest now.”

“And Grover got caught up in another protest somewhere in South America,” Percy said. “He said he’s gonna try to make it for Christmas this year, but he said that last year, and the year before that… Man, I miss Grover!”

“What about Sally?” Nico asked, tapping his fingers anxiously on his lap. He did not need her approval, but no matter how many times he repeated that in his head, he couldn’t seem to make himself believe it.

“She’ll be here tomorrow,” Percy answered. “‘Stelle’s sick, so her and Paul won’t be able to make it, but Mom should be here by lunch tomorrow.”

“Cool,” Nico muttered, though his fingers kept tapping - until Will seemed to notice and set his hand over Nico’s on his lap.

“Aw, do you need Sally’s approval on your choice of boyfriend?” Leo teased.

“Shut--” Nico stopped himself, glancing at Bianca out of the corner of his eye to see whether she was paying attention, “--your mouth, Valdez.”

“Approval for what?” Will asked with a grin, suspecting that he already knew the answer.

“Nothing,” Nico said quickly. “Leo’s just an idiot as always, and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into here, Will?” Leo called from across the circle. “If you need us to save you from Neeks’s constant emotional abuse, blink twice.”

“Actually, Leo, I think that’s just you,” Piper cut in.

“You bring it on yourself, mostly,” Frank agreed.

Leo slumped down in his chair. “Why do I put up with this? I need new friends.”

“At least you admit to having friends,” Jason said, gaze sliding over to Nico. “Unlike somebody here.”

Nico groaned, knocking his head back and spotting a few stars dotting the darkening sky.

“Actually,” Will spoke up, and Nico feared for his life. “I distinctly remember Nico asking me to come here to meet his friends.”

Nico groaned again, louder this time, and reached over to shove at Will’s arm. “I hate you, why did I bring you here?”

“Because you love me,” Will told him, snatching up Nico’s hand before he could pull away and pressed a kiss to his knuckles.

Nico glared at him for just a moment before he slumped back in his seat, leaving his hand in Will’s grasp, and grumbled, “I guess.”

“Oh my god!” Piper squealed.

“Will, how did you get him to show any kind of emotion?” Percy asked. “We’ve been trying to get him to do that for years!”

“You are all the worst people I’ve ever met,” Nico announced, and tried to tug his hand back, but Will refused to release him.

“Maybe we are, but now we know that you’re capable of love,” Annabeth said. “We’ve known all along, of course, but now we’ve got physical evidence and eyewitness accounts.”

“I thought you were an architect, stop acting like a lawyer,” Nico complained.

Leo opened his mouth to join in on the teasing, but hesitated when he was nearly blinded by a pair of headlights pulling into the parking lot. The entire group seemed to freeze, staring back toward the newly parked car lined up alongside the rest of them, watching at the headlights went out.

“Uh, were we waiting on anyone else?” Will asked carefully.

“I don’t think so,” Hazel answered.

“No, we weren’t,” Jason agreed.

“Not until tomorrow at the earliest,” Percy said.

Nico rose from his seat. “I’ll go see who it is.”

Will tugged on his hand. “What? No, just stay here.”

“Relax, it’s probably just somebody looking for directions or something,” Nico said. “It’s fine, I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Just…” Will started with a frown. “Be careful?”

Nico nodded and Will finally released his hand - though not without a kiss first - allowing Nico to leave the circle around the fire and head in the direction of the road.

“Aw, you love him,” Piper cooed, drawing Will’s attention back.

Will shrugged, unable to hide a smile. “Well, yeah. We’re getting married.”

Annabeth leaned forward in her seat. “You know, speaking of the wedding--”

She was cut off by a cry of “Oh my god!” and everyone’s heads snapped toward the source of the sound as Will jumped out of his seat.

“Nico?” he called after him, and was torn between running toward him and staying back with Bianca, though when he saw Jason rise from his own seat and start in the direction of the parking lot, Will moved protectively toward Bianca’s chair.

He watched as a silhouette appeared in the darkness - oddly shaped but incredibly large and definitely humanoid. It looked like some kind of prank that someone would play after telling scary stories around a campfire.

“Hello?” Jason called as he approached the figure, and Will knew that if that voice were coming toward him in the dark, then he would be afraid for his life.

“Jason!” Nico shouted, followed by laughter. “Reyna’s here!”

They finally stepped into the light of the fire, and Will saw that Nico had been carried over on a woman’s back for some reason. As most of the group got to their feet to greet her - Reyna, Will assumed - Nico slid off her back and stepped away to drag Will and Bianca out of their seats to meet her.

“Will, this is my best friend, Reyna,” Nico introduced them. “Reyna, this is my fiance, Will, and our daughter, Bianca.” Reyna shook Will’s hand and crouched down to do the same with Bianca.

Once introductions were made and Reyna had briefly caught everyone up with her travels, they all returned to their seats around the circle - Reyna took Bianca’s seat while Bianca sat on Will’s lap.

“So, Will,” Annabeth said once they were all settled back down, “I believe you were about to update us on your wedding plans.”

“Seriously? You’re harassing him about that now?” Nico asked.

“Clearly you weren’t going to give us any answers,” Percy argued.

“We have invites for all of you in the car,” Will said, and Nico shot him a betrayed look.

In a second, they were bombarded with questions - about the date, the location, arguments over who would be Nico’s best man.

“You can read it all on the invite,” Nico shouted over their voices.

“Oh, come on, give us the date, at least,” Piper demanded.

Will answered, “December third.”

He expected a flood of questions regarding why they chose that date specifically, or even any kind of reaction that wasn’t a sudden silence falling over them as all eyes pointed toward Nico.

“Stop looking at me like that, I’m fine,” Nico said with a roll of his eyes, though Will could see through his tough exterior to the discomfort he felt underneath. Will reached over to grab Nico’s hand, feeling him flinch at first before twining their fingers together. “Why do you keep pestering us about our wedding, anyway? Piper and Jason have been engaged for two years, when are they getting married?”

“Please,” Piper huffed, “everybody knows that Jason and I love each other, but you’re going to have to give us proof.”

“Actually, I have plenty of proof--” Annabeth started, though Nico cut him off with a harsh shh!

“Annabeth, don’t you dare,” Nico hissed.

“No, Annabeth, please share,” Will said, and grinned when his fiance turned to glare at him.

“Who wants to be my best man?” Nico shouted, and Percy, Jason and Leo immediately started arguing their strongest points. Nico shot Will a smug grin before he leaned over to Reyna and asked, quiet enough the the others couldn’t hear, “Hey, Ra-Ra, will you be my best man?”

“I’d be honored,” she replied, and then they both sat back in their seats, apparently with no intentions to stop the arguing across from them.

“Wait, what about Will’s best man?” Percy asked.

“He already asked his,” Nico answered, and smirked when Will frowned at him in confusion. “Oh, you don’t remember asking Cecil?”

Annabeth pushed herself up from her seat with a roll of her eyes in her husband’s direction, claiming that she was too sober for this, and went to a cooler a short ways away from the fire. “Who wants beer?” she called over, not even waiting for their responses as she loaded up her arms and shut the cooler, handing a bottle to everyone around the circle, though she skipped past Nico without even offering a drink.

She held the last bottle in her hands out to Will, whose gaze flickered over to Nico for a moment - though he wasn’t paying Will any attention - before he replied, “Oh, uh, no thanks.”

“Alright,” she said with a shrug and stepped away, returning to her own seat.

Will tried to sit up a little straighter in his seat without disturbing Bianca, though as he did so, he noticed that she had fallen asleep. Will squeezed the hand that he was still holding to get Nico’s attention and said, “Hey, Babe, I’m gonna go put Bi to bed, and I think I’m going to turn in, too.”

Nico pouted. “No, you can’t go to bed yet,” he whined, and Will leaned over to kiss the pout away.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Darling. Catch up for a little while without me,” Will said. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Nico said softly, and let go of Will’s hand so that he could lift Bianca off his lap and rise out of his seat.

“I’m heading to bed, I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Will announced, and left the circle to a chorus of good nights.

The circle was quiet for a few moments as Will made his leave, though once they heard the sound of the creaky cabin’s door falling shut, Leo asked, “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

“Tell him about--” Nico started to ask, though he remembered before he could finish his thought, and groaned as he tipped his head back against the back of his chair. “No, I didn’t. I knew I forgot to warn him about something.”

Percy clapped his hands and rubbed them together menacingly. “Well, as tradition states: first one to leave gets a million embarrassing stories told about them. And, Nico, since you’re the only with any material, it’s all on you.”

“I’ve got a suggestion,” Jason started, “how does he not remember asking somebody to be his best man?”

“And why did he look so freaked out when I offered him a beer?” Annabeth asked. “I mean, what are the chances you find someone else who doesn’t drink?”

“He’s not an alcoholic, is he?” Piper asked.

Nico laughed softly. “No, not an alcoholic. And the best man story is way funnier. You know how he was in a car accident a little while ago? So, he was high off his ass on painkillers…”

Nico wasn’t allowed to head to bed until he’d told every embarrassing story he had about Will, which meant that nobody really went to bed until around three in the morning. He probably would have slept half the day away if Bianca hadn’t climbed into their bed, waking them up to tell them that she was hungry. Nico wanted to hide his head under his pillow and pretend he was still asleep for another few hours, but instead he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before getting up. At least he could drag Will out of bed with him.

They got dressed and went out to see that only a few others were awake so far - Annabeth and Percy had likely been dragged out of bed by Luke, much like Will and Nico - and everyone aside from Leo looked like they were still half asleep.

They approached Leo where he was crouched by the fire with assorted cooking supplies, and he eyed their connected hands with a whistle. “Wow, Neeks, I never thought you one for PDA.”

“I’d hardly consider you the public,” Nico replied. “What do you have for breakfast?”

“Eggs and bacon, baby!” Leo announced with far too much energy considering how little sleep he’d gotten the night before - Nico was starting to wonder whether he’d bothered to sleep at all. “I figured I’d handle breakfast today since you weren’t awake yet, but you can make pancakes tomorrow.”

“Gee, thanks,” Nico replied.

“You didn’t put anything in the eggs, did you?” Will asked. “Bianca has allergies.”

“Just a little bit of milk,” Leo answered, and he pointed to a couple of cast iron pots near the fire. “There’s scrambled eggs in there, and bacon in the other one, then I’ve got salt and pepper and shredded cheese if you want it over there with the plates and forks and stuff.” He pointed toward the cooler, where the salt and pepper shakers were set out on top of it.

“Thanks, Leo,” Will said, and stepped away to start making a plate for Bianca, and Nico made a plate for him and Will to share.

As they sat down to eat, Will pulled Nico into his lap and snatched a piece of bacon off the plate.

Leo was gazing at them, shocked and confused. “Dude, who are you and what did you do with Neeks?”

Nico stuffed a bite of eggs into his mouth and said, “Stuff it, Valdez.”

“There’s the Neeks we know and love!”

Nico fed Will a forkful of eggs, then took a bite off the piece of bacon Will held out for him.

“Nope!” Leo announced, and jumped to his feet. “Can’t do it, it’s too weird.” He hurried away toward Percy, shouting out, “Percy, Neeks is being affectionate and it’s freaking me out!”

Nico rolled his eyes and twisted slightly on Will’s lap until he could meet his gaze. “Sorry you have to put up with a bunch of idiots just for me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Will asked, smiling at him softly. “Being here with you is a gift.”

Nico wrapped an arm around Will and threaded his fingers into the hair on the back of Will’s head, pulling his head to rest against Nico’s. “You’re such a sap.”

“A sap you’re in love with,” Will replied, and Nico hummed noncommittally as he dipped his head down for a kiss.

“Oh, god, Leo, you were right!” Percy exclaimed, and Nico looked up to see him slapping a hand over his own eyes before rushing away. “Oh, it’s horrible!”

Nico groaned. “All of my friends are children.”

Bianca had practically begged to go swimming once they’d finished their breakfast, so her and Will had gone to put on swim suits. Nico stopped Bianca before she could run into the water without sunscreen, though Will found himself distracted by a car that pulled into the parking lot.

Will pulled on a t-shirt and slipped on his flip flops before heading toward the parking lot, not quite sure yet what his plan was but knowing he would figure it out once he got there.

He saw a woman get out of her car while he was still a short ways away, and when she saw him, she smiled so he waved back and continued forward. “Excuse me, Ms. Jackson?”

“Yes?” she responded, pausing before she reached to open the trunk of her car.

“Hi, my name is Will Solace,” he said. “I don’t know if Nico’s told you about me yet, but I’m his fiance.”

Sally’s smile brightened at his mention of Nico, and she held out a hand for him to shake. “He has mentioned you a few times, as a matter of fact. Fiance, you said?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, smiling proudly. “Can I help you with your bags?”

“Thank you, Will, that’s very kind of you,” Sally said. “Now, Percy said that I would be in the spare room in the cabin with him and Annabeth. Do you happen to know which one that is?”

“Yeah, it’s this one right here,” he said, pointing to the cabin closest to them. He lifted Sally’s suitcase out of her car and lead her toward the cabin. “It’s great that you were able to make it up here, Nico seemed pretty eager to talk to you in person.”

Sally smiled softly. “He never had a very great relationship with his own parents, you know, so ever since he moved in with me and Paul a couple of years ago, he’s treated me like his own mother. Not that I minded, of course, it had been getting a little lonely since Percy had moved out a few months earlier.”

Will nodded in understanding. “I met his dad and stepmom a few months ago, so I know what you mean. I’m glad he had you to look after him.”

“And I’m glad he has you now to do the same,” Sally replied. She stepped up to the door to the cabin and held out her hand to take her suitcase from Will. “Thank you again, Will. I’m just going to take a few minutes to get settled and then I’ll be right back out.”

“Please, take your time,” Will replied. “I’ll let Nico know you’re here.”

As Sally stepped into her cabin, Will headed back to his own to drop off his flip flops and t-shirt before heading down to the beach. He found Nico and Bianca sitting in the sand near the shore, Bianca smearing sunscreen unevenly across Nico’s cheeks.

When she saw him, Bianca exclaimed, “Daddy! Can we go swimming now?”

“You can go in the water, but don’t go in past your knees until I’m there with you, okay?” Will told her, and she nodded before running off toward the ocean. Will waited to make sure that Bianca didn’t go too far into the water before he offered a hand to help Nico to his feet, unable to hold back a snort when he saw the globs of sunscreen all over Nico’s face.

“You’ve got a little something…” Will said, gesturing to his whole face.

Nico groaned and rubbed his arm across his face, though it didn’t do much. “She said that if she has to wear sunscreen, then so do I. How bad is it, really?”

Will grinned. “You’re going to have a very interesting tan.” He reached his hands up and started to rub the sunscreen into Nico’s skin as he said, “So, Sally’s here.”

“She is? Where?” Nico asked, trying to look around for her, but Will’s grip on his cheeks was too strong.

“In her cabin,” Will answered. “I told her that you were eagerly awaiting her arrival.”

“You already met her?” Nico asked, eyes widening.

“Yeah, is that a problem?” Will asked.

“No, no, of course not,” Nico said quickly. “I just… I haven’t really told her much of anything yet. I was waiting to talk to her in person.”

“Sorry, Babe,” Will started, “guess you won’t be able to brag about my dashing good looks since she already knows what I look like.”

“Shut up,” Nico said with a laugh, shoving gently at Will’s chest before immediately pulling him down for a kiss.

Will cringed and pulled back, wiping at his lips with the back of his hand. “Sunscreen,” he said as an explanation when Nico frowned up at him.

“Daddy, swimming!” Bianca cried from behind them, and Will finally pulled himself away.

“Go hang out with your friends,” Will told him, and darted forward for another kiss, only to pull away once again to wipe at his lips. “Ugh, still there.”

He spun around and ran toward the water, scooping Bianca up once he reached her and falling backwards into deeper water.

“I hear those two are yours,” someone said from behind Nico and he whipped around to see Sally standing behind him. She wrapped an arm around Nico’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to the side of his head, though she frowned when he found a white smudge near his temple. “Wearing sunscreen for once?”

Nico rubbed at the side of his face with a groan. “Yes, unfortunately.” He rubbed at his skin for a second more before awkwardly lowering his hand and starting to pick at his nails. He cleared his throat before speaking again. “So, uh, you met Will. What do you think?”

“I think he seems like a very nice boy,” Sally told him. “And the girl out there with him, that’s his daughter?”

“Yeah,” Nico answered. “Bianca. I, uh, I adopted her. Legally. So she’s mine, too. You know, Will and I are getting married.”

Sally smiled softly, staring out at the water. “Yes, I think I heard something like that.”

Nico glanced up at her, knowing for certain that he had not been the one to spill. “Will told you, didn’t he?”

“He did,” Sally laughed. “Introduced himself by saying, do you know who I am? I’m Will, Nico’s fiance! He seemed pretty proud to say it, too, I might add.”

Nico smiled down at his hands, still nervously picking at the skin around his fingernails.

“I like him, Nico,” Sally told him, nudging him with her elbow. “I really do. He seems like a wonderful person, and you two seem like a great fit.” Nico sighed in relief, about to respond when Sally continued: “You know you don’t need my approval, right? All that matters is that you love each other, and you know full well that you don’t need me to tell you how to live your life.”

Nico nodded. “Of course. Thank you anyway, though. Your opinion does mean a lot to me.”

“So what if I had said I hated him?” Sally asked hypothetically. “What if I said that marrying him would be the worst mistake you ever made?”

Nico’s breath caught in his throat, momentarily afraid for a second that Sally might be serious, but he realized almost immediately that his answer would remain the same. “I guess I’d have to live with my mistake. I��m not sure that I could live without him anymore.”

Sally smiled brightly at him. “That’s the right answer. Now, when do I get a wedding invitation?”

Percy had put Luke to bed before they had all even gathered around the fire that night, and while Bianca had been yawning for quite a while, she insisted that she could stay awake to sit around the fire for a little while. Still, Will had made her sit on her lap, both to open up a seat for Reyna and so that he could carry her off to bed once he was certain she’d fallen asleep.

However, just when Will was about to get up, Nico rose from his seat and carefully lifted Bianca from his lap. “I’ll take her,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Will’s forehead. “You stay here and bond with my friends.” Nico turned to the rest of the group, specifically eyeing Percy and Jason, and said, “I’m not going to bed, I’m just dropping Bianca off, so you’d better not start anything, got it? I’ll be back in five minutes, tops.”

Nobody said much as Nico walked away, and Will was starting to worry that maybe the others weren’t all that interested in getting to know him, when suddenly Percy said, “Alright, he’s gone. Will, has Nico ever told you the story of why he doesn’t drink?”

Will jumped when Percy said his name, not expecting to be addressed so directly. “Uh, do you mean other than his sister?”

Percy grinned, the smile almost sinister in the light of the fire. “Yeah, other than that.”

Will shook his head as Piper said, “Perce, he’ll be back too soon, you don’t have time.”

“I have time,” Percy insisted, waving a hand in her direction. “So. It’s Christmas Eve, the year before Bianca died. Neeks is fourteen, Jason and Bianca are sixteen, me and Jason’s sister Thalia are seventeen. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Neeks’s dad’s place in California, but there’s this huge wine cellar, so we stole a couple of bottles, figured no one would notice. We all hid up in Bianca’s room and passed the bottles around until we were all a little tipsy, but Neeks--”

“He probably drank a whole bottle by himself,” Jason cut in.

“He couldn’t even stand up straight,” Percy continued. “It was hilarious. And then, because his family’s Catholic, we all had to go to church at midnight for some reason - that’s why we were drinking, figured it would be a little more bearable that way. But Neeks, this scrawny little kid, is wasted in the middle of church and at one of the quietest parts of the mass, he jumps out of his seat and runs to the back of the room. He throws up, right into one of those holy water pools they keep by the doors.”

“He hasn’t been to church since,” Jason said. “I think the last time he even stepped inside a church was Bianca’s funeral. Never abandoned his faith, though, I don’t think.”

Nico seemed to materialize from the shadows behind Percy, smacking him in the back of the head. “If you say one thing about me being Catholic and gay, I’ll strangle you.”

“I wasn’t going to!” Percy exclaimed, then turned to Frank across the circle. “Frank, why didn’t you warn me that he was right there?”

Frank shrugged. “It’s dark, I didn’t see him until right before he hit you. Also, you kind of deserved it.”

Nico returned to his seat next to Will as the group swiftly changed topics of conversation. Will leaned toward Nico and asked, “Hey, uh, why did Percy wait until you were gone before he told that story?”

“It’s kind of this thing we do,” Nico answered quietly. “The first person to go to bed each night gets every embarrassing story brought up. It started when we were all still in high school, it was like a threat to stay awake all night or else you would get humiliated in the morning. It kind of just stuck with us, I guess. Percy takes any opportunity he can to tell embarrassing stories about me because him and Jason have known me the longest and I’m never the first to leave.”

Will frowned. “But I was the first to leave last night. Nobody knows any stories about me except for you.”

Even in the light of the fire, Will could see a blush rising on Nico’s cheeks. “Yeah, well, uh,” Nico started awkwardly. “I might’ve told a few stories. I meant to tell you! I really did mean to warn you, but then you were already gone and everyone was demanding stories--”

“What did you tell them?” Will cut in, fearfully.

“Just about when you were high after your surgery,” Nico said, ducking his head and picking at his nails. “And how you got chicken pox earlier this year. And...when you got drunk at your sister’s Christmas party.”

“No!” Will hissed. “You told them about after Kayla’s party? Nico, that was the most embarrassing thing I ever did in my entire life, I was prepared to take that to my grave!”

“I’m sorry,” Nico replied with a tiny laugh at how dramatic Will was being. “They insisted that I do it. At least Hazel didn’t have anything to add, she remembers everything and she can be brutal.”

Will groaned, dropping his head onto Nico’s shoulder. “I still can’t believe it. I think we both made the right choice to never drink again.”

Nico smiled and relaxed back into his seat, ready to jump back into the conversation, when Sally stood. “Well, everyone, I’m going to turn in for the night. I’ll see you all in the morning, goodnight!”

Everyone in the circle replied with a chorus of “goodnight”s, and Sally made her way toward Nico’s end of the circle, stopping to press a kiss to Percy’s and Annabeth’s foreheads, then doing the same to Nico before she left.

Before anyone could get a chance to speak, Percy shouted, “Moms are off-limits!” Every head turned in his direction, some confused, some trying not to laugh. “For the story thing, you know what I meant!”

The circle erupted in laughter, which subsided after about a minute.

Annabeth asked, “So Hazel and Frank, don’t think we forgot that the two of you are getting married pretty soon, too.”

“Well, uh, maybe, maybe not,” Frank said, and a few people gasped. “Not like that! We’re getting married, just probably not with a wedding.”

Hazel reached over and squeezed Frank’s hand reassuringly. “We want to get married before Frank enlists, so we’ll probably just end up going to the courthouse when he gets his assignment. Then, after a little while, when we have more money saved up, we’ll have an actual, big wedding. We talked about it a little with Seph when we went to visit, and she seemed pretty excited, though she was apparently already looking forward to my spring wedding.”

“You’re all invited to come with us when we go to the courthouse, though,” Frank said. “After all, we legally need witnesses to be there, and we’ll need a best man and maid of honor.”

“And Nico’s already agreed to be the flower boy,” Hazel added with a smirk, and Will shot Nico a look that said you have to tell me that story, though Nico pretended that he didn’t see it.

“Hey, speaking of best man,” Jason started, “Nico, you never picked one of us last night! Or did you hold off on choosing because you’re actually looking for a maid of honor? I assume you’re the bride, right?”

The pure annoyance radiating off of Nico was palpable. “Don’t be an asshole, Jason. That’s the kind of heteronormative bullshit I would expect from Percy, not you. But congrats, you’ve just gotten yourself crossed off the list.”

“Damn,” Jason said, and slumped back in his seat. Piper patted him on the shoulder and told him that he deserved to get crossed off for a statement like that.

At the same time, Percy and Leo shouted, “Ooh, pick me!”

Nico rolled his eyes. “I already picked Reyna, so would you all shut up?”

“Damn it!”

Leo ended up being the first to leave the group that night, and Will got to hear three different stories about how Leo had managed to set himself on fire. It wasn’t long after that the rest of the group started to trickle away, Nico and Will leaving somewhere in the middle.

As Will settled himself into bed, Nico draped himself over his fiance and asked, “So, how much did they manage to tell you before I got back?”

“Don’t trust me not to use your secrets against you?” Will asked with a sleepy grin.

“I trust you, of course. It’s the rest of them I’m not too sure about.”

“It was just the one story,” Will assured him. He stroked a hand through Nico’s hair - he hadn’t worn it down all weekend, and Will had missed running his fingers through it. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that you’re Catholic?”

Nico tucked his head underneath Will’s chin to keep him from analyzing his expression. “It’s not that important.”

“Sure it is. If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me. Is it important to you?”

Nico nodded, and Will started to scratch at his scalp gently, comfortingly. “When Bia and I were little, we hated going to church, but after my mom died… We kept going to feel close to her, but then Bia--” He shook his hand. “I couldn’t make myself go back after her funeral.”

Will kissed the top of his head and whispered, “Thank you for telling me.” As one hand continued playing with Nico’s hair, Will brought his other to rub up and down Nico’s back. “You know, I think it’s pretty amazing that you’ve held onto so many friends for so long. I mean, I know Jason and Hazel are your family, but you’ve been friends with Percy and Reyna since high school! After Bianca, I didn’t have the time to maintain any friendships from med school, let alone high school.”

“Will,” Nico said, propping himself up so that he could shoot Will a look, “I graduated high school, like, five years ago, it hasn’t been that long.”

Will’s eyes widened as the realization hit him, and just before Nico could comment, Will rolled them over and buried his face in the side of Nico’s neck as he started to whine. “God, how could I forget that? I’m so old! Nico, please tell me I’m not the oldest one here.”

“Of course you’re not,” Nico told him. “Sally’s at least forty-five by now.”

Will groaned loudly as Nico started to laugh.

They handed out wedding invitations the next morning before Jason and Piper left. Leo never hung around long after those two left, so he said his goodbyes just after lunch. Nico had high hopes that he wouldn’t end up thrown into the water since it usually took both Percy and Jason to drag him that far down the beach, though of course he underestimated his best friend’s ability to embarrass him when Reyna scooped him up on her own and ran at full speed toward the ocean. Bianca, Percy, and Luke had run into the water after them, leaving Will and Annabeth to watch them from the shore.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as happy as he is with you,” Annabeth said out of the blue, and Will’s head snapped toward her. “I’m sure he’s told you about all of the rough times he’s been through, so you can imagine how worried we’ve all been for him all this time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy he found you, but if you do something to--”

“Are you threatening me?” Will asked, genuinely confused.

Annabeth grinned. “I wouldn’t call it threatening, but I’m certainly giving you a warning.”

Will laughed, just a quick puff of breath. “I thought I was in the clear once Jason left without giving me the shovel talk, but I guess not. Don’t get me wrong, you’re all very intimidating, but Jason looks like he could snap my bones like a twigs.”

“Please,” Annabeth said with a laugh. “Jason’s a sweetheart. If there’s anybody you need to worry about, it’s Reyna. You saw the way she carried Neeks across the beach - if you mess up, she’s the one with the means and motive to kill you.”

“Good to know,” Will said, trying to laugh it off though he wasn’t sure whether Annabeth was joking or serious. “And good thing I plan on spending every day for the rest of my life making Nico as happy as possible.”

“Sunshine, are you trying to embarrass me?” Nico called as he trudged up the beach. He dropped himself onto Will’s lap, who immediately recoiled from the cold water now soaking into his clothes.

“Babe, you’re soaking wet, get off of me!” Will exclaimed, but Nico just glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, no shit, I was just in the ocean,” Nico replied. “And I’m not going to sit on the ground, then I’ll get all sandy.”

Will rolled his eyes but resigned himself to his fate and draped his arms around Nico’s waist with a huff. “Fine, I guess you can stay.”

“So, what were you two talking about?” Nico asked.

Annabeth shrugged. “Nothing much, just made a few empty threats, that’s all.”

Nico narrowed his eyes. “Annabeth,” he said warningly.

“I said empty threats, Neeks!”

As he started to pull his hair out of the bun on the top of his head, Nico turned to face Will. “Do you feel threatened?”

Will set his chin on Nico’s shoulder, tightening his hold around Nico’s waist. “I feel much safer now that you’re here, Darling.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Annabeth argued again, twisting to face them completely, and her eyes widened when Nico finally pulled his hair loose. “Holy shit, Neeks, your hair is almost as long as mine! When was the last time you got a haircut?”

Nico rolled his eyes, refusing to answer as he started to ring his hair out into the sand.

“Hey, Will!” Percy called from the shore. “You better not let Neeks catch you with a girl on your lap! Oh man, Neeks, is that you? You look like a girl, dude!”

Nico raised his middle finger at Percy, though Annabeth smacked his hand down before Luke or Bianca could see. Nico watched with glee as Reyna tackled Percy into the water in payback for the comment.

“Hey, Will, by the way,” Nico said, “Reyna’s flight was overbooked, so she needs someplace to stay for the next couple of days. Is it okay if she comes to stay with us?”

“Of course,” Will said, smiling at his fiance, before his eyes flickered over to Annabeth as she drew a finger across her throat, then started to laugh. Will tried not to let that get to him.

Will was on edge for the next two days, and it was all thanks to Annabeth. Everyone who was still left at the beach returned home on Monday morning, and Reyna followed Will and Nico home in her rental car. He was sure he was worrying for nothing - even if Will had upset Nico in some way, which he would never do, it wasn’t like Reyna would actually hurt him, right? Besides, Nico seemed so happy to see his best friend after so long, and Will wasn’t about to ruin that by asking Reyna to leave.

He was grateful to head back to work on Tuesday if only to avoid upsetting Nico or Reyna in some way, though he knew he could only stay away for so long before it started to look like he was actively trying to avoid them. He still ended up overshooting and stayed at the hospital much later than he intended, completely missing dinner and finally walking through the front door right at Bianca’s bedtime.

Will rushed to kick his shoes off and practically ran toward Bianca’s room, stopping outside just as Nico left the room, about the close the door behind himself. “Cutting it a little close, don’t you think, Sunshine?” Nico asked, and Will nodded.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Will said, and pressed a kiss to Nico’s cheek before he slipped through Bianca’s door. He stepped toward her bed as quietly as possible and sat down on the edge of the mattress. He whispered, “Bi, are you still up?”

“Daddy?” she asked, and stretched her arms up for a hug.

Will complied, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m sorry I’m late, Bi. I’ll do my best to be home earlier tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” she answered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Bi. Goodnight.” He kissed her forehead once more and pulled her blanket up to her chin before he tiptoed back out of the room, shutting the door softly behind himself.

“You know, you really worry him when you come home so late,” Reyna said from behind him, and Will jumped.

He turned to see Reyna sitting on the couch, looking at her phone, and for a second Will thought he’d imagined her voice, but then she looked up at him with one eyebrow raised.

“I know I do,” Will answered, and moved toward her, though he couldn’t make himself sit down on the couch. “It’s not always my fault, though. I don’t exactly have set hours at the hospital.”

“You can’t take a second to send him a text?”

Will’s jaw clenched. Was Reyna trying to antagonize him? Did she want him to get angry? “Do you want me to make excuses for myself? I know I can do better, but I’m still trying to figure out how.”

“Do you always work twelve-hour days, or is that just when you have unwanted guests in your home?” Reyna tried again.

Will hesitated. “...Unwanted guests? No, Reyna, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. Of course I want you here, you’re Nico’s best friend!”

“Sure, Nico wants me here. That doesn’t mean that you do.”

Will stuttered, stumbling over his reply before he ran his hands down his face and dropped onto the couch beside Reyna. “I do want you here,” he finally started after a pause to collect his thoughts. “I want to get to know you, because I want to get to know all of Nico’s friends, especially his best friend. But now I’m…” He sighed, dropping his gaze and hunching forward to plant his elbows on his knees. “I’m intimidated by all of you. Both because Annabeth told me you could pretty much kill me with a snap of your fingers, but also because you know Nico so much better than I do. What if I start talking, and you realize that I’m not good enough for him? Or--”

“What the hell is going on?” Nico called from the hallway. He must have gone to change into pajamas because he generally didn’t wear Will’s clothes except to sleep in, but now he was wearing Will’s old basketball shorts and an oversized t-shirt that Will couldn’t see the design on because Nico had his arms crossed angrily over his chest.

He stomped toward them, only stopping once he stood over them and glared down at each of them in turn. He shot a mean look at Reyna first. “Did you threaten him? Are you trying to plant doubts in his head? I thought you were happy for me, Reyna!”

“No, Nico, I promise--”

He turned his glare to Will. “And you. Why do you care what anyone else thinks? I love you, that’s all that matters. I don’t care if you know everything about me or not. And you shouldn’t be afraid of my friends for any reason, because if you do something wrong, I’ll kill you before any of them could even find out.”

Nico took a deep breath and glanced between them. “Are you good now?”

Will and Reyna exchanged a look, and nodded.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Reyna assured him. “I’m sorry, Nico.”

“I’m sorry too, Darling,” Will told him. “It won’t happen again.”

“Good.” Nico dropped onto the couch between them and leaned against Will’s side. “If it does happen again, I’m not kidding, I can and will kill you.”

Will pressed his forehead against the side of Nico’s head. “I believe you. But you wouldn’t leave Bianca without a father, would you?”

“Jokes on you, I’m her dad now, too.”

thanks for reading!!

buy me a coffee

#mine #my writing #i'm in hell #solangelo #will solace #nico di angelo

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solange-lol · 6 years

Text

maybe school, or maybe love, or maybe none of the above

Summary: Nico had a plan. One for his whole life; one that would make him just as successful as his father.

Falling in love with his best friend was not part of the plan. Especially when said best friend had a girlfriend.

Word Count: 1259

Prompt: day 8 of AUctober: Neighbors

Warning: mentions of alcohol, partying, & hangovers

Read on Ao3

Nico had a plan. One for his whole life; one that would make him just as successful as his father. Get the best grades in school, go to a good college, become a businessman of some sort, and settle down with a family.

When Nico was in eighth grade, he realized he was gay. No biggie. Just had to change the idea of a wife to a husband in his plan. His father probably didn’t care. Nico’s best friend and neighbor, Will, was bi anyway.

In junior year, however, Nico finally realized his unfortunate crush on Will. Unfortunate not because Will was beautiful and funny and, okay his singing needed some work but so did Nico’s so they screeched together anyway. Unfortunate because Will had a girlfriend who he really liked, and said girlfriend really liked him. So, he decided to never tell anybody and suffer until one day he dies.

Except he didn’t do that either because Will forced him to a ‘get-together’ and maybe he drank too many National Velvet’s (something Piper claimed to have created) but somehow he ended up outing himself to all of his friends through a game of truth or dare. He really didn’t mean to keep it a secret for so long.

Will ended up walking Nico home. They stood on Nico’s front porch for probably too long, just staring at each other. For the first time in a while, Nico couldn’t read those clear, blue eyes. Eventually, Will turned around and jumped the fence that separates their yards, which was probably a good idea because Nico really wanted to kiss him.

Nico woke up with a pounding headache. For a few seconds, he thought it might just be the usual coffee migraine and stood up to go fulfill his caffeine craving. As soon as his feet hit the floor, it all came flooding back to him.

When Nico realized he had no idea what he said the previous night, he immediately pulled out his phone. A few texts from his friends congratulating him on his closet expedition, including a video from Piper of Jason dumping glitter over his head while dancing along to Pink’s “Glitter in the Air.”

Nothing from Will.

Nico sighed, bounding down the stairs. He was surprised to see his father sitting on the couch reading the newspaper. Hades raised an eyebrow at his son but said nothing, so Nico continued to the kitchen. He poured himself a cup of coffee, making sure to add an unholy amount of milk and sugar (all his friends made jokes about him drinking his coffee black, but who in their right mind actually does that?) before grabbing his battered copy of The Half-Blood Prince (he promised Hazel he’d finish the books) and headed out to sit on the porch.

The crisp morning air helped clear his head a bit as he sat down on their porch swing and opened the book in front of him, taking occasional sips from his coffee. He heard Will’s car pull into the driveway next to him, but didn’t look up until he heard the familiar sound of Will jumping the fence.

“That’s my mug,” was the first thing Will said to him.

Nico stared up at him in confusion. He was standing there like last night never happened, wearing that same jean jacket that they covered in patches and pins during freshman year, that same dumb grin and messy curls. “What do you mean? I’ve had this mug since we were kids.”

“That’s my mug. When we make hot chocolate, that’s always my mug. You always told me you would never be caught dead with that mug.”

(To be fair, it was a ridiculous mug. It was shaped like a cow, complete with a tail for a handle. It was probably his nature obsessed-stepmom who bought it.)

“My apologies for not paying attention to my mug choices when I’m half awake and hungover at 7am.”

“It’s noon, actually. I just came from Drew’s house,” Will said, casting a faraway look off the porch.

“Oh,” Nico stated. “I’m sorry if I said anything weird last night, or that I didn’t tell you earlier-”

“I broke up with her.”

“Oh,” Nico said, trying his best to not let his pleasant surprise seep in. “I’m sorry?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Will shrugged. “I like someone else.”

“Oh?”

“So how long have you known?” Will smoothly changed the topic.

Nico hesitated before answering. “Eighth grade.”

“So why didn’t you tell me?” Will asked, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Nico doesn’t think he’s ever heard the blonde sound so serious. “‘Cause, like, you were the first to know in seventh grade that I was bi. I guess- I don’t know. I just assumed you would have told me earlier. And not drunk at a party at the same time you’re telling 10 other people.”

Nico kind of wanted to cry. “I don’t know,” he started. “I did want to tell you, I just didn't know how to say it without telling you..” he trailed off once he realized what he was about to admit. Without telling you that I love you.

Will’s eyes sparkled with interest. “Without telling me what?” he asked as he laid back, leaning his arms against the railing, the same old shit-eating grin spreading across his face. Damn. A person should not be allowed to be that cute.

“Without telling you that you’re a fucking dork,” Nico said, rolling his eyes before continuing to ramble. “And that I like you. Like-like you. And I have for a while, but obviously, you had Drew so I never said anything. But you broke up, so I guess it’s fine now, maybe? Let me know if I-”

“Nico,” Will interrupted. “Shut up. As much as I love your nervous rambling, I fear I might never be able to say this if you keep talking.”

Nico closed his mouth.

“Remember that dare I got last night?” Will asked.

Nico nods. He remembers Will’s face falling for a second as soon as he read it, locking eyes with Nico before shaking it off with a laugh. “I’ll take the forfeit,” he had said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Drew pestered him to tell them what it was, but Will just shook his head and slipped the little piece of paper into his back pocket.

Here on this deck, Will took out that same little piece of paper. Nico stood up, and Will handed it to him. In someone’s unrecognizable handwriting, it read Kiss the person you most want to kiss in the room.

“But-?” Nico started, confused. Wasn’t Drew in the room with them? Unless…

“For some reason, I couldn’t lie to myself and just kiss Drew when really,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Really I just wanted to kiss you. That’s why I broke up with Drew. Dunno why it took me so long but I guess when you said you were gay, and whatever happened last night when we walked back, I guess felt it was finally time.”

Nico was smiling now. They both were, actually, and their faces were inching closer together. Breath mingling, they got as far as their noses touching, Nico’s hands already on Will’s cheeks when Will spoke.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, blue eyes meeting brown, searching for any trace of disgust or regret before he threw away their whole friendship.

Nico answered him by connecting their lips, and the world melted away around them.

#mine #liz writes.com #auctober #solangelo #nico di angelo #will solace #alcohol mention

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musicofthenightphantomoftheopera · 7 years

Text

Solangelo Headcanons

because I'm a dork.

: Willing to bet money that at least once, Will bribed the Demeter kids to grow 13 black roses for him and he put them all in a big beautiful bouquet and left it in front of the door of the Hades cabin for Nico to find later

:when the camp Halloween party draws near, Nico and Will decide to dress up as Hades ad Persephone, but the other way around just to mess with everyone. So Nico wears a black rose flower crown and Will is wearing some of Nico's clothes with an added black robe for dramatic effect. So when they show up to the party, everyone is just looking at them extreamly confused while Piper and Annabeth are taking pictures

: Nico talks a lot with his hands (according to the book. I mean he is Italian) and sometimes Will has to stifle his laughter because he thinks its so adorable.

: Sometimes when Nico and Will go out on a date, the rest of The Seven will follow them around ingonito to make sure nothing goes wrong. ESPECIALLY the date where Nico plans on proposing (I like to think he's really good at grand romantic gestures (which is from another solangelo headcanon, which I did not write, so credit where credit Is due)) Frank is definitely the bird's eye spy for obvious reasons. Annabeth is the stealth master with her Yankees cap, :Nico is secretly a kickass dancer (especially when it comes to Liny Hop, Jazz, and Swing Dancing) While poor Will has two left feet. Nico sees this as an opportunity to spend more time with Will by teaching him how to dance.

:One day Nico decides to shadow travel him and Will to Venice and spend the day together and just mill about being all cute together <3

:Sometimes, Nico and Will get into a competition of one-upping eachother in the grand romantic gestures department, most of which Nico wins. But the one time Will actually won was when he got up and started a one man flash mob to "Classic" by MTKO in a tuxedo and top hat (bless his heart, he pulled 3 all nighters to come up with the choreography for it).Piper, Annabeth, and Jason (the original Solangelo shipper) made absolutely sure that Nico had a front row seat.

:Whenver Will finds out that Nico hasn't eaten, he remembers that the boy has a weakness for McDonalds so in order to get him to eat, Will will ask Nico to shadow travel them there (Will is pretty smug about finally getting Nico to eat something without begging, pleading, or threatening to tell Jason, Reyna, Piper, Hazel, Percy, Annabeth, and Frank about how many meals he's been skipping)

: Hades and Apollo have had a bet in place for a while on who will be the one to propose and when Nico tosses an Apple to Will one day with a ring of gold with a silver skull imbedded in the center of a golden sunflower in the middle tied to the stem, Hades wins to he shock and surprise of pretty much everyone.

#solangelo #Nico di Angelo #Will solace #percy jackson #percy jackson headcanon #solangelo headcanon

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rippedjeansandloudmusic · 7 years

Text

elysian: capitolo due

chapter two of my soulmate au. don’t hate me if it’s shitty. and it’s a bit shorter, only by about 700 words though so calm down Chapter One: [x]

Nico’s tattoo’s changed over time.

Most stayed the same; the baseball theme, the sun, and the pink string. Though, the string was one of the weirder one. It was never the same. At one moment was Happiness and the other Dimples. Family to Sunshine.

He loved it.

It was poetic.

He wanted to know what was one his soulmate’s arm. Maybe his sister? Mama? Maybe a music sheet. He wasn’t sure what he loved.

His seventeenth birthday was last month. February was brewing over the horizon, threatening to come and destroy his peace.

His father called. Not to apologize. Not to come back. To announce he had a sister; one in New York, Manhattan. Literally in the same city as him. He expected Nico to go and meet her at some knock-off chain or restaurants downtown.

He wanted to go.

But he didn’t want to give his father the satisfaction of knowing he still had an influence over him…

Though she didn’t deserve that.

When he woke up that morning he threw the covers from his body, wiping the sweat from his brow and climbing down the ladder. He was never sure why he sweat in his sleep, and it was pretty fucking gross. Though he couldn’t help it. It was like second nature now.

He didn’t have a shirt on, only a pair of gray sweatpants and one sock. The sock had so many holes in it, though, that he was sure it classified more as just a strip of cloth.

He opened the door to his solo bedroom (Percy lived on campus) and walked across the floor towards the kitchen.

He wasn’t that surprised to find Sally already at the dining room table.

She was passed out at her laptop, reading glasses pushed up her head. Her black hair was pulled back into a messy bun atop her head, though most of it had come undone throughout the night. She was still wearing her suit from the office, meaning she had gotten home and immediately went to work on her book. She’s been working on it for a while, Nico knows because she’s asked him many questions on how teenagers are nowadays and were on it constantly.

He admired her determination to get them out of this rickety apartment.

His hair was now long enough where he could pull it back easily, something he always loved. He was positive he was done growing (height wise, of course), now being around five ten (one hundred seventy-seven centimeters) with a lanky body. His arms were growing a bit once Sally had convinced him to join the track team. His go-to attire was a black-sometimes-gray shirt with black jeans, along with a black leather bomber jacket.

He walked barefoot across the table, prying the laptop from Sally’s unconscious body and grabbing a pillow from one of the chairs to tuck under her head. She might’ve been asleep, but he knew she would appreciate the gesture.

He tip-toed around the table, reaching into the cabinet above the stove and grabbed some things.

As he was preparing breakfast, something that he normally did on the weekends, he didn’t realize Sally was in the doorway until he was finished. He sighed loudly, over-playing how her presence frightened him (it didn’t) (she was too nice to be frightening) and showing a small smile.

“How was your night?” He asked, his Italian accent showing slightly. It was there, he wasn’t going to let it fade that easily, making his words sound a little suaver than most people in America.

“Crappy,” Sally replied, walking over and opening the fridge. “Do you know where the cream is?”

“Top shelf,” Nico replied, grabbing two plates from the rack in the corner and taking the food from the pan.

“What did Shef di Angelo cook for us today?” Sally asked, raising a brow. Nico rolled his eyes, though didn’t fight the smile from his face.

“Sausage omelets. Don’t worry,” he said at her exasperated face, “it’s not hard. Barely took fifteen minutes.”

She smiled shyly at him, taking the plate he held out to her and walking back to the counter. Nico grabbed their drinks (coffee, obviously) and followed her out.

“How’s the book doing?” He asked when they sat back down. Sally appeared to be trying to turn the laptop back on, but it was obviously dead. Even he knew that when he barely knew how most forms of social media worked. She huffed out in annoyance before digging into her plate.

“About three-fourths the way done,” she replied after swallowing her first bite. She smiled at him, pointing with her fork towards the plate. “How are you so good at making these?”

“Mama taught me,” he replied, picking at his plate as well before shoveling some into his mouth. “Said, ‘I want you to be able to treat your soulmate right, Nico. Be extravagant!’”

Sally smiled sadly at him. Nico didn’t talk about his mother much, Bianca neither. Mostly because no one really asked, truly. He wasn’t over their deaths - he wasn’t sure he ever would be, truly - but he was better than before. He could talk about them, how great they were, and how he wished they were still around.

“Your mother sounds like an amazing person,” Sally said.

“She was…”

They settled into a nice silence after that, just eating.

“Are you going to see your sister today?” Sally asked after a moment, causing Nico to pause in getting up.

“Not sure yet,” Nico said, taking his plate into the kitchen. Sally sighed, following Nico into the kitchen to continue their conversation.

“I think you should,” she said, standing beside Nico at the sink. “You’re not going to have another opportunity like this, Nico.”

“I know, I know,” he said, grabbing the dish soap. “I just - I don’t know how I’m going to react. I want to meet her - I truly do - I just don’t know if I could see her without seeing him. He did pick her over me.”

“Nico,” Sally said, grabbing Nico’s wrist and grabbing his chin, pulling it to look at her. “You know that’s not true. He just… well, I don’t have an explanation. Just, even if that is true - which it isn’t! - you shouldn’t let that stop you from meeting her.”

Nico huffed, twisting his jaw from in between her fingers and continuing to wash his plate.

“Do you always have to be right?” He asked, though his tone was muffled. He disliked (read: hated) telling people they were right, gave them too much advantage. Though Sally just smiled, patting him on the back and walking back into the dining room.

“There’s money in the drawer! Don’t take more than you need, Nico!”

Nico hated going outside.

He was walking down the street, towards the coffee shop he was supposed to meet this infamous sister in. His white converse hit the street in a rhythm he was trying to get lost in, trying to forget that he was going to meet his only living relative (he didn’t like to think of his father as alive) (at least, not in his head. Not to him, he wasn’t) and how he could easily make this relationship crash and burn. But, alas, the sound of bussing taxi’s and screaming children left his brain a mush or something he couldn’t keep up with.

He pulled out his headset.

He had an old and falling-apart music player he’s had with him since his fifteenth birthday. Percy had gotten it for him, saying That’s what brothers do for each other, Nico, and leaving the room.

He had downloaded all the songs he remembers Bianca used to like. And the ones his mother used to sing to him as he had a hard time falling asleep.

O Sole Mio

It was something he loved listening to. It might not have been his mother’s voice or her way of singing it, but the simplicity of the song gave him the comfort he didn’t know he needed. The basic tempo with the basic lyrics…

They were basically him.

When the doors to the coffee shop were pushed open he almost gagged.

It smelled like old coffee and paper. He could see stereotypical hipsters, alongside the normal college students and some normal people - though not many - stationed at random places throughout. He didn’t bother walking up to the front counter, just marching straight towards the back and stationing himself at a table near the window.

He wasn’t sure what Hazel looked like, and she him, just that he would be alone at a table near the back.

He stayed there for about an hour until she showed up.

He didn’t hate her for it. He actually enjoyed the time alone, spent sketching or writing on some table napkins. By the time she got there he’d gone through about twenty napkins, and was now on his last one, drawing a part of an eye.

“Uh, Nico?” He heard a small voice ask, causing his head to lift.

Holy shit, was his first thought. Followed by Those genes must’ve come from her mom because holy shit Hades isn’t that attractive. He wasn’t thinking of her as Zac Efron hot, more like the sister who you know looks better than you hot.

She had long and voluminous (that’s a thing, right?) hair, streaks of blonde all throughout the brown. She was wearing what appeared to be a school uniform, a long pleated skirt that danced about her mid-calf with a blazer and a white shirt underneath. Her eyes shone gold and danced with curiosity, one that reminded him of Bianca, and she seemed to be biting her lip so hard that he was surprised when she didn’t draw blood.

“Yeah. I mean, yes, I am Nico di Angelo.”

She put a hand to her chest, breathing heavily. “Thank god. I was beginning to think I walked into the wrong shop.”

He smiled at her small attempt to lighten the mood, gesturing to the seat across from him. “Sit, please.”

She shouldered off a bag Nico didn’t realize she had, plopping herself in the seat across from him. Their chairs were pretty tall, and he could tell she was swinging her legs under the table. She was small enough to where it was easy for to do it when Nico could stand up easily.

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments.

“So, I’m assuming your Hazel?” He asked, inwardly cringing at how delicate his voice sounded. Hazel seemed glad that he broke the silence, since she obviously had no idea how, and nodded.

“Yeah, Hazel Levesque.”

“Well, what brings you to New York, Hazel Levesque?”

She raised a brow at his odd way of talking, though didn’t bother questioning him on it. “Uh, I go to a Catholic school about an hour from here. Marie thought it was a good idea to get me away from New Orleans.”

Nico raised a brow. “You’re Catholic?”

Hazel shook her head quickly, taking a hair tie from her wrist and using it to tie her hair back.

“No. Marie thought it would be a good idea to, quote, Get good influence on me before I turn into Piper.”

Nico raised a brow, twirling the straw on his tea (he’d gotten it about half an hour ago) to keep his hands from shaking. He was done with coffee for the day.

“Okay, question one: whose Marie? And two: whose Piper?”

Hazel thumped herself on the head, sighing loudly. “Sorry, I forgot.”

“It’s fine,” Nico reassured her, crossing his legs under the table and tapping his fingers on the table. “I’d do the same.”

She smiled at him, causing her teeth to shine against her light brown skin tone.

“Well, Marie is my mother. She likes to be called Marie. Says it ‘demands attention and focus’, whatever that means.”

Nico smirked.

“Piper’s my best friend. She goes to my school. She isn’t Catholic either, though this is the closest school her father could get for her since she’s been kicked out of so many.”

Nico snorted, and almost toppled out of his chair when Hazel shot him a warning look.

“S-Sorry. Just, uh, how many schools has she been kicked out of?”

Hazel raised a brow and sounded a bit hesitant to answer. “I think around four. What’s it to you?”

Nico bit his inner lip, trying to suppress a smile.

“I’ve been to six if it’s worth anything. Principals don’t really appreciate graffiti art on the sides of their offices.”

Hazel laughed, and Nico wasn’t sure what to do. He was never considered a funny guy; morbid, yes. Antisocial and disturbed, yeah. But, making someone laugh? That was new.

“Wow, I can’t see you doing that. Actually,” she took a closer look at his face, as though analyzing him. He shifted uncomfortably, as though her gaze was making him uncomfortable, but she didn’t seem to notice. “You have a mischievous glint. So, I guess I can see you doing that.”

Nico blinked for a moment.

“Wow. I didn’t know you could read people.”

Hazel shrugged, taking a sip of coffee she’d bought before coming back. “Yeah. Marie’s a psychic supposedly, so I guess it’s hereditary.”

Nico licked his lips, rolling his head to crack his neck. Hazel winced at the sound, though Nico didn’t notice.

“Speaking of that,” he said, placing both his feet on the ring of his chair. “How can we look nothing alike?”

Hazel scrunched her brow. “No idea. I like to think of Hades as the god himself; a selfish, uh, dude with no DNA and no cares.”

Nico was the one to laugh now. They were drawing eyes from around the shop but didn’t care, too invested in their conversation to care.

“You’ve never met him?” He asked, stirring his drink again. Hazel shook her head.

“No. You have?”

Nico nodded his head solemnly. “I hate to say I have.”

Hazel scoffed. “Why so?” She had an agitated tone, one Nico has heard many times before.

Nico looked up at her, though didn’t move his head from being downcasted for a moment. Slowly he sat back up straight. “He’s a selfish asshole that left me for dead.”

Hazel’s eyes shot open wide, suddenly sitting up straight as well. Maybe Nico was laying it on too thick, but he couldn’t find himself to care. He hated Hades. With every inch of his being.

“What?” Hazel asked, now seeming a bit confused and seemed to be seething a bit.

We may not have looks in common, he thought to himself, but we sure do have some matching personality traits.

“He hasn’t told you?”

Hazel shook her head.

“Well, I’m not from America, first of all.”

Hazel rolled her eyes, though not in annoyance, and smirked a bit. “I could tell, from the accent. What, Italy?”

Nico shook his head. “Venice, to be specific. There, uh,” he looked to Hazel. Was he alright to tell a stranger his entire life story?

Not a stranger, Nico told himself. A sibling.

“He lived with us. In Venice, that is.” Nico knew that was irrelevant, but he was trying to distract himself from the words coming from his mouth. “He lived with me, my mother, and my sister, Bianca.” Nico could tell Hazel wanted to interrupt, but she kept her mouth shut, letting him continue to talk.

“Let’s just say… I loved him. As much as I regret it, I loved the guy. He was my role model, someone I wanted to model myself after. Well, not entirely, but how he was so successful, and how he still made time for my mother and I even though he had a busy-ass schedule, he could still see us.”

Nico bit his lip and blinked repeatedly, trying to get rid of the tears threatening to run down his cheeks. No crying, he reminded himself.

“We lived in harmony. All of us except Bianca and him, anyway. Bianca’s my sister. Full blooded, not half, you know? Anyway, they always had a rocky relationship. They avoided each other, never talked often unless mama asked them both a question… I never fully understood. I remember,” he laughed bitterly, “how she would always tell me I was too young to understand. How, how she would tell me when I was older…”

He felt something hit his hand and looked down to see Hazel’s hand. She had spindly fingers, one built for a piano, not for comforting a crying teenage boy.

“Sorry,” he said, taking his hand from Hazel’s grip and wiping his eyes. “I’m a mess.”

“No,” Hazel said, taking both his hands in his and squeezing reassuringly. He stared at her for a moment, trying to process what was happening, before she began talking again.

“Continue. I’m curious.”

He smiled bitterly again.

“Anyway, it was a normal day, the day he left. Well, at least it started out normal. I woke up Bianca from our beds, we ran down the stairs and ate omelets, then we ran out to the town. Venice is different from here. America. We would run down the crowded streets, holding hands and singing songs at the tops of our lungs. Sometimes another person - a neighbor, or perhaps a student Bianca knew - and we would just… be ourselves. Bianca never sat back and watched. She got up and did. I loved her for that. So, so many other reasons, but that was… that was a major one.”

He cleared his throat again, and Hazel squeezed his hands.

“That night, our house caught fire.”

Hazel took a sharp breath, though didn’t tell him to stop. He dropped her gaze, instead studying her hands. He didn’t notice he was talking, only seeing how her hands weren’t calloused more boney. How she seemed like such a nice girl, too nice to be Hades, daughter.

Except for Bianca.

Bianca was the one exception.

“And, when they tried to contact him the next day, he was gone. No one could find him anywhere. Not even the fucking NSA could find him. But, apparently, they were looking in the wrong country…”

Hazel stood up from her chair, walking around and hugging him tightly. Nico froze. He didn’t get hugged often from anyone that wasn’t Sally. She buried her face in his collarbone, and he had to turn so they weren’t at such an awkward angle.

“I’m so, so sorry. And I know it doesn’t matter, what I say now, but god I’m sorry.”

“I live with my - I guess our - aunt at about a forty minute walk from here.” He sniffled. “She - she was the one to convince me to come here. No offense, obviously, but I was just scared…”

Hazel smiled sadly and pulled back to look at his face. He was shocked to see she was about to start crying as well.

“It’s fine. Piper and Leo were the ones to convince me to come, as well. I was scared that he would still be with you, and I would storm out - I just, I don’t get out much.”

Nico smiled sadly.

“Neither do I.”

Will’s life was getting a bit more exciting.

He woke up at the crack of dawn - like always - and threw back his covers. Austin was gone, on his final year of college, and Kayla was still asleep. He didn’t need to check to know that was the case.

He put on his clothes, which consisted of a ratty old red flannel and some white shirt from a band he didn’t know existed, paired with some old blue cut-off jeans he bought a few weeks ago. His hair was freshly cut, short against his sides but a bit longer on top, and his black converse.

Then he was out the door.

Will had to pick up multiple jobs to help his mom pay the bills; they were good, she would say, and Will knew that was always correct. Naomi was a nurse, so they were always good in the money department, but he felt like he was taking too much and not giving enough.

He worked at a small, family-owned restaurant down the street from his house. The family was amazing, though he felt like they were too invested with soulmates. They were constantly walking up to him, asking for a glimpse at his tattoo, since everyone in their family had already found their soulmates and they quote, Wanted to live vicariously through you as you search for your one and only true love.

Will still didn’t understand the hype completely, though he was beginning to understand.

He saw a couple at a McDonald's a few days ago. Weird, he knows, but just listen:

They were sitting, hands interlocked in the middle of their table, sharing a Happy Meal. As Will walked over, he thought they were just friends, though then he caught a glance at each other’s names on their arms.

And suddenly, he realized that he wanted that. Maybe not anytime soon, but at some point.

He just still wasn’t sure why he wanted it so badly.

Yeah, they were your soulmate. But, they’re just people. And yes, he loves his sister and his mother and his brother with all of his heart. He just couldn’t imagine feeling that and something more for another person.

It just seemed too unrealistic.

As he swung the door open to the restaurant, he was pretty surprised to find it already partially filled. They were mostly elderly couples, people who didn’t remember a time before their soulmates, and the occasional one with a grandchild. He could see one woman in the very back with her grandchild, a young girl who seemed to be in her early teens, probably only thirteen.

I can’t be more than three years older than her.

Will’s sixteenth birthday wasn’t that long ago, so it seemed like a logical estimate on her age.

“Solace!”

Will’s head snapped in her general direction, causing his neck to crack painfully. Lou Ellen, the owner’s daughter, came running out of the back bakery and full speed at him. When they crashed Will almost fell over, catching them both at the last second.

“Will! Solace, Will, we need to talk.”

“Oh god.”

Lou pulled him into the back room, away from unsuspecting eyes, and almost punched him when they got some privacy, but thankfully Will dodged.

“Lou! What the hell - ”

“Your tattoo.” She said, pointing at Will’s forearm. “Let me see it.”

“What makes you think that slapping me will get you anywhere in the soulmate department?”

She just glared at him. Will huffed, pulling back his flannel and showing his forearm. Lou jumped, grabbing his arm and inspecting it closely.

“Holy shit! You’ve got a new one,” she said, pointing at his arm. Will raised a brow, twisting around to try and get a glimpse of his mark. Apparently, all his tattoos shifted during the night, making a new face in his arms.

“Jesus Christ…” Will muttered, moving his arm around.

It was a picture of an attractive woman, one that was probably around Will’s age, with long brown hair and glowing gold eyes. The tattoo seemed to be constructed of stained glass, giving her a new, vibrant light beside the simply worded tattoos of the other two women. This girls name, though, was in English.

Hazel Levesque

She was a different skin tone to the other two - from what Will could tell, anyway - so they weren’t related. She seemed to be in mid-laugh, causing her face to seem much younger than it probably was, so Will wasn’t positive on her age, though he was probably around the correct age range.

“That’s…” Lou covered her mouth. “That’s amazing.”

“It is,” Will muttered, barely loud enough to hear himself, and continued staring for a few moments.

“Will! Lou! What the hell are you guys doing back here?” Lou’s father, an older, burly man, burst through the doors to see them both staring at his new tattoo, He sighed, waving the two off back to their jobs.

Will couldn’t take his mind off the tattoo.

It was different from the other two faces. It seemed new; refurbished. The other two seem warned down, as though older.

He decided the newest tattoo was his favorite one.

He left early that morning with Lou in tow. He was never positive why he decided to work before school started was ever a good idea, but nonetheless, he still had classes to attend.

Lou and Will didn’t have many classes together, only two, and they weren’t the most talkative people. Popular? I guess you could say that yeah. But willingly? Hell no. Will liked to stay in the background, play his baseball and get good grades so he could go to NYU’s medical program, and then maybe, maybe move there afterward. He’s always wanted to go to New York. He liked how the city never slept, that there was always something new to do or see. It was different from his suburban neighborhood, something he always thought he needed. Different.

Maybe he’d even find his soulmate there.

Will wasn’t the biggest fan of crowds.

He enjoyed being out and about, but not being surrounded by the same people every day after school.

He liked his teammates, don’t get him wrong, but it’s just… boring. He wanted something new. Something exciting. Something that would make his stomach turn and twist and make him want to vomit. But, vomit rainbows, and not his bowels.

He was practicing his swinging, something he was never good at. He was a better outfielder. But, of course, they already had more than enough outfielders, so he was left at either batting or pitching.

I guess it’s something exciting to put on my college application, he tried to give himself something positive to think of, but that just made it worse.

He wanted to leave, and he wanted to do it now. Not in two years, not in two months, he wanted to go now. He was getting sick of the same old house on the same old hill, with the same old friends and the same old school.

He was sick of the old.

He wanted something new.

But, for now, at least, he was just going to have to stay put.

It’s not like he gets to plan his own life out, anyway. And when would his mom let him go anywhere that wasn’t the same old house until college?

He didn’t have a choice.

So, he just swung his bat.

Chapter Three

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jflashandclash · 7 years

Text

Attrition of Peace

Sixteen: Annabeth

We Have an Inappropriately Timed Dance Party; Monsters Included

Everything about the club made Annabeth feel uncomfortable. There were too many areas for ambush, too many shadowed spots, and too many monsters she and Percy had previously sent back to Tartarus. This was the closest she’d felt to being the warden that ended up on the wrong side of the bars since… well, Tartarus.

The lighting was dim, with blinking swirls dipping down from an expansive ceiling. Dark shapes glided across the top, suggesting creatures existed beyond her sight. The entire dome faded to nothingness, like Morpheus himself had added little touches to make it shimmer and shift like an aurora.

There was a two story bar on one side, where two Gegenees—six-armed giants—were bartending with more efficiency than all the Time Square’s Starbucks baristas during morning rush. The stools along the bar could rotate out for stools of various other heights, some short enough for one of the Kabeiri—dwarf deities and sons of Hephaestus—to sit on, while another stretched tall enough for a ten foot frost giant to flirt with a winged woman on a second story patio above the bar.

The bar continued to curve opposite the entrance and ran alongside a small pool, where telekhines, merfolk, and icthyocentaurs were cheering on a particularly small telekhine. “Jump! Jump! Jump!” they shouted until the telekhine did a trick flip off a ledge. They cheered and clanked their glasses of ambrosia together. One particularly excited fishperson dove into the water to throw an arm around the telekhine, “I love this guy! You’re a real, class-act fish, you know that?”

Most horrifying: there were some humans or—Annabeth assumed—older demigods. They sat on a small stage opposite the bar, laughing and shoving at each other. There was a giant cage above that stage, and the slightest hint of a disco ball tucked into the cage. Annabeth guessed it was appropriate. How else were you going to get people to disco anymore?

There was a dance floor in the center, with scattered tables and chairs. Several monsters and a half-blood were helping to pull the tables to the sides of the room, like they were preparing for a major event.

There was music, but it was too quiet for what Annabeth assumed a club should have. It was some kind of mix between swing and electronic.

When their group of eight entered, no one paid them mind. Nearby monsters seemed to intentionally ignore them, though they picked up their heads to sniff a few times. Annabeth found this particularly disturbing. Monsters did not ignore half-bloods.

Without another word, their group split. This was not where she wanted to split up, but they would all be within sight of each other. Hazel and Frank took a step to the side of the entrance, to keep track of the flow in and out and to assure they didn’t scare off Axel and Pax. Nico and Will walked towards the bar, where a group of ghosts had clustered. An inebriated looking ghoul made a whistle through a partially rotted mouth at Nico. It made Annabeth wonder if the undead could get drunk, or if they just died that way, then she remembered Odysseus’ palace and shuddered.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Will’s hand slip into his jacket, likely to make an unpleasant rebuttal at the ghoul, but Nico—thankfully—stopped him.

Piper and Jason walked towards the stage.

“It’s not very often I get to take you clubbing,” Percy said, offering her his arm. “Now, would you rather I pull two clubs out of the back so we can start bashing monster heads or actually dance?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Shut up Seaweed Brain,” she said and led him past the dance floor. Now was not the time. She remembered the first time they went to a dance together, with Thalia and Grover when they were looking for new demigods that turned out to be Bianca and Nico. Percy had been so flustered and cute. They'd had school dances since, ones where Annabeth had to ward off several members of the swim team, since Percy was too oblivious to realize they were flirting.

A relaxing time like that was well overdue.

Annabeth shook her head and forced herself to stop swaying to the beat of the music. She was surprised—she didn't even like this style of music, but something about the atmosphere was contagious.

She and Percy, naturally, went towards the telekhines doing water tricks. When Percy squeezed her hand to lead them towards the pool, she could tell he was humming along and bobbing his head.

They were close enough to the pool for a telekhine to snort at them when Annabeth caught sight of Merry.

Annabeth wondered if Axel had Misted Merry’s presence before. She seemed in such an obvious spot and they must have walked past her. The Indian girl sat cross-legged on top of a table on the dance floor that was pushed further towards the stage. Her burgundy parka looked black in the dim lighting. Her watch kept catching and reflecting tiny gleams from the ceiling. There were a few monsters nodding their heads to the music beside her, like this was a casual monster-demigod occurrence.

On the table around her, there were at least two dozen cans of Diet Coke.

Merry looked completely at ease for being amongst monsters and within six feet of Jason Grace.

Piper was talking to two older demigods that were sitting on the far side of the stage. She was swaying to the beat of the music, unaware Jason had caught sight of one of their fugitives.

Merry waved at him. That might have been the call for a peace treaty, but it could just have easily been a trap. Annabeth hoped Frank and Hazel would be comfortable ignoring their orders from Ares long enough for them to have a conversation.

Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm and motioned towards Merry. Percy nodded in understanding. Before they got more than a few feet, a hoard of telekhines—part seal, part dog monsters—hopped out of the pool and flooded them.

"Percy Jackson!" one cried. Annabeth went to draw her dragonbone sword.

"I heard he withstood a volcano."

"My brother was there—he saw it!"

"Will you take a selfie with us, Mr. Jackson?" another held out a waterproof encased iPhone, snickering. None of them made a move to attack, but all of them brandish iPhones at them with their webbed paws with the same ferocity as you would a weapon.

"Sorry, I don't usually pose for the paparazzi," he said. Annabeth could tell Percy was thinking about knocking them back into the pool with one quick wave of water. But the commotion of the telekhines caught the attention of a giant at the bar, the ghouls that were talking to Nico, and several winged lizard people on the second story balcony.

If Annabeth was ever going to get into a barfight with a hoard of monsters, these were the friends she would want as backup. They'd been through worse fights. A fight wouldn't do them any good though. All that would do is make a great cover for any escapes and destroy any chance to parley.

Then Merry's voice carried across the club. "You know, I love this song. No matter how upset I am, it can always cheer me up," she said. "What makes you happy? The smile of a lover? The yummy relaxation after a fierce fight or chase? Your favorite dessert?"

From what Annabeth could see, there was no microphone on Merry. That girl could project.

Although Annabeth should have kept focus on their current circumstance, her mind wandered to the image of Percy smiling. She could feel Percy's gaze fall onto her and a giddy sensation told her he was thinking the same thing.

Focus, she scolded herself. Although she had ADHD like the rest of the half-bloods, her thoughts didn't tend to wander during a potential fight; they usually hyper-focused.

The telekhine had gone silent. They were still in between them and Jason, but were now staring at Jason and Merry. Although everyone else in the club kept to their separate conversations, Annabeth had the distinct feeling those two were in the spotlight.

Jason Grace hesitantly took a few steps closer to Merry. As Annabeth was hoping, he didn't raise any weapons. Just his empty hands. "'Hey, we just want to talk—"

"So do we, but a little encounter in New Rome gave some of our members the heebie-jeebies, so we'd rather do it after we've regrouped, listened to some therapeutic music, and aren't being chased by a group of seven scary half-bloods."

For a moment, Annabeth thought Merry had miscounted and didn't realize there were eight of them.

Merry shrugged. "Will doesn't count as a scary half-blood. He's too much of a cutiepie."

There was no verbal protest from Will at the bar. When Annabeth risked a glance over, she saw the blond medic frowning, with his arms crossed. The fact that his head kept bobbing to the music didn't make him any scarier. Nico patted his shoulder. "She's right," said the son of Hades.

"Until then," Merry's voice brought Annabeth's attention back over. "Have you heard of that old 2010's song, Party Rock Anthem?

On cue, the music blended from the electronic jazz into someone shouting, "Party rock!" and a round of the chorus. The volume increased, until the synthesizers felt like they were shaking Annabeth's bones.

"Merry—" Jason started to say. Piper took a careful step closer to them, away from the stage.

"Clap," Merry said with the song, closed her eyes, and bobbed her head.

Jason and Piper both clapped. From the corner of her eye, she could see Will clap as well. He glanced down at his hands in confusion, a derpy smile touching his lips. The monsters nearby laughed and started to clap along to the chorus:

Everybody just have a good time.

And we gon' make you lose your mind.

We just want to see you...

Merry grinned and hopped off the table. She opened her eyes, and sang, "Shake that," with the music.

What happened next was the last thing Annabeth expected.

Jason pounded his fists in the air to the beat and kicked his feet about in a wild, mad dance.

Piper burst into hysterical giggles. She looked like she was trying to mouth the word, "stop," but the music completely drowned out her voice. Will began to disco beside a baffled Nico, in a way that would probably make his father quite proud.

Within a few beats, Jason danced his way over to Piper, and took her in his arms. Then the two were twirling in delirious glee.

The daughter of Dionysus snapped her fingers, and the monsters around them joined in their crazed revelry.

This was a trap.

Annabeth tried to ignore the way her limbs shook. Her mind kept fluttering to happy memories—kissing Percy in the lake, her early acceptance letter to New Rome, being awarded the architect of Olympus. A giddiness threatened to break her mind. The energy from the party felt contagious in a way she hadn't felt since the sirens tried to drown her.

She could feel Percy sway at her side. The telkhines were hopping on their fins, like a tiny mosh pit of puppies. She tried to step through them, towards Jason and Piper, but was pushed backwards, into Percy.

“Hey! Watch it!” Percy snapped, helping her stay up.

When she stumbled, Annabeth made eye contact with Frank. He and Hazel were far away from Merry, still by the exit. They were seemingly unaffected. Their jaws had dropped in shock at seeing their former praetor and friend break into the electric slide next to a Scythian dracaena.

Two human figures split from the monsters near the entrance. Annabeth's eyes widened as Axel and Ajax Pax crept out of the darkness.

Annabeth tried to shout a warning over the music, but it was too late.

Axel had already politely tapped Frank's shoulder; Ajax, Hazel's.

When the Romans turned to them, the Pax brothers somersaulted towards the dance floor, instead of the exit like Annabeth would have expected. The acrobats sprang to their feet outside the forming crowd. Axel gave them a taunting wave. Ajax winked and blew Frank a kiss. They danced backwards into the mass of monsters, engulfed by the crowd.

Hazel and Frank raced after them, disappearing into the throng.

Percy made the motion to laugh.

Annabeth slapped him. "FOCUS!" she shouted, but knew he couldn't hear her. "THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" she mouthed at him. "THIS IS A TRAP."

Percy shook his head, like he was trying to clear it. Percy pointed to where Will was using a monster’s tail as a fake microphone. His message was clear: he disagreed that this wasn’t funny. Nico rolled his eyes, grabbed Will, and dragged him towards Annabeth and Percy.

“We need to get over there!” Annabeth said. She drew her dragonbone sword. The smallest telekhines in the group flooded towards her, giving her puppy dog eyes and pouts. One even curled up on her leg, like her dog used to when she was little.

Despite knowing they were monsters, Annabeth struggled to bring her sword down, especially when they showed no signs of attacking.

Annabeth scanned the room to account for everyone and was horrified to find that she’d lost track of the Pax brothers and that they’d lost two more to the throbbing bass. Frank’s lumbering figure could be seen leading Hazel in a French gavotte dance. Both of them had the same maniac grins as the others. A giant cackled and patted Frank’s back as he went by. The Canadian almost flopped onto his face, making Hazel burst into crazed giggles.

Annabeth strained to concentrate despite the intense urge to let herself fold into the music and relax—a well earned relaxation after worrying so much over getting Percy to explore New Rome, over studying for midterms, over helping Jason erect the latest statue to the goddess Cloacina at camp—

Annabeth grabbed her hand. She’d dropped her sword. The limb had started to sway on its own accord. They needed to do something fast. Annabeth had only ever seen Pollux use his powers once. It was to make the Stoll brothers lose their minds, after a horrendous grape prank gone wrong, so she didn’t know much about how the children of Dionysus could fight. But, she could guess this whole party atmosphere must have been straining Merry. If they could just interrupt the party for a few seconds, Annabeth doubted Merry could start it up again.

Annabeth grabbed Percy’s hand and desperately resisted the urge to pull it around her. Instead, she motioned towards the pool.

Percy cracked a smile, knowing what to do.

He lifted one hand. The water surged up, twisted in a tunnel around she, Percy, Will, and Nico, and blasted the other partygoers like a fire hose.

There were complaints and shouts. Monsters slid onto the ground. Half-bloods were knocked over. The music paused, though Annabeth hoped Percy had fried the circuits at the DJ booth, wherever it was.

Hazel and Frank stumbled to their feet, looking dazed. Piper and Jason were still grinning at each other stupidly on the ground. Several monsters shook out their coats.

The party sensation seemed dead.

Then the distinct British accent of Calex Rupin McKenzie shouted, “Pool party, mates!” from the second story patio.

Pax crawled out from under a giant and jumped up, hopping from one foot to another. “You heard him! Gentlemen, please remove your shirts and deposit them on the floor!” To provide an example, he pulled off his shirt and swung it over his head.

To her horror, several ghouls and clothed beasts followed suit.

A hand shot out of the pile of downed monsters and Merry dragged herself back up to be beside the table. She pressed something on her jacket, and Annabeth could feel the hum of an amp, like there were still functional electronics all around them. Annabeth couldn’t tell if the glistening on Merry’s forehead was sweat or water. She looked weak and pale, but had a psychotic grin plastered on her face.

Nico, beside them, just looked annoyed. He was struggling to keep Will from taking off his shirt. “What’s the plan?” he asked.

Annabeth’s mind spun. There was still a happy haze fogging her thoughts, but she knew she needed to concentrate. She thought about something she hated thinking about—all of her struggles in Tartarus, the pain, and the terror of failure. It sharpened her focus, rocking her out of the partying mood. She wondered if that’s how Nico was so unaffected.

Percy was barely holding it together. He kept bobbing his head, and swaying side to side, despite the lack of audible beat.

“I think we need to go after Merry,” Annabeth said. “But it looks like we’re more prone to her the closer we get.”

This part was delicate. The strange energy of the party felt like an effervescence about to be uncorked and Annabeth, Percy, and Nico needed to get their friends away from Merry before—

Merry righted herself, and shouted, “Every day I’m shuffling!”

The music thundered back into the club. If anything, the atmosphere shifted to be more manic. Axel and a few monsters picked up Frank and then Jason to crowd surf them towards the stage, the boys laughing along the way. Everyone jumped in excitement to the beat.

“Peter Johnson!” Merry sang and gave them a wave. “You’rrrrre next!”

Annabeth and Percy exchanged a glance. She knew he hated that name. Percy went to raise his hands again, ready to give them more than a single dousing of water. The liquid on the floor rippled back towards them. Another blast should be enough. Merry couldn’t start this mania up again. And if Percy could capture Axel and Pax with the pool water…

He took a step forward, and Annabeth thought she could see him say, “Sorry guys, but its past demigod curfew.”

Annabeth flinched, furious at herself for assuming all six of their fugitives were in the dance crowd. She’d only seen three.

Merry winked and waved at someone on the second story patio.

Annabeth turned and saw something that made her insides freeze. The music turned into a din as her vision tunneled.

Calex Rupin McKenzie stood on the edge of the patio, his bow drawn. A dazzling arrow of sputtering light was notched on his string. His bow was aimed right at them. Even at this distance, she could swear he mouthed the words, I’m sorry, Percy, before firing.

Instinct took over.

Annabeth shoved Percy out of the way.

The arrow pierced into her back.

Thanks for reading! I’ve been feverish the last few days, and honestly couldn’t remember the name of this book when I went to post this chapter (seems appropriate for the chapter though). So! I hope my edits aren’t too terrible and you’re able to enjoy!

#Heroes of Olympus #HOO #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #PJO #annabeth chase #percy jackson #frank zhang #hazel levesque #jason grace #piper mclean #dancing monsters #Traitors of Olympus #fanfiction #The Attrition of Peace #shirtless boys #Will desperately trying to disco to his hearts content #and Nico having none of that shit

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shleezaemour · 7 years

Text

Cause who doesn't want to see Will Solace in panyhose! ( this is smut if u don't like don't read)

Will!! Did you bring ice?!" " Its in the Sink!!" Nico was scrambling before everyone arrived. Will had invited everyone over for Nicos 21st birthday and he was panicking. Nico hated his birthday. Every year it seemed like something bad happened ever since he was 10 and his sister died on his birthday. It was like a constant reminder. "I don't drink I don't know why everyone is coming!" "Your drinking tonight!" "Your supposed to be my best friend why do you hate me?" "I don't hate you. I love you. And I will love you as I hold your hair over the toilet tonight" "Uuuggghhhh" "Oh stop being a drama queen" "I am not a queen" "King whatever!" ———————— The party was in full swing and Nico was drunk to say the least. Everyone from camp was there and pretty much destroying Wills house but he had the Grace to let it happen and let go a little himself. Nico couldn't even taste what he was drinking anymore they just kept making him shot after shot until he began to slur his words. The entire group was circled in the living room and even in his drunk state he felt a certain dangerous energy. Something was about to happen and he didn't like it. Will was in on it too he could tell. Where was his sweet William who protected him from such things? The William who got Nico out of horrible Christmas parties and would have breakfast with him every Sunday. That William was gone. Now a drunk blonde with a twinkle of treachery in his eyes stood before him. "Truth or Dare time boys and girls!!" As he heard he words a burning shot of fireball hit his throat and he almost choked. Nico wasn't keen on games. Alas his friends were not taking no for an answer and since he was the birthday boy he was being told he was obligated to play. They said they would be nice to him. They are liars. Except Will. Will would be nice to him. Nico decided sitting on the floor between Wills legs was the safest route. Maybe if he made himself look small they would skip him (not that he wasn't small already he barely broke 5'4") Sitting and being good and drunk he leaned on Wills legs hoping he wouldn't get the spins. Annabeth was first. "Leo! Truth or dare ?" "Truth" "Is it true Jason had to take you to the hospital last year to get something out of your ass and if it is true what was the object...?" Nico thought he would die. Wow thats how we are starting out? Gods help him! "True... and it was a toy car" Laughter ensued and Will grabbed Nicos shoulders squeezing them to keep from falling over. Damn will was strong. When did he get so strong? "Ok I pick Piper!" "Bring it on sea breeze!" "Truth or Dare!" "Dare!" "I Dare you to.... give Annabeth a lap dance!" Piper didn't even hesitate even know full well that this was just a ploy for him and Jason to store something away in their spank bank. Piper was a good dancer though. Taking it to the point that she actually stripped down to her underwear with the dance. Nico had never seen a naked girl before (live) but he could appreciate Pipers pride in her body. Will leaned in to whisper. "Kinda makes you wish you liked girls huh?" "Gods no. I have enough trouble handling my own equipment let alone a whole new set that's nothing like mine" "So your gay out of laziness?" "Total laziness. That and a good dick is to good to pass up" "Very true. I like both so I must be an over achiever" "Yeah you do that. Good luck with it too. " "Oh your just salty cause you want my dick" "Ha yeah so salty! Maybe I just don't want someone who will sleep with anyone" "Prude!" "Slut!" They fell into eachother in a fit of giggles. "Hey you! Will want to share what's so funny with the class?" Jason bellowed. "Oh yeah I'm a slut!" "Oh that's no fun we all knew that" Will threw an empty solo cup at his head. "Truth or dare Will!" "Dare" "I dare you to switch outfits with Reyna!" Reyna had on a sundress with polka dot pantyhose. This was going to be a site! Both of them escaping until the bathroom the game continues. "Nico truth or dare" "Truth" "When was the last time you got laid and with who!" Fuck "Oh shit ummm. That would be.... wow a year ago! Damn it's been a year! His name was ... fuck what's his name!! I think it was Butch from the Iris cabin. " "You fucked Butch! I didn't even know he was gay!" "His mother is the rainbow goddess guys.. so yeah I had a one nighter with butch a year ago around Valentine's Day. I think we were both just super lonely" Will emerged wearing a yellow sundress and Reyna had on Wills stupid blue tank and khaki shorts. Wow they were the same size? Who knew? Going back to his seat Nico was back sitting between his legs and studying the pantyhose. Will has ripped holes in it. "Percy truth or dare!" "Oh Solace what do you take me for! Dare!" "I dare you to kiss Jason " Percy marched right over to Jason and straddled his lap planting a full on the mouth pretty sure tongue was involved kiss. "I won't lie Neeks that was a little hot" "Not as hot as you in that dress!" Will blushed. "Maybe if your a good boy I'll let you take it off me later" Nico choked on his beer. "Your such a slut" "You know it!" Will made a show of crossing his legs and fanning his face like my sister does when she's embarrassed. He was kidding right? Many more truths and dares were passed around lightning fast. Leo had to take a shot of hot sauce. Jason had to admit to falling asleep naked next to Percy's at his bachelor party. Hazel had to sing a Broadway song as if she was on broad way. Percy had to twerk upside down against the wall and in doing so broke a lamp. Reyna had to admit she went down on her professor for a better grade on a test. The night was starting to come to a close but it was a good close. Nico was happy with the party happier than he thought he would have been. It wasn't to big but it was loud. Wasn't to crazy but some shit was broken. Nico was drunk but not throw up won't remember a thing drunk. Only slightly uncoordinated. Will still in Reynas sundress mind you walked Nico up to his room. As best friends they were not strangers to sharing a bed. "Will thank you for talking me into this" "Your welcome Neeks. Your always so sad on your birthday I wanted to see you happy" They both collapsed on the bed. Will was still in the dress and panty hose. Reyna kept his clothes and fell asleep on top of Leo downstairs. "I'm to drunk to undress myself you need to undress me" "Ok you undress me too" "Ok" Both started taking clothes off in a very complicated hilarious way. "My shirt is caught on my earrings Will!" "Sorry I just ugh why do you wear a million layers!" "Cause im cold! I'm always cold!" "Get on your stomach ill unzip the dress." Nico started to unzip Will revealing his very tan and freckled back. Wow he must be working out again Nico thought. Ripping he dress over his head Nico realized that Will wasn't wearing any underwear under the pantyhose. Gulping audibly he looked away. And fell sideways to his pillow closing his eyes. Will flopped back as well so that they were face to face laying down. Will reached for Nicos belt and started the process of removing his pants. "I can see your dick through the pantyhose Will" "Yeah well I'm about to see yours too so I think we will be even" "What why would you see mine?" "Cause I'm taking off your pants prude!" "Yeah but you leaving my underwear" "No I'm not I know for a fact you sleep naked" "How do you know that?!" "Cause I walked in your room once to wake you for breakfast and your covers came off and your ass was showing" "How dare you look at my ass!" "It's a nice ass stop being a prude" "You think my ass is nice?" "Dude I'm kind jealous. I work out like 4 times a week and you eat chips dipped in milkshakes and you are skinny and toned." "Genetics what can I say" "Are you going to open your eyes and look at me when you talk?" "Your pretty much naked" " So are you! I just stripped you. And I'm looking!" "Slut!" "More like pervert I would only be a slut if I made a pass at you" Nico opens his eyes. Instead of looking down he looked at Will. The spray of freckles that danced on the bridge of his nose was glowing. He was always so adorable when he glowed. Reaching over he pushed Wills long hair behind his ear. Will leaned into Nicos touch. Nico began to shake slightly. That feeling was filling the room. The feeling of when your a little drunk but your in a bed with someone and your wondering "what if?" That tension that makes you restless and cold. Cold everywhere except your ears. That magnetic pull. This was Will though. His best friend. Will was the only friend he had that was not straight and that was the biggest reason he had never gone for him. Nico needed someone to talk to about sex and lovers and the like. Needed that friend that got where he was coming from. Fear filled him as he realized that with just a few touches he could ruin all of this. He could sleep with Will. It would be awkward tomorrow and they would be fine at first and then he would stop coming over on sundays and then the texts would become fewer and fewer. The thought made him feel like crying. Losing Will would be heartbreaking. "What are you thinking about?" "You I guess. Losing you." "Why would you ever lose me?" "Because I'm drunk and I'm horny and I can't stop looking at your freckles and I can't stop touching your hair" "Oh that's a coincidence cause I've probably looked at your lips like 12 times since you started touching my hair"' "You feel it to huh?" "Yeah I started feeling in stumbling up the stairs. Your adorable when your drunk" "Your pretty adorable in those pantyhose even if your erection is stretching out the front" "Oh the prude is peeking is he?" "Its kinda hard to ignore pun intended" Will reached out and started trailing his tan fingers down Nicos pale skin. It was smooth and flawless like alabaster. Will could feel Nico shaking. They were going to fail this test. "Are you cold?" "No" "Your shivering" "Actually im trembling. Your touching me. Your touching me and I want you to" "Nico?!" "Yeah" "Since your being bold right now and I know it's the alcohol but I need to ask you something." "Sure " "Would you kiss me?" Nico leaned in and was inches away from Wills lips. Looking in his eyes he saw they were dilated and with just a thin lapis ring around them. Fear kept him from breaching the gap. He could still pull away. Will decided to crush Nicos fear and breach it himself. Slowly. Touching his lips just barely with his just a brush really. Not quite a kiss just lips brushing lips. Nico was full on shaking now. Whispering against his lips Will encouraged him. "You won't ruin anything Neeks. I want this ok." "O-ok" Nico pushed into Wills mouth full force killing the fear residing inside him. Will pulled Nicos body into him as he kissed him. Nico could feel Wills erection through the pantyhose against his own. Nico tangled his hands in Wills hair. Taking his nails across Wills scalp Will moaned a deep growl into Nicos mouth surprising Nico into opening his mouth slightly. Pushing his tongue into Nicos mouth. The kiss was like fire. A heat spread across Nicos skin causing him to move and grind against Will. As much as he didn't want to admit this he wanted this. Nico wanted Will. It's funny how you could be best friends with someone and never think about them in a certain way and then it's like glass shatters and you find yourself needing them physically as well. Will moved to take the pantyhose off. Nico grabbed his wrist. "Leave them on. I think it's hot" Nico said into Wills ear and then as he completed the sentence wrapped his mouth around the cuff of Wills ear doing circle 8s with his tongue down to the lobe making Will buck his hips against Nico. Will had never thought of Nico as kinky. He should have though. With as prude and self contained as Nico was Will should have known he was a secret freak. Breathing against Wills neck Nico came up for air and to ask... "What do you like? What's on and off limits I don't want to ruin this doing the wrong thing" "Umm I... oh damn that feels amazing! Um I-i am versatile I don't mind topping or bottoming. I like dirty talk too. I-if you want to top your going to have to prep me really well I haven't had anything in there in like 4 years. I-I like teeth. Anything with your teeth.. I don't like tickling I don't like riding im terrible at it I never get he rhythm right..." he explained in a breathy moan. "You?" "Ok I'm good with all that. Your a little to tall to ride me anyway but I'm topping tonight it's my birthday damn it. I-i like it pretty rough I may be small but I'm not made of glass. I like a little pain. I like facials and swallowing and I'm pretty flexible. I also want to rip those hose apart when I fuck you!" Will shook at Nicos words he had never heard him speak like this and it only made it hotter. Pre cum was soaking through the hose making a large wet spot. Nico cupped him through the hose glazing his palm in it. "Wow your so wet for me already.." "Oh yeah that's thing with me. I get super wet but don't worry I'm not close yet" "Oh I hope it I want this to last a while. It's been a year since I've had sex" "Damn why didn't you tell me sooner no wonder you have been bitchy" "Listen you little cock slut if you want my dick inside you tonight be careful with the snark. Cause I will edge the fuck out of you" "Oh I'll behave babe I want you" Good cause I'm about to make you feel really really good" Nico pushed Will on his back and crawled down then bed. Gripping the hose he started to mouth his was over the hose lapping up Wills wet spot. Bunching the blanket under him fisting he sheets Will cried out watching the erotic display. "Fuck Nico oh my gods please...!" He could feel the smooth wet texture of Nicos tongue up and down his erection and licking over his balls. Gods was this the same person that was his best friend? If Will knew it was this good he would have done this years ago. Reaching under Will Nico ripped a hand sized hole in the hose over Wills entrance. Will grabbed for the nightstand. Fishing out lube and a condom he threw the bottle down the bed. Nico spread a little over the tips of his fingers. "Spread!" Will complied instantly and felt Nicos fingers circle his puckered hole. Will hadn't told Nico but he never actually had anyone breach him before. Sure he had used a few toys but no one has ever fingered him. He has also never bottomed. Honestly he has no clue why he told Nico he would bottom. Maybe because it was Nico. The trust maybe. He has never trusted anyone to but he trusted Nico. Also he was not going to ruin this by telling Nico he was a bottom Virgin while he had his fingers in him. That could wait til a better time. The lube was cold but Nicos middle finger entered him. Will thought it would be uncomfortable but Nico was surprisingly gentle. Maybe it because he has small fingers. Also he was distracting him by tonguing his dick through the hose. Pinching the hose with his teeth he ripped another hole giving Nicos mouth full access to him. Nico swallowed Will with a confidence he had never seen his best friend have. Looking into his eyes the whole time never breaking eye contact. Teeth grazed the head of his dick and the sight of Nico baring his teeth at him almost sent him over the edge. Nico added another finger. "You keep that up Di Angelo and I'm going to cum full force in your mouth." "If you do that in just going to spit it back out onto your dick and stroke you through til your hard again." Will decided that at that moment at those words he was going to choke Nico. Grabbing the back of his hair roughly he pressed the Italians head down onto his cock until he could feel him in the back of his throat. At that same moment Nico got his revenge by crooking his fingers inside him pressing on Will prostate. Everything in the room flashed into negatives. Bliss pure unadulterated bliss shot up his spine. Will had done that move to other people before but had never experienced it himself. It was mind blowing and earth shattering. Sitting up he grabbed the condom and ripped it open with his teeth. "Stand up off the bed now!" Nico removed his fingers and stood. Will put the tip of the condom on his mouth. Grabbing Nicos hips he pulled him forward. Pulling back his foreskin Will lowered the condom into Nicos tip and and rolled it onto Nicos length without any help of his hands. Bringing his mouth up he did a few long deep bobs before releasing him from his mouth. Grabbing the lube he prepared Nico to enter him. "Where did you learn that whorish little trick?" "HBO?" Nico cut him off with a rough kiss straddling his hips on the end of he bed. For both of them being as drunk as they were the aspect of sex had greatly increased their coordination. Nico was biting his lower lip as Will trailed the tip of his tongue along Nicos upper lip. Nico seemed to be the king of the build. He would work you up and then bring you back down over and over. Wills stomach was getting messy from the lube. Nicos erection kept poking it only making Will more and more aware that he was about to get fucked. Pulling back Nico got off Wills lap. "Turn the fuck over!" Complying Will got on all fours. Nico began to rip the hose more up his backside. Positioning Will into a reachable height Nico hovered his tip over the prepped entrance. "You ready for me Solace?" "Gods yes!" Placing both his thumbs either side of Wills hole he slid himself into him. Pushing slowly until he was fully seated. Will was panting and fisting the pillows. "Tell me when to move" "Oh just fucking move your driving me nuts !!" "You asked for it!" A snap of Nicos hips caused Will to cry out letting Nico know he had angled correctly to hit Wills prostate. Picking up speed Nico removed his thumbs taking his nails down Wills back as he slammed into him. Bringing his head down he bit into Wills side causing Will to whimper Nicos name and hearing that sent goosebumps across Nicos pale skin. "You like that Sunshine?" "Yeah only next time do it harder!" Nico bit down into Wills flesh leaving teeth marks and a reddish purple rose on his side. The build in his gut was getting close but he didn't want to finish like this. "Turn over I want to see you!" Obeying Will flipped and wrapped his legs hard around Nicos skinny waist. Nico slid in easily brought him arms under Wills shoulder blades. They were eye to eye nose to nose. The constant snapping of Nicos hips and the feeling of Wills erection sliding between them from the sweat made Will whimper into Nicos mouth. "You feeling good..?" "Oh fuck yes " Nico thrusted harder. Will was close he could feel it the way he clenched around him. The whites of his eyes were all Nico could see as Will lost himself in him. The sight of it sent Nico to his bliss as he emptied himself into Will shuttering and moaning. Pulling out quickly he crawled down to take Will into his mouth once more. Replacing his fingers inside him he worked in and out bobbing his head taking in every inch of him. Bursting in Nicos mouth with a sharp cry and heavy breathing Nico swallowed the spurts of salty arousal until Will visibly relaxed. Leaning over him his hair brushed his best friends stomach trying to get his breathing under control. Reaching down he removed the condom from his now wilting member and threw it toward the waste basket. He missed. Oh well. "Are you going to stare at my belly button all night or are you going to join me back up here?" "Yeah yeah give me a second" Pulling himself up the bed and next to Will he laid on his back. "Do you have any water?" "Yeah on the night stand. Give me some too." Nico took a few large gulps. With the last mouthful he kept it in his mouth and hovered his mouth over Will. Dripping the water from his mouth into Wills. "Ha and your asking me about where I learned slutty tricks and you pull that move!" "Yeah well I have HBO too." Pulling Will into a deep and languid kiss he took his time with it trying to pour a little emotion into the action. Will was his best friend and Nico didn't want him to feel neglected after. "Are you ok?" Will asked as the kiss broke with a sweet hum. "Yeah I'm fine. More than fine really. That... that was... oh I needed that." Will stared into Nico as they held eachother in their after glow. "Nico?" "Yeah?" "Do me a favor would you?" "Sure. Anything " "Tell me you love me. I know it's a lie but.. I need to hear it. Nico peppered little kisses on Wills face. The corners of his mouth. His eyelids. Dragging his nose along the plains of Wills jawline. "I love you. And it's not a lie."

#will solace #will solace is important #nico things #nico di angelo #percy jackson #heros of olympus #rick riordan #son of neptune #soangelo #fanfic #headcanon #smut #fandom

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rosyredlipstick · 7 years

Text

wildest dreams (pt.4)

part one

part two

part three

Description:

Will has just about a thousand things to deal with. With the six month anniversary of the battle coming up, along with a literal crowd of visiting Roman campers, Will is exhausted. This isn’t to mention the sudden unapproved expansion to his infirmary, or the handful of trouble he’s in charge of, fondly nicknamed the Apollo cabin, and all these facts translate to only one thing - he’s a very busy man.

With all these things in mind, he does not have time to consider why the forever empty Hades cabin seems to be bothering him nowadays.

And he definitely does not have time to figure out why the air beside him suddenly feels so empty.

And he absolutely, completely, totally does not have the time to even consider why the hell he’s having dreams (nightmares) that have him crying and screaming into the late hours of the night.

He’s a busy man, after all.

“So.” Will badly forced nonchalance had Reyna rolling her eyes in the background, but, as they agreed, she let him continue. He leaned up against the doorway of the cabin, crossing his arms. “So, like, hypothetically, how would someone summon a minor god?”

The Athena cabin was strangely empty for this time of day. Late afternoons were usually reserved for quiet reading in the cabin, as most of the camp knew, because the cabin usually demanded the same quiet from the rest of the camp. Little did Will and them know, Malcolm had discovered what he thought to be a new mutation in the strawberry plants, calling away a majority of the Athena and Demeter cabins to investigate, leaving both cabins deserted.

Correction - nearly deserted.

Wes paused, his previously scrawling pen hovering over his notebook for a second. He took a deep breath, capped his pen, and turned to them, his limbs still stiff. “You want to what?”

Will heard the few of them shifting behind him - the creaking of the floorboards being pretty tell-tale, and Will took another step forward, his arms up in surrender. “Completely hypothetical. Summoning a minor god, like, how would someone? Hypothetically.”

Wes gave him such a dry look, Will was feeling a bit parched. “There are no hypothetical situations for demigods. There is what is happening at this moment and what is being planned for said demigods in the future.” Wes stood, a bit defensive. “What are you planning?”

Will bit his lip, weighting everything he knew about the son of Athena. He was book-bound, as all Athena kids were, smart off the charts - but he was also known to be best friends with a few Hermes kids, and his pranks never seemed to break any actual rules. He was smart, yeah, but in a way that always kept him in trouble. He got absorbed in his projects, but always had good results, so no one really minded when he fell down the rabbit-hole of research.

Will took a breath. “We need to get into contact with a minor god.” He gestured to the small group congregating behind him. Again, because of his ties to nearly every cabin, he was elected to do the outreach.

That, and Reyna was a bit scary if you didn’t know her.

And, Will glanced towards the glaring girl, even if you did know her, she was a bit terrifying.

Wes stood, pulling Will’s attention back to him, and turned to the side to examine the papers thrown across his desk.

“Which minor god?” Wes began leafing through some textbook, his eyebrows coming together.

“We...don’t know.” Will hesitated, “We...don’t know a lot about this.”

Wes gave them a look. “Do you know anything?”

“The spell is rooted in magic.” Jason added on helpfully, coming up behind Will. “Lou Ellen has been kind off because of it.”

“Most of the Hecate cabin, actually.” Wes muttered, and Will was surprised to remember that Wes was dating one of the older Hecate sons.

“You’ve noticed it too?” Hazel asked, probably remembering the same fact.

Wes was already nodding. “Yeah. Jasper’s been adding weird for the past few weeks. Very...spacey.”

Will was nodding quickly. “Yes! Yes, that’s it!” Will bit his lip. This was the hard part, and he clenched at the ring hanging around his throat to anchor him. “We think it has to do with a boy we’ve been seeing. In our dreams, I mean.” Will glanced to his companions, “We’ve all been having dreams about him, and we think a god has to do with this. They’re the only ones really powerful enough to pull something off like this.”

Wes was nodding along. “This boy, what do you know about him?”

Will bit his lip, nearly drawing blood, and struggled with the too-full air around him. Just as he opened his mouth, working himself up to saying the name that would inevitably seize his chest, Reyna interrupted him.

“His name is Nico.” Her voice was strong, clear, but her hands shook in clenched fists at her side. “He is a son of Hades. He is young, maybe 15 years old. He has black hair and olive skin and -” She cut herself off, a bright sweat now glossing her skin. She moved on, “He is loyal and smart and tells horrible jokes and -” She was swaying on her feet now, and Will edged closer to provide comfort if needed. She saw this and straightened the best she could, her eyes still a bit fuzzy. “And he is my best friend.”

Wes ducked his head, giving her a moment to compose herself as he thought over her words. “Nico...Nico.” He nodded, turning back to his notebook to scrawl something down. “That...sounds familiar.” Wes finally looked up at them, all a bit worn from Reyna’s words. “He was one of you guys. One of the heroes, right?”

“I’m not a hero.” Will shook his head, “But I think so. I think...He helped end the war.”

Wes nodded like it was all staring to make sense. “Annabeth, in her sleep, was saying something about Hades.” He glanced away, “It’s not uncommon for her to have nightmares about Tartarus, usually one of us just goes and drags Percy back in here for the night but…she was talking about the son of Hades once. Saying he was gone.” Wes just shook his head, “We all just thought it was something she’d seen down there.”

This spell. It’s bothering the Hecate cabin?” He continued, cocking his head to the side, not really paying them an attention at this point. He began making notes on a wrinkled sheet of paper, his handwriting messy and quick. “Have you noticed the nymphs acting weird?”

They all shared a look, “No we haven’t.” Will answered, unsure. Wes only continued to write, looking completely drawn in with information.

“Okay so that means,” He bit down on the end of his pencil, chewing the wood absentmindedly. He felt Reyna shift behind him, probably staring on in disgust, and this was when Wes finally looked up to meet their stares. “That means it’s not rooted in nature magic. If we can pin the type of magic, we can start figuring out who actually cast this spell.”

Wes looked back to his work in a way like most Athena kids did their research – completely and wholly. They lingered in the doorway, each of them feeling a varying amount of awkwardness – Will the most, Reyna the least – and looked to each other.

“We’d appreciate if you kept this on the down low.” Will told him, remembering what they had agreed upon before they entered the cabin. “We don’t want to involve Annabeth, and Chiron isn’t completely….on board with this.”

Wes didn’t hesitate. “It’ll stay between us.” He glanced around, eyeing the bookcase that wrapped almost completely around the cabin’s walls. “It’ll take me like a day or two to get through all these books.”

Will almost wanted to ask, only a day or two? From the look of the already tall growing pile on his personal desk, Will would have sworn at least a week. But they nodded, secret relief hidden in each of them, and quietly filed out. They went their separate ways with quiet nods, and each prayed for silent dreams.

Prayers, though, were never guaranteed.

As Will closed his eyes for the night, always so desperately tired these days, he gripped onto the heavy silver hanging around his neck, and hoped, oh gods he hoped, that he would remember when he woke.

Seconds later, barely seconds after closing his eyes, he was opening them in now familiar darkness, only glowing emerald flames to dance in his reflecting eyes.

He was standing, he was surprised to notice, and his hand was still clenching around the ring. His free hand, the one that wasn’t so incredibly desperately squeezing around warm metal, was feeling the hard stone wall, guiding him forward.

He’d read once that in a maze, you should always keep your hand on the right wall and you’d eventually escape. He didn’t know why he was remembering that right now, but as the floor in front of him escaped and shifted, he found it fitting. He struggled to walk forward, the rough stone comforting on his fingertips. It kept him from drifting off into the thick haze that only got thicker as he walked forward. It seemed like miles he was walking, a much larger distance then the camp even felt.

The ring was almost pulsing in his hand now, the warm metal almost burning, but Will only held on tighter. As he walked, the glowing torches around him got dimmer, and fewer, until Will was gripping onto the stone as he stumbled in the darkness. The haze was pushing down on him, and he remembered what Annabeth had told him once, how she held up the weight of the world and he wondered if that’s what this felt like, stumbling under an invisible weight. He thought of the burning pain in his hand, and how it felt when he finally remembered Nico and his memories. He remembered how it felt to fall in the memory of meeting Nico, of their playful banter that never really stopped, how it felt when they bickered and fought and kissed and defended each other. The glow in his chest that was ignited at the sound of his name or laugh or even just the sight of his small grin.

Will gasped, the weight of the haze almost pushing him over. It was weighting down on every movement of his now, the lifting of his legs as he trudged on, the uneven rise and fall of his chest, the slow swing of his arms and he felt like he could never take another step, like he could never take another breath and he tried to think of Nico, of his steady hands and blushing cheeks and his dark hair on pale skin and –

And suddenly the weight was gone, and Will was falling to the ground in relief and exhaustion. The air in his chest hitched and fought its way in and out until Will was able to breathe steady, and he was able to stand on unsteady feet, his body shaking in protest because – because – because -

- because Nico was there, looking away, focusing on something in the distance. He was draped over a large plush chair, something Will was certain he’d never seen in the Hades cabin. His hands looked to be folded in his lap, the rest of him unfocused. When he spoke, his voice was soft, his lips barely moving.

“I loved you.” Nico told him, his gaze still vacant and fixed on a portion of the wall. “You...gave me hope.” His hands were clenched around something, and his fingers were nearly white with the effort. His head was a lull on the couch and, even without setting his eyes on Will’s shaking figure, he seemed to know he was there.

“I love you.” These words spilled so easily out of Will, and they were so incredibly true, they had never stopped being true, even when he didn’t remember. In that absence, Will had always had a portion of his chest dedicated to the other boy, a hole in his soul that he knew only Nico could fill with a sly grin or a soft laugh. “Nico, I love you. Present tense. I love you.”

Nico’s hands spasmed at that, the only part of him that wasn’t lax and loose. His hands shook violently, and through the soft green light Will could barely, just barely, see something cradled there in Nico’s pale hands, it was a flash of color, a flash of leather, a flash of - was that? Was that?

“Goodnight Will.” Nico whispered, and with that -

- Will was awake, sitting up in his bunk, gasping and choking, and the light was flipped on and suddenly arms were around him, around his shoulders and chest and neck and - and - and –

“My necklace!” He choked out, the images still stamped in his mind, the image of Nico’s desperate, white hands squeezing the soft, thin leather and beads, as desperate as Will felt. He heaved, nothing in his stomach to throw up and whoa, when was the last time Will had eaten? He…he couldn’t remember. His chest started seizing at this simple thought, because how could Will not remember when he’d last eaten? What else was he forgetting, among all this?

“Calm down Will.” He could hear, he could hear this and yet he couldn’t process this simple order, could listen and nod and take a deep breath. The arms around him, the arms holding him down from his thrashing body, lessened until there was only one touch, holding his shoulders in place as he swallowed in dusty air, and his sister was across from him, Kayla, who was always the best with their panicking patients, and her voice was soft but sure as she gave him simple instructions.

“Breath.” She instructed, her own breathing slowed and loud so Will could match his to hers. He tried to follow her simple instruction, tried to force the air in and out of his lungs, and with this, he closed his eyes and fell against her shoulder.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when he was finally able to pull away, blinking himself back to reality. Long enough that the bright sweat on his skin dried into an itch, he noticed, running his hand over the back of his neck. Their cabin was nearly empty now, only Hina leaning against the open doorway, letting the cool breeze drift in. Lukas probably lead their siblings to the Hermes cabin for the night, or let them crash on the extra cots in the infirmary. That was something…something Will thinks he used to do, when one of them was having a bad nightmare.

Kayla was still crouched across from him, probably inducing killer pain on her knees, and only patiently stared back at him. “Better now?” She asked in her doctor-soft voice, nothing like her usual high note.

Will nodded, still a bit wobbly. “What - what time is it?”

Kayla glanced back to Hina, who shrugged. “Around four, probably.” Hina answered, eyeing the skyline. “Dad’s not up yet but Artemis is getting ready to leave.”

Will nodded at that – he’d gone to bed around midnight but his dream had felt like days of fighting that horrible pressure and shaking in front of Nico instead of a mere four hours of sleeping. He rubbed at his sore eyes, a familiar exhaustion already aching down to his bones.

Both of his sisters were watching him, varying amounts of concern evident in their eyes.

“Have you been taking your meds, Will?” Kayla asked, biting her lip.

He hadn’t, he just noticed. Ever since he remembered Nico, he hadn’t bothered. He wondered if lying would help him, but, as he noticed, the almost completely full pill bottle was still at his bedside where he had thrown it.

“I’m fine.” He declared, picking himself off the floor. “I just- I just need to go on a walk.”

They watched him go, their concern eyes having an almost physical touch on his skin. He shifted his tense shoulders, his skin suddenly aching with an unbearable itch.

He was half-way across the field separating the cabins when he realized he wasn’t wearing any shoes on the dew-ridden grass. Already, his bare feet felt like ice. It had been strangely cold the last few days, he was just now realizing, and all he was wearing was an old tank top and a thin pair of pajama pants. The pants had little skulls on them, he was also just noticing, and he vaguely wondered when he would have bought them.

He glanced around to where his feet had brought him and sighed, reaching up to rub some friction caused warmth into his arms. Of course this is where his body brought him on auto-pilot.

He shivered once more, staring up at the glowing green lanterns flickering above him. He took one more glance to his glowing cabin where his sisters were undoubtedly talking about him, and how easy it would be to simply return back there and fall asleep once more. He could take a few pills and be out within minutes.

He turned back to the cabin that seemed to be leaching darkness from the night air and ducked inside.

He was still wide awake hours later when Jason was cracking open the cabin door. He didn’t seem surprised to see Will there, only nodding at him as he claimed a random bunk as his own. Will was curled up in the cot from his dreams, the only one that felt like anything close to familiar. He traced the wood stain on the bed frame and wondered if Jason felt the same.

Hazel and Reyna each followed soon after, and Will wondered if they knew he was in here or if this was a ritual of their own. They met in here often, yes, but usually when the sky was darkened and the night was forgiving of sneaking away demi-gods.

Will closed his eyes as Hazel’s soft snores began to echo through the cabin, and was unsure if he was hopeful for a dream filled with nothing or a dream filled with everything.

Sleep came easy to him these days, mostly exhaustion, a little the desperate need to fall back into the darkness with Nico.

Will wasn’t sure if it was the fact he fell asleep in Nico’s cabin, or perhaps it was being curled up in Nico’s bed, holding his ring, but when he woke up in the dream, he was already in Nico’s presence. The chair from what felt like hours ago was gone, and Nico stood draped in shadows.

“Nico.” He choked out, attempting to rush forward. And, for once, it worked, and Will was across the room in seconds, his hands shaking as he reached forward. His hands hesitated, hovering, for a moment over the other boy’s too-pale skin. He…he didn’t know what to do. Hug him? Sit with him? He swallowed in uncertainty and attempted the only thing that felt okay.

Will rested his forehead against Nico’s, trying and failing to ignore the coldness of the other boy’s skin. “I’m coming for you, Nico.”

Nico’s grip was causing his hands to shake violently. Will pulled away, not enough so they were out of each other space but enough to stare down between them. Will carefully, gently, turned Nico’s shaking hands over. He peeled back Nico’s squeezing fingers to expose the colorful beads and worn leather Will had worn for the past five years.

“Keep it safe for me, Neeks.” Will finally told him as they both stared, wide-eyed, at the simple piece. Will had no idea where that nickname came from. It felt right.

Will, his hand under Nico’s, guided Nico’s hand into a fist around the leather. With the movement, Nico suddenly froze, his eyes glued to Will’s torso.

“That…that’s mine.” Nico’s voice was full of air as he spoke so, so softly. Nothing like the screams that haunted Will’s forgettable nightmares. Nothing like the strong, sarcastic voice that echoed in Will’s thoughts. “That’s…mine. Right?”

Will looked down, slightly surprised to see the ring hanging around his neck. He…didn’t remember that part of the dream.

Nico’s lips barely wrapped around his words as he spoke, one of his hands breaking away from its tight grip on the necklace to slowly reach for the silver chain on Will’s neck.

“It helps me remember you.” Will told him, holding it up so Nico could examine it in the dim, green light. He was surprised it showed up at all. After all, he went to the bed in pajamas and always woke up in his dreams in an entirely different outfit. It was strange that the ring made an appearance in all this. “It’s helping us find you.”

That last part had Nico tensing up, pulling away, and Will wanted to follow the movement immediately.

“Will.” Nico didn’t look to him as he spoke, “Be safe. That’s…” He took a deep breath, and the words seem to physically pain him. “That’s all I want. If you can’t…if you can’t do this, I need you to be safe. I, I,’ll be fine.” Nico’s weak voice shook as he said this, his gaze unfocused on a section of darkness.

Will wanted to argue, the words - We’re coming for you Nico, I’ll never stop looking, I can’t be safe without you, I’ll never be fine without you, Gods, Nico, please ohgodsplease Nico please don’t give up hope we’re coming Nico I promise, I promised - all wanting to burst out in that moment, but then the darkness was fading, and Nico was turning away, his fists still clenched together, and –

- and Will was waking up.

He didn’t try and fall back asleep after that.

The next day, Will found himself in a position familiar to these days: cross-legged in a half-circle on the Hades cabin floor with the others.

They were trading their favorite stories, usually wrapped with an odd reference of appearance from the son of Hades himself. Will was forcing down a bowl of fruit salad that Hazel had brought, praying to the gods he’d keep it down. He tried to focus on the stories as they shared them, his thoughts wanting to be carried away as soon as Nico was mentioned. He held a hand against his chest, pressing the metal to his skin, and concentrated on Hazel’s words.

She was just finishing the vague story of how Nico brought her back to life, unsure if she simply didn’t remember all the details or if she never understood it at all. They were deciding probably a mixture of both, they agreed on, when Jason, leaning back with his head in his crossed arms, suddenly sat up, spilling an open bag of chips onto lap and the floor. He blinked a few times, either confused about the happenings of said chip bag or collecting his thoughts. From the way he was eyeing the sour cream and onion in his lap, it was probably the former. Finally, after a few seconds of having their full, quiet attention on him, he spoke.

“Can’t we just contact Hades and ask him about Nico?” Jason asked, only stumbling over the boy’s name a bit. He said this like it was a brilliant idea, like it was a game-changer.

Reyna was already shaking her head. Knowing her, she had probably explored that option long before any of them considered it. “You can’t just contact the god of the Underworld. It is much more difficult, more difficult than tracing the line of magic.”

Will glanced at the other girl in their small group. “But...could Hazel do it?”

Reyna looked to Hazel. She seemed unsure – either about the question or asking, Will didn’t know. “Hazel? What do you think?”

Said girl was biting down on her lip, hesitant. “I’ll try.” She told them, “But I’ve been praying to him for a few days now and I haven’t gotten any response.”

“That seems to be the verdict for most of the major gods.” Will muttered, a bit bitter about the fact. He shook his head, clearing his head of at least most of his negative thoughts. “Has anyone talked to Wes?”

“I stopped by yesterday.” Jason told them all, still picking fragments of chips off his lap, his nose wrinkled. “He said we should probably come by after capture the flag tomorrow, he thinks he’s close to something.”

Will let out a long groan at the end of Jason’s sentence. “I forgot tomorrow was Friday.” He informed them mournfully at their confused glances.

Jason flashed him a weak grin, and Will was just beginning to notice how tired the other boy looked. How tired they all looked. “Romans verse Greeks. Should be fun, right?”

Will literally couldn’t put into words how much he did not have energy for this today.

Although honestly, these days he hardly had energy for anything. But still. Running around in full armor to steal a piece of cloth from a couple dozen war hardened Romans?

No. Absolutely not.

Capture the flag used to be his favorite. When he was younger, before play-war turned into real-war and a bit of ambrosia could heal anything and everything, he loved the game. He loved being on the front line, a white medic band around his arm, and fighting and sweating and laughing with his siblings.

Now, his eyes drooping further with every second, he was put on self-inflicted emergency services.

This was usually the position they gave out as punishment – after all, you were forced to stay in a stuffy infirmary while the rest of the camp ran around and shrieked with excitement and adrenaline.

He pulled on a set of the infirmary-blue scrubs, not bothering to yet pull on a pair of latex gloves, and explained the temporary change of command to his siblings. Kayla, who he’d named in charge for the course of the game, puffed out her chest a bit in pride. She had real command potential, she did, and Will was sorry it had only become evident to him in such late times.

Hina – who had been given the shift after she was caught making out with her girlfriend after lights out – brightened at Will’s volunteering statement.

“Don’t worry Hina.” Will smirked, and was a bit annoyed when his voice wasn’t as strong as he’d like. He cleared his throat, continuing. “You can organize the supplies closet later to make up for this.”

She frowned at that, but didn’t seem nearly as down as she did moments before. She shrugged, a matching smirk coming to her face, “Sage is all about that organized life crap. She’ll help me.”

Will shrugged, mostly because Hina’s Demeter girlfriend was like that, and Will didn’t have a good comeback in response. In retaliation, he simply vowed to just not be as careful when putting away supplies today during their inevitable rush periods.

His siblings took a few more minutes loading up their supply backpacks, their arm bands snow white and obvious on their dark and metal suits. Hina was excitedly pulling on her own set of armor, her sword swinging already at her side.

At least someone was excited for the game.

Will couldn’t remember the last time he truly enjoyed a good game of capture the flag. Not anytime recently, that was obvious.

He let himself wonder, very briefly, if Nico enjoyed capture the flag. He thinks so.

His siblings filed out, Kayla already muttering about a potential team up with the Athena cabin, and Will reveled in the rare silence that joined the dust in the air as they left.

He wasn’t stupid enough to attempt a nap, not with his nerves already on edge with Wes’s soon announcement. He filled out a few stacks of paperwork, only interrupted twice by the same rag-tag group of Hermes-Ares kids, each demanding small blocks of ambrosia so they walk off their injuries and get back to the game. Both times, Will eyed them, the doctor in him wanting to bind them each to a bed until they were properly healed, the Greek half-blood in him completely agreeing with their crazed, slightly desperate, need to win against the Romans. Both times, he handed off the small amounts of godly food, on the only condition they return afterwards for a proper check-up – a safe compromise for those sides of him.

He paused after that. Negotiating infirmary stays…that felt familiar, for some odd reason. Who had he done that with before? Cecil, maybe?

Will shook the thought out of his head. He had too much work to be daydreaming all day.

There was another long period of quiet, the calm before the storm that happened right before a win when no camper could be dragged from the forest no matter the injury. This was welcomed, and Will managed to clear the heavy pile of paperwork on the desk and organize the supplies closet.

What? He can always find a different punishment for Hina, and he hates a messy workplace.

He finally settled in the desk, all his work taken care of, no patients to take care of, and began his scheduled freak-out about what Wes had to say.

The door crashed open and Will, despite nodding off into a good freak-out only seconds before, was at the doorway in seconds. It was one of the minor god’s kids – Janus, he thinks – unconscious in the arms of a muddy Aphrodite girl. Will had one of the gurney under the kid in seconds, already examining the steadily bleeding head wound on the young girl. The Aphrodite girl – Scarlett, he registers under the layer of mud, is injured as well, a shoulder puncture wound that didn’t look too bad, but the mud covering her head to toe clearly wasn’t helping it. Selena, hot on Scarlett’s heals apparently, hip checked him out of the way of the Janus kid, nodding towards the doorway.

The rest of his siblings charged the infirmary, the after-battle injuries pouring in. Usually, there was nothing really bad – a few stab wounds at most from overzealous campers who didn’t care about the status of their dessert privileges. This time around, the battle seemed to be definitely more brutal. The Romans didn’t pull punches, this was known, but Will vaguely wondered if they’d had the Mess Hall brownies yet. Not even the most deserved stab wound was worth losing those little pieces of Olympus.

He quickly dealt with Scarlett’s minor wound – a bit of antiseptic, a bandage to keep anymore dirt from falling in, as well as a small vial of nectar to quick start the healing – and threw himself into a few more urgent cases.

Will was just finishing up one of the Nike girls, sewing back a particularly bad cut she swore was accidental, when the door slammed open again, bringing all their attention back to the front.

Jason hung off the doorway, breathing hard like he’d run a mile. From the looks of his sweat stained t-shirt and the glossy shine to his skin, maybe he had.

“Will.” He gasped, ignoring the rest of the campers in the infirmary. Almost immediately, Will’s siblings were on the son of Zeus, their hands guiding him to a cot, searching him for some kind of injury. Not many people burst into the infirmary for the Hades of it, after all.

Jason waved off the concerned hands as nicely as he could, “I’m not injured! Will!” He stood up, lightly pushing his way through the gathered campers, “Will, Wes found something. He said – he said he needs us right now.”

Will froze, the heavy exhaustion that was just starting to settle over his skin a moment ago disappearing in an instant. He passed the needle and thread over to one of his siblings, not really checking who, and stripped his latex gloves in a quick moment.

“Let’s go.” He said, already half way out the door following him.

He trusted one of his siblings to take over – they’d probably be relieved about this time off anyways. The few serious cases they had – the Hermes son who took a sword to the chest, the Vulcan kid who took an accidental flamethrower to the torso - were already being treated. It was mostly just stitches and ankle binding at that point.

He heard one of them call after him, out of surprise he’d imagine, but Will ignored them, instead bolting after Jason towards the Athena cabin.

“What is it?” He panted out, itching desperation slicking up his chest as they got closer to the cabin.

Jason didn’t answer, either too out of breath or having no idea. Probably the latter.

They slowed to a jog as they got closer to the cabin, looking thankfully empty except for the single figure inside and the two girls lingering on the porch, clearing waiting for them before going in. The rest of the Athena kids were probably going over their game strategy, pulling it apart and making it better for next time like they always did.

On the porch waiting, Hazel and Reyna, both still dressed in their Roman battle gear, were just as sweaty as he and Jason. Hazel had a bit of dried blood on her forehead and cheek that she paid no attention to, and Reyna’s knuckles were bruised and purple. He was itching to examine them - at least make sure Hazel’s head wound wasn’t too deep and Reyna’s knuckles weren’t broken - but ignored the urge.

Reyna nodded at them as they climbed the few stairs, turning and leading them through the doorway, sparing no time. Still heaving for breath, Will followed.

It was probably a good thing the rest of the Athena kids were still out, because their cabin was an absolute mess. Will vaguely suspected Wes had sat out this game in order to lay out all his papers, because there was no way that mess could be made up in less than an hour.

Wes didn’t glance up as they entered; lingering still by the doorway, each eyeing a different form of research the Athena kid had spread out. There were half-Greek notes pinned up on the large corkboard, and several ancient looking books opened and dog-earred on the floor. He had a large piece of canvas paper spread out on the floor as well, occasionally taking a second to examine or add to. They watched this process for a long moment before Reyna, always a bit impatient when it came to the Greeks, stepped forward and cleared her throat.

“Watch that!” Wes instantly snapped, holding his hands protectively over a opened book a few inches from where the girl had stepped.

Will saw Reyna’s shoulders tense up, just slightly. She didn’t seem like someone who was used to people snapping at her. Hazel, always the observant one, must have noticed this too because just a second later she was stepping forward, careful to leave a space between the work and her feet.

“Wes?” Hazel’s voice was soft with reminder, “You said you had something really important to tell us?”

Wes didn’t answer for a long moment, instead jumping up to examine the corkboard with such intensity, Will would have sworn there was a blood feud involved somehow.

“Look!” He finally exclaimed, pointing to one of the papers pinned at the bottom. Will, the nearest to the board, bent down to get a better look.

He blinked. Waited a few moments, wondering if his dyslexia was acting up, and stood.

“That’s…not Greek.” Will answered after a moment of staring at the paper. The buzz lighting up his skin was only getting more intense every second he wasn’t getting answers, but he wasn’t about to yell at their own chance for information.

“Swahili, actually. But I was referring to –“ Wes pointed to the picture directly under the text. “That.”

Will unpinned the paper, pulling it up to show the others. “It’s a…diagram.”

Wes nodded excitedly, looking like he lived for this kind of action. Knowing Athena kids, he probably did. “It’s a diagram to trace magic. It explains the whole thing!”

Hazel, leaning over Reyna’s arm, only stared uncomprehending at the foreign language. “But…how are we going to figure out who cast it? How does this help us get Nico back?”

Wes blinked a few times, his eyes unfocused. “Okay so. We already figured out that this spell isn’t nature magic – the magic’s too dark for that and none of the nature spirits seem effected like the Hecate kids are – so it means that this must be a birthright kind of magic. This means it can be either a Hecate descendent, someone with magic in their blood, although no one in this camp would be nearly strong enough to control that amount of magic, or even weave this complex of a spell. So that means it was probably a god. Minor, like you guys said, because a major god’s spell wouldn’t have nearly as many flaws. They should have learned from the last time around.” Wes shook his head in annoyance, as if missing the opportunity to learn was a personal offense to him. He ignored the rest of Hazel’s question, instead flipping through the book nearest to him.

Will felt a jolt of anger at that – at Wes for being so unconcerned about this whole fucked up situation, at the gods who kept messing with their fucking lives, and the fucking universe that kept letting it happen – but was interrupted in his red hot emotion by Reyna suddenly taking another step forward, her eyes flaming with her own brand of anger.

“Flaws?” Reyna demanded, her eyes sharp.

Wes clearly wasn’t paying attention to the dangerous note in Reyna’s voice, because he continued on like nothing. “Yeah, this spell was done kind of horribly. You guys shouldn’t be remembering this Nico by the barrowful, if at all. And the nightmares, definitely a fault. When Hera pulled her version of this, she was nearly flawless with wiping Grace and Jackson.” Wes shook his head, his eyes already glued to a different notebook. “This time, it was just sloppy.”

Will recognized the anger beginning to bubble underneath Reyna’s eyes – mostly because it was beginning to heat up his own emotions. Wes’s nonchalant tone of voice wasn’t exactly the enemy at the moment, but that didn’t stop Will from grinding his teeth together. Hazel, at his side, was surprising sharp in her anger, her hands in fists at her side.

“What can we do?” Jason spoke up before any of them could lash out. “To save Nico?”

Wes perked up at that, pulling up one of the books from the floor. “We’re going to trace the magic.” He told them, his eyes too excited for something they’d been crying, screaming, forgetting about for what felt like forever. “We’re going to trace it back to whomever cast it, after that you’ll at least know who, and then you can find out why. But that’s not why I called you guys – the spell as to be done while the sun is still in the sky – don’t ask me why – but if we hurry we can do it tonight.”

Will’s bones felt like they’d been shocked with electricity at that. He nearly stumbled onto the carpet at that single word alone, his legs suddenly jelly, but managed to grab onto the desk for support.

“How.” Hazel choked out, probably just as affected as him. Next to her, Jason was leaning against the wall, his eyes shiny and unbelieving.

They – they could save Nico tonight. He could – he could be back by tomorrow and he’s be okay and alive and breathing and here.

By tomorrow.

Will had to take a large, calming breath, and repeated after Hazel. Reyna, he’d noticed, was as stiff as a board, her eyes steel and still on the wall. Like she was unwilling to hope. “How. What do you need us to do.”

Wes beamed suddenly, brightly and joyfully, and completely ignored their effected expressions. “I’m going to need some blood.”

There was a long moment of silence, filled with mostly each demi-god making sure they’d heard that right. The spell of relief that was settled over them was broken momentarily in exchange for a thick layer of confusion. Even Reyna, the most composed of them all, seemed thrown for a second. Hazel only scratched at the flaky blood on her forehead, probably only just now remembering it was there.

“…blood?” Will was the one who finally spoke up.

“From each of you, please.” Wes began cleaning up the floor space, exposing the wooden floor underneath. “And some candles. And a Hecate kid.”

“Um. Why?” Hazel asked, a very, very good question.

Wes pointed to the diagram still in Reyna’s hands, looking a bit annoyed. “That’s what it says. Candles. Descendent of magic itself. Something that the magic itself has touched.” He traced a line of the text, “It says we have to light the magic something on fire, or else I’d just use one of you.” Wes paused to give you all a dull look. “The magic is in all of you, influencing you constantly. You could always donate some skin, the paper adds on , if you want to keep your blood.”

Seeing no other option to fight the empty space in his chest, Will only dropped the fight in his shoulders. He would do much more then give a little blood to save Nico. “Someone go find a Hecate kid. I’ll….I’ll go and get some needles.”

Wes looked satisfied, and a bit crazed. That was a common expression amongst Athena kids who proved themselves right. “Good. Now go. Let’s find your friend!”

#IT'S FINALLY HERE #IM ONLY HALF DEAD #angst #solangelo #So much ANGST #fanfiction #fanfic #Percy Jackon and the Olympians #Heroes of Olympus #trials of apollo #Will solace #Nico di Angelo #sad bbs #dreams au #erased au

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