Work Text:
“What’s this for?“ Will asked as he slid next to Nico. All the campers had been called to a meeting in the amphitheater, courtesy of Chiron.
Nico shrugged, the lapels of his bomber jacket moving with him. “Dunno. Chiron won’t tell anyone.”
Will hummed, pressing his shoulder to Nico’s as they sat. Small, casual contact had become normal for them. If they weren’t touching in one way or the other, it was like they weren’t even in the same room. Will was proud of Nico for this, since when they first met, Nico couldn’t even maintain eye contact without becoming uncomfortable.
Chiron, in horse-form, galloped into the amphitheater, taking a place in the center where everyone could see him.
“Good afternoon, demigods,” He began. “You’re probably wondering why I called you all here.”
“Yeah!” Sherman shouted. “Is it because you’re finally installing that certain-death obstacle course I petitioned?”
“Er, no,” Chiron said. “I-“
“Is the Demeter cabin being granted more field-space to work with?” Miranda Gardiner asked.
“Yeah!” Her sister, Billie Ng agreed. “I’m tired of working with just strawberries! What about blueberries for a change? Or raspberries? Any other type of berries?”
“I understand your concerns about our cash crop, however-“
Chiron was interrupted by dozens of campers shouting out requests. Will could even hear his own sibling, Austin, demanding for a music studio.
“Enough!” Chiron stomped his hooves for attention. “I will address all these concerns some other time. That is not what this meeting is about.”
“What’s it for, then?” Connor Stoll asked, propping his feet up on the seat in front of him, causing an annoyed Aphrodite girl to turn around and glare at him.
Chiron was a better leader than Will was. If it were him, Will would’ve shouted, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all!” But Chiron simply nickered and continued.
“The praetors from Camp Jupiter and I have decided to put together a meet-up. We will be taking a group- a small one, as to not to attract monsters- to California to visit the Roman Camp. It will serve as an action of peace and cooperation between our camps. The Hunters of Artemis will be there too: Thalia, Reyna, and the others. Like I said, we can only take a small number of campers, so do we have any volunteers-?”
Before Chiron had even finished speaking, Nico and Will’s hands shot into the air. Nico, of course, because he wanted to see Hazel, Reyna, and Jason. Will, because he knew Nico would want to go and wanted to go with him.
“Well, I see Nico and Will are very enthusiastic about the trip,” Chiron smiled at them. “Anyone else?”
Piper, Leo, and Grover raised their hands. Will was a little confused about Grover, since he didn’t know most of the seven. But when Chiron explained Annabeth and Percy would be at Camp Jupiter too because of college, it made sense.
“All right,” Chiron said. “We’ll be leaving Saturday morning. The five of you meet me and Argus by Thalia’s Tree.”
With that, the meeting was adjourned. Hand in hand, Nico and Will left the amphitheater. Nico was grinning brightly, and he was bouncing with every step he took, like he did when he was particularly happy.
“I can’t wait,” He said. His accent was slipping out, a sure sign he was absolutely ecstatic. “It’s been forever since I’ve seen everyone.”
“It’ll be really good to see them again,” Will agreed, even though he didn’t know most of the Romans well. Seeing Nico happy was all he really cared about.
***
Friday night, Nico was so excited, he couldn’t sleep. He crept into the Apollo cabin, blending into the shadows so the harpies didn’t see him as he crossed the green.
Nico was good at sneaking around, so he made his way through the cabin without waking any of the Apollo kids. He found Will’s bunk, which was tucked into a corner towards the back. A string of fairy lights hung on the top of the bunk, illuminating Will’s face. His eyes were closed, but he wasn’t sleeping. Nico could tell from his breathing patterns (which, no, it wasn’t creepy, as some might believe).
“Will,” Nico whispered.
Will’s eyes shot open, and he bolted upright, hitting his head on the top bunk. “Shit!” He hissed under his breath. He brought his hand up to his head, rubbing it as he blinked. His gaze cut to Nico, and his eyes softened. “You scared me, Neeks.”
“Sorry,” Nico whispered. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Will smiled softly. Knowingly. He opened his arms for Nico, and the son of Hades climbed under the covers and into Will’s arms. Will held him close, their stomachs pressed together, and he pressed a kiss to Nico’s forehead.
“Excited?” He whispered into Nico’s hair, which smelled like pomegranate and rain hitting stone. Petrichor.
Will could feel Nico’s lips curve into a grin against his chest. He hummed in answer, pressing himself impossibly closer to Will. “It’s been forever since I’ve seen Hazel. And Reyna. And Jason. And Percy. And Annabeth.”
Will had to muffle his laugh so not to wake his siblings. “Name the whole camp, why don’t you?”
“Shut up,” Nico mumbled, his voice muffled by Will’s sleep-shirt. “I’m also excited for you to go. You’ve never been to Camp Jupiter, have you?”
“Nope,” Will agreed. “I’m excited to see it.”
“I can show you around,” Nico offered. “Around New Rome and stuff. It’s really pretty there.”
“Romantic?”
“Very romantic.”
The two talked themselves to sleep that night, conversing in hushed tones, the fairy lights twinkling above them and bathing them in a gentle light.
***
Nico loved his boyfriend. However, he did not love his son of Apollo tendency to wake up at the crack of dawn.
Whenever Will woke, Nico did. That’s just how it worked. Will didn’t even have to move. He could just open his eyes, and then Nico would too. Kayla teased them that they’d spent so much time together they’d become the same person. Nico was beginning to fear that really was the case. ‘Fear’, because as much as he loved his boyfriend, becoming a sunny son of Apollo would not mix well with his black and white aesthetic.
“Mornin’, Neeks,” Will said, rubbing his eyes with a smile. His morning voice was rough and thick with sleep. Nico loved it.
“Morning,” Nico replied, and leaned over to place a good morning kiss on Will’s lips. Will smiled into the kiss, bringing his hand to the back of Nico’s neck, playing with his hair.
Shifting and yawning around them told them the rest of the Apollo kids were beginning to wake, so the two pulled apart. They shared a small smile before Nico slipped out of bed and left the Apollo cabin before anyone would notice he was there. They’d been caught sleeping together (in the literal sense. Actually sleeping, in the same bed, legs and breaths mingled) multiple times before, and no one had snitched. But it was still technically against the rules, and neither of them wanted to risk it. Will watched Nico go with a grin.
***
The two met each other for breakfast, then grabbed their bags and made the climb to Thalia’s Tree. Will had to keep going back to his cabin, however, because each time he left, he remembered he had forgotten something. Nico waited outside Will’s cabin, tapping his foot impatiently.
After Will returned for the fifth time, Nico asked, “You’re sure that’s everything?”
Will tapped his chin in thought, then smiled. “Yep. I’ve got everything.”
“Good,” Nico grabbed Will’s hand and pulled him towards their meeting spot before he could claim he needed to go back for a sixth time.
When they got to the tree, Chiron, Argus, Piper, Leo, and Grover were already waiting. Piper was crossing her arms. Leo was tinkering with something. Grover was snacking on a tin can.
“There you are!” Piper exclaimed, throwing her arms up when she saw Nico and Will. “What took you two so long?”
“They were probably off making out somewhere,” Leo commented, not looking away from what he was making, which looked like a miniature airplane of sorts.
Chiron cleared his throat. He was contracted into wheel-chair form, a stern smile on his face. “I’m sure that’s not what Nico and Will were up to. The good thing is you’re here now. Are you ready?”
“Actually, I think I forgot my-“ Will began, but Nico cut him off with a, “We’re ready!”
Chiron chuckled at the two of them. “Argus will be driving us,” He gestured to the blonde one-hundred eyed security guard. He stood with his arms crossed, silent as always. Will had heard rumors he had an eye on his tongue. That had to be uncomfortable.
“Are we all going to fit in the camp car?” Grover asked, a piece of metal from his tin can hanging in his goatee.
“No problem. I made some adjustments to the car, and now it can transform into a bus!” Leo grinned proudly, stuffing the tiny airplane he’d made into his pocket. He walked over to where the camp car was parked, opened the door, and pressed a button on the inside of the car, where the button to roll the window down would be. Instead of the window rolling down, however, the car grunted and clicked as it elongated, growing bigger and bigger until it was the size of a small bus.
“Wow, Leo,” Piper said. “I would say that’s impressive, but you literally brought back a bronze dragon from the death, so this seems reasonable for you.”
Leo waved his hand bashfully. “Aw, stop it, Pipes.”
Piper just rolled her eyes and shoved Leo away.
The seven of them filed into the bus, with Argus at the wheel and Chiron next to him. For some reason, out of all the available seats, Leo and Piper chose to sit in the back. Grover sat by himself, munching on yet another tin can he had pulled from his bag (was that all he had in there?). Nico and Will sat together, with Will by the window per request.
“I love looking out the window,” He said as he sat down. “Seeing the scenery and feeling the sun through the glass.”
“I’m just gonna nap on your shoulder,” Nico decided, his head falling to Will’s shoulder as soon as he sat down.
Will laughed, his cheek resting on top of Nico’s head. The bus was mostly quiet, the only sounds Piper and Leo’s bickering from the back, Grover chewing his metal, and Chiron and Argus discussing something.
“Did you not sleep much last night?” Will asked, eyeing Nico through his peripheral vision. The son of Hades’ eyes were closed, his eyelashes fanned across his cheeks.
“I did,” Nico said. “I just get tired around you sometimes.”
Will frowned at this. “What? Why? Am I- am I boring, or something?”
Nico cracked a smile as he opened his eyes. He propped his chin on Will’s shoulder, looking up at him as he said, “No, idiota. People, especially people who’ve gone through trauma or something, have a tendency to feel sleepy around people who make them feel safe.”
“Oh,” Will blinked, registering this information. He turned red. “Oh.”
Nico smirked. “Yeah. So. I’m gonna go back to sleeping.”
Will overcame his embarrassment, laughing lightly. “You do that, darlin’.”
***
Nico slept for most of the ride. Leo’s bus-car-invention had been enchanted with some sort of magic, so the normally long ride from New York to California took half the time. When Nico woke, there was only about an hour left in the the trip, and him and Will passed the time by playing cards with a deck Will had packed.
“You packed cards?” Nico asked when Will
brought them out of his bag. “Why?”
Will shrugged. “They can be useful. We’re using them now, aren’t we?”
Nico stared at him blankly him. “You are… an interesting specimen.”
Will snorted. “I love you, too.”
An hour later, the bus arrived at Camp Jupiter. Waiting outside the camp entrance were the Roman praetors: Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang.
“Hazel!” Nico said when he saw her, grinning from ear to ear. As soon as the bus parked, Nico was out the doors, running towards Hazel and attacking her in a hug.
Will got off the bus in time to hear Hazel laughing and say, “I missed you too, Nico!”
When they separated, Hazel kissed Nico’s cheek, and Frank gave him an awkward side-hug.
“Hey, Hazel. Frank.” Will stuck his hands in his pocket and grinned at the two.
Hazel’s eyes brightened when she saw Will. They had seen each other around before, of course, but this was the first time they’d actually talked since him and Nico started to date.
“Will! I’ve heard so much about you!” Hazel beamed, reaching out to take Will’s hands.
“Touché,” Will laughed.
Hazel was still smiling, but her grip on Will’s hands tightened menacingly. She stared directly into Will’s eyes as she spoke, and Will almost crumbled under her intense golden gaze. “I’m happy for you, but if you hurt Nico in any way, shape, or form, I swear to the gods above I will-“
“That’s okay,” Nico interrupted, gently pulling Hazel away from Will. “He’s not gonna hurt me, Hazel.”
Will gulped. “Yeah! No, yeah. Uh, I have no intention of hurting Nico. The opposite of that, really.”
Will met Nico’s eyes nervously. Nico was smiling. And that kind of help settle his nerves.
Piper was next off the bus. She tackled Hazel in a hug, similar to the way Nico had done, while Leo awkwardly fist-bumped Frank. Then, just as awkwardly, he hugged Hazel. Will could sense some tension in the air that he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the cause of.
Chiron, Argus, and Grover filed off the bus next. Chiron exchanged pleasantries with the praetors as they led the Greek group through Caldecott Tunnel, and then into the camp.
If Will thought Camp Half-Blood was big, Camp Jupiter was more so. Camp Half-Blood looked like a dollhouse in comparison. Temples and shrines and elaborate Roman-style buildings stretched out for as far as Will could see. A river, the Little Tiber, he supposed, snaked throughout the whole camp, glistening in the sunlight.
“Woah,” Will breathed.
“Romantic, right?” Nico asked, creeping up next to him and lacing their fingers.
Will grinned as he turned to look down at Nico. He pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. “Very.”
Hazel and Frank led the group down a hill, where the rest of Camp Jupiter was waiting. In the front was Jason, Reyna, Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia.
“Guys!” Nico’s grin widened even further. He engulfed both Jason and Reyna into a hug at the same time. The two Romans smiled as they wrapped their arms around Nico.
Nico disentangled himself from their embrace and went to greet Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia while Piper and Leo said hello to Jason and Reyna. Grover pushed through a crowd of people to greet Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia. Chiron, back in horse form, was at his tail. Somewhat literally.
Meanwhile, Will hung in the back of the group, grinning with his hands in his pockets as he watched everyone. He waved to the three Greeks he hadn’t seen in a while, but there wasn’t much hugging or a tearful reunion. He didn’t know them that well. He’d probably talked with Annabeth the most, since she’d been at camp the longest, and he had healed her shoulder that one time. Then Will had gushed about how hot Percy looked, standing over Annabeth, declaring, “No one touches her!”. Him and Annabeth had squealed about it.
“Why don’t I get you all situated?” Hazel asked once everyone had said hello. “I imagine you’re all very tired after traveling all day. I’ll show you to your rooms, and then we can catch up over dinner. How does that sound?”
“Great, thank you, Hazel,” Nico grinned. Will had never seen him grin so much in one day, except maybe their first date.
Camp Jupiter had many rooms to spare, but Nico and Will opted to share. Nico tended to have nightmares without Will, so he would’ve ended up sneaking into Will’s room anyway.
“Isn’t this great?” Nico asked as he began to unpack his bag. “It’s like- all my favorite people in the same place.”
Will laughed. “I’m happy for you, Neeks,” A beat. “Although I sure hope I’m the favorite favorite.”
Nico rolled his eyes. “Hmm… It’s Frank, actually.”
Will blinked. “I- are you- wait, you can’t be-“
Nico laughed, a sound so careless and free it left Will’s ears ringing. “I’m kidding, Willy. Gods, you’re dense. Yes, you’re my favorite.”
“Good! Good,” Will grinned. Nico walked over and kissed one of his dimples, standing up on his tip toes to do so.
Will grinned more deeply at this, catching Nico around his waist as he tried to step back.
“Will,” Nico’s voice was firm, but there was a glint in his eyes. “I need to finish unpacking.”
“Mm, not really,” Will said, his eyes already half lidded, his gaze dropping down to Nico’s lips. “It can wait.”
“Dinner’s soon.”
“We have time,” Will said, and then his lips were on Nico’s, and despite his previous arguments, Nico didn’t pull away. He kissed him back.
Not taking his lips off Nico’s for a second, Will guided him backward, gently laying him on the bed and climbing on top of him. Nico hummed into his mouth as Will’s legs gently squeezed either side of his stomach.
Nico reached up and hooked his arms around Will’s neck, running his hands through Will’s hair, curling the ends around his fingers. Will’s hands were fixed on Nico’s cheeks, holding his head firmly in place as they kissed. Their lips moved together rhythmically, almost in a pattern, the way they had thousands of times before. Will’s lips were slightly chapped, but Nico loved them in comparison to the smoothness of his own. Will’s tongue gently swept across Nico’s lip, causing the son of Hades to smile into the kiss.
Will pulled away, only to immediately start kissing along Nico’s neck and collarbone. Nico inhaled sharply, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling. Will smirked against Nico’s neck. He knew Nico loved when he kissed his neck, and how sensitive his skin was there.
Will kissed all along his neck, behind his ear, up his jaw to his mouth, then back down. Will hooked his index finger around the hem of Nico’s shirt, gently pushing the fabric off his shoulder to kiss the skin there. Nico shivered as Will dragged his lips over his bare skin, making the long path over his shoulder, collarbone, neck, jaw, and finally back to his mouth.
They were just beginning to open their mouths wider, letting each other’s tongues slip inside, when the door opened.
“Hey, guys, dinner-“
They immediately pulled away from each other, cheeks flushed and lips shining, but Hazel had already seen them. She stood in the doorway, eyes wide and mouth open in a stammer. She clamped a hand over her eyes, fumbling for the doorknob in darkness.
“I, uh, sorry, I’ll just, um, be going now,” She eventually found the knob and slammed the door shut. Then, a second later, she knocked and opened the door just a crack to say, “It’s dinner time whenever you’re ready.”
Then she was gone again.
The cabin was deadly quiet. Nico and Will both stared at the door for a moment after she left, their kiss-bitten lips hanging open in shock. Then they slowly turned toward each other. Will’s mouth curved into a grin, and Nico pursed his lips like he wanted to do the same but was holding back. Then they both erupted into laughter, Will slumping against Nico’s chest as his body shook with giggles.
“Oh, my gods, that was so embarrassing,” Will said in between cackles.
“She’s never gonna let us live that down. I knew kissing here was a bad idea!” Nico exclaimed.
“Hey, you didn’t stop me!”
“I tried to!”
“Okay, okay, fine. No kissing on the trip from now on.”
Nico frowned at this. “Well, I didn’t say that. Maybe we just lock the door.”
Will playfully swatted at Nico. “Little shit,” He said, but he was grinning. “Come on, let’s go to dinner.”
***
As they sat with Hazel and the others, the daughter of Pluto wouldn’t meet their eyes. Frank tried to ask her what was wrong, but she just fanned herself and insisted she was fine. Nico and Will glanced at each other and exchanged a smile. Will had to hold in his laughter.
Frank glanced worryingly at his girlfriend, then looked at the Greeks. “So. You guys enjoying your trip so far?”
Leo only hummed, his mouth full of food already. Piper glanced at him, a bit disgusted, as he shoveled forkfuls of meat into his mouth.
She shook her head and directed her attention back to Frank. “Yeah. Thanks so much for arranging this. It’s been great to see you guys.”
She glanced at Jason, and the two shared a small smile. They’d been broken up for a while, but things seemed to be fine between them. No awkwardness, maybe just a kind of bittersweetness.
“How’s praetor life for you guys?” She asked.
“Great! So far, you know,” Frank looked to Hazel for her input, but she was still silent and flushing. Will was glad Nico wasn’t as old-fashioned as her.
“They’re doing great,” Reyna assured the group, to which Frank smiled gratefully at.
“Thanks, Reyna. How’s being a Hunter working out for you?”
“Great!” Thalia exclaimed, answering for her. “RARA here fits right in.”
“What did I say about calling me that?” Reyna grumbled, but Thalia just grinned and ruffled her hair.
“Let’s hear from Percy and Annabeth,” The daughter of Zeus prompted. “College in New Rome, huh?”
“Yeah, it’s great,” Percy said. “Especially since I’m with Annie here.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “The classes here are great. I’m learning so much about architecture.”
“What are you majoring in, Percy?” Nico asked. “Marine biology?”
Percy crossed his arms. “Yes, actually.”
Nico cracked a smile.
“Fine, if you’re gonna be smart, it’s time for me to ask you a question,” Percy leaned forward on the table, smirking as Nico leaned away in response. “How’s things with you and Will? The hottest new couple at camp, since Annabeth and I are gone, I suppose?”
“Oh, you have no idea,” Piper put in. “The Aphrodite cabin is obsessed with them.”
“How’d it happen?” Annabeth asked. “I can’t believe I haven’t heard the story yet.”
Nico’s faced reddened. “Please don’t make me-“
“It was the funniest thing,” Will interrupted, and Nico glared at him. “By which I mean cutest. Anyway, he asked the satyrs and dryads to put together a picnic for me and him so he could confess. But, well, the nature spirits took that the wrong way and Nico ended up asking me out in front of the entire camp at dinner.”
This elected a chorus of coo’s and ‘awww!’s from the group. Even Hazel was giggling, seemingly having recovered from her earlier embarrassment. Blushing furiously, Nico let his head fall to the table. “Kill me now.”
Will reached over and put his arm around Nico’s shoulders, helping him sit back up. “It’s alright, Neeks. I said yes, didn’t I?”
Nico grumbled something unintelligible. Will just grinned.
***
After dinner, Will turned to Nico and said, “When am I gonna get my tour of New Rome?”
“How about now?” Nico asked, and Will smiled brightly.
“Perfect,” He threaded his fingers with Nico’s. The son of Hades told Hazel where he was going, and also mumbled a quick apology about what she had walked in on. Hazel just laughed and kissed his cheek, telling him not to get into any more trouble.
“Yes, ma’am,” Nico said. Hazel rolled her eyes, and then, hand in hand, Nico and Will started off towards New Rome.
They had to get through Terminus, and Nico begrudgingly handed his sword over. With wide eyes, Will watched as the statue spoke. He supposed a talking statue wasn’t the weirdest god he’d ever met, but the thing seemed to be convinced it had hands, which was what confused Will the most.
Nico had to tug Will away from the statue, and then they were inside the city. New Rome was even more impressive to Will than the actual camp. Demigods of all ages, and their children, lived there. It showed it was possible for half-bloods to live past their teen years, something that Will always thought of as impossible. He imagined him and Nico living here together. Going to college like Percy and Annabeth, moving in together, getting married, maybe even having children. Just growing old together.
For now, though, Will was content just to walk around the town with his boyfriend. Holding hands, he could almost imagine they were a normal high school couple, shopping at the mall or taking a walk in a park.
Nico talked as they walked, explaining to Will what each building, statue, or fountain was. The buildings were marble white with red-tiled roofs. A lot of them were shops. There was a bakery, and a bookshop/tattoo parlor run by Tyson the Cyclops and Ella the Harpy.
Nico pulled Will into the bakery, claiming it was one of the best places he’d ever eaten at. The man behind the counter was a two-headed monster, which scared Will at first, but the monster, whose name tag read Bombilo, seemed bored as he asked for their order.
Will got a blueberry and lemon muffin, and Nico got some sort of Italian pastry. They both got espressos, then sat down at a table outside to eat.
“You were right, this is good,” Will said through a mouthful of muffin.
“Ew, close your mouth when you eat,” Nico wrinkled his nose in a way that reminded Will of a rabbit. Then, “I know. I’m always right.”
Will snorted. Nico’s hand was resting on the table, and Will reached over and threaded their fingers together. They had to eat with one hand, which was a bit hard, but they adjusted. Will’s thumb was rubbing over Nico’s skin, and the son of Hades really didn’t want to pull away.
Once they finished their food and coffee’s, they threw their trash away and continued their walk around the city. They went inside a few of the shops to look around, and as he spent more time here, Will could really imagine a future for himself and Nico. A future that involved blueberry and lemon muffins and coffees, and sitting outside together as they watched children splash around in the fountains, maybe even their own children. A future that involved visiting bookstores run by a Cyclops and a Harpy, and walking around, hand in hand, on cobblestone streets and around statues and domed buildings.
The sun began to set, casting the city in a warm, golden glow. Nico led Will out of New Rome and up Temple Hill. They perched on the highest part of the hill, where they were so high up it seemed like the setting sun was right next to them. They leaned against a tree, looking down at New Rome. The shops were beginning to close, and parents were staring to round up their children and take them home for the night.
The camp was beginning to sleep, but Nico and Will were awake as ever. Their legs pressed together as they sat, their knees and shoulders knocking. Nico’s head was resting against Will’s shoulder, and Will let his cheek fall against Nico’s hair. As always, their hands found each other, their fingers entwining. It was like their bodies were two puzzle pieces that always found their way back to each other. Like they were two Lego pieces that were stuck together and never came apart, no matter how much prying you did.
“It’s really nice here,” Will said. He was whispering, despite the fact there was no one else around.
“It is,” Nico whispered back.
“Could you… could you ever see yourself living here?” A beat. “With me?”
Nico shifted. The fabric of his jacket ruffled. He adjusted his grip on Will’s hand. With every second he didn’t reply, a slow panic grew in Will’s chest, expanding in his stomach until it took over his whole body. But, then: “Yeah. I could.”
Will exhaled.
Nico chuckled. “What? You think I would say no?”
“Well, I- I mean, I don’t know,” Will was talking fast, his accent seeping into his words the way it did when he was nervous. “It’s just, we’re young, and we’re demigods, so like, our live expectancies are even shorter than a regular mortals. And I don’t know what you have in mind for the future, if you see a future with me specifically, if you’re planning to stay with me that long-“
“William Andrew Solace, shut up,” Nico ordered, and Will complied. Nico sat up, lifting his head off Will’s shoulder and turning to face him. He grabbed Will’s other hand, holding them both tightly, staring fiercely into Will’s eyes. Brown into blue. Determined into doubtful.
“I don’t know if you think I see you as just a teenage fling, or something like that, but I promise you, you are so much more to me,” Nico continued. “I’m not planning on leaving you. Ever. I- I’m gonna marry you, Solace, okay? You hear me? I don’t know if you know, but I’ve literally envisioned our wedding hundreds of times before. I know what kind of flowers we’ll have, the kind of cake, who all we’ll invite. What I’m going to wear, and who’s going to be my best man, and my maid of honor, or whatever. All those stupid titles. And that stuff isn’t even final. Just what I see in my head when I imagine our wedding. Because it is going to happen, Solace. And when the time comes, we’ll make all those choices together. And then we’ll have the rest of our lives together. We can live in New Rome, and have kids, or not, whatever you want. Or we can live somewhere else. Whatever you want, Will. As long as I’m with you. And I will be with you.”
When Nico finished, Will was crying. He stared at Nico with wide, watery eyes. He had so much to say that he couldn’t say any of it. He just leaned forward and wrapped Nico in a hug, squeezing him so tight he wouldn’t have been surprised if the son of Hades popped like a balloon. He buried his face in Nico’s shoulder, griping the fabric of his jacket in his hands.
“Can’t… breathe…” Nico croaked, patting Will’s back feebly.
“Sorry!” Will exclaimed, quickly pulling away. Nico inhaled deeply, then chuckled. He looked to Will, and the latter smiled sheepishly. “Sorry,” He repeated.
“Don’t apologize,” Nico assured him. “I love your hugs.”
“I love you,” Will countered. “I… I want to marry you, too, Nico.”
“I know,” Nico said, and it was true. The two knew each other better than they know themselves, probably.
Nico settled back against the tree, and Will lowered his head into his boyfriend’s lap. He squeezed his body in between Nico’s legs, looking up at the branches of the tree, swaying in the darkening sky. Nico’s hand instinctively moved to Will’s hair, combing through it absentmindedly.
“So, tell me about the wedding. Who’s going to be your best man?” Will asked.
Nico smiled, even though Will couldn’t see it. “Jason.”
“Percy’s gonna be jealous.”
“Don’t care.”
That made Will laugh. “What about maid of honor?”
“Hazel,” Nico answered. “Though, I want Reyna to have a good title, too. Can we have two maids of honor?”
Will hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t see why not. It’s our wedding. We can do whatever we want.”
“True,” Nico agreed. “What about you? Who’s gonna be in your wedding party?”
Will snorted, then thought for a minute. “Well, Austin and Kayla, duh. But I want to invite all my other siblings.”
“Of course.”
“And the other campers we’re close to. Piper, Leo, Frank. Lou Ellen. Cecil? Chiron, too. Would Mr. D want to come?”
Nico laughed, the sound ringing in the empty space around them. “Who knows? Do you think Apollo and Hades would come?”
“Apollo would want to,” Will said. “I think Hades would pull up with an army of skeletons.”
“Oh, gods, you’re right. Maybe we won’t invite him.”
“I think he’d find out anyway.”
“Stupid gods and their all-seeing power.”
“Careful,” Will warned. “Keep talking like that and you might not live long enough for us to get married.”
Will adjusted his head so he could look up at Nico. Nico smiled down at him. Kissed his forehead.
“Love you.”
“I love you.”
They spent the rest of their evening under the tree, watching the moon rise as they talked about their future wedding. Neither of them knew when that would be, or if they’d live long enough to see it through. But they knew one thing. They would stay with each other as long as they lived. And that was for certain.