Chapter Text
Nico wakes with a crick in his neck and a fuzzy, warm feeling. At first, he thinks he’s in his bed, but he doesn’t remember getting there last night. In fact, he can’t remember much after opening his gift. The calendar is sitting just a few feet away on the coffee table, which means that he’s still on the couch. He blinks, trying to sit up when he realizes that there’s something warm slung over his waist.
His first thought is Jason, but Jason wasn’t much of a cuddler. Even as kids, Jason had a tendency to hog the entire bed somehow, forcing Nico to huddle up in one corner of the bed. Actually, Nico’s not sure where Jason is. He’s not at the end of the couch or on the floor. Maybe he was in his room. Like a responsible adult.
“Meow.” Nico blinks, realizing that somehow Olive’s stretched herself across Nico’s belly, making herself completely at home on Nico’s sweater. She’s looking at him with her big eyes. If Olive was still here, that meant Will was here, too, right?
Nico slowly turns, giving Olive a chance to right herself as Nico realizes that the warm thing he’s laying on isn’t the couch but Will. And they’re cuddling? Sort of. Nico was nuzzled up against Will’s chest, his head tucked gently under Will’s chin. Will had stolen the couch pillows, but Nico had the blankets, so he supposes it was well within Will’s right to use him as a blanket since Nico was using him as a pillow.
Olive gets up, stretching. Then she walks across Nico, standing right over Will. She bats his gently in the face, and Will tries to move his arm to push her away.
“Sleeping, princess,” he mumbles. It’s cute, and Nico wishes he could watch this forever. But his arm is falling asleep, and Will’s probably are already asleep. And Olive looks like she might bat Will a little harder this time. So he decides to get up. “Olive?”
“And Nico,” Nico says.
Will opens his eyes, blinking. “Oh, gods, I fell asleep.” He rubs his eyes. “Talk about overstaying. I can go now.”
“It’s okay, really. Usually, you’re not the only one. But everyone was responsible last night.”
Olive meows again, and Will pulls her into his chest. “I know, princess.” He looks at Nico. “She’s hungry and wants to open her presents,” he says. “Oh, merry Christmas.”
Nico smiles. “Merry Christmas, Will.”
They sit there a little bit longer until Olive reminds them that she’s hungry. “Gods, I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to just dash,” Will says. Olive bats his cheek. “I’ll see you later today, yeah?”
Nico smiles. “Yeah, we can do that.” His heart his thumping in his chest. Will’s gift.
“Maybe in an hour or so? I, um, have a gift for you.”
Will’s cheeks redden. “I have a gift for you, too. Well, sort of.”
Nico nods. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, but after I feed this princess.”
Nico laughs. “Yes, you do that. Just knock. I’ll probably be cleaning up.”
Will nods, standing up. He looks way too cute in his rumpled Christmas sweater and jeans, his curls messy. His headband had fallen off sometime last night, but Nico doesn’t mind. Will stretches, scratching Olive’s head. Nico walks him to the door.
The moment Will’s gone, he starts cleaning up. He has to make this place look somewhat presentable if he’s going to be making Will breakfast. He quickly packages up everything, dumping the half-full glasses into the sink. Luckily, most of the stuff just goes in the trash.
Jason pads into the room just as Nico’s finishing.
“Mornin’. Christmas.”
Nico snorts. “Yup. Merry Christmas.”
Jason goes in for a hug, and Nico lets him. When he pulls away, Nico starts getting out pans and bowls. “What’s all this?”
“I’m making breakfast. For Will? He said he’ll be back over in a little bit.”
“Can I snatch a pancake before I go?” Jason asks. “I’m headed over to Piper’s for a bit.”
Nico nods. Jason and Piper usually hung out with her dad for the morning before coming back to the apartment to chill the day away.
Nico’s just setting the table when there’s a knock on the door. Jason grabs a pancake, winking.
“That’s my cue.”
Will’s dressed in a new Christmas sweater, sans Olive this time. “Merry Christmas, again,” he says. “Um, here’s your present.”
Nico blinks, not actually expecting anything as Will holds out a card.
“Can I open it now?”
Will nods. “Yeah, and sorry if it’s too forward.” He runs a hand through his hair, shifting on his feet. Nico’s glad Jason’s gone now, so he can process this by himself. He opens the card.
Merry Christmas, Nico!
Nico flips the card over, thinking that there’s gotta be more somewhere. He looks at Will.
“Right, so, um, you’ve probably noticed the gifts that I’ve been leaving,” he starts. “And I thought it’d be a cute way to say merry Christmas. And that I really like you? Because, you know, all I want for Christmas is you.” Nico blushes as Will breaks into the slightly off-key lyric.
Nico blinks, smiling. “I was hoping it was you,” he says softly.
“Really? You suspected me?”
Nico nods. “Yeah. And you have horrible handwriting.”
Will laughs, looking so relieved. “So you like me back?”
“I’ve kind of had this massive crush on you for a while now,” Nico says. “And I’ve loved all of the gifts.”
“Glad to hear. Guess I really am a master gift-giver, huh?” Nico’s definitely got “All I Want for Christmas” stuck in his head now, but he doesn’t mind. Especially not with Will singing it, no matter how off-key he may be. The whole thing is so cheesy, practically out of a Hallmark Christmas special, but maybe that’s what Nico deserves. Some Christmas fluff.
“Well, now it’s my turn to give you a gift,” Nico says, rolling his eyes as Will does a little wiggle to go with his singing. Nico gestures to the table. “I, um, made you breakfast. Or us. I won’t make you eat alone.”
Will beams. “I just realized I completely forgot to eat breakfast,” he says. “Too nervous, I guess.”
“Good thing. I’m told I make delicious pancakes.”
Will’s still beaming, and Nico can’t help but lean in and kiss his cheek. It’s clearly a surprise to both of them. Both of their cheeks are probably red by now, but Nico doesn’t care. He’s just so happy. He doesn’t care if gets to stand here forever. Until Will’s stomach growls, and Nico decides they should eat his pancakes before they get cold.
“Gods, I love pancakes. I’d eat them every day if I weren’t such a sucky cook.”
Nico raises his eyebrows. “Who made those brownies, then?”
“My mom. I inherited none of her kitchen skills.”
Nico hums. “Guess we’ll have to fix that. Can’t have you starving.” He pauses. “So you really left me twenty or so gifts?”
“Twenty-five exactly,” Will says. “And yup. Might’ve been a bit overkill. But I really like you, and I wasn’t sure how to tell you.”
“We got here eventually.”
Will hums. “We did. And with pancakes.”
Nico rolls his eyes. “So it was a good gift?”
“Yeah. And you liked mine, too?” Nico nods. “There’s a bit more if you want.”
Nico looks at him, eyebrows raised. “Do I get to unwrap you?”
He watches Will blush, and he knows his face matches. Will swallows his pancake, looking at Nico. He leans forward, brushing their noses together. Nico finds himself smiling as Will presses their lips together gently. There aren’t any fireworks or hearts skipping beats, but it’s sweet and chocolatey and perfect.
“Not quite unwrapping, but it’s a start, yeah?” Will laughs. Nico rolls his eyes. “I can go get a bow real quick.”
“While I loved the gifts, I kind of wish we’d have started with this,” Nico says. They’re both smiling wide, and Nico thinks this might be the best Christmas so far.
Will laughs. “Well, we can make up for lost time. No mistletoe needed. Though I do have some if we want to be festive.”
Nico rolls his eyes. “Sounds like a deal.”
He leans back in for another kiss (or two or more), smiling.
“Merry Christmas.”