Chapter Text
Fortunately, Kayla didn’t murder Will when she found out he hadn’t asked Nico (though she threatened to if it didn’t happen today.)
“This is your last chance,” she told him, tying on her dark brown apron. “So I figure you need some incentive.” Quicker than Will’s eyes could follow, she snatched his phone from where it was poking out of his backpack. “No phone until you have a boyfriend. Or at least a number.”
“Hey!” Will made a grab for it, but Kayla had good reflexes. She dodged his swipe and pocketed the phone. “We aren’t even allowed to have them while we’re working,” he grumbled.
“Then I’ll put it in my car.”
“What if there’s an emergency?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll check it if someone calls. But you aren’t getting it back until you have a date. Whether that be in a couple minutes, or a couple months.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you love us,” Austin corrected from where he was sitting on the counter.
“Thanks for the help, by the way. And get your butt off the counter, it isn’t sanitary.”
“Yes, Doctor Solace.”
“Now go!” Kayla gave him a shove towards the doors leading into the cafe. “Dazzle him with your charm.”
“You know, I’m starting to think this is just a big plot to get yourself out of doing work.” Will muttered, but he obeyed and went out to the main room.
Hardly anyone was there yet, so Will poured himself a coffee and sipped it, yawning. A tall woman in a sleek suit stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the animals with a strange, calculating expression. A man sat on the couch, watching a young girl pick up one of the kittens with a huge smile on her face. The same old woman who had been there the day Will had met Nico was scratching one of their older cats behind the ears. Other than that, the cafe was empty. Thursdays were pretty quiet.
Still no sign of Nico.
He yawned again, blinking sleepily. He’d been up past three in the morning, trying to figure out what to say. A cheesy pickup line didn’t seem like something Nico would appreciate; unfortunately, Will didn’t have many other ideas. He was trying to decide between, “Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.” (which was true) and “I’m no mathematician, but I’m told I’m good with numbers. How about you give me yours so I can prove it?”
“Excuse me?”
Will almost spewed coffee in surprise; he managed to keep it in, coughing and choking. It was the tall woman, wearing a navy suit and a distasteful expression. How she’d snuck up on him like that was a mystery to Will, since the room was so quiet.
“Can I help you?” he asked, still coughing slightly.
“Yes, I’d like to adopt.”
“Right.” Will grabbed the paperwork and a pen. “You’ll need to fill out your name and information. Which cat are you interested in today?”
“The black one,” said the woman, taking the pen and beginning to write. “With the green eyes.” She pointed vaguely in the direction of the couches.
Nyx. There was only one pure black, green-eyed cat in the cafe. Will’s blood turned to ice—Nico would be devastated. Why did he wait so long to pick her up? Legally, there was nothing Will could do to prevent this woman from taking her. It was cafe policy—first come, first serve. But that didn’t mean Will couldn’t try to deter her.
“Are you sure you want this one? She has a history of scratching.”
The woman didn’t seem to care. “I’m a breeder. She has a nice, thick coat.”
If she only wanted Nyx for her physical traits, that just made Will more angry. The kitten deserved someone who cared about her, not her appearance.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure if we sell to breeders. You’ll have to check with my manager.”
Finally, she looked up, annoyance clear in her eyes. “As far as I know, it is not stated anywhere on your website or on your paperwork that you do not sell to breeders.” Well, it was worth a shot.
“I believe someone else has their eye on her,” Will tried again.
At that exact moment, Nico decided to walk into the cafe, dark eyes scanning around and coming to rest on Will. He was too anxious to even blush, which was a first. He waved frantically to Nico, who came over immediately.
“Hey, Nico. Grab a paper and get started.” Will practically shoved the paper and another pen at the dark-haired boy. Quickly, he mouthed. Nico looked confused, but began scribbling down information.
It was a race to see who would finish first, except neither of them knew they were competing. Except Will, who was trying very hard not to chew on his nails out of nervousness. Whoever finished their application first would get Nyx, as long as Apollo approved the form (and if all the information was filled out correctly, he would.) Will snuck peeks at both of their papers. Nico was writing much faster, but the woman had a large head start on him.
Agonizing seconds ticked by, silent except for the scratching of the pens. Come on, Nico, Will pleaded silently, nerves mounting in his stomach. He would never forgive himself if Nico didn’t get to adopt Nyx. Well, maybe that was an overstatement. But he could see that they would be the perfect match.
Finally, finally, Nico scrawled his signature on the line at the bottom and set down his pen. Will snatched up the paper and strode quickly to the back room, breathing a huge sigh of relief. Assuming Nico had filled out everything correctly, since he finished first, he would get the chance to adopt Nyx. Will scanned the paper, checking to make sure all the necessary information was there (he definitely didn’t notice the address in the contact information, or the fact that his last name was di Angelo)
He knocked on the door to Apollo’s office, entering when a voice called, “Come in!”
Apollo wasn’t your typical manager. He was young and handsome, with a blinding smile that made people swoon. He was very into music and arts, especially theater. Will, Austin, and Kayla often joked that Apollo was like their father, since he treated the three of them like they were his own children.
“What can I help you with, Will?” he asked, rising out of his office chair.
“Um, I just need you to approve this.” Will handed him Nico’s form, crossing his fingers and holding his breath as Apollo looked the paper over.
“It’s fine, except for a phone number.”
Crap. If Will went back out now, the woman would be finished. Apollo must have seen the look on his face, because he said, “It’s fine. Just go back out and get it, then we’re good.”
“Yes, but there’s another woman out there who wants Nyx, and if I go back out and she’s finished with the paperwork, she’ll have to be allowed to take her.”
Apollo frowned. “Well, the policy is whoever completes it first. If she finished everything, then she should get first chance at adoption.”
Will groaned. “Yes, but—”
“You’ve taken a liking to this boy,” Apollo guessed.
“What?” Will squeaked.
“Please. I have eyes. And ears. Just go back out there and ask for his number. Tell him it’s for the form.”
“Yes, but—”
“You were going to ask for his number anyway, weren’t you?”
“Why do you keep finishing my sentences?”
Apollo laughed. “You just have to go for it.”
“First Kayla and Austin, now you? Jeez, if any of you ever want a date, expect me to be relentless .”
He left Apollo’s office, heart pounding and feeling lightheaded. This was fine. It was fine. Will was going to get Nico’s number anyway, but at least he had the option of chickening out if he absolutely had to. Now, it was a matter of life or death. Well, cat or no cat. Whatever.
He’d just call Nico over to the door and ask him to finish the form. Then he’d text him later and say he’d gotten his number from the paper. Simple. Unless it made him look like a stalker.
“Will?”
He jumped for the second time this morning, turning and coming face to face with a pair of beautiful eyes.
“N-Nico. Hey.”
“Is everything alright? You look upset.”
“I’m fine. You, um, just need to add your phone number.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Nico took the paper and began to walk back to where the pen was, but Will grabbed his arm and hissed, “No! Not now!” He dragged Nico through the door marked Employees Only (whoops).
“Um, what?”
“Sorry. That woman there wants to adopt Nyx too, but you finished the paperwork first—well, most of it—so you get to take her, if you want. That’s cafe policy. But if she finds out you didn’t add the number, she might try to argue that you didn’t actually complete it.”
“Oh. Thanks, then. For helping me.” He flattened out the paper against the wall. “Could I have my arm back?”
He’d forgotten he was still holding Nico’s wrist. Blushing even more than he already had been, Will pulled away like he’d been burned.
They were silent while Nico scribbled down his contact information.
“Here you go.” he said, handing the paper and pen back to Will.
Say something. Say something. Anything.
“Thanks.”
That was not what he was supposed to say.
Nico cleared his throat, face flushing an adorable pink. “Well, I should probably get going, then. Hazel’s waiting for me in the car.”
“Right.”
Stupid, stupid, stupid. The whole time Nico was packing Nyx into her carrier, making sure she was safe and secure, Will was mentally facepalming himself. There was a perfect chance to ask for Nico’s number for personal reasons, and he hadn’t taken it. There was no way he’d ever be able to text him now.
Nico finally stood up, Nyx yowling beside him. "It’s okay, mio dolce ragazza .” he murmured, pressing his hand up to the metal grate separating him and the cat. “Va tutto bene.”
“You speak Italian?” Will asked, before he could think the question through.
Nico grinned. “Si, bello.”
“I...have no idea what that means.” Will admitted, scratching his neck sheepishly.
Nico mumbled something Will didn’t quite catch, but it sounded like “good”.
The two of them stood facing each other awkwardly, neither sure what to say.
“Well,” Nico said finally. “I guess this is goodbye.”
Will didn’t respond. He just stared at his sneakers. The butterflies were nearly consuming his stomach now, and his heart was beating far too quickly. Just say it.
Nico was just starting to move towards the door when Will finally spit it out.
“Unless, maybe you’d like to have dinner sometime?”
The second he said the words, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest, and he felt a moment of dizzying relief. Until Nico turned slowly, and the panic came back in full force. This was a really bad idea. Why did he say that? There was no way anyone like Nico would ever go on a date with someone like him. It was dumb to even think that. Now he was about to be rejected like a week-old burrito, and he had to say something, otherwise it was going to get really awkward—
“N-no pressure, or anything, I just thought that maybe you’d like to, because I like you and it’s totally okay if you don’t want to, just—”
“Will,” Nico interrupted, a smile lighting up his face. “I’d love to.” Will wanted to melt from happiness, both from the fact that Nico had agreed and the way he was looking at Will.
“Oh.” he said, laughing shakily.
“And for the record, I like you too." Will was probably grinning like a dork, but he couldn’t hold back a smile at those words. He likes me.
“You have my number, right?” Nico asked, and Will nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll see you soon, then.”
“Yeah. I’ll text you tonight.”
“Great.” Faster than Will could react, Nico had leaned in and pecked him on the cheek, then snatched Nyx’s carrier by the handle and dashed out the door.
Will stood there, shocked, as Nico climbed into the driver’s seat and started their car. Hazel was next to him, leaning back to coo over Nyx.
The two of them drove off, leaving Will staring out an empty window. His reflection was bright red, and he tried in vain to stop blushing
He’d just asked Nico out. And he said yes.
A smile spread across his face at the thought, and Will didn’t bother trying to suppress it. He turned, planning to head into the back room to tell Kayla and Austin (and make the former give his phone back, because he wanted to text Nico), when he almost collided with someone. The woman in the navy suit was right in front of him, looking disgruntled.
“I’m in a bit of a rush. Where is my cat?”
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Luckily, Will was able to call Apollo in to handle the situation, while he slipped into the back. Their voices carried through the walls, the woman sounding angry and Apollo sounding as patient and relaxed as ever. Honestly, Will didn’t know how he managed.
“Well?”
Kayla and Austin were both sitting on the counters, apparently forgetting Will’s earlier comment about it being unsanitary. They were looking at him with raised eyebrows; evidently, they both thought he didn’t have the guts to tell Nico how he felt.
“Give me my phone back,” he said, marching over to where Kayla was perched.
“Nuh-uh. You know the rule—no boyfriend, no phone.”
Will smirked. “What if I told you I have a date?”
Both of their jaws dropped. Kayla almost fell off the counter in shock.
“You actually asked him?” Austin managed.
“I really don’t like how incredulous you sound.”
Kayla held out her hands in a “wait” gesture. “You actually asked him?”
“Yes.”
The squeal the green-haired girl let out was so high pitched, Will was surprised he could actually hear it. “I’m so proud of you!” she shouted, squeezing Will in a tight hug and spinning him around.
“Ow. My ribs,” he grumbled, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. No matter how annoying they could be, he was still glad to have his friends.
Austin sniffed and wiped away a fake tear. “Our little boy is all grown up.”
“Shut up.”
“When is your date?” Kayla asked, still rather red in the face from screaming.
“I’m going to text him tonight to see when he’s free.”
“We need to go to ice cream to celebrate,” Austin called over Kayla’s renewed squeals. “Cold Stone, anyone?”
“Heck yes,” Will said.
“Don’t worry, Kayla’s paying.”
Kayla stopped screaming abruptly. “Excuse me?”
“You lost our bet. You owe us five dollars in ice cream.”
She sighed, rolling her eyes, but Will could see the smile tugging at her lips. “Fine. Come on, let’s go.” She hooked her arms through Will’s and Austin’s and headed towards the door. “What?” she asked when Will stopped.
“Are you forgetting we have an hour left of our shift?”
“Oh. Right.”
“You kids take the rest of the day off. You’ve earned it.” Apollo strode through the door, beaming at the three of them. “Besides, getting a date is always a reason to celebrate.” He winked at Will, who blushed. “Now, go enjoy yourselves, and get out of my sight before I make up a haiku in your honor.”
“That’s our cue to leave,” said Kayla, dragging the two boys out into the sunlight. “Come on, we can make Will text his boyfriend while we’re there.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Glass half-full, Will. He’s not your boyfriend yet.”
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Nico smiled, watching Nyx bat around one of the toys they had brought for her. Laughing, Hazel scooped up the kitten and hugged her tightly. True, Nico was a big cat person, but he knew Hazel had wanted one even more than he did for years. After a lifetime of begging (from the both of them, though Nico wouldn’t admit it), their father and stepmother had finally given in.
His phone suddenly buzzed on the table behind him.
Unknown Number
hey :)
Nico’s lips automatically curled into a smile. Hazel smirked. “Who are you texting?”
“No one."
To: Unknown Number
hey
Unknown Number
this is Will, by the way.
To: Unknown Number
I know.
Unknown Number
so…
are you free this weekend?
To: Unknown Number
yeah
Unknown Number
how does 6:00 on Saturday sound?
To: Unknown Number
good with me
Unknown Number
great
I’ll pick you up at 5:30 then
oh what’s my contact name?
just wondering
To: Unknown Number
I'm not even going to ask how you know my address
and your name is annoying cute guy from the cafe
Unknown Number
well, at least you think I’m cute
To: Unknown
don’t get too full of yourself
but you are cute
Sunshine ☀️
aww thanks
you’re cute too :D
“You guys are both really cute.”
Nico jumped. “Hazel, boundaries.”
“Sorry. But seriously, you two are perfect for each other. And look, you even named him Sunshine! Is it because he lights up the room?”
Nico didn’t answer, but his blush said it all.