Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

XxX Nico XxX

Nico sighs, following his eyes down the mirror showing his reflection. Normally, his mate makes sure to keep the bruises under his clothes. Over the years, Nico has grown used to wearing casual button-downs so he wouldn't have to lift his arms above his head while getting dressed. He's suffered broken ribs countless times, though none severe enough to puncture an organ. It's not unusual for him to feel pain whenever he moves. He's sure he's broken his wrist twice in the past year. His muscles are always sore from how he remains stiff, waiting for another blow of pain to his abdomen. He has a near-constant headache, though he still carries on with a practiced, tight-lipped smile when he's told to do something. 

However, this time his husband ventured upwards. There is a large, purple bruise spread across Nico's jaw, still throbbing from the previous night. His wrists are adjourned with even darker bruises from where they were gripped too tightly by a drunk Alpha.

Nico’s mind flashes back to the memories of the previous night. Ethan had been crueler than usual. He had done things to Nico he hadn't done in a long time. Nico lets out a ragged breath, wincing at the pain in his ribs. They had almost been healed; then last night happened. Nico’s Alpha- he wasn't always like this. Nico remembers when he had really been in love with Ethan. He would have never imagined Ethan could even be like this. That was years ago though, and oh how things have changed. 

Nico carefully pulls his shirt on- a dark grey button-up. There's no way he's going to even attempt pulling a shirt over his head with broken ribs. He had learned that lesson many years ago. Eventually, Nico is dressed and ready for work. Pulling himself together, he leaves the bathroom and makes his way to the front of the small apartment. He sees his daughter at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of cereal. Nico doesn't see his husband and he sighs in relief.

“Hey baby,” Nico says, a lighter tone to his voice than he normally uses.

“Daddy!” Emery exclaims, a large smile spreading across her face. Nico manages a small smile as he sits down next to her at the table, looking in her backpack to make sure she has everything she needs for preschool. “Daddy what’s on your face?”

That's when Nico realizes he has to do something. He has to get out. Emery is getting old enough that she can notice things. Things like her father being covered in bruises. What if she asks Ethan about them? No- Nico cannot chance that. It's time to get out. Nico empties her backpack of her school things.

“Daddy, what are you doing?”

“Listen to me, baby,” Nico says, gently setting his hands around Emery's narrow shoulders. “We’re going to go to your room and pack your backpack with some clothes okay?”

She nods, not questioning. That was one of the great things about little children: they always trusted their mother.

XxX Jason XxX

Jason laughs a bit against his boyfriend’s swollen lips, smiling as he rolls off and lays in his afterglow. “Wow.”

“I know,” Will says, an equally large smile spread across his freckled face.

They're both a giggling mess. It's not like they haven't had sex before, but he's just so happy. They both are. Jason lays there for a few more minutes, curled up with his mate. Jason loves having another Alpha as a mate. They can both go back and forth between dominant and submissive, or they could fight for dominance which is always amazing and thrilling. Jason doesn’t care what people say. He loves Will. His mate. His Lover. His boyfriend. His equal.

He only stirs from his afterglow when he hears a knock at the door. “I got it,” Jason sighs.

Will hums as Jason gets up to pull pants on. “Hurry back.”

Jason laughs and walks up to the front of the house to get the door. When he opens it, he is not expecting to see a long-time friend, Nico di Angelo. He looks like shit. And he has a little girl with him; she looks so much like him it has to be his daughter. She has Nico's same full, black hair and chocolate eyes. Even her little nose is the same. Jason remembers how he lost contact with Nico about five years ago. Jason eyes the bruise on Nico’s face and the backpack he has, as well as the one the little girl carries.

“Nico? What the hell happened?”

“I uh… Ethan…”

Jason is shocked. Ethan. That bastard! “Oh gods, come in.”

Jason watches as the Omega walks inside, not taking his sight off the girl.

“Daddy, what's going on?” she asks. Jason notices the fear in the little girl's voice and wonders what all she's had to leave behind. This can't be easy for her, even more so if she can't understand what's going on.

“Nothing, baby,” Nico says softly. Jason can’t recall a time that Nico had used such a sweet, calm voice. He was always an emotional person, and he had never been able to sound so calm and collected during a stressful moment. “You’ll understand when you're older.”

Jason feels a pang of sadness settle in his gut. He leads Nico to the living room, telling him to make himself comfortable on the couch before going to get him a glass of water. When Jason eventually sits down next to Nico, the little girl in Nico’s lap, Will emerges from the back of the house, thankfully dressed in at least a pair of sweatpants, though his chest is bare.

“Hey, Jay- oh.”

Nico looks baffled. Jason and Nico have not been in touch recently enough for Nico to know about Will. “Your boyfriend?” he asks Jason.

Jason nods. “Will, could you give us a moment?”

Will nods and turns back. Jason always appreciated that Will has a sense of when and when not to intrude with him. This is defiantly a 'when not to' time. Jason looks back to Nico to see that the girl in his lap is half asleep on Nico’s chest. Nico’s breathing is sharp and shallow. He looks like he has broken ribs.

“Nico, what happened?” Jason asks quietly, partially to not disturb the sleeping child, but also to not make Nico feel uncomfortable.

“I guess I should start from the beginning?”

“If you want.” Jason doesn’t want to pressure Nico into talking about anything he doesn't want to.

Nico nods and dives into the story, speaking slowly, as if thinking of every word before it leaves his mouth. “You know I was with Ethan a year or so before I kind of got silent. I was pregnant. With Emery,” Nico looks down to his daughter, absently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Ethan wanted to keep it quiet because we weren't married. He thought people would judge and he would lose his reputation. Everything was fine for about two years. Then Ethan got a new job at a bar. It became a habit that he would drink when business was slow. And he would come home and-” Nico chokes on his words, closing his eyes. He takes a deep breath, slowly letting it out. “I need help. I have nowhere to go. I wasn’t even sure if you still lived here. But I know Ethan doesn’t know where you live. Mainly, I need legal help. Emery is starting to notice things and I didn’t want her to accidentally set him off. I want a restraining order. Also a divorce. And I remembered that you're a lawyer.”

Jason sighs. “I’m so sorry, Nico. I can't help you legally because I’m a Defense Attorney, but I do have a co-worker, Annabeth, that can help you. She deals in domestic cases. But, until all of this is resolved, you're staying here.”

“Jason, I can't-”

“No negotiating, Nico,” Jason says firmly. “You will stay here where you're safe. I'll set an appointment with Annabeth. I don't want you going to work, either. Ethan knows where you work- he will find you there.”

“Then I’ll be out a job and-”

“Nico- I’m a lawyer. Will’s a doctor. We’re loaded. Don't worry about it.”

“Jason.”

Jason knows Nico has always had problems depending on other people, especially Alphas. On top of that, the situation of not having been around Jason for such a long time is probably amplifying his repugnance to the 'helping' thing. However, Jason considers Nico his best friend, even after all this time, and he will be damned if he lets Nico get himself into trouble again. He hadn't been able to prevent those things from happening to Nico, but he sure as hell won't let them happen a second time. 

“Nico, this is not the time for your pride." Jason says bluntly, "You need help and I’m going to give it to you. I'm not going to let you put yourself back in danger.”

Jason watches as a single tear slips down Nico's cheek. Nico is not a crier. He never has been. Nonetheless, Jason reaches a hand across the few feet separating them, and swipes it away with his thumb. “Thank you, Jason.”

“Yeah,” Jason replies, pulling Nico into a gentle hug, careful as to not to wake the sleeping toddler in Nico's lap. “You can take the guest bedroom.”

Nico nods, pulling back. He takes a deep breath, rubbing his eyes of the un-shed tears and wiping his nose with a small, quiet sniff.

Jason moves to take the child out of Nico’s arms and Nico lets him. Jason carries her back to the guest room, placing her under the sheets of the made bed. He's grateful he manages to not wake her. When Jason returns, Nico is still in the same position on the couch.

“I’m gonna take you to the hospital okay?” Jason supplies.

Nico shakes his head. “I don't need one.”

“Yes, you do.” Jason insists. He lets a bit of his Alpha dominance lace his voice so that Nico won’t argue as much. It proves to have worked when Nico sighs and reluctantly nods his head “Are you going to press charges on Ethan?”

Nico scrunches his eyebrows together in a troubled expression Jason remembers from the many study weekends they had had together in high school. “I don't want to make a scene.”

Jason nods and lets the subject drop. “Okay.”

XxX

It's two hours later when the two men are seated in a cubicle in the minor emergency room, the doctor on shift just having come back. “Mr. di Angelo...”

“Yes.”

Jason watches their exchange. Nico is sitting up on the hospital bed in the emergency room, hands rolling together in his lap as he mindlessly fidgets with the skull ring on the middle finger of his right hand. 

“The lab came back," the doctor explains, clipboard sitting in his right arm. "Unfortunately, we cannot do an x-ray on your injuries.”

“What, why?” Jason asks.

“Mr. di Angelo,” the doctor begins, “were you aware that you’re pregnant?”

XxX Will XxX

Will laughs as Emery sits playing on the floor with Arlo, the cat he and Jason had gotten a while ago. Will observes how much she looks like the stranger that had shown up at his and Jason’s door. Will remembers when Jason would always talk about Nico. They had gone to high school together. They were really close and Will had always wanted to meet Nico. Will chuckles as he remembers a specific conversation with Jason when their relationship was still new.

“I would totally fuck him,” Jason had said.

“What and ditch me?” Will laughed.

“Of course not. We would go polly.”

Will had laughed. “I’m down.”

Will knew it would probably never happen but he secretly hoped for it. Nico sounded like an amazing person. Plus, Jason said he was an Omega. A stubborn, independent Omega- but an Omega nonetheless. That would mean that there could be a possibility of pups.

“First we would have to get rid of that shit of a mate he has.”

“What's wrong with him?” Will had asked.

“I was never sure. He always seemed off to me. Then Nico dropped off the radar and - I don't know. I’ve always been worried for him.”

“Hey,” Will said hugging Jason. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

Now Will knows how wrong he had been about that last part. From what he had seen of Nico, he looked like he was in awful shape. When Jason had asked him to watch Emery while he took Nico to the hospital- he had gotten worried over that stranger. He really hopes everything turns out alright.

Chapter Text

XxX Nico XxX

Nico turns so he has a better, full-body view of himself as he gazes into the tall mirror in Jason and Will’s guest bathroom. His shirt is raised up a bit, revealing his pale skin as he looks from a side angle at his flat stomach. He remembers back to when he was carrying Emery. She was so small. He had barely looked six months pregnant before he went into labor. She got her size from Nico. Mostly, he remembers the immeasurable joy that had filled him when he was pregnant the last time. Emery is the joy of his life. He had felt so lucky to be having her.

Now, it feels different. This baby he is carrying keeps reminding him of Ethan and when he… No. That doesn’t matter. Nico is going to have a baby. And he will raise them right. They will have a good father and a good big sister. Nico feels his inner Omega stirring at the thought of another pup. It makes him feel warm and bubbly. Protectiveness swells inside him.

“I can't wait to meet you,” Nico whispers to his stomach.

An hour later, Nico makes his way downstairs. The day has been one of the longest in his life. He had left Ethan, gone to the hospital, and found out he was pregnant, and it's just now dinner time. Nico walks into the dining room and kitchen to find Will with Emery, setting the table. Emery stands on the tips of her toes to see the table as she places the last pieces of the table settings. Will follows her, straightening up the silverware and napkins she's not able to get completely straight. Nico smiles as he watches them. Ethan would have never done that with her.

“Hey,” Will beams at him.

“Hi,” Nico says.

“Daddy, I’m setting the table!” Emery giggles, practically begging for Nico's attention.

Nico laughs. “I see that.” He watches as she sets the fourth and final spot. When she's finished, Emery runs over to Nico and jumps up into his arms. He struggles, feeling sharp pains in his ribs. He almost drops her but manages to get her up so she's sitting on his hip. Emery is, of course, completely oblivious to how Nico stumbled. Nico breaths slow and deep, trying to push the pain out of his mind.

He glances up to see Will looking at him. “You okay?” Will mouths, words only forming shapes on his lips instead of rolling off them at an audible level. 

Nico continues to try controlling his breathing as he nods. Will gave him an incredulous look but Nico ignores it. He holds his daughter as she nuzzles his neck. “Daddy?” she asks.

“Yeah, baby?” Nico replies, gaze returning to her big brown eyes.

“When do we go home?”

Nico feels emotion swell in him. Emery never saw the side of Ethan that he saw. While Ethan wasn't exactly a good father, he was never outright horrible to Emery. “We’re not, baby.” Nico sighs sadly. Nico wished it didn't have to be so hard. He wants the world for Emery. He doesn't want her to have to watch as he separates the two of them from the person she called father.

Emery brings her head up to look at him. She moved her hand up to touch the bruise on his cheek. “It is cuz Daddy did it?”

Nico feels his breath hitch as he nods. “Yes. Because Daddy did it.”

Emery lays her head back on his neck and Nico uses the chance to let the tears swelling in his eyes fall. She knows. He doesn’t know how, but she knows. Nico looks across the room to see Will looking at him. Nico expects an expression of pity, but that's not what he sees. He recognizes an Alpha look across the blonde's features. Protection. Nico isn’t his Omega; he wasn’t expecting a look like that. Nico turns his eyes to the ground. That is not a drama he needs in his life right now.

“Food’s done!” Jason’s voice echoes through the house.

Nico collects himself and sets Emery back on the ground. “Go wash up,” Nico tells her.

Emery nods and runs on her little legs to the kitchen so she can wash her hands. When Nico stands back up, he is nose to nose with Will. “What?” Nico asks, voice guarded as he tries to retreat into himself.

Will doesn’t say anything; he just holds his arms out. Normally, Nico isn’t one for touch, but right now he's accepting it. He chokes back a sob as he walks into Will’s arms. Will brings him in close. Nico’s spine tingles as Will releases his Alpha pheromones, but he doesn’t care. As much as he doesn't want to admit it, it feels nice and he likes the comfort being offered. 

“I know you don’t know me,” Will says quietly to Nico, “But you can trust me. Jason and I are going to get you through this.”

Nico nods. He doesn’t feel like arguing that he doesn’t need help. It's a losing battle. He just lets himself melt into Will’s arms.

XxX Jason XxX

After dinner, Jason seats himself with Nico on the couch as Will gets Emery ready for bed.

“Are you sure Will’s okay with helping Emery to bed because I can-”

“Nico,” Jason says, cutting the Omega off. “Will is fine. He’s probably having the time of his life brushing his teeth with her.”

Jason watches the small smile spread on Nico’s face; he jumps for joy inside. Nico leans back against the couch and Jason joins him.

“I would offer you a drink but…”

“I’m pregnant.” Nico finishes.

“Hey,” Jason says with a sudden change of demeanor. He sounds bright and happy as an idea forms in his mind.

“Hey what?” Nico says, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“How about you go shopping tomorrow. I have to work on a case, but Will is free.” Jason suggests.

“Jason, I’m broke and I have no job. All I have is a bit of cash right now. If I use the cards, Ethan gets notified. He locked it up a while ago so every purchase has to go through with his digital signature.”

“Well, that's a dick move.”

Nico nods without expression. he seems entirely too used to the abuse of his soon-to-be ex-husband.

“Does Ethan work tomorrow?” Jason asks.

“Yeah.” Nico sighs.

“Then you and Will can go back to the apartment and get more of your things.”

“Really?” Nico asks, moving so that his body is angled more towards Jason.

“Yeah,” Jason nods. “Get back what’s yours. You deserve it.”

“Okay.”

Jason celebrates the victory in his head. Nico deserves the world. He's the single most amazing Omega Jason has ever known. He's brave and independent and just overall amazing. To tell the truth, Jason had always liked Nico on a deeper level. He never wanted to push his feelings on him though. He never wanted to hurt Nico, or even see him hurt. Now here he is, looking at how badly hurt Nico is.

Jason is in an amazing relationship. He knows that Will likes Nico, from what Jason has observed. Will is pansexual, anyways, so a relationship with all three of them isn’t out of the question. But that's not what Nico needs right now. Jason will do what Nico needs, no matter how painful it is for himself to be nothing more than a friend.

XxX Will XxX

Will wakes up to rustling in the bedroom. He squints at the lamp that Jason always turns on to see what he's doing while he does his morning routine. Will releases a sound from the back of his throat as he watches Jason button up his shirt.

“Sorry,” Jason chuckles, “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Mmm,” Will hums as he spreads out on the bed, only the thin sheets covering his privates. “It’s okay.”

Will smiles at the little growl in Jason’s throat at his position on the bed. “Will…”

“Yeah, babe?” Will asks, a little tease in his voice.

“I’m already going to be late,” Jason says stiffly.

“Well then,” Will sighs, small smile poking at his lips, “there should be no more harm in being even later.”

XxX

An hour later Will kisses Jason goodbye before he makes his way into the shower, washing all the sweat and cum juices off of his body. He later pulls on a pair of cargo shorts and a t-shirt featuring the absolutely outstanding Mr. Bowie. When he walks to the front of the house, he finds Nico walking in the front door.

“Where’d you go?” Will asks.

“To take Emery to pre-school,” Nico says setting his keys in the bowl by the door. He hangs his coat on the coat rack in the entryway. “I transferred her to a new one so Ethan wouldn’t try to pick her up. The only names that are able to check her out are me, you, Jason, and my sister. “

Will nods. “That's good.”

Nico gives a small smile to Will.

“So when do you want to head out?”

Nico sighs. “Well, Ethan leaves for work at noon. I thought we could leave in about an hour and go to the drug store and get some vitamins to help with the baby. And I need to run by my old employer and turn in my resignation.”

Will nods along as Nico speaks. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Not hungry.”

Will shakes his head and leads Nico to the kitchen. “Lies.”

“Will, the morning sickness started this morning,” Nico says, sad undertone to his voice. “I eat, I puke.”

“Nico-”

“I know, I know.” Nico interrupts. “It's bad for the baby. I’ll eat lunch. I just need a bit to wrap my head around all the change.”

Will sighs but gives in to the Omega's request, “Just this once.”

Nico nods. Will begins to crack eggs in a bowl as Nico sits at the bar watching him.

“So,” Will says, trying to start up some casual conversation, “how’d you meet Jason?” He knows the answer already, but he guessed Nico could use something good to focus on for a while.

“We went to high school together.” Nico answers. “When we graduated we got a shitty apartment with our friend Reyna. Jason and I went to the university. Reyna was working as a personal trainer and getting her degree online.”

“What did you study?” Will counters, as he whisks the eggs for his omelet.

“I was actually in the nursing program.”

“Really?” Jason had never told Will that.

“Yeah. I wanted to be a nurse at the pediatric hospital here. In the cancer ward.”

“Wow. Did you finish the degree?”

“No. About a year and a half in, I met Ethan. A few months later I got pregnant during my first heat with him. So, we got married and I dropped everything to take care of Emery. Ethan didn’t believe in hospitals, so I did everything myself.”

“What?” Will asks astonished. “The birth and everything?”

“Yeah. Ethan was out on a business trip when the contractions began. So I put a pot to boil on the stove and I set myself up in the bedroom. I had Emery sixteen hours later.”

“That's both fucked up and amazing. You're amazing.”

“No, I-”

“Stop. You are.”

Will looks over to see a small smile on Nico’s lips as he looks down at his hands. Will pours the eggs into the now slightly heated pan, beginning to cook his omelet. He soon adds the ham, cheese, and cilantro.

“So you're a doctor?” Nico asks.

“Yes.”

“What field?”

Will laughs a bit at the irony of the situation before answering. “I’m a gynecologist. I like watching the moments when people finally have their child in their arms the first time. It’s amazing. It feels amazing to have helped.”

Nico just hums. “So… you like. Look at people’s privates.”

“That’s not all there is to it. And it’s only creepy when you look at it that way.”

Nico hums.

“I don't deal in teenage Omega’s though, for that specific reason. Adults are easier patients.”

“I can see that. I can't speak from experience though.”

“Right, because you didn't have one when you had Emery.”

“Oh, I’ve never been to one.”

Will glances back at him to see if Nico is actually being serious. He seems to be. “What like ever?”

“No.”

“Didn't you do sports in high school? You have to have physicals to do those, don't you?”

Nico laughs a bit, “I did gymnastics. They didn’t require one because it was it wasn’t through a school. I've never had a physical.”

“That’s crazy. Your parent’s never made you have one?”

“Well, my dad tried to get me to go when I lost my virginity. I was sixteen. I… I freaked out. Had a panic attack. I ran away and spent the night with Jason.”

“Okay, I know the first appointment is nerve-wracking but-”

“Yeah, I know, but I was extremely awkward with my body, and the thought of somebody seeing me like that was an awful feeling.”

“But you had just lost your virginity and they would have seen you like that.”

“It was different because I trusted the person who took it.”

Will places his cooked omelet on a plate and turns to sit by Nico. “How would you feel about going to one for this pregnancy?”

Nico shakes his head. “No”

Will doesn’t think that was a wise decision but it's Nico's body. Will has no control over how Nico decides to handle those things. “Okay.”

Chapter Text

XxX Nico XxX

Nico closes his eyes and basks in the sun shining on his skin through the passenger seat in Will’s car. He leans into the warmth as Will’s pop station rings quietly through the speakers. Nico's more of an alternative rock fan himself, but he thinks he can withstand the treacherous sounds of Will’s music for the time being. He doesn’t know how long they drive until Will pulls into a Walgreens. A few minutes later, Nico is standing on the isle with vitamins.

“So what did you take with Emery?” Will asks, scanning the shelves with Nico.

Nico begins grabbing pill bottles. “Vitamin C, Thiman, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium…” Nico continues to list as he grabs pills. “And these. I remember taking these.”

Will looks over Nico's shoulder at the bottle. “Sleeping pills?”

“They're all-natural.”

Will shrugs “Okay. Anything else?”

“No, I think that’s it.” Nico sighs. “We can get everything else back at the apartment. I think I still have all my maternity things.”

Nico walks up to the front with Will to pay. Nico tries not to protest when Will pulls out a card to buy the items. Jason had already given him that specific talk.

As they walk back to the car, Will asks. “Next stop is your work right?”

“Yeah,” Nico says. “Do you know where Johnson’s Confectionery is?”

“Of course,” Will laughs. “I love that place. You worked there?”

“Yeah,” Nico says. “In the back. I made the taffy.”

“What really?”

“Yeah.”

“That's amazing.”

“Everything is amazing to you, Will.”

Nico watches with a small smile as Will huffs, keeping his eyes trained on the road.

XxX Jason XxX

Jason sighs as he looks down at the array of papers laid out in front of him. He's looking over Nico’s case, trying to get everything together for Annabeth. He accounts the events from when Nico showed up at the house. Every detail is important. Jason had made sure to put the doctor's report in the file as well. That will be evidence of Nico’s abuse.

Overall, it has been a long day and it isn’t even noon yet. He makes a quick decision and decides to make a lunch date with Will and Nico. After arranging things via text with Will, he begins to put away all the files he had pulled out. He locks up his computer before making his way out of the office. For being a lawyer, Jason’s job is pretty lax. His boss is always cool with whatever hours he puts in as long as things are kept up with. Jason is paid by the case, not the hour, which makes things a lot easier.

He's out of the building in enough time to only be slightly late for lunch. He finds him and Will’s usual booth in the café they always go to: Calypso’s Diner. The place is set up like an old fifties diner, adjourned with the red and white stripes and black and white chessboard floors. It even has a working jukebox and a fabulous ice cream bar. Thankfully, along with all the fried and greasy foods, they also have a salad menu. Jason just absolutely loves the chicken salad with extra parmesan and tomatoes.

Jason slides into the booth beside Will, Nico across from both of them. Will greets him with a chaste kiss to the lips. “We already ordered.”

Jason smiles. “Awesome, sorry I’m late.”

Will rolls his eyes, commenting with amusement, “By two minutes.”

Jason shrugs. He was still late. He will have to work on that. He takes a sip of the sprite Will ordered him. It tastes like it has already had a lime squeezed into it, just the way he likes it. Gods, he loves Will.

Jason looks across the table to Nico. “How was your morning?”

Nico smiles. “Woke up to morning sickness, expectedly, and then Emery was just not having it when I told her she had to wear pants, insisting she didn’t need them.”

Jason and Will laugh. “She’s cute,” Jason comments. “You get her into a new preschool?”

Nico nods. “Yeah. The hours are a little weird at this one. She goes at seven and then gets out at two and she only goes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”

“I can pick her up if you need,” Jason offers.

Nico nods. “Thanks. We still have to run by the apartment,” he says gesturing to him and Will.

Jason nods.

When the food comes out, they pause their conversation to get about half of it down before continuing. Nico manages to get some food down which Jason deems a success.

“Annabeth wants to meet on Thursday,” Jason informs Nico. “I’ll be off, so I can babysit Emery.”

Nico nods. “Okay.”

“Has Ethan tried to call yet?” Jason asks.

Nico clenches his jaw and gives a small nod. “Last night.”

Jason is sure the way he tensed was visible and he can notice Will doing the same. Jason tries to calm his pheromones but it doesn't seem to be working well. If Nico notices he doesn’t comment.

“He wanted to know where I was and I basically told him to fuck off.”

“Do you think he’ll try to fight for custody?” Will asks.

Nico shakes his head. “I don't think he cares enough. He also knows he can't win.”

Jason is content at that, glad to not be putting Emery through anything more than she's already going through.

Jason's glad when Will takes up a topic change. “So how old is Emery?”

Nico smiles at the mention of his daughter. Jason loves seeing him so happy when he talks about her. He would bet that Emery is the only thing that kept Nico going in the past years. She was something he could fight for. “Five in October,” he answers.

Will laughs “The big five.”

Nico nods. “She’s insisting that she needs her own bookshelf now. She’s smart for her age. She’s reading really well already.”

Will chuckles. “Oh yeah. The other night she insisted we read a chapter of Harry Potter before bed. I thought I would just be reading it to her, but she ended up doing most of it herself.”

Nico grows a proud smile. “She loves those books. We’re reading a little every night.

Jason finds himself smiling. “Well, she gets it from you. You were like, the smartest kid in school.”

Nico bushes and shakes his head. “Nah.”

Jason turns to Will to brag a bit. “Nico was the first Omega to graduate Valedictorian at our school.”

“Nice,” Will says, real pride in his voice.

“The lowest grade he ever got through high school was a ninety-seven,” Jason continues, “even when he had all AP classes. He set the record for the longest essay in the history of our school. It was forty thousand words, only over the character development of Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451.”

“Well, shit,” Will says. “You’re kind of a genius.”

Nico points his fork accusingly at Jason. “Stop it before I stab you.”

“But you love me,” Jason fake pouts.

“I also know how to hide a body,” Nico retorts. "In case you forgot, I did an essay in AP Chemistry on the perfect chemicals to use when covering up a murder."

They continue on like that for the remainder of the hour before parting ways. Jason leaves to run home and grab some things to entertain Emery after he picked her up since she would have to come back to the office with him. Jason smiles at the thought. He and Will have never discussed the topic of pups, but Jason has always wanted some. Three to be exact. Three, he's always thought, is a good number. If you had one child they would get lonely. Two they would bicker more often. Three was a fairly good balance. Four is just for insane people in Jason’s mind.

Jason shakes his head at the thought and drives off from the diner.

XxX Will XxX

Will looks around at the apartment that had once been Nico’s. They're currently in Emery’s room, Nico packing all of the things he thought she would really want to save from the room. There isn’t a lot. It didn’t seem that Nico and Ethan had been able to afford much. The apartment isn't super crappy but it's small and cramped. Will is used to the small but roomy house he and Jason have. Emery's room is tiny, only having a little bed in the corner and a nightstand with books: the second and onward books of the Harry Potter series along with some Magic Tree House books. She had a small play area with a Barbie doll and a few hot wheels cars. Will watches as Nico packs everything he deems necessary.

They had brought some old boxes to pack everything up in and since the apartment is on the bottom floor, it won't be overly difficult to load it all.

They move on to the master bedroom. It's a mess, to say the least. On what Will assumes to be Ethan's side, beer bottles are scattered on the floor, thankfully none of them broken. There are multiple holes in the wall from what Will can only assume is from a fist. However, Will doesn’t say anything. They silently pack Nico’s wardrobe and his favorite books. Other than that, he doesn't have much. Will eyes the ring on Nico's bedside table, but still refrains from saying anything.

The main thing that bothers him was how the room smells. It's filled with Nico’s scent and the other Alpha's, but there's a lingering hint of Nico’s scent that's laced with fear and dread. Will hates it. He wants them both out of here as soon as possible. The last stop is the tiny bathroom where Nico packs a few things but otherwise leaves everything else.

“Ready?” Will asks.

Nico stays silent but nods.

By the time they make it back to the house, the sun is falling. Nico’s dark demeanor disappears as soon as he sees Emery again. Will silently reminds Nico to be cautious of his ribs, that they're still healing. Nico nods absently, continuing to entertain his daughter. Will smiles at the two of them, wondering how it would be if Nico was his and Jason’s and they were all one big happy family. He quickly pushes the thought aside. He doesn't need to be thinking like that.

Chapter Text

XxX Nico XxX

The meeting with Annabeth goes well. She tells Nico that the divorce should go smoothly. All they have to do is get Ethan to sign some papers; to make sure he does, they will hang the threat of domestic abuse charges over his head. Nico's relieved to know that everything should go smoothly. By the end of the day, Annabeth has the restraining order in place. Ethan will have to stay a hundred yards away from Nico at all times. Annabeth also assures him that Ethan should sign over full custody of Emery once threatened with the domestic violence charges.

When Nico gets home- wait no. Since when is he thinking of Jason and Will’s place as home? Nico doesn't want to think about it. As soon as he is back at his current place of residence, he explains the whole meeting to Jay and goes off to the bathroom to soak in a bath. Jason will just have to handle Emery for a bit longer.

Nico’s ribs are still ugly and bruised, but all the other bruises have started to yellow which is good. Nico is slowly getting his life back. And though Nico will not admit it until at least this whole situation is worked out, he wants a family with Will and Jason- but that's a thought for another time entirely.

After Nico’s bath, he dresses in some comfortable lounge clothes and makes his way back to the living room. He happily joins Emery and Jason on the couch with a movie.

“What are we watching?” Nico asks.

Emery settles against his chest. “Cars, Shhhhh, Daddy.”

Nico chuckles and whispered back, “Okay.” Emery curls into Nico and he gladly accepts it. He knows one day, Emery make not be so open with her affection, especially when she hits those teenage years. So, he savors what he can get from her while she's still small. A little bit into the movie, Nico slowly begins to grow tired and realizes how close he is to Jason. Jason won’t mind if he just dozed on his shoulder…. Just for a bit. Not long at all, really.

XxX Jason XxX

Jason is at the bottom of the dogpile. Nico is laying with his back to Jason’s chest, between his legs. He's curled around Emery like Jason had always seen Omegas do with their pups in movies, but never in real life. It's touching and adorable. Jason is very content to just be cuddling with Nico and Emery. He knows Will won’t mind. Hell, if anything he’ll want to join the cuddle fest. Jason chuckles silently at that.

The movie has long since ended, and with two people asleep on him,  Jason’s closest source of entertainment is The Sorcerer's Stone sitting on the coffee table. He had been reading it with Emery before lunch. So, Jason settles down and reads the book.

When Will gets home, he smiles brightly and snaps a photo of Jason’s position. Will settles himself on the arm of the couch next to Jason’s head, leaving Jason room to rest his head on Will’s warm thigh.

“How long have they been asleep?” Will asks quietly, so he doesn’t wake the sleeping Omega and his pup.

“Five hours about.” Jason chuckles. “If Emery wakes up, we will never get her back to bed.”

Will laughs quietly with Jason. “Probably not.”

Jason smiles up at Will. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Jay.”

XxX Will XxX

The next morning Will wakes to the sun. He particularly enjoys waking to the sun. It's not like waking to a noise or a movement; it's entirely peaceful. He loves the moment when he squints at the warmth pouring into the room. Next to him, Jason is still sound asleep. Will takes the opportunity to take a shower and start on breakfast. Shortly after Will has finished the pancake batter, Nico comes downstairs with Emery in tow.

Will smiles at the sight, imagining to himself that they were all one family. It isn’t true but it brings Will comfort in the early morning.

“Pancakes!” Emery squeals.

“Pancakes!” Will cheers with her, trying to match her excitement.

“Can I help?” Emery asks, a bright, pleading look in her eyes.

“Oh, why not?” Will muses. “Wanna help me mix in the blueberries?”

“Okay!”

“Okay.”

Will's aware of Nico watching him from the bar looking into the kitchen. Will spares him a few glances through the process of making the first pancake. Nico is intently watching him interact with Emery. Will knows this drill. It's a type of behavior analysis. Omegas do it all the time when they're looking for mates. Normally, if they already have pups, they will give another Alpha a task with the pup to see if they do it right. Will knows that's what this is but he ignores it, even if Nico’s scent is a dead giveaway.

After the first pancake is done Will helps Emery settle down at the bar. “You start eating or else you’ll be late for school.”

Emery nods. Will loved how she's so well behaved. Nico is really doing a good job in raising her. From the scent change in the room, Will feels he had passed his test. Nico wanted to see if he would have to intervene to make sure Emery was on time for school. Will has to admit it's a pretty good trial for a behavioral test.  Will smiles internally as he finishes up making breakfast.

By the time Nico is back from dropping Emery off, Jason is awake and stumbling down the stairs, muttering about smelling blueberries. Soon they're all seated at the bar eating breakfast with each other.

“Hazel wants me over for dinner tonight with Emery,” Nico says into the silence.

“Kay,” Jason mumbles through his food. “Be careful. Check-in with us before you go to bed. I wanna make sure you make it home okay.”

Nico nods, a smile playing at his lips as he rolls his eyes at Jason. Will smiles. He can totally see them as a family.

Chapter Text

XxX Nico XxX

Nico smiles as he looks down at the documents with his and Ethan's signatures. Nico is officially divorced. It's been two weeks since he left and he feels ecstatic. He's healing nicely from his last night with Ethan and Emery has been loving her new preschool. She has also been loving Will and Jason. And so has Nico.

And Nico knows he's ready, finally ready for that step. He's going to claim his Alphas. Sure, it's only been three weeks since he left Ethan, but he feels so much lighter with the baggage off his shoulders. Will and Jason have proven in the last weeks that they can be good mates for Nico. While, yes, Nico is still going to have some trauma from everything he's been through, he also feels that he can get through it. Emery isn't the only reason he's holding on to life anymore. He's not going to let this opportunity pass him. 

It's a Saturday and Nico has just dropped off Emery with Hazel for the day. Nico makes his way back to the house. He is determined. He's oozing confidence now that he's a free Omega. He knows he wants these Alpha's and he knows they want him just as badly.

When he enters the house, Jason and Will are seated on the couch, watching some sort of cop show. Nico doesn't waste any time. He walks over to the couch and straddles Jason’s lap. He doesn’t give Jason time to register what's happened before he kisses him. And Jason kissed back. It's glorious. Nico turns to where Will is sitting with his jaw dropped to the floor and does the same with him. In these moments Nico has never felt so loved. He laughs as Jason and Will get themselves together and begin to smile.

Jason speaks first. “I knew you'd come around.”

Nico laughs at the confidence in Jason's comment. “Be my Alpha’s?”

Will nods. “Of course.”

Hours later, Nico lays in all his naked glory in Jason and Will’s bed. His now too. Their bed. All of them. Nico’s bed. Nico basks in the best sex he's had in years. He feels loved and cherished. He had forgotten that feeling.

They lay there for many more hours until Nico leaves to go pick up his daughter. No- their daughter. It will be official soon. Nico's bubbly as can be when he picks Emery up from her Aunt Hazel's. This is the best day of his life.

XxX Three Months Later XxX
XxX Jason XxX

Nico is four months pregnant now. They've just found out they're having twins. The three men are ecstatic. Today is they day they move into a lager house to accommodate the coming members of the family. It's affordable still, especially with Will and Jason’s salaries. They will be financially stable for a good, long while.

The house has two floors, three including the basement. The ground floor serves as the family floor with the living room, kitchen, and dining room. There's also a half bath and an office which Jason had claimed before they even decided on the house. Will’s office is in the basement, along with a den (which for the next few years, will be a baby-safe play zone), Emery’s bedroom, and a bathroom. The second floor holds the massive master suite which includes an oversized bathroom, a massive walk-in closet, and a queen bed. Next to it is the nursery and a spare bedroom.

Jason is the happiest he's been in a while. Nico currently stands in yoga pants and one of Will's t-shirts is stretched over his growing baby bump. Well- babies bump. Jason laughs at the thought. Nico looks so unbelievably cute as he directs people on where to put things. Will and Jason are having the time of their life watching Hazel and Nico banter back and forth.

“The sofa needs to go here at this angle.”

“But then you won't be able to put a TV up.”

“The only TV in the house will be in the den. So, therefore, the couch can go at this angle.” leave it to Nico to use the word 'therefore' in an argument.

“Yes, but then it's awkward for-”

“My house, my rules, Hazel.”

It's the most humorous thing to happen in a while, and the two Alpha boys are loving it. Frank also silently laughs at the two siblings. Jason loves his family.

XxX Four Months Later XxX
XxX Will XxX

Will smiles as Emery sits on the floor, opening her birthday presents. Nico is now heavily pregnant- due in only a month. Will is seated on the couch as Nico leans into him, smiling. Jason sits on the floor with Emery, picking up the trash as she unwraps boxes. Emery’s friends have long left the party, and she looks like she has had a lot of fun. Now though, it's just the four- well six- of them.

Emery squeals on the floor bouncing. “My own bookshelf!”

Nico laughs at that. Will had gotten Emery a small bookshelf for all of her books so she could have her own organized library. Will chuckles at the thought of Jason trying to assemble it later as he says some very not nice words.

Will smile grows wider as he felt movement under his hand on Nico’s stomach. Nico doesn’t seem bothered by it but it makes Will's heart swell. They don’t know the gender of the babies yet- Nico still hasn’t been to a doctor the entire length of the pregnancy unless you count when he first arrived at the Solace-Grace doorstep. Will is okay with that as long as they take precautions to make sure the home birth is safe, which won’t be hard considering Will’s medical field.

When Emery is done with her presents, she bounds over to Nico and Will to cuddle. Emery assumes her regular position, curled around Nico’s baby bump. Jason soon joins them on the other side of Nico.

Will smiles at his big, happy family.

Chapter Text

XxX Nico’s Due Date XxX
XxX Nico XxX

The babies were supposed to have been due today, but Nico hadn't gone into labor. Nico has never been pregnant for so long. Emery had come early. Nico is so tired of being large and uncomfortable. His back hurts. His feet are killing him. His head constantly had a small throbbing sensation from all the stress and nerves. Currently, he's lying in bed and it's approaching midnight. He was supposed to at least be in labor by now, and he is not getting through the day without at least beginning the process of having the babies.

Nico throws his leg over the edge of the bed so that his toes touch the floor. These days, Nico sleeps on the outside of the cuddle pile. Sometimes he gest up in the middle of the night to move around and he doesn't like disturbing his Alphas’ rest. Right now though, he couldn't care less about disturbing them. Nico works himself up so that he's sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Nico, where are you going?” he hears Jason ask.

“To the hospital,” Nico replies. Short, sweet, and to the point, like always. He lets his feet fully touch the ground as he stands. He is going to have the doctors get these children out of him. Now.

Will sit up in the bed. “Did your water break?” concern was laced in his voice.

“Nope.”

“Are you feeling contractions?”

“No,” Nico breathes, moving to look over Jason's body at Will.

“Then why do you want to go to the hospital?” Will asks.

“Because I’m going to have these babies today.” Nico moves, beginning the walk to the bathroom to brush his teeth. “I’ve been waiting the whole day to go into labor and it hasn’t happened.”

“Nico, stop,” Jason says, reaching out to grab Nico’s hand, successfully stopping him.

“What?” Nico asks, irritation coursing through him. He really doesn’t see what their problem is. He will go to the hospital and they will get his precious little cherubs out of his body.

“You should let them come naturally, baby,” Will says. “That's what you wanted. You're tired and you're thinking irrationally.”

Nico sighs and sits on the bed. Will does make a good point. He had wanted to have them naturally. He groans and lays back down. He will probably die before he gets these babies out of him.

“You know,” Will says, “Sex can induce labor…”

Nico smiles, his mood brightening. “Interesting…”

XxX Jason XxX

Jason hums to himself as he walks into the living room, sipping his coffee. He knows Nico is being driven up the wall wanting to go into labor. Jason can’t imagine what Nico could be feeling, but he's trying to help all he can. When Jason enters the living room he's slightly amused, but also worried to find Nico sitting on the stairs, out of breath, and holding on onto the railing.

“Nico, honey,” Jason asks, “what are you doing? You’re supposed to be on bed rest.”

Nico sighs. “Now, I’m on stair rest.”

Jason laughs and walks over to his Omega to help him up.

“I wanted French toast, but Will’s in the shower and you cant make French toast for shit so I was just going to make it, but I got fatigued.” Nico explains in a very matter-of-fact manner.

“Wow, thanks,” Jason remarks, no real bite to the reply.

Nico pats Jason’s arm, “I still love you.”

Jason smiles. “That's good.” Jason walks Nico over to the kitchen and gets him all the things he'll need to make his toast. “Anything else you need me to help with?” Jason asks.

Nico huffs. “Sure, put on a rubber glove reach your hand up in me, and start pulling.”

Jason rolls his eyes. It's going to be a long few days.

XxX Will XxX

It's two days later when Nico goes into labor. It's not a normal afternoon. It just happened to be a Saturday when some of their friends were coming over. Jason and Will sit on either side of Nico on the couch as the marathon of Patrick Swayze movies plays. Reyna, Percy, and Annabeth are on the second couch, and Hazel and Frank are seated on the floor with Emery.

Will first notices something is wrong when Nico begins shifting and flinching every half hour or so. Nico has just flinched for the fourth time when Will leaned into his ear and asks, “You okay, love?”

Nico nods, taking a deep, controlled breath. “Just Braxton Hicks contractions. I've been having them since this morning.”

Will nods but still pays close attention to Nico. It's likely this is the beginning stages of labor with Nico being over his due date. He doesn’t say anything though, choosing instead to hold his hand on Nico’s baby bump. He notices how it hardens every few minutes when Nico shifts. Yeah, Nico is defiantly going into labor. Truthfully, Nico probably knows this and realizes what's happening, but just doesn't want to disturb the night. It's a very Nico-like reaction, and Will lets it slide for the time being. It's about three hours later, in the middle of Road House, when Nico grabs Will’s thigh and gives him a panicked look. “My water broke.”

Oh shit, Will thinks. All of the heads in the room snap over to Nico. Jason stands. He's... well he's freaking out muttering about what to do and how they needed to get Nico to the hospital.

“No hospitals,” Nico mutters.

“Nico, if you’re going into labor then you need to go to a hospital," Annabeth says softly. Leave her to be a voice of reason. But Will knows Nico isn’t going to take that.

“We’re having a home birth,” Will explains.

“Just get me to the bedroom,” Nico says, moving to stand before another contraction hits. Will hurries to help him up the stairs. Nico is gripping his arm so tight Will thinks he might lose circulation.

He's been delivering babies for years, but this time it's different. Will's not looking forward to seeing his Nico in so much pain. At least it's for something amazing though.

When Will has Nico up the stairs, he lays him on the bed. He strips Nico’s clothes off of him and covers him with the thin sheet from their bedding. He does manage to take the comforter off, though. He doesn’t want to be buying another one of those.

Nico gasps as another contraction hit him and lays back onto the bed. There's no telling how long Nico had been in labor and been brushing it off.

Will moved Nico’s legs so they're spread and bent at the knee. Will takes his spot at the foot of the bed, carefully checking Nico's dilation.

Jason soon appears in the room with Hazel. Hazel and Jason seat themselves on either side of Nico, comforting him and helping him breathe through the pain. “The others are waiting outside,” Hazel soothes. “They’re waiting on the babies.”

Nico grunts as another contraction comes. They're about six minutes apart, Will notes.

Jason brushes Nico’s hair out of his face. “You got this, Nico." he encourages. "You're doing well."

It's only an hour later when Nico suddenly gasps. “I wanna push.”

Will looks down at Nico. It would be safe for him to push. Will is going to wait for a few more contractions before he officially makes that call, but he remembers that Nico had been getting a medical degree before he had Emery and probably knew his own body enough to know when it was time to push.

Will nods. “Go ahead.”

When the next contraction hits, Nico screams, pushing. Will catches sight of the head. “Come on Nico,” he soothes, “I can see the head. Give another push.”

Nico grunts, his voice cracking as his head falls back, his spine curling towards the bump. Hazel moves to Nico's back, helping him stay in the position he moved to. Nico grabs his legs under his knees and pulls them back even further to his chest. Will readies himself to catch the baby. “Jason come get ready to cut the cord,” Will says.

Jason comes over, eyes wide. Will can only guess what Jason's thinking, but he does know what he's feeling. He had seen that expression on so many new fathers’ before. Now it's on Jason’s face, and it's beautiful.

“Ew,” Jason says as Nico pushes again. It doesn't sound like Jason actually made the conscious decision to express that and Will can't help but chuckle.

“Shut up!” Nico screams to Jason. “You push a person out of your ass and then see how it looks!”

Jason forfeits to their Omega and watches as Nico pushes again. Will’s heart rate picks up as the baby’s head touches his hands. A cry pierces the air. Then he was holding- him. “It's a boy,” Will tells Nico, a proud smile on his face.

Nico, from where he's sweaty and panting, smiles. “I wanna hold him,” he mumbles.

Jason cuts the cord, but Will is still in doctor mode. “In a minute, baby,” Will said. “You still have one more to go.”

Nico sighs but nods. Will knows he's exhausted.

Six minutes later Will is holding another baby boy. Hazel snaps pictures on her phone of them as a happy family. Nico's holding the first boy in his arms, still naked against his bare chest. The other infant is in Jason’s embrace where he's settled next to Nico. Will's happy to see them all together. Finally.

When they have the babies wrapped in some clothing, they let everybody in. Emery is the first to bound in. Jason stands over at the foot of the bed, helping her hold the youngest as she sits on the edge of the mattress.

Annabeth asks, “What are their names?”

Nico smiles at the child he's holding. “This is Corbyn Eliot. Emery is holding Zachary Louise.”

Annabeth smiles at him. “They’re beautiful Nico.”

“Yes, they are,” Nico muses.