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Will swears he's going to murder Lou Ellen.
It's her fault that they're stuck in this situation right now, frozen in place as he watches Nico glare wordlessly at it as it hovers above them, materialising out of thin air.
The anticipation is suffocating because this is the exact opposite of how Will was planning to approach the situation — approach Nico. He wanted something intimate, something true and confessional as they sit on a picnic blanket by the lake. He wanted to watch the sun dip down below the horizon with him by his side; listen to him subconsciously hum into the silence and wanted to see him relished in dimming golden light. He wanted to exchange a private moment between them, look him in the eyes with as much conviction as he could muster as he confessed his honest feelings, and then hopefully let the pull of love bring them together.
Not this. Not the thrumming tension that makes his heart jackhammer out of sheer fear. Not the campers crowding around, staring and making them the centre of attention. Not the steeled gaze and the mask devoid of all expression that Nico wears. Not the mistletoe that catches them untimely above their heads.
Will's attraction for Nico is no secret. Though he's never really, properly, confessed about it to anyone, it's not something he particularly denies either. It's also not like he tries to hide it; perhaps the only person blind to it is the son of Hades himself.
There was hope and a little bit of a good inkling within Will that told him that Nico returns these feelings too. Will's not completely oblivious like him, and he picks up on those soft gazes and subtle smiles more often than not. It makes him glow inside.
It's why he wanted to approach this perfectly. With slow, gentle and reassured steps. Not startling Nico into anything.
But the mistletoe that hovers above them is like a curse sent from Aphrodite herself, except it's not, because it's solely the Hecate Cabin to blame for reigniting the tradition with an unconventional twist.
Will's eyes immediately catch Nico's gulp and he feels like he could cough awkwardly at the situation but then he also feels like that if he does the compressing air would dissipate instantly.
It's agonising, but he waits patiently for Nico to make the first move, and when he does, Will is left breathless.
Deep, brown eyes flit to his with a glint of something unnameable and something apologetic. Then they drift shut and he leans in close. Will's pulse runs a mile per minute, his eyes widening in disbelief but he lets it happen.
Nico's lips are only a hairbreadth away from his when he snaps. There's a gush of cool air as Nico suddenly pulls himself from Will's embrace, and he shadow travels away so fast that it takes him more than a few seconds to comprehend anything.
The gathered crowd of demigods murmur as Will breathes in gulps of empty air in order to ease the painful clench of his heart.
"I'm sorry, Will," Lou Ellen speaks up gently from the crowd. Almost as ashamed as Will is. "I really thought it would work out."
But Will doesn't reply, and only shrugs his suddenly cool hands into his pockets and beelines straight towards the infirmary, radiating an unmistakable aura of 'leave me be' as he strides away.
Will does what he usually does when he feels low, and makes himself push it into a deep corner of his mind so he can focus more on the work he decides to drown himself in instead. It might not be the best or most humane coping mechanism, but it's a good distraction and productive so Will doesn't mind.
Besides, the infirmary is luckily empty today and there's a pile of paperwork and forms that Will's been putting off for a while now. It's without preamble that he opens one of the cabinets, takes the stack of documents, grabs and pen and sets to work.
The winter brings snow and Will (in spite of himself and his genes) appreciates the beauty of it as it cascades delicately beyond the window. Sure, it distracts him a little from the task at hand but it's quiet and serene and peaceful and just what he craves right now.
Eventually, he falls into his work and before he knows it, it's a little over past midnight by the time he gets to the bottom of the stack with a dull ache to his wrist.
He packs away systematically, acutely relieved that he's got that workload over with as he exits the infirmary to be welcomed with the satisfying crunch of snow under his feet. It doesn't exactly help his stealth, it's past curfew and the snow it quite loud in the silence of camp but still he tries to creep back bringing as little attention to himself as possible.
But it's upon his path back that he sees Nico sitting there. Bare arms around his knees with his chin tucked in between them, gazing thoughtfully at the stars above.
"You'll get a cold like that," Will announces like its second nature and he picks up on how his voice startles Nico as he jumps a little.
Will approaches as he plucks his own coat off his body and drapes it over Nico's back. He looks up at him from where he's sitting with badly concealed surprise, and Will smiles back down at him fondly. Sure, he might get a little cold now, but he's wearing a hoodie underneath anyway and Nico needs it much more than he does — seeming as he's sitting out in the snow at midnight with nothing but a black t-shirt and loose fitting pyjama bottoms.
"Thanks," Nico says quietly, pulling the lapels tighter around himself as Will takes a deep breath and takes a seat beside him. He tries not to notice how he tenses up.
Will doesn't ask what Nico's doing out here or why because he already knows the answer. And he knows it's why Nico doesn't ask the same of him either.
They just sit there in silence. Watching the snow fall and dust Camp Halfblood in white.
That is until Nico exhales a shaky breath a few minutes in, still determinedly facing forward as he says, "I'm sorry, Will."
Will, yet again, doesn't ask why. "Don't worry about it," he assures instead, "It's just a stupid tradition, anyway."
Nico hums in agreement.
"Are you okay?" the blond asks sincerely, now facing Nico but he still stares ahead.
He doesn't miss the way his eyes narrow the slightest bit, though. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm the one that embarrassed you in front of everyone."
To be honest, it was quite humiliating, but at the time it was something very minor in comparison to the stab of rejection.
Will reassures him that it's nothing, cracking a joke about it and laughs it off instead of wallowing over it. He's glad when he finds that it makes Nico smile too, and Will is overwhelmed by how adorable it is.
Nico then goes ahead and claims that he's never quite felt that mortified in his life and bitterly adds that it's apart from the time when he met Eros. Nico doesn't hesitate to colourfully cuss out the god, and Will admires his boldness.
"Y'know," Nico starts quietly, tone a little more serious amongst the laughs being exchanged, "I didn't back away because I didn't want to kiss you."
Instantly, warmth blossoms at the confession and Will catches Nico's gaze for the second time that night. "Yeah?" he says, prompting him to continue.
"I just panicked. In front of all those people. I wanted my first kiss to be special, not a result of coincidence and peer pressure."
By the rosiness of his pale cheeks, Will can tell he's a little embarrassed, but honestly in that moment he looks the more gorgeous than Will's ever seen him before. The snowflakes fall and catch in his black hair, creating momentary flecks of white before they melt. Will feels a sudden fierceness at how Nico's opened himself up like a book for Will, that he trusts him enough to tell. That he's sitting besides him at all, wearing his coat in the late hours of the winter night.
When Nico's eyes flicker momentarily on Will's lips, he doesn't miss it.
"What about now?" Will asks breathlessly, and finally, finally, Nico leans forwards and kisses him.
Nico's lips are cold and slightly chapped but soft as they slot with his own. It's obvious that it's his first time doing this, because Nico freezes in place and becomes unresponsive so Will takes it upon himself to ease him into the kiss, cupping his cheek and brushing his thumb against his cheek bone. Nico hums, and his eyes flutter shut, and presses back with reverence.
They pull apart after a few seconds, but Will still feels it buzzing against his lips. He can't help the way he stares at Nico, in wonder and all the care in the world as he's truly convinced he's the luckiest person alive right now.
Nico has trouble fighting off a smile and decides to hide himself in the warm crook of Will's neck, and Will chuckles a little as he holds him close.
Just five more minutes, Will tells himself after he realised how cold he is, five more minutes to enjoy this and then we'll go back inside.
They stay there for longer.