Work Text:
Nico and New Year’s Eve had a strange relationship.
He never made a big deal out of it growing up. When Nico was about ten, he and his sister, Bianca, ate twelve grapes underneath their table for each toll of the clock as it struck twelve. They had a large grandfather clock passed down from their mother that chimed while they ate.
When Nico asked why, Bianca told him her friend from school taught her it brought good luck. Nico thought about their mother working at the local hotel that night. He ate his grapes.
-
It was a little strange having his first holiday after graduating college. Most of his friends stayed in the city their school was in.
Nico typically spent his holidays back in L.A. with his half-sister Hazel. But now that he was an actual adult with rent to pay, he couldn’t afford to be away from the museum for the entire month of December. So, spending New Years alone wasn’t that strange to him.
Except he wasn’t spending it alone.
Leo plopped a hat that said Happy New Year 2024! on his head with no preamble. Nico reached up and tore it off his head.
“What-” Nico started, but Leo was faster.
“We’re going out tonight,” Leo told him. “A party. A real one. And before you can say no-” Nico glared at him. “It’s the Stolls, from school, so it’ll be legit. And we can leave right after midnight.”
“I already have plans,” Nico protested. “I’m going to have a glass of wine and watch Gordon Ramsey until I fall asleep.”
“You can’t do what you do every night on New Year's Eve,” Leo said. “We’re going out! Jason’s going to be there. He can’t whine over Piper if he’s at a party.”
“He definitely can,” Nico said. “He’s the saddest drunk alive. And New Years is going to be a cesspit of couples doing couple-y things.”
“That’s why we need to get him out of the house.” Leo nodded. “Also, that’s so wrong! There’s going to be hot singles everywhere.”
Nico seriously doubted anyone would go near Jason when he’s all sad and pathetic, but who knows. It’s only been a month since Piper broke up with him, and Nico’s been the one to metaphorically hold his hand. Nico sighed.
This might sound bad, but Nico was thankful he wasn’t the only single one in the group. His group of friends at school were almost all couples, and Nico was about ready to tear his hair out when Percy and Annabeth finally got engaged.
He was happy for them, of course. But while Nico didn’t still harbor feelings for Percy, seeing the guy he once loved in this happy relationship stirred something inside of him. It definitely helped that they moved upstate after graduation.
Ugh, Nico’s going to be at a New Years Eve party and surrounded by couples. Worrying about Jason might be a good distraction for him.
-
They left for the party around ten. The pre-game started at eight, of course, so Leo was already hanging off his arm by the time they arrived. Nico didn’t sign up for this.
“Yo, Nico!” Connor Stoll greeted and threw a beaded necklace around his neck. “Happy 2024!”
The party was loud already, and people were packed like sardines in the townhouse. Leo immediately found someone he knew (downside to having a social butterfly as a roommate) and pushed off Nico to talk to them. The music was loud and the room was dark. Nico needed a drink. Actually, he needed to find Jason first. Then a drink.
Jason walked through the door ten minutes later and Nico found him immediately.
“Happy New Year!” Jason said. “Where’s the drink table?”
“Over there, but Leo’s already trashed.”
Jason followed his arm to see Leo talking to a guy Nico’s never seen before. Curly blond hair, red cup in hand. Nico rolled his eyes.
“Leo.” Nico grabbed his arm and Leo pulled back. “Oh.”
“Hi,” the man said. He gestured to Leo. “Is he okay?”
“He’s fine.” Jason grabbed Leo. “You’re fine?”
“We need to get you a girl,” Leo told him very seriously. “There’s so many here. What-what about her?”
“I don’t need a girl.”
Nico didn’t even look where he was pointing. “Leo,” Nico told him. “We have hours until midnight. Let’s get some water.”
“I’m fine, I’m not even drunk.” Leo hiccuped. “It’s fine.”
Nico caught the man’s eyes. They twinkled and he steadied a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “I think I saw the perfect girl for Jason.”
Leo squinted at him suspiciously. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not,” the man said. “Let’s see for yourself.”
Pretty soon both Leo and Jason had a cup in their hands, one with water and one with this cocktail that was cooked up by one of the Stolls behind their makeshift bar. They paid this entrance fee through venmo - five dollars for unlimited drinks.
“He just needs water for the rest of the night,” the blonde guy said. “God, sometimes I miss undergrad.”
Nico snorted. “I don’t.”
“I do,” Jason said miserably.
“Where is the line of becoming an alcoholic getting blacked out every weekend after college?” Nico asked. He raised his voice when he realized how loud it was in the room. “I already feel like I’m too old for this.”
“Well, medically speaking-” he stopped when Nico groaned.
“Don’t tell me you’re a doctor,” Nico said. Then, he thought, this guy’s way too young. He has to be around Nico’s age.
“I’m not,” he confirmed. “First year med school.”
Nico raised his eyebrows. “Of course.”
The guy laughed incredulously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I could tell.”
“You know what-” The guy paused and Nico took pity on him.
“Nico.”
“-Nico. I’m not just talking out of my ass, here,” he argued.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“I was a lifeguard for four summers in a row!”
With that build, Nico could tell. He smirked. “Ah, yes. That does make you qualified.”
Jason cleared his throat. Nico’s face flamed as he remembered his friends existed. Leo hopped up and started dancing erratically, all 5’6 of him.
“We’re going to mingle,” Jason said. “Leo’s fine, he’s just being a baby.”
“You don't have to-”
“I’m fine, but I’m not a baby!” Leo said, very convincing. “I think I saw someone-”
“Okay.” Jason steered him away, and Nico was alone. But not really, because the handsome almost-doctor was right here with him. Nico almost wanted to leave with his friends. He was supposed to be helping Jason tonight, not have Jason help him. He can make it up to him later.
The music beat and Nico unabashedly stared at the man in front of him. Curly blonde hair, blue eyes (he thought), broad shoulders. He needed a drink. And to figure out what this stranger’s name was.
-
“How do you know Leo?” Will asked almost an hour later. He pressed close and next to his ear. It only got more crowded the closer to midnight - Nico had never been so grateful to go to a party. He’d never admit that to Leo.
“My roommate. Is that really what you want to know?” Nico felt more forward with the alcohol coursing his system.
“No,” Will admitted. “I really wanted to know if you were here with anyone in particular.”
There it is. Nico wanted to know about Will, too. But with an hour until midnight and no sign of his friends, Nico knew he needed to track them down.
“No,” Nico confirmed. “Actually, this might be my first New Years Eve party.”
Will’s smile was slow like molasses, and he grabbed Nico’s empty drink out of his hand and pulled him to dancing bodies. His hand was warm and Nico could feel his face flush.
“We should make it a good one,” Will whisper-shouted in his ear, and they danced.
Nico almost forgot about Jason until he spotted him dancing with a girl nearby. They made eye contact.
Jason gave him a thumbs up and Nico shot him a confused look. Jason pointed nearby to Leo who was jumping with a girl. Some might call it dancing.
Nico closed his eyes and let himself feel the music. The collective group of people all celebrating the same thing was electrifying, a little like the few frats he’s been too and nothing like them at all. He felt like all the people in the room had a collective heartbeat. God, he was drunk.
Out of the corner of his eye, Nico saw Jason go down. Nico stopped immediately.
“Shit. One second.” Nico patted Will's chest and made his way to Jason. He was on the floor. “Jason.”
Jason moaned pitifully.
“You are not throwing up on the floor.” Nico slung an arm around Jason and lifted him up. Nico had long gotten over his touch aversion to Jason after the sixth year of knowing him. Seeing each other drunk and sad was a great way to get closer.
Will appeared. “Do you need help?”
Nico gestured to his other crazy friend. “Could you grab him and meet me at the front door?”
This basically-stranger who Nico had known for an hour nodded and retrieved Leo. He also slung an arm around his shoulder, though it seemed like he was having an easier time than Nico. Will was about six inches taller than Leo and Jason was about six inches taller than Nico. It made for an awkward contortion of limbs.
Will noticed and stopped them. “Trade.” He gave Nico Leo and Nico gave him Jason.
They could still walk, but Leo was stumbling and ranting about Game of Thrones. Nico had long given up reminding him the finale was almost five years ago, and to get over it already.
Meanwhile, Jason was on the verge of tears. “Three years,” he nearly sobbed. “We were going to get married. Also, who says they don’t feel a connection after three years? What’s that about? Also-”
As a friend of Piper and Jason, Nico had almost had enough out of both of them. Nico tuned Jason out after that.
They reached the front door and Nico used a free hand to pull up the uber app on his phone.
“One-hundred dollars?” Nico almost choked. “There’s no way. My apartment isn’t even that far-”
“Let me see that.” Will plucked Nico’s phone out of his hand. “Oh! I live across the street from here. Also, a taxi is going to be cheaper.”
“I can barely stand,” Nico pointed out. “Also, I can’t hail a cab.”
“I can.” They stood on the curb and Nico squinted. An hour to midnight and there was no way-
An ear-piercing whistle let out next to him, and Nico whipped around to see Will as the culprit. He looked out and raised an arm at the taxi that pulled over for them.
As if he couldn’t get more attractive.
“Can I ride with you guys?” Will asked. “I don’t mean to spring this on you, or anything.”
“Are you sure? It’s not even midnight-”
“I barely know anyone there. I wanted to stay at home and watch T.V. but my roommate Lou-Ellen dragged me out-” Nico could relate. “-and then left early with a date.”
“If you’re sure,” Nico said hesitantly, secretly delighted that he’d have more time with Will. They piled in, and Nico patted Jason on the back.
-
The car ride was mostly silent. Downtown was crazy - they were only a few blocks away but people were everywhere. It took them nearly twice as long to get there.
Twelve-forty-five and they pulled up to the apartment.
“I can have him drop you off,” Nico offered while trying to wrangle his friends out.
“Do you need help?” Will glanced at Leo, who made it outside the car and immediately puked onto the sidewalk. Nico winced.
“Probably,” he admitted. “But it’s okay.”
“Can I help you bring them upstairs?” Will offered. “You can kick me out after that.”
“If you’re dying to.”
Nico paid and had to help drag Jason upstairs and through the door while holding onto Leo’s arm. They made quite the group - four grown men leaning on each other and stumbling upstairs. Jason leaned his head onto the door.
“We kissed here when you moved in.” Jason kissed the door tenderly. Nico almost took a picture, then reminded himself not to take advantage of his dear friend's state. He took the picture.
Leo was uncharacteristically quiet until Nico dumped him in the bathroom. Then he had a lot to say.
“This floor is disgusting! Who cleans this place?” Leo wiped an invisible speck of dust on the floor. “Absolutely terrible. The ladies would not approve!”
“You were supposed to clean last,” Nico reminded him. “On Sunday?” Leo slapped his forehead like a cartoon, then gagged. Nico brought him closer to the toilet just in time. He turned on the fan and closed the door. Leo can take care of himself.
Nico checked on Jason, then remembered Will when he saw him awkwardly standing in the living room. He felt heat rush to his face.
“Let me wash my hands.” Nico hurried to the kitchen.
Jason was actually asleep on the couch when he returned. Nico found a trash can and put it next to him and turned him on his side. Then laughed at him.
“Is this part of your New Year’s Eve tradition?” Will asked wryly.
“Dragging my heartbroken and drunk friends across the city? No, this is a first for me,” Nico found the remote and turned on the New Years Eve ball drop station. It took him a second to remember how to find the station. “What about you? Any traditions other than hijacking the apartment of someone you barely know?”
Nico was worried his dry tone was a little too harsh, but Will let it roll off him. He just laughed. “We spent the last hour and a half getting to know each other, Nico. I’m wounded. And besides, Leo and I had the same Ochem tutoring group.”
“I forgot you had to take organic chemistry for engineering. Can’t be me. Ugh, school. Let’s talk about something else. New Years Eve traditions?” Nico opened the fridge, which was mostly empty of alcohol except for Leo’s seltzers. “Want a Whiteclaw?”
“None for me. For both. Actually, my mom would have a party every year so I guess that counts?” Nico saw him smile a little. “And a kiss at midnight, I suppose.”
The clock on the T.V. showed ten minutes until midnight, and Nico suddenly felt very shy. His apartment felt very quiet compared to the houseparty. “I have a tradition,” Nico announced. “I haven’t done it since I was a kid, though.”
“Oh?”
“Eating twelve grapes under the table for the twelve strokes of midnight.” Will laughed suddenly and Nico shushed him. “A lot of cultures do it! I think it was originally Argentinan.”
“No, that's cool.” Will sat on the papasan chair next to the couch. “Got any grapes?”
Nico actually did. He saw them at the store and thought about Bianca, and their time in Italy before she died and their father took him away to the U.S. He felt nostalgic at the grocery store and was buying them before he could even think.
“Five minutes,” Nico said and got a bowl with exactly twelve grapes for both of them. Nico crawled under the table, feeling a little dizzy. Whether it was Will being so close or the alcohol coursing in his system, Nico would never know. He pushed the chairs aside and leaned against the table leg. The news reporters talked faintly back where Jason had his mouth fully open and fast asleep.
“Do we make a wish or something?” Will whispered. His leg bumped Nico’s.
“It’s just for good luck,” Nico hesitated. “But it probably couldn’t hurt.”
The silence after that wasn’t painful or awkward, it was patient and wanting. Nico stared at his grapes and watched the clock tick down on his phone.
The time reached a minute. Nico grabbed his first grape, and listened to the reporter. “Thirty! twenty-nine-”
“Do we start eating at twelve or before twelve?”
“At twelve. The first twelve seconds.”
“Twenty! Nineteen-”
Something electrified in Nico’s heart. He thought he’d spend this year alone, just like every other year. An unimportant activity for an unimportant holiday. The New Year would come and Nico would have himself. But Will insisted on staying with him and well, Nico doesn’t want to complain.
“Three! Two! One-”
Nico nodded and the cheering started in the other room. They ate their grapes - Nico underestimated how ridiculous he’d look and feel while doing it. Will looked a little ridiculous too, like a chipmunk or something. The clock went to twelve-twelve just as Nico swallowed his last grape. He couldn’t help but giggle and Will laughed. Nico could tell they both felt ridiculous.
Nico leaned closer. Loud booming fireworks were going off everywhere around their apartment, and he could hear cheering from the T.V. He looked at Will’s lips.
“Does it still count if it’s after twelve?” Nico whispered, and Will nodded and smiled into a kiss. Will grasped the back of Nico’s head and Nico leaned practically in Will’s lap.
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” A weak shout came from the bathroom and Nico broke the kiss to laugh into Will’s shirt. Jason snored.