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Will’s friends were idiots. Well-meaning idiots, but idiots nonetheless. “Live a little, Will,” they’d said. “Stop being such a prude,” they’d teased. So now here he was, in his tiny off-campus apartment, pacing a groove into his cheap carpet while waiting for… well, for him to arrive.
He tugged at his sweater for the tenth time in as many minutes, checking the clock like it would offer salvation. “This is stupid,” he muttered under his breath. “I shouldn’t be doing this.” But before he could talk himself out of it, there was a knock at the door. His stomach flipped as he opened it.
Nico di Angelo. That's what the caller had said his name was. He wasn’t what Will expected. He was… smaller, leaner. Dressed in all black with sharp eyes that seemed to see right through Will. For a moment, Will forgot how to breathe.
“You gonna let me in, or are we doing this in the hallway?” Nico’s voice was low and smooth, carrying a hint of amusement.
Will stepped aside, flushing. “Uh, yeah. Come in. Sorry.”
Nico sauntered in like he owned the place, dropping onto the couch and crossing his legs.
Will swallowed hard, nerves making his voice shake. “I, uh… I don’t think I can do this.”
Nico raised an eyebrow. “...You’re the one who called me.”
Will blushed harder, staring at the floor. “I know. I just… this isn’t me. I thought maybe…” He trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.
For a moment, Nico just looked at him. Then, to Will’s surprise, he laughed. Not a mocking laugh, but something softer, almost kind. “Relax, golden boy. It’s fine to be nervous. You want to talk instead? Clock’s still ticking, but hey, your money.”
Will blinked. “Wait, really? You’re okay with that?”
“Sure,” Nico said with a shrug. “Not the weirdest thing I’ve been paid for.”
And just like that, the tension eased. Will sat down across from him, hesitant but curious. “Okay. Then… can we just talk?”
Nico smirked. “Your call, sunshine.”
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Nico wasn’t sure what he’d expected when he showed up at the apartment, but it wasn’t… this. He had taken the job, expecting the usual. A bored housewife, a lonely businessman, someone seeking a fleeting escape.
This guy looked like he belonged in a cereal commercial, all bright eyes and awkward smiles. Definitely not Nico’s usual clientele.
“So, you’re in med school?” Nico asked, swirling the glass of water Will had offered him. It felt surreal, sitting in this cozy little apartment like they were on a first date or something.
Will nodded, his cheeks still pink. “Yeah. Third year. It’s… intense.”
“No kidding. That’s, what, a million years of school?” Nico teased, leaning back on the couch.
Will laughed, a soft sound that caught Nico off guard. “Feels like it sometimes.”
They fell into an easy rhythm, talking about everything and nothing. Will was… nice. Genuinely nice. It was almost disarming.
“Is this... fine?” Will asked at one point, glancing at Nico like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
Nico shrugged. “Like I said, it’s your money. Besides, it’s kinda refreshing. Most people don’t bother asking what I’m okay with.”
Will frowned, and Nico hated how it made something twist in his chest. “That’s awful.”
“Yeah, well, it’s the job,” Nico said lightly, brushing it off.
But Will didn’t let it go, and for some reason, Nico found himself opening up more than he meant to. By the time the hour was up, he was almost sorry to leave.
Almost.
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Will hadn’t meant to call Nico again. He really hadn’t. But a week later, he found himself dialing the same number, his heart pounding as he waited for Nico to pick up.
“Miss me already?” Nico’s voice was warm, teasing, like he’d been expecting the call all along.
Will’s face burned, and he gripped the edge of the counter for support. “I, uh… I just thought maybe we could talk again.” The words felt clumsy, but they were all he had.
Nico’s end went quiet for a moment, the silence stretching long enough for Will to question his decision. Then came a low chuckle, smooth and unhurried. “You’re serious?” A pause. “Alright, sunshine. Same rate as before. But you’d better make it interesting.”
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The calls and meetings became a regular thing. At first, Nico thought it was hilarious. Will was like a puppy, all eager curiosity and earnestness. But as the weeks went on, something shifted. Nico found himself looking forward to their conversations, to the way Will’s face lit up when he laughed.
It was dangerous. Stupid. But Nico couldn’t seem to stop.
It wasn't long before the inevitable happened. Will confessed how he felt, and Nico being himself, panicked.
"Will, I… I really don't know what to say," Nico stammered, running a hand through his hair. "This… this isn't how things work. I can't… I can't do this."
"Why not?" Will asked, his voice a mixture of hurt and confusion. "Because of your job?"
Nico sighed, the weight of his words heavy in the air. "My job. It's complicated. I can't… I can't get involved with someone. It just won't work." He looked away, unable to meet Will's gaze. "And… and I don't think this is real, Will. It's just… infatuation."
Will scoffed, a bitter edge to his voice. "Infatuation? You think these past few weeks have been nothing more than… a fleeting fancy? Nico, I—"
"Look," Nico interrupted, his voice rising. "I don't want to hurt you, okay? But this… it isn't going anywhere. It can't. I need to go."
He turned abruptly and walked out of his apartment, leaving Will sitting alone in the silence. Nico didn't look back. He couldn't. He had to get out of there, to escape the pull of Will's hurt, the guilt that gnawed at him.
He knew he was being cruel, but he also knew he was being realistic. His life was a constant balancing act, a tightrope walk between pleasure and pain, between intimacy and isolation. There was no room for love, for vulnerability. He had to protect himself, protect his livelihood, and that meant leaving Will behind.
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He pushed Will away, telling him he was delusional, that it would never work. Nico convinced himself it was for the best. He spent his nights tossing and turning, the ghost of Will's hurt face haunting his dreams. Every phone call, every knock on the door, sent his heart racing, convinced it was him. But the calls never came.
Nico tried to convince himself he was better off. That he was making the right decision. But the truth was a bitter pill to swallow. He missed the easy laughter, the way Will's eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, the way his name tasted like honey on Nico's tongue.
Weeks bled into months, and the ache in his chest refused to subside. He'd see couples walking hand-in-hand, hear snippets of their conversations, and the sharp pang of regret would hit him anew. He was a fool. He'd pushed away the only person who truly saw him, the only person who had ever looked at him with such kindness, such… love.
One rainy afternoon, a wave of desperation washed over him. He couldn't live like this anymore. He had to at least try to make things right.
His hands trembled as he rang the doorbell.
When Will opened the door, his face was a mask of surprise, then wary suspicion. "Nico?"
"I… I know I messed up," Nico began, his voice rough with emotion. "I was wrong. I was scared. I… I can't quit my job, Will. But I don't want to lose you either."
Will hesitated, his eyes searching Nico's, trying to decipher the sincerity in his words. "It's not going to be easy," he finally admitted, his voice low. "This… this isn't easy."
"I get it," Nico said softly. "I know it's not. But I had to try. I had to at least give us a chance."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The rain continued to fall outside, washing away the dust of the past. Then, Will stepped aside, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. "Come in," he said quietly. "We'll figure it out."
Nico stepped into Will's warm, inviting apartment. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn't lost everything. Maybe, there was still a chance for him, a chance to build something real, something beautiful, despite the challenges that lay ahead.
And for the first time in a long time, Nico felt hope.