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"Oh my Gods, I'm in heaven."
Welcome to Jurassic Park, cue the music.
Will could hear the distant (imaginary) roar long before he caught sight of Isla Nublar, the legendary Island rising majestically from the horizon. As he drew closer, the vibrant greenery of dense forests mingled harmoniously with the gleaming metallic blue structures that sprawled across the landscape. Sunlight glinted off the futuristic buildings, creating a stunning contrast against the lush, tropical foliage that enveloped them. It was a breathtaking blend of nature and innovation, a sight that filled Will with both anticipation and awe.
He was shaking from excitement as they approached the Island, his left hand gripping onto the boat's railing, while his right was clutching onto his ridiculously large brown messenger bag adorned with all sorts of colorful pins and adorable plushie dinosaur key chains.
Will Solace, Majoring in Biology, Minoring in Nursing, had been dreaming of seeing dinosaurs since he was the ripe age of seven, let alone actually studying and healing them. The moment that he had received the email for his internship at Isla Nublar, he couldn't contain his excitement, and he had almost forgotten to reply to confirm his internship. He closed his eyes as he breathed it all in; Oh my Gods, he was breathing in the same air as Dinosaurs!
"I hope you are, so that maybe I might enjoy some peace and quiet throughout this internship." A girl's voice had pierced through his daydream. "Man, I still can't believe you managed to win me over with those compo-whatever videos.
Will sighed as he finally turned around to face the girl who had rudely interrupted his main character moment. "You mean, Compsognathus, Katie?"
Katie Gardner, majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Psychology, stood there with her arms crossed. She wore a vibrant green graphic tee, adorned with an array of whimsical plants and delicate flowers that seemed to dance across the fabric, mirroring the lively spirit of nature. Below, her denim jorts hugged her figure, frayed at the edges and cut off just above her knees, showcasing a pair of knee-length brown boots that added a touch of rustic charm to her ensemble.
"Yeah? That's what I said?" She walks right up to the free space beside Will and leans onto the boat's railing. "Thank the Gods I didn't board the boat with you. With that outfit? I might be mistaken for your mother," she says as she eyes Will from head to toe, seemingly judging his fashion choices. He tilts his head in confusion.
He casts a glance down at his outfit, a vibrant, almost blinding neon yellow graphic tee with a comically fierce Velociraptor devouring a hot dog. This outrageous shirt is paired with loose green cargo shorts, the fabric a softer shade that complements the shirt's brightness while providing a casual ease. Completing this unforgettable look, he sports his trademark sandals—those comfortable, weathered flip-flops that evoke the appearance of a laid-back pastor ready to deliver a sermon.
Will looks back up at Katie, seemingly confused as to what is wrong with his outfit. "What's wrong with it?"
"You know what," She sighs as she pats Will's shoulder, "At least if a dinosaur outbreak were to ever happen, I can find you easily."
Will scoffs and playfully nudges her to the side. As they talked for the last 15 minutes of the boat ride, they pulled up into dock with a gentle lurch, the salty sea breeze giving way to the humid, earthy scent of the Island. Through the mist and palms ahead, Isla Nublar came into view like something out of a dream—or more accurately, Will's childhood obsession.
Will gripped the rail, eyes wide. "We're here."
Katie, standing beside him with her camera already in hand, offered a crooked grin. "Try not to hyperventilate before we even see a dinosaur."
"I'm fine," Will said, though his foot was bouncing on the deck. "Just—look at it! The trees, the mountains, that one bird that might actually be a pterosaur—"
"It's a pelican."
"Let me have this."
They disembarked onto a sleek arrival platform, where park staff in crisp uniforms ushered visitors toward the high-speed maglev train that would take them to the main complex. The station gleamed in the sunlight, all brushed steel and reinforced glass, blending futuristic style with tropical architecture. Nearby, palm fronds rustled and a distant roar echoed—not mechanical, not artificial. Something alive.
Will froze. "Did you hear that?"
Katie smirked. "They play ambient soundtracks to hype the guests."
"That was not a soundtrack."
They boarded the train, settling into plush seats beside floor-to-ceiling windows. As it started to glide forward, smooth as silk, Will leaned into the glass, practically vibrating with excitement. Jungle blurred past in a blur of green and gold. Far ahead, mountain peaks rose like ancient sentinels, and between them, a glimpse of something—long-necked, slow-moving.
"Oh my gods," Will whispered. "That's a brachiosaurus."
Katie leaned in. "That's a tree."
"No, behind the tree!"
The train's voice assistant chirped: "Welcome to Jurassic Park. Please keep your arms and legs inside the transport at all times. You are now entering the restricted observation zone."
Katie gave him a sidelong glance. "You're totally going to cry when you see one up close."
Will didn't deny it.
By the time they arrived at the main complex—a shining cluster of buildings nestled into a natural basin—the sun had risen higher, casting everything in a silver glow. The visitor center loomed like a cathedral of science, its roof shaped like a giant fossilized frond. Surrounding it were paths winding between exhibits, domes, and tall fences. It was both a sanctuary and a fortress.
Their hotel—The Hammond Hotel—sat just off the main plaza, its wooden beams and silver metallic walls blending into the jungle backdrop. They stepped inside to the cool air and the soft scent of orchids.
At the front desk, a cheerful attendant handed them digital keys, welcome kits, and their Island personnel access card. "You're both listed under the internship program, right? One for dinosaur behavioral research, one for medical observation. Welcome to Isla Nublar!”
Katie accepted hers with a grin. "Thanks. We just want to drop our stuff before we go full dino mode."
Will tugged his bag over his shoulder. "Same. Is the Medical Wing within walking distance from here?"
"It's on the far end," the attendant said. "But there's a tram if you want to head there directly."
Will looked at Katie, barely containing himself.
She groaned. "Go. I know that look."
"I'll meet you later at the park for dinner?"
"I'll drag you out of that Medical Wing if you forget."
With one last nod, Will turned and stepped outside—toward the place where prehistoric creatures waited, and where, though he didn't know it yet, a dark-haired handler was already prepping his first patient's chart for the day.
The smell of antiseptic and damp earth hit Will Solace the moment he stepped into the park's medical wing. It was surprisingly quiet—no beeping monitors or frantic voices like a hospital—but instead, a low hum of ventilation fans and the occasional rustle of straw. He adjusted the strap of his bag and looked around with wide eyes, half-expecting some sort of doctor in a lab coat to greet him. Instead, there was a boy—no, a guy about his age—crouched beside a juvenile stegosaurus, shoulder-length black hair falling into his face, black button-up sleeves pushed up with a brown vest, and gloved hands tending carefully to the dino's injured leg. Despite his dishelved look, he was...
The Stegosaurus let out a soft, disgruntled noise as he nudged his head in Will's direction. The boy looked over. Black eyes meet his Blue eyes, and he swore he saw the mysterious boy's eyes glimmering in the light.
Will blinked. "Oh. Uh. Hi."
They stared at each other for a few more seconds before the guy snapped out his daze, frowning like Will had interrupted something sacred.
"You're the med student?"
"Yeah. Will Solace." He extended a hand, then awkwardly lowered it when the other didn't take it. "I'm here to observe dino healing and, y'know, not get eaten. Hopefully."
The guy deadpanned, "We only let the small ones eat interns."
Will laughed. The guy didn't.
"Right," Will said, trying not to sound deflated. "And you are…?"
"Nico," he muttered, going back to disinfecting a shallow cut on the stego's hind leg. The dinosaur grunted softly, twitching its tail. "She's Clover. Got spooked by one of the security drones and fell into a ravine. Nothing broken, just scrapes."
Clover, Will noted, was beautiful in that earthy, ancient way—mossy green hide, plates rising along her back like jagged sails. Her sides were heaving, pupils wide with stress. Will stepped forward instinctively, pulling out his notebook.
"She looks really anxious," he murmured. "Do you use sedatives? Or something gentler?"
Nico gave him a sideways glance. "Gentle doesn't really exist when your patient outweighs a car."
"But fear response has physiological effects—faster heart rate, cortisol spike, slowed healing." Will crouched a little, keeping his voice low. Nico looks at him with those gorgeous onyx eyes and raises an eyebrow. "I just… I think she's scared."
"She's always scared. She's six months old. The world's still big and loud."
Will offered a quiet hum of agreement. "Mind if I…?" He gestured toward her flank.
Nico hesitated, eyes flicking from Clover to Will. "Stay close to the wall. And don't make sudden movements."
"Got it," Will nodded, heart pounding with excitement. I'm standing next to an adorable stegosaurus and a hot guy. This is happening. He stepped slowly, hands open, letting Clover see him. She snorted but didn't move away. Will crouched again, scribbling notes, then glanced up at Nico.
"Do they remember people? Like elephants do?"
"Some of them," Nico said, just as a sharp metallic clang echoed from outside—a supply cart had tipped over near the building entrance.
Clover's head shot up.
"Oh no," Will whispered.
In an instant, the dinosaur let out a distressed bellow and thrashed to the side, knocking over a tray of tools with a loud crash. Nico sprang to his feet. Will stumbled backward as Clover's tail swung wide, knocking over a crate.
"Move!" Nico shouted, grabbing Will by the back of his shirt and yanking him toward the side wall just as Clover backed into the gate—and it burst open.
The heavy door clanged against the wall as the young stego, eyes wide and panicked, bolted out of the stall in a flurry of footsteps and whipping tail.
"She's loose!" someone called from the hallway.
Will's breath came in gasps as he pressed against the wall, Nico's arm still braced across his chest, keeping him from darting forward.
"Is she—did she just run out?!"
Nico glared at him. "This is why I said not to get close."
"Hey, that wasn't my fault!"
Nico exhaled sharply through his nose and turned toward the open gate. "Stay here. She won't go far, but she's still limping. I can catch her."
Will stood straighter. "You're not going alone."
"Yes, I am."
"No, you're not," Will said firmly, heart still racing. "She's injured, and scared, and if she panics harder, her body's going to shut down on itself. You need someone who knows medicine."
Nico paused at the doorway, silhouetted against the bright afternoon sun and the chaos unfolding just outside. He looked over his shoulder, expression unreadable.
"…Fine. Don't slow me down."
Will cracked a grin. "Yes, sir."
The grass beyond the medical bay was long and silver-tipped, swaying in the humid breeze. The enclosures beyond stretched wide, naturalistic open zones mimicking prehistoric plains, with shallow ponds and sparse tree clusters. Clover hadn't gone far; her wide, limping tracks were easy to follow in the soft soil. Will jogged a few paces behind Nico, trying to keep up without making too much noise.
"She's heading for the shade," Nico muttered, ducking under a low branch. "Instincts kick in when they're scared. She'll want cover."
Will glanced around. "Are there other dinosaurs in this zone?"
"No. This part's isolated for recovery cases. Worst thing she'll run into is a water monitor or an annoyed goose."
Will huffed. "Honestly? Geese are worse."
That earned him a breath of a laugh from Nico—quiet, sharp, like he wasn't used to letting it out.
They crested a small slope, and there she was—Clover, curled half in a shallow depression, her side rising and falling in rapid breaths. Her tail flicked nervously, dirt scuffed where she'd dragged it behind her.
Will stopped. "She looks terrified."
"She probably is." Nico crouched slowly, holding one hand up in a steadying gesture. His voice dropped into something softer—almost melodic. "Hey, it's alright. You're not in trouble."
Clover's head lifted. She gave a low groan of recognition, her eyes flicking to Will.
"I think she remembers me," Will whispered.
"Doubtful," Nico said—but he didn't stop Will from stepping forward. "She's reacting to tone. Posture. You're not a threat."
Will approached carefully, lowering himself into a crouch across from her. He didn't try to touch her—just hummed, soft and aimless, the way he used to with injured shelter animals back home.
"I used to do this with horses back at my home in Austin," he murmured. "Hum a little. Let them know you're calm. I guess fear doesn't change much, species to species."
Nico watched him, lips parted slightly like he wasn't sure what to make of him. "She's still scared," he said, more gently now. "But she's not panicking anymore."
"She just needs time. And quiet."
They sat like that for another minute. Will was humming under his breath, and Nico was staying perfectly still.
Eventually, Clover exhaled a long, shuddering breath and tucked her head under her front limb. Not asleep. Not relaxed. But no longer fleeing.
Will turned to Nico, voice soft. "So, do you work with all the injured ones?"
"Mostly. I'm not technically a vet. More like a handler who… stuck around long enough to learn how to stitch things."
"That's impressive—Uh—I think we got off on the wrong foot earlier." Will cleared his throat and smiled, offering his hand again. "William Solace, Will for short. Med student. Dino nerd since age seven."
Nico blinked at the hand, then hesitantly shook it. His grip was unnaturally cold, calloused. “Niccolo di Angelo, Nico. Handler-slash-grumpy babysitter for prehistoric lizards."
"Grumpy?" Will teased. "You? No…”
Nico rolled his eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You were surprisingly fast for someone who looks like a Victorian ghost," Will added, nodding toward where Nico had pulled him from danger earlier. Nico cutely frowns
"I saved your life."
"I thanked you with a compliment."
"You called me a ghost."
"A fast ghost."
Nico let out a sigh that was definitely masking a laugh. "Let's get her back before she tries to headbutt the electric fence."
Will stood and dusted off his pants. "You know, this was probably the best first day I've ever had."
"Most people wouldn't say that after nearly getting flattened by a dinosaur."
Will glanced at Clover, who was slowly rising to her feet again, wobbling but calm. Then he looked back at Nico, that quiet smile still lingering.
"I guess I'm not like most people."
As Will and Nico finally arose from where they sat, Clover did the same, and the three moved slowly through the grass. The stego's injured leg is dragging slightly with each step. Nico walked at her flank, murmuring low reassurances as she went. Will followed a little behind, his heart pounding—not entirely sure from where, but it was something heavier and quieter, like something delicate had just happened and he wasn't ready to let go of it yet.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Will asked softly, keeping his voice gentle so as not to startle Clover again.
"She'll heal. Physically, at least." Nico kept his eyes forward. "Dinosaurs remember fear. Stress lingers. Sometimes that's harder to fix."
Will glanced over at him. "That… sounded personal."
Nico didn't answer. Just kept walking, one hand brushing Clover's side like a steadying anchor.
By the time they reached the trail leading to the enclosure gate, a utility truck was already waiting for them, parked just off the gravel path. Another handler—older, taller, and blonde—climbed out of the passenger side and nodded toward Nico.
"Will Solace?" the man asked, reading off a clipboard.
"That's me."
He grunted. "Nice of you to shake up the schedule on the first day in."
Will smiled sheepishly. "What can I say, I am an overachiever."
They coaxed Clover into the back of the padded transport with the help of a feed bucket. Will watched as she finally settled down, head bobbing tiredly. The truck rumbled back toward the medical wing with the sun dipping low through the trees, streaking everything gold and orange.
Will and Nico rode in the back with her, both of them silent at first—too much adrenaline left to untangle. Nico sat opposite Will, resting his elbows on his knees, his shirt streaked with dirt and blood and sweat. The light caught on to something darker—red at the corner of his mouth.
Will frowned. "You're bleeding."
Nico blinked, slightly adazed. "What?"
"Your lip."
Nico swiped a thumb over his mouth and stared at the blood like he hadn't even noticed it. "Huh. Must've been from earlier."
Will reached into his bag, pulling out a small first-aid pouch. "Here, let me. You probably shouldn't touch it with your gloves still on."
"I'm fine."
Will raised an eyebrow. "If this is some hyper-masculine thing, I'm ignoring it."
Nico hesitated. Then, finally, with a reluctant sigh, he sat back and let Will scoot closer.
The space between them felt suddenly charged—less like two coworkers and more like something… fragile, unnamed. The kind of quiet where one wrong word might tip the whole world sideways.
Will opened an alcohol swab and leaned in. "This might sting."
Nico didn't flinch, but Will could feel the shift in his breath—shallow, restrained. The cut wasn't deep; it was just split at the edge of his lip. Maybe he'd bit it when pulling Will out of the way. Up close, Nico smelled like eucalyptus and sweat and something warm and earthy—like sunbaked stone. His skin was an olive cool from the breeze, his lashes casting soft shadows under his eyes.
Will, now clearly staring, cleared his throat. "You always throw yourself in front of stampeding dinosaurs, or was I just special?"
Nico's mouth twitched. "You were very much not special. You just have no self-preservation instinct."
Will smiled, now focusing on the wound. "And yet you saved me."
"I save idiots all the time."
The corners of Will's mouth tugged up, but his fingers stayed steady as he applied a butterfly bandage, his touch light.
"I think I like this version of you," Will murmured.
Nico frowned. "What version?"
"The one that talks."
Will risks a glance at Nico, and sure enough, dark eyes met his. For a second—just one—they didn't look annoyed or guarded. Just tired. Honest.
"I don't talk unless it matters."
Will leaned back slightly, not enough to break the moment but enough to breathe again. His voice was quieter now. "Then I'm glad I was worth saying something to." He beams.
The truck rumbled along the gravel path, dipping slightly as it neared the service entrance of the medical wing. Nico hadn't moved after Will finished patching his lip. He just sat there, elbows still resting on his knees, watching Will with that same unreadable expression. Not irritated. Not grateful. Just… something in between, raw and quiet.
Will should've said something—he felt like he should've. Something light, maybe a joke to cut the air. But for once, words didn't rise to meet the moment. He just watched Nico back, blue eyes locking with black, both of them still breathing like the chase hadn't quite ended.
The truck rolled to a soft stop.
Neither of them moved.
The low hum of the engine faded, and in the quiet that followed, something hung there—thick as steam. Will's fingers fidgeted near the open flap of his bag. Nico opened his mouth slightly, as if he were about to speak.
And then—
A sharp cough.
Both boys flinched.
The third person in the truck—the older handler who'd come with the vehicle—climbed down from the cab and leaned through the open side. "You two wanna keep making heart eyes, or are we unloading this stego?"
Will blinked. "Wait… heart eyes? HAHA pleaseIhavenoIdeawhayouaretalkingaboutImeanIwasn'tthatobviousnowright—"
Nico shot him a look sharp enough to cut wire. "Jason—"
The other handler—Jason raised his hands in mock surrender. "Right, right. Serious time. Baby dinosaur. Got it."
But something was knowing behind his eyes when he glanced between them again. Something that said he'd noticed exactly what was happening inside that truck.
Will coughed into his elbow, face warm. "So… Jason. Noted."
Nico muttered something under his breath that Will didn't quite catch, but it sounded a lot like "I'm going to kill him."
They stood together, side by side, as Jason began prepping the ramp for unloading. Clover stirred gently, ready to move again. As Nico helped guide Clover down the ramp, Will followed, his heart hammering louder than it had during the chase. That cut had bled more than he expected.
And maybe—just maybe—so had something else.
As they go back inside the medical wing, Will helps Nico finish up Clover's leg.
As the silvery moonlight began to seep through the small windows, casting delicate shadows across the room, Nico prepared Clover for her transfer back to her sanctuary. The soft glow illuminated his focused expression. Will, perched nearby, watched with a mix of admiration and uncertainty swirling in his chest. Each passing moment nudged him closer to a decision—a silent battle between his heart and his hesitation. Just as Nico turned away, his back facing Will, the urge to speak surged through him. In an impulsive moment, he reached out, his fingers brushing the air in an effort to halt Nico's departure.
"So uh—"
"Yes?" Nico turned around rather too quickly, he thought, or was Will just overthinking it?
Gods, he was so pretty in this light, Will thought. He cleared his throat. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
They remained rooted to the spot, the weight of time pressing heavily on Will, stretching moments into what felt like an unending eternity. Finally, Clover gently nudged Nico with her head, her gaze reflecting a silent longing to return home, breaking the stillness that enveloped them. Nico offers her a gentle smile, Gods that smile, Will wishes he'd be able to be the reason for that smile too. Woahholdthefuckupthatcameoutofnowhereholymotherofdino-
"We'll see," Nico says as he looks back up at Will, before offering him a wave.
────────
The days passed in heat and healing and routine.
Will's shifts started early; the medical wing was always filled with the low hum of machinery, the scratch of boots against concrete, and the occasional thunder of distant footsteps from something large and reptilian just beyond the walls. He was rotated through minor cases—treating shallow abrasions, assisting in fluid tracking, analyzing blood samples that were unlike any creature he'd ever studied.
He loved it. Every part of it.
But it wasn't why he kept glancing toward the hallway.
Nico didn't show.
Ever since Clover.
Will kept telling himself it wasn't weird—handlers had rotating schedules, some worked in different zones, some were only called in for specific species. There were dozens of reasons for Nico not to be around. And yet, every time the door opened, every time a dark silhouette passed the frosted glass, Will's pulse jumped just a little. And every time it wasn't him, it dropped like a stone.
Katie noticed, of course. She always did.
The one time they crossed paths over lunch, she didn't say anything. Just offered a knowing look over her sandwich and nodded like, yeah. I've seen that face before.
By the third day, Will had stopped hoping. Well, mostly.
He stayed late to finish a chart, and his final patient—a sickly compsognathus, he was definitely gonna take a picture for Katie—was finally dozing in its habitat tank. The sky outside was already dimming into a bruised shade of dusk, streaks of lavender fading into deepening jungle green. The other interns and staff had clocked out. Only the lights from the lab stations and the occasional chirp of evening creatures filled the space.
He wiped down the last set of instruments, humming quietly under his breath.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow, purposeful, familiar in a way that made the hairs rise on his arms before he even looked up.
Nico.
He stood just inside the door, backlit by the hallway light, all in black again—boots scuffed, gloves tucked into his belt. His hair was damp at the edges, like he'd just come from a wash station, and his mouth, the cut still a bit visible, had that same neutral line that Will had come to memorize far too quickly.
Will froze, not trusting himself to speak first.
Seeing the state he was in, Nico cleared his throat, just once. Then, voice low and casual—too casual—he said, "Clover's doing better. Finally eating again."
Will blinked. "That's… good. That's great, actually."
"She… headbutted someone this morning. Just a little. A nudge. Which is how she shows affection, apparently."
Will smiled. "That's adorable."
Nico looked like he might disagree, but the corner of his mouth twitched before he could stop it. "I figured you might want to know."
"I did," Will said honestly. "I've been wondering how she was doing." And you were doing too, he wanted to say.
A pause. Not tense—just thick. Like the air between them had been waiting three days to breathe again.
Nico's eyes flicked to the cleaned table, then back to Will.
"I also…" He shifted his weight, suddenly unsure. "I take care of the raptors. Usually in the late shifts."
Will blinked. "Raptors? As in the Raptors?"
Nico gave a small nod. "Not the big pack. Juveniles. They're in the transition pen—just old enough to pretend they're scary."
Will tilted his head, heart picking up pace. "You're offering to introduce me to baby raptors?"
"They're not babies," Nico muttered. Then, quieter: "But yeah."
Another pause.
Then Nico added, more offhand than necessary: "If you're free. I mean. If you want to."
Will stared at him for a beat too long. Then smiled.
"Are you asking me on a date, Nico di Angelo?"
Nico didn't flinch—but his eyes did narrow just slightly.
"They're still medically monitored," he said dryly. "So technically, I'm asking you on a research-adjacent enrichment tour."
Will laughed, warm and low. "Right. That sounds very professional."
"I am professional."
"And extremely subtle," Will said, stepping closer. "Is this your version of flirting?"
Nico didn't answer. But his gaze lingered just a second longer than it needed to. Then he walked towards Will, hands behind his back, steps excruciatingly slow and slightly flirtatious, but it's probably because Will hadn't seen Nico in so long (3 days).
"I just figured you liked raptors, considering you had that awful-looking raptor-dog tee the other day." He says and stops, an inch or two away from Will, who had just realized their height difference. Wait a minute, awful-looking?!
"Meet me at the south enclosure after your shift," he said, looking up at Will, who swore that he was now blushing furiously, staining his cheek and ears, and the glimmer in his eyes as he stared down at Nico. "Don't be late. Raptors don't like to wait."
With a sly grin, Nico twists his heel towards the exit and leaves.
And Will was left in the middle of the lab, still wearing gloves, surrounded by silence—and grinning like an idiot into the fluorescent light.