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The air was chilly when Nico closed the Chevy’s door in front of the dorm building. Being just back from a study session, preparing for the upcoming midterm exams week after Winter break, some of the same old realisations he had been having since the school year started hit him again. It was alright, but it didn't feel like he thought it would at this point of his first year. No excitement before classes, no curiosity after those either. If anyone was to ask how come he hated the major he picked on his own, Nico would say he never truly desired to have a major at all. Ever since senior year had started last year, his father had been pushing him to go to med school or maybe study engineering, do something solid, build a solid life. Nico hated math though, just like he couldn’t care less for biology, or chemistry, or physics or anything they taught him, well besides a little bit of history, geography and english. So, motivated by his indifference for those classes and his love for Mitomagic, Nico decided to go for a history degree.
Oh to go back and change that, he thought to himself some nights, but then again, what would he study? Some nights, when he is high with his friends and his father’s voice fades in his head, he thinks about quitting it all and going all in for a streaming career, maybe play games for a living, maybe create games with some indie company, something he actually enjoys for once, those thoughts of course go away quickly when he's sober again, his father would probably disown him if he ever did something like that, he never quite understood Nico, because that would require a conversation that lasts more than 5 minutes and his father doesn’t have time for that.
When the door of his dorm apartment closed behind him, leaving the cold outside with the snow and the thoughts of his father, Nico heard Percy scream something at Leo.
“What are they arguing about this time?” Nico said, hanging his coat on the coat rack and looking at Jason who was reading something on their couch, unbothered by the noise.
“Oh, I think Leo got the shirt Percy wanted to use for the party tonight mixed up in the laundry, something about a white shirt being green now or whatever” Jason smiled at him, moving his feet so Nico could sit with him “ How was it at the library?” He asked putting the book down “There is some pie on the fridge, by the way, i managed to save some from those two beasts”
“God, do they ever grow up?” Nico said with a smile on his face, sitting down next to Jason “And wait, what party? I didn’t know Percy had plans, what about the New Year movie night?” Nico put a pout on his face about the movie night, he really was looking forward to that before the long week ahead.
“Jackson is not the only one with plans, Nico” Jason grinned “We will all be going” Jason looked deep in his eyes as Nico made a childish mad face “And don’t make that face, all includes Will, too” And just like that, with the simple mention of Will Solace, Nico turns bright red.
“Oh my God, what did you say to him? How did you even got him to agree?” Besides being red and a little shy now, Nico was also shocked. Will is probably the most dedicated student Nico knows, has always been. When they were little, still building pillowforts on their parents living rooms and laughing playing Mitomagic until late at night during the weekends, Will was the one to remind Nico to study and make sure he passed each year with ok grades. That didn’t change when they got older, but now Nico had to work harder since they had different majors and poor Will, busy at Columbia with all his pre-med stuff, could not save his ass anymore.
Will had been so busy lately that he didn’t stay back home long for the holidays, coming back right after Christmas. Nico never really planned on doing so, the whole going back home to his family things, both his sisters and his mom are in New York too, Bianca is at NYU too for film school and Hazel is at Cornell for Information Science, and his mom moved here after the divorce, so that is all the family that matters with him. But that was a surprise coming from Will. Unlike Nico, who grew apart from his father after his mom and him divorced, Will was a big family guy. His dad also wasn’t really around, but his mom and him are impossibly close, so to have Will stay here, so far from Texas this early after Christmas, a holiday he used to enjoy so much with his mom, really shows how dedicated he is. Which is why Nico is shocked to learn he will be attending this party too today.
“Chill, Nico.” Jason said as reassurance, knowing Nico’s anxious nature about everything, but especially his hidden feelings for his childhood best friend “I didn’t say anything about you being madly in love with him or anything when I invited him, just did my best to remember him to have a little fun too” Jason was grinning at this point again “He was a little red too when I said something about him sleeping over here after the party, with you”
Jason was fully convinced Will was also in love with Nico, just as much as he was with him. Nico thought that idea was ridiculous when Jason first said it, right after Will had first met Nico's roommates at a party earlier this year. And he still does, of course, he would never allow himself to dream that big, it would never be real. He knew Will loved him a lot, but he also knew Will was way too good for him and that he would never look at Nico like that. Nico is not really like the boys Will hanged around in High School when they both came to accept they both liked boys, or like the boys Will hangs around with now at Columbia, so Nico will never really believe in that idea, but that night, right after Jason said that and Percy and Leo joked about how cute of couple him and Will were and were shocked to find they weren’t a couple at all, Nico spent the night dreaming about a reality in which he gets to love Will just like that, hold him like that, kiss him just cause he can and really needs to, to be his boyfriend.
“How many times do I have to say he does not like me like that?” Nico got up and went looking for that pie. “And I am not sure about this party, I don’t even have anything to wear”
“Well” Jason got up too and Leo walked into the room right on time to hold his boyfriend by the waist and almost bring him down again, he really does not understand the concept of doing things slowly. “You can’t leave your boy waiting, right?”
“And you do have what to wear, dude” Leo jumps into the conversation, but he is fully staring at Jason, waiting for his attention. “I just washed a bunch of our clothes, no need to thank me, and that see through black shirt looks amazing on you” He said, giving Jason’s cheeks some small peeks.
“Alright, well, I’ll think about it.” Nico left for his room, leaving before the scene got too gross, Jason was already starting to give into Leo’s disgusting clingy behaviour and it was only so long until they fully started making out, like always.
He walked with a piece of pie in his hand, and at his shared room with Jason door Percy was having a full breakdown about the shirt still. He said something out loud about what was he supposed to wear to the party now, then grabbed his phone, probably to call annabeth and cry some more about that, he tried to talk to Nico about that too, but honestly Nico was too tired for that subject and though he loves Percy a lot, now is not the best time to discuss his new green shirts, so Nico just nodded to whichever insults Percy was giving Leo and to his old bullshit about how he would start to wash his own shirts, change his house obligation with Leo so that he would never touch any shirt ever again, Nico knew better than to believe, Percy always forgot to wash clothes, he could barely remember to put away his own, he was the designed bathroom cleaner and he would probably be until they moved out, so Nico just pretended to believe and got into his own room, closing the door behind him.
He took of his shoes out, sat on his bed and ate looking at the snow falling outside from his window, he thought about calling his mom, maybe he would do it later, cause by the time he was done with the pie, he felt his eyes get heavier, he had woken up early after all, so he put the plate on the side table, slipped into some old clothes to be more comfortable at home and lay down, checking his phone. Will had sent him a text about morning studies and meeting Jason at a coffee shop, about the party and how he would probably have to sleep over, those messages were enough to make Nico red again, he closed his eyes for a second and God, how he wished he could be holding Will right now, to feel his soft hair on his pillow besides him, to lock their fingers as they fell asleep, he opened his eyes to reply.
From Will ❤️: Ugh the library was soooo full.
From Will ❤️: TELL ME WHYYYY what are those people even doing hereeee go homeeee
From Will ❤️: was yours crowded too? Did you have breakfast already?
From Will ❤️: going to the coffee shop, don't forget to eat nicoooo
From Will ❤️: OMGGG i ran into jason
From Will ❤️: so glad we will see each other todayyyyyy
From Will ❤️: cancelled my studying for this dude so you better be there for the whole night with me
From Will ❤️: i will probably have to sleep with you today tho
From Will ❤️: i mean at your dorm lol its closer from the party and i wont be able to get back to mine in time to get in sooo
From Will ❤️: NEW YEAR PAJAMA PARTY YYAYYY
From you: my library was full too omg
From you: that was hell but well here i am
From you: i ate already btw
From you: had a few grapes while i was at the library
From you: i ate a pie just now too
From you: i am also glad we are seeing each other soon
From you: ill look for your pjs later
From you: so it will be easier when we get back
From you: gonna nap now tho
From you: love u ❤️
Nico turned his phone off and put it at the side table next to the empty plate, memories of Will’s golden hair and his shiny smile began to flood his mind as his eyes got heavier, like always, his sweetest dreams were always the ones about Will. He closed his eyes, letting the pretty images of his greatest love take him to dreamland while simultaneously fantasizing about the meeting between the two later and how pretty Will would look in his best party clothes and make up.
He woke up a few hours later, when the sky was way darker through the window, to Jason with a towel around his waist, hair soaking wet, looking for something in his drawer, he didn't seem to notice that Nico was awake. Anyone with working ears could hear the noises outside from miles away, Percy and Leo were blasting the Hamilton soundtrack, and worst, singing along to with. Nico knew better than to think this would stop soon, this was just their pre-getting ready ritual, the worst was to come when they would monopolize the bathroom to take care of their curls while being even louder to Sabrina Carpenter or Olivia Rodrigo or some other pop girl Nico didn’t quite knew the name of.
“What time is it?” Nico said with a raspy, sleepy voice while sitting up on his bed.
“Oh my God, don’t scare me like that!” Jason turned from facing the drawers and put his hand over his chest right where he thought his heart was. “It’s still seven, don’t worry, just thought I would shower earlier to escape from whatever madness they got going on in that bathroom later.” Jason was smiling softly already to Nico, like he always did. “You should go soon, too, I think it might only get worse from now on.”
“Yeah , I should.” Nico smiled back, because he could never be mean to Jason, who was nothing but sweet and gentle to him ever since they met for the first time, not even when he was grumpy from having just woken up.
Nico got up slowly, taking his time to look outside at the snow drop and to check the time on his phone, it was about eight past six. Bianca and Hazel had sent him a few text in their group chat about being at the party too and asking for pics of what he was going to wear. Nico answered them on his way to the bathroom, passing through a dancing Percy Jackson and a Leo Valdez very much entertained by his skills.
After closing the bathroom door behind him, Nico stopped on his tracks before taking off his clothes and getting in the shower to answer Will, who had left his phone full of notifications when he went to bed. Some messages about what he was going to wear, when would he get there, some pics here and there, because that's just how will text, with pics to illustrate what he is going through as he writes. Nico had a hard time pretending to be normal about these, God did they made his heart stop, but he had to get moving if he wanted to be done before Percy or Leo got banging on the door about needing time to shower for their hairs or whatever, so he put his phone aside after answering, took his clothes off and got in the shower.
The steam that took over the room also took over his mind and Nico was hit with subtle realization that the year was ending, this time, for real. Another year that went by with him not really doing what he wished he would. Another year in which he let himself be talked down by his father. Another year he buried his feelings for Will deep inside as if it didn’t devour his soul every waking moment. But the year was over anyways, nothing he could do to change it, he told himself, like all the years before.
He got off the shower and into his room again in a thoughtless motion, he was getting on his feelings again, so he did what he always did when it started to happen, act like everything was alright.
“Leo was right, you know” Jason was fully dressed now, white shirt and some dark washed jeans, hair still a little wet though, with the hairbrush in his hand, looking at Nico, who faced their drawers now. “The see-through shirt would look really good on you”
“Yeah” was all Nico managed to answer, grabbing the shirt and throwing it on with some dark jeans.
“Things are bound to get better, Nico.” Jason smiled at him when Nico turned around. “This year was hard, but that is usually how it goes when you just started something, you know? Don’t push yourself too hard”
“I just” Nico stopped as his throat felt a little too rough and his eyes felt watery. “Yeah, I know, maybe I just need some time.” He sat on the bed, fully dressed now, trying to put himself together as Jason sat down beside him.
“Take your time, alright? We will all be right here if you need anything.” Jason hugged him tight and Nico’s phone started to ring. “I’ll leave you to it, it is still early, i’ll be in the living room surviving whatever madness Leo and Percy have going on right now, i’ll come calling for you when we are ready to leave”
Nico picked the phone as Jason left the room and closed the door behind him, great, it was his father calling.
Nico only heard a heavy breathing at first followed by words being sad like his father was just saying the hardest words he ever had to say.
“Hey, Nico.”
“Hey, dad.” The line went silent for a few seconds after that.
“Listen, I…” His father stopped again, this was weird. “I just felt like we couldn’t go another year like this.” Oh so that was what this call was about, fuck, Nico breathed heavy before his father continued. “I just feel like we can never really talk, you know? Like i don’t really know my own son” Nico was speechless by now, never in a million years did he expect his father to admit their lack of connection out loud. “And I have been talking to your step mother about this, about us and about you, and she made me realize that maybe I haven’t really been a nice dad, the father you and your sisters deserved.” So it was Perséphone. A part of Nico felt sad that having three kids be distant from him wasn’t enough to make him rethink his parenting style but his new wife was, but well, better latter than never. “I wanna talk. About everything, maybe not right now, but next time you and your sister come home, we could all sit and talk about it.”
“Dad, I” Nico started a while after his father last spoke. “I wanna talk to you, yeah, it would make this madness way less terrible, you know, telling you the truth and all.” Nico was getting caught in his feelings again, his throat closing up, just like it was a while ago, and his eyes, that had barely dried, getting wet all over again.
“What’s going on, Nico?” His father seemed worried. “I know I said we should talk some other day, in person, and I know I may not show it a lot, but hearing you like this does break my heart.” Nico was fully crying by now.
“It’s just” He tried to find the words. “I hate it here. I hate college. I don’t like the classes and I don’t want this to be the rest of my life. I barely have any friends in all of my classes and I just want to make you proud, I” His throat stopped him, it was so hard to speak, and God, he didn’t even knew where he got the courage to say this to his dad. “I don’t wanna let you down.”
“Nico.” He heard a cry in his father's voice too, or maybe his own cry was just that loud. “I love you. Forever. I loved you when I first saw your crying baby self, I loved you when you first walked, when you first talked, when you had your first day of school, when me and your mother divorced, I loved you when you got into college and left for New York, I have been loving you and I’ll do that until the day I die.” Nico was a mess and now he was sure his father was too. “I am sorry I ever made you feel like you couldn’t tell me things.”
“It’s ok, dad.” Was all he could reply. “I love you, too, a lot”
They stayed in silence for a while, then Nico thought that if he would ever had the courage to tell his father about changing his major and pursuing a different career, with the games and all, it would be now. “Dad, I think I wanna switch majors.”
“Right, I mean, it is a big change, yeah, but I am here for you, so, what is it going to be?”
He heard his father catching his breath as he said it.
“I’m not , like, sure, but I like to make games. I like playing them and I think making it would be fun, too”
“That’s” His father stopped. “Nice. Different, maybe a little hard, you know? But I trust you, son, and I want you to know I’ll be here for it, for everything, forever.”
Nico smiled, it really did make him feel better, like a weight was lifted off of him, to hear such nice things from his father, he hadn’t felt like this while talking to him since he was five or so. He heard the sound of the shower that had started somewhen after Jason left the room, which indicated that Percy was done showering, it reminded Nico of the party and of Will, and that made him blush, of course.
“Thanks, dad. I should probably go now, everyone seems to be off the shower now and we’ll leave soon, I think.” He got up from his bed, his phone still near his ears.
“Oh, a New Year party? Will is going to be there, too? Are you guys finally together?” He could picture the smile his father had in his face just by the sound of his voice now.
“God, not you too, dad. We are just friends, but yes, he is going, too.”
“Well, alright then, Nico. Have a great night, yes? Send everyone hugs for me, I love you.”
“I love you, too. Bye, dad.” Nico hung up the phone.
Gosh was that weird. But so relieving, too. How long has it been since Nico felt this light? Maybe since his parents divorced, who knows, all he knows now is that maybe Jason is right, maybe things are bound to get better.
Nico opened the door to see all of the boys in the living room. Jason was busy with something on his phone, maybe texting Piper or Thalia about the party, occasionally looking up from his phone to watch whatever movie was on TV. Leo was concentrated in the movie, sitting on the sofa, next to his boyfriend, surrounded by a bunch of hair products. Percy was on the floor in front of them, using the products with Leo while also concentrating on the TV.
Nico sat beside Percy on the floor and grabbed his phone again. Eight o clock right now and a bunch of messages from his sisters, talking about their dad, meaning they probably also got a call. His mom had texted him, too.
From momma: Hey baby.
From momma: I will be at my friends house for dinner tonight, will you and your sisters come?
From momma: Oh, i just got a text from Bianca
From momma: A party will be it for you three than i guess
From momma: It is ok, we will meet tomorrow for lunch, yes?
From momma: Love you so so much
From momma: Enjoy the party, send kisses to all your friends! Invite them for tomorrow too!
From momma: Especially will uh
From you: sorry about dinner, mom, i would go with you, but i already accepted the party so
From momma: Oh dont worry, honey, i’ll survive!
From you: and yes we will have lunch with you tomorrow
From you: i’ll invite the guys
From momma: And will, yes?
From you: will is one the guys tho?
From momma: Don’t call your lover one of the boys nico
From you: OH MY GOD MOM
From you: WE ARE NOT DATING
From momma: Whatever you say, honey
From you: dad called
From momma: How was it? Do you wanna call me? Meet up?
From you: no, it was good
From momma: That is great to hear, baby
From you: told him about hating it here
From you: mentioned the plans for working with games and all
From you: he was supportive i guess
From momma: So happy for you, my love
From momma: Great things are coming our way this year
From you: yeah i guess so mom
From momma: I know it, I am a mom,, I know it all
From you: hahahhahah i guess yes momma
From momma: I have to go now
From momma: Byee, love you sooo much 💘
From you: bye mom, love you ❤️
By the time Nico had put his phone down, it was already ten past eight, Percy and Leo were done getting ready.
“We should get going, Piper and Bianca are bothering me about getting some vodka and beer” Jason said getting up. “Leo will come with me. You guys can go straight to the party though, I know you wouldn’t survive a second more without seeing Annabeth, Jackson.” Jason teased grabbing his keys and Leo’s hand.
“Very funny, says the guy who sees his boyfriend everyday, all the time” Percy faked a laugh and got up, so Nico did too.
“Never said I wasn't exactly like you.” Jason said as he opened the door. “See you guys later” He said outside the door already.
“Bye, dudes” Leo screamed real loud from the hallway, then resumed singing Hamilton, very off key.
For Nico’s annoyance, Percy began singing along as they gathered their own jackets and keys and got ready to finally leave.
“If you keep on singing, I am actually going to throw you in front of a moving car” NIco said, getting out the door a few minutes later.
Percy grinned and sang louder. God, it is going to be a long ride to the girls’ apartment
New York looked beautiful from the cab’s window, the few trees were fully white now, and the lights from the Apartments were glistering, that was Nico’s favorite part. All those lights meant human life, meant Nico wasn’t going crazy in the city alone. He barely noticed that they had gotten there, those 40 minutes flew by.
Percy paid the cab, though Nico had money on his hand already, dismissing the offer from Nico’s hand. Percy started a conversation as they entered the girls building and went for the lift.
“You look good, Will is gonna be crazy over you, like always.” Percy smiled, pressing the number 8 on the lift’s panel.
“Gosh, is it “be delusional about Nico’s love life” day today?” Nico replied with fake annoyance, burning inside and feeling the blush take over his neck and cheeks.
“Please, it is not delusion if you guys sleep on the same bed every opportunity, do everything together and act like little kids around each other” Percy grinned then added “Plus, the dude looks at you like you saved the world twice and hanged the stars in the sky, he is as subtle as you, which is not at all.”
The lift’s door opened to Piper and Thalia’s floor before Nico could answer. Their apartment's door was open to some brunette guy and a red head girl to get in, being welcomed by Piper, who screamed when she saw Nico and Percy.
“Finally, oh my God, thought you guys had fallen asleep while getting ready,” She said, opening her arms for a hug, first to Nico, then to Percy. “There are a bunch of people here already, there are some drinks in the kitchen, hopefully it is enough for Leo and Jason to get here.” She added while walking with them into the apartment.
“Hello to you too, Piper.” Percy said, looking around already, for Annabeth, of course.
“Hello, Jackson, your girl is in the kitchen, keeping the things working and making sure no one is breaking anything.” Piper said and Percy left them for the kitchen within seconds after that.
“He won’t ever stop being obsessed with her, will he?” Nico said, smiling and setting for the couch.
“No, for sure not, but good for them, you know, they deserve each other.” Piper sat beside him.
“Yeah, good for them.” Nico said. Now it was his turn to look around the room, looking for
Will, cause how could he not.
“Your boy is not here yet, but you can still have fun without him, Nico.”
Nico blushed hard at that.
“Yeah, I, hm” Nico said, trying to act normal about the mention of Will, which he was not. “I’ll get a drink.” As he finished his sentence the bell rang and Piper smiled as she got up to get it.
Nico walked towards the kitchen in slow steps. Taking his time, looking around the apartment he had been to many times already, looking out the big balcony to what, in his opinion, was the best view to the city. A few familiar faces passed by him, it was early, but the big apartment was already crowded, friends of friends greeting him. Nico made some small talk to those who bothered to say more than hi to him, talking about the first semester and how fast the year had passed by, about how cold it was today and how nervous they were about the upcoming exams. Almost 30 minutes of small talk passed before Nico could actually make it to the kitchen.
Standing near the sink with cups and some red drink in his hand, he saw Frank, his sister's boyfriend.
“Hey, Frank, anything good for me here.”
“Oh, hey, Nico.” Frank turned to face him, smiling. “Yeah, this is gin with some energy drink. Berry flavored. Do you want some?”
Nico thought about not getting drunk tonight, he liked to be sober near Will, to be able to enjoy and mark their memories together as much as possible, but a drink or two wouldn’t kill him, plus, he had a hard day, so, he kind of deserved this.
“Yeah, sure. How’s school?” Nico said, holding his cup for Frank to pour the drink in.
“Great, dude, just being able to attend the same school as Hazel makes everything better, you know?” Frank smiled and blushed a little. Nico was happy to see that, to hear that, to know that his sister was truly and deeply loved by Frank.
“Yeah, it must be nice” They were facing the kitchen window now, and Nico couldn’t help but think about how things would be if Will and him went to the same school. They were in the same city, yes. They saw each other almost everyday, yes. They dedicated every Sunday to doing something together, just the two of them, yes. But Nico sort of missed paying more attention to how shiny Will’s hair looked or the shape of his lips than to class.
“So, is he coming tonight?”
“Who?” Nico asked, blushing, though he knew the answer.
“Your boyfriend? Will?” Frank looked a little confused, maybe Nico was that obvious, did Will catch on to his feelings, too?
“Oh my, he is not my boyfriend”
“Sorry dude.” Frank smiled again. “Hazel always mentions you two together, and you post him all the time, plus you guys are always making these love eyes when you are together, it just made sense for him to be your boyfriend, I guess.”
“I” Nico shuttered, he wished that was true. “We are friends, best friends, that’s all”
“I was just best friends with your sister once, too, you know?” Frank smiled, blushing again. “The love eyes, the wanting to be always together, the knowing each other better than anyone else, it was all there for us, too, before we called it dating. All it takes is one conversation or a kiss for it to change, Nico, you won’t ever know how good it can get if you don’t try.“ Frank finished his cup. “I say ruin the friendship. You two will need a midnight kiss anyway, two birds killed with one stone, yeah?” He said, leaving a very flushed Nico in the kitchen.
He stayed there for a while, finishing and refiling his cup twice or so, thinking about all Frank had said, about what Percy had said on their way here, about what Jason said in their room, about the way Piper talked about him and Will, before deciding he needed to pee and leaving the kitchen looking for the bathroom.
He peered through the kitchen door to find the main bathroom marked as occupied with the little clever the girls had set up so that no one tried to open the door with someone inside. So he went to the little bathroom near the laundry room.
Leaving the bathroom, going into the living room, Nico eyed, in one of the room corners, Bianca and Hazel, talking to a blushing Frank who couldn’t keep his eyes off Hazel and Shel, Piper’s girlfriend. They smiled when they saw him and while Nico made his way to them.
“Hey, you’re looking good tonight, mister” Hazel said, opening her arms to hug him. “Are you not cold, though?”
“Hey, sis, you look great, too.” He hugged her tight. “And I had a few things to drink already, so I’m not really cold”
“Drinking already, huh? So I guess Will is not here yet” Bianca said smiling, waiting for her hug, too.
“Can you not, please? Not you too.” Nico blushed as he hugged her.
“Is he not gonna be your midnight kiss, though? Are you gonna be shy while making out, too?” Bianca teased and everyone laughed.
“Oh my God, we are not going to kiss tonight, or any night, Will doesn’t like me like that” Nico said looking at the floor.
“I don’t know, dude, I shared maybe five rooms with you both together and I catched up on the tension, too, maybe tonight is the night.” Shell spoke with a grin on her face. “It took a while for me to be sure about Piper liking me the same way, too, you know? Tried to keep my distance, thought I was seeing things, but then she kissed me and everything made sense.”
“I told him that.” Frank said. “Everyone sees it, Nico, and there is no hiding from love, when it is there, it is there, period. There is just so much you can run from it.”
“Plus he obviously wants to kiss you too, Nico.” Bianca grinned again. “It is not just you with the heart on your sleeve.”
“That is true, his eyes spark in a very cute way when he looks at you.” Hazel smiled, Nico could tell it wasn’t in a way to make fun of him. “And you should give love a chance, Nico. It's not everyday that you find the love of your life in your childhood best friend. You deserve that, to be loved and cared for by someone you love just as much, don’t let your brain convince you otherwise.” She held his hand kindly.
“Yeah, alright, can we talk about someone else’s love life? Bianca what about that girl you were talking to” Nico tried to run from the subject, blushing, and it worked, no one pushed him about him and Will again, and they spent a long time talking about everything, how school was doing, how their father was changing, how love was fun for Bianca now that she had broken up with her high school girlfriend and was meeting new girls in uni.
They talked for so long that Nico saw the clock on the wall above the front door change from nine pm to eleven pm. Piper joined them after a while, holding Shel like someone was gonna steal her from her. Nico saw Annabeth and Percy on the couch talking to Thalia and Reyna, he saw Jason play some drinking game with some people on the coffee table, saw Leo entertaining a crowd of people with faces he remembered seeing in a party last month, but couldn’t quite name.
His mind then drifted to Will. Almost three hours at the party and nothing of him showing up. Or so he thought, but as his eyes drifted to the balcony on the other side of the room, he saw Will and some random black haired boy talking. Standing side by side, their arms touching. Nico couldn’t see their faces, but he could picture the boy saying something that made Will laugh wide. Any joy or happiness he had inside himself died right in this moment. Hazel apparently followed his gaze to Will cause she said, in a small voice, only for Nico to hear.
“You should go talk to him”
“He seems busy to me” Nico tried to sound unbothered.
“I don’t think there is anyone here he would like to talk to more than you, NIco.”
Nico could be as stubborn as it gets, but he did have a soft spot for what his sisters said to him, so he gathered all his courage and made his way to the balcony. He stopped beside Will and the boy, looking out into the city when Will turned and realized it was Nico besides him.
“Oh my, Nico! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Will was smiling so beautifully that Nico forgot all the words he knew in both English and Italian for a second.
“Yeah, me too.” Was all he could manage for now. Then he thought he should probably talk to the boy next to Will, too. “Hi, I’m Nico, nice to meet you” He said offering the boy a handshake.
“Oh hi, I’m Connor, nice to meet you, too.” The boy, Connor, said, shaking his hands. “I go to school with Will. He talks a lot about you, it is nice to finally have a face for such a recurrent name.” Nico blushed at that.
“All good stuff, I hope.” Nico replied.
“Oh yeah, all good stuff, but I must go now, my brother is probably looking for me, bye Will, bye Nico.” Connor waved them off and walked inside, leaving Nico and Will alone.
“So, when did you get here? Don’t think I saw you walk in” Nico started.
“Oh yeah, I came with Connor and Travis, we arrived maybe at nine something, probably.” Will turned, from the view to Nico, with the most beautiful smile on his face. God, Nico wanted him so much.
“I must’ve been in the bathroom. I would’ve talked to you sooner if I knew you were here.”
“So, looking good, huh.” Nico thinks he saw a blush to Will’s cheeks. Maybe he was seeing things. “Is the killer look for a specific, special someone?”
“No, the only person I was hoping to see at the party today was you.” Nico said before he could stop himself and started to panic. Why did he have to be so honest all the time with Will? His feelings were all over the face whenever they were together.
Will’s mouth opened and closed twice, if Nico thought he saw a blush in Will’s cheeks before, now he was sure. Maybe they both drank a little too much tonight.
“Well, I was also thinking about you all day today. I miss you a lot, you know? Being in the same city is not enough, I miss messing around in class with you.” Will said, not looking in Nico’s eyes anymore, but facing the view in front of them.
“Yeah, I feel the same way.” Nico said facing the view, too. “I talked to my dad today. He said some things about not being a good dad and all, apologized and we talked about me changing my career path.”
“What? Oh my God, Nico, and how are you feeling?” Will practically screamed.
“It was so fucking weird.” Nico said with a sign. “I don’t know? But it was good, too, after. I’ll probably end up changing majors, finally. But what about you? How’s everything doing?”
“I am going, I mean, my mom is doing better, we called today and she is feeling much better apparently, she looks better, too.” Will took deep breaths.
“I’m so glad to hear that, Will, I miss her so much, maybe we can go see her some time soon? Nico smiled to hear Naomi is doing better after falling from the stairs in early December.
“She said she misses you, too.” Will smiled, looking at Nico, who unintentionally held his breath when their eyes met.
They stared at each other in silence for a while, Nico was looking deeply in Will’s eyes, making sure the colors are like he remembered from the previous times he stared at it, engraving on his brain the way Will’s cheeks flushed and how beautiful he looked like that, almost ethereal, too pretty to be true. Conserving the way his chest rose as he breathed, the way his lips were red and plumbing. He kept staring and being stared back as he heard shouting from the living room, screams of a countdown and of “Happy new year” as he watched Will get closer until their lips were pressed against each other.
Nico had never felt something like this before. First he froze, then he thought maybe he was making up stuff. Maybe he passed out and this was a dream. Maybe he was still napping in his bed before the party. He had dreamed about kissing Will before, but this time was different, he felt. Will’s lips were heavy against his, Nico felt Will’s hand grab his neck, playing with the hair in his nape, so he held Will, too.
They eventually parted ways and Will looked like he was going to vomit any second. He opened his mouth to say something, probably apologize or something stupid like that, but before he could do that, Nico kissed him again. This time the kiss was deeper, Nico has been so hungry for this, for so long, and Will was too, because he let Nico deepen the kiss and put himself into it too. They kissed for a long time before separating, gasping for air.
“Happy New Year, Will” Nico said close to Will’s mouth, smiling stupid.
“Happy New Year, Nico.” Will smiled back, shy.
“Been wanting to do this for a while.” Nico still looked in his eyes as Will looked away. “Been in love with you for a while, too, maybe since forever. And since today a lot of things are changing for me, maybe this could change, too. I love you, Will, not only like a friend. You have been way more than that for me for a long time now.” Nico said with all his bravery, thinking about what his parents said about Will, what his sisters and his friends said about his feelings and their relationship, maybe they were right. These ideas were confirmed when Will looked in his eyes and replied with a low voice.
“I love you, too, Nico. I have always loved you, my favorite moments are with you and there is nothing I would rather do than spend the rest of my life with you, I would really like to kiss you again, too, though.”
Then they were both laughing, holding each other as Will went for a third kiss. They kissed for a while before being interrupted by Thalia’s voice.
“Hey, love birds, there is champagne, come get it before it is over!” Nico saw the smile on her face and both him and Will blushed as Thalia told Reyna, who was waiting inside for her, that the love birds were finally official.
Will and Nico were holding hands and giggling when they walked through the door of the balcony to the living room, Nico was so into Will’s smile that he barely noticed the grins in his friend's face. They both grabbed a glass with champagne and toasted to their new found feelings together.