Work Text:
Nico's eyes ran over the yellow sticky note stuck to the top corner of his computer for the hundredth time that hour.
"Persuasive essay about the ray. 2.5k words minimum"
What Nico had written down after exactly sixty four minutes? Four words.
Nico plopped his head on his desk, smacking the keyboard and putting a row of keyboard smash on the screen. The Ray, a light coming from the heavens that would essentially choose whether you live or die, took place in three days. A mere 72 hours from now—actually 65 hours at that moment. Not that he was subconsciously aware of every ticking minute in the back of his mind—he wasn't. Definitely.
De doo!
Scrambling his hands over to where his phone lay face down on the desk, he picked it up and the screen lit up automatically. It revealed his best—and one of his only—friend, Will Solace.
Sunshine(this_wonderfulday7Xx)
Hi Neeks whatcha doin?
Nico half smiled, eyes darting up to the 'essay' he was writing before back to the phone. He unlocked it and opened discord, where Will had messaged him.
You(deathboy_theog)
nothing important wbu
Only a few seconds of silence before bubbles popped up, "Sunshine is typing..." appearing at the bottom.
Sunshine(this_wonderfulday12Xx)
Nothing :P
Jkjk
I'm bored
Procrastinating the essay that's due on Monday
You(deathboy_theog)
me too lol
i dont want to talk more about the ray omfg
Sunshine(this_wonderfulday12Xx)
Yeah XD
Free to call?
You(deathboy_theog)
will, i have no social life, when am i not
Without further ado needed, an icon at the top of the screen appeared. "Incoming Call from Sunshine" it read, and Nico accepted immediately, tilting his phone so his eyes and the front of his hair(very fluffy from his recent shower) appeared at the bottom.
"Heyy," Will greeted, holding his phone up close to his face and waving his hand in the camera, simultaneously shaking it so his face was somewhat blurry for a second. "Neeks, you have something on the side of your face." He warned him.
"Wait huh?" Nico scrunched his eyebrows and raised the phone, turning his head to the side and scanning his cheek, pursing his lips as if that would help him see it. It wasn't until he looked up at the top half of the screen did he see Will smirking, phone now at a reasonable distance from his nose. "Bastard." He rolled his eyes in good humor, leaning back in his chair and setting his phone up against the computer screen.
"Dude, you basically disappear with that black hoodie on and your black hair, turn some lights on I swear." Will said for the umpteenth time, as if it would stick this time he said it.
"You say that all the time. I told you, I'm a vampire, the light burns." He deadpanned, but turned on the desk lamp nonetheless so now it wasn't just his phone and computer light filling the room. It was sunny out, but his black blackout curtains did a a good job in hiding that fact, only the faintest slivers peeking through the sides.
Nico's stomach growled vigorously and he just rolled his eyes, about to rant about something crazy Percy said to him yesterday, but Will pipes up first. "Oh my god, Nico, have you eaten yet today?" Will looked up and to the side, presumably to his clock that Nico knew hung there. "It's five p.m."
Nico wracked his brain for a moment, then replied. "Yeah. You saw me eat lunch—it's Thursday. Did you forget you like, shoved that turkey sandwich in my mouth?"
Will barked a laugh, his entire face lighting up and his light curly hair bounced around his face, a single strand falling from the clip he had it pulled up into and fell cutely over his face—not that Nico noticed, of course. "You ate two bites then gave it to Percy. I don't think that counts."
Nico grumbled, fidgeting with his fingers and then grabbing a Werther's caramel candy. "Here. I'll eat this. Happy?" He popped in it his mouth, crinkling the wrapper in front of the camera for dramatic show.
"Yay. Yeah, get your sugar up, you probably need that. But no, I'll be over in ten, I have some frozen bread sticks and I'm sure as hell you have the ingredients for pasta somewhere. Bye!"
"Oh my god, no—" Nico was cut off by the sound of the call ending abruptly. Resigning himself to Will's incoming attack, Nico decided to spend the time drafting his essay.
***
"DING DONG!" Will's voice yelled across the house, as if Nico didn't hear him rattling the key in the creaky door anyway. Will came over so much Persephone just gave him a spare key.
"Welcome to my humble abode. Die." Nico raised his voice for Will to hear him from downstairs, going back to typing the long paragraph for the writing and pasting a link into the spot below.
After the stairs creaked with the steady sounds of Will's familiar footsteps, his black bedroom door opened. "Hey Neeks." Will smiled, flopping into the dark purple beanbag chair in the corner of Nico's room. "Bread sticks are in y'all's freezer. If Persephone is getting home at 5:45 like normal we should probably start on dinner soon." Will looked down to his wrist watch.
"Mmm. Okay. Let me finish this part." Nico leaned forward, staring more intently at the screen. Will approached from behind, hands resting on Nico's shoulders with his thumbs rubbing methodically on the back of his neck, and Nico would be damned if he didn't think it felt really amazing. The tension was killing him.
"Coincidentally." Will corrected, knowing Nico would get the hint. This was their routine.
"Co-in-ci-den-tal...ie." Nico sounded out, highlighting it as he said it. "Huh?"
Will leaned around him, one arm wrapped around Nico as he used one hand to delete and type. "A-l-l-y." Will said aloud as he typed it. Nico made an 'o' shape with his mouth, humming and nodding his head. Will stepped back a moment later and laid on Nico's bed, the distant sound of Instagram or something similar a background noise.
After just a few minutes of comfortable silence, Nico declared himself done and restated his disdain for The Ray. "Okay. Opinions on Cacio e pepe?" Nico said, brushing the wrinkles from his black hoodie and running a finger through his unruly hair. When Nico struggled momentarily with a knotted piece, the blond stepped forward and used his nimble fingers to untangle it gently, always soft and caring. "I used to eat it a lot when I was in Italy. It kind of has a 'poor people' reputation but whatever, it's easy and tastes good." He says simply.
"Hm. Maybe." Will hums softly, fingers still working on the back of Nico's hair, and it took a conscious thought from the shorter boy not to lean into his chest snugly.
"Or we could just do some Alfredo or something. Persephone likes that." He also add as an option, something Will was more familiar with—Nico had to make sure it was easy enough, since Will liked to try to help but wasn't quite considered a five star chef unless he was making a grilled cheese or breakfast burrito.
Will agreed to that, finally leaving Nico's hair alone alas, with a little ruffle of the ends and a kiss to Nico's ear before leaving the room to start the oven. Nico hardly blushed, used to their routine. Maybe friends didn't do that, but at some point in the last five years the borders between friendship and relationship blurred and twisted until they felt one and the same. It was like a mutual agreement of sorts, a very interesting mix but at that time they didn't need words, just each other.
Nico grumbled, grabbing his phone—which was basically dead—from his desk and following Will down, the nice thump thump thump of trotting feet on the stairs echoing in the quiet house, a nice tranquil feeling accompanying it, only just tainted by the looming pressure of the solar event.
"Okay, I'll get the garlic bread ready to put in the oven while you get the ingredients for the pasta?" Will asks, doing his best to help as he simultaneously reads the box on the garlic bread for the temperature to preheat the oven. Nico walks by and sets the temperature to 350°, having the number memorized from the inane amount of time the blond brought over garlic bread—too many when authentic bread and fresh garlic was superior. But yet; his step mother and best friend had a weird loving for the stuff. Nico raised a hand and brushed it against Will's sweater sleeve, a ghost of a touch before it was gone and Nico was working by muscle memory.
In relative silence they worked, only broken by little suggestions or commands. The routine felt normal since it happened every week, if not multiple. The way they spent their free time was spent in thirds—a third of time alone, a third of time at Nico's house, and the remaining time at the Solace's. They each had keys to each other's homes, so it was no surprise that no one hardly asked the children what special lady they had in their life.
And soon, Will was kneading the dough and Nico was simmering the chicken and sauce in separate skillets over the stove, with Persephone walking in and not blinking twice seeing the freakishly tall (6’3) man in her home. "Good evening, Will. I take it you're well?" She asks as she removes her coat and puts it on the rack with care, slipping her shoes off next.
"I'm good, Persephone. 'Hope you had a safe ride home." He smiles radiantly with a little twang of his Texan accent still peaking through, and a little jealousy sprouted through him—not because the smile was aimed at someone else, just the lack of it to him. It leaves as quickly as it came, hardly there to begin with and even less notable, so he continues cooking.
"It was just fine, thank you. It smells wonderful boys. I'll go clean up and be right over." She promises, laying her bag on the empty kitchen chair and retreating to the master bedroom on the first floor. Will, after she leaves, passed by and ruffles Nico's hair with his floury hands annoyingly with a cheeky smile, rubbing his nose and painting it white while reaching behind him to grab the pasta splitter.
In retaliation Nico laughs and scurries over to Will's little station to coat two fingers in flour and do the same, giving them matching flour makeup on their nose, making them both grin before returning back to work as if nothing happened.
Around twenty minutes later all of the food was done, their timing correct which led all of the items to be finished at the same time. Nico didn't miss the way Will's stomach grumbled, and also didn't miss the opportunity to endlessly tease him about it.
"Will, shut your damn stomach up or I swear to god I'll take the food away—" Nico groaned as he dished the chicken into his own pasta, Will close behind.
Will bumped Nico, making them both laugh. "You forget the reason I came over was because yours was doing it first. I should be telling that to you—"
"I haven't heard your bickering stop since I came home, it's a wonder how you two even stay together." Persephone laughs, already sitting at the table—ladies first as Will and Nico were taught. "If I didn't know better I'd think I forced you two to stay together. But oh my how that is not the case." She chuckles at her own joke, which wasn't as funny to Will and Nico but they laughed nonetheless since it was a fun story to look back on in hindsight.
As Will loaded himself up last, Nico found it humorous how they worked. He would have thought the Solace house was saving money by not feeding this black hole who ate thirds of what Nico couldn't eat once if he tried, but the amount of times Nico came over and just snacked like a little bird throughout the hours probably led them to be about even in funds. "Your stomach is really loud." He whispered and bump his side with his elbow, skirting away with a totally-non-suspicious grin plastered over his face.
Throughout dinner everyone is mostly civil, but by the end it becomes quiet as Will and Nico sway together for a moment in each other's arms in front of the door. The fact they’re both guys be damned, let them have their little feelings—they were good with that. Most times. They didn’t have to be ‘dating’ to hug, right?
Goodbyes always felt hard to both of them, despite the fact that they'd see their other half in about fourteen hours at school. Will would have stayed the night but didn't have his computer to work on the essay, and they both mutually agreed that if they were together they likely wouldn't finish it, or even get near.
"Bye, Neeks, see you tomorrow." Will pulls back and side kisses Nico's cheek innocently, hand ruffling his hair and making a bit of flour filter through the air. Nico huffed with annoyance, knowing that he'd have to shower again.
"Bye." Nico breathes, reaching on the tips of his toes to do the same to Will's other cheek—like the true Italian he was. They step back, but quickly and at the same time meet in the middle for another short hug.
"Bye." They whisper again at the same time, as if it were a secret that was always meant to be kept for the two of them between grins and hugs.
***
"Hooooly shit. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit we're gonna die—"
Nico hyperventilated into a brown paper bag, legs pulled to his chest in Will's treehouse, a Chromebook with a countdown to The Ray showing only 72 minutes left.
"Nico, Nico, Nico, it's okay." Will rubs his back in even circles, their legs tangled together between them when Will adjusts their position. Will leaned them both together so that Nico was buried in Will's arms and chest, which meant that he didn't have his bag of life but he had his will to live so it was okay.
"Holy shit. We're gonna—"
"Nope. Zip." Will covers his mouth with his hand, mimicking a zip on his own lips and throwing away a key. Will leaned forward and parted the clean hair on Nico's forehead to place a fleeting kiss on the skin.
Silence follows, comfortable in the air between them but chaotic and panic inducing and only inches away from the circulation between their faces.
Nico whispers-yells. "We're gonna—"
Will laughs and drowns the rest of Nico's panicked words, tackling them backwards and then rolling so Nico wasn't crushed beneath the mammoth.
"Nico. Niccòlo. Di Angelo. Neeks. Love. Please. This little get-together is just a formality, nothing is gonna happen to either of us. It's okay. I promise." He cranes his neck up to pepper a few chaste kisses trailing from the side of his face to his jaw, oddly touchy that day, though he didn't mind or care. Sometimes Will was just like that.
Nico smiled into it, closing his eyes to the warm feeling bubbling in him. They were definitely something more than just the average friends, but he didn't have time to digest that so he tucked it away for the rest of the years of their lives that Will promised them. Will never broke promises, so...
After Will lets his head drop back, a pillow beneath him and where they rolled, he tilted his body to be fully pressed against him and nuzzle his nose against the tan one, their foreheads touching for a second before sitting up. Nico scoots over so he's not straddling Will into the old wood planks and leans against the wall, running his hands through his hair for the hundredth time in the last hour when Nico's spiral began. Will made sure Nico's hair was thoroughly brushed the second they got situated about an hour and a half ago, knowing where their time would go and not wanting Nico to rip his own hair from his scalp.
Will yawned, shifting the computer and grabbing popcorn from the microwave—they hauled one up with a portable charger—and offering a bit to Nico, who declined. "More for me then." Will shrugged, popping a handful into his mouth without a care, light from the midday sun sparkling off his golden curls.
After a few minutes of twiddling on their phones and growing bored and possibly only more anxious of nothing except the same content, Nico made the bad mistake of glancing at the timer looming in the corner of the rectangle room—54 minutes—then promptly went into another breathy spiral, clutching at his hair.
His mind loomed into all of the possibilities where he or Will were turned, they'd have to run away to the “camps” that no one even knew existed considering that everyone just went and then were never seen again. If Nico were turned, would Will follow him? Will always said he would, but saying is different than doing. If Will were turned, would Nico follow? Who knew if humans were even allowed into these places. Or maybe all of the still alive Monsters just collapsed at some point and decomposed into the dirt, returning to dust and forgotten. Or perhaps they were all joining together and once they had enough numbers then would band together to overtake all of humanity and turn it into a dystopian universe—
Warm breath and lips met his jaw and as he was jolted back into his own body saw a familiarly beautiful blond cradling him, bringing warmth to his shivering body tenderly. "I shut it off. We don't need a reminder like that that it's coming anyway, it wasn't a good idea in the first place. It's okay." Will repeats his last two words a few times. "Do you want to do something?" He asks quietly, running fingers along the nape of the younger's neck.
He sat up slightly but was still basically laying in Will's lap, both of their bodies now in a nest-like bed of pillows and blankets they accumulated over a few years. "Hm?" He huffs, heart still pounding through and out his ears.
Will's hand was pressed against both their chests where their hearts were, a silent but meaningful symbol. "Can you tell me, um, everything you feel? Like, physically? I'll go first. I feel my shirt, on my arms a lot.
"O-oh." Nico breathes, grasping one of Will's hands in his own. "I don't—"
"I'll go again. I-I feel the green blanket under me, under both of us." Will stumbles over his words some but he hardly noticed.
"I... I feel my bracelet on my wrist." Nico says.
"Okay. G-good! I feel my socks on my feet."
"I feel... my hair. On my forehead.”
"I feel my ring on my right ring finger."
"I feel my ring on my right ring finger."
"I feel my hand in yours."
"I feel... y-you."
Will smirked. "Where?"
"Here." Nico pointed to their joined hands, then moved his finger. "And here." He gestured to where their knees connect. "And here." He points to where Nico was practically sitting in the other's lap now. He leaned further in, tucking his head under the blond's chin. "And... here." He sighs contentedly, running his fingers alone Will's, playing with the gold ring on his finger to be a matching opposite to Nico's silver one, which sat next to his other one on his middle finger, given to him by his late sister.
"Thank you." Nico hummed, reaching back to cup one side of Will's hand with his characteristically cool one and press a drawn out kiss to his freckled cheek, both their eyes closed to soak in their closeness. They were definitely a bit extra today.
At probably forty minutes left—no one bothered to check, and they turned off all of the alerts for The Ray besides the one for a five minutes heads up—they pulled out a deck of cards, playing an aggressive game of Slap Jack until their hands hurt from slapping each other, and Will accidentally cut one of Nico's fingers with his ring. (Which he apologized profusely for)
A blaring sound crossed all three of their devices in the treehouse, and Will popped open the Chromebook. Five minutes.
Before Nico even breathed wrong, Will reached back and clasped Nico's hands together. Nico hadn't been stupid and not seen Will's own anxieties, but unlike Nico, the blond was actually reassured that it would be okay. Only around fifteen thousand people turned each year, an insanely small number in the large scale of things.
"Okay. Okay. Phew. It's okay. It's okay!" Nico chants as a mantra, eyes wide as he leaned forward with Will, hands clasped over each other in a big knot in the middle.
"Yes! We are. It's okay." Will repeats back with a huge smile across his face, glowing. A small part of Nico rejoiced seeing that radiant beam that could certainly battle The Ray itself in terms of shine.
Will breathed in deeply, hinting to Nico for him to copy. Maybe he wasn't outwardly panicking now but they'd both be damned if he started up again after having two already.
"Holy schiiiitz we're totally gonna die." He giggled, probably more than a little manically by the way Will looked slightly concerned before joining in the chuckles.
Sirens blared distantly.
This is not a drill, The Ray will be taking place in sixty seconds. Sixty seconds. I repeat, sixty seconds.
"Literally nothing is going to happen. Nothing is gonna happen. This is just up played. This—we're—" He leaned forward and hugged Will tightly, Nico's face buried in Will's sweatshirt and Will’s in Nico's black hair.
Forty-five seconds.
"Te amo, Will."
Thirty Seconds. This is not a drill.
"I won't let you go, Nico."
He felt arms tighten around him protectively. They had to raise their voices over distant sirens that began to be drowned out by the rushing winds rocking the entire treehouse.
Fifteen seconds.
"I'm not letting go."
Five.
Four.
Arms tightened.
Three.
Two.
Breathing quickened.
One.
Silence.
Then a roar of noise.
Fast wind and howling hail as it pounded against surfaces while leaves crackled and burnt, mountains of blurred lines covering the earth as rivers flew from their beds and oceans sunk, the world so loud it became silent within it's same breath as if even it were confused by its own existence. Shadows flickered in circles that elongated and disappeared, every device malfunctioned in chaos, wishing only to end their life as nothing was solid. Everything turned to gel which yearned to pull the couple in, yet every time they accepted their call and began sinking it turned solid and hot and burned them, before slackening to cool liquid to repeat the process over and over until their nerves screamed and wish for relief.
Relief. Relief.
Nico's ears felt like they were bleeding and he was sure he was screaming though he heard nothing, he felt like his bones would break not only from the force he was using to hold onto his partner but the same force that was being used by the other to hold them together in the same way, because above the chaos taking place around them, they mattered, and if they were to be separated they were to not exist.
Exist. Keep existing.
And all it left them with were pieces of themselves to put together as it all ceased and the world continued as normal, though now the atmosphere had shifted and the animals did not chirp or sing or croak, silence greeting them. Nico was trembling and fell back facing the door, feeling over his body.
"I'm okay. I'm normal. Will, you were right, it's oka—" Nico stopped his chattering when he froze. The undeniable change in air suffocated him, making breathing feel like breathing through a layer of plastic wrapped around your head.
Nico turned around, fingers clutching around his torso to see Will in a cold sweat and pressed against two sides of the treehouse, eyes clamped shut in pain as he silently screamed, tears pouring from his eyes while he shivered from head to toe unable to stop.
"Oh my fuck oh my fuck oh my fucking shit we are gonna die—" Though despite Nico's bold words, he ran over to the window and shut it, using a blanket from the floor and hanging it by the nails where a curtain hanger would go for good measure. Then he locked the door and moved the microwave in front of it plus the little card table they had but never used, just for the added securitt.
Will was now curled in the corner on his side, and every time Nico looked over at him it only made his brain scream at him to leave louder so he refused to look.
Nico grabbed a rag from the floor and poured a bit of ice water on it and pressed it together, wringing it so it was only damp and then steeling himself.
In. Out.
In. Out.
It's just Will. In, out.
In. Out.
In. Ou—OH MY GOD ITS A MONSTER!
Nico was about to have his knees buckle when he saw a bit of white foam—saliva—slithering through Will's closely shut lips. Tears still slipped through his eyes as horns sprouted from his hair and white fangs began poking from beneath his upper lip, his skin turning pale and clammy in some spots but green and flaky in others, while hair began growing thicker hair down his arms. His jawline changed, his nose changed and his eyes, but so subtle no average person would tell. Nico could.
It's Will. Nico reassured himself, inching closer. Every time Will trembled slightly more he'd flinch back, but continued his pursuits bravely.
'Bravery is not lack of fear, but the ability to overcome it.' Nico had read one time, and he really hoped that was true, because his actions were either very brave or very, very, very stupid, so he could only hope and pray for the former.
Dabbing the cold cloth to Will's forehead, his eyes shot open—flickering between blood red, glowing amber, black, an enchanting green, a sparkling purple, and his normal sky blue that Nico never got to say how much he loved.
"W-Will." He whispered. "Will." He said firmer when the boy's eyes hesitate on red for just too long. He had no idea what any of it meant but he hated it all.
Will's silent screams were vocalized, as if his vocal cords only just overcame their suffering just to come to another in agony. Nico only just resisted the urge to flinch bag as he pressed the white cloth to his forehead again, wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve gently. When Will was not an immediate threat to their eardrums Nico rushed forward and cupped his cheeks, pressing a kiss to the forehead dampened with sweat and water between the part of the blond curly hair. "Shh.. It's okay. Va bene, va bene. Shh. Sono qui, con te, va bene."
Will passed out soon after, still trembling violently and grasping with desperate vigor at Nico's loose hoodie—Will's hoodie, now that he thought about it—one he had stolen however long ago.
"O-okay. I have—I'm smuggling a Monster in a treehouse. This—this is fine! All is well! It's not like I'll be fucking executed if anyone finds out—" Nico panted, pacing the small place and gripping his hair, undoubtably pulling a few strands from the roots.
Nico couldn't quell his pacing for over an hour while Will's body continued morphing, different features taking place—pale skin, devilish horns, clawed fingers, vampiric fangs, green skin, glowing eyes beneath his eyelids—it scared Nico endlessly, but never once did he consider bailing… at least, not seriously.
Every few minutes Nico would pause to rewet the cloth with cold water and dab it over Will's face or exposed arms, hoping to stop the sweating. I have no idea what I'm doing. What does Will do for me? I'm always too fucking out of it to even pay attention and now I'm failing—
Will jolted awake, eyes their normal blue color much to Nico's relief. "Will, oh my god—" Nico sank down and cupped Will's face in his hands, their faces just inches apart.
"You're here?—" Will choked, trembling fingers coming up to grip Nico's sides, pulling him up so they were kneeled in front of each other, Will's longer legs parted for Nico to sit in the middle just so they were that much closer. "I— Nico, you can leave—"
"No!" He interrupted him quickly, hands tightening around his prize. "I'm not leaving you. I-I'm scared as shit right now and I feel like I'm gonna fucking die but I'm not leaving you." They were both trembling and Will's body didn't seem to know how to react, different demonic features growing from his body before disappearing. The red eyes and flickering fangs stayed the longest, and his eyes kept lingering on Nico's finger which had been accidentally cut by the ring earlier.
"Nico, please, I need to get away from here before someone sees. I know how Persephone is with Monsters, you need to leave right now—"
The black haired one jumped forward, sitting up and burying Will's face in his chest. "Will, no. I said I'm not leaving. I-I don't know what we need to do but the only option we don't have is being apart. We know this." Nico sobbed, heart beating too fast to hear the small sounds beyond their voices and rushing blood.
It was a pull. A painful, searing wound that ground into his hollow, hollow heart that made him his worst self if he ever imagined a world that Will wasn’t a part of.
"O-okay." Will agreed as he pulled back, tears rolling down both of their faces simultaneously. Will made an effort to brush off Nico's, but all Nico's hands could do was clutch desperately at any spot of Will he could reach to confirm that This is my Will.
"Here. Take this." He takes off his too-large hoodie and passes it to Will, hoping the extra layer would hide the... undeniable amount of extra muscle he'd put on in the past hour. Nico couldn't see it beneath his sweatshirt but felt the muscles bulging around the bubble stuck in his throat.
"But you'll be cold—"
"And you'll be killed." Nico glared at the older boy. "Put it on and we're going."
Only a minute later they were evacuating the treehouse and making quick work to Will's nearby house. The treehouse was in the forest area of the Solace's property and took a five minute walk of silence as Will re-found his center of balance and coordination, stumbling here and there where he otherwise would've walked flawlessly and been the one to help Nico.
Nico tried to convince Will to wait outside so Nico could sneak in, grab some stuff, and then repeat at Nico's house before going on the run, but Will was adamant about going in. At least Will was no longer covered in mythological features.
Cursing the whatever god held power above the people, they walked in side by side.
"Hey Will, hey Nico, how was..." Naomi walked in front the kitchen but faltered, looking between the two. "You...?"
Will began tearing up again, lips pressed tight as he squeezed Nico's hand even tighter—Nico hissed in pain, feeling like the fingers were about to break, and Will quickly made it looser—while nodded softly.
"O-oh my." She covered her mouth, her bottom lip trembling as she hugged herself. "A-and...?" She looked over to Nico.
He shook his head, but stepped closer to Will. She knew what was going to happen.
She sobbed softly, using both hands to cover her face just as Kayla and Austin trailed in through the kitchen door, obviously fine from their own Ray experience. "Will...?" Austin, only ten years old, asked while hugging Kayla from behind—she was thirteen.
Will crouched down, opening his arms wide. "Come here, bud." He whispered, the tips of his lips tilting for a smile but quickly fell just as the tears did.
He darted forward, hugging Will tightly. He didn't totally understand, but he knew what was going on. "W-Will, don't leave!" He cried, clutching to Will just as Nico did before. Now Nico was being strong, steeling himself as he runs fingers through his hair from stress.
"Aus, I have to.... I love you so, so much." Will sniffled, looking up to see Kayla standing awkwardly at the door. Will opened his arms wider and she rushed over, hugging him just as tight.
"I-I'm gonna go get a bag." Nico blurted, running up the stairs and opening the closet he knew would have an extra backpack. He scurried around, grabbing up a few pieces of clothing, a portable charger that was 80% charged—who knew when their phones would run out of battery, and then down to the kitchen for a few bottles of water, canned goods, and the bottle of Will's anxiety meds. He saw the bottle was only three-fourths full, but Nico couldn't be a beggar as he zipped it up in the small pocket inside the backpack for extra safe keeping. He grabbed more survival things like matches and flashlights and everything he’d been taught to grab from horus and hours of survival documentaries.
He entered back into the entry hallway to see them all in a hugging ball, Will at the center and trembling again with tears from every member for the family.
No one noticed him for a few seconds, until Naomi did. She opened her arms larger, wanting Nico to come too. "You're part of the family, Nico." She said.
"O-oh." His voice broke, but he dropped the bag nonetheless and walked into the ball of love with them.
They broke all too quickly, telling Nico and Will to go before they were found, each giving promises not to tell—it wouldn't matter much in the long run since every person turned was accounted for, but it would at least buy them some time. Monsters were warranted out to be killed on sight, and an estimated nine thousand died by human hand within the first two days. The number had lessened over the years, with some people banishing that practice, but tipping the bucket a bit doesn't empty all the murky water.
"I-I love you guys. I'm so sorry. I-I'll find a way to contact you when I'm safe." Though Will was stuttering and still crying, he hardened slightly and sounded sure, giving everyone a spec of much needed confidence—they were going to be okay.
Nico grabbed the backpack and handed it to Will. The blond didn't even check the bag, just slinging it over with too-easy strength—it was obvious his newfound muscles weren't just for show—with a very large trust to Nico to have thought of everything they'd need.
Before they reached the door, Naomi shot forward and stopped them. They grabbed both of their hands in hers, looking them both directly in the eye. "Keep each other safe." She made them promise, a nod of their head, before she stepped back with very visible effort. "Be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks. I've seen the way you two are... don't doubt each other. You have y'all's back." She smiled knowingly, seeing the little thread connecting their souls in some way.
They obviously couldn't use public transport with the fact that Will just exuded this aura of... Monster. It didn't feel particularly bad, but Nico had no doubt that someone would know before even laying their eyes on the pair. They took Will's bike and had Will pedal, Nico standing on the pegs. Nico would have peddled if he didn't think Will fit, but his nervous adrenaline needed an outlet and he seemed to stable very quickly.
"Stay here." Nico made Will promise, whose eyes had begun to glow purple a few minutes ago and little nubs where black horns had sprouted from his scalp poked at the hood of his hoodie.
"I will." Will promised, steeling himself criss-cross on the dirt ground, next to where they left the bike. It looked like Will was going to sprint off in a moment's notice, but with the same trust that Will showed Nico when he handed him the backpack, Nico trusted Will as equally and retreated to the house.
He was vaguely aware of the fact that his hair was windblown and unruly, eyes wide and pupils likely blown to match his slightly dirty clothes.
Persephone walked into the hallway where Nico was, confusion evident on her face before knowing overtook it. Her lips pressed and eyes began to water, assessing him. "It's Will?" She asks sadly.
A lump formed in Nico's throat as he thought. Persephone never often voiced her opinions on the Monsters, but the few times she had, she stated her fear of them and didn't think they should stay in their society as overpowered—dangerous—people. But nonetheless, Nico nodded, lip wobbling as he let tears flow for the first time since they left the treehouse.
Persephone engulfed him in a warm hug, but understood the urgency and let go. She already knew what Nico was here for. "I'll get some food. You go upstairs and get your things—clothes, a change of clothes, chargers, lanterns or flashlights, a pillow maybe—I have a single person tent in the garage if you want it, it'll fit in the large backpack." She ranted off, looking across his face. Nico shook his head.
"We need to go now. The hunters that want the Monster bounties are searching right now. A tent will make us more obvious anyway, and slower. We just need to... go." Nico admitted, hating the way his voice sounded so small. He was aware how crazy this all sounded, but he had no other choice. Nico and Will had been separated a long time ago, and the results were near catastrophic, so Nico would be fucking damned if they were to be separated again because Nico chickened out.
Scrambling up the stairs as Persephone packed some food, water, and matches from the kitchen, Nico busied himself by packing things in his own backpack. He shut the computer on his desk with the essay about The Ray, only about fifty words written(That wasn't going to be turned in). The only non necessary items he made sure he had were his two rings and a paper cutout of a picture him, Bianca, and Will as young children—only 7, 9, and 8 respectively.
Making sure they were secure and all zippers or hooks on the backpack were closed tightly, he exited the room with a final glance over. He wasn't sure when or if he'd be back, but didn't let himself dwell. On the way down, his eyes lingered on certain features of the house he often skipped over—the doorways, the stairwell, the different decor strewn about. He committed it more firmly to memory, daring himself to forget it anytime in the near future.
Persephone laid the satchel bag across Nico's chest then pulled him into another tight hug, whispering choked nothings to him. "My only child, my only remaining child." She whispered, and Nico felt wetness form on his shoulder. "You better be safe or I will enter whatever heaven or hell you end up in to drag you and Will back by your ears." She threatens, squeezing ever tighter, and Nico did the same.
"I-I'll be safe, Ma." Nico sniffs, pulling back to look her in the eyes. "Thank you." Is all he says, knowing that she got the message. He grabbed two cloth masks from the key rings.
He turned around to the door, swinging his bag over both shoulders, making sure he had all he needed, and then slipped the black mask over his face, covering his mouth and nose and ensuring he had one for Will too, as a sort of disguise.
"Tell Will I said goodbye. Go quick." She nodded him off, and Nico didn't look back to break his own heart at whatever she was doing as he ran to the woods behind the house where he left Will.
Will was still in the same spot, but now kneeling in the underbrush and fiddling with two sticks in his hand, the vines around him writhing and forming different shapes with their leaves. Nico barely held in the sigh of relief seeing Will still here.
"Hey." Nico says, hitching the backpack up. "Persephone said bye and wished us luck. We need to get going, I heard on the news station she had playing that in the past hour over a thousand Monsters have been... caught." Nico breathed in deeply, offering a hand to Will for him to stand up.
Will took it, still a solid 8 inches taller than Nico—thankfully he didn't seem to grow much in height. Will leaned down and kissed Nico's forehead, a rare tint of blush appearing on both their faces. "I owe you my life, Nico. Thank you." Will said, encasing Nico in a hug—he felt like he was about to break out in hives from all of the hugs he had that day. But Will didn't make it worse, only better in hat moment.
"I owe you mine. I always have, really, maybe I'm just beginning to pay you back." He smiled up at him, all toothy and raw, though it was covered by the mask. Nico handed Will his, gesturing to put it on while speaking. "Where do we... go?" Nico asked, stepping back but only a hair because they were still basically pressed against each other.
Will didn't even really think about it, eyes fluttering shut before landing back on Nico. "I feel this... pull. That way." He pointed north. "I've felt it since I uh.. woke up." He explains.
Nico nods, taking Will's hand and leaning down to grab Will's backpack, handing it to him.
"Then we head north."