Work Text:
Will had a dilemma.
He had ADHD.
Well, no. That wasn’t the dilemma.
The dilemma was that because he had ADHD and found himself bouncing from one task to the next without any forewarning that he’d be gone for upwards of twenty minutes, he kept leaving his notebooks open.
Sometimes school books. Sometimes notebooks. Sometimes sticky notes left on top of everything in a desperate attempt to try to stay on track.
Anytime he was gone for a while he’d find something new.
A very, very good and structurally accurate drawing of skeletons from different animals. Including human.
A quick, hasty sketch of what the cafe looked like that day. Different people, sitting at different tables, changed decor, the like.
Landscape. Usually those had color to them—who had colored pencils on them at all times?
Other edgy things that looked like were made by 13 year old wannabe Emo Will Solace but with more artistic skill than he could muster in the next twenty years.
And, inexplicably, cats. Kittens. In every pose imaginable. Usually the same six—most of which he recognized as the campus cats.
Two tabbies, a black cat, a calico, and a shitfaced orange cat who liked to look sweet and cute but when you went up to him he attacked you like you’re the devil.
Will had the scars on his arms and calves to prove it. Half of campus did. He literally had a warning sign on all of the community boards not to try to touch him.
But one of them he didn’t recognize. It was a little white kitty with big eyelashes. Of course, it was just a drawing, but she looked small and fluffy. Will suspected a young Maine Coon because over the last two months, the drawings had progressed from playful kittens to more adult-looking portraits.
Will was thoroughly impressed. These looked like serious pieces that he’d never give away if he ever created, even though they were obviously quick sketches for whom ever made them.
That was the other problem.
Who was drawing in his shit.
He wasn’t mad. Really wasn’t. But also was so so curious.
Curiosity kills the cat (please no), but satisfaction brings it back. (He doesn’t want to be a cat murderer.)
Another thing was that these drawings only appeared if he was studying in the cafe. Not the library and definitely not his dorm. So safe to say that whoever was doing it was likely studying in here too.
But every time he looked around and desperately tried to memorize who was in there, he saw no one familiar besides The Grandma™ who seemed to be everywhere.
Will, shamefully, even photographed the entire place before he left and when he came back multiple times to try to find someone there every time. No one.
And he’d even gotten up, hidden around a corner watching, and after five whole minutes no one had done anything.
Sometimes he would only be gone for five minutes. Five minutes. Just long enough to grab a coffee (or get sidetracked by photographing a pretty dove outside) and somehow there was another one.
So, he resorted to the next thing: writing his own notes.
{IMG DESCRIPTION: pic of a notebook with Will’s messy handwriting in all capitals: WHO ARE YOU?}
There. That should solve it.
He grabbed his phone and laptop bag and just left. He needed a break anyway, it had been an hour of studying.
He went on a half hour walk around campus.
Came back.
There was a fucking crow looking at the words and being evil.
{IMG DESCRIPTION: the words “WHO ARE YOU” still visible, with a sketched black crow looking at them and grinning with his feather-hands in a mock scheming gesture}
Will grapped the note page and crumpled it angrily. Then un-crumpled it and stuck it in his laptop for safe keeping.
***
It was the next day when Will found another, as usual. He’d gotten up to take a call from a friend and ended up sitting—pacing—outside for almost a half hour.
This time it was another of the cats. One of the tabbies, Olivia—or affectionately named Thing 1. It was of her sun basking in a chair outside the rec hall.
Will wrote under it, again: WHO ARE YOU?
He didn’t get another one that day. As usual.
***
He had to go to the library a few buildings over to grab a book he forgot to borrow.
This cafe, and campus as a general, is so tightly knit that people can leave their stuff pretty much anywhere and someone will be keeping an eye on it. So as usual he just grabs his laptop back and phone. (Those are things he’s not willing to be left alone… unless he forgets about them.)
He leaves his anatomy textbook out and writes in a blank spot “WHO ARE YOU???” With an extra big question mark and a squiggly underline. Perfect.
When he comes back about a half hour later, someone’s written under it. Yes!!
Finally!
He runs over and leans over, heart beating in anticipation—
{IMG DESCRIPTION: under “WHO ARE YOU??” someone else has written, in small and slightly crooked handwriting: “wouldn’t you like to know?”. There it a drawing on the bottom left of an anatomically correct bird skeleton.}
Will thumps his head on the table.
***
{IMG DESCRIPTION: On a notebook, Will’s handwriting: “Seriously who are you??”, underneath it: “wouldn’t you like to know again?”. A drawing of the cafe is sketched beneath it.}
***
{IMG DESCRIPTION: Notebook. Will asks: “Fine. What do you look like?” With the reply: “secret” There’s a drawing of a pomegranate.}
***
{IMG DESCRIPTION: Anatomy workbook. Will wrote, “What’s your major.” The artist replied, “archeology let me guess pediatrician?”}
Will didn’t know what to do here. He’d never gotten more than one drawing or response at a time. He couldn’t tell if this was rhetorical or if he was supposed to reply tomorrow but… it couldn’t hurt, right?”
{IMG DESCRIPTION: “Yeah lol. You like it?” Under is it a reply. “it’s fun” and a drawing of a cartoon dog digging for bones.}
Will grinned and folded the paper into his pocket.
***
The next time, Will asked if the mystery person would sit with him.
They said no. Will asked why. He didn’t get a response.
***
{IMG DESCRIPTION: Will writes: “Ow, okay. Fine I get it. What’s your coffee order.” He gets the reply, “salted caramel vanilla cold foam cold brew 2 shots extra sugar whipped cream” with a drawing of said order and a little :P}
***
Will orders his coffee and ‘mystery person’s order the next morning. What in the world is this, he thinks as he finally received it. When he finds an open table to sit at he compares it to his almost-black coffee, with only one sugar.
He grabs a sticky note and attaches it to the cup with the words “For you” with his phone number on it.
Risky, maybe, but he did it anyway.
When he leaves to go take a regular walking break from studying, he comes back and it’s gone. The sticky note too. In its place is a different piece of paper Will’s never seen with just: “thanks for the coffee” with another piece of paper and… Will thinks he has arrhythmia now.
It’s so distinct he knows immediately, but he still stands flabbergasted as if he couldn’t comprehend.
It’s obviously from an actual watercolor book, considering the paper didn’t buckle under the layers. It’s beautiful…
And it’s a portrait of him.
It’s soft and almost pure and Will thinks it is in much too good of light.
He was in awe for a good few seconds. It was… intense. He didn’t know what to say. It looked exactly like him.
Underneath it it says, “i’m not a creep i promise”
Holy shit, Will sees something else too. The page has been hastily cut in the corner, and it looks like it’s where the artist had signed it. All he can see is the letter N in loopy cursive.
Will grins wide. Another piece.
***
{IMG DESCRIPTION: “Nice weather huh, N? How you doing today?”}
And Will basically ran out the door. Didn’t even study first. Just left his stuff and went for a jog. Came back, nothing on the paper.
He pouts and sits down, forcing himself to focus for thirty minutes. When he finally reaches his threshold he goes for another walk around.
{IMG DESCRIPTION: The reply: “the weathers shit why’d you even ask. it’s cold and miserable. everything is sludgy and wet. fuck you.” And then beneath itself, “don’t call me n you sicko” and a drawing of the middle finger}
Despite probably his better health, Will grinned. He dared look around, wishing, hoping the person who wrote this would be staring back at him. Nothing.
I guess someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, he mused.
He couldn’t focus on his studies and left twenty minutes later.
***
{IMG DESCRIPTION: Will writes, “You’re such a good influence on my studies. That’s a joke.” Then, “Can I at least know if who I’m talking to is a boy or a girl? Or another? No judging.”}
When Will comes back, there’s some writing.
{IMG DESCRIPTION: “i can tell. you have adhd right. if you don’t you need to get chekked out.” And then more was written but attempted to be scribbled out, “i do too but you probably just have innattentive and i have combined and also autism so that’s different and you”}
The writing stops there abruptly, so scribbled that Will is having to squint to see some of the words.
{IMG DESCRIPTION: It finishes: “i’m a boy.”}
***
Will didn’t go to the cafe the next day or the day after, he needed a break.
This was fine. He was busy with other stuff and wasn’t really behind now, he could do with a rest day or two.
Unknown Number:
you weren’t at the cafe
{IMG DESCRIPTION: Drawing of the white Maine Coon cat, larger and cuddly looking with her tongue sticking out}
Will
IS THIS YOU??
CAFE GUY??
Will
Bro please respond
Will
I’m dying here
Will
Oh my god
Will basically leapt from his bed and ran through campus to find his friends.
“Do you know whose number this is?” He asked multiple people.
Lou Ellen, Cecil, his half-sister Kayla—no one knew. Cecil had even opened his phone to see if he had that as a contact and he didn’t.
He was vaguely friends with this guy named Percy. Good guy, real popular around campus, was apparently studying to be some sort of marine biologist and taught children’s swim lessons in his free time. Will respected the guy, he seemed nice.
Will found while he was walking to a class, yelling out “Hey Percy!”
He held out his phone with the number, asking “Do you know who this is?”
“Uh.” Percy said “Yeah, I think-“
A guy dressed in all black stalked up behind Percy and unceremoniously yanked his collar down. The guy was literally using forearm crutches and nearly toppled the athlete.
“Shit! Fuck- Nic-“
“Annabeth needs you.” The shorter boy’s tone was no-nonsense. “Library.” The boy was still holding Percy down by this point and let him go only to make haste towards the large building, obviously intending Percy to follow.
“Oh Lord- Sorry, bro, I’ll be back!” Percy jogged added the black haired boy who’d somehow made it across the green already. He hadn’t even looked at Will once.
Well.
***
“Hey, Percy, what was it you were saying earlier?” Will asked when he found Percy in the cafeteria later that same day. He was sitting with his girlfriend Annabeth.
Percy looked like someone just held a gun to his head. Annabeth glared at him, almost as fierce as the boy earlier.
“Uh- I- well-“ Percy brushed at his hair and wiped at a bead of sweat on his temple. “They- he- I MEAN SHE- shit fuck-“
Annabeth leaned in. “Sensitive information.” As she smacked Percy’s head like she would as easily as breathing.
“What?-“
“Don’t even ask.” Annabeth held a hand up. “Just go with it.”
***
Will
Who are you???
Unknown Number
woukdnt you lke to mnkw
fuck
Will
I’m crying
Unknown Number
fuck yoy
{IMG DESCRIPTION: The white cat laying on its back on a black bed, a familiar dorm-room-beige-white on his wall but covered in posters of all sorts. The very corner off the bed was visible featuring a desk covered in art supplies and a pair of crutches leaning against the wall}
Unknown Number
[message deleted]
wrogn photo
{IMG DESCRIPTION: GIF of a five year old giving the camera a double middle finger}
Will
I already saved it
Jokes on you
Will
I like your cat
***
Unknown Number
why weren’t u at the caphay
Will
How did you spell cafe that wrong
I bet you tried to spell it with a k too
Unknown Number
{IMG DESCRIPTION: GIF of a five year old giving the camera a double middle finger}
Will
I wasn’t at the cafe cause I was invited to a study group
Unknown Number
for forever?
Will felt his heart make a weird palpation. Also known as skipping a beat.
Will
Idk
It was fun but I prefer studying alone
I can focus better and get up when I need to
I wouldn’t mind studying with one person though
Wink wink
Unknown Number
who syas wink wink
Will
Me
Unknown Number
{IMG DESCRIPTION: GIF of a five year old giving the mid-}
***
Will arrived at the cafe the next day, ordering his and N’s coffee.
Will
I’m here
N
y r u telling me
Will
Don’t type like that
N
y
Will
It’s annoying
N
f u :)
Will, genuinely, huffed a laugh. He opened his phone one more time before focusing on school:
Will:
Coffees on the table for you
***
When Will took his break to walk around he found himself fighting his own psyche every step to not turn around.
He loved this cat and mouse game but God did he want to see who this mystery person was.
When he came back, as usual, the drink was gone. There was a writing on his study book.
{IMG DESCRIPTION: N writes, “thanks for the coffee. keep bribing me and i might give up my secret identity.” And a drawing of a dancing skeleton.}
***
Will
What’s your favorite candy
N
why
Will
Aww you stopped with the acronyms
Just answer
N
geeradelli
darkchcolate sea salt camreal
and sncjkers
{IMG DESCRIPTION: GIF of a five year old giving the camera a double middle finger}
***
Will
{IMG DESCRIPTION: Two full-sized snicker bars, a small pile of Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Ghirardelli chocolates, N’s coffee order, and a plush cat on a table at the cafe}
I don’t have time to study today but I dropped these off for you
Let me know when you get them
So I know they weren’t stolen
N
why
Will
?
N
would you do 2hat
rhat
that
Will
Cause you said you might give yourself up to bribes
N
i was joking
Will
Worth a shot
N
anrer you broke
arnt
godnfuckitnfsmankf
Will
You’re so bad at typing it’s not even funny
And yes
But I love budgeting so I’m not that bad off
N
of curise
Will
Can I pay for your typing classes
And socializing
N
{IMG DESCRIPTION: GIF of a five year old giving the camera a double middle finger}
***
N
im not goignf to be at ghe cafe tofay.
Will
Why not? :(
N
percy is dragign me tk ommsomethinm
skketjing
sokefjing
cuck
fuck
i caht tyie whiske walkinxn wifh cruchjes
Will
Percy?
Percy Jackson?
N
fuck
***
Will
Hey Percy what you up to?
Percy Jackson
I’m hanging out with some friends. Yo you wanna join?
Will
Sure! I’m free
Percy
Hell yeah
Drop by my dorm in 10 we’re gonna carpool in two cars to the zoo and aquarium
***
Will threw on, admittedly, one of his better looking shirts and jeans. Usually he’d wear cargo shorts like usual but he might actually be meeting this secret artist who’s been tormenting him for months.
This game of back and forth has lasted all November. The first writings had happened in the beginning of August.
Smoothing his hair, he knocked on Jackson’s dorm room door.
It swung open and a room of about ten people greeted him.
He recognized a few by virtue of being vague friends with Percy. Annabeth, obviously, then Leo, Piper, Jason, Hazel, and Frank. Notoriously dubbed “The Seven” for the reason that they always ended up getting into trouble together despite being totally normal on their own.
“Welcome welcome!” Percy waved to him, urging him to come in. He pointed to each person in the room in turn, and Will paid attention to the new names. Reyna, Grover, and Shel, apparently. Then, with a larger grin from Percy, announced Nico—who was in the corner looking mortified.
And in forearm crutches.
***
Will had not been able to conquer the chaos of the room while they were getting car arrangements. Brutal games of thumb war went for shotgun, with ultimately Reyna winning it. Percy was a car driver so Annabeth got his front seat no matter what.
Piper and Shel drove a minivan so they could get eight people in theirs, while Percy and Annabeth could get five.
Will got pooled in Percy’s. So did Nico. No one could be mad at the wicked grin that pulled on Will’s face.
Hazel—apparently Nico’s half sister—was also crammed in the back seat with them. Nico was in the middle with Will and Hazel on either sides, and Nico’s crutches lain across all their laps.
“So,” Will began, a sly tilt to his lips.
“Don’t even fuckin’ start.” Nico’s arms were crossed and he was purposefully not looking at the blond. Everyone else in the car was smirking knowingly.
“But-“
“I said shush.”
The blush on Nico’s face was evident.
Will
Hello
N
Shut teh fuuck up
Will
So what’re you up to today
N
Fucjxkfod
Fuck off
Will
I’m just asking how your day is? :)
N
{IMG DESCRIPTION: GIF of a five year old giving the camera a double middle finger}
Will
I don’t even know how you type that poorly while watching you. I’m literally watching you type and somehow it’s still that bad.
Will saw Nico begin typing something, glance at his own text, then delete it and shove his phone away with an annoyed huff.
Annabeth, Percy, and Hazel were all in conversation, talking about a species of shark that Percy was interested in. Nico looked like he would rather jump out of the car than join.
***
The thing is, Nico refuses to actually talk to Will.
He tries to split off immediately but—inexplicably—they keep being forced to run into each other.
Well, not quite inexplicably. Will sees everyone else scheming, not quite so secretly sometimes.
“Yeah, Nico loves animals, his cat Gatto is just such a sweetheart.”
Nico stomped his foot and went to almost wring Piper’s neck for that it seemed.
Will just laughed. “You named your cat… cat?”
Nico opened and closed his mouth a few times. “It stuck.”
Piper jutted back in. “He didn’t actually want to keep her a few years ago and just kept calling her “the gatto” and when he, obviously, fell in love it just kinda was already there.”
Will smiled and moved on. But then:
“Nico’s so diligent with his studies, he’s always on top of his classes even when it’s hard.”
“Nico’s special interest is obviously bones, he’s just so interested in them. It’s perfect that he went for archeology.”
“Oh yeah, Nico’s super remembering, he’ll remember like everything you say about yourself. Oh, and one time I saw he had like a whole notebook of just facts and stuff about people.”
They were funny at first. But then he could see Nico was genuinely getting distressed as he saw more and more frustrated and anxious stims.
“Hah yeah he has social anxiety, that’s why I told you to just come on over cause I knew he’d never meet you himself-“
Will furrowed his brow and interrupted. “Leo.”
They were trying to help. They genuinely were. It was very misinformed.
“What? I’m just breaking the tensio-“
“Hey Nico, wanna go check out the gift shop?” Will tried, this time without a smile that screamed impish behavior, but questioned for relief.
Nico nodded, hair flying in a hundred directions with the force of it to escape this conversation immediately.
The black haired boy crutched after him, just as fast as the first time he’d seen him. Soon they made it and Nico was pointedly ignoring Will’s eyes.
“So,” Will began again.
It was like a floodgate opened because Nico had turned to face him, eyes on his chest, and spilled every word out in a single breath.
“I’m sorry I kept writing in your stuff I realize now you were probably annoyed and I’m sorry you spent so much money on me I’ll pay you back and I’m sorry I kept bothering you and that you had to come here you don’t even know half these people and I’m sure you’re anxious—“
He sucked in a breath, only halfway. “—I mean I’m sure you can socialize fine unlike me and I meant to actually meet you like on my terms instead of being told “that guy you like is coming with us” ten minutes before we leave and that kind of messed me u-“
“Hey, hey.” Will stepped forward and touched the top of one of Nico’s hands. “Chill. It’s fine. I- I liked all the sketches and stuff. And I told you it’s literally not that much money, I got the snickers on sale.”
He tilted his head. “You’re a lot different in person.”
Nico blushed deep. “I- fuck-“
Will grinned. “Now please, tell me, how the hell did you manage to sneak in every time I was gone?”
Nico glared at him now. Like an actual glare. Will thought he was in trouble.
“I sat at the same table every fucking day.”
“No you didn’t-“
“Yes I fucking did.”
Nico laughed. Out loud. And it might’ve been the most beautiful song ever.
“I sat in the same booth every day. The employees know me. Hell, that’s how I was allowed to mess with your shit and steal stuff every day. You know they watch over stuff like hawks, nothing goes on in there without their knowing.”
“I literally took pictures for like two weeks to try to see who was there every day-“
Nico deadpanned him. “I literally just hid under the table. Sometimes I didn’t even have to, I wasn’t in the frame in the first place.”
Nico facepalmed. “Do you know the amount of clues I accidentally left and fucked myself up?”
“No! I found when you left the letter N in one of your watercolors. Of me. That was so freaking impressive by the way, I hung it on my wal-“
“I left one of my crutches at your table one time.”
“Wait you what-“
“One time. You came back too soon and I had to run back to my table and I left my crutch. You didn’t even notice it was leaning on the other chair.”
“…I would’ve noticed.”
“And I left one of my colored pencils on the table once and you didn’t even notice and just put it in your pencil bag. It had my name engraved in it.”
Silence.
“Fuck.”
Nico snorted. “Yep.”
***
When they made it back to rendezvous at the entrance of the aquarium when they were done, Nico and Will were talking nonstop.
Will was bright eyed and animated and Nico was excited and gesturing as best as he could with his crutches. His facial expressions did enough work—none of the group had ever really seen him do more than sarcastic or glaring marks with his eyebrows.
Leo went to make another stupid remark. “So he does tal-“
Hazel slapped a hand over his mouth. “Shhh.”
Nico didn’t notice. He was too deep in talking about the latest discovery for dinosaurs and how it was recently published about the Spinosaurus mirabilis that was discovered in 2019 and excavated in 2020 and a study was only released this year about it and he’d been researching it and it’s genealogy for weeks.
Will was trying in earnest to listen. He genuinely was. Nico was using so many big words and talking so quickly he kind of mentally checked out every other sentence.
“Everyone riding with me come on!” Percy yelled a minute later, swinging his keys around his finger and walking to the car.”
Nico looked a bit embarrassed, it seemed like he’d just been pulled back into reality again. Will had already been over a short intro course on neurodivergent kids specifically for pediatrics. He remembered the scribbled words of Nico saying he had AUDHD. It was kind of funny.
He was glad Nico’s overall distress was gone. He wanted to make sure it didn’t come back though so he asked, “What about their crest? It was made of keratin you said, right? What was it for?”
So the rest of the car ride consisted of dinosaur facts.
***
“Hey.”
Will looked up from his notes and almost spilled his coffee. “Oh! You’re quiet. Oh my god.” Will didn’t know what to do with himself. Suddenly Nico was here, in the cafe, actually face to face with him.
Nico looked insecure immediately. “I can- I can go.”
“No!” Will said so fast it would’ve been embarrassing if he hadn’t been so desperate. “Here, here- sit. Is the table too high? Do I need to grab your crutches?”
It was a high top and Nico had to make a little mini-hop to get into the chair. “I got it.” He rested them against the side.
Nico glanced around. “It’s a lot different from this side.” He flickered a gaze to meet Will’s. “And actually sitting instead of thieving my way into your books.”
“Mm,” Will mused, closing all of them to give his undivided attention. He kept one open though, flipping through it til he got to a blank spot. “I think it could use another one, though.”
Nico raised a brow. “You have probably hundreds of sketches by now.”
Will shrugged. “What’s one more?”
Nico flashed him the double middle finger before stealing the pen he was using, beginning to get to work, completely absorbed by the lines.
He stuck his tongue out just slightly and tilted his head, he used the side of his ring finger to smudge lines, he furrowed his brow and scrunched his lip if he had to erase something more than once.
Will watched him and realized he wasn’t as enthralled by the mystery of the art as he once was.
And found more joy in finding the person—maybe his person—more.