Under the Mistletoe

Hey guys! Merry Christmas! I've literally stayed up all night to write this, and I'm sort of pleased with the outcome. The point of views alternate between Nico and Will.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise

Enjoy!


'Stupid Solace,' Nico thought as he stabbed his fork unseeingly into his dinner plate. He glared at the half eaten burger on his plate. It was dinner time at Camp Half-Blood and Nico was currently sitting alone at the Hades table, not eating. Nico risked a glance upward to the Apollo table. About 20 demigods were laughing at some no doubt hilarious joke concocted by a camper. But Nico only had eyes for a certain son of Apollo. His blond hair glowed in the light of the setting sun and his eyes sparkled with mirth. His gorgeous teeth glinted and his whole face was lit up.

'Damn you, Solace,' Nico thought for the hundredth time that day. He once again glared at the wooden surface below him. 'Why do you have to be so–'

"Hey, Nico!" A voice interrupted Nico from his angry thoughts. "If you don't want that burger, I'll have it!"

Nico glared at the tall figure looming over him. He seemed to be glaring a lot lately. At least, more so than usual. "What do you mean?" he grumbled.

Percy plopped into the seat opposite Nico. He green eyes bored into Nico's own brown ones. "You haven't eaten for ten minutes. And I'm hungry."

Nico shoved his food over to Percy. "Here," he said.

Percy disregarded the burger. He leaned closer to Nico. "What's up? You've been quiet all week. What's wrong?"

Nico shrugged. "Nothing. Leave me alone," he said without malice.

Percy frowned, but got the hint that Nico didn't want anyone to know about his plight. "Cheer up! It's almost Christmas!"

Nico slumped on the table. He groaned. Percy grinned and prodded his shoulder with a finger.

"Come to the Christmas party! It'll be loads of fun!"

Nico snorted. Percy and the others had been pestering him to go to the Christmas party in Camp Jupiter, which Frank and Reyna, as the praetors of New Rome, were organising. Nico knew that nothing fun would happen, but Hazel had begged him to go, and he couldn't resist his sister's puppy dog eyes and pleading pout. "I am going," Nico said. "Hazel convinced me."

"Awesome!" Percy got up to leave. Then he hesitated. "Just so you know... It won't be all bad. I hear Will Solace will be there," he whispered.

Nico sat gaping for a full minute, only reacting when Percy clapped him on the shoulder and bid him a hasty goodbye. "Jackson!" he yelled.

The black haired idiot only turned around, waggled his eyebrows, and raced away.

Nico was sure his face was as red as a tomato.

How had he known? Was it that obvious...?


Will was sitting on his bed, staring at his hands. Why had he thought going to the Christmas party was a good idea? He thought that if he went, he would be able to see Nico and ...what? Confess his feelings for him? As if that would go down well. Nico would probably glare at him in disgust and go hook up with a beautiful daughter of Aphrodite. Not to mention the fact that Nico was born in the 1930s, a time of blatant homophobia.

Will made an unhappy noise in his throat. Why did he have to fall for the son of Hades, of all people? He was undeniably hot, an amazing demigod, and he had actually put up with Will for a long time. It had been a year since the Giant War and he and Nico were now great friends. Will just wanted it to be something more... Will fell back onto his bed. He had fallen hard for Nico. Probably harder than he ever had before.

Kayla, his sister, patted his shoulder in sympathy. "Thinking about di Angelo again, aren't you?"

Will spluttered and sat up quickly, banging his head in the bunk bed above him. "Ow," he said. "And... no! Why would I think about him?"

"Oh please," Kayla snickered, "I'm your sister. I observe you." Will stared at her suspiciously. "You always have that face when you go moony eyes over him."

"I don't go-"

"Yes, you do," Kayla said with a final tone.

"Yeah," Will agreed sadly.

"Why don't you just tell him you love him at the party?" asked Kayla.

Will coughed. "Oh, yes, that will go down well! 'Hey Nico, I know you're probably straight but I've been crushing on you for two whole years! Bye!"

Kayla rolled her eyes. "How do you know he's not gay?"

"I seriously doubt that, Kayla. They always are."

Kayla frowned. "Whatever. Just don't come crying to be if you never get laid."

Will didn't even have the energy to yell at Kayla. He just lay in his bed, thinking about a certain son of Hades.


The morning of December 25th loomed bright and clear, and the campers woke to a thick layer of snow coating the ground and cabins. It was, Chiron had said, 'a present from the gods.' Of course, the Stolls used said present to initiate a huge camp snowball fight before breakfast.

Nico stepped outside his cabin to a face-full of snow.

He was wearing his signature black jeans and aviator jacket (he had bought a new one) and contrasted with the everlasting whiteness around him. His skin was pale from the cold and he looked like an avenging angel of death. This was precisely the reason why several campers outside the Hades cabin, incidentally the ones who had thrown the snow, had instigated a hasty retreat.

Nico scowled at Jason for commenting on his bright red nose and wet hair as he shovelled down his warm breakfast. Jason, embarrassingly, was wearing reindeer antlers and his glasses had sprigs of paper mistletoe glued to the rims. Percy was wearing a bright red Christmas jumper and was also sporting reindeer antlers. They joined Nico at his table.

"Hey Nico!" Jason smiled nervously as he greeted the surly demigod.

"What?" asked Nico suspiciously.

Percy spoke then. He was decidedly less scared, and looking more cunning than anything. "About the Christmas party…" he started, and then trailed off.

"Is it cancelled? Please say it's cancelled."

Percy grinned. "Not at all. We've just… changed it a bit."

Nico grimaced. "What is it?"

"You have to wear something Christmassy to the party." Jason smirked.

"E-excuse me?" Nico choked out. A blush rose to his cheeks. What if Will saw him in an embarrassing jumper? What would he think? Wait… why was he thinking about Will of all people? His heart constricted.

"Yep," Percy said, chortling at Nico's expression.

"No way," Nico protested.

"Yes way," Jason countered. "Do it willingly, or I'll ask Piper to charmspeak you."

Nico sighed. It was going to be a long night.


It was seven pm. Will was standing awkwardly in the corner of the mess hall, clutching a plastic cup filled with punch as if it was his only lifeline.

"Why so glum, chum?" Kayla was standing in front of him, for once not wearing her hair in her signature rainbow colours. Today she had dyed it red and green, looking surprisingly stylish, and was accompanied with Santa Hat earrings and an elf jumper.

Will himself was wearing a reindeer jumper, and some antlers decorated with holly sat atop his head.

"You know why," he said quietly. Kayla's response was interrupted by a short burst of laughter; Percy and Annabeth were caught under the mistletoe. Will smiled, momentarily forgetting his unhappiness as he watched the cutest couple in camp kiss. Then it was blown back full force as he imagined what it would be like to kiss Nico. He breathed deeply, and tried to focus on Kayla.

"I still think you should tell him," she was saying. "There's no harm in that."

Will laughed derisively. "Oh yes, no harm at all!" He tried to put every ounce of sarcasm he could muster into that sentence. "Our friendship will be ruined and I'll never be able to show my face in public again. We've already talked about this," Will reminded her.

Kayla put her hands on her hips. She spotted something behind Will, and her face brightened. "Look, there he is now!" she said happily. "I suggest you stop avoiding him and go talk."

Will frowned. He had been avoiding Nico. Just today, he had seen Nico trudging through the snow and was practically metres away, but had quickly raced back to his cabin. He didn't want to face him.

Then Will turned around and spotted the Italian. Will just had to walk up to Nico then. Nico was in the middle of the mess hall, his hands clenched into fists, glowering at anyone who dared to laugh at him. Will was not afraid, however. He burst into laughter, not even stopping when Nico's furious glare rested on him.

"Nico," he said when his laughter finally subsided, "you look hilarious."

Nico looked like a grumpy Christmas tree. He wore a green (GREEN!) jumper, and someone had strung fairy lights and tinsel around him.

"Why in Zeus's name are you not wearing a normal Christmas jumper or something?" Will spluttered.

"I don't own any and none of the others fit me," Nico said sulkily. "Shut up, Solace."

Jason materialised by Nico's side. "Doesn't he look great? I made the costume myself."

"Yes, I can tell," Will said drily.

Nico gave a small smile, and Will almost melted. He shook his head. Why was he so lovesick?


Nico yelped as Will grabbed him by the wrist – 'if only it was by the hand' – and dragged him to the snack table. Wind spirits were constantly making now plates of food appear.

"Come on, sunshine, I'm hungry," Will said. For some reason his cheeks were red.

As Will chattered on about something or other, Nico looked at him. Really looked. His pale blue eyes were animated and Nico could see the happiness in him. His cute antler headband perched on top of his golden blond hair.

Nico inhaled deeply. Was he in love with the son of Apollo?


A few hours had passed, and now people were talking, dancing to the festive music, or had already left. Will and Nico were sitting to the side, chatting amiably. Will spotted Jason and Kayla staring at them and talking conspiratorially. Will frowned. What were they doing?

He had overcome his fear of talking to Nico, but probably only because he had accepted the fact that he and Nico would never be together.

"Hey, Will! Nico!" Kayla yelled. Will raised his eyebrows.

"What?"

"Come over here a sec," Kayla said with a small smirk.

Will looked at her and Jason, who was sitting next to her, suspiciously. He and Nico got up and started to walk over to them. Jason kept on nudging Kayla sneakily.

Suddenly, everyone 'ooh-ed'. Will whirled around to the others and found them staring at him and Nico. Or, rather, above them.

He looked up, and swallowed.


Nico narrowed his eyes at Will's upturned face. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he gulped. Nico glanced up, and his cheeks immediately became flushed. Mistletoe. He stared at Jason and Kayla, who were high fiving and grinning at the pair.

Meanwhile, Will was choking. 'Oh gods,' Nico thought, 'do we have to…' Will was looking at Nico desperately.

"Um." Nico broke the silence.

"Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd that had accumulated around them chanted.

Nico was terrified. But Will didn't like him! Not in that way! Why would he kiss Nico?


Will groaned as Nico looked scared for his life. Of course he wouldn't want to kiss him. He was probably straight.

Will tried to play it off cool. "So, Nico," he said, his voice cracking. "Should we…"

Wow. Way to be smooth, Will.

"Um." Nico's voice was high pitched. "If you want to…" He trailed off uneasily. Will wanted to, of course he did! But Nico didn't look so keen.


Nico saw that Will felt uncomfortable. Why did he have to have a crush on the handsome son of Apollo? He thought that after Percy, he would be done with humiliating crushes. Will obviously thought that their relationship was purely platonic, just like Percy had.


'Screw it,' Will thought. 'I'll just do it.'


He started to lean in–


Oh gods, Will was leaning in–


Will was so close to Nico; their noses were almost touching–


Should Nico lean in? Oh gods, he was doing it–


Their lips met–


Their lips met–


Will could feel Nico's lips on his, and he was responding!


They were kissing, oh gods, Nico could have sworn that sparks were flying.


It must've been only a few seconds but Will felt like it was an eternity. He had kissed Nico!


They were still close. Nico could feel Will's breath on his cheek. He stared at Will.

"I guess we kissed," Nico stated awkwardly.


Will felt breathless. He decided to take a plunge.

"Our first kiss, huh?" he asked. And then he smiled. Flirtily.


Nico couldn't breathe. "Our… first?" he said. "You mean there'll be… more?"


Will blushed. "If you want."

Nico smiled, and just about killed Will with his next words. "Yeah. Okay."


'Does Will have feelings for me?' Nico thought. Will leant in once again. 'Yeah. Probably,' was all that Nico thought before their lips united once again.


'That kiss was so much better than the first,' Will thought.


Nico couldn't stop smiling. He tuned out the laughing of the partygoers and the cheering of Jason and Kayla (he was going to have a word with them later) and focused on Will's likewise beaming face.

"Does this mean…?" Nico stuttered. Gods, why did Will do this to him?


"I guess," Will said, his brain going a mile a minute.

And they kissed for the third time, but it was ruined by them both grinning so hard that they were unable to let their lips meet properly.


'But,' Nico thought, 'it's not as if it'll be our last kiss.'

And it wasn't. Definitely not.


Wow. Hope you enjoyed that, guys. I certainly did. My fingers are freezing because the heating's gone and I've been typing this, but it was well worth it.

Did the POV changes confuse anyone? I hope not.

Sorry it wasn't posted on Christmas day, I had to go places without my laptop or Wi-Fi

Review?