I haven't read PJO in a long time, so my memory is rusty. Forgive me for any mistakes.
Prompts:
Are You Crazy Enough to Do It Challenge: 167. (dialogue) "This is so gonna suck."
Drabble Game Challenge: WillNico, (scenario) Character A catches Character B doing something they promised they wouldn't do.
For Amber
Word Count: 2,808
set fire to my heart
"This is so gonna suck," Nico gripes as he and Percy sneak covertly along the wall, Percy's arms laden with an enormous cake shaped like the sun. "You know I don't do birthday parties. Funerals are more my forte."
(He can't help it; he is a child of Hades)
"Oh, will you shut up?" Percy snaps, "You agreed to help us and if you complain one more time, I will sic Annabeth on you."
(He's been whining nonstop)
Nico closes his mouth, since he doesn't have a death wish. He eyes the cake. It's Will's favorite. The cake is chocolate with strawberry icing and it makes Nico's mouth salivate. Of course, Percy is like a puppy guarding his bone; he won't let Nico touch the piece of art that Annabeth, Piper, and Frank (who is a surprisingly good baker) designed.
They creep around the edge of the Apollo cabin, Nico biting his lip in anxiety. His eyes float to Will, who is conversing with Chiron. Will's face is bright and beaming and he looks so radiant standing there, his golden hair glowing like a halo in the sun.
Nico has never preferred the sun; he tends to blend into the shadows. His soul is dark and troubled; Will is so light and carefree. He loves (and hates) that about Will; he is everything Nico is not.
(Needless to say, he is sort of jealous)
He pauses to stare at Will, but is interrupted when Percy clears his throat, his sea green eyes amused.
"You'll have plenty of time to ogle Will later," Percy states, smiling slightly at Nico's indignant blush, "considering this is his party, after all. Why don't you take the cake inside, while I divert him? That way you won't flirt with him and delay the party."
Nico's blush deepens, cursing Percy in his mind, and takes the cake into his arms. He shoots Percy a death glare, but Percy's grin only broadens. "Go on," he encourages, "And don't lick the frosting."
Grumbling under his breath, he carefully maneuvers around the edge of the Apollo cabin, where the party is being hosted graciously by the Apollo campers. Percy darts away and joins Chiron and Will, cheerfully talking about the security of the camp's boundaries.
Nico keeps his eyes determinedly on the cake. He kicks open the door noiselessly.
The cabin is looking much better after this morning's fiasco, which had involved a debate on what color the banners should be. Evidently they had decided on yellow, because banners declaring "Happy Birthday, Will!" were strung on the walls.
Annabeth was in the center, giving orders. No one dared to question the daughter of Athena's authority.
Nico has to admit, Annabeth was a fantastic organizer. Apart from the banners, party essentials were laid out on a table against the back wall. Items such as party hats, plates, and utensils were spread on one half of the table, while the food was on the other half of the table. Nico heads for the food, his arms trembling with the weight of the cake.
There is a perfectly round space where the cake was to be put. Nico, relieved, lays the cake there and walks over to Annabeth.
"Where's Percy?" she queries urgently.
"He's distracting Will." Nico deliberately omits Percy's absurd comment. "I'll go get them, if you like?"
(It's just an excuse to see Will, but Annabeth doesn't know and neither does he)
Annabeth purses her lips. "I suppose we're ready. I'll gather everyone together while you go get them."
He nods and slips out the door. He sees Percy, Will and Chiron discussing battle strategies. Percy instantly sends him a look of desperation, which Nico understands.
"Will," says Nico, addressing the boy with the yellow hair, "I have something I need to show you."
He jerks his thumb back to Apollo cabin. Will looks confused, but he laughs, "Sure, Deathboy."
Holy Hephaestus, that boy has a glorious laugh. It rings in Nico's ears merrily and he wants to smile.
He catches Percy's eye and it is glittering with smugness. Nico refrains from rolling his eyes.
Will walks beside him. He is way too close for comfort; their arms occasionally brush and Nico feels his ears warm.
Will towers over him, just like Percy does, but Nico only notices this for the first time. His body is hotter than the sun from Will's presence, so hot that you could grill a steak on him.
(Why was Will doing this to him?)
Nico motions to the door, inviting him to enter first. He cannot hear a sound, so he assumes that Annabeth has made sure everyone is hidden.
Will throws him a doubtful look but opens the door. The lights turn on suddenly, almost blinding Nico and forcing him to shut his eyes.
"Surprise!" the room choruses and campers pop out from various hiding places.
It seems like that the entire camp was invited; the room is crowded to capacity. Nico finds himself swept away as people push him aside to greet the birthday boy. Feeling suddenly bitter and lonely, he flattens his back against a wall and refuses to speak to anyone.
Finally, it is Will who breaks through his stubborn shell. He asks in his stupidly melodious voice, "Are you okay?"
But Nico's resolve does not crack. He nods stiffly, but Will is exceptionally good at reading people. Just by Nico's tense posture he can deduce that Nico is agitated.
Will has always been intrigued by the son of Hades and his personality. He senses the boy had a haunting past and he wants to lock those memories away. But he cannot, because sometimes, the past can interfere with the present.
Will politely declines a girl's offer to dance. She gives him a friendly smile and when her eyes rest on Nico, they turn wary. Nico closes his eyes, wishing to escape from her harsh look. He hates being an outsider, but being a child of Hades automatically earns him that title. He has friends, but they're all involved with someone else. He has nobody.
Will sees Nico's discomfort and shoots the girl a threatening look, so unlike his character. The girl looks embarrassed and disappears into the sea of partygoers.
"So, a little bird tells me that you helped put together this party," Will says as Nico opens his eyes.
Nico's resolve weakens at the caring tone in his voice. "Yes," he mumbles, "but it was the rest of my friends who did most of the work."
"If you're sure," Will says, clearly unconvinced, "Well, why don't we dance?"
He extends his hand. Nico looks at it unsurely. Sure, he wants to dance with Will, but truth be told, he's afraid of him. He's afraid of Will's scorching touch, his blazing eyes, and his cool demeanor. He's afraid he'll screw things up by losing his composure or something foolish like that.
Nico hesitates a split second before saying, "Okay."
He takes Will's hand and together they walk out onto the dance floor where many couples are slowly rotating to the beat of a romantic song. He sees Percy and Annabeth gazing into each other's eyes with love and Piper and Jason sharing a sweet kiss.
Nico's heart thuds against his ribs painfully. Will halts at a relatively empty spot and wraps an arm around Nico's neck.
This is it. Nico mimics Will and coils his arms around Will's waist.
(His mind goes temporarily blank.)
He discovers that Will is a smooth dancer. He guides Nico and they weave through the couples spread out on the floor.
The song speeds up slightly and so does Nico's heart. He and Will are slowly getting closer to each other and he hears Will inhale sharply. Nico's breath catches in his throat.
Will smells incredible. He doesn't smell like cheap cologne but just pure Will, and it is intoxicating.
The other couples' chattering fades out so it's just him and Will and the faint music surrounding them. He gazes into Will's azure eyes and his heart skips a beat.
Will begins to lean in, his eyes fluttering shut and Nico's excitement mounts.
And swiftly transforms into panic.
The last thing Nico hears is Will's shout before darkness engulfs him and his stomach twists painfully.
Damn.
Nico's eyes open. His butt is sore and his ratty jeans are coated in dirt and blades of grass.
He is in an open meadow. Butterflies and bees swarm around him and a particularly irksome bee lands on his shoulder. He swats it away.
He has no idea where he is. The last thing he remembers is Will's lips hovering above his own and—
Shit. Will.
He scrambles to his feet. Will is going to kill him.
He was not supposed to shadow-travel anymore because it was hazardous to his health. But he'd panicked and shadow-traveled into the middle of nowhere.
He was going to have a hell of a time explaining this to Will and the remainder of the medical staff.
Nico wanders around for some time, absorbing his surroundings. The meadow he's arrived at is rather beautiful.
He vaguely wonders how he's going to get back to camp. He could attempt shadow-traveling again, but he would be significantly weakened by traveling twice in one day.
So he settles for just meandering around and hoping to find some kind of human civilization.
By the time dusk falls, he's found nobody. His priority now is to find some shelter before night comes. He doesn't know what animals live here and doesn't want to find out.
Nico finds a rabbit tunnel and follows it from above, until he sees a small alcove under two boulders. It's a tight squeeze, but Nico is scrawny, so he fits in snugly.
Dusk darkens into night and stars are scattered across the sky. Nico is reminded of Will and prays silently to the gods that someone will come and rescue him.
Subconsciously, he adds that he wouldn't be too fussed if it was Will.
(Because the thought of Will is keeping him grounded.)
Nico wakes to birds chirping, a bee buzzing, his stomach eating itself in hunger and—a hand shaking him?
"C'mon, Di Angelo, don't bail out on me," a voice hisses, "You ignored my wishes once, so don't do it again."
Nico's eyes fly open in shock. Will's face swam hazily above him.
"Hello, Will," he whispers, his voice slurring with drowsiness, "What're you doing here?"
"I came to save you, you idiot," Will says, "Now do as I say and get your ass out here."
"Thinking about my ass, are you?" Nico jokes as he scoots out from under his cozy little niche.
Will's face reddens and Nico smiles triumphantly.
"I'm just worried about your safety," he hastily attempts to return to the subject at hand, "Your ass is the least of my concerns."
Nico wrinkles his nose as he smells the sharp scent of Will's healing salves. "You had to bring all of that disgusting junk with you?"
"It's useful," Will retorts, frantically examining his body for any major injures. His heady scent washes over Nico and dizzies him.
"You're okay," Will concludes, the cute crinkle in his forehead relaxing.
(And Nico's sanity was shot to hell.)
It is too much for Nico. His emotions take control of his body and he launches himself at the son of Apollo. Will emits a little oomph of surprise as Nico barrels into him but then his mouth meets Nico's and he loses himself.
The kiss is frenzied, heated, and passionate, but it's always how Nico wanted his first kiss with Will to be. He had kissed other boys before (Percy) but this felt different.
A fire ignites inside of Nico and he channels it through the kiss. Will's heart pounds against his own. His scent envelops Nico and he gasps into his mouth.
(He has waited way too long for this.)
And suddenly, his mouth meets air. He falls forward. A strong pair of arms catch him and hold him tight.
Will seems just as shocked as he is. Looking up into his face, Nico notices an almost dreamy expression. Which could only mean that he thought it was—
"—amazing," Will says breathlessly, "I had no idea you could kiss like that!"
Nico blushes as Will does the same. He sits up and they gaze at each other.
"Well," says Will finally, "Shall we return to camp?"
"How?" Nico asks, his heart calming. "I can't shadow-travel back; my energy was greatly depleted with that one accidental journey."
Will looks at him with accusation. "Actually, that's something I wanted to talk to you about."
Nico realizes his mistake. "I'm sorry, Will—"
"I specifically warned you not to go shadow-traveling around!" Will yells, his face becoming blotchy, "You disregarded my orders! You have no clue how much I was worried, Nico! You could've hurt yourself!"
Will breaks down.
"After you vanished, the party became total pandemonium. Annabeth was the only level-headed one and figured out what had happened."
"Will, I'm—"
"No!" he roars, "I don't want hear your apologies, Nico Di Angelo. You scared the hell out of me! Never do that again!"
His rage cools, his face becomes its normal pallor, and he opens his clenched fists.
"Will, I have no excuses," Nico starts, "I panicked and by mistake shadow-traveled here."
"Never mind that," Will huffs, "Let's focus on alleviating your frantic friends. They weren't the only ones," here he tosses a scornful look at Nico and he hangs his head in shame, "who were overwrought."
"How are we getting back?" Nico questions curiously.
"Chariot."
Nico gapes at him.
Will shrugs. "Apollo owes me a favor. I healed his favorite dolphin, so he gifted me a chariot."
"Oh." Nico feels silly; he remembers that now.
Will pulls him to the open meadow. A chariot the color of Will's hair is parked near a gnarled tree.
"Before we depart," Will says, climbing into the chariot and helping Nico up, "I want to ask you something."
"Ask away." Nico has a feeling he knows what Will's going to ask, since his cheeks are stained pink and he has a shy smile lighting up his face. He waits in anticipation.
"I—will you be my boyfriend?" Will inquires with bated breath.
(This is the moment.)
Nico grins. "Calm down, you're behaving like you're proposing to me. Of course my answer is yes."
"Great!" Will's smile widens. "I love you, by the way."
Nico's heart, finally receiving its well-deserved break, warmed up. "I love you too."
Will's face, if was even possible, brightens up even more. "Well, at least I won't be struggling with denial any longer," he says, "or unrequited love."
"And I won't be battling my loneliness any longer," Nico adds thoughtfully, then amends as Will's eyes become shadowed, "Don't worry, I have friends and now you to help fill that void."
Will flashes a brilliant smile at his new boyfriend. "Let's embark on that adventure, then."
"So, he was furious that you shadow-traveled when he explicitly told you not to?" Percy inquires.
"Yup." Nico nods affirmatively. "He was pretty upset. That was after we kissed."
"So, you're a officially a couple now?"
"Yeah."
Percy grins. "Well, I suppose Leo owes me some drachmas now."
Nico, who is about to walk away, spins around. "You two bet on my love life?"
"To be fair, you didn't have a love life when the bet started," Percy points out, "We were betting on how long it would take to admit your feelings for Will. We weren't expecting you to actually start dating him."
Nico crosses his arms and attempts another death glare, but Percy is somehow immune to them.
"Well, there's Annabeth. Catch you later." He strides away.
"Hey," Will says, arriving at Nico's side and affectionately sliding an arm around his shoulders, "Was he antagonizing you?"
Nico watches as Percy pecks Annabeth's forehead. "Nah, he was just being an idiot. Did you know they had a bet on my love life?"
"Uh-huh."
Nico rounds on him. "You knew?"
Will holds his hands up in protest. "Hey, they were so obvious about it."
Now Nico realizes why Percy was throwing knowing looks at him. "I suppose."
"C'mon," says Will, gesturing to Percy, who was shooting sappy looks at Annabeth, "Let's make them envious."
Nico smiles earnestly. Will lowers his lips to Nico's and they start kissing in the middle of camp.
"Oi! Stop participating in inappropriate activities in front of the young ones!" shouts Dionysus, who has a cup of Coke in his hand.
Nico and Will separated and shared amused looks.
"It's nice to know that some things will never change," Nico whispers to his boyfriend.
Will's breath is hot on his ear as he whispers back, "Like our love for each other."