"Neeks! Come on!" Will Solace called exasperatedly for his boyfriend outside the locked door to the Hades cabin.
Inside said cabin Nico di Angelo sat on his bed pouting, "I don't want to go!" Will scuffed his boots on the floor outside the door, huffing in irritation. He had spent days planning this trail ride, checking out the stables, slyly purchasing the riding equipment , and secretly finding a time to work with his boyfriend's schedule, but when Will sprung the surprise on Nico, he refused, blatantly and repeatedly. For the life of him, Will could not understand why Nico didn't want to go riding, he had seen him interacting with Mrs.O'Leary, so he clearly didn't hate animals. Will just couldn't figure it out.
"Nico," he called. "Just at least let me in so we can talk." Will received no answer, so he turned to walk away, concluding that he would come back when Nico was more calm. At that instant he heard the telltale creak of the Hades cabin door opening, he turned around to see his boyfriend hanging his head and shuffling his weight in the doorway.
"Come on in." he mumbled as he gestured to the interior of the cabin he, alone occupied. After Will made his way into the cabin, Nico closed the door behind them. Will noticed that while he was wearing all of his horse gear, the riding breeches, paddock boots, half chaps, and helmet that he had bought for Nico had all gone was standing off to the side of the doorway, his body hunched. He had his arms crossed with his fingers digging into his upper arms, his eyes were downcast. He was staring at the floorboards as if they were the most interesting things he had ever seen in his life.
"Nico, come on. What's bothering you?" Will asked softly, not wanting to startle him. His boyfriend currently looked like a fragile hatchling that had just been pushed out of the nest. Nico mumbled something and seemed to retreat further into himself. Will spoke just above a whisper, "I'm sorry, what was that hun?"
Nico scuffed his ancient tennis shoes on the floor then lifted his head and spoke more clearly, "I don't wanna go." He sounded like a five year old refusing to go to the doctor.
"Why don't you want to go? Neeks?" Will was being very patient considering the fact that his boyfriend hadn't answered a single question of rubbed a hand over his face, looking more pained than when he had told Percy about his feelings for him.
"It's just," he sighed, not wanting to continue. Will took his hand and led him over to the bean and sat down with an arm around Nico's shoulders and his other hand intertwined with his boyfriend's, an gesture to let Nico know to continue his explanation. "Animals hate me." Nico gestured to the empty room. "There, I said it."
Will spoke up, "Why do you think animals hate you, Nico?"
Nico seemed to brace himself before replying, "I'm a child of Hades, we give of an aura of death, that's why I steer clear of the pegasi, and any other animal. I don't need to be reminded of their hatred for me."
Will started to speak again, "But what about-" Nico cut him off as if he could read Will's mind.
"Mrs.O'Leary is a hellhound, that's the only reason that she is comfortable around me. She is a creature of death, just like me." That was when it hit Will, his boyfriend thinks he is a creature of death. That just wouldn't do! Just then Will stood up abruptly, untangling himself from Nico and walking over to the pile of riding equipment.
Will grabbed the breeches, threw them at Nico, and said, "Take off your pants." As Nico removed the breeches from his face he became flustered, and rightly so. His boyfriend just told him to take off his pants. Nico stammered and blushed until Will teased, "Not like that, you perv!" Will turned around and laughed as Nico changed into the breeches. When Nico signaled he was done Will helped him into the paddock boots, and assisted in putting on the half chaps. Just as he was zipping up the last chap he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.
Nico looked at his lap, "It wont work," he met Will's eyes. "I'm still me, i'll still terrify the horses." Will just shrugged his shoulders.
"We'll see." They stepped out of the Hades cabin and started their trek to the stables. It was close enough to walk to but it was still quite a journey. Nico tensed when they finally passed under the sign that said MoonHaven Stables. Will grabbed Nico's hand in his, a silent reassurance. A man greeted them and the entrance.
"Welcome to MoonHaven Stables! I assume that you are Will and Nico, the ones with the trail ride appointment. Right?"
Will smiled his infectious smile and replied, "Yep! That's us." The man looke the two of them up and down, commenting that they both looked like they knew what they were doing and were experienced riders based on their breeches, paddock boots, and half chaps.
"Would you two lads like to pick your own horses and go alone, it's a clear path through the woods, with logs lining it." Nico was about to correct him and let him know that they were not, in fact, experienced riders of any sort, but Will jumped in before he could speak.
"We would love to, thank you for the opportunity! We will stay well in the trail." the man showed them to the main paddock and wished them luck and a good ride. As soon as he was out of earshot Nico spoke up.
"What was that about?" Will looked confused as to what he meant so he elaborated, "We are definitely not experienced riders, so why jump at the chance to ride, unsupervised in the middle of nowhere, on an unpredictable 1,000 lb animal!" Nico became a tad bit worked up near the end, but Will was merely laughing at him and not taking his concerns seriously. "What on earth is so funny to you?" Nico fumed. Will wiped at the tears forming from his laughter and explained.
"We will be fine, you overthink things dear." Nico still looked a little upset, so Will bent down to look at him and plactated, "Come on Neeks, give us a smile!" Nico took one look at his goofy boyfriend and relented, giving a small smile a chance to grace his features. "Alright then, let's go. I can't wait to pick a horse!" The boys made their way to the gate of the paddock. Will opened it with glee and Nico stepped in timidly, not wanting to startle the horses. Will grabbed a halter and lead rope from a fence post and as Nico did the same he made his way over to an elegant bay mare with a white blaze running down the middle of her face. She gladly let Will slip the halter on her, she seemed to be thrilled that he picked her to ride. When Nico approached the herd they all backed away nickering unassuredly.
"See, I told you, animals hate me." Nico looked at Will with defeat in his eyes.
"No, they don't hate you Neeks. You just need to be more confident in yourself. They can sense your fear." Will reassured him.
Nico made a face, "How do you know all of this? You're just as much a new rider as I am."
Will lifted his chin and smirked, "I have my ways"
"You borrowed Annabeth's laptop didn't you?"
"I borrowed Annabeth's laptop." Will answered in a resigned voice. Nico tried to appear more confident to the horses in front of him as he approached the herd for a second time. The horses didn't run away from, so he counted that as a win, but none came any closer to him. Nico was about to turn to his boyfriend and tell him to enjoy the ride alone when a brilliantly white steed came towards Nico. Will was thoroughly enjoying the dumbstruck look on his boyfriend's face. The horse came to a stop a few yards from Nico, bent his left foreleg to rest on the ground as his right extended out in front of him and he finally bowed his head. Nico seemed to have lost his voice as his jaw dropped open and no sounds came out. After about 30 seconds the stallion stood and came closer to Nico, sticking his head out. "Hey Neeks," Will called. Nico looked over to him, still dumbfounded. "I think that is a Lipizzaner. I noticed them in my research, they are from Vienna, Italy. They are trained to bow and do classical dressage, including jumps known as 'airs above the ground'." After Will finished his spiel about Lipizzaners, Nico gently put the halter on the stallion. Will and Nico walked their horses back to the main barn to get the horses tacked up, Will looking smug the whole way. Ten minutes later Nico and Will were riding through the woods, they made their way to a cliff overlook. Where they could see the forest below and the sunset in front of them. Will looked over to his boyfriend, who had his eyes closed, soaking up the last rays of sun, his horse seemed to be doing the same. Will smiled, Nico was so beautiful when he was at peace. He moved his mare a little closer to Nico's stallion, so he could grab Nico's hand. Nico smiled, but kept his eyes closed. Will looked back past the cliff, settling in his saddle he watched the sun set with the person he loved the most holding his hand.