A/N: I've had this WIP forever, I'm so glad it's finished!
As he left camp, Will felt freer than he had in a while. He loved Camp Half-Blood, no doubt, but it became stifling when he was constantly working in the infirmary and taking care of his siblings. Leaving camp for something other than a quest meant freedom from typical responsibilities. He always liked the shocked feeling of what life was like before he went to camp. Everything was so normal (mortal normal, not demigod normal) that it was both disorienting and refreshing at the same time.
Also, he got to leave camp with his boyfriend for the first time. That was definitely a plus.
He and Nico had been going out for a couple months, but they never had a date outside of camp. To Will, it almost felt like their first date. It would be the first time they're together outside of camp without some sort of impending doom looming over them. Will knew it was a bit more risky to be with a child of the Big Three, but he knew Nico was more than capable of protecting both of them, and Will was confident in his own healing abilities if they were ever needed.
The boys decided to just walk around New York City and window shop. Nico hadn't explored the city much before, at least not with the goal of enjoying himself. Will had become familiar with the city over the years, so he took it upon himself to act as Nico's tour guide.
"And on your left, you'll see the Empire State Building. Fun fact: the 100th floor is Olympus!" Will grinned as he put on his little act for his boyfriend.
Nico rolled his eyes, an amused smile on his face. "No duh, Will, not like I haven't been before."
"Well sOrry I wasn't important enough to go along. Maybe next time?" Will winked.
"Uh, no, I'd rather a major event that requires me to go to Olympus not happen, thank you very much." Nico looked around as they walked, his cheeks a light pink color. Will figured it was due to the slightly nippy breeze. Nico liked to think so too.
Will exclaims, "There!" as they come up to a coffee shop on the corner. "I used to go coffee shop hopping with my siblings for fun. They were really into the whole aesthetic thing before it was a thing." Will shrugged and held the door open for Nico, who quietly thanked him as he stepped in.
The place was cute – small, but cozy. Lots of woodwork, fake vines lined the walls, little tables for two with succulents were scattered about. The smell of coffee was strong, but not overwhelming. Nico had never really been into this kind of thing, but maybe that's because he didn't have anyone to go with.
Will went up to the counter and ordered two hot chocolates for them as Nico grabbed a table near the back. Will probably would've liked to sit by the window, but Nico didn't like having every passersby's eyes on him. He was slightly on edge, probably because he kept expecting to be attacked. At least, that's what Nico kept telling himself.
"Here we are!" Will chirped as he set down their drinks. Nico held his gratefully, the warmth seeping into his cold fingers. "So," Will sipped his cocoa experimentally, "what do you want to do?"
Nico shrugged. He had no clue what to do in the city, let alone on a date. He didn't know what he was doing, and that made him a little more anxious than usual. To him, New York City was a place where monsters lurked, where he had to stumble around and survive on his own. His memories of the city were darkened with war and solitude. What did Will expect of him?
Before Nico's thoughts could spiral, Will cut in. "Well, there's plenty to show you, but I'd rather not run around the city like tourists." He smiled, and Nico felt a bit of tension leave his shoulders. "I was thinking," Will leaned forward over the table. "We could just continue walking the streets and stop in random shops, try on silly things, and run out before we get kicked out." Will grinned wickedly, and it was so foreign to see such mischief on his face that Nico snorted.
"Wow, the city changes you, Solace. And here I thought you were a goody two-shoes." Nico smirked over his mug as Will leaned back and laughed.
"Hey, I can be a bad boy." Will wiggled his eyebrows at Nico, who blushed and looked away. No comment back, Will noted. They're conversation moved on from there and Will never thought twice on it.
As Will said, the boys continued down the busy street, Will pointing out random landmarks or places where he had been before to Nico, who noted everything with vague interest. His eyes kept darting around, tracking every person around them for a second or two before moving to the next person. Will kept telling him not to worry so much, that the monsters wouldn't do anything crazy right out in the open, but Nico was still on high alert.
Even so, they still stopped at random little stores and looked around. Sometimes, they were genuinely interested in the items. Will picked out a few souvenirs to bring back for his siblings and Nico bought a couple knickknacks for himself. At other stores, they'd try on random hats on the rack and Will would strike silly poses, making Nico giggle. They tried on some sunglasses together and Will snapped some pictures with the digital camera he borrowed from Cecil. They didn't get kicked out of any stores, much to Will "the bad boy"'s dismay. Will took Nico to a hotdog stand he and his siblings apparently always went to when they took a trip into the city. He didn't claim it was the best, but it was decent and had good memories for Will, so Nico was content.
The entire time they walked, Will kept trying to hold Nico's hand. At first, he tried to be subtle, looking away and letting his hand brush Nico's several times. But Nico didn't seem to notice, always moving his had to do something else. Then Will tried being more obvious, glancing down at their hands and hooking their pinkies together. But, again, Nico pulled his hand away and would scratch his head or something. Will frowned, starting to wonder if Nico didn't want to hold his hand. They did it all the time at camp. Granted, it took awhile before Nico did it in view of other campers, but now it was normal. And, right now, he didn't really think a bunch of strangers seeing them was worse than all of their friends and fellow campers.
After leaving another shop, Will tried again. This time, he directly grabbed Nico's hand and chatted excitedly, trying to brush over the hand-holding. It worked for a little – then it didn't.
Nico noticed Will grab his hand instantly, and he felt his heartbeat pick up. He tried to listen to what Will was talking about, but his eyes instinctively glanced around them. Almost no one paid them any mind, too focused on their own tasks, but a few glanced at them. Some of them looked directly at their linked hands. They passed by too quickly, but Nico could imagine the disgusted looks on their faces. He could feel his anxiety growing and subtly disentangled their fingers, moving his hands to adjust his jacket. Nico saw Will give him a side glance as he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets – his hands were cold.
Something was off, Will knew it. At the next coffee shop they saw, Will pulled Nico into it, telling him that he was cold and wanted something hot to drink. Nico put up no protest, simply nodding his head and walking over to a table in the far corner of the shop, again. Will frowned after him, confirming his suspicion that something was bothering Nico. At this point, Nico was barely making any comments, letting Will carry the conversation. While this was pretty normal, Nico usually cut in with his sarcasm and dry humor every once in a while. Will couldn't think of what could have gone wrong since their day started out so well, but he would find out.
Will brought their drinks back to the table. He thought about sliding in next to Nico on the bench, but Nico didn't seem to want that. He took up as much of the bench as he could and sat pointedly across from the chair on the other side of the table. Will sighed as he sat in the chair instead.
"So," Will started off casually. "Are you enjoying the city?"
Nico shrugged, "It's cool, I guess."
Will frowned. "Okay, um, well are you having fun on our date?"
At that, Nico appeared to tense up a little, his eyes darting behind Will's head before returning to his mug. "Yeah, it's great." He took a tentative sip of his latte, but it's still too hot to drink properly. He scowled at it, but Will thought he was upset at more than the coffee.
"Nico," he sighed, "what's wrong?'
Nico blinked up in surprise at the question. "Nothing?"
Will gave him an unconvinced look. "Then why does it feel like you've been avoiding me?"
Nico's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, though he was starting to catch on. "What do you mean, I've been with you all day."
"That's not what I mean and you know it." Will glanced down at his drink, slightly self-conscious. "You won't let me hold your hand, or just stand close to you."
Nico pressed his lips into a line. "You… know I don't like PDA," he stated hesitantly.
"But this is more than that. You seem," Will searched for the word, "… distant."
Nico looked away towards the front of the coffee shop. He scowled as more people came in the door.
"Are you… I mean, are we… okay?" That brought Nico's attention back to the blonde boy in front of him. Will looked so worried and unsure that Nico felt guilty.
"What? No, I mean, yes, of course we're good. Why would you think that?" Nico had given him good enough reason, he knew. He sighed, slumping down in his seat. "It's just…"
Will waited. "Just…?"
"It's just… hard, you know?" Nico glanced up before staring back down at his mug. "I see people look at us, and all I can think about is the horrible things they must be thinking. You would think I'd be used to it by now," he scoffed.
Will's uncertainty melted into understanding. Of course, of course this was a lot for Nico to handle. It was their first time out of camp together, the first time Nico has really been out in the world having come out to people, and now with a boyfriend. Will felt dumb for not considering his boyfriend's feelings before.
Will reached for Nico's hand that wasn't gripping his mug, and for the first time all day, Nico didn't pull away. Instead, he flipped his hand over and squeezed Will's tightly.
"I get it, Nico. I'm so sorry for not thinking of that earlier." Nico shook his head, but Will kept going. "No, I am sorry. It's not something you should have to just get used to so quickly. It takes time." Will smiled softly at Nico. "But I like you, a lot, and that's what really matters here, not any random stranger on the street's opinion. I just want to be able to show you off, and shove it in everyone's face how much I like you."
Nico chuckled, and Will counted that as a win. "Yeah, I know."
Will grinned, his smile brightening up Nico's mood, just a little. How could he be ashamed of who he is with this boy at his side?
"You know I like you, too, right? Like a lot."
"Yeah, I know."
"Do I have to show it in front of all these people?"
Will squeezed his hand. "I'm just asking for small steps."
"Those steps aren't that small." But Nico still squeezed back.
"I'm sure the Ghost King will manage." Nico rolled his eyes and Will beamed. "Besides, I'll be there with you the whole way."