Nico di Angelo was born in Venice, Italy to Maria di Angelo and Hades something he couldn't remember. He had one older sister named Bianca and one younger half sister named Hazel with whom they shared the same father. His parents weren't married and his father only dropped in occasionally when they were little. Despite not having the ideal nuclear family, Nico had a pretty good life. His father could be a little distant and hard to warm up to but Nico knew he loved and cared about them, especially his mama. Besides, he still got to see his father when he came to visit, which is more than some other kids could say. His sister Bianca often acted more as another parent to Nico than a sibling but he couldn't really hate her for taking care of him. She was the closest person to him in the world, as it often is with siblings. And as for Hazel… well Nico had never met her since she lived in New Orleans all the way over in the states.
When he was nine years old, his family moved to the US. And although he didn't know it at the time, his whole life was about to go to hell.
Nico sat in a stupid plastic chair in a stupid white office in the stupid adoption agency. His social worker was sitting at her cluttered desk typing away at her computer something vitally important Nico was sure. The walls were a mind numbing white and there were some bland pictures nailed to them that depicted flowers or abstract colors and shit. Things designed no doubt to calm and soothe you but really just made you want to smash the glass and slit your wrists with the jagged edges.
He exhaled. How long had he been waiting? Ten minutes? Twenty? Long enough to have studied everything in the room twice. Maybe the Solace's had changed their minds. Maybe they had decided against taking him in or were having second thoughts. But he didn't think so. For one, they always seemed really excited and happy about it whenever he met them. Way more than him. And two, no one went through all that trouble just to not go through with it.
He sighed again and the social worker glanced at him. Nico started tapping his sneaker on the carpet. Finally, after a few more endless minutes the woman finished typing and stood up.
"Ready Nico?" He didn't bother answering, just stood up too.
She drove him in her old car to the two story house and Nico found himself wondering why she was dropping him off instead of the family coming to pick him up.
Then too soon, they were there. His social worker was giving the foster parents some last minute information and then giving him some last minute information that he tuned out and pretty soon she was driving away and Nico was left in his new home.
Apollo and Naomi Solace smiled at him. "Come on Nico, we'll show you to your new room." They led him upstairs. The house was nice he supposed. It was neat, clean. It looked the way a family home should and there was probably a dozen or so houses that looked exactly like this. The parents talked to him about things like routines and chores and how they just wanted him to be comfortable and he could come to them for anything.
Will was sitting on the bed waiting for him in his new room. "Hey Nico" he greeted with a grin.
"Will" he acknowledged. He had met Will some months ago as his parents began the process of adopting Nico. He seemed okay. Normal, average. He was blond haired like his parents and blue eyed like his dad. He had a lean body, wore t-shirts with cargo shorts and was a couple inches taller than Nico. Nico thought he smiled a lot. Will was 15, a year older than himself and seemed overall to be pretty happy about the whole adoption thing. Nico wondered about that. He could understand if it annoyed or angered him. I mean what kid wants a stranger living in his house? And a new foster brother that could be messed up or dangerous. Nico figured most kids- no teenagers would be a little bothered but Will seemed perfectly okay with it. During the times he had visited at the adoption agency, Will had chatted with Nico making casual conversation or playing video games with him. He wasn't overly excited about getting a new brother but he wasn't sulking either.
"You'll be going to the same school as Will starting next week. He can show you around and help you get caught up with classes," Will's mother explained.
Ahh school. Nico hadn't been to school in almost four years. The last one had been a military academy called Westover Hall that his dad had paid for and sent them to. Before that, a boarding school in D.C. Because of his lapse in education, Nico's social worker had worked with his new school administration to set up a schedule and system to get caught up with the rest of the sophomores. He took this to mean he could fail the first few months and it would be okay.
"That's right. I can tutor you in whatever subject you need help with" Will added helpfully. Nico raised an eyebrow at this. Of course his foster family knew about his gap in education but Will offering to personally tutor him? That seemed like a bit much to Nico.
"Are you an honor student or something?" Nico's words were slightly mocking.
"Nope-" "No, but Will has remarkably high grades" Will and his mother answered at the same time.
Apollo spoke softly, "now we know you don't have many clothes." That was an understatement. "So we've compiled a wardrobe for you from Will's old clothes and the few your social worker brought over." The man gestured to the open closet in which Nico could see his new wardrobe hanging. "Now you're a little smaller than Will so his clothes might be a bit big on you but we tried to pick ones he had grown out of. As for the other clothes, well we thought we'd keep them in case there's some sentimental value you- "
"They're not my clothes. Just the ones they gave me at foster care" Nico flatly interrupted.
Apollo looked a little thrown off. "Oh…okay. Okay then, well we thought we'd take you to the mall later today so you could buy a couple things you like. This wardrobe is far from complete."
"That's right," Naomi added. "It'll be getting colder soon and you need some more winter clothes." If I'm going to stay for the winter.
"Yeah he could do with a few sweaters," Apollo mused examining the open closet.
"What he really needs is pants. Some more jeans, maybe sweatpants…" Nico tuned them out as they started discussing what his wardrobe was lacking.
Will smiled at him. He seemed to notice Nico wasn't paying attention anymore.
"While we're on the topic of buying things," Nico zoned back in as Naomi addressed him. "We forgot to mention…" she glanced back at her husband then turned back to Nico again. "We give Will an allowance of $20 a week and it would only be fair to give you the same." Now Nico felt a little uncomfortable.
"Though if you ever need more, feel free to come talk to us about it" Apollo added. "Heaven knows Will always seems to run out," He shot a look at Will who smiled back apologetically.
Nico frowned, "My father already gives me an allowance."
The parents looked at each other. Will just looked curious.
"We know you have a bank trust, Nico-" Naomi started.
"No," Nico interrupted. "Aside from that I've got a bank account that my dad deposits money in for me."
Will's parents looked surprised for a second then Apollo said, "Well we still insist on giving you some cash and like Naomi said, it's only fair we provide for you the same as Will. You can use you the money in you bank account as savings or for emergencies. Is that okay with you?
Nico just shrugged. He figured it was better not to argue. Adults were weird about money.
The parents seemed satisfied with that. Naomi spoke brightly, "now lunch will be ready downstairs at one. We'll give you some time to recharge and what do you say, after we've finished eating we head to the mall, okay?"
"Any questions for us?" Apollo looked at him softly.
Nico had just one. "Do I have curfew?"
Apollo seemed thoughtful as he answered, "Well no. Not exactly. If there's some good reason you need to stay out late, we'll be understanding but anytime after ten you have to call and tell us where you are. It's usually lights out around here at eleven or twelve."
"And you better be with a friend," Naomi interjected. "No wandering around alone after dark." Nico didn't have any friends in this town as of yet. He wondered how that was supposed to work.
Naomi seemed to guess his thoughts. She smiled warmly. "And don't worry about making friends, dear. Will will introduce you to his at school."
"Absolutely" Will piped up.
Nico wasn't worried. He had grown accustomed to being alone a long time ago, it didn't matter to him. Besides, he always seemed to have a talent for drawing people in. Or manipulating them.
"Okay that's enough from us." Apollo put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "We'll call you down when dinner's ready." They left the room.
Will remained. "My parents want to give you some alone time." Nico figured. "My room is right next door. I'll be in there if you need me."
"Why would I need you?"
If Will was perturbed by his slight unfriendliness he didn't let on. He smiled, "oh you know, to talk." He left the room too.
Nico sat on the bed. It was very comfortable. Or he was just used to sleeping on a shitty spring mattress. He was finally alone. He could finally relax. Nico had a lot of things to think about. He was suspicious about the Solace's niceness. Giving him an allowance, buying him clothes, his own room, then leaving him alone. Weren't they afraid he was going to rob them and leave? And then there was Will, offering to tutor him, offering to share his friends. It all seemed too perfect to be true. He wondered what the catch was. Maybe the parents would turn out to be abusive fucks. Maybe Will was actually a sadistic bully thrilled to have a new victim to torment. Maybe, maybe, maybe. He knew he was imagining the worst but still decided to keep an eye out for if or when these new people turned on him. Living on the streets had taught Nico to be suspicious. You had to be suspicious, had to trust your instincts or you'd be dead.
Another weird thing, Nico was the only foster kid here. He knew lots of parents just took a bunch of foster kids in. Basically turning their houses into foster homes. But the Solaces seemed to have only wanted to adopt him. Were they planning on taking in more kids in the future? They hadn't mentioned anything of the sort but Nico supposed it was possible. Maybe they only wanted his money. Maybe they knew who his dad was and wanted some of his money. But this seemed less likely than the other theories. The Solace's seemed pretty well off judging by their house and the fact that Will had an allowance of $20 a week. He knew Apollo was a big shot doctor and Naomi was or had been an alternative country singer so no money didn't seem to be the reason. Nico couldn't figure it out. They weren't so altruistic and overly caring as to adopt a dozen foster kids but they weren't adopting because they needed the money either. They weren't famous enough to do it for publicity or anything like that. No, it seemed like they only wanted to adopt him…. Whatever. Nico had so far allowed himself to be put in foster care and through the system only because he knew that if things took a bad turn he could hightail it out of there. Until then he'd decided to see where things went. And things were so far, so good. He could live here in this house for a few months with these people although he had no intention of getting close to any of them. Sure he knew they wanted him as part of their family, their son, brother but Nico wasn't going to get attached. They meant well, but to him this was just a place to crash for a while. Nothing more.
The bed was so comfortable that he actually ended up falling asleep on it. So he didn't hear when Apollo and Naomi called him down to lunch. It was only when Will came into his room, called to him softly and touched his arm that Nico awoke, alert almost instantly. He still had survival instincts running through him. Will took him down for lunch and they ate while making conversation. Or the Solace's did. Nico mostly listened. They talked about themselves but rarely asked about him. He knew they were going to be walking on eggshells around him. It wasn't the worst kind of treatment he had gotten as a 'troubled foster kid'. People seemed to assume the worst about you. Comparatively, Mr. and Mrs. Solace's desire to not question him about his past didn't bother him at all.
They drove him to the mall, which Nico noticed was within reasonable walking distance. Will tagged along and Nico sat next to him in the backseat of the car. They scoured through different stores, Will picking out a few things for himself. Nico mostly chose dark clothes that would help him blend in or go unnoticed; blacks or dark browns or navy blues. He didn't care much for style, going instead for practical clothing that would keep him warm and was made from durable material that would last for a long while. He needed clothes that could withstand the elements if he decided to leave.
After the mall they showed him around the neighborhood, even driving by his new school. After dinnertime Nico was given a tour of the house and now he was sitting in his bedroom while everyone else got ready for bed. He stared out the window into the night not really thinking anything at all. Will came in, stood in his doorway. Nico said nothing.
"Okay, Nico?" Will asked softly.
Nico looked at him and really thought about it. He supposed he was okay. There was just a lot. He didn't know how to take it all in. He shrugged.
Will came into his room, closing the door behind him before sitting down. Cutting off one exit, he couldn't help thinking.
"I'll invite my friends over tomorrow so you can meet them."
"You don't have to."
"I want to." Will paused then smiled. "I mean; I know I can't force you to become friends with them. You might not like them; they might not like you but I figured it would be nice to know some people before you go to school."
"Nice of you."
"Thanks. I… I know my parents already told you but we really do just want you to be comfortable here."
"That's something else you can't force though isn't it?"
Will considered. "I guess. Some awkwardness is going to be inevitable in this situation. But we can do everything we can to make you feel better about it."
"And what about you?"
"Hmm?"
"What do you think is worse?" Nico suddenly changed direction. "Moving into a new house full of strangers or having a stranger move into your house?"
Will smiled weakly and ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. "I suppose moving into a house full of strangers is weirder." He was silent for a second. "But I hope we can overcome being strangers soon." Nico didn't reply.
"Tell me about yourself." Will looked directly at him.
Nico gave him a closed smile; the first time he had smiled all day. Ahh so this was what he wanted. It wasn't completely unexpected. Nico knew these people would be curious about him, want to know more about his past, want to understand him.
"What do you want to know?"
"Before foster care, where were you?"
"On the streets," Nico answered bluntly. He liked seeing how that answer made people uncomfortable but Will didn't hesitate.
"Before that?"
Nico hummed as he thought back. "Military school." It was basically the truth, just leaving out a few details.
"And you dropped out?"
"Yeah."
"Was it so terrible?"
"No. Westover was like a big evil castle that hung medieval war weapons as decoration," Nico remembered. "The place was strict but that just meant the kids were wild whenever they were let loose."
Will looked intrigued. "You went to school in a castle? Like Harry Potter? That's so cool. But why did you drop out?"
Nico's face hardened. He shrugged nonchalantly. This was not a topic he wanted to talk about.
Will seemed to take the hint and didn't press him. "What about your parents?"
"My mom died in a hotel building collapse. My dad's a businessman. He owns a lot of land, mining companies and has a chain of funeral homes."
"But then why- "
Nico knew what he was going to ask. "My dad didn't get custody. He was never married to my mom, I don't carry his last name and I was born in Italy so the records were lost or hard to transfer. Its just a bunch of legal stuff."
"Oh." Will frowned. "But still, if he's so powerful- "
"I was never close to my dad," Nico interrupted again. "And he travels a lot so it's not like he could have raised me anyway. He did let me stay at his place unofficially though. I guess he just knew he couldn't control me, couldn't stop me from leaving so this was the best solution. He gives me money through my bank account so I can take whatever I need and I can stay at his place whenever I want. He's mostly not there anyway."
Will seemed to process all of this. "So… why aren't you there now?"
Nico smiled wryly. "Well I got caught. And put in foster care."
Will nodded in understanding. "And now you're here."
"And now I'm here."
"Don't run Nico."
"What?" Nico was taken aback.
Will fixed him with a soft yet somehow determined look. "Don't run away from us. You could have a nice life here; go to school, be part of our family."
Nico was a little speechless but Will didn't give him a chance to answer. "Seriously. I'm happy to have you for a brother. And I'd like to be your friend too, if you give me the chance. My door is always open to you."
Nico swallowed then put on a sarcastic smile. "Aren't you afraid I'm going to murder you in your sleep? You have no idea what kind of person I am. I could be anybody."
Will smiled at him too and leaned forward. "Well you have to give trust to get trust. And I look forward to finding out exactly what kind of person you are." No you won't.
Will got up and left his room, which seemed a bit hotter now then before.
Nico ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Nothing had changed. He was still going to see where this would go. But now he was slightly curious about Will himself. Why was he so... so welcoming? It was his parents adopting Nico not Will himself.
He laid in his bed under the covers, lights turned off. The dim blue light from a streetlamp filtered in through his window. Here he was. Laying in a bedroom in this nice family home. Where Nico had allowed himself to drift. That's what he was really doing. He drifted from place to place, city to town. From people's couches to floors to park benches. He drifted from his father's high rise condo, coming and leaving but never staying. It was why he allowed himself to get taken in foster care. He was just going wherever life took him because he had no destination. Nico wondered how many more places he would drift to in his life; he was only fourteen. Yet he was so weary already. And so lost in too many senses of the word.