Nico Di Angelo was an absolute delight in the mornings, thank you very much. That was, of course, depending on who you asked. Nico himself wouldn't hesitate to tell you all about what an utter Angel he was, how he sprang out of bed in the morning and did nothing but smile and sing along to the birdsong. However, if you asked his roommate Jason Grace, he would happily tell you all about just how awful Nico was, and that one time he'd punched him in the face when Jason had asked if he wanted cereal.

But one Monday morning even Nico found himself doubting what an "utter Angel" he was before 1pm, at least, as he rolled out of bed and fell onto the floor with a thump and a frustrated groan. He picked himself up, grumpily dusted off his pyjamas and checked his alarm clock, only to be met with the flashing, taunting numbers "12:50". The clock seemed to be rubbing it in his face as Nico stood there, aghast, well aware of the English lecture that had started twenty minutes ago.

"Whatever," he muttered to himself, stretching and clicking his back. There was no point going now, especially considering just how much his lecturer resembled a fucking dragon, with the flaring nostrils and breath so dangerously bad it might as well be fire.

He stumbled out of his room, blinking sleep out of his eyes and glaring at everything in sight. His glare doubled in intensity when he spotted Jason sitting at the counter, drinking coffee in his running clothes. Fuck, Nico wanted, needed, coffee.

"Morning dude," Jason said, raising his eyebrows. "Don't you have a lecture to be at?"

Nico shrugged. "I had Princely so I'm not exactly missing out on much except what's up his nose," he deadpanned, scrunching up his face at the mere memory.

"Touché," Jason chuckled, sipping his coffee.

"Well... I hope you're enjoying your coffee there," Nico hinted.

"Sorry dude, we're all out now."

"What the fuck, Jason? You know I can't function without my coffee in the mornings," he groaned.

"It's hardly morning now is it?" Jason said, glancing pointedly at the clock. "And I guess you'll just have to get some more."

"Dude, I got it last time!"

Jason just smirked.

"Ugh, fine, I'll fucking go to Starbucks because I refuse to buy you more coffee."

He stalked out of the kitchen and back into his room. It was times like these, in his ratty Darth Vader pyjamas with the king of all bedheads, that Nico silently thanked his dad for paying his share of the rent for an off campus apartment. He didn't think he could live that close to anyone but Jason, and he could barely stand the blonde sometimes.

He scowled and threw on a pair of jeans and an old hoodie that was so faded and cracked he couldn't tell what the image even was anymore. Bowie, maybe. He carded a hand through his hair quickly and shoved on a pair of combat boots, because he was that fucking edgy. He gave his armpit a sniff and shit, he absolutely reeked. He sprayed himself with a fuckload of axe, way more than even the average teenage boy, and nodded at himself in the mirror. It wasn't like he was going to meet anyone important in the local coffee shop anyway, was it?

~•~

Nico shrunk further into his soaking wet hoodie as he queued for his coffee. Fuck, he was totally getting one of those fancy coffees, just to make up for his shitty morning.

He shook his head and water droplets flew everywhere. Roughly five seconds after he'd left it had started pouring down but Nico was stubborn, and he'd be damned if he didn't get his fancy ass coffee so he could shove it in Jason's face later. Of course, he had presumed that it was just a shower and yet twenty minutes later he was in the café, absolutely dripping in his thin probably-Bowie-who-the-fuck-knows hoodie and shivering from head to toe as the rain relentlessly pounded on the windows.

He was slightly pissed off, to say the least.

Finally it was his turn to order and he stepped up to till. "Hi!" The employee exclaimed cheerily. "What would you like to order?"

Nico knew his order off by heart. He knew that order better than he knew his birthday, and yet he still stuttered because fuck, this guy was cute. And he had freckles. "C-coffee based caramel frappucino," he grit out when he managed to stop thinking about just how soft the guys hair looked.

The guy smiled bemusedly. "Is that with cream?" He asked and fuck, Nico had just obviously stared at his mouth and he probably noticed and Nico wanted to just curl up and die because this guy was so fucking cute.

Oh yeah, he'd asked him something. What was it again? His name? No, that wasn't it, and- shit the guy was smiling at him in confusion and Nico just blurted out "Yes!" to whatever the hell he had asked.

"Okay, what's your name?"

"Um, Nico," he managed to get out, his cheeks flaring red as he went off to the side to wait for his drink and, if fate was feeling nice today, also death.

'Freckles' called his name and Nico wanted to hear him say that in a very different circumstance but fuck, now was not a good time for these thoughts. He almost tripped on his way to collect his drink and stuttered his way through a simple "thanks" before he went to sit down and wallow in self pity as he stared angstily out the window.

He slipped his phone out of his jeans pocket, thanking whatever being was watching over him that the rain hadn't destroyed it, and promptly ranted at Jason for drinking the last of his coffee and therefore ruining his life.

He drank his frappé and dripped on the seats for a while as he waited for the rain to go off. When it didn't show any sign of stopping he sighed, pulled up his hood and got ready to leave.

As he began to push open the door he felt strong fingers enclose around his wrist. "Um?" he looked back, eyebrows raised, only to be met with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen and fucking freckles.

It was the guy who'd served him - Nico knew he should probably learn his name, simply to save time - and Nico couldn't believe his luck. The world really hated him today.

'Freckles' leaned back, a faint pink tinging his cheeks, presumably when he realised how close they were, and carded a hand through his hair. Nico saw his name tag and made a mental note of his name - Will.

"Uh, I was just thinking that since it's raining quite a bit and y'know, you're already soaked, do you want to maybe take my coat?"

Nico blinked. "Are you sure? I don't want you to get rained on when you're walking back to... wherever."

Will smiled at him. "It's fine, I only need to go like five minutes."

"Well... if you're sure."

Will just smiled again and he turned around and - good lord Nico finally got a chance to see what he was wearing under his apron and... fuck. Will looked good in skirts. Scratch that, Will looked fucking fabulous.

He looked over his shoulder and caught Nico staring. "What?" he asked, instantly defensive.

"Nothing, uh, just... that skirt looks fucking great on you," Nico replied before his brain could catch up with his mouth and shit, did he really just say that? He moaned internally, Will was probably straight and now he hated him and he'd never be able to get a frappé from here again.

But Will just blushed, and smiled, and murmured something along the lines of "Thank you".

He found the jacket and handed it to him, and Nico took it, gratefully pulling off his hoodie. He slipped the coat on and smiled warmly at the blonde boy before walking out of the door and into the rain.

~•~

This is shit idk (hello if you know me from skulduggery pleasant then hi, I am in fact still alive but I've abandoned those stories because they were pure shit ygm)

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Thanks for reading pals, love you all