OKAY SPOILER FOR THE TRIALS OF APOLLO SO DONT READ THIS BIT IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT...

HELLO OMG IS ANYONE ELSE FREAKING ABOUT SOLANGELO BEING OFFICIALLY CANON OR IS THAT JUST ME? OR THE CANON BISEXUAL APOLLO OR THE LEO ACTION HAPPENING OR WHAT ABOUT THE PERCY ACTION? ANYONE? ANYONE? okay I'll stop.

If you want to fangirl with me, just shoot me a PM and we can fangirl because this is so exciting. My OTP has never become canon before...

Anyway, enjoy the chapter and please review :)

Chapter Four: High School Flashback Part 2

"Cecil. Cecil. Pick up, pick up, pick up, come on and just pick up." Will drummed his fingers against his desk as he held his phone to his ear. He had a problem, and the only person the blond felt comfortable turning to, was Cecil. Hopefully the boy could be sensible for once in his life- at least long enough for Will to know what to do with Nico, who he just so happened to be meeting the next day.)

"Hello? 'Sup Will?"

"Cecil I think I have a crush on the new kid."

"Oh my gods Will- I think you've had a crush on so many people since coming out, that the cat next door could be in the running to be next."

"Those were just 'if I were bored I'd consider dating you because you're nice' crushes- but this, I just can't shake this feeling."

"Don't you have a chick you can talk to about this?"

"My mum, yet I'd rather you. And surprisingly, you give good advice."

"Thanks… I mean hey! What the hell? 'Surprisingly' well haha."

"Anyway! I need advice and pronto."

"I will have to do something manly after this conversation, just to not feel like a twelve year old girl giggling about hot new kid in school, won't I?"

"Maybe. Go grope some boobs or something."

"I would, but girls think I'm creepy. I'm debating to go date a guy for once- see how much less of a hassle it is. Anyway. If you need advice, I need information. The usual: name, looks, personality in short, age."

"His name is Nico."

"Short for anything?"

"I don't know- maybe. He's Italian, so probably."

"Alright, go on. Now I want it short, not some lovey dovey shit."

"Black hair, onyx coloured eyes, porcelain skin- but I suspect he used to be olive- I also suspect he has depression, since he has er… scars. He's a freshman- don't judge. He's mature for a fourteen year old. He doesn't talk to anyone unless they speak openly and straight to him, and he hardly ever eats." Will let out a large breath, rubbing his eyes quickly and leaning back in his chair.

"Okay, well first what the hell bro 'onyx eyes' and 'porcelain skin'? You need to stop with the adjectives. Second of all- do you really want to get involved with a mentally unstable person again? Remember last time?"

"Nico isn't 'mentally unstable' like Octavian was, Cecil. Nico is just… damaged."

"Okay, so I don't see a problem- other than the age, you cougar- just ask him out. Oh wait- please don't tell me you have a crush on a straight boy again."

"I don't know if he is gay or not. I never thought of that! OH MY GODS WHAT IF HE ISN'T GAY?!"

"Well, let's just assume he's gay, for the moment. Ask him out- the worst he can do is say no."

"I think I made it worse." There was a long sigh on the other end of the phone line.

"Maybe I'll even have to jack off. My manliness is dwindling, Will. Be quick, before I start applying nail polish to my toes."

"You're being melodramatic. And I just kind of went up to him and asked if he wanted to eat somewhere else other than in the mess hall because you know… he looked kinda shy in there."

"You are such a dork, Will. Just take him to like the bleachers or something, and either fuck him right there or start out as friends."

"I don't think I can do either."

"Just pretend he's me for the first half hour- loosen up a bit."

"That's actually such a good idea."

"Thank you, thank you- you can't see me but I'm bowing graciously, like I've just performed on stage or something."

Will hung up soon afterwards, leaving Cecil to his shenanigans and for him to do his homework- he felt almost giddy to spend lunch with the small Italian. He knew that the chances of him being gay were miniscule, but he was content with at least trying to bring the boy out of his shell a little.

Will, in general, is a rather awkward specimen. That is how he gained popularity throughout the years- being awkwardly cute is 'refreshing' and so when Will realized he could pull it off without seeming like a dork, he went with it. He once tried, when he was twelve, to wear thick framed glasses, but that didn't last, as they made his face look a tad lopsided.

So, when Will waited outside the library, leaning against the bag racks with his hands shoved deep into his basketball letterman, he tried to look as cutely awkward as possible. He grinned at whoever walked past him, spoke with a few teachers and even held a deep and meaningful conversation with the library lady outside (and it wasn't even Tuesday!)

Somehow, the blond could pull of 'awkward' and 'cool' at the same time without feeling bipolar, but when Nico walked out, streams of freshmen sailing around him in a rush to get good seats (Will remembered those good old days) the blond couldn't help but let his heart drop and breath quicken.

He looked oddly cute, in a rebel-without-a-cause-depressed-fourteen-year-old kind of way. His jet black, shaggy hair looked light and fluffy, as it usually did, and his skin shone with its usual porcelain-like glow. He was wearing a black aviator jacket that may have been a few sizes too small and tight dark jeans. He held his books tightly to his chest and scowled at anyone who would dare to look his way.

When he spotted Will, his face morphed into one of shock and surprise- he obviously hadn't expected Will to actually come. After the hassle with Cecil, the night before, Will couldn't exactly bail on him now.

"Uh... hello." His dark eyes peered up through his midnight coloured bangs at Will. "You're actually okay with spending your lunch with a loser freshman?" Will swung his arm around the other's shoulders, but was quickly shrugged off. Okay, no touching. Fine.

"As long as you're okay with spending time with the gay basketball player." Will spotted the only black bag with a skull on it, in the bag racks and tossed it to Nico, who caught it easily. Without another comment, Will walked out of the sea of students and down the hall.

"You're gay?" Nico asked as they turned a corner, to lead outside into the yard, which then led to the main building. Will paused mid-stride and swung a cheerful gaze at the boy.

"What? Does that scare you?"

"No. Of course not..." Nico bit his lip, like he wanted to say more, and Will, unlike other people who probably never listened to what the boy had to say, cocked his head to the side and waited. "It's just... you're very brave. To be out."

"Nah. I was scared at first, but now it's fine. I make sure that this high school is an accepting zone. Transgender, gay, bisexual, straight, asexual, pansexual, you name it and if you go here, I'll make sure you aren't bullied for being who you are."

"I don't know what half of those things mean, but… sounds really..."

"Stupid? You can't change the opinion of everybody."

"You can always try." Nico spoke smoothly, Will noted. He had expected the boy to mumble, or maybe even stutter as if he were nervous, but he spoke smoothly, and with an accent too. He spoke in many ways, Will soon found out. His hands and his eyes were the major ones, his eyes were always honest and his hands seemed to always be moving.

"Yeah, I guess I can. Anyway- don't freak out because of where we're going. It's so cliché but literally no one goes there so it's quiet." Will walked around the main block, and looked over his shoulder to see Nico nodding his head silently, following Will's lead.

"The bleachers, I'm guessing?"

"How'd you know?" Will stopped in his tracks, and spun around, swinging his blue gaze onto the boy.

"Magic." Will wasn't sure if the Italian was joking- he had the world's best poker face, and it seemed to be his natural facial expression.

"Okay- so the bleachers are a no…" An idea popped into Will's head, and he let out a grin. "How are you on heights?"

"I like the ground." Nico raised an eyebrow at the almost ominous yet somehow straightforward answer. Slightly thrown off his wooing game, Will shrugged and kept walking, looking over his shoulder to see Nico following mutely behind.

"Well… we'll see." The tanned boy mumbled, grinning a little.

The two boys instantly hit it off, after Will showed Nico the roof of the main building. Students aren't permitted to actually go to the top, for safety issues, but Will regularly visits there, and has never been caught. Will soon stopped hanging out with his large group of loud friends, opting to spend his days with Nico, talking about random things of little importance, and even some days talking to him about major topics in life- such as Nico's family, Will's career path, and even the tattoos the Italian hoped to get when he graduated high school.

It was almost natural for the two to start dating, at the beginning of Will's senior year. Nobody batted an eyelash, when they walked into the school hand in hand, having decided to date during the holidays.

"Dude, I thought you two were already dating." Was the main response, which slightly bugged Nico, but after at least five people stating this, he learned to accept it.

Sadly, when term three rolled in, the circus had to leave, albeit reluctantly. Nico's father had decided to take him back to New York, so Nico could 'connect with his cousins and distant relatives again'. Nico refused, but his father was persistent.

On the brunette's last day, Will said those little three words, sealing their fate together, making it impossible for Nico to take his heart with him to the big apple. He, of course, felt the same, and didn't hesitate to grab Will by the lapels of his jacket and press their hungry mouths together.

Nico, for that moment, didn't care that there were sealed and packed boxes scattered around him, ready to be put into the truck- he didn't care that his younger sister or parents could walk in at any moment and witness their feverish kissing. He just didn't want to let his blond boy go…

Will wrapped his arms around Nico's thin waist and drew him closer, so their hips were touching gently. Will hadn't thought it was awkward to date someone so young- it felt natural to hold the younger boy's smaller frame against his own, but he did feel enormously better when Nico turned fifteen, and their age gap was down to two years, for the time being. Will had promised himself that he wouldn't pressure Nico to go any farther than he wanted, so the two hadn't done anything more than kiss, and maybe fondle a little, once in a while. This was different, though. Their kiss was definitely on a more intimate scale, and maybe if they had more time, it had the potential to become more than just a kiss.

Will, running his hands lightly up the other's spine, pulled away. "Your parents could walk in."

"I don't care."

"I'm going to miss you." Nico, instead of answering, placed his hand behind the blonde's golden locks and pushed him down, so their hungry lips could meet again. This time, the older boy let his fingers drift under the younger boy's cotton shirt, gently brushing his fingers along the bones protruding from his skin. Nico, a little surprised by the touch, opened his mouth in surprise, and was greeted by a warm sensation in his mouth. Will silently congratulated himself, when he felt Nico shiver quietly in his grip. The brunette, now feeling slightly bolder, threaded his hands through those beautiful golden locks and tugged, sending a silent moan through their kiss. When the two broke away, the Italian was grinning triumphantly.

"I'll miss you too."

"Hey, Will. Dude. You alright? Yoo-hoo?!" Fingers wiggled in front of Will's face, snapping him back to reality. "You look a little pale."

"Literally my entire high school life just in front of my eyes."

"Nostalgic, huh?"

"A little, yeah."

"Hey… are you crying? It's not that bad… oh. Shit, I didn't see it, I'm sorry, Will." Unwanted tears dripped down the tanned cheeks, completely against his wishes. All because Will's eye had caught onto a picture in the year book, a second page of 'Most Likely', to be exact. It was practically dedicated to two couples- the left was a cute freshman couple that Will didn't know the name of- but was friends with on Facebook, now, and knew that they were getting married next year- and the other was of Will and… Nico.

"'Most Likely to Stay In Love Forever.' Yeah fucking right." Will blew out a breath and quickly wiped his eyes. He hadn't looked at a single picture of Nico and himself since the breakup- too afraid that all he would see is the burning love he used to feel. Or even worse- he was afraid he wouldn't be able to see anymore, in the pictures or videos.

"Oh, Will, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Whatever." The blond let his eyes drift down to the centre picture, the largest photo that was stuck right in the middle. Nico wasn't smiling (he never is) but his eyes were downcast, reading a thick novel in Italian. He had glasses on, which he hardly ever wore, and was wearing Will's basketball letterman. Will was standing behind him, his long lanky arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and was reading over his shoulder silently. The blond remembered he used to do that a lot, reading Nico's books that were in Italian, so he could prepare for upcoming exams. Nico was leaning gently against Will's chest, and Will was leaning against the grey wall of the school, the Los Angeles school moto written above their heads, on the wall.

It was a cute picture, but one Will definitely wasn't ready to see, especially after remembering what he just remembered. Maybe in a few years, when he looks over his time with Nico fondly, and without bursting into tears, he would be able to look at pictures like these. Will made a quick, rather stupid decision, as he tossed his pen down and pushed away from his desk.

"Cecil- do you want to go out tonight? To like, a bar or something? I think I need a drink."

I hope you guys have a mortifying, chaotically horrible Friday 13th! (Jokes, jokes, have a good weekend everybody)