AN: I'M SOOOOO SORRY

Special shout out to Komodovaran; your comment helped me to just sit my stupid butt down and write.

Anyway, Allons-y!

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Chapter 2: Of Fights and Old People (No, Not Fighting Old People)

Saturday

5am

43 hours before the wedding

(and 13 hours before the rehearsal)

When Nico woke up, it was at the crack of dawn, and the inn was silent around him. The only sounds he could hear were the faint crash of waves in the distance and Will's steady breathing beside him. He took a deep breath and tried not to think of yesterday, but the guilt and fear washed over him and he just laid there, staring up at the darkened ceiling. He felt tired, and yet so wide awake.

Another minute of stillness, and Nico sat abruptly and swung his legs over the bed. He needed to get out of here. Clear his head. As he left, snatching his hoodie from the coat rack, he sent a glance back at Will's sleeping form. Another wave of grief - or guilt; he couldn't tell - hit him, and he slipped through the door without another thought, not bothering to put his shoes on.

He snuck through the inn like a spy, his movements swift and silent. Little did he know, there was one other person within the walls of the inn who couldn't sleep.

When Nico got to the water, he let himself fall onto the sand, still cold from the darkness of night. He was glad to have brought his hoodie as the ocean breeze swept over him. The sky was just starting to brighten over the water, and Nico wondered what the inn's sunrises looked like. He also wondered what Will would think of them.

He squeezed his eyes shut. It had become a thing between them to compare and rate sunrises, and though he may never admit it out loud to anyone but his soulmate, the moment Will got up in the morning with his ruffled hair and sleepy eyes was always his favorite.

He wondered what the people he used to know would think about that.

Nico nearly resorted to hitting himself to get those thoughts out of his mind. They would do him no good. At this point, though, he wasn't sure anything would. He thought about hurting himself again, if only because he didn't know what else to do, but he refrained. If he did something even remotely harmful to himself he would spiral, and he wasn't sure he could handle that. Not without his loved ones. And if it was really as bad as he suspected it would be, not without Bianca.

Gods, he wished she was here right now.

He tried to focus on what his sister would say if she were sitting by his side, right now, watching him cave in on himself. He knew she'd tell him that she loved him for who he was. He knew she'd tell him to ignore the man and woman's words, and to always, no matter what, love himself.

But she wasn't here. All that was beside Nico was a vast, empty shore, and the voice in his mind was just a dream.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, face buried in his knees. He hardly noticed the warmth that started to spread over the world as the sun rose behind him, too cold himself to care. As time ticked by, he inwardly scoffed at how someone could call a place like this 'timeless'. He was surrounded by the transition of dawn into day, and the waves' crashes every few seconds were nothing if not a painful reminder of a clock's noisy hands.

He'd grown so used to them, though. He didn't know if he welcomed the habituation or reluctantly accepted it, but it was almost enough to make him forget about his troubles. It was as if the waves could pull him in any second, and he'd be just another animal floating in the current. So it made sense that when something changed, Nico noticed it immediately.

There was another noise, but which side of him it was coming from he didn't know. It was small, quiet, but so out of place that it was like gunshots to Nico's ears. He strained, listening, and discovered that the noise was coming from behind him. And not only was it getting closer, it was a distinct set of footsteps.

Nico didn't look up. He said nothing. He didn't even breathe. He sat still on the sand with a chill in his bones, and remained that way even when somebody dropped down next to him.

The figure took a deep breath, and Nico's eyebrows furled. He was tense, ready for action; he'd already decided that he didn't need to see who it was before he kicked their butt if he had to. His other senses were just as strong. He knew firsthand the vulnerability of blindness, literal and figurative, and made sure that nothing like that would ever make him weak. So he was ready.

But then the figure spoke, and the tension oozed out of Nico's body. It didn't drain completely, but he felt better knowing who it was, and knowing it wasn't someone who'd be almost aggressively adamant about fixing things.

"Makes you want to dive in and live there forever, huh?" said Percy. Nico moved his head, just a little, so he could peek under his arm to see Percy's face. It was pale, and his eyes seemed… haunted. He wasn't smiling like he usually was. He was staring at the ocean, expression unreadable. "Just to hear the water move."

Nico finally shifted enough to rest his chin on his arms, and though he felt Percy's gaze on him, he said nothing. He really wasn't interested in having a conversation right now. It didn't seem to matter to Percy though, and Nico didn't know whether to feel annoyed or relieved when Percy kept talking despite the lack of response.

"Remember when my team went out last year to gather data on the river crawfish? The water was so quiet, at least compared to the ocean." Percy shifted, but when Nico glanced over, his eyes were still on the Pacific. "It wasn't until we got closer and Frank accidentally dropped a thermometer in that we realized how strong the current actually was."

What the heck does this have to do with anything? Nico thought. He found it weird enough that Percy had come out of the inn so early in the morning, but now he was spouting off nonsense.

"Do you have a point, Jackson?" Nico's voice was so hoarse from sleep and disuse that he almost fell into a coughing fit. Percy looked at him, surprise quickly replaced by what might've been concern. He said nothing at first, his lips pursed tight, but then he looked out at the water once again and his hands started fidgeting.

"I'm just saying that sometimes things surprise you. It may not always be a good thing, but every cloud has a silver lining, so that's okay. Because you know what?" Nico's eyes flicked to Percy's face, and he felt a little more calmness ease into his body when he saw the smile plastered there. "Frank also dropped his sandwich in, and pouted like a child as he watched it get swept downstream." Percy chuckled, and Nico felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. For the first time since yesterday's dinner, he felt like everything would be okay.

But then he watched the smile slowly disappear from Percy's face, and his chest tightened with anxiety. The strained, pensive look had returned, and Nico wasn't sure what to do. Should he say something? Leave it be? Tension crept back into his bones. He wasn't good at this kind of thing - did that make him a bad friend?

Nico took a deep breath, and made his decision. His voice was soft as he asked, "What's going on?"

Percy's lips quirked up, like he was trying to look optimistic for Nico's sake. But his words said something else entirely. "It's just… Annabeth. She's always gotten after me for doing stupid stuff, but lately…" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, disheveling it more than it already was. It seemed as if he had so many things on the tip of his tongue that he wanted to say but just couldn't articulate well enough.

The man looked back at Nico for one last time that morning, and the Italian noted the way the newly risen sun shone on his skin. A sharp pang spread through his chest as blond hair and blue eyes flashed across his mind. No matter how hard he tried to clear his head, Will wouldn't leave it.

"Lately she's been acting like everything I do has cosmic consequences." He heaved a shrug, like the topic didn't bother him as much it clearly did.

They sat in silence for a few moments, no sounds but their steady breaths and the ocean's waves. Both their troubles seemed to hang in the air, but they were kept at bay by every breath took. And when Nico decided to say one last thing, Percy's troubles were pushed behind him, if only for a short while.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure everything will be fine. If there's anyone who can get through this, it's you two." With this Nico tightened the grip he had on his knees and closed his eyes. He hoped desperately that those words could apply to him. But he didn't even know what he was going to do when he had to face Will this morning, let alone how this would all turn out.

The minutes - maybe hours - stretched on, and Nico tried not to think. Just as he felt he was about to fall asleep, he heard someone else approaching, and jolted out of his daze.

"Hey guys." Just the sound of his sister's voice made Nico's bones turn to jelly. He wanted to whip around and pull her into a hug, but at the same time he didn't want to worry her. She'd take it too close to heart, and he knew it wouldn't stop plaguing her. So instead he turned to look at her with a smile, wondering if he actually managed one.

Hazel looked bright, as if an aura of happiness clung to her. If one looked deep enough, they could see a spark of something else in her eyes, but otherwise she was filled with energy and ready to face the day.

"Good morning, Hazel," said Percy.

Nico's sister smiled, clasped her hands, and looked between the both of them. Clearly she was wondering what they were doing at the beach so early, but thankfully she let it be, and didn't ask them any questions.

"The guests have started to arrive," she told them, too chipper for both the time and the event. Nico inwardly groaned. People? No thanks.

"Thanks for letting us know." Percy seemed a lot more animated and happy than he had when he first plopped down next to Nico on the sand. The Italian wondered if it was an act or if he was genuinely feeling better. Guess he'll never know.

The diver unfolded his legs and rose to his feet, sand falling from his clothes. Nico supposed he should follow suit, especially when Percy gave him a pointed look, but let it be known to all that Nico would rather learn how to play the bagpipes than socialize with a bunch of old people and the younger, more high strung guests.

Hazel's lips widened to a grin. "Let's go."

Somehow, Nico managed to re-enter the inn, sprint upstairs to take a shower and get dressed, and even eat a short, pathetic breakfast (he didn't really have an appetite, anyway) all without running into anybody.

Until…

"Hey, how're you doing?" Will's voice was soft, like he was afraid of scaring Nico away. At this point, Nico wasn't entirely sure it was impossible. It wasn't Will's fault, though. None of this was. It was Nico's.

He ruined everything he touched.

"I'm fine," Nico answered shortly, like that would somehow be enough. He started to walk slowly out of the restaurant, expecting Will to follow behind. He did.

"Are you sure? Because-"

"I said I'm fine, Solace!"

Nico couldn't see him, but he could hear Will's footsteps stop. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing his mind not to picture the look on his soulmate's face. The silence was dragged out what seemed like minutes to Nico, but he knew it wasn't really that long. The only thing that felt real right now was the hurt in Will's voice.

"Okay."

Their encounter seemed so short, so wrong somehow, but Nico couldn't find it in himself to try harder. He just let his heart rip to shreds as Will walked away, saying one last thing over his shoulder.

His voice was so small. Broken. "You might want to find Jason and Piper before they send out a search party."

And once again, Nico let him slip through his fingers.

"Percy, where have you been?!"

"Sorry, I was just-"

"Nevermind that, get over here!"

Percy didn't bother trying to break free as Piper dragged him through the quickly-growing crowd. He figured if there was one thing that the girl wasn't going to do, it was take crap from people. Neither from the Stolls nor Percy.

Piper slowed down, but then she sped up again without warning and Percy stumbled out the front entrance. He planted his feet. Luckily Piper had already gotten him where she wanted him, so she let go.

"What's this all about? Surely they can't be causing trouble alre-"

"Perseus!"

The diver's words faded as he caught sight of the culprits Stoll and Stoll. They had manic grins on their faces, and if Percy didn't know how to handle their antics, he'd be breaking out in a sweat. But they'd gone to the same summer camp every year for ages, and been in their fair share of situations - mischievous or not - together.

Percy's lips spread into an easy grin, and he gave Piper a reassuring look. That alone seemed to ease the tension out of her and she smiled back at him. Percy couldn't exactly relate to her situation, seeing as he'd never been a bride before (except that one time at Kleinfeld - don't ask), but he had had times where it felt like the weight of the sky sat upon his shoulders.

"Connor. Travis." Percy nodded politely at the two of them, but that didn't seem to be enough for the brothers. Suddenly he was being sandwiched between the two of them in a really awkward hoagie hug. Oh, no. Now he was hungry.

The brothers pulled away from Percy, smiles still shining. But Percy, knowing them, gave the two a disapproving look. He held out his hand to Connor. "Wallet."

Connor shook his head like he'd forgotten how good Percy was, and gave his wallet back to its rightful owner. "I still don't understand how you manage to be a buzzkill and a riot wrapped up in one." Percy smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, appearing slightly like a grimace.

"Truly astounding," Travis agreed.

Percy turned to him. He acknowledged the man with a blink, and not a moment later he was holding his hand out to the older brother. "Phone."

Instead of shaking his head, Travis cackled and clapped Percy on the shoulder as he dumped the phone in Percy's hand. "Good to see you, bro."

Percy's smile returned. While the Stolls could be a true pain, they really weren't that bad once you got to know them. They valued kinship (despite how often they turned on their friends) and could really lighten a mood, even when it didn't need to be lightened. They reminded Percy an awful lot of Leo.

Come to think of it, Percy didn't really know why the Stolls were invited. Sure, he'd just gone over their better attributes in his head, but they weren't really friends of the happy couple. Then again, when you're planning a wedding and aren't necessarily picky about the guest list, you invite everyone. Literally. Everyone.

He began to wonder if they'd thought this through.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a loud, feminine voice surged through the crowd. It was like a bomb had gone off, a sudden disturbance causing most of the guests to flinch.

"PIPER! PIPER, WHERE ARE YOU?! LOOK OUT, MOTHER OF THE BRIDE COMING THROUGH!"

Percy's hippocampus identified the source before his eyes did (what? He listened when Annabeth talked) and told him there was only one person that voice could belong to.

"Mom!"

Piper looked a little shell shocked, as if she hadn't invited Aphrodite and wasn't expecting her to come. Knowing all she'd gone through to plan this wedding, and Aphrodite's tendency to show up whether she was invited or not, Percy didn't find the idea all that implausible.

"Oh," Aphrodite breathed, a hand on her chest. She stopped just short of Piper, whose shock was slowly being replaced by a smile. The woman's eyes flew up and down to take in the sight of her daughter, and a few seconds later she had Piper wrapped up in a hug.

They only had a moment of calm before the rest of Piper's immediate family bustled through the crowd. Piper's dad looked weary, which Percy accredited to the eight thousand bags of luggage he was hauling and the two squabbling boys that trailed beside him. The diver didn't think he'd ever officially met Piper's step-family, but from what he was seeing, he decided he'd save that for another day.

"Dad!" Piper's smile widened to a beaming grin, and her father dropped everything he was carrying to hold Piper in his arms. Seeing the two of them made Percy's heart pang. He set a mental reminder to call his mom later.

He was just about to stop staring and greet the other guests when he felt someone bump into his leg. He turned quickly, apologies on his tongue, but when he saw who it was his words died off and he was left with a grin to rival Piper's.

"Mr. Brunner!"

Percy's old teacher/camp director smiled up at him, an ever-present twinkle in his eyes. Oh, how he had missed seeing him. The man was like a second father to Percy, and had really been there during the most troubling years of his life. Just knowing he was here made Percy's chest swell with happiness.

"Please, Percy," Mr. Brunner said, rolling his wheelchair away from the purposeful collision. "You're making me feel like an old man. Call me Chiron."

Percy nodded, still high on excitement as Chiron reached over to grab something from his bag. After a moment of shuffling and a few mumbles, he came back up with a small box in his hand, wrapped to perfection in silver paper. A bow tied it all together.

Chiron looked at the gift for a moment, then held it out to Percy, a soft smile never leaving his lips. Percy couldn't help but feel puzzled, though the emotion he was already overwhelmed with clouded most of his confusion.

"For you and Annabeth," said Chiron.

Percy lifted the gift from his hands, albeit with a little hesitation. Chiron leaned back in his chair contentedly.

"But... we aren't the ones getting married." He noticed Chiron's smile grow, and he stumbled over himself to say: "I-I mean, thank you, Chiron! You really didn't have to. Goodness knows I don't deserve it," he mumbled.

Chiron chuckled, a sound Percy had gone too long without hearing. "That's quite alright, Percy. Now, tell me." He straightened up in anticipation, then leaned forward with his eyes wide. "What kind of trouble have you gotten into since I saw you last?"

Percy grinned.

oOo

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, relating to Chiron tales of heroism and great feats (what kind of guy did you think he was?), but he finally had to excuse himself when he saw Piper getting cornered. Percy didn't think he'd ever been caught in a hoard of old people, and seeing it he wished he never would be.

As he started towards his friend, Chiron leaving to go greet the others, an idea popped into his head. He'd gone to rescue Piper… but why not make Jason do it? He was the one marrying her, after all.

A sly grin appeared on Percy's lips. Piper had been drowning in people who wanted to pinch her cheeks and tell her just how adorable she was, but she was one of two. Time to turn the tables a little bit.

With a new plan to execute, Percy changed direction and rushed inside the inn, squinting his eyes as they adjusted to the light. When a quick glance around the lobby revealed Stolls stuffing free mints in their pockets but no Jason, Percy pushed his way forward. Guests seemed to just mill about in every corner of the room, eating and talking and, in some cases, being a menace.

It wasn't that Percy didn't like people. It was that he didn't like this many people - people who, for the most part, were strangers to him.

He felt like he was wading through quicksand with how slow he managed to get through the crowd, but he was making progress. It wasn't until he got through to the restaurant that he could step back for a moment to reorient himself. He was looking for Jason… but where was he?

He was just about to brave the crowd again to get upstairs when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

It was Annabeth. She was distanced from everyone else, opting to lean against the breakfast buffet rather than socialize. In one hand she held a muffin, disappearing bit by bit as she munched on it. In the other was a cup of coffee - no, tea; Percy could see the tag draped over the mug.

Percy froze, but then he realized how stupid that was and approached his soulmate with a smile. She hardly paid him any heed, too enraptured in the taste of her food. Percy paused for a moment, waiting to see if she'd acknowledge him, but she just took another bite and Percy leaned against the table next to her.

"Hey, Wise Girl," Percy greeted. Annabeth turned to look at him like she was just seeing him for the first time, and Percy wondered what she'd been thinking about that got her all wrapped up in her mind. Knowing Annabeth, it could be anything from the inner workings of Ancient Greece to the thought of 'Did I brush my hair this morning?'

She smiled at him, and Percy's heart warmed. "Hey, Seaweed Brain."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments. Annabeth finished off her muffin and took a sip of her tea, and Percy noted with affection how she gave a small, approving nod. He didn't think she was even aware she did that. The man found it adorable.

"Where were you this morning?" Annabeth asked after more silence, grabbing a donut from the buffet. Percy did the same. "When I woke up, you were gone."

Percy looked ahead; he could see the ocean clearly through the French doors from where he was standing. Annabeth had been excited when she first saw them, telling Percy that they needed French doors when they bought a new place. Percy had nodded along. He didn't really care what kind of doors they had, and was more than content to leave the planning to Annabeth. He knew he'd love whatever she picked.

Percy swallowed a bite of donut. "I was down at the ocean," he said simply. It was pretty self-explanatory considering Percy's affinity for water, but it said nothing about his doubts or Nico's troubles. Not that he wanted to share those with the class.

Annabeth nodded, and accepted the answer point-blank. She took a sip of her tea, and another moment or two of silence passed again before she said anything.

"Whatcha got there?"

Percy's head whipped to look at her, and he found her eyes trailed on his hands. He looked down, only just now remembering Chiron's gift to them. He held it up for her to see. "It's a present."

Annabeth paused. "I can see that." When Percy offered nothing more, she prompted, "Who's it for?"

"Us. It's from Chiron."

Annabeth perked up instantly, beaming. "Chiron's here?!"

Percy grinned. "Yeah. He's outside."

Annabeth hurried to finish the rest of her breakfast, and Percy stood away from the table they'd been leaning on. He watched his soulmate with a soft smile as she wiped donut powder on her jeans. It seemed he'd spaced out, because the next thing he knew, Annabeth was looking at him weirdly. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

Percy shook himself out of his daze. "No," he said, smiling wider. "It's nothing."

Annabeth smiled again, and rose up on her tiptoes to give Percy a kiss. When she dropped back down, she tapped the gift in Percy's hand with a finger. "Don't lose that," she warned.

"I won't, I won't." Percy waved his free hand to emphasize his point, and Annabeth gave him a suspicious look. Percy rolled his eyes, like he knew why she seemed doubtful but felt mockingly betrayed. "Go see Chiron."

Annabeth laughed lightly- "Okay" -and gave Percy another kiss before leaving the way Percy had come.

Okay.

They would be okay.

"You might want to find Jason and Piper before they send out a search party."

Nico had felt broken after his short encounter with Will, but now anger bubbled in his chest as he walked the halls in search of Jason, and he had no idea why. He had no reason to be mad at his soulmate. So why was he feeling this way?

"It's your fatal flaw."

That voice. He hadn't thought of that voice in a long time.

Or maybe he had.

"I don't got a fatal niente, Papa."

"Now, Nico, mind your grammar. Or do you require more lessons in English?"

"No, Papa."

"Good. And no more of this mixed language. You speak English to me and Italian to your mother and sister, understand?"

"Yes, Papa."

Nico didn't realize he was holding his breath until he noticed the floor start to sway beneath his feet. He stopped, gasping in as much oxygen as he could, but his breaths were shallow. It took him a minute to fully regain composure, and by then the damage was already done.

Nico fell back against the wall - it always seemed to be a wall - and sank to the floor, already situating himself in his default position of knees hugged to chest. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore everything around him (though there was no one in this hallway, thank the gods) and resist the urge to punch something.

He focused on his breathing. There's nothing else, he thought, drawing in a breath. Just me and my lungs.

Eventually his body reached equilibrium, but his mind was still a wild card. He'd calmed down enough to function, but if he didn't find a distraction soon…

Hands on his knees, Nico rose to his feet. This was the second - third? - time in two days. Pull it together, di Angelo.

He took another deep breath, and trudged forward.

oOo

When he found Jason, the blond was showing guests to their rooms on the second floor. He really didn't need to - anyone with half a brain could find their way around this place - but Nico figured he was trying to be polite. It was the least he could do considering he wasn't down amongst the crowd and greeting people.

"Nico!" When Jason caught sight of him, his face split into a grin, and he gave one last gesture to the woman he was guiding before running up to him. "Where've you been?"

Nico shrugged. "Outside."

Nico knew Jason heard him, but he gave no acknowledgement and instead looked around. "Have you seen Thalia?" he asked. His brow was furled, and his lips were pressed together tightly.

Nico shook his head.

Jason sighed, obviously annoyed with his sister, but then he threw his hands up in the air; maybe he was a little frustrated, too. "She got here before we did. How is it that we haven't run into each other yet?"

If Nico was good at anything, it was sensing tension. He had a lot of practice. "Relax, Jason," he said, wanting to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He didn't. "She said she'd be here in time for the rehearsal dinner, right?" Jason nodded, and Nico copied. "So you have nothing to worry about. Thalia keeps her promises."

Jason smiled at him, and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Thanks."

Nico nodded.

"So, you said you were outside? How's it looking out there?"

Nico's heart stammered the tiniest bit and he felt his neck heat up. He avoided Jason's eyes. "Oh, I was out back," he admitted. Jason gave him a curious look, but said nothing on the matter.

"Well then, let's go see for ourselves, shall we?" Jason's expression dropped just a tad. "I'll probably get trapped in the lobby again, though," he grumbled. "It took extensive planning to get out of there."

Nico smiled, his bad mood from earlier starting to dissipate. "So you're a veteran, huh? Surely, with your experience, diving back into the belly of the beast should be-"

"Easy?" Jason asked hopefully.

"Well, I was going to say "slightly less dreadful," but whatever you need to tell yourself."

Jason groaned.

Nico hadn't seen the full crowd yet, but he'd heard it. "Come on, it can't be that bad."

He was wrong.

Oh, gods, he was wrong.

The instant he stepped downstairs his nose was met with a powerful odor, and while not completely unpleasant, Nico's senses still felt like they'd been assaulted. The overpowering smell, coupled with what sounded like a hundred marching bands to Nico, made him want to run and hide.

"Come on, Neeks," Jason mocked, a smirk growing on his face, "it can't be that bad."

Nico wanted to punch him.

"Once you get used to the old people smell, it's a lot easier to be in here without fainting."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Yeah, until they all start pawing you because "you're just so handsome!" and drill you about your soulmate." Nico's mouth went dry with the word 'soulmate,' and he swallowed harshly. He doubted half these people would recognize Will as his soulmate, and instead tell him he just needed to wait for the right girl. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

No matter how many times Jason and Piper told him that almost all of their family was accepting, he couldn't quite bring himself to believe it. He'd heard that too many times. Prove it, and maybe Nico would start to consider it might be the truth.

"What do you think?" Jason asked, surveying the scene with analytical eyes. "Should we try to-"

"Jason, dear!"

Nico's head snapped to the side, and he could feel the smell now, as if it was coming at him in waves. In front of him stood a little old lady, with a wooden cane in one hand and a pocketbook draped over the other.

When Nico looked at Jason, he saw the grimace in his smile, like he was forcing it. Nico couldn't blame him. The Italian wasn't even trying to act civil.

"Hello," Jason greeted, and if one didn't know the blond well, they'd easily miss the mocking tone in his voice. The lady didn't seem to notice anything was wrong, and simply smiled at him. She turned to Nico, and for a moment her smile faded, replaced by a scowl. But it was gone as quickly as it had come, and Nico wasn't sure he could say it even happened.

The woman took Jason's hand in her own, and said nothing, until… "Will you show me to my room?"

Before anyone would've been able to get a word in edgewise, Jason all but yelled, "Oh, of course! Rooms 1-20 are downstairs, and anything 20 and up is in the upper floors."

Nico may not have been the most polite person in the world, but he did know when to scold his friends for not doing it. "Jason," he hissed. He hoped the old woman didn't hear him. In his experience, old people had two hearing levels: deaf, and something that would considered superhuman.

The woman paid no heed, and reached into her purse to pull out a room key. "I'm in room 15." She had a huge smile on her face, like being in room 15 was the best thing to ever happen to her. Maybe it was.

Jason shot Nico a look, fears and pleads all wrapped in one expression that said: SAVE ME.

Nico shrugged.

Turning back to the woman (but not before giving Nico a glare), Jason held out his arm. The woman linked her own arm with it, and they were off with a "Right this way, Ma'am."

Nico smiled to himself. Poor, helpless Jason.

He stood there for a few more seconds, wondering what to do. But just as he decided to go outside and get some fresh air, a bright flash of color caught his eye, and he found himself staring at none other than Will. A sense of worry - or hurt - filled his chest.

"Seriously. What's with the bright shirts?"

The feeling persisted even as Nico was brought into the memory.

Will closed his laptop as Nico put a cup of coffee in his hand, patting the couch next to him as an invitation. "You need a little more brightness in your life, Death Boy. I've seen your closet."

"But you already shine as bright as the freaking sun," Nico protested, snuggling into Will's side. If he'd looked at his soulmate's face, he would have seen a light blush start to make its way across his cheeks. "You're going to blind me."

Will smiled and pulled his boyfriend closer. "You're already blind," he said, and before Nico could ask what he meant, he put a hand to his heart for dramatic flair. "Blinded by my love."

Nico groaned and facepalmed, but Will's smile only grew, and he started to sing. "Blinded by love…"

Nico didn't bother to move his head when he spoke, so his voice came out a little muffled. "I'm pretty sure you're the only person on Earth who likes that song," he said, but he couldn't stop a smile from creeping onto his lips. He was glad it was hidden from Will.

"I can't see the morning sun…"

Nico finally forfeited and let his smile be seen as he shoved Will (lightly, aware of the hot drink he held). "Stop it!"

Will only laughed, letting the sound dribble into the rest of the chorus. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Will started singing again, and Nico could have that, now, could he? So he did the one thing his mind was telling him to do, and pressed his lips to Will's.

It started out awkward and fumbly, as with any first kiss, but soon they settled into it and found their place with each other. Will carded his fingers through Nico's hair (he'd wanted to do that for so long) and Nico cupped Will's face in his hands. The moment was perfect, silent, though whether that was because it actually was or because they'd blocked out the rest of the world was unknown.

When they finally pulled away for breath, Nico wasn't sure whether to smile or not. Was it okay? Did he need to change something? What if Will was angry that he kissed him without permission?

But then Nico opened his eyes, and saw the grin growing on Will's face - bright and beautiful as always. And Nico smiled. He wished he could stretch this moment into a thousand lifetimes, but he couldn't. So another kiss would have to do.

When Nico was pulled back to the present, he grasped at the fleeting joy of the memory. It was gone before he could say 'Will'.

oOo

Once the guests had all gotten settled in their rooms, and the chaos that had overtaken the place died down, the nine of them met up in Jason and Piper's room. How that had become their hangout spot, Nico didn't know, but he assumed it had something to do with the fact that it was the biggest.

The Italian didn't waste any time finding somewhere to sit. He just plopped down on the nearest chair and rested his head on his hands. "I'm exhausted."

Jason made himself at home on the bed. Out of every corner of Nico's eyes, he could see the other seven claim places for themselves. "Yeah, I'll bet. It must be hard being the gay friend and the emo friend."

"Jason, shut up," Percy jabbed. He drove a pillow not-so-gently into Jason's chest, and Jason looked at him with an incredulous expression.

"What?" he asked, rubbing his arm. Then he saw the look Nico was giving him. "Sorry."

"Chin up, Nico," Piper encouraged. She was in her usual spot next to Jason, leaning back on her hands. "We still have an entire wedding rehearsal to do."

Nico suppressed a groan. He didn't want to do anything other than sleep right now.

"But… we do have some time to kill." Percy's eyebrows rose as he looked around at the faces in the room, some bored and some neutral. Annabeth, though, turned to him with a questioning look.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

Percy shrugged. "Maybe we could watch a movie."

Faces seemed to light up, and Percy smiled at his friends' joy. Piper was already reaching for the remote.

"This thing have Pay Per View?" she asked, almost to herself. A chatter started to pick up around the room as people discussed movie choices and the inn's services, and for a moment it felt like everything was back to normal. Nico wondered if it would be like this when they got back to New York.

A shout broke Nico out of his thoughts. "Casablanca!"

The whole room went silent.

"...Casablanca?"

When Nico looked around the room, he saw confusion, from Annabeth most of all. "Percy, you hate Casablanca."

Percy straightened up like he was preparing to defend himself, which, in a way, he was. "Do not!"

"Yeah, you do." Piper's hand was still pointing the remote at the tv. "The last time we watched it you said, and I quote, "I hate this movie"."

Percy scrunched up his face, like he was trying to think. "Hmm… No. I don't think so. Never happened."

Annabeth's eyes hardened and she hit Percy in the shoulder. "Don't lie. It's a bad example."

Percy rubbed his shoulder, looking at his soulmate indignantly. "For who?!"

"For whom," Annabeth corrected. She shifted on the bed and put her hands on her knees. "And you know that Leo is very impressionable."

"Hey!"

"Alright, alright," Jason interjected. "But… Casablanca? Why?" The blond turned to fix his gaze on Percy, and everyone awaited his answer.

Percy shrugged and gestured toward the tv, the light of which shone in his eyes. "Well, you said to pick a love story-" several people's confusion intensified as they thought about the ending "-and look, it's right there. $2.99. Amazing." He sent a glance toward Nico, and the Italian knew exactly what it meant.

Nico loved Casablanca.

Percy was trying to make him feel better. But while he appreciated the sentiment, Nico didn't know how much a movie was going to help.

"I'm up for Casablanca," Frank piped in.

Percy nodded at his friend. "Thank you!"

"I've got nothing against it." Several more phrases of agreement erupted around the room, and it was settled.

"Casablanca it is," Jason announced. Piper clicked the purchase button. An hour and forty two minutes later they'd be arguing about what to watch next, but for now, the nine of them could sit back and enjoy a movie from the 1940s, surrounded by their greatest friends in the world.

Nico ignored the look Will gave him.

oOo

When they'd finally arrived at the rehearsal venue after several movies, a prevention of chaos ft. the Stolls, and a few thousand rounds of "Percy what are you doing put that garlic down," Jason had announced that each couple got their own dressing room.

Nico could feel the tension.

It sizzled in the air, and every hair on Nico's arms and neck rose. He and Will were silent as they dressed, an appropriate distance between them. But at this point, Nico wasn't really sure what that meant anymore.

Nico kept his eyes only on what he was doing. He didn't look at Will, he didn't look at the door, and he didn't look in the mirror. He didn't want to face the person he'd see if he did.

They settled into a comfortable rhythm, despite the discomfort they were both feeling. Their movements seemed to match each other's, but ask either one of them and they'd probably say they hadn't noticed. Somehow they were both oblivious to and hyper-aware of each other at the same time, and it seemed to settle a sort of fog over the both of them.

Will sighed, the loudest noise either of them had made so far. Nico ignored him and bent down to tie his shoes, but it seemed Will wasn't finished.

"Look." He started strong, with a confidence that had managed to be enough for the both of them this past year. Maybe that's what Nico needed. Confidence. "I don't know what happened, or what's bothering you-" Nico tensed up at this, pausing as he tied his necktie "-but you should really talk to someone about it."

Nico spared Will a glance, and was surprised to see the blond wasn't looking at him. Instead he had his eyes trailed on the shoelaces he twirled between his fingers.

"It doesn't have to be me, but I do want you to know that whenever you need me…" Finally he looked up at Nico, and their eyes met. The Italian thought back to all those months ago when he saw them for the first time, and they were just as beautiful now as they were then. "I'll be here."

Nico was the first to break eye contact. He swallowed and found his tie's reflection in the mirror - why wasn't this stupid thing tied yet? - and heard only a light scuffle as Will moved. "I'm not sure that's what I need right now," he mumbled. He wasn't sure whether or not he'd wanted Will to hear that, but in the end, it didn't matter.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Will; his voice was a lot less confident than it had been just a minute ago.

Nico gave up trying to get the stupid thing around his neck to cooperate, and threw it to the floor with a growl. "I mean this isn't something that can just be talked away." Despite his vagueness, he felt like he'd just ripped off a thousand layers of walls, and his breathing turned ragged. It got worse the more he talked. "It's… ye-years worth of f-fear and hate. Just leave me alone."

This time, Will didn't. He didn't say 'okay,' he didn't walk out the door; he didn't leave him alone.

"You know what? No." Nico froze, his eyes on the floor. He could hear Will steady his breathing, and realized that his own was speeding up. "I've given you your space. But you need to stop bottling everything up. It will eat away at you."

Nico wanted to roll his eyes, but he couldn't find the strength. There was a moment of pause between him and Will, and he almost thought Will wasn't going to say anything else.

"Can you at least tell me what it is?" Will asked. If Nico looked at him, he was sure he'd see pleading eyes. He considered it a specialty of his to resist them, like Annabeth resisted Percy's. But he wasn't sure he could do it now.

"No."

"Nico-"

"It's nothing."

"Obviously not."

Nico growled again. He wanted to punch something, or throw something, but the closest he could get to letting out his anger was a kick to the wall.

He forced himself to steady his breathing. Will didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to be brought down by someone like him. Nico squeezed his eyes shut.

When he opened them, tears burned at the corners.

"It's just…" Will waited patiently as Nico struggled to get the words out, his head hanging. "It's just the words, an-and the people…"

"The people?"

"The people!" Nico yelled. He squeezed his eyes shut again. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't. "The people in the inn, and the people in Italy-"

"Italy? Is this about Italy?"

"Yes - no, I don't know!"

"Okay," Will said soothingly. He seemed so much calmer than Nico felt, and for that Nico was grateful. Even if he couldn't show it, and even if he didn't know right then that that's what it was. But it still wasn't enough to calm Nico, and his blood boiled. "Why do they bother you?"

Nico scowled. "Perché no?!" He dug his nails into his palm. He could feel the blood begin to pool under his fingers, but he couldn't feel the cuts they came from, and his anger only grew. "They're terrible. To me and the rest of the world." It was the only way he knew how to say it.

"Yeah, so what?" 'So what'?! Will was supposed to understand this better than anyone. "They're arseholes. The lot of them. Why does this upset you so much?" His voice had filled with desperation.

"Because it's hard being in a relationship that people think is disgusting and wrong!"

Neither of them noticed that the door had opened.

The only sound that filled the air was their heavy breathing.

And Nico's broken heart put the pieces back together just to shatter itself again.

AN: #sorrynotsorry

Next chapter you'll see the aftermath, and don't worry, there will be a wedding rehearsal! Thank you and good night!