Disclaimer: I do not own PJO, HOO, or TTOA. I just think there should be more Nico/Will related content in the world.
Will Solace's smile was infectious, Nico was convinced of it. There was something about its open nature – or maybe it was the contrast of his white teeth and skier's tan, Nico wasn't sure - that rendered onlookers simply unable to not respond in kind. It was exactly what was happening now.
Will was grinning at him from across the Hades table, where he'd unceremoniously plonked himself down not twenty minutes ago. And Nico found that a small smile was tugging at the corners of his own mouth in response. What had prompted the seating change, Nico didn't know. And he loathed to admit – he didn't really care. He liked that Will was sitting there.
And he was trying to concentrate on what the blonde was saying, he was really trying. But the way Will's unkempt bangs kept falling in his eyes, and the little freckles that littered the bridge of his nose like tiny constellations, was proving quite distracting.
"So, what do you think?" Will said. Nico swallowed.
"What?" He said, eyebrows raised. How embarrassing, he'd gotten so caught up staring again that he'd completely missed an entire line of conversation. He mentally scolded himself.
"About coming with me to the campfire tonight?" Will said, his bright blue eyes even seeming to smile at him now, too.
"Oh…right." Nico desperately tried to remember how one strung a sentence together.
"Well, I mean, I'll be there already, and you'll be there…so…" He trailed off.
"Yes, but you're missing the one crucial thing that will make going together different." The way Will said going together did things to his heart rate. Did he really mean…?
"And what's that?" Nico managed, eyes searching Will's.
"Well, for one thing, it means you'll simply have to hold my hand all night." Will shrugged nonchalantly. Nico's heart was in his throat.
"Is that a requirement for campfires now?"
"For you and me? Yes."
You and me.
"I suppose that's fine," Nico said, blushing up to his ears.
"Good," Will said, practically beaming back at him like he was literally a ray of sunshine trapped inside a demigod's body. "Now finish the rest of your bacon, doctor's orders."