Nico wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed before Will's door opened. The only thing he was sure about was that he was leaning against it when it did.

The result probably should have been comical (there were a lot of flailing limbs and a face full of carpet on Nico's end) but Nico was so relieved to see the door finally open that even as the surprise of toppling over onto the floor registered across Will's features, nothing seemed to alter the overwhelming look of defeat on his face.

Nico's heart stuttered and tried to catch several beats at once. He scrambled to right himself, staring up at Will, who looked at him blankly. His clothes from earlier had been traded in for the ones he usually slept in and the larger folds of clothing did nothing but make him look small and meek.

Nico's entire core ached.

"What are you doing?" Will asked in a raw voice – too soft and too fragile to sound completely like himself. Nico stared at him helplessly, momentarily panicking and sweeping his eyes around the room as if looking for an answer.

"Waiting outside your door?"

"Why?"

"Because I- I was… waiting for you to come out?"

Will let out a breath and stepped over Nico, who darted up onto his feet and followed him into the kitchen.

"Will. I uh- I know this- I know this is a mess but are you-"

"Don't."

"I can't-" Nico swallowed and watched as Will continued to stay completely faced away from him. "Please talk to me."

"Why? So you can run out on me too?"

"No, I- Look. I know. I'm a total asshole. I get that. But I wouldn't. Not on you. I wouldn't ever run out on you. I don't think I could."

"You're sure about that?"

"I am," Nico said with enough confidence to surprise even himself. "I'm not going anywhere."

Will stopped in his tracks, pausing before turning abruptly and meeting Nico with hard, red-rimmed eyes and square shoulders. "So talk then."

"Well- I- I don't-" Nico waved his hands nervously. "I don't know. What do you want me to say?"

Will threw his own hands into the air and turned to walk away again, but Nico reached out and latched onto his wrist. Will shot him a cold look and tried to yank himself away but Nico held on tightly.

"Will. Come on. Knock it off. I'm not trying to pull anything I just-"

"I need to knock it off? Because I'm the one who is acting like a spoiled brat?"

"Well, not in general, but right now you are. I'm trying to talk to you but all you want to do is shove me off and run away."

"Says the guy who literally ran away from my friends and me earlier tonight."

"Not literally. I walked away from your friends-"

"Honestly?!"

"Well yeah. You said literally so if you want to get technical-"

"Oh my gods. You're being totally serious right now."

"Um, I think so? I don't even know what I am right now I just-"

"Are you hearing yourself?!"

"Not really! You keep throwing me off! I'm trying to-"

"Right. So this is my fault-"

"Will," Nico said sharply. "I need you to just stop and listen for like two minutes, okay? I can't apologize to you if you just keep arguing with me. I don't know how to do this. Any of this. But I'm trying to… try and you're not exactly helping."

Will slammed his mouth shut, glaring back at him and daring him to speak. "Fine. Go ahead."

Nico took a breath. "Thank you. Now… I- I'm still really new to this. I know you think that's stupid and that by now I should be a little better at this but I'm really not. I'm still not awesome with… living people and honestly? I'm not totally sure I ever will be. I am trying. I swear. Even though it might not seem like it, I am trying and I know you want-"

"Stop making it sound like I'm trying to change you," Will said with a sour face. "That's not what this is about, I just want-"

"No, I know," Nico nodded. "I know you're not trying to change me, you're just trying to… help me be a normal human being and… I'll level with you. Your work has been cut out for you. My social skills are weak, at best, and even that is being pretty generous. I don't know how to be a friend, I don't know how to talk to new people, and I don't really even know what I'm saying right now. I know things are different than they used to be but I still assume everyone is scared of me. I don't know how to be a mortal, I'm not great at sharing and I'm even worse at sharing you because despite all the aforementioned shitty traits, you still choose to hang out with me and I am just waiting for the day that you decide that maybe this is all not worth it and there are other people out there with less baggage and it would just be easier if you-"

"That's bullshit and you know it-"

"I do," Nico agreed. "You're right. I do know that. Kind of. Sort of. Sometimes. Other times all I can think about is how it's only a matter of time and you- You were right. Your friends, they are good people, even if one of them is a little rough around the edges-"

"Pot, meet kettle."

"Fair enough, but you know what I mean. I know I wasn't being fair to them and I really wasn't being fair to you but I don't really know how to- It was all just- …I don't know. I know I was wrong. I've spent all night thinking about just how wrong I am but- I don't- …Will. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Will said nothing, but his frustration gradually began to wane. The tension in his shoulders slowly began to dissipate and Nico was relieved to see his eyes soften into something more pensive, as if trying to solve a riddle or decide the best way to treat a patient.

Nico still wasn't sure what he was trying to say, just that he was doing his best and he was really, really sorry. This wasn't something he had set out to do and it all went wrong so quickly, He was babbling, he knew, but Will had always seemed to have some innate ability to understand Nico when no one else could.

Nico needed this fixed. Will was important. He was the most important thing Nico could think of, and he was desperate to make it right.

"I'm not… entirely sure why this is so new to you," Will started, eyebrows stitched in confusion. "You have other friends and you're just fine at camp. We've never had any weirdness like this with new campers and you don't have a problem with Lou Ellen or Cecil so… I just don't get why this is so different. "

Nico tried to shrug, but the image of Will hugging Holly, being tugged away by her hand, burned its way into the front of Nico's eyes and he felt uncomfortably heated all over. "I don't- I don't really understand it either. It feels… really weird, like there's something I'm missing. These are just… people I don't know? They know you differently than I do and it's kind of like you've got this entire other life-"

"I do-"

"-that I'm not a part of it, and I'm not sure I fit in to-"

"But you do!" Will cried, his voice cracking and his eyes turning frantic before they glossed over. Nico stilled, shocked at the unexpected burst of emotion and Will made a frustrated noise and turned away, gripping at his head like he was in some sort of pain. It only took a second before Nico instinctively stepped forward, his hands reaching out to bring Will close but he stopped midway, watching Will tense before slowing his breath and turning back around to look at Nico with fragile eyes.

"I'm sorry. It's just… this is all a mess. I'm so tired of pretending and hiding and you- you're the only one who knows or even really understands who I am and it's just- I hate this. I'm always someone else. I can't- even with my mom. I can't… honestly tell her everything about me. She would be worried sick all the time. She doesn't really understand who I am at Camp Half-Blood and- and it is like two separate lives – demigod and mortal – and it's exhausting. I feel like I'm always sort of playing pretend no matter where I am but you- you're like... this happy place in the middle and I don't have to hide what I am or pretend I'm some indomitable medic because with you- You just- You know and I- I don't know. You're my best friend, Nico. I don't have anyone else in the world who gets this like you do and- and I just wanted- I wanted to- I mean I always want-"

Will choked and raised his hand to wipe his eyes, but Nico was already stepping into his space, using his thumb to brush away the wetness from Will's cheek. Will watched him with pained eyes and then raised his hands to twist into the fabric of Nico's shirt, tugging him forward and dropping his head onto Nico's shoulder. Nico let himself be pulled, let Will move him where he wanted him, and when Will was settled, Nico rested one hand on the back of Will's neck and tucked him close.

"You're mine too," Nico whispered with his mouth against Will's ear. "You're my best friend. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I couldn't do this without you."

Will hiccupped and tightened his grip into Nico's shirt. His hands stayed fisted with white knuckles but when Nico placed his free hand over them, they slowly began to loosen until Nico could gently fold one of them his own.

Will's breath shook with every inhale. Nico could feel the unsteady tempo as Will's shoulders rose and fell. He instinctively held Nico in place, silently asking him, begging him, not to go (which is a little ridiculous, Nico thought idly, because neither love nor money nor an entire Earth-shattering apocalypse could possibly tear him away).

Nico squeezed him close, feeling the warmth and wetness of Will's face as he pressed it into Nico's neck. He let his fingers creep up into the hair at the base of Will's hairline and then he nudged his nose into the top of Will's head, taking a deep, familiar breath.

Will smelled like beach, and boardwalk, and generic shampoo, like staying up all night to catch up on 70 years of movies, and laughing so hard their stomachs ached. He smelled like waking up late on Sunday mornings and like the warm, buttery hue that the sun cast in the middle of the afternoon when the midday drowsiness sat just at the tops of their eyelids. Will was warmth, and comfort, and something else that made Nico nervous, terrified, and overwhelmingly happy all at once.

Best friend didn't really do Will justice, but it was all Nico could place into words for now.

Gradually, over minutes or hours (Nico didn't really know), Will's breaths stopped quivering and his hold weakened on Nico's shirt. He slowly lifted his head, and when he did, Nico ran his thumb along the side of his neck and guided him until their foreheads gently bumped and rested against each other. Will sniffed once, twice, and then settled his weight against Nico's.

"I'm sorry," Nico said into the space between them. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I know... me too. It's-"

Nico shook his head. "No. It's not okay."

Will held his breath and then shrank, letting out a broken sound.

Nico pursed his lips and tightened his hold. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the liquid that was creeping forward but it wasn't enough. His body ached, every part of him feeling Will's pain as if it were his own. He hurt, deep and low and in a way that made him want to reach into his chest and rip his heart out. He needed to touch, and hold, and put all the pieces that were falling away from Will back together.

"Please," Nico said. "I know I really messed this up and I know I can't fix everything but- …do you- do you think they'd give me a second chance?"

Will's forehead scrunched and Nico could feel it before he could see it. Will lifted his head, accidently bumping their noses together and Nico went cross-eyed trying to look at him so closely. Will's eyelashes were damp and dark and perfect. They were delicate curves swept into sharp triangles and Nico could see the red that ran like cracks through his eyes but it didn't matter because the blue was still… so blue. Nico's eyes raked across his face, counting all the freckles that were too hard to see from a distance. There were so many, and even more when they were this close. There was the faintest shadow of one just under his left eye, another right above the curve of his mouth and that's when Nico realized… his mouth.

It was so much closer than it had ever been, and a nervous heat doused over Nico in a flash. His palms turned clammy and his hand slipped from Will's neck to his collar as his tongue unconsciously darted out to wet his lips. Will stayed frozen, breathing out against Nico's mouth but he didn't pull away. There was only the smallest space between them, and Nico didn't want it there. He didn't ever want it there. He could-

Will cleared his throat, awkward and shaky. He took a stumbling step back and his freckles (even the one right below his eye and the one right above his mouth) stood particularly dark against his cheeks. His eyes dropped to the ground.

Nico swallowed very, very hard.

What did I almost just do?

Nico heaved in a breath, trying to reel his mind back in as he stood simultaneously relieved and disappointed at the distance between Will and himself. He shook his head, rattling his thoughts and tried to remember what they were talking about.

"I uh- Your um- your friends," Nico stuttered. "Do you think they would give me a second chance?"

Will stood perfectly still, fingers tentatively touching his lips as if he couldn't believe what had almost just happened. He blinked at Nico several times, as if just noticing he was there and tried to clear the haze that was clouding his mind. "I uh- what? I don't- Oh. Yeah. I mean. Sure. They would. Probably."

"Then uh… maybe we can try again?" Will's eyes shot up and Nico tried not to stare at his mouth.

"Try… meeting my friends?"

"Yes," Nico replied in a rush, taking a full step back and looking everywhere but Will. "Exactly. Meeting your friends. I could um… even try not to be a total jerk this time."

Will didn't look entirely convinced, but at least he stopped looking like he was in a fog. "When?"

"Tomorrow?"

"And… you think that's really possible?"

"About meeting them tomorrow? I don't know. I mean, we can ask. They might be-"

"No," Will said, shaking his head. "I mean about you. Managing to not be a total jerk."

Nico paused and a cautious smirk crept up onto his face as he noticed Will's eyes had a familiar spark. Nico's chest swelled and he took a playful swipe as Will let out a brief "hey!" that was tainted by the ghost of his laugh. It was small, and it was barely there, but its promise made Nico's chest threaten to burst. He smiled up at Will, open and honest, and the son of Apollo hesitantly started returning it before clamping his hands down over his face and turning away.

Any awkwardness that had previously been in the room vanished.

"No. This is not happening," Will said through his hands. "I'm mad at you. Like… really, legitimately mad. You are not making me smile right now."

Nico let out a relieved breath and tried to pry Will's hands from his face. "Oh come on. I said I was sorry."

"No way. You're such an asshole."

"I know but it's the only way I know how to be," Nico said, trying to peer through. "And you have to admit, I'm kind of getting better and according to you, I'm like your happy place or something-"

"Oh my gods," Will wailed, uncovering his face and trying to escape from the room before Nico locked his arms around him. "You can't throw stuff like that back in my face. I was emotionally compromised. I don't even know what I was saying."

"You're a bad liar."

Will squirmed and tried to get out of his arms, but Nico tightened his hold. This was much easier. It made sense to touch Will when they were joking and sparring with each other. This was simple. This was normal, and even though Nico still felt tiny sparks of electricity, at least his heartbeat was back on track.

Will let out a puff of air that ruffled his fringe. "What's wrong with you? You're being awfully clingy. Are you tired?"

"Are you complaining?"

"I am suspicious."

"Are you saying I only touch you when I'm tired?"

"How observant. Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying. But also when I'm upset. You'll try it then too."

"Is that why you threw a fit earlier?"

"It wasn't a fit. But yes. Something like that."

"Something like that," Nico mocked, careful of his proximity to Will's face. "And I don't only do it then either."

"Um, history has dictated otherwise, Neeks. You almost always- What? Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it. It's freaking me out."

Nico smirked broadly and loosened his hold. "You're not mad at me anymore," he said confidently.

"Oh really? And what gave you that impression?"

"Because when you're mad you call me Nico."

Will watched him with steady, even eyes, pausing before letting out an annoyed sound and weaseling out of Nico's grasp, biting away a smile in an effort to still look frustrated. "You are the worst best friend ever."

"I know, but you're the only one I've ever had and I'm learning as I go." Nico pushed a hand through his own hair. "And I'm not that bad. I could be worse. I'm a decent guest, at least." Will stuck his tongue out and Nico made a grab at it before his hand was smacked away. "You look exhausted, Will."

"I am exhausted. You are exhausting. Life is exhausting."

"You're being dramatic."

"Only a little."

Nico laughed through his nose and turned his attention to the living room. "Come on, let's go to bed. Today was a shit day. I promise tomorrow will be better."

"It wasn't all shit and technically…" Will glanced over at a clock. "Today has already started so the clock is ticking, buddy boy."

"All right, well if you want to get technical, you look like you're about to literally pass out so let's crash."

Will made another annoyed sound and disappeared into his room. Nico rolled his eyes and hopped over the back of the couch, crossing the mattress and digging through Will's movie collection before he found what he wanted. Will returned with arms full of pillows, dropping them onto the mattress and giving Nico an odd look.

"What are you doing?"

"Turning on The Goonies," Nico said, crawling back onto the mattress. "I actually kind of want to see it."

Will shoved him in the shoulder with his foot. "Really?!"

"There are pirates!"

"And you couldn't just not be an asshole for a couple hours and watch it at the beach with the rest of us?"

"I'm a flawed human, Will. We've established this."

Will dropped down onto the couch, head in his hands. "You're such a pain in the ass," he bemoaned with no real malice, voice muffled by his hands. Nico smiled and moved forward, resting his chin on top of Will's knees.

"I guess it's lucky I have you then. You're clearly the better half of us."

Will lowered his hands from his face, giving Nico a long look before flicking him in the forehead. "Don't say that."

"It's true."

"It's not," Will said, ruffling Nico's hair before letting his hand rest there. "And I'm not the best thing that's ever happened to you."

"Um, pretty sure you are."

"No-"

"I mean, I've had a lot of bad things happen to me so it's not like it takes much to be the best but-"

"Stop talking. I liked you better when you were groveling."

Nico hid his smile into Will's knee. "I meant it though. That was 100% pure, organic, free range honesty."

"Organic honesty, huh? Is it cage free too?"

"Duh. It's free range. It's honesty straight from the fields."

Will ducked his head and laughed softly. "And what about meeting my friends again, did you mean that too?"

All the warmth in Nico's body disappeared and a small jolt of panic shot straight up into his throat. Will looked up at him with hopeful, delicate eyes, the edges were still red and he looked so, so tired. Seeing Holly and Pip again, especially after their catastrophic first meeting, was the last thing Nico wanted to do, but he nodded, slow and firm.

"Yeah. I meant that too."

A light appeared in the back of Will's eyes and the dread that Nico felt was gone.

I don't know what I'm doing, Nico thought. But I know I just want to see you happy.

"Come on," he said, tugging at Will's leg. "Watch this with me."

Will shook his head. "I don't think I'm going to be awake longer than ten minutes."

"Then just come sit."

"But I'm going to fall asleep."

"So what?"

"Well then are you going to sleep on the-"

Nico gave a hard pull at his leg, dropping him off the couch and halfway into Nico's lap. "Would you take a hint?"

"You take a hint," Will scowled, settling in between Nico's legs and squirming the two of them into a more comfortable position. It took a good bit of moving, but when Will settled, his back was firm and warm against Nico's chest, and he was slouched just slightly, using one of Nico's arms as a pillow, while Nico leaned back against the couch.

It was much more contact than they usually had, especially when it wasn't disguised as a tussle or innocent jabbing. It reminded Nico of the time he woke up next to Will in his cabin, and how since then the closest they had ever gotten to sleeping next to each other was when there was still room for an entire other body between them. He was used to being in Will's space, falling asleep on his shoulder and watching movies with Will's legs flung across his lap, but this was different. This was halfway between almost kissing him and their normal, everyday habits. It made Nico feel soft and affectionate all over, like Will was something precious and he was Nico's to protect.

Best friend doesn't really cut it.

"Hey," Nico said. "Were you serious about Holly earlier?"

"About her and Pip?"

"Yeah."

Will nodded, his hair tickling against Nico's arm. "Yeah, but you can't tell her I told you. She'd freak out. You also can't let Pip know that I told you her real name."

"Poppy?"

"Yeah."

"That's not so bad."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Does she really look like a Poppy?"

Nico recalled the train wreck of rebellion who had almost out-glared him earlier in the evening and then conceded with a hum. "Yeah. Maybe not. Does she know about Holly?"

"I don't think so. She hasn't really come out and said it, at least not to me or Holly, but I figure she has to have some kind of clue. How could she not?"

"I don't know. Maybe she – would you stop squirming? – maybe she doesn't want to assume anything. Even if she does know, it's scary isn't it? If something went wrong she could lose her best friend and- I swear to the gods, Will. Stop moving."

"Oh quit it. You're not exactly the pinnacle of comfort, you know. And I get it but it just feels like they could both be really happy together and instead they're just… not. I don't know – move your arm – I guess it makes sense but I wish one of them would say something."

Nico hummed an agreement and Will finally settled with his cheek leaned against Nico's arm and yawned broadly. "Unrelated to any of that, this isn't weird, right?" he said through the yawn. "Like… me sitting here. Is it weird?"

Nico shrugged. "I don't think so."

"Even though it's like borderline cuddling?"

"Maybe, but whatever."

"You're okay with it?"

Of course I'm okay with it. I almost kissed you earlier, what do you think? Nico thought but instead said: "Yeah. I'm good," and the answer seemed to placate Will.

"Okay," he said, sinking back down and dropping his head back against Nico's arm as his eyes fell shut. "You know, two years ago you would've stabbed me for this."

"Two years ago I would've stabbed you for a lot less."

"But now?" Will asked, turning his head back to look at Nico before casting a glance at the bracelet around his wrist. "What about now?"

"Now I just want to hold a pillow over your face until you slowly stop breathing."

"Hey! Be nice. You owe me, pal. I feel like I caved pretty easy over all this."

"Yeah, but fishing for compliments? That's pushing it."

"Well that's kind of our friendship in a nutshell. Just me… pushing it."

Nico watched as Will's features began to droop and he reached over and flicked the side of Will's head. "Knock it off."

"You knock it off. You don't get to monopolize self-doubt, Death Boy. I have every right to be-"

"Stupid," Nico said, dropping his head on top of Will's. "You're so stupid. I literally can't believe you."

"And I," Will started, trying to push Nico's head off of his own. "Can't believe that you manage to be such a huge asshole all the time. It shouldn't even be possible. Do you just like… thrive on the misery of others or is it just me in particular-"

Nico caught Will's hand.

"I…" Nico began in a low voice. "Would never lay a hand on you, nor would I ever let anyone else. They would never even get the chance."

Will held his breath and then slid his gaze back to the bracelet around Nico's wrist where the sun-shaped bead was glowing steady and golden. His entire body softened and he leaned in to Nico's touch. "I know," he said quietly, raising his hand to touch the stone. "I know you'd never let anything bad happen to me if you could help it."

Nico nodded and watched as Will focused intently on the small sun around his wrist. Two years ago he had shyly wrapped it around Nico's wrist and asked him to watch it, but any time Nico asked what it was, Will went sort of strange and fidgety. Nico knew it has something to do with Apollo, he knew that it was some sort of gift and, according to Will, impossible to lose. Nico never had the chance to find out if that was true, never had the chance to see if the gem would go back to Will or him, because Nico guarded it carefully, reverently, like it was a part of Will.

It kept his nightmares at bay, kept him calm and unafraid of what would happen next and when the world seemed pitch black, it cast golden light into the darkest parts.

Nico didn't want to ever give it back and he hoped Will never asked.

"What is it?" Nico asked, just as he had dozens of times before and Will shrugged too casually, too fast (just as he had dozens of times before).

"I don't know. Lee just said to keep it safe."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"I don't really believe you."

"Believe what you want then."

"You're not telling me something."

"Yeah and you can tell yourself all you want that you'd never lay a hand on me but I'm pretty sure you've got your hands all over-"

Nico gave him a hard shove and Will tumbled forward, dissolving into a pile of laughter. Nico pushed him with his foot, trying to knock him off the mattress but Will just curled up on his side and continued to snicker to himself as he stayed firmly put. Will opened his mouth to say something but Nico let out an annoyed huff and dropped himself forward, fitting himself up against Will's back and reaching down to throw a blanket over the both of them.

"You're so annoying," Nico said flinging an arm over Will's side and tucking him close. Will tried to quiet his laughs, his body vibrating as he shifted his hand so it sat under Nico's.

"Come on. You walked into that one."

"Because I assumed that not even you would make a joke that bad."

"Don't be so judge-y. I'm your best friend. You picked me."

"I really need to evaluate some of my life choices."

"Out of all your life choices I can guarantee that I am not the worst."

"That's debate-able."

Will shoved an elbow back into Nico's stomach, telling him to "shut up and watch your movie" and Nico let out a small "oof" before chuckling and ducking his smile into Will's hair.

Nico wasn't entirely sure what was happening on the television (something about pirates and maps and oh my gods what happened to that guy's face?!), but it really didn't matter. Will's body was warm and his hand right underneath Nico's own. The bead on his wrist was glowing slow and steady, and Nico could barely see the the smallest of smiles curled up in Will's lips as his eyes fell shut.

You're my person, Nico thought easily, naturally, like it was simply part of who he was. And I will always keep you safe.

He dipped his head lower, breathing in summertime and beach and late night movies. He nuzzled into the space behind Will's ear. "I guess it would be a short debate," Nico said. "I would pick you every single time."

The smile on Will's lips grew broader and he settled further back into Nico's body, weaving his fingers up and through Nico's until they were laced tightly together.

"Me too," he said. "I would always pick you."

Nico's chest tied itself into knots and he nodded, suddenly overwhelmed by the idea that maybe the body in his hands was more delicate, more fragile than he could ever imagine. He squeezed Will's hand and buried his face into the back of Will's neck, pressing his mouth to the skin because if he didn't, he might burst.

Any remaining tension in Will's body disappeared, and for a moment Nico almost felt like the bead against his wrist grew warmer. This is what the gods must feel like, he thought, nose pressed to Will's skin. I want to stay like this forever. I don't want to world to get in the way. I don't want to lose you.

Will shifted and nudged his head back toward Nico's.

"We're okay, Neeks," he breathed out, as if reading Nico's mind. "We'll always be okay. I promise."

"I know. I just- …that's not really something you can promise, Will."

"I can and I will," Will replied, pressing a kiss to where their hands were joined, bringing them close to his chest and watching the steady, golden rhythm around Nico's wrist as if it were a lifeline. "We'll always be okay."

Nico said nothing and Will shifted, moving onto his back and placing their hands right over his heart. He looked up at Nico with fond eyes.

"I mean it," he said. "There's nothing in this world that we can't figure out."

Nico ducked his head down, unable to honestly look at Will without his heart racing. "You say that but the world has a funny way of pushing those limits."

"I know, but I don't think we even really have a choice," Will said, pressing Nico's hand to his heartbeat and making Nico feel warm and soft all over. "It's just what happens when we're together and I don't think we could be different even if we tried. I think it's the only way we know how to be."

Nico held his breath and counted the steady heartbeats under his fingertips. Maybe Will was right. Maybe it had been fate and maybe all the misery, all the challenges both of them had faced so early had led to this point where they both felt safe and calm and a little invincible. All that pain, all that loneliness felt like it had happened a lifetime go and it just seemed so stupidly unpoetic that all of it, all that bad, could be undone by a boy with freckles and blue eyes who taught him how to laugh.

Nico shook his head, letting out his breath as a loud puff of air against Will's neck. "You're out of control," he said finally. "It's like 2AM and you're talking about fate and forever and-"

Will started laughing. "Oh shut up. You've looked like a kicked puppy all night and I'm trying to let you know that something like this won't ruin our friendship."

"But something else might?"

"Don't test me, di Angelo."

Nico chuckled. "Yeah okay, but go to sleep already."

"Fine," Will conceded, rolling over and pressing into Nico's space. He shifted several times, tucking his head under Nico's chin and Nico rolled his eyes when Will huffed out a breath and couldn't get comfortable.

"You're a mess," Nico said affectionately.

"Your mess."

"I guess so."

"But it's good right?"

Nico smiled and dropped his nose into Will's hair. "Yeah. It's good. And anyway, like you said: it's the only way we know how to be."

Notes:

Well... this spiraled out of control. Whoops :p

Thank you, thank you to everyone who has been so amazing and so supportive with all the likes and reviews. You are totally awesome.